What Can You Tell Somone Who's Never Cruised on NCL?

[Figsgrandma]

So far we've only cruised on Princess and Royal Caribbean, but are looking at NCL because it's one of the few cruise lines sailing out of New York this winter.

 

I'm interested in anything you can tell me, the good and the bad, and not only how it compares to the other cruise lines, but what I can expect, in general, from a NCL cruise.

[family cruisers]

I too have sailed on princess (Grand) and RCCL (explorer ). In october my B/F and I went on the Norweigan crown out of New York to Bermuda.

The Crown was a much smaller ship than I've been on but I have to say it was GREAT ! It was nice leaving from the metro area instead of flying to florida for a cruise.

This ship was so personable, very comfortable. You saw regular faces daily. Couldn't get lost if you wanted to.

We ate in LeBistro (specialty restaurant) and it was Fantastic.

We ate in the buffet alot and had Not one complaint.

The choices were plentiful. Hot , cold you name it they had it.

They also had seperate stations outside the normal buffet area.

On the way out to the pool deck they had all desserts for lunch and dinner along with someone serving ice cream cones/cups with toppings during lunch and dinner too.

The entertainment was great. We loved the comedy shows the best.

October there were hardly any kids on board, that is not an issue for us. We each have kids but this is our vacation we do alone.

I just found out that my xmas gift is another cruise on the crown for 10/07 back to bermuda. We loved it that much!! I only found out because he had to check the dates w/ my work.

Any more questions feel free..... I know the Dawn and Spirit that leave from N.Y are larger ships with more to do. We are both in our early 40's and enjoyed the atmosphere on this ship alot. This was my B/F's first cruise. He had no expectations and enjoyed it so much. I Loved it...Bermuda was just beautiful. only 11 more months to go again.....

Which ever ship you choose I wish you a wonderful cruise.

[Hollyspop]

May I suggest that you visit NCL's web site and request a catalogue. Then visit this board often and read read read. You will soon have a good feel if Freestyle cruising is for you or not. Most of your questions will be answered if you read the catalogue and THEN ask questions that are not answered there.

[daisydu]

Go with an open mind. It's great to read these boards because you learn alot about making reservations, entertainment options, etc., but don't be discouraged by the negatives. Did our first NCL cruise (actually first cruise) in May and we loved it. Was everything perfect, no - but what vacation doesn't have a few bumps? Relax, enjoy yourself and don't sweat the small stuff. Have fun!!

[Host CMLA]

I would tell someone new to NCL to throw out preconceived notions about what a cruise is. Don't expect structured dining. Don't expect to build a relationship with with your room steward. Don't expect most of the things you've heard about on other lines or the way cruising used to be a decade ago. You should expect a clean room and good food and fun activities and a ride to each port. But don't expect NCL to be the same structure as other cruises. ;)

[mbisson]

I'd tell them to look at the RECENT reviews on the boards, discount the ones that are either too negative or too glowing. If they like what's left, they have a good time.

 

-Monte

[watchdiva]

I would tell them to enjoy the freedom of freestyle cruising. The freedom to dine whenever and wherever you want - sure beats traditional "set" seating in my opinion.

 

Keep your expectations realistics - don't expect perfection because nothing in this life is perfect but if you go with a positive attitude, the odds are greatly in your favor that you'll have a fantastic time.

[Gypsea]

Never dull. I felt like other lines did not offer as much by their entertainment staff as the NCL ships. I sailed one line to Princess and was disappointed byt he lack fo fun stuff to do. In comparison friends that sailed NCL to Alaska really had fun. I was a little bummed. I have always loved NCL but felt it was time to book outside and get to know other lines. So far, I have not been overly impressed with the two mass market lines I have frequented in recent years. I do think Celebrity is pretty good though. I really look at the guest to staff ratios alot and find many lines have too many guests and not near enough staff. It shows in the cleanliness and service available. NCL said many years ago when the Dawn was new that it would not try to keep up with the Jones's because of this fact and so fare they're ships are reasonably sized.

 

I also think the bold steps they take to be different deserve praise. I also appreciate the many sailings from NYC so people can cruise year round without flying. HAL is here now but even Princess doesn't hang during winter. Go figure. But NCL WAS FIRST!

[Figsgrandma]

Thanks, everybody, I appreciate your input.

 

HAL is the other cruise line we're considering, and I actually posted the same question on the HAL board.

 

One thing I have noted from the pictures on the NCL website, is that the ships seem to be decorated with very bold colors, especially the cabins (or is that just in the pictures). I'm not an old fuddy-duddy, but I'm not sure I'd care for that. Of course, decor is all a matter of taste, and certainly wouldn't be the deciding factor, but I'm interested in what others think.

 

I'm still not even sure if we'll be cruising this winter, and it will be a last minute decision if we do. But even if we don't go now, whatever you can tell me about NCL will be helpful for the future.

[KeystoneCruiser]

The biggest difference between those other lines and NCL is Freestyle Dining and no mandatory formal nights, no assigned dining times and a variety of restaurants.

 

Here is a brief synopsis of Freestyle. I love Freestyle and that is reason why I only cruise NCL.

 

1.) No set dining times. The dining rooms are open from 5:30 p.m to 9:30 p.m. and you can dine anytime during that period. (see #2)

2.) There are two types of restaurants on NCL ships: Main & Specialty.

A.) The Main restaurants do not accept reservations and do not have a cover charge. These serve the traditional cruise meals and have many choices every night. (the buffet would also be included in this list.) You simply walk up to these like a shoreside restaurantand tell the maitre'd how many of you there are and you will be seated. Obviously if you try to dine during the prime time of 6:30-8:00, there could be a short wait. We have always arrived at dinner between 5:30 and 6:15 and have never had to wait for a table.

B.) The Specialty restaurants each serve a special type of meal. (Cagney's = steak, LaTrattatoria = Italian, Bamboo = Asian, LeBistro = European, etc.) These restaurants require reservations which can be made for the whole week on boarding day. Sometimes these reservations go fast and they are full for the entire week by the second or third day and sometimes there are a few left. Again, with eating at 5:30-6:30, we have never had problems making reservations. Most of these restaurants also charge a "cover charge" of between $12.50 and $20 per person. (Cagney's is at the high end of $20.) LaTrattatoria is free however but requires reservations.

For my first couple of NCL cruises, I was against the idea of paying extra for any meals and wouldn't go, but I tried Cagney's on this past cruise and found the quality of food and service to be well worth it. (in fact we went twice!)

C.) Room service is also free and always available.

 

3.) Another part of Freestyle is that you can eat with who you want. Unlike RCCL and others, you are not forced to dine with others. You can ask for a table for 4 (or two if you want a quiet evening) or you can be asked to be seated with others. If you meet new friends during the week, you can dine with them if you wish!

 

4.) The best part of Freestyle is the fact that you do not have to dress up, even on the formal nights. Formal Nights are OPTIONAL on all NCL cruises in ALL dining rooms. Only about 40% of the passengers will dress up on formal night and that will range from tuxes/long dresses to shirt/tie & pant suits. Resort casual is allowed at all times and in fact you must dress in at least resort casual every evening in all the dining rooms. (buffet not included) Resort Casual means no jeans, tank tops, t-shirts, shorts. I have never worn more than a polo shirt, dockes/kahki pants and sneakers to any dinner on any NCL ship. The joy of Freestyle, to dress as you want!!

 

5.) On disembarkation day, you can stay in your cabin until your luggage color is called, no being herded like cattle into public rooms to wait. You can also take advantage of "express disembarkation" where you can be the first off if you are willing to carry all of your own luggage off.

 

6.) Tipping is also automatic. $10 per person per day for the adults and $5 per person per day for children is automatically added to your bill for the general tip pool of the ship that most crew members share in. No need to run around the last day with envelopes to give to the crew. You are allowed to tip any crew member additionally if you desire. (I always gave a little directly to our cabin stewards.) Since you most likely will not have the same waiters each night, this system makes it much simpler. Bar and Spa service tabs have a 15% service charge added to them automatically.

[coka]

Keystonecruiser has an excellent answer as do the others.

 

Do you have a special affiliation towards RCCL or Princess? Do you love the set time for dining rooms and assigned seating? Do you love RCCL's HUGE ships? Is there something about the other cruise lines that you must have that NCL does not provide? In my opinion, those are the things to think about.

 

For this trip, it sounds like sailing out of NYC is most important. So, you will have to be open-minded about NCL freestyle cruising and with HAL's offerings. Know that some things will be better and some things may not.

 

If you are concerned about brightly decorated ships, the NCL Spirit is not one of them although her hull art looks that way. She has an Asian decor and I found nothing overbearing about the interior design. The NCL website has very good photos of each ship's cabins/dining/lounges/public areas.

 

Do you mind paying an extra fee to dine in specialty restaurants? NCL charges for certain alternative restaurants and sometimes cruisers trying NCL for the first time hate the idea of it and they let it ruin their week.

 

If you know what you are purchasing ahead of time, then there will be no surprises. I think it is great you are asking questions prior to your final decision. Good luck with your venture!

Coka

[jmcdon7230]

I would tell them to avoid the older ships such as the Crown, Dream, Wind and Majesty. Although they have their good points, they were not made for Freestyle and many of the complaints that you see on these boards concerning Freestyle involve these four ships.

 

Also, to me, the most outstanding point about Freestyle is that it allows you to eat when you are HUNGRY......not when you are scheduled to eat.

 

It's great to come back from a shore excursion.....take a leisurely shower....have a couple of drinks...and then make your way to a dining room, without worrying about what time it is.

 

Perfect.

[Cosmopolitan]

Keystone covered Freestyle cruising well.

 

We love the Dawn. This will be her last winter out of NY, she moves to Fla., next year:(

 

Next winter out of NY, NCL brand new Gem.

 

Good luck with your decision.:)

[4gomez]

Freestyle dining is great. Beware of the Spirit. Wait till they send her south.

[ce2000]

Fugsgrandma, Give NCL a try, I did last Christmas. I have also cruised Princess, RCCL, Celebrity and Carnival. You will find that NCL Freestyle dining is similar to Princess Personal Choice dining, with the exception that there are more restaurants aboard NCL. I don't believe that the quality of food that is served in the main restaurants on NCL is as good as the food served in the traditional dining rooms on RCCL or Princess, but the food served in the specialty restaurants on NCL is very good. Personally I don't care for the Freestyle concept. I have met a lot of interesting dining room servers from all over the world, on the various cruises and enjoy the staff knowing my preferences in the dining room. With NCL Freestyle, you can eat at a different restaurant every night, and have a different wait staff every evening. NCL is different enough that I believe that the only way to know if it is for you is to try it. It may become your favorite cruise line, mine is Celebrity, but I would love to try HAL some day.

[boaterette]

It seems to me that wwhen people ask questions about NCL all that is talked about is the dining. What about other things on the ship. How about the activities and the entertainment? What does everyone do during sea days? How are the shops? Do they have any free drinks available during the day like punch or ice tea? How are the pools and are they heated or cold?

 

I know I would like freestyle dining but don't really know anything about the rest of the ship. Can anyone enlighten me?

 

Thank you.

[electricron]

It seems to me that wwhen people ask questions about NCL all that is talked about is the dining. What about other things on the ship. How about the activities and the entertainment? What does everyone do during sea days? How are the shops? Do they have any free drinks available during the day like punch or ice tea? How are the pools and are they heated or cold?

I know I would like freestyle dining but don't really know anything about the rest of the ship. Can anyone enlighten me?

Thank you.

 

We reply about dining because that is the major difference between NCL and the various cruise lines. Other activities depends on which ships you wish to compare. For example, only one NCL ship has a bowling alley and wall climbing, the new Pearl. But the other NCL ships don't have this feature. Few NCL ships are exactly alike, each having their own special quirks. Some NCL ships have more and different style restaurants than others. Some NCL ships have large Kid Crew areas, others do not. Some NCL ships have beds in lounges, others do not. Some NCL ships have golf driving ranges, others do not. Some NCL ships have cigar bars, others do not. Some NCL ships have Garden and Courtyard Villas, others do not. Some NCL ships have casinos, others do not.

So, when you wish to discuss what other activities NCL ships have, an appropriate answer relies upon which ship. What every NCL ship has, all other cruise ships with other cruise lines have, the sole exception being NCL's Freestyle Dining concept. It's Freestyle Dining that sets NCL apart from almost all other cruise lines. That's why you see that response every time.

 

Just about every cruise ship has a spa, a jogging deck, swiming pool/pools, basketball/tennis court, shuffleboard, casino, dining rooms, show rooms, meeting rooms, bars/lounges, buffets/cafeterias, ice cream parlors, atriums, jewery shops, gift shops, and cabins. The sizes and variety of each varies, more on a ship to ship comparison than cruise line to cruise line.

[cruizefan]

I would tell someone new to NCL to throw out preconceived notions about what a cruise is. Don't expect structured dining. Don't expect to build a relationship with with your room steward. Don't expect most of the things you've heard about on other lines or the way cruising used to be a decade ago. You should expect a clean room and good food and fun activities and a ride to each port. But don't expect NCL to be the same structure as other cruises. ;)

 

ditto. exactly what i was going to say. i think this is what ruined my cruise on the Dawn. Prior I had been on Voyager of the Seas and was used to forming relationships with our everyday wait staff and room stewards. this was absent on NCL. I liked on my past cruises being able to talk with our stewards and waiters and them getting to know you. it added to the level of personalization.

 

to each his own. This is not to say I would not sail on NCL again but I would probally pick a princess or RCL cruise first. I also prefer more dramatic atriums which is an RCL and carnival thing I guess.

[newmexicoNita]

It seems to me that wwhen people ask questions about NCL all that is talked about is the dining. What about other things on the ship. How about the activities and the entertainment? What does everyone do during sea days? How are the shops? Do they have any free drinks available during the day like punch or ice tea? How are the pools and are they heated or cold?

 

I know I would like freestyle dining but don't really know anything about the rest of the ship. Can anyone enlighten me?

 

Thank you.

Good point, I guess we know where our minds are; food, food, food. I do think you hear much about that because the dining is what sets NCL apart from other lines. As for the rest, most mass marketed lines are very similar. NCL offers a little more variety in activities than Celebrity or HAL and the entertainment is better. As for cabin steward, probably you will get great service, but may not even meet him or her. This is one thing I do not like. Of course the most important thing is a clean cabin. Like all lines, trying to find deck space on sea days is about impossible. Coffee, water and ice tea are always available somewhere on the ship, other drinks you will have to pay for, again just like most mass marketed lines.

 

The pools are fine, filled with fliltered sea water, thus you are aware it is not fresh water, but it certainly is nothing like playing in the ocean.

 

Last but not least, shopping. Again, I am not impressed with shopping on any line and I have cruised all of them (mass marketed that is) except Princess. You will find the usual, a gift shop, duty free cigarettes and booze, a couple of shops selling upscale items like LLadros, fine jewelry, some designer type clothes, etc. Of course there will be the daily art auctions as well.

 

Hope this explains a little more what NCL is all about. NMnita

[imatarb]

We, too, are considering NCL for our next cruise, so all this info is great!

 

Thanks. :)