Princess loyalist tries NCL

[asctony]

On 8/10/2024 at 3:22 PM, akaCruiser said:

As for NCL, I generally like the freestyle format, but these days I find that their cruise fare is a lot more than Princess and they do a lot nickel and diming which turns me off. 

Please explain the 5&10?

TIA

[Panhandle Couple]

13 hours ago, asctony said:

Please explain the 5&10?

TIA

A common complaint for NCL when people run out of other complaints.

There is the std cruise stuff, photos, arcade, bingo, Starbucks (if you don't buy the unlimited package).

For ships that have them. Laser tag, go carts, pub games (darts, bowling, billiards).

Then the regular stores.

What Princess calls premium desserts and gelato stand, although soft serve and scoop ice cream is free.

Of course wine (and wine tasting/pairings) above mid-level that comes with the drink pkg.

The most common pricing gives you 2 specialty restaurants, but the large ships have 6 or 7 to choose from, so some people assume up front that they should get them for every meal.

Then the over and above (like any cruise line) spa access or treatments, beauty shop, ship tours.

We have done regular 7 day cruise and barely spent $100 on extras, or several hundred. It all depends on what you want.

[latebloomer56]

We like NCL for a home port easy cruise, especially as a family. We live near Boston so this port or NY work best for us when we just want to get away without flying. Only POA was not from the northeast so don't have huge ship experiences. I didn't care for the food on our last trip, we were in the Haven and had special breakfast and lunch options which I found so very lacking I went to the buffet (which was very good). Won't be going on the Pearl again anytime soon though. We do like the fact that NCL has 2 bedroom suites and our family of 5 has cruised together several times this way.

Now with Princess having more of a presence in the northeast I'm hoping to take everyone on a Princess cruise, just so they can have a totally different experience. They have been on NCL and Carnival, no plans to ever take grown sons on Carnival just because other than the food not much for them anymore.

[RNRcruisers]

We took a Mediterranean cruise on the Jade back in 2015 and loved it. We like that size ship. We have also been on several more NCL ships. The worst for us was Encore with a million kids and loungers crushed up against each other, way too crowded. We swore off NCL then but I would reconsider for a super low price - but not on Encore.

 

I actually like NCL food in general and we don't do specialty restaurants. We have had some of the worst and best entertainment on NCL 😄

 

Princess is our favorite line but that doesn't mean we won't ever cruise any other line. As more of the huge ships are replacing the small and medium we may have to look around for ships more to our taste, and that may not be on Princess.

 

[Oxo]

3 hours ago, Panhandle Couple said:

A common complaint for NCL when people run out of other complaints.

There is the std cruise stuff, photos, arcade, bingo, Starbucks (if you don't buy the unlimited package).

For ships that have them. Laser tag, go carts, pub games (darts, bowling, billiards).

Then the regular stores.

What Princess calls premium desserts and gelato stand, although soft serve and scoop ice cream is free.

Of course wine (and wine tasting/pairings) above mid-level that comes with the drink pkg.

The most common pricing gives you 2 specialty restaurants, but the large ships have 6 or 7 to choose from, so some people assume up front that they should get them for every meal.

Then the over and above (like any cruise line) spa access or treatments, beauty shop, ship tours.

We have done regular 7 day cruise and barely spent $100 on extras, or several hundred. It all depends on what you want.

After reading your comments and explanation of nickel & diming that applies to most of the Cruise Lines. Celebrity, MSC, Princess & RCI. 

I don't consider that bad. I don't want that included in my cruise cost. I pick out what I want and thus am not paying for something that I will not use. Spa costs are totally outrageous! 

JMHO!

[justjan2]

On 8/12/2024 at 10:57 PM, Teechur said:

The thing I considered most unfair in this story was that after NCL finally cancelled the cruise, they still refused to reimburse the people who had proactively cancelled.

 

I think the not refunding for previous cancel was common during covid. Not just on NCL. Same thing happened to me on an Island Windjammer cruise.

 

 

[Panhandle Couple]

1 hour ago, Oxo said:

After reading your comments and explanation of nickel & diming that applies to most of the Cruise Lines. Celebrity, MSC, Princess & RCI. 

I don't consider that bad. I don't want that included in my cruise cost. I pick out what I want and thus am not paying for something that I will not use. Spa costs are totally outrageous! 

JMHO!

Yeah, it is more of a Ford vs Chevy or Toyota vs Honda debate.

 

90% the same, the other 10% is priced as various individual options or as a bundle. 

[akaCruiser]

20 hours ago, asctony said:

Please explain the 5&10?

TIA

Some examples that I found not to be my liking are the following:

- The "Free at Sea" packages are not really free as if you accept the drink and specialty dining packages, you need to pay for the gratuities for the packages for all passengers (not just the first two, as I cruise as a family of four), whereas when you purchase the Princess Plus the cost is already includes any "extras". Also, both the drink (soda and booze only) and internet packages (not unlimited) are not that comprehensive, e.g., if you want Starbucks, bottle water, etc., you need to upgrade the packages at additional cost (which makes it not really free...).

- While onboard, they really push a lot on getting the drinks of the day, bucket of beer, bingo, photos, etc. Even though the crew are polite, it just plain annoying to keep saying no thanks

- On the newer ships all of the featured activities require additional payment to use, e.g., race track, darts, etc. With the NCL cruise fare being what it is and if you compare RCCL, RCCL is a better option given that their activities are included with your fare

 

In general, if I was able to find a really good deal on NCL I would book it, but my default is currently Princess with HAL or RCCL as my alternatives.

   

[asctony]

2 hours ago, akaCruiser said:

Some examples that I found not to be my liking are the following:

- The "Free at Sea" packages are not really free as if you accept the drink and specialty dining packages, you need to pay for the gratuities for the packages for all passengers (not just the first two, as I cruise as a family of four), whereas when you purchase the Princess Plus the cost is already includes any "extras". Also, both the drink (soda and booze only) and internet packages (not unlimited) are not that comprehensive, e.g., if you want Starbucks, bottle water, etc., you need to upgrade the packages at additional cost (which makes it not really free...).

- While onboard, they really push a lot on getting the drinks of the day, bucket of beer, bingo, photos, etc. Even though the crew are polite, it just plain annoying to keep saying no thanks

- On the newer ships all of the featured activities require additional payment to use, e.g., race track, darts, etc. With the NCL cruise fare being what it is and if you compare RCCL, RCCL is a better option given that their activities are included with your fare

 

In general, if I was able to find a really good deal on NCL I would book it, but my default is currently Princess with HAL or RCCL as my alternatives.

   

I am glad they charge separately for those things. I would not do many of them, do why would I want that to be included in my cruise price?

This way we each have a choice of what we want and will pay for. 

Princess has the PLUS & PREMIUM pkgs. They are a great value for most people. However, some people don't drink, some people don't want to go to a Specialty Restaurant every night, etc. So again, they have a choice. 

No one Cruise line is a fit for all. 

Luckily we have choices! 

Your choice, my choice we all have a choice.

Happy Cruising!

[PandaBear62]

I have sailed NCL three times since the reopening from Covid. Twice in the Haven and once in a balcony room. I primarily travel with my mom and sister, so we go during school vacations (she's a teacher). So I will only compare these cruises to the ones I've also done on Princess during vacation times.

 

There are definitely more kids. But that's their market, especially on the bigger ships and especially during traditional vacation time periods.

 

They have way more specialty restaurants. I've enjoyed all the ones I've tried.

 

They have way bigger production shows. Absolutely no comparison to Princess. The also have had some bigger game show productions with guests, like the Price is Right. I also really liked the Cavern Club and Syd Normans Pour House for shows, but they are small, so you have to be there early. Again, Princess doesn't really have anything like this/ 

 

I didn't like that specialty coffees aren't included in the drink package, nor tips. I also didn't like their smaller "lounge" areas with music. They seemed to be almost in the hallway....it didn't feel like you were in a venue. 

 

Princess has better activities like trivia in smaller venues. Many of these events on NCL are in the Piazza like area and they are insanely loud. I didn't like that at all. I love the International Cafe. NCL has a place like it and while it does have better views, the food selection is poorer. 

 

I felt the dining room food was basically on the level of Princess (and honestly, most mainstream lines). 

 

Princess to Alaska (specifically) is much better, Docking at Ward Cove in Ketchikan is a pain and Princes has significantly better enrichment (that is something that matters to me). I mean, no comparison. 

 

The Haven is fantastic. There is nothing like it on Princess at all.  I cruise with my mom and sister twice a year and we only stay in the Haven, because it's much better for my mom.

 

I am not a Princess or NCL loyalist. Since the reopening after Covod, I've sailed on Disney (3 times), Carnival (once), NCL (3 times), Celebrity (once), Princess (6 times) and Windstar (once). I have enjoyed myself on all these cruises and there are good and bad about each. 

 

Overall, my husband and I prefer Princess (in general) based on overall cost and value for cost. They also seem to have more CA and West Coast cruises cruises, and the fact they sail out of San Francisco is nice for us. On the other hand, I love the "excuse" of "having" to sail in the Haven...the private dining room, private pool area and sun area...so awesome!

 

But again, in general, if you can't have a nice time any of the above mentioned lines, I assume the issue is with you and not the line itself. I think there are "loyalists" for a certain line (any line, just change the name) who will never acknowledge that a different line can have a good product. It's almost like they can't be happy on their line unless they are simultaneously criticizing another line.

 

JMHO.

[Iamcruzin]

On 8/10/2024 at 3:22 PM, akaCruiser said:

Just a quick footnote. NCL Jade was formally the Pride of Hawaii when NCL had three ships doing weekly sailing only around the the Hawaii Islands. Presently, do to too much capacity, they downsized the total number of ships to one -- Pride of America.

 

As for NCL, I generally like the freestyle format, but these days I find that their cruise fare is a lot more than Princess and they do a lot nickel and diming which turns me off. 

I just saw a YouTube video by a young couple in their late 20's. They had cruised only on NCL but now that the prices have gone up to equal Celebrity and Princess they are going to sail those lines in the future.