The TERRIBLE State of Norwegian Cruise Line in 2024

[schmoopie17]

12 hours ago, kasimir said:

 

Look everyone has an opinion and everyone's perception will be different, but as I mentioned in my early post... experienced NCL cruisers must be either blind or have not been on NCL recently to not have noticed how bad it has gotten. 

 

We just got off the Escape September 24th. I believe that qualifies as "recently".

 

It was one of our best cruises on NCL. Food, bar service, restaurant service, cabin service, cleanliness, entertainment (other than the horrible "comedian/magician") couldn't have been better. Of course, that is just our humble opinion. Yours is obviously different.

 

As for the stock price, nobody I know is expecting to become rich on 100 shares of NCL stock. I bought it because we had an extra $1289 sitting around and thought it would be fun to buy 100 shares at $12.89. If it goes up, great. If it goes down, no biggie. It's not going to make or break us either way.

 

Oh, and the OBC has come in handy on the cruises we have been on since buying the stock.

[DCGuy64]

30 minutes ago, Denise T said:

If you are unhappy with NCL by all means, try the other cruise lines.

100% agree. The problem that I and some others have is that the discontented people keep coming back over and over to say why they'll never sail NCL again. We get it, but it IS tiresome to have them say it over and over.

[Denise T]

29 minutes ago, jibbity said:

Thanks to everyone for all the advise/information.

 

We're going to keep the NCL cruise as scheduled and enjoy it as it goes. We're not the types that complain or obsess about the little things so we should be good.  THANKS!

Enjoy the cruise. I am currently on the Sky. I was on the Pearl two years ago. The Pearl was my first NCL cruise. I enjoyed it. The Sky is a different experience, and I still love it. Smaller than the Pearl and does not have some of the things that the Pearl has but I love this tiny ship. The crew is outstanding. 

[Denise T]

7 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

100% agree. The problem that I and some others have is that the discontented people keep coming back over and over to say why they'll never sail NCL again. We get it, but it IS tiresome to have them say it over and over.

I get it. I often feel that some of these posters want to convince others not to sail NCL. I appreciate those who share their experiences, good or bad without telling everyone to stop sailing NCL. Be factual, to the point and without exaggerating. It also gets annoying at times that if we have positive experiences somehow, we are "cheerleaders". No cruise ship or cruise line is perfect. I read them, take what seems realistic from the post and move on. I usually don't bother commenting. I am currently doing a live now on the NCL Sky and I posted some of the challenges with the Sky including lack of storage because the rooms are smaller because, guess what, it is a much smaller ship. The buffet is smaller as well, becuase the ship is smaller. That will not stop me from sailing her again. My personal preference is not the bigger ships like the Breakaway or Epic because they are not the ship for me. Many like those ships and that is absolutely fine. I learned along time ago that those who are unhappy will scream the loudest. That's fine. Let them vent. We can choose whether we respond or not. I do agree, it is tiresome, especially when you don't see what they are seeing. 

[schmoopie17]

Gee, imagine that. Apparently NCL isn't the only cruise line where people say, "I'll never go on it again."

 

 

[UKstages]

2 minutes ago, Denise T said:

it is tiresome, especially when you don't see what they are seeing. 

 

once again, it's not when the good people of this forum don't see what others see.

 

that's not the issue.

 

it's when the good people of this forum insist that it didn't happen, that the poster has an anti-NCL agenda or that they've never experienced the well-established lapse in product or service that hundreds of people have been talking about for months or years. it's that second part... the dismissal, the hurling of accusations and insults and the besmirching of someone's character... that is decidedly distasteful. 

 

you know what's far more irksome and far more prevalent than the people who say they will never sail NCL? it's the people who dismiss others with opposing views by telling them they should never sail NCL again. that's not their decision to make. 

 

many people, such as yourself, can find fault with individual aspects of NCLs product and service, and express that viewpoint, while still respecting the opinions and experiences of others. many others can not.

 

my intent is not to convince others to abandon NCL.

 

my intent is to convince others to be respectful human beings who don't ridicule, mock or dismiss other posters who come to the boards here to share their genuine, personal, lived experiences with NCL.

[Capitan Obvious]

15 minutes ago, UKstages said:

my intent is to convince others to be respectful human beings who don't ridicule, mock or dismiss other posters who come to the boards here to share their genuine, personal, lived experiences with NCL.

 

That might be your stated intent, but in practice, you label people who don't automatically and blindly jump on the bash bandwagon as, in your own words, "decidedly distasteful".

 

Here is an interesting idea: If a person want to share their negative experience without (again your words) the people who "ridicule, mock, or dismiss', then perhaps...just perhaps...they should just write it up as a review and post it in the review section where people CAN'T do any of the ridiculing, mocking, and dismissing. They could simply post their experience without any comment. You kinda have to wonder why they don't.

[DCGuy64]

49 minutes ago, UKstages said:

my intent is to convince others to be respectful human beings who don't ridicule, mock or dismiss other posters who come to the boards here to share their genuine, personal, lived experiences with NCL.

Disagreement isn't mockery.

Having an opposing view isn't ridicule.

Pointing out factual errors isn't dismissive.

If the moderators of Cruise Critic want to institute a policy or rule stating that when someone posts a negative or unflattering review of NCL (or any other line), all who respond must be in agreement with the author, then that is their prerogative. But until that happens:

 

1. People can write negative reviews AND

2. People are allowed to weigh in on the review and disagree with its findings

 

Opinions can't be right or wrong, but facts can. So if someone trashes a cruise line for skipping a port due to bad weather or war, for example, those reading the review are allowed to push back. Same thing when a reviewer blames a cruise line for long wait times at immigration upon disembarkation. If someone says a cruise ship has "terrible" food or "a poor wine selection," those are obviously just opinions and aren't facts. But when a reviewer goes beyond reporting an opinion and says that NCL, for example, is a terrible cruise line with bad food and terrible wine, that person has now exceeded the realm of opinion and is attempting to turn opinion into fact.

[Denise T]

58 minutes ago, UKstages said:

 

once again, it's not when the good people of this forum don't see what others see.

 

that's not the issue.

 

it's when the good people of this forum insist that it didn't happen, that the poster has an anti-NCL agenda or that they've never experienced the well-established lapse in product or service that hundreds of people have been talking about for months or years. it's that second part... the dismissal, the hurling of accusations and insults and the besmirching of someone's character... that is decidedly distasteful. 

 

you know what's far more irksome and far more prevalent than the people who say they will never sail NCL? it's the people who dismiss others with opposing views by telling them they should never sail NCL again. that's not their decision to make. 

 

many people, such as yourself, can find fault with individual aspects of NCLs product and service, and express that viewpoint, while still respecting the opinions and experiences of others. many others can not.

 

my intent is not to convince others to abandon NCL.

 

my intent is to convince others to be respectful human beings who don't ridicule, mock or dismiss other posters who come to the boards here to share their genuine, personal, lived experiences with NCL.

Each of us has choices. We can continue to sail NCL or not. We can be disrespectful and rude or not. We can share our experiences, good or bad, or not. We can read posts or scroll on by. Unfortunately, there are many people in life, and on these forums, whose goal in life is to be right and who will dismiss and diminish those who do not agree with them, regardless of the topic and regardless of which "side" you are on. For my own sanity, I disengage with those who want to be "right" and who want to diminish me as a human being for not agreeing with their lived experience. In a perfect world, we would all be respectful to each other. We are not in a perfect world. 

[bkrickles1]

14 hours ago, kasimir said:

 

Look everyone has an opinion and everyone's perception will be different, but as I mentioned in my early post... experienced NCL cruisers must be either blind or have not been on NCL recently to not have noticed how bad it has gotten. 

 

I've sailed both RCCL and NCL before the pandemic, during, and after so I have experience.

I sailed Getaway for 10 days at the end of April and it was one of the best cruises I've been on.

Yes, there were cutbacks. Once a day cabin service, maybe less items on the dining menus and maybe less crew, but my experience was outstanding.

Million Dollar Quartet was ridiculous, the same cast did another Broadway unplugged show and it was great! We had 2 comedians, there was a magician (didn't go) and many musical acts all over, including the really good band at Syd Normans.

We couldn't get to all of the entertainment in10 days!

Food was good and service was fantastic!!

It was a great cruise!!

Just now in September we sailed Symphony of the Seas.

It was great too.

There were differences and they had cutbacks too.

Of course they still had lobster night, but even that is different than it used to be 10 years ago, when you could get 4 tails if you wanted.Lmao!

Entertainment was good, but different.

I'd give the edge there to Getaway.

Each line had there niche and each had noticeable cutbacks, but each were pretty darn similar with regards to the overall experience.

I just booked Aqua for next summer and we're looking into a Celebrity sailing in 2026, so we're willing to spread it around.

I believe you're overstating how bad it's become and that's a little unfair to inexperienced cruisers who come to these forums for fair opinions.

 

BTW I'm not blind either!!

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, bkrickles1 said:

Million Dollar Quartet was ridiculous, the same cast did another Broadway unplugged show and it was great!

I'm so happy to hear Broadway Unplugged is still going on! I am so hoping it's being performed when I cruise Getaway in February. I may go to MIllion Dollar Quartet (I've seen it twice and enjoyed it), but I'll go to every d@mn performance of Broadway Unplugged. Is it still in the Illusionarium? 

 

Separately, y'all, there's no "maybe" or "may" about NCL cutting staff. They have directly stated they cut onboard staff. 

 

 

Source: Investor+Day+Deck+vF+Web.pdf

 

This is the 2024 Investor Day Slide Deck Presentation. I know this is a NCLH document, so one could argue they'll only cut headcount at Oceania and Regent, not NCL, but that is not a rational argument. Try it if you'd like. You'll be summarily laughed at if you do.

 

A direct link to the presentation is here: https://d1io3yog0oux5.cloudfront.net/_4f17a08aa59e09b02a298d0ca2dfccea/nclhltd/db/1086/11470/pdf/Investor+Day+Deck+vF+Web.pdf

Edited October 11 by cruiseny4life

[kasimir]

4 hours ago, Capitan Obvious said:

 

So everyone can have an opinion and a different perception, but if they don't see it the way you do they "must be either blind or have not been on NCL recently"?

 

That doesn't seem equitable.

 

There is a difference between a fact and perception/opinion. Let me briefly explain on one example, the elimination of the second turn down service. 

 

It is a fact that the second turn-down service (except for Haven) was eliminated. You must be blind or haven't been on NCL recently to have not noticed this fact. And people questioning these facts I will not even bother responding to, like for example: 

15 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Removal of higher valued food items (whatever those are/were)?  Haven't seen it. 

 

Now to the perception/opinion. In the case of the second turn down service removal, this will affect everyone different. For us its not a big deal, for some it might be a reason to look elsewhere. 

 

If someone is a foodie, the lowering of food quality and removal of high value food items, is going to be a huge deal, for someone that has a simpler palette it will not be a big deal.

 

I can go on like this forever, but it comes down that facts are not opinions, but you can have an opinion about a fact. 😉 

 

Now NCL introduced multiple cost-cutting measures plus price increases in a very short period of time, due to them being under tremendous financial pressure, NCL will potentially upset a wider group of customers. 

[bkrickles1]

7 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I'm so happy to hear Broadway Unplugged is still going on! I am so hoping it's being performed when I cruise Getaway in February. I may go to MIllion Dollar Quartet (I've seen it twice and enjoyed it), but I'll go to every d@mn performance of Broadway Unplugged. Is it still in the Illusionarium? 

 

Yes. It was still in Illusionarium and I can't imagine they wouldn't still perform it since it's the cast from MDQ doing it. 

I loved MDQ. When they bring that picture down from the rafters and the 4 of them are posing exactly like the picture, I got goosebumps. 

The cast was super talented and that's why Broadway Unplugged was so good. 

Enjoy your sailing! 

[RocketMan275]

13 minutes ago, kasimir said:

Now NCL introduced multiple cost-cutting measures plus price increases in a very short period of time, due to them being under tremendous financial pressure, NCL will potentially upset a wider group of customers. 

Would you rather they go bankrupt?

[Capitan Obvious]

15 minutes ago, kasimir said:

 

There is a difference between a fact and perception/opinion. Let me briefly explain on one example, the elimination of the second turn down service. 

 

It is a fact that the second turn-down service (except for Haven) was eliminated. You must be blind or haven't been on NCL recently to have not noticed this fact. And people questioning these facts I will not even bother responding to, like for example: 

 

Now to the perception/opinion. In the case of the second turn down service removal, this will affect everyone different. For us its not a big deal, for some it might be a reason to look elsewhere. 

 

If someone is a foodie, the lowering of food quality and removal of high value food items, is going to be a huge deal, for someone that has a simpler palette it will not be a big deal.

 

I can go on like this forever, but it comes down that facts are not opinions, but you can have an opinion about a fact. 😉 

 

Now NCL introduced multiple cost-cutting measures plus price increases in a very short period of time, due to them being under tremendous financial pressure, NCL will potentially upset a wider group of customers. 

 

The problem here is that in the post I quoted, you were talking opinions and perceptions, specifically how those opinions and perceptions should be accepted...even though you yourself do not do the same. The word "fact" wasn't even mentioned once in the post I quoted, so it is really a red herring for you to pivot to this "fact" vs "opinion" postion which, AFAIK, isn't being questioned by anybody.

[kasimir]

3 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Would you rather they go bankrupt?

I don't think they will go bankrupt, but it will hurt their brand. 

 

Personally I believe that there will be a significant amount of long-time NCL customers that will switch to Princess or Celebrity for them to receive the product/service they used to receive on NCL before the aggressive cost cuts. Especially when those alternatives are at similar price levels. 

 

On the other hand NCL will attract new customers from cruise lines like MSC, Costa or Carnival that want a bit more, but a similar cruise experience (=resort style family friendly cruise line). 

 

I will still say that NCL is still a great cruise line for folks that are new to cruising, as they offer a bit of everything. 

[DCGuy64]

15 minutes ago, kasimir said:

On the other hand NCL will attract new customers from cruise lines like MSC, Costa or Carnival that want a bit more, but a similar cruise experience (=resort style family friendly cruise line). 

I agree with this. For every disgruntled former NCL fan, there's a new person waiting in the wings. It's also worth keeping in mind that if many/all of the mass market lines are cutting some services and raising fares, I'm not sure where else people will go. I suppose those with lots of money will flock to the premium and luxury lines.

[graphicguy]

5 hours ago, Denise T said:

Enjoy the cruise. I am currently on the Sky. I was on the Pearl two years ago. The Pearl was my first NCL cruise. I enjoyed it. The Sky is a different experience, and I still love it. Smaller than the Pearl and does not have some of the things that the Pearl has but I love this tiny ship. The crew is outstanding. 

So true.

 

BTW...I'm loving your live review!!!!!!

[UKstages]

1 hour ago, kasimir said:

There is a difference between a fact and perception/opinion.

 

nailed it.

 

the good people of this forum confuse that all the time. 

 

i don't care when somebody tells me that it's no big deal that there's no smoked salmon in the buffet and that it's no big deal that housekeeping only comes once a day. every one of the good people of this forum have different needs and preferences. they don't eat smoked salmon or need turndown service? that's fine.

 

but i do care very much when those same good people insist that smoked salmon hasn't been removed from the buffet and there have been no cutbacks to staffing or service. because it has and there have been.

 

the one thing absent from this recent turn in this discussion is the expected lifetime value of a customer. how much revenue can NCL expect to derive from a customer each year? and how will price increases and service cuts affect their perception of the brand?

 

in this regard, not all customers are created equally.

 

somebody who consistently books inside cabins, uses her $100 stockholder OBC benefit and never spends a penny more while onboard is not worth as much to NCL as somebody who consistently books the haven or a club balcony or the vibe or who consistently drops 2K, 4K, 5K or 10K or more in the casino.

 

those are very different customers. to be sure, NCL needs all those customers to make their margin, but they don't all provide the same consistent revenue. ironically, the products and services that appeal most to the high margin customers with higher lifetime value are the very ones that NCL has repeatedly cut over the past two years.

 

budget minded customers in inside cabins will absorb an increase from $12 to $20 for a FAS/MAS meal without saying much or feeling much pain. but charge high value customers that same $8, while taking away free premium drinks from a high status member of NCL's casino program, or from haven customers who wish to purchase a premium drink package, or reduce their internet minutes, or nickel and dime them with nuisance fees and price increases... and they will see less and less value in the product.

[graphicguy]

Or, there will be those who jumped over to MSC and Celebrity to try them, and decided they liked NCL better.

 

Although, I did like Celebrity.  Just not enough to make a wholesale transfer to them.  At some point, I hope to sail them, again.

 

To each their own.

 

Every cruise line seems to have their fair share of "nay sayers".  Kind of have to shove them aside to get to the meat and potatoes of getting the true flavor of any of them.

 

NCL, Celebrity, Carnival, HAL, MSC...being similar in many ways, all still have their own flavor to them.

[UKstages]

the focus is upside down.

 

it's not about the people who say nay. it's about the cruise line that does something to make a significant number of people say nay.

 

the good people of this forum always want to point fingers at those who find fault with their beloved NCL. it's not about those who have found fault. it's about a monolithic corporation and their behavior, policies, products and services. did they behave admirably and responsibly? are they customer-focused? do they resolve problems? or have they indeed done something to make all those folks say nay? 

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, UKstages said:

 

nailed it.

 

the good people of this forum confuse that all the time. 

 

i don't care when somebody tells me that it's no big deal that there's no smoked salmon in the buffet and that it's no big deal that housekeeping only comes once a day. every one of the good people of this forum have different needs and preferences. they don't eat smoked salmon or need turndown service? that's fine.

 

but i do care very much when those same good people insist that smoked salmon hasn't been removed from the buffet and there have been no cutbacks to staffing or service. because it has and there have been.

 

the one thing absent from this recent turn in this discussion is the expected lifetime value of a customer. how much revenue can NCL expect to derive from a customer each year? and how will price increases and service cuts affect their perception of the brand?

 

in this regard, not all customers are created equally.

 

somebody who consistently books inside cabins, uses her $100 stockholder OBC benefit and never spends a penny more while onboard is not worth as much to NCL as somebody who consistently books the haven or a club balcony or the vibe or who consistently drops 2K, 4K, 5K or 10K or more in the casino.

 

those are very different customers. to be sure, NCL needs all those customers to make their margin, but they don't all provide the same consistent revenue. ironically, the products and services that appeal most to the high margin customers with higher lifetime value are the very ones that NCL has repeatedly cut over the past two years.

 

budget minded customers in inside cabins will absorb an increase from $12 to $20 for a FAS/MAS meal without saying much or feeling much pain. but charge high value customers that same $8, while taking away free premium drinks from a high status member of NCL's casino program, or from haven customers who wish to purchase a premium drink package, or reduce their internet minutes, or nickel and dime them with nuisance fees and price increases... and they will see less and less value in the product.

I find it highly amusing that the experts here know so much more about what cruise passengers wish to pay for than NCL.  Keep it coming. 🤣

[david_sobe]

This video sort of explains that ALL cruise lines have lower reviews than they did just a year ago.  Gary points out the big cruise ships with wild entertainment score the highest reviews.  NCL is not mentioned that much in this video.  Royal scores the best of the biggest lines and MSC rates the lowest.  Of course all of this is subjective because you can sail on the worst rated ship and have a great cruise and you can sail on Icon of the Seas and have a horrible cruise.  Ben and David put out a similar video the other day and they also rated MSC lower than NCL.  Another thing that Gary points out is older ships tend to get the worst reviews. 

[Sizzlechest]

6 hours ago, david_sobe said:

This video sort of explains that ALL cruise lines have lower reviews than they did just a year ago.  Gary points out the big cruise ships with wild entertainment score the highest reviews.  NCL is not mentioned that much in this video.  Royal scores the best of the biggest lines and MSC rates the lowest.  Of course all of this is subjective because you can sail on the worst rated ship and have a great cruise and you can sail on Icon of the Seas and have a horrible cruise.  Ben and David put out a similar video the other day and they also rated MSC lower than NCL.  Another thing that Gary points out is older ships tend to get the worst reviews. 

 

It sounds like customers would do well to pick the cruise line that is building the newest and biggest ships. The longer one stays with a "loser" cruise line, the more cognitive dissonance will set in.

[Wayward Son]

29 minutes ago, Sizzlechest said:

It sounds like customers would do well to pick the cruise line that is building the newest and biggest ships.

 

That's a rather odd statement. There are some of us who prefer not to spend their vacation surrounded by 7000 others within the confines of a cruise ship.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Sunday at 12:54 AM by Wayward Son