NCL vs. other lines...Questions???

[kirindy]

I went on my first cruise ever on the Pearl to Alaska on 6/24/07. We had a fantastic time!

 

I want to go to the Caribbean next summer (I am a teacher, so can only travel in summer). NCL doesn't seem to have much of a Caribbean itinerary in the summer. Therefore, I've been looking at other lines, even though I REALLY love the whole freestyle thing.

 

I've noticed that the other lines recommend your tips for everyone, and it adds up to about $17 or so pp/per day. Their cruises also seem more expensive than NCL, especially for suites/minisuites. Can anyone tell me if $17/day/pp is normal?

 

How do other lines compare to NCL?

 

I know I've only been on one cruise and have nothing to compare it to, but we really loved NCL. Thanks in advance!

[noenre]

I honestly don't know anything about the tipping. I will tell you though that I have only sailed NCL and Princess. NCL works well for us because of the Freestyle Dining which makes life with the kids very easy. I absolutely LOVED my Princess cruise but I did not like the assigned seating and eating with the other 2 couples EVERY night, that got old fast!

 

The customer service on Princess was outstanding. It was back in 2002 so things might have changed, but they called us a few weeks before our cruise and upgraded us from an inside cabin to an ocean view for FREE- needless to say we were thrilled! We loved all of the crew, they were the nicest we have ever encountered.

 

WE love NCL too though, just a different experience! I will continue to sail NCL with the kids, but would consider a Princess cruise if it is just DH and I. We would just request a private table. Keep in mind Princess tends to be a bit more expensive.

[ce2000]

Alaska is a great cruise and I'm sure the Pearl is a very nice ship. As far as the Caribbean in the summer I would recommend the Caribbean Princess (Princess Cruise lines). Princess offers anytime dinning, I think they call theirs "Personal Choice" you are not bound to a particular dinning room at a particular time. Princess also offers a couple of specialty restaurants that are very good, one Steak & Seafood and the other Italian. I was on the Caribbean Princess in August of 2006 with my 15 year old son, we had a very good time. Personally I prefer trying different cruise lines, they are all a little different, but I have enjoyed every cruise. Royal Caribbean and Carnival also have some very good Caribbean itineries during the summer, and I could strongly recommend these two lines. BTW, I am not loyal to any cruise line, I just really enjoy trying as many different lines as I can.

[KeystoneCruiser]

 

I want to go to the Caribbean next summer (I am a teacher, so can only travel in summer). NCL doesn't seem to have much of a Caribbean itinerary in the summer. Therefore, I've been looking at other lines, even though I REALLY love the whole freestyle thing!

 

Kirindy, I'm in the same boat you are in with the summer cruising issue. I also refuse to harm my daughters education by pulling her out of school just for a vacation.

 

We were looking for a cruise next summer as well and are being forced to look at another cruise line due to NCL's limited summer options. (3 ships in Europe, 3 ships in Alaska, 2 ships in Hawaii, 1 ship in the Carribbean part time and 3 ships in Bermuda.) We have ended up with RCCL and a cruise to Canada/New England. We looked at many other lines and found that they all had more choices in the summer.

 

Some of the family and friends that we regularly cruise with are still not sure if they want to jump over to RCCL because of no Freestyle. Tipping is one concern, other concerns they are voiceing include set dining times, set table mates, being forced out of cabin early and being herded into public rooms, and the big issue, the old fashioned dress up code that they still use.

 

I thought finding an itinerary that everybody would like would be the big problem....its the lack of Freestyle items that is the real stumbling block.

 

I can feel for what you are going through!

[jkrislc]

On the major cruise lines, the tips average about $10 per person, per day for all service personnel. There may be additional recommended tips if you have a suite that includes a butler, concierge, etc.

 

As for the major cruise lines, I'd argue they're more alike than they are different, although I am sure others disagree. I've found the food to be good on all cruise lines, but personally liked Princess' food the best, but liked their entertainment the least. I thought NCLA had the best entertainment I've every experienced on a cruise, but slightly smaller cabins and good, but not great, food. I've cruised RCI the most, and find them a consistent middle-of-the-road cruise line.

 

My wife prefers NCL because of the freestyle concept, which is why we're going on our second NCL cruise this winter in between college semesters as I teach as well. We also have a son who will be one then, and figured the freestyle concept with flexible dining times, resort casual dress, etc. would suit us best. And if freestyle-like dining is important to you, you might consider Princess as they have an "anytime dining" program, although dress codes (formal, informal, casual) are still enforced.

 

If having too much to do is important for your family, than RCI's mega ships with the ice rinks, wave pools, etc. might be worth looking into. However, you'll have fixed dining times unless you opt to eat in the buffet.

 

Hope this helps some.

[beachchick]

Just want to mention that on most RCI ships the Windjammer buffet is set up with table linens and more "refined" atmosphere for dinner than during the day. It's still a buffet, but it's not quite so informal and has most of the food that's available in the dining room (not lobster though, if that's a consideration). The Radiance, Voyager, and Freedom class ships also all have at least one alternate dining venue (some with upcharge). So it's not quite as regimented, dining wise, as it was 20 years ago.

 

We like RCI, NCL, and Princess, but then again, those are the only lines we've cruised with (except for Norwegian Coastal Voyages, which we loved, and an aborted cruise on the US Patriot, which was fine right up until I broke my ankle and ended up having to fly home early).

 

The experiences on each of the mass market lines will be similar, but not identical. As mentioned, the normal per person per day tips are about $10, unless you're in a suite (just as on NCL when we tip the concierge and butler on top of the $10 daily service charge).

 

beachchick

[awatt]

If you liked NCL, try Princess. We are NCL fans and loved the Caribbean Princess. You have the dining flexibility. The ship is very well designed- there were more pax on this ship but it felt less crowded as there are more spaces to disperse people. It has adult pools and the movies under the stars. Food was the best we've had on 15 cruises. Service was excellent.

[JerseyGem]

While most of the Princess ships do have Personal Choice dining (their version of Freestyle), not all of them do at this time. If this is really important to your choice of a ship, check the Princess website before you book. In the description of the ship, "Personal Choice Dining" will be mentioned if the ship has it. If it doesn't have it, there will be no mention of it at all (in other words, they won't say that they don't have it, they just won't mention this option at all in the write-up).

 

As far as dress codes on Princess (& RCL), while they do have "formal, informal, etc", in recent years, I've seen fewer and fewer formally dressed people- many more suits than tuxs, and even more dress shirt and tie combinations than suits. For ladies, fewer ball gowns and more cocktail dresses, long black knit skirts with assorted tops, and fancy pants outfits. (This refers to the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Alaska cruises- Europe and the Med may still be more formal.)

 

That said, for a Caribbean cruise in the summer, I'd choose by itinerary, price, embarkation port, etc rather than by cruise line. If the best "fit" is a ship without Freestyle/Personal Choice/etc., then eating dinners in the buffet should be considered as a great option if you don't like your dining time, table or companions. If you do alternate between the assigned dining room and the buffet, please remember to tell your wait staff (or other dining copanions) when you will not be eating in the dining room, so that they don't hold up everyone else's orders just to wait for you.

[Cuizer2]

I went on my first cruise ever on the Pearl to Alaska on 6/24/07. We had a fantastic time!

 

I want to go to the Caribbean next summer (I am a teacher, so can only travel in summer). NCL doesn't seem to have much of a Caribbean itinerary in the summer. Therefore, I've been looking at other lines, even though I REALLY love the whole freestyle thing.

 

I've noticed that the other lines recommend your tips for everyone, and it adds up to about $17 or so pp/per day. Their cruises also seem more expensive than NCL, especially for suites/minisuites. Can anyone tell me if $17/day/pp is normal?

 

How do other lines compare to NCL?

 

I know I've only been on one cruise and have nothing to compare it to, but we really loved NCL. Thanks in advance!

 

Which line is recommending $17 per day? Carnival and Royal Caribbean are both around $10 per day unless you are in a suit on Royal Caribbean, and then it is about $12 per day.

[kirindy]

You're right...I did not pay attention to the fact that it's only more if you have a suite... Thanks!

 

From Royal Caribbean:

Onboard Extras

 

Print This Page

 

 

Q: What are gratuity guidelines for cruises?

 

A: So that you can thank those who have made your cruise vacation better than you could have imagined, we've developed these gratuity guidelines:

Suite attendant: $5.75 USD a day per guest

Stateroom attendant: $3.50 USD a day per guest

Dining Room Waiter: $3.50 USD a day per guest

Assistant Waiter: $2.00 USD a day per guest

Headwaiter: $.75 USD a day per guest

Note: These gratuities apply to guests of all ages.

Gratuities for other service personnel are at your discretion. A 15% gratuity will automatically be added to your bar bill or wine check when you are served.

 

Envelopes for gratuities will be provided in your stateroom on the last night of the cruise. Gratuities may be paid in the following ways:

Pre paid by having them added to your reservation by your booking agent.

Added to your onboard SeaPass account.

Paid in cash at the end of the cruise

[electricron]

You're right...I did not pay attention to the fact that it's only more if you have a suite... Thanks!

 

From Royal Caribbean:

Q: What are gratuity guidelines for cruises?

 

A: So that you can thank those who have made your cruise vacation better than you could have imagined, we've developed these gratuity guidelines:

Suite attendant: $5.75 USD a day per guest

Stateroom attendant: $3.50 USD a day per guest

Dining Room Waiter: $3.50 USD a day per guest

Assistant Waiter: $2.00 USD a day per guest

Headwaiter: $.75 USD a day per guest

Note: These gratuities apply to guests of all ages.

Gratuities for other service personnel are at your discretion. A 15% gratuity will automatically be added to your bar bill or wine check when you are served.

 

Envelopes for gratuities will be provided in your stateroom on the last night of the cruise. Gratuities may be paid in the following ways:

(1) Pre paid by having them added to your reservation by your booking agent.

(2) Added to your onboard SeaPass account.

(3) Paid in cash at the end of the cruise

 

A very recent change as far as RCI is concerned. Just a few months ago, Paid in cash was their only option. Looks like the last of the traditional lines sailing from America when it comes to tipping is changing their ways too.

[KeystoneCruiser]

Headwaiter: $.75 USD a day per guest

Note: These gratuities apply to guests of all ages.

 

 

Envelopes for gratuities will be provided in your stateroom on the last night of the cruise. Gratuities may be paid in the following ways:

Pre paid by having them added to your reservation by your booking agent.

Added to your onboard SeaPass account.

Paid in cash at the end of the cruise

 

Ok, a couple of things here strike me:

First - you should tip for children at the same rate as adults?? That makes RCCL MORE expensive than NCL. (NCL is only $5 per day)

 

Second - why would you tip the Headwaiter on an Traditional dining cruise. You already have a SET table assignment and a SET time. What extra is he going to do for you???

 

Third: Looks like the Freestyle concept is slowly expanding to the other lines since now you can pay your tips to your onboard account...just like you have been able to for several years on NCL!

[newmexicoNita]

On the major cruise lines, the tips average about $10 per person, per day for all service personnel. There may be additional recommended tips if you have a suite that includes a butler, concierge, etc.

 

As for the major cruise lines, I'd argue they're more alike than they are different, although I am sure others disagree. I've found the food to be good on all cruise lines, but personally liked Princess' food the best, but liked their entertainment the least. I thought NCLA had the best entertainment I've every experienced on a cruise, but slightly smaller cabins and good, but not great, food. I've cruised RCI the most, and find them a consistent middle-of-the-road cruise line.

 

My wife prefers NCL because of the freestyle concept, which is why we're going on our second NCL cruise this winter in between college semesters as I teach as well. We also have a son who will be one then, and figured the freestyle concept with flexible dining times, resort casual dress, etc. would suit us best. And if freestyle-like dining is important to you, you might consider Princess as they have an "anytime dining" program, although dress codes (formal, informal, casual) are still enforced.

 

If having too much to do is important for your family, than RCI's mega ships with the ice rinks, wave pools, etc. might be worth looking into. However, you'll have fixed dining times unless you opt to eat in the buffet.

 

Hope this helps some.

Actually if you follow the gudielines on the cruises that haven't gone to the $10 a day it comes out to be considerably more than $10 per day.

 

Now that I have stuck my nose into this subject. It is true, the Caribbean is very limited during the summer. Most lines take their ships to Alaska, Bermuda and Europe.

 

Yes, I would recommend Princess if freestyle was your thing. It isn't quite the same but similar. The dress code is a little more formal than NCL and the passengers a lttle older and more subdued. This doesn't mean the line isn't fun especailly during the summer when the overall clientelle is younger and more families.

 

Nita

[Cuizer2]

A very recent change as far as RCI is concerned. Just a few months ago, Paid in cash was their only option. Looks like the last of the traditional lines sailing from America when it comes to tipping is changing their ways too.

 

In August 2004 I was able to charge my tips to my sail and sign card. I was able to do this again in June 2007.

[Cuizer2]

Ok, a couple of things here strike me:

First - you should tip for children at the same rate as adults?? That makes RCCL MORE expensive than NCL. (NCL is only $5 per day)

 

Second - why would you tip the Headwaiter on an Traditional dining cruise. You already have a SET table assignment and a SET time. What extra is he going to do for you???

 

Third: Looks like the Freestyle concept is slowly expanding to the other lines since now you can pay your tips to your onboard account...just like you have been able to for several years on NCL!

 

Some people think you should tip more for children because they make a bigger mess.

 

The recommended tip for the head waiter is 75¢ per person per day. Since on both of my RCI cruises the head waiter has come by every night and checked on us, and since he seems sincerely concerned that everything is okay, I have always tips the head waiter, while I rarely tip the maitre d' (who in most cases I would not know if he bit me).

 

Freestyle is a method of dining, not tipping. I have been able to charge my tips to my on board account on both Royal Caribbean and Carnival since 2004, so it has been available on several lines for several years.

[CruzFamleof6]

We always do NCL for Alaska and love RCI for Caribbean and warm weather destinations....we have kids ages 15, 14, 9 & 4 and those cruise lines offer things for all of our ages...the DH and I are 39 & 41.

 

RCI just offers the experience and HUGE range of activity options for all of ages along with a very innovative ship series.....we just think they have more to offer for a family with kids.....

 

No doubt....you will have fun WHATEVER you choose! :D

[Retired not Expired]

In February 2006, I was able to place my tips on my 0n-board account on RCI. You had to sign up for it a couple days before the end of the cruise. The last night you were given vouchers to place in the envelopes to pass out. A couple of people had gone above and beyond, so we place some extra cash in their envelope along with the voucher. You really don’t have to give them the voucher. The crew gets a print out the last full day listing those who tipped this way and they get paid with or without the voucher.

 

As far as the Head Waiter on a Traditional cruise, if the service is good, he/she has done their job. They both train and oversee everything. They will also jump in if any problems arise. Maybe more people ordered one entry than the kitchen had planned for and have to hustle to get more ready and back up the wait staff. The head waiter will jump in to help with the serving to speed up the process. Ours also showed up at our table each night to make sure everything was OK and to tell us about the port or activities the next day. He also told us that since some port activities may make us late for our first seating, to call him if we would like to eat at the late seating any night and he would work us in. These people do earn the tip, that is, if service is good.

[beachchick]

A very recent change as far as RCI is concerned. Just a few months ago, Paid in cash was their only option. Looks like the last of the traditional lines sailing from America when it comes to tipping is changing their ways too.

 

We had the option of pay in cash or have tips added to our Sea Pass as far back as our Mariner cruise in 2004. I don't think that pre-paid was an option then, but I'm not positive.

 

I agree with those who believe that tips for children should be the same as for adults. You don't think a cabin steward has at least as much work to do for, say, an infant and a 4-y/o? I do. And you know the stewards, waiters, and most everyone on the crew bends over backwards to make sure that kids get special treatment (and special treats). They earn every single penny of their tips.

 

beachchick

[KeystoneCruiser]

 

Freestyle is a method of dining, not tipping.

 

There is more to Frestyle than just the dining options and NCL will tell you as much:

 

1.) The ability to add the tips to your bill and not have to run around the last night giving out envelopes.

 

2.) The ability to stay in your cabin the last morning until called to disembark and not being herded like cattle into a pen....I mean public lounge to wait with the masses to be called. (out of your room by 8:00 a.m.??? ridiculous)

 

 

I was reading the RCCL brochure the other day and there is a picture in it of people riding exercise bikes. All in the same outfit, all in a night straight row, all looking straight ahead with fake smiles on. When I saw it, the first thing that came to my mind was the new NCL commercial. That picture looked just like a scene in that commercial!

[MrLee]

There is more to Frestyle than just the dining options and NCL will tell you as much:

 

1.) The ability to add the tips to your bill and not have to run around the last night giving out envelopes.

 

 

 

I've been able to do this on Carnival, Celebrity and HAL also.

[newmexicoNita]

Which line is recommending $17 per day? Carnival and Royal Caribbean are both around $10 per day unless you are in a suit on Royal Caribbean, and then it is about $12 per day.

Celebrity comes to about $12 per day. I think RCI is pretty close to that, but $17, I, like you have no idea what line that would be.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

I've been able to do this on Carnival, Celebrity and HAL also.

Mr Lee when we were on HAL last NOV/DEC they had gone to the $10 per day. Of course you could still give envalopes to those you considered going above, but the policy did follow NCL and on Celebrity a year earlier, we could not add tips to our sign and sale. It was cash only. SOmeone said they thought it had to do with the particular ship and it being a firve night cruise. Now if that isn't silly.

 

Nita

[MrLee]

Mr Lee when we were on HAL last NOV/DEC they had gone to the $10 per day. Of course you could still give envalopes to those you considered going above, but the policy did follow NCL and on Celebrity a year earlier, we could not add tips to our sign and sale. It was cash only. SOmeone said they thought it had to do with the particular ship and it being a firve night cruise. Now if that isn't silly.

 

Nita

 

I can't speak to other sailings but on our 11 night Celebrity last March we were able to charge to our card. We were given cards to pass out to the crew where we added a little extra in hopes they might not have to report it. In the bar I left the 15% and gave them a couple extra bucks each night since I don't believe they or the Casino crew share in the $10 pppd.

[Cuizer2]

Celebrity comes to about $12 per day. I think RCI is pretty close to that, but $17, I, like you have no idea what line that would be.

 

Nita

 

It was a mistake. The poster added the cabin attendant and the suite attendant together. You only pay for one or the other (not both), either the cabin attendant (total $10/day/person) or the suite attendant (total $12/day/person).

[newmexicoNita]

I can't speak to other sailings but on our 11 night Celebrity last March we were able to charge to our card. We were given cards to pass out to the crew where we added a little extra in hopes they might not have to report it. In the bar I left the 15% and gave them a couple extra bucks each night since I don't believe they or the Casino crew share in the $10 pppd.

As I said, we were told it had to do with it being a 5 day cruise. I can't understand what that had to do with it, but it was the case. On our 1st Celebrity cruise we could put the tips on the sign and sale. I can tell you, our 5 day cruise, there were 26 of us, not one was very happy.

 

Nita