New to NCL

[glf2710]

I'm looking at a cruise with NCL for the first time. Having been with Royal Caribbean and been totally wowed with their ships my worry is booking with someone else and being disappointed.

 

The websites never seem to show many pictures of the ships and the ones I've seen don't really give me a great impression. Can anyone give me the lowdown on NCL and how it might compare to RCL?

 

Thanks guys.

[wilson9112]

I'm looking at a cruise with NCL for the first time. Having been with Royal Caribbean and been totally wowed with their ships my worry is booking with someone else and being disappointed.

 

The websites never seem to show many pictures of the ships and the ones I've seen don't really give me a great impression. Can anyone give me the lowdown on NCL and how it might compare to RCL?

 

Thanks guys.

 

I would have to say the food is about the same (in my opinion). I think there is more to do on RCL (especially for kids). I like the NCL freestyle and no formal night. Yes, I agree, the pictures dont due any justice at all. Go to cruisestateroom.com and you will see all the pics you need:D

[newmexicoNita]

I'm looking at a cruise with NCL for the first time. Having been with Royal Caribbean and been totally wowed with their ships my worry is booking with someone else and being disappointed.

 

The websites never seem to show many pictures of the ships and the ones I've seen don't really give me a great impression. Can anyone give me the lowdown on NCL and how it might compare to RCL?

 

Thanks guys.

I think the website, if you look at particular ships will give you a pretty good idea of what is there, the restaurants, a look at the cabins, deck plans etc. That being said, there is little difference in the two lines, both would be considered mid level mass marketed lines. The cabins are similar in size, RCI, may offer a few more activities, but that depends on the ship. The newer NCL ships have rock climbing, bowling, etc. I don't know if you care about those types of things.

 

Food wise, we know food is very subjective, some prefer one line, some another. The biggest difference will be freestyle versus traditional dining. With traditional you have the opportunity to build a report with the wait staff, you are part of the dinner entertainment, like the marches, the singing, or whatever a particular lines does. For us that is a total waste, but other love it. With NCL you have more dining choices and no required dining time.

 

No one can tell you which line is best, but I will assure you, there is little difference. If you are getting a good price and an itinerary you are happy with give NCL a try, otherwise stick with what you know. for us, variety is always the thing we look for. However if you are going to stress over a decision that is a different story.

 

Nita

[honeydog714]

We have sailed many lines, all are different and have certain things that are better than the other. If you are going with NCL I would think you probably would want one of their newer ships if you are wanting the royal caribbean "feel"

I have a bunch of photos I could share but not sure what you are exactly looking for. Blake

[blindrid]

I, for one, like NCL but their new website leaves something to be desired.

 

If you want to see pic's of the varios ships go to http://www.cruisedeckplans.com/

 

Good luck and have fun.

[cpdad]

I'm looking at a cruise with NCL for the first time. Having been with Royal Caribbean and been totally wowed with their ships my worry is booking with someone else and being disappointed....

 

I have a similar concern, but in reverse. I took my very first cruise last month on the brand new NCL Gem and was very happy with it. We loved Freestyle dining, and we are now a little leery about booking another cruise with a different line - we're afraid we'll be disappointed. :confused:

 

The whole idea of "traditional dining" and "formal nights" is very unappealing to us, but since so many cruisers seem to have enoyed it, we may try another line for the sake of variety. So, you might want to take a chance and try an NCL cruise, for the sake of trying something new. As Nita said in an earlier post, if you find an itinerary and price you like, go for it.

[CC Help Michell]

I'm looking at a cruise with NCL for the first time. Having been with Royal Caribbean and been totally wowed with their ships my worry is booking with someone else and being disappointed.

 

The websites never seem to show many pictures of the ships and the ones I've seen don't really give me a great impression. Can anyone give me the lowdown on NCL and how it might compare to RCL?

 

Thanks guys.

 

I think a lot of the answer may depend on what "wowed" you about your Royal Caribbean cruise? I've sailed both lines (NCL and RCCL), plus Carnival and a few others no longer in business. I'd go on any of them again if the price and itinerary were what I wanted. I consider others, as well -- X (Celebrity) and Princess, sometimes HAL -- when I'm planning a cruise. Pricewise, I seem to wind up back with the mainstream three (RCCL, CCL, NCL), however.

 

Even at that RCCL has priced itself right out of my budget when I was shopping for my last three cruises. Their ships do offer more activities onboard, but their pricing structure is frequently 30% higher than NCL. For my personal taste, their promenade, rockwall, flowrider, etc. aren't worth the money. I would add that their military discounts are quite good, though, and I consider RCCL to have BY FAR the best prior guest program of the three lines.

 

If your favorite thing about your RCCL cruise was the rockwall, Johnny Rockets, ice-skating rink, or some other uniquely-RCCL features -- then you likely won't be "wowed" by NCL.

 

As others have said, the dining options are different. So is the dress code, and the disembarkation procedure. That's all part of "Freestyle Cruising."

 

I think you should ask yourself if the things you loved best about your RCCL experience are unique to RCCL? If so, then I'd stick with that line and build your prior guest perks. If what you loved best was being "at sea," and having great food and entertainment available -- i.e., what you loved was "cruising" -- then check out another line (or 2 or 3) -- you might find one that suits you to a tee, even better than RCCL did. Or you might find, like me, that you can have fun on any line and it all comes down to price and itinerary.

[newmexicoNita]

I have a similar concern, but in reverse. I took my very first cruise last month on the brand new NCL Gem and was very happy with it. We loved Freestyle dining, and we are now a little leery about booking another cruise with a different line - we're afraid we'll be disappointed. :confused:

 

The whole idea of "traditional dining" and "formal nights" is very unappealing to us, but since so many cruisers seem to have enoyed it, we may try another line for the sake of variety. So, you might want to take a chance and try an NCL cruise, for the sake of trying something new. As Nita said in an earlier post, if you find an itinerary and price you like, go for it.

cpdad, you can choose Princess or a few other lines and still experience the freestyle option by choosing "Personal choice" dining. The biggest drawback to this: there is still a pretty strict dress code. One other thing I always like to point out "no cruise" will compare to your first one. It is like anything else, the magic goes away just a little after the first time. I can look back over the years and though I barely remember my second cruise the first is as fresh as if were last month.

 

Nita

[grandmaR]

Food wise, we know food is very subjective, some prefer one line, some another. The biggest difference will be freestyle versus traditional dining. With traditional you have the opportunity to build a report with the wait staff, you are part of the dinner entertainment, like the marches, the singing, or whatever a particular lines does. For us that is a total waste, but other love it. With NCL you have more dining choices and no required dining time.

Nita

 

When we went back to traditional dining after having done NCL, we were told all about the building a rapport with the wait staff. Didn't happen. They were very nice, but they never remembered that we might like tea to drink (although they did stop offering us coffee).

 

We did find some people on NCL who all met to have dinner with a preferred waiter, and they were put at her table each night.

[newmexicoNita]

When we went back to traditional dining after having done NCL, we were told all about the building a rapport with the wait staff. Didn't happen. They were very nice, but they never remembered that we might like tea to drink (although they did stop offering us coffee).

 

We did find some people on NCL who all met to have dinner with a preferred waiter, and they were put at her table each night.

I agree 100%. On our very first cruise we did build a wonderful repport with our delightful dining crew. It took them 1 night to know my mother in law wanted coffee as soon as she sat down and we wanted to see the wine list.

 

On our second NCL cruise (before freestyle) our dining waitstaff was outstnading, so good I still 11 or so years later remember their names, part of this: we were cruising with our 2 granddaughters, their first cruise, they are very outgoing and got the attention of San Diago and Joe.

 

Other than that, never have I thought the wait staff cared about much other than that tip at the end of the cruise.

 

Nita