Ncl Pros And Cons?

[TwoWeebles]

I have never sailed on Norwegian Cruise Lines before and wanted some opinions of experienced NCL cruisers. In your opinion, what are the Pros and Cons of this cruise line?

[Toyz711]

restaurants choices, no set dining times, dress code...husband willing to cruise again!! i haven't had any problems with NCL, so can't think of any cons. except not having a non-smoking area in the casinos.

[TwoWeebles]

Does no one have opinions on Norwegian Cruise Lines?

[Leafpeeper]

We cruise on NCL, Princess, Carnival, and RCCL and enjoy them all. I can't think of any cons for NCL--except maybe their buffet.

 

We love the new ships with movie theaters and especially love all the restaurant choices. We like that we can dine at a table for 2 and have the option of a large dining room or small intimate quiet restaurant. On our last NCL cruise we dined at the Italian, French, Mexican, American, and Asian restaurants--and in the main dining room. We loved the Asian restaurant most of all.

 

Each restaurant has a different decor and different size. Everyone has different taste, so I like that there is something for everyone on NCL.

 

Some people don't realize that if you are traveling with other people and some of them like traditional dining that they can request a time and table for each night. You make your request the first night of your cruise. My DD's inlaws dined in the main dining room almost every night of their cruise and sat at the same table each night. That is boring to me, but I like that those who do prefer traditional have that choice.

 

I recommend NCL and especially to those with kids because the 3rd and 4th passengers rates are the best on NCL. Try it, you may like it.

[CanadianTwosome]

I think the biggest pro for NCL - if you're comparing to other lines - is the freestyle concept. It works well for us, but I've also been on four other cruises on other lines which I loved as well.

 

For me, it's all about cruising. I wouldn't say any line I've cruised with has been better than any other; I've loved every cruise I've ever been on.

 

There is one HUGE con though... and I've found that it's the same on every cruise and every line... I have to come home!! hee hee :p

[NoPiratesPlease]

Does no one have opinions on Norwegian Cruise Lines?

 

Sure, and they are in lots of threads.

 

On land, we hate NCL. On board, we LOVE it.

 

The land office is run by idiots, morons and thoughtless dolts.

 

The ships are some of the nicest run afloat. So we put up with Miami's idiocy and absurdity to get on-board and have a wonderful time.

 

I have no idea how such a dichotomy can exist but we've been dealing with it for years now.

[dadof2]

I have never sailed on Norwegian Cruise Lines before and wanted some opinions of experienced NCL cruisers. In your opinion, what are the Pros and Cons of this cruise line?

 

 

No Cons...all Pros...love NCL:)

[cruzeluver]

I think NoPiratesPLease hit he nail on the head.

 

NCL has the most friendly, helpful crews at sea. They are good enough in fact to allow us to put up with the goobers at the Miami office. Now most of the reservations folks are friendly enough, but the right hand never seems to know what the left is doing. They try, bless them, but they never seem to have difinitive answers to even simple questions.

 

That aside, we love NCL and will continue to sail with them.

[newmexicoNita]

well I am not of the few that have never had a serious issue with the Miami office either, but I do realize many have. Not everyone can be wrong thus the cons with NCL mostly revolve around the land operations:

 

MY list: Pros: dining choices and freedom to dine when you choose, not a set time or with the same people.

 

The most relaxed and friendliest crew of all major lines.

 

Newer ships with lots of varieations in activities

 

good entertainment

 

bang for your buck

 

Cons: cabins are a little smaller than some lines; very similar to RCI

 

drinks on the high side, not much different than any mass marketed lines but maybe a quarter to fifty cents higher. Wine the same or a bit lower than other lines.

 

Food in the buffet and room service infrerior to other lines.

 

I can't think of any other negatives. Everyone has his/her own ideas about cruising, that is why there are so many lines out there, all filled to capacity (almost) every sailing. For us NCL is number 1.

 

Nita

[sunshine 229]

I would say that you should read the description of freestyle dining and decide if it appeals to you. While it is true that you can book the same table in the same dining room every night, that still will not give you a traditional dinning experience. Certain things that are part of traditional dinning when everyone sits down together and the wait staff knows that this will be their table of customers for the week just won't be there. Formal night is not the same experience on freestyle either. Not that it is necessarily a bad thing but it is different, so think about what you would like, certainly no harm in trying freestyle at least once to see if you like it.

 

As for the rest of it I agree with previous posters who say that the on board experience is good but the on shore experience isn't.

 

I would go so far as to say that NCL customer service department is very bad. Whenever I have had to contact them about anything they have given me the impression that they see themselves as being in an adversarial role with their customers.* They're first reaction seems to be, how can we avoid giving you what you want rather than, how can we approch this and find a solution that works for us and for our customer.

 

Also the people who answer the phones in customer service are either spectacularly ill-informed or else just don't care and say whatever they think will get you off the phone whether it is correct or not.

 

I certainly wouldn't want to plan any complicated cruise, like a wedding cruise, family re-union cruise or anything that might require you to co-ordinate things through the head office or customer services, on NCL.

 

* Sorry, while re-reading this I remembered that I did call once to ask to have my Latitudes number added to my file and the phone was answered by a lady who was pleasant and seemed to be efficient. She took the information politely and the correct number did subsequently show up on my file...so I have had one satisfactory exchange with NCL customer service.

[tdiii]

I took my parents on their very first cruise in June. We went on the America through Hawaii, so I can only comment on the NCL America operation. We loved it! I have cruised before on other lines and enjoyed them very much. But, for my parents in particular, the Freestyle thing worked really well. We did our thing during the day (my parents golfed a couple of days, and we did a couple of excursions), and then met up for a drink somewhere before dinner. We made dinner reservations for each night, and never ate in the main dining rooms. We heard about slow service, but never experienced it. I heard some complaining on the other lines I've cruised on, also, so I just chalk it up to some people complain. People complain when staying at a resort. People complain about their airline flight. People complain. I don't really get it, as I feel that things are what you make of them. Pick a spot on the globe you'd like to explore, find the best itinerary at the best price that works for you, be prepared to roll with the punches, and you'll have an absolute blast!

[petesweet]

I have never sailed on Norwegian Cruise Lines before and wanted some opinions of experienced NCL cruisers. In your opinion, what are the Pros and Cons of this cruise line?

 

We seem to cruise mosly on NCL and RCCL, and I love both (except the Majesty!). The freestyle dining is OK, and the fixed seating is also OK, so that doesn't come into play in my decision. I think two things I prefer with NCL are the automatic tipping and the fact that after JUST ONE NCL CRUISE, I am entitled to special checkin line when I embark. With RCL, I have to have been on five previous cruises.

[newmexicoNita]

I would say that you should read the description of freestyle dining and decide if it appeals to you. While it is true that you can book the same table in the same dining room every night, that still will not give you a traditional dinning experience. Certain things that are part of traditional dinning when everyone sits down together and the wait staff knows that this will be their table of customers for the week just won't be there. Formal night is not the same experience on freestyle either. Not that it is necessarily a bad thing but it is different, so think about what you would like, certainly no harm in trying freestyle at least once to see if you like it.

 

As for the rest of it I agree with previous posters who say that the on board experience is good but the on shore experience isn't.

 

I would go so far as to say that NCL customer service department is very bad. Whenever I have had to contact them about anything they have given me the impression that they see themselves as being in an adversarial role with their customers.* They're first reaction seems to be, how can we avoid giving you what you want rather than, how can we approch this and find a solution that works for us and for our customer.

 

Also the people who answer the phones in customer service are either spectacularly ill-informed or else just don't care and say whatever they think will get you off the phone whether it is correct or not.

 

I certainly wouldn't want to plan any complicated cruise, like a wedding cruise, family re-union cruise or anything that might require you to co-ordinate things through the head office or customer services, on NCL.

 

* Sorry, while re-reading this I remembered that I did call once to ask to have my Latitudes number added to my file and the phone was answered by a lady who was pleasant and seemed to be efficient. She took the information politely and the correct number did subsequently show up on my file...so I have had one satisfactory exchange with NCL customer service.

 

Oh my, your remarks about groups, be it a wedding or whatever isn't very true or in our case. I am doing a cruise that is leaving this Saturday. Between the group dept, the ship coordinator and the grop coordinator I couldn't be happier. Only one or two things have caused any concerns and they were directly NCls fault. On the other hand when we did a group for our granddaughters wedding on Celebrity about 2 years ago we ran into serveral little hurdles. Again, none were reason to panic nor did they ruin our wedding and cruise experience, but NCL has been better to work with in this dept. Unless something really goes wrong in the next 4 days, I would have to give NCL 5 stars on how they have handled our group. I think the customer service come into play more when something goes wrong.

 

Nita

[tdiii]

I forgot to mention something about NCL America; the dress code. My father came to Hawaii determined to wear shorts every single day to every single event and to every single meal. Which he could have, but didn't. My mother was disappointed that she never got a chance to get all dressed up at a more formal kind of "cruise ship" dinner. So we compromised, and my dad put on pants a couple of nights.

[CC Help Michell]

I forgot to mention something about NCL America; the dress code. My father came to Hawaii determined to wear shorts every single day to every single event and to every single meal. Which he could have, but didn't. My mother was disappointed that she never got a chance to get all dressed up at a more formal kind of "cruise ship" dinner. So we compromised, and my dad put on pants a couple of nights.

 

I can't help but think that including the word "long" in that sentence would have made a more accurate statement -- but definitely not a more entertaining visual! ;)

[ChampionCruiser]

We seem to cruise mosly on NCL and RCCL, and I love both (except the Majesty!). The freestyle dining is OK, and the fixed seating is also OK, so that doesn't come into play in my decision. I think two things I prefer with NCL are the automatic tipping and the fact that after JUST ONE NCL CRUISE, I am entitled to special checkin line when I embark. With RCL, I have to have been on five previous cruises.

 

Which Majesty? The NCL Majesty or the Majesty of the Seas?

[petesweet]

Which Majesty? The NCL Majesty or the Majesty of the Seas?

 

That wasn't clear, was it? I refer to the NCL Majesty.

[tdiii]

HA! I'm imagining my mother's shame at the spectacle my pants-less father would have caused in Jefferson's Bistro!

[Gabgab]

Sure, and they are in lots of threads.

 

On land, we hate NCL. On board, we LOVE it.

 

The land office is run by idiots, morons and thoughtless dolts.

 

The ships are some of the nicest run afloat. So we put up with Miami's idiocy and absurdity to get on-board and have a wonderful time.

 

I have no idea how such a dichotomy can exist but we've been dealing with it for years now.

 

agree completely

[jkloni]

-Pictures and drinks are higher on NCl then Princess, Carnival or RCCL.

-Crew members are really nice and helpful in our experience.

-Dislike Freestyle in most instances. Dislike pay restaurants. (I know I'm in the minority on this one.)

-We cruise based on itinerary, ports and cost. Our last 3 cruises were NCL for that reason, not because we like them better than the others.

We always have a good time on whatever cruise we sail.

[sunshine 229]

Oh my, your remarks about groups, be it a wedding or whatever isn't very true or in our case. I am doing a cruise that is leaving this Saturday. Between the group dept, the ship coordinator and the grop coordinator I couldn't be happier. Only one or two things have caused any concerns and they were directly NCls fault. On the other hand when we did a group for our granddaughters wedding on Celebrity about 2 years ago we ran into serveral little hurdles. Again, none were reason to panic nor did they ruin our wedding and cruise experience, but NCL has been better to work with in this dept. Unless something really goes wrong in the next 4 days, I would have to give NCL 5 stars on how they have handled our group. I think the customer service come into play more when something goes wrong.

 

Nita

Did you mean to say that? Somehow it just doesn't sound like you but maybe I'm wrong...were you saying that the few little things that have caused problems were directly NCL's fault?

 

Nita, I'm glad that both of the weddings you mentioned turned out well in the end. I just know that if I book a cruise with NCL I hope that it will be as simple as possible and that I will be able to deal as little as possible with NCL's customer service, so I wouldn't even want to contemplate anything that would require much co-ordination with guest services. Maybe their group co-ordinator does a better job or maybe it is just tha you are somehow blessed in your dealings with NCL.

 

I'm not alone in feeling that NCL customer service department is a mess. A number of posts on this thread say the same and you and I have been around this board long enough to know that this is an issue that has come up many many times in the past too.

[newmexicoNita]

Did you mean to say that? Somehow it just doesn't sound like you but maybe I'm wrong...were you saying that the few little things that have caused problems were directly NCL's fault?

 

Nita, I'm glad that both of the weddings you mentioned turned out well in the end. I just know that if I book a cruise with NCL I hope that it will be as simple as possible and that I will be able to deal as little as possible with NCL's customer service, so I wouldn't even want to contemplate anything that would require much co-ordination with guest services. Maybe their group co-ordinator does a better job or maybe it is just tha you are somehow blessed in your dealings with NCL.

 

I'm not alone in feeling that NCL customer service department is a mess. A number of posts on this thread say the same and you and I have been around this board long enough to know that this is an issue that has come up many many times in the past too.

WEll I do make mistakes and yes so does NCL but you are right: it was a typo. Actually pretty funny coming from me. today I had reason to call NCL about a minor concern, but to my client it wasn't minor. I didn't get the answer the client may have wanted, but he agent I spoke with took the time to check out the situation. I, in turn told her how much a appreciated her trying to help. As I said, this wasn't a biggy, but was to my client.

 

Maybe I have just been lucky, but for 8 years? I would think there would have been times when I would have wanted to pull my hair our. Actually I have only had real problems with one cruise line. The rest, most of the time have been very easy to do business with.

 

NIta

[cruisePRN]

I can't speak to NCL because I've never cruised with them but I just got off NCLA and found the service substandard to an international crew.

[Cosmopolitan]

I can't speak to NCL because I've never cruised with them but I just got off NCLA and found the service substandard to an international crew.

 

Never cruised NCLA BUT NCL crews are great;)

[MrLee]

Of the four lines I've sailed on, ALL of the crews have been terrific!!! :D