NCL Dream vs. RCCL Navigator vs. CCL Glory

[hockeymom12]

Help! I am looking for assistance! I just got of of Mariner (first cruise) and loved every minute! Now looking at booking for January 07 and found a great deal on NCL Dream but the reviews don't seem to be that favorable. CCF Glory has great prices as well but again not much information on this ship. RCCL Navigator (same class as Mariner), I know what to expect on the ship but was thinking I would like to try something different. Any advise given will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks -hockeymom12

[GottaLuvCruising]

After sailing the Navigator, I'm afraid that the NCL Dream would be terribly disappointing. There is good reason that the rates are very low. The Dream is one third the size of the Navigator and much older, with far fewer amenities. If you want something different, go with the Glory. It is a little smaller than the Navigator and not quite as nice. But still offers a great experience and usually a good value.

[pcboston]

The other poster is so right. You took your first cruise on a top notch ship, those Voyager class ships are gorgeous. To go on the Dream after that would be a huge let-down and you absolutely do get what you pay for when booking. I went on the Dream after being on RCCL Explorer and Adventure, Princess's Grand, and Carnival Destiny...all pretty large ships and there was no comparison to the Dream. It is just smaller, older, more unstable, and I found it very boring as well. If you want something different but more equal, I suggest you look into the Princess Grand Class ships like the Golden and the Grand, some of Carnivals bigger newer ships, even some of Norwegian's big newer ones might be good. Happy sails.....

[hockeymom12]

Thank you both sooo much for your response! I think I just may have to bite the bullet and go with something I know I will enjoy! Would you say CCL is comparible to RCCL?

[Cruising89143]

I have been on the Glory once and the Navigator twice. Does that tell you anything?:)

 

Here is my opinion. The Glory is a nice ship but does not even come close to the Navigator. I have to say the the Conquest class of which the Glory belongs to is one of the worst designed ships afloat IMHO. It is chopped up and has many dead ends. Also it is more crowded and you can feel it on the promenade deck and around the pool areas. The service on Carnival is not as good as RCI and the ships are not as clean or kept up as well. I have sailed on Carnival 16 times and I do see a difference between the two lines.

 

The Dream is a much older ship and is cheap for a reason. She will soon be moved out of NCL's fleet to parent company Star Cruise Line within the next few years.

 

Here is a breakdown on the three ships.

 

Navigator = 137276 tons, 3114 passengers and has a passenger to space ratio of 44.1

Glory = 110329 tons, 2974 passengers and has a passenger to space ratio of 37.1

Dream = 50760 tons, 1748 passengers and has a passenger to space ratio of 29.3 (ouch)

 

The above is based on two per cabin. Notice that there is only a difference of 140 passengers between the Navigator and the Glory but the Navigator is almost 27,000 tons larger. Makes a difference. Any cruise is good but some are better than others and with that said I think that you would be much happier with the Navigator. Captain Bang has one of the best run ships that I have ever seen.

 

Gordon

[caviargal]

Thank you both sooo much for your response! I think I just may have to bite the bullet and go with something I know I will enjoy! Would you say CCL is comparible to RCCL?

 

I agree with cruisinggator that Conquest class ships are poorly designed, overcrowded and just plain not a good experience.

 

I spent 10 days on NCL Dream; I rate it as very poor overall. It is not well maintained for and older ship, food was medicore and cabins small.

 

You would do well to stick with what you like. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. If Dream and Glory were both free, I still would not set foot back on either!

[pcboston]

Hi again Hockeymom,

 

I just wanted to say that if I were you, I wouldn't restrict myself to only one cruiseline even though your experience on the Navigator was awesome. My feeling about cruising is that variety is the spice and you should really try out many lines and all the different itineraries that are offered because they all have good things about them to enjoy. I only started cruising 6 yrs ago, but have done 2 Carnival, 2 Royal Caribbean, 2 Princess, 2 Norwegian, and one Disney and liked most of them, some better than others. The Dream was just the worst of the lot, and I'd advise you to stick to the larger newer ships in any of the cruiselines even though the prices are higher, you will never be satisfied with a cruise on a small older ship now that you have done a mega ship. Good luck with choosing your next adventure..........................Happy sails....

[hockeymom12]

Thank you everyone for your insight. I am convinced... now I have to work on the others that will be sailing with us! Can you let me know what the activities are like on NCL Dream? I am also concerned because we have 2 full days at sea and I don't want to be looking for something to do! Thanks again for all of your advise!:)

[pcboston]

I think it was the lack of activities more than anything else that really made the cruise on the Dream so bad. I booked it because it was 3 new ports for me, the price was good, and it sailed out of New Orleans (before Katrina), and I had always wanted to see that city. That's the only part of that cruise that I am thankful for, that I got to do that before the storm. I found the Dream just very boring and I am an older woman but there was just no life and no spark there. Sea days had mostly canned music and not much in deck games. At night after 11, it was like a ghost ship except for some people in the casino. The meals were ok but the buffet was awful, small and congested and not much seating.I agree with the poster above, of all the cruises I have taken, this is the only one I wouldn't repeat, even if it was free.If you had never cruised before, you might think it was ok, but after doing Mariner, I just think you would be so disappointed in the Dream. There is just no comparison whatsoever. Have your friends read these boards. We really do try to be helpful but I hope that you want people to tell it like it really is. I wish someone had warned me...I would have booked something else..........happy sails..............

[hockeymom12]

PCBoston,

Thank you so much for this reply! I am completely sold now! This is why I post... because I want the honest truth! Thanks again -hockeymom12