Princess vs Norwegian

[Abiding]

I’ve always cruised on NCL (1 river cruise on Viking) because when on vacation, we like to “go with the flow” and don’t want to be tied down to a specific time. We’re looking into a TA on Princess because they have self serve laundries.    If anyone has experience with both cruise lines, can I ask you to explain some of the differences?  Thanks!

[JGmf]

I used to be NCL exclusive, reaching Sapphire status by taking advantage of the proximity of the NYC port.  No more.  I like Princess way better.   You get more for your money; and it feels like more of an adult vacation.

 

IMHO, Princess has better (and longer hours) buffet, better food choices overall, a way more generous drink package (includes specialty coffees and water, yes water), more engaged and creative cruise director staff, and more adult-oriented pool areas and activities (for example, enrichment lectures).  The wifi is way faster. All staterooms have a massive movie collection to watch on TV.  The Lido deck pizza is great; and if you gamble, the casino comps are far more transparent and generous.  Having laundry facilities is pretty cool too.  We took advantage of that on our recent 10-day Med cruise.

 

Oh, there are fewer children on Princess (read: no waterslides, go-kart tracks, laser tag, etc.).  Accordingly, Princess does indeed have an older demographic than NCL, but I've seen and met plenty of cruisers in their 20's, 30's and 40's on the ship. 

 

That said; and I suspect on a TA you will definitely have an older crowd.

 

The only thing I miss about NCL is The Waterfront.  Princess ships don't have such a thing.

 

[Mississippian]

48 minutes ago, JGmf said:

Princess has better (and longer hours) buffet, better food choices overall, a way more generous drink package (includes specialty coffees and water, yes water), more engaged and creative cruise director staff, and more adult-oriented pool areas and activities (for example, enrichment lectures).  The wifi is way faster. All staterooms have a massive movie collection to watch on TV.  The Lido deck pizza is great; and if you gamble, the casino comps are far more transparent and generous.  Having laundry facilities is pretty cool too.  We took advantage of that on our recent 10-day Med cruise.

 

The MDR food is substantially better on Princess, and the buffet on the two NCL ships I've been on has been pretty dreadful. However, the FAS and FAS Plus drink package on NCL is a bargain and head-and-shoulders better than Princess. Princess never gives customers the opportunity to order wine in the MDR unless they beg and plead for a wine list, which is very, very time consuming. Princess Plus customers are then given a super-crappy wine list with no wine names, under the assumption that they are too stupid to know how to pay extra for a more expensive wine. I find the whole experience insulting and asinine. The NCL FAS Plus package has a lot of very premium alcohol options. Princess really does not.

 

You are 100% right about how great the self-serve laundry is. If you can actually snag a casino comp from NCL, I think they are cheaper, but getting a semi-free room is much easier and more transparent on Princess. I have an upcoming NCL cruise and plan to do the slide, but I would rather just do without it.

[Retired-N-Happy]

Have cruised on Princess 4 times and NCL 9 times, but have 10 future cruises booked on Princess and 2 on NCL.

The Plus package on Princess is the best value at sea at only 60 per day.  On NCL, bottled water and coffee is not included in their drink package and you need to add an additional 20 pp per day for daily general gratuities for your cabin steward.  Unlimited wi-fi on NCL is expensive, while it's included in the Plus package, as well as gratuities and the drink package.  The Plus package also includes fresh squeezed juices which are not even a choice on NCL.  The only major advantage on NCL is the Vibe Beach Club, which is needed to avoid the youngsters.

[Mississippian]

1 hour ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

Have cruised on Princess 4 times and NCL 9 times, but have 10 future cruises booked on Princess and 2 on NCL.

The Plus package on Princess is the best value at sea at only 60 per day.  On NCL, bottled water and coffee is not included in their drink package and you need to add an additional 20 pp per day for daily general gratuities for your cabin steward.  Unlimited wi-fi on NCL is expensive, while it's included in the Plus package, as well as gratuities and the drink package.  The Plus package also includes fresh squeezed juices which are not even a choice on NCL.  The only major advantage on NCL is the Vibe Beach Club, which is needed to avoid the youngsters.

This is one of those things that depends on one's travel style. I never drink Starbucks (They burn the beans!) and rarely drink bottled water. I applied a $250 CasNext certificate to my next NCL cruise; it's almost impossible not to earn one. When comparing my Caesar's certificate cruise with FAS-Plus and my upcoming "free" Princess cruise with Princess Premier (which I will buy on the ship), NCL seems a bit cheaper. I do think Princess is better in many areas. I fault princess in the lousy selection of wine and alcohol, and overall poor entertainment. As I mentioned, the NCL food is sometimes dreadful.

Edited yesterday at 04:36 AM by Mississippian

[Retired-N-Happy]

5 minutes ago, Mississippian said:

This is one of those things that depends on one's travel style. I never drink Starbucks (They burn the beans!) and rarely drink bottled water. I applied a $250 CasNext certificate to my next NCL cruise; it's almost impossible not to earn one. When comparing my Caesar's certificate cruise with FAS-Plus and my upcoming "free" Princess cruise with Princess Premier (which I will buy on the ship), NCL seems a bit cheaper. I do think Princess is better in many areas. I fault princess in the lousy selection of wine and alcohol, and overall poor entertainment. As I mentioned, the NCL food is sometimes dreadful.

It all comes down to preference.  We don't drink wine, so that is a moot point, but the comparison between the Plus package offerings versus the standard package on NCL is a no brainer for us with Princess winning hands down.  Bailey's isn't even covered in the regular package on NCL.  And since you don't like Starbucks, that would be another check mark in the Princess ledger.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

11 hours ago, Mississippian said:

Princess never gives customers the opportunity to order wine in the MDR unless they beg and plead for a wine list, which is very, very time consuming.

I disagree with this. We've just sailed on Enchanted and had a Premier package. We ordered wine in MDR every night (except 2 specialty dinner nights, during which we obviously ordered wine in the specialty restaurants).

Edited yesterday at 02:41 PM by Itchy&Scratchy

[JGmf]

11 hours ago, Mississippian said:

I fault princess in the lousy selection of wine and alcohol, and overall poor entertainment.

 

@Mississippian Can't comment on wine (don't drink it), but compared to NCL of late, Princess entertainment is marginally better.  NCL turned a corner and dropped the type of production shows that made it distinct.  Their replacement shows, like "The Price is Right", are a cheap substitute that are rather lame.

[Tak8]

Princess is my preferred line, but I've done Norwegian twice including this summer for an Ireland cruise.  I thought NCL had less variety on their main dining room menus.  Appetizers and soups repeated a lot. I found more dishes to my liking on Princess.

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

1 hour ago, JGmf said:

 

@Mississippian Can't comment on wine (don't drink it), but compared to NCL of late, Princess entertainment is marginally better.  NCL turned a corner and dropped the type of production shows that made it distinct.  Their replacement shows, like "The Price is Right", are a cheap substitute that are rather lame.

 

 I was Platinum on NCL before we made the switch to Princess.  If NCL doesn't have the great Production shows like...Blue Man Group, Million Dollar Quartet, the Impersonator shows, anymore.... Then I'm sorry to hear that, and won't hurry back without it. 

 

Edited yesterday at 05:22 PM by CalLuvsCrusingToo

[IrieBajan54]

I'm Diamond on NCL and cruised with them for 10 years exclusively. Prior to that, I used to sail on the other 5 mass market lines. Just moved back to Princess and expect to be Elite right after my upcoming TA. NCL has changed and not for the better with issues like:

 

*limited choices and subpar quality of food in the MDR (especially seafood)

*I agree with another poster above that the buffet food is dreadful

*has a regular scheme to change some itineraries immediately after final payment

*cut production shows and replaced with game shows as an additional revenue center

*cabin cleaning reduced to once per day (either a.m. or p.m.)

*and you always have to be on the look out for an email where NCL makes changes for "your convenience and to protect the environment."

 

I don't do packages on any cruise line so can't comment on that.

Edited yesterday at 05:45 PM by IrieBajan54
correction

[sanger727]

I'm also interested in this.  We have preferred NCL for the last several years for the following reasons:

1. Several complimentary dining options - MDR, o'sheehans, free asian option, free specialty dining included

2. I think that the your time dining works the best when the whole ship is on it.  When it's limited to a certain number of tables, there are bound to be waits.  Also, with NCL, if the dining room you choose has a wait, there are screens outside telling what the wait is at other dining options.

3. no dress code.  My husband hates bringing clothes just for dinners on vacations.

4. Very good entertainment

 

Any thoughts on whether or not Princess will appeal to us? I'm confused about the casual dining vs the specialty dining. 

 

Also confused about the regular cabins vs reserve collection vs sanctuary collection

Edited yesterday at 06:10 PM by sanger727

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 hour ago, sanger727 said:

free specialty dining included

none of it is really free because you couldn't choose the lowest fare and then add the "free" stuff. You have to purchase higher priced fare first.

Princess has no dress code either.

Princess has very good entertainment (the newer ships).

Princess has Any time dining.

You are not making a life time commitment by trying out a different cruise line.

[alwalaska]

3 hours ago, sanger727 said:

I'm also interested in this.  We have preferred NCL for the last several years for the following reasons:

1. Several complimentary dining options - MDR, o'sheehans, free asian option, free specialty dining included

2. I think that the your time dining works the best when the whole ship is on it.  When it's limited to a certain number of tables, there are bound to be waits.  Also, with NCL, if the dining room you choose has a wait, there are screens outside telling what the wait is at other dining options.

3. no dress code.  My husband hates bringing clothes just for dinners on vacations.

4. Very good entertainment

 

Any thoughts on whether or not Princess will appeal to us? I'm confused about the casual dining vs the specialty dining. 

 

Also confused about the regular cabins vs reserve collection vs sanctuary collection

You sound a lot like us.  Previously, we chose Princess for itineraries that were better when it was a bucket list cruise, like Alaska (way back in 2006) and Panama Canal.  We are Sapphire on NCL and love the Free Style.  I'll let you know more after our December cruise, but in the past, Princess does not do the "Any time" or whatever it is called dining anywhere near as well as NCL.

 

Our next two cruises are on Princess, one due to itinerary and other due to a great price from Galveston, which I wanted to try.

 

We are not foodies and have been happy with the food on both lines, but Princess does seem to have better main dining room food in our opinion.  Until our most recent cruise, I preferred the NCL buffet better.

 

I used to say we preferred the NCL entertainment better, but after the recent cuts, the entertainment quality was definitely lacking on our Spirit cruise this past Feb. Princess seems to bring in a higher quality of entertainment for the main shows in the big theater, but I used to like the individuals/small groups in the bars better on NCL.  Again, they quality was much lower on our most recent NCL cruise. 

 

Again, I'll let you know after December, but supposedly Princess has relaxed its enforcement of  dress code for the dining room.  We will still wear jeans or my husbands kacky style work slacks with polos for meals in the dining room, but we're not bringing formal clothes and supposedly, that is now OK, even though the FAQ still say fancier than that. I'm traditionally a rule follower, but I really hate bringing clothes just for dinner too.

 

I think NCL's loyalty program is head and shoulders above Princess.  As Platinum/Sapphire on NCL we get 2 free specialty meals, free bag of laundry, water, priority tendering (most of the time), priority embarkation (most of the time), and more. Princess 2nd from top tier get some discounts, access to a lounge, and early access to making dinner reservations.  That is really nothing. 

 

The FAS free wifi minutes are plenty for us, but I'm not going to pay for Plus or WiFi on Princess, so it is back to going without on cruises.  I'd rather cruise more often then pay for the Wifi, etc. 

 

Now that prices are pretty much the same and NCL quality seems to be going down, we will be trying other lines more. 

 

Just my opinions. 

[Retired-N-Happy]

4 hours ago, CalLuvsCrusingToo said:

 

 I was Platinum on NCL before we made the switch to Princess.  If NCL doesn't have the great Production shows like...Blue Man Group, Million Dollar Quartet, the Impersonator shows, anymore.... Then I'm sorry to hear that, and won't hurry back without it. 

 

Different ships in the NCL fleet have different types of entertainment these days.  The two ships in the Prima Class, the Prima and Viva as well as the Aqua, which is the first Prima Plus Class ship all have state of the art entertainment as well as the Indulge Food Hall.

[Sudoku]

The only thing we like better about NCL is ships that have Syd Normans.  Also enjoy their dueling pianos.  

[Itchy&Scratchy]

26 minutes ago, alwalaska said:

supposedly Princess has relaxed its enforcement of  dress code for the dining room.  We will still wear jeans or my husbands kacky style work slacks with polos for meals in the dining room, but we're not bringing formal clothes and supposedly, that is now OK

it has been ok for many years. We started sailing on Princess in 2016 and it was ok even then.

[Treasure Hunter]

The only thing better about NCL is the Haven or if you are traveling with kids and need the toys. Recently both the food and entertainment is better on Princess if you are in a regular cabin.

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

NCL is better to solo travelers and usually has better deals for solo.

Thats one complaint I hear about Princess & many other Lines, if youre solo.

 

 

[mistyPA]

21 hours ago, Mississippian said:

The MDR food is substantially better on Princess, and the buffet on the two NCL ships I've been on has been pretty dreadful. However, the FAS and FAS Plus drink package on NCL is a bargain and head-and-shoulders better than Princess. Princess never gives customers the opportunity to order wine in the MDR unless they beg and plead for a wine list, which is very, very time consuming. Princess Plus customers are then given a super-crappy wine list with no wine names, under the assumption that they are too stupid to know how to pay extra for a more expensive wine. I find the whole experience insulting and asinine. The NCL FAS Plus package has a lot of very premium alcohol options. Princess really does not.

 

You are 100% right about how great the self-serve laundry is. If you can actually snag a casino comp from NCL, I think they are cheaper, but getting a semi-free room is much easier and more transparent on Princess. I have an upcoming NCL cruise and plan to do the slide, but I would rather just do without it.

After coming off an NCL and Princess cruise you are right that the wine is better on NCL but the drink package in and of itself is far better on Princess. They use higher quality brands. I am a Vodka drinker, no Absolut or lower ends served on Princess, plus you can get specialty coffees and water including Pelligrino. On NCL had to pay extra for coffee and water.

[JGmf]

13 minutes ago, mistyPA said:

the drink package in and of itself is far better on Princess. They use higher quality brands. I am a Vodka drinker, no Absolut or lower ends served on Princess, plus you can get specialty coffees and water including Pelligrino. On NCL had to pay extra for coffee and water.

 

Amen to that.  I'm a vodka drinker too, and Princess blows away NCL on that front. 

[Mississippian]

10 hours ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I disagree with this. We've just sailed on Enchanted and had a Premier package. We ordered wine in MDR every night (except 2 specialty dinner nights, during which we obviously ordered wine in the specialty restaurants).

So the wine list was placed in your hand the very moment you sat down, like it is supposed to be? You didn't have to ask for it? This never happens to me. They always refuse to provide the wine menu like they are supposed to unless I ask for it.

[dockman]

NCL has taken the nickle and dimeing to new levels...tons of extra fee restaurants and not so good with included restaurants.  No thanks.

[Treasure Hunter]

We are currently on the Enchanted Princess. The food has been great. We ate in the Catch by Rudy tonight and it was just delicious. The Dover sole was better than in Murano on Celebrity. Everything about it was as good as a top seafood restaurant . The buffet lunch was as good as I remember any buffet. We laughed ourself sick at the comedy of Tony Duro in the Vista lounge👏my only complaint is tight machines in the two small casino. So far a great trip on a beautiful ship  My dessert tonight. I swear I couldn’t stop laughing.

[Mississippian]

1 hour ago, Treasure Hunter said:

We ate in the Catch by Rudy tonight and it was just delicious.

The Catch by Rudy is by far my favorite specialty restaurant at sea. I ate there three times on my Sky Princess transatlantic.

Edited 18 hours ago by Mississippian