I am having second thoughts about NCL

[Queen_Of_Natick]

When I read your post I felt like i was reading parts of my own review of our vacation on the sun. I LUVED our steward! He was such a fantastic person. I loved all the housekeeping people period because they always had a smile and a greeting for you. with the exception of one night , all of our dining experiences were really wonderful ones. Even the bad one wasn't as bad as weve gotten in some land based restaurants.

 

We're pretty easy to please too. Considering in iceland I spent $62.00 US on a damn chicken sandwich I guess I'd have to be

 

I enjoy the freestyle concept because I like being able to decide what I want to do, not have someone do it for me, I can't see myself being on a line that dosen't have it. I'll just let them drive the ship, they don't need to pick my dinner mates (I can do that myself)

 

 

-Q

 

Fin - I think the key to enjoy cruising on different lines is that you have to be able to accept the differences between them. Don't expect a Celebrity or HAL experince on a Carnival or NCL ship. I wonder how many people who trash Carnival or NCL have ever even sailed with them.

 

Each cruise line offers a different experience and they all have plusses and minuses.

 

I know people who swear by Carnival, after sailing on other lines. One friend prefers RCI over Celebrity.

 

I've sailed on the QM2, and while the ship is incredible, I thought the food was lackluster and felt the whole experience was pretty much overrated. Even though that was the only cruise where we were invited to sit at an officers table on Captain's Night.

 

While, HAL can't be beat for service and food quality, it's rather low key.

 

Carnival has come a long way in the past few years. The food has vastly improved since I sailed on the Fascination in 1995 and swore I would never go back. When the Legend came into NYC in 2003, I gave Carnival another shot and was pleasantly surprised.

 

With NCL, I love the whole Freestyle concept. I love being able to dine when you want. Skipped lunch in port? Let's have an early dinner. Kind of tired? Let's take a nap and eat later.

 

A table for 2 has always been a priority for us and with freestyle or any of the other open seating concepts, you never have to worry that you're going to be stuck with table mates with whom you have nothing in common, making meal time a chore rather than a pleasant experience. That's happened to us on a couple of cruises. I also love the choice of restaurants on NCL ships. On a 7-10 day cruise, you can eat in a different venue every night.

 

We have never waited more than 10 minutes or so for a table on either NCL or Princess, and that was only on a formal nights. Most times we walk right in. ALthough we do tend to dine later - after 8:00.

 

People say that they've seen a difference in service since NCL and other cruise lines started imposing service charges in lieu of personalized tipping. I have not. The people with whom we come in contact, cabin stewards, servers, bartenders, etc, are just as friendly and efficient as they've always been. Then again, my husband and I are not very demanding. The only extras we ever ask of our cabin steward is to have extra towels and ice on hand for us. While we are foodies and enjoy a good meal, we aren't fussy either. We know that every meal is not going be 5 star, whether it's on a cruise ship or in a restaurant on land.

 

The biggest key for good service is to treat those serving you with friendliness and respect. Just becasue someone is making your bed and cleaning your bathroom that doesn't mean you are better than he or she is. We ask about their homeland and their families. Most of them love to talk about their life back home. My husband has a great sense of humor and is always joking with the stewards. More than one has told him that they love him because he makes them laugh.

 

In general, the cruise experience is somewhat different today than it was when I first stepped on board the Volendam in 1981. But times have changed since then too and one can't expect a cruise to be frozen in time. As prices have become more competitive, more people have discovered cruising. I actually pay less now than I did back in the 1980's, and the accomodations are much better and the ships have more to offer.

 

Some old time cruisers wish it could be the the way it was 20, 30 or 40 years ago. I get a kick out of some folks who are obviously very unhappy with the direction the cruise industry is taking and are so reluctant to change. Just take a look at the number of postings on the HAL board about their new "As You Wish Dining" concept. You would think it was the end of the world to some of these people!

 

I know I've gotten off the OP's subject a bit, but the bottom line is, she'll be on a beautiful ship, seeing new places and doing new things. How can that be bad????

[redjellybean]

Two people (on separate occasions) have told me that NCL is really a down-market line and I should have booked something more upscale. :( I don't know if they know what they are talking about, but since I have not cruised before, I am uncertain.

 

We are going Christmas week, so it's not like this is a cheap vacation for us. In fact, it rather stretches the budget. I just want it to be nice. My girls are looking forward to it and I don't want to disappoint them.

 

My DH is a bit of a snob (I love him, but it is true). I really don't want him to have anything at which to look down his nose.

 

Just pre-vacation jitters I guess.

 

 

Ok, I had the same concerns, but NCL is not as low as carnival and yet some people here love carnival. I am use to Celebrity holland and princess lines, but if NCL is streching your budget, then you will not be happy paying the price to be on the other 3 lines. When it comes down to it, they are all the same unless you have the money to spend on the "extras". Of course, the other 3 lines usually have larger rooms and the amenities for the suites are better, but it is also an older crowd. if you want your kids to have fun, they need to be on a ship that has children. The more affordable the cruise, the more children.

 

The bottom line is it's up to you whether you have an enjoyable vacation or not. I was on the 14 day back to back Pearl cruise 11-2-07. I noticed that the 5-day only cruisers whined a lot more than the 9 day cruisers. It was quite unbearable to listen to them complain all of the time. I actually heard people complain that the ship was too unsteady. YOUR ON A SHIP!!! If you think that you might get seasick, go to the doctor now and ask for a prescription of patches or you will be miserable.

Some people complained that there were too many people in the buffet and not enough tables. The ship's crew did not tell the passengers to eat at the same time, deal with it.

If you have a problem or request just ask. it may take a few minutes for them to understand, just be patient. If they don't have the answer, they will find someone who will.

NO VACATION is perfect, let the little things go!

 

And if you are planning on a dolphin excursion, book it online through the dolphin company website and pay for the Royal Swim. It is worth it!

We only had 4 people and 2 dolphins. We did 2 kisses, dorsel swim, foot push swim, craddle, petting and so on. the other 2 versions have 12 people, 1 dolphin and only a couple of activities.

 

Good luck and have fun

[themishmans]

Ok, I had the same concerns, but NCL is not as low as carnival and yet some people here love carnival. I am use to Celebrity holland and princess lines, but if NCL is streching your budget, then you will not be happy paying the price to be on the other 3 lines.

 

 

Thank you. Your post makes a lot of sense. I did want to say that the reason our budget is stretched for this trip is because we are going during Christmas vacation, when prices seem to triple (and I booked rather late-in October). We also booked two cabins (balcony and inside) because I wanted some quality time with DH away from children. I suppose we could have booked one inside cabin on a more upscale line for the same price, but I thought this would be more fun.

 

I do think that you are right about the children situation. I bet my girls will have a much better time on NCL than a more upscale line.

 

Thanks to all the supportive posts her, I really am feeling much better about my decision.

[Maraprince]

No one cruise line or ship will fit everyone's taste. You need to decide what is important to you.

 

Some very important points to consider:

 

length of cruise -- the longer cruises tend to have older passengers who have the time to take them.

 

age of ship -- newer ships tend to have larger cabins and more on board

activities

 

date of sailing -- if you want to travel with children on board, do so in the summer or over break time. Other times of the year there will be less children on board

 

Ports -- are visiting a lot of ports what you want or do you want sea days?

 

Meals -- most cruise lines have alternative dining options so you can either

pick assigned seating (same table, same time every night) or go to the other restaturants on board. Freestyle dining is not unique to NCL

 

If you travel with your own group of people and do not care to meet others, Freestyle may be for you.

 

Size of ship -- do you want a mega liner or a more intimate experience?

 

Frequency of travel -- are you a 1st time cruiser or a repeater? If you are a repeater, you may find the familiarity of other lines more to your liking. Staff members will greet you by name and remember your preferences.

 

With Freestyle, you may or may not get the same wait staff. Cabin attendants have more cabins to clean on NCL than with other lines.

 

Costs -- how much money do you want to spend? You could book the least expensive cabin on Queen Mary 2 and have a wonderful experience just being on the ship. Or do you have to have the most expensive cabin available?

 

Dress style -- if you perfer to dress casually, then NCL is for you. If you are looking for a more traditional experience, you would be better off going with Cunard, HAL or Celebrity.

 

Activity Level -- if partying is your style, Carnival is the better fit. There is always some entertainment going on somewhere on their ships.

 

These factors and more will help you to make a decision so you do not choose a ship that will not fit your style.

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[Emelem]

WOW... So many cruisers have weighed in but I have to add my .02

We took our first cruise this past July on the STAR to Alaska and we loved it You can make the experience as easy going or high end as you like (If you have the $$ to back it up that is) Even without the extra money you will have a fabulous time. You will be well taken care of at your meals by the waitstaff, if you choose to Spa it will be heavenly (Wife and Daughter hit it up 3x and loved it) and your room will be straightened up just about every time you are away from it.

 

Enjoy.