Back from Baltic on Dream 6/28 -7/10

[ssneiderma]

Hi all

Finally got rested up and got most of the laundry done. Hi to the cruise critic cruisers and Henna too(your review was great and agree with everything you said.)

Just a few things.

FREESTYLE DINING.

Really like the concept.... a few times had to wait for table for 15 to 2o minutes. On occasion might have been beneficial to open Terrace restaurant to take care of people waiting for lunch.

Princess cruises also offer freestyle or traditional.

FOOD

Biggest complaint.Below par compared with other cruise lines. Offerings were meager and repetitive and actually pretty awful. Sometimes could not find anything I cared to order. Meat was terrible(no really good steaks) Not sure if they are trying to get people to go to pay Bistro. Desserts boring( bread pudding 50 different ways) Buffet room(Sports Bar) dirty, crowded and hot went up there once and lost appetite. Did go for snack time however once or twice. We have been on more than 40 cruises and based on food alone probably would not go again on NCL. Buffet can not compare with the buffets on the other cruise lines.Food is big part of the cruising experience .Will affect our future choices. Not sure if other NCL ships serve better food.Good part was I didn't gain any weight on this one.

ROOM SERVICE

was excellent did have a few hot items and always called when they were coming. Came early on days we were to tour early.

SERVICE IN GENERAL

was excellent

TOURS

were excellent. We took all cruise tours and were pleased with all of them except one; our friends took tour in Stockholm and were forced to leave bus in city instead of being returned to ship. We were blessed with fabulous weather

CABIN

was excellent

Kiel Canal was worth everything.

RUSSIAN SHOP

on board a rip off. Buy your souvenirs at flea market stands while touring. You can bargain and prices are at least half. Great market near Church of Spilled Blood.

COPENHAGEN

We had booked canal tour and Tivoli $75. Day before arriving in Copenhagen ship offered shuttle Tivoli round trip $29. Feel we should have known about this earlier. Too late to make tour changes without penalty. Did enjoy canal tour though. Thought Tivoli was nice but unless you stay late you will miss the entertainment. Rides looked fun if you are so inclined but were extra. Would not go again. We are from Fl and have Disney so are spoiled.

ENTERTAINMENT

was excellent.

FELLOW CRUISERS...wonderful; met a lot of fab people from all over.

ITINERARY

Why we chose this particular cruise.

FLIGHTS

Arriving one was great, direct on Virgin

Departing one was not so great but we made it home . Left ship at 6:30 AM to go to Heathrow and plane left at 4:30 PM to Washington DC where we changed planes and went through customs. Not sure why we could not get direct return on Virgin. Oh well made it home safely but tired.

Overall we had a great time and wish you all the same.

Sue and Terry

[Katy P.]

SSNeiderma, hope you wouldn't mind if I asked you some questions, please? ( First Time cruiser)Freestyle dining means if you wanted a table for say two people, means you line up anyway along with the other people on the ship then wait until your table comes? Which tours did you take from the ship? Did each tour give you some time at least to walk a bit and do some shopping? When you arrived in Copenhagen and did the Canal tour and Tivoli, was there a tour guide with you even in Tivoli? How long were you in Tivoli before you were taken back to the ship? How was embarkation and disembarkation? Thanks for any info. :) :) :)

[ssneiderma]

Hi Katy

In answering some of your questions. If you want a table for 2 you may request one , if available you will be seated immediately. You may be asked if you want to share. Depending on how busy will determine if you need to wait or not.

Tours In most cases we were given some time for shopping usually not much. Sometimes only a few minutes. I dont like when they take you to a particular store which is more expensive and benefits the tour guide (commission). In some cases you given an option to be let off downtown and shop and get back to the ship on your own. This was possible in Stockholm,And Helsinki and Tallinn. Try to find the litle souvenir shops unles you want something expensive like amber.

In Tivoli we were on our own, no tour guide. You are free to return on the shuttle bus which is right across from Tivoli. it leaves about every half hour and last one is 12:30 AM We returned about 10.

Embarktion and disembarkation went well..smooth as clockwork. We had to disembark at 6:30. We were able to get room service early around 5 and we stayed in our room until called to leave.

Hope this helps and have a great time. You will love it.

Sue

[fun4fam]

Dear Sue

 

Could you please tell us what time you did muster. We leave this next week and would like to plan ahead.

[sweetpea-2]

thanks for the review... not that food is everything but when your on vacation it's nice to relax with great food that is prepared for you...this would turn me off from this ship....

[Katy P.]

Sue, with regards to the shuttle buses, did you book this through the ship the night before the ships dock in the port? How is the booking done? Are you able to book it just for returning to the ship in case you want to be left in the city after you have finished your guided tour? Thanks for any info.:) :) :)

[ssneiderma]

Fun

Muster was shortly after we departed about 4:30. I remember because Cruise critice members met in Observatory Lounge at 5:30 after Muster.

Bon Voyage

Sue

 

Katy

As I recall the shuttle business varied on ports. In Copenhagen you signed through tour office the day before for the shuttle to and from tivoli and including Entrance to Tivoli.

There was another shuttle I believe in Helsinki which was 5 dollars one way or 8 round trip. Not every port had a shuttle. this was not purchased in advance.

Sue

[Joyfredsblondecruiser]

I thank you very much for your excellent review. We will be doing the Dream in April b2b with the Baltics. I have not been on NCL for a while but I do remember their meat to be very tough. Happy Sailing, Joy