Princess vs Norwegian Cruise Line

[Beach710]

Princess is probably my favorite cruise line. I love anytime dining. I have also been on serveral RCCL cruises and a couple of Holland American cruises. I am in my 40s.

 

I am considering a Norwegian cruise because of the itinerary. I have heard mostly negative comments abot Norwegain. Like the entertainment is non existent and it is boring on the ship.

 

I would like to hear the good and bad and the differences from people who have sailed both Princess and Norwegian.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Donna

[barbarah33]

I prefer Princess but that's not to say I didn't have a good time on NCL. The food is better on Princess, the cabins I find to be a much better layout. For me a cruise staff can make or break activities and we had a great one on NCL and only a mediocre one on my last Princess cruise. You get rated in the casinos on NCL - the only cruise line I have ever seen this on, so it is nice to get free drinks, gifts, etc. but unless you are a gambler that probably doesn't matter to you.

 

I think anytime you're on a cruise is a good time and I'm sure you'll have fun no matter what you chose. However if you are in love with Princess then why change? Stick with what you know will please you.

[Clutterlady]

Although I believe Princess will become my "comfort" cruise line, we didn't have a bad time on NCL in May. Remember it's all freestyle dining. Freestyle is not for eveyone. We enjoyed it as this was a quick, R&R cruise. The bathrooms were great, nice size and a shower door! NCL decor is on the louder side, not like the soft tones of Princess but not overly gaudy. Service was ok, only saw my steward a few times, but that was alright. The food, now there's the major difference. Never thought I was a picky eater and my DH will eat just about anything but the food was pretty bad! Mac and cheese on the dinner menu? I thought the entertainment was very good to excellent!! The pay dining venues were very good. Anyway, nice to have choices and try other lines.

[Kathyh1313]

I have loved everyone of my experiences on NCL. Fisrt cruise on Princess was great, most recent this August not so great but enjoyable none the less.

 

I love freestyle and the dining choices offered on NCL. However it will depend on which ship you are cruising. The new NCL ships designed for freestyle have much better amenities as opposed to their older ships.

 

I have had very good to excellent food on NCL. Latest cruise on Princess food was fair to very good. Excellent in the pay venues.

 

Entertainment was very good on both lines. There is always one lounge that is happening till late on both lines. As DH and I age, YIKES!, we prefer a quieter atmosphere and have had our best cruise on HAL recently.

 

I say give NCL a try, I think you will like it. Staff are friendly and helpful, even on their older ships you will have a good time.

 

Happy cruising, Kathy

[alonzo14]

Beach710: Which ship are you considering? I have sailed Norweign three times with the last two being on the newest ships. I think you will have a very satisfactory cruise on the newset ships built for freestyle. I wouln't recommend the older ones.

My husband and I are sailing Princess for the first time next year so I can't compare the two lines yet. I think Norweign has very good entertainment. The food in most of the pay restauants was very good. They have a 24 hour casual eatery. The main dining room food was hit or miss depending on the ship. Some very good and some ok. They do not have freshwater pools or big outdoor screens for movies like Princess, but some ships have a cinema. I liked the bathrooms with separate toilet areas on Norweign. The very newest ship the Jewel has no multideck atrium with glass elevators but is an open area called the Crystal Court. Service was very good and crew friendly. Hope this helps.

[PTC]

Where are you planning to cruise to?

 

I'm a firm believer in the itinerary dictates the kind of cruise experience you will encounter. For instance the cruise experience many people have in the Caribbean is far different than what they can expect in let's say the Mediterreanan, British Isles, Australia, etc. Staff, service and overall atmosphere will be on a very different scale.

 

When asking for advice, it is a good idea to clarify where you plan to cruise to and ask for advice on cruiseline comparisons based on who has cruised both lines in that part of the world. Believe me, it makes a difference.

 

PTC

[Beach710]

Hi,

Thanks for all the responses. I would stick with Princess but we have done the Eastern and Western Caribbean a few times and don't really have the time (from work) for a longer cruise.

I am considering Princess for a partial Panama Canal Cruise. We could probably manage a 10 day, if it leaves on Friday, out of Florida.

 

I am considerig Norwegian Pearl 9-Day Southern Caribbean cruise. It has a couple of ports I have not been to and it is out of Florida.

 

I appreciate all the information. Thanks.

[caviargal]

I have not cruised on Princess since 1991 so cannot offer a personal opinion on their ships. I was on the CB for a luncheon and tour and she was a pretty ship. However, I personally would not choose a ship of that size that holds so many passengers.

 

I have cruised on NCL, older and newer ships. I agree that older ships should be avoided but the newer ships are quite nice! Not too big and not too jammed with people to feel crowded, boldly decorated but not like Farcus, nicely thought out.

 

I am not a Freestyle fan and found the food and service in the free dining venues forgettable. The ala carte choices, however, were low in cost and offered very good food and service. Of four cruises on NCL, I chose these 95% of the time for dinner. It allowed me to have my "traditional" dining experience while adding very little to my overall cost.

 

Their entertainment was good in terms of live music and dancing options. I do not attend shows so cannot speak to that.

 

I am also considering checking out the Pearl as it has been three years since I have cruised with NCL. I think they offer a value priced option with nice ships and a friendly crew.

 

CG

[rebeccalouise]

I have had satisfactory cruises on four NCL ships. However, I don't like the aesthetics of the ships. They are not "beautiful" on my view. They are clean and interesting and there is lots to do. The service and food were good and there is a nice atmosphere. It is a fun vacation but the first time I went on NCL- I was really disappointed with the low ceilings and small cabins. I adjusted. They are a good value and I never had a bad time on one of there ships.

[flvol77]

Princess is probably my favorite cruise line. I love anytime dining. I have also been on serveral RCCL cruises and a couple of Holland American cruises. I am in my 40s.

 

I am considering a Norwegian cruise because of the itinerary. I have heard mostly negative comments abot Norwegain. Like the entertainment is non existent and it is boring on the ship.

 

I would like to hear the good and bad and the differences from people who have sailed both Princess and Norwegian.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Donna

 

We are going on NCL Jewel in Nov. I love Princess, but I wanted to try a different Itinerary.

 

I spoke with a lot of people two weeks ago while we were aboard the CB and NCL had a lot of mixed reviews. People that had been on the Jewel loved their experience. We booked a mini suite, and yes we are ready for the louder colors.

 

I have been looking at the Pearl 9 days also and if we enjoy our Nov cruise I am sure we will book a Future Cruise with them.

 

I have done a lot of research on the Jewel I have an 11 page word doc on the ship as of right now and I am pretty confident when I say we are going to like our cruise.

 

I will let you know what I think when I get back.

[BarbCT605]

We are going on NCL Jewel in Nov. We booked a mini suite, and yes we are ready for the louder colors.

The cabins are lovely on the NCL Dawn (similar to Jewel). Lots of polished wood in the minisuites. IMO, the 'gawdiness' is attributed to bright artwork and carpeting that would make Vegas hotels seem tame (bring your sunglasses).

 

You may be interested in the Virutal Tour of a minisuite on NCL Dawn, which should give you a general idea NCL decor:

http://www.virtualtoursusa.com/tours/norwegiandawn/miniaf.htm

 

Enjoy your cruise on the Jewel.

[2manyplaces]

I have not cruised a great deal, but I have been using the same travel agent (a very experienced and well-traveled lady) for many years. She has had negative experiences with the customer service of Norwegian and for that reason will not book them for her customers. She books Regent, Royal Caribbean, Holland America and many others including Princess, and recommends Princess for good value for the cost.

[MKKruiser]

After going on the Tahitian Princess last February, I am becoming a bit unhappy with the Princess food. My last several NCL cruises (all newer ships) was much better. My very favorite is Celebrity.

[Umbarger]

I have been on both NCL and Princess. I like both cruise lines. Freestyle dining is GREAT. No wait like anytime dining on Princess. I found entertainment to be better on NCL. Customer service on NCL is terrible.

 

I say try NCL. Variety is the spice of life. :D

[willysgrandma]

We did NCL in Hawaii because they were the only ones with a 7 day itinerary.

 

It was okay. What we did enjoy very much was the Freestyle Dining and it kind of spoiled us for the rest of our cruises. We are doing RCCL next year and are not happy that we have to choose a time to eat again.

 

NCL is less formal than other lines. The food is not as good and we had some poor service (the Hawaiian itinerary is a little different than others because they do not hire international staff, who work harder).

 

However, we found the actual ship to be okay - I've been on a Celebrity and an RCCL that wewere disappointed in the ships (Clebrity Horizon and RCCL Sovereign of the Seas). We found the Pride of Aloha to be nicer than either of those ships.

 

If you want white glove service, NCL isn't the line for you. Princess would be a better choice. But it was okay. Any cruise is what you make of it, regardless of the line.

 

We didn't have any complaints about the shows either - they were fine.

[rebeccalouise]

Remember that the Sovereign of the Seas and the Celebrity Horizon are older ships. If you went on the Explorer of the Seas or the Celebrity Millenium- you would have a different experience.