Options Fpr Bermuda

[janetz]

We are looking into going back to Bermuda, fall 2009. Our first sail to Bermuda was on the Celebrity Zenith. For a seven day cruise, the options are only NCL Dawn from NY and NCL Spirit from Boston. We love Bermuda and would like the 7 day as it is in port longer.

 

Which would you choose and why? We have never sailed NCL.

 

 

Thanks ahead. :)

[madelinerose]

janetz...There's also the NCL Majesty out of Baltimore and Philadelphia. Perhaps you want to drive to the port and these won't work for you.

 

http://travel.travelocity.com/ecruise/CruiseSearch.do?org.apache.struts.taglib.html.TOKEN=d4a3f650540f4e4a0dd1ff25b3ab4b65&geographicRegion=&searchNearbyPorts=&shipId=15&cruiseLength=&fromMonthYear=&fromDay=&toMonthYear=&toDay=&departurePort=&price=&findSpecialRates=&srRt=&promolink=&pPc=&resSt=&cruiseVendor=7&resultsIndex=10&pagerIndex=0&cruiseCompareIds=&pageName=CRZ_Z3102&sortOrder=DEFAULT

 

I haven't sailed NCL either, but here's my take on this. I live 15 minutes from the Baltimore port and will not be booking the Majesty because I've seen many pics of this 1992 ship and I'm not impressed. Also, there are no balconies, which is a deal breaker for me.

 

The Spirit and the Dawn get good reviews both from CC and on the NCL board, but I would choose the Dawn just because it's a newer ship...2002 vs. 1999. I prefer updated ships and tend to book the newer ones. Just my opinion, of course. Hopefully, some NCL fans will reply.

 

Good luck with your decision. ;)

[smeyer418]

I have been on the Dawn Spirit and also the older NCL ships...most of which have been removed from the fleet. I personally like freestyle and the newer ships but for Bermuda St George is a better port to see the Island in my opinion. I also have traveled many other cruise lines including on the Zenith. I prefer by far NCL. As I said, I have been both on the Spirit and the Dawn and prefer as a ship the Dawn.

 

I'll let you know about the Majesty as I will be on it in August-September.

[madelinerose]

Hi Sid,

 

Curious....do you prefer the Dawn because it's made for freestyle or are there many other reasons? I have no loyalty to any cruiseline (yet), so NCL from NY is always another option for us, since we're just an Amtrak ride away. Thanks.

 

 

As I said, I have been both on the Spirit and the Dawn and prefer as a ship the Dawn. I'll let you know about the Majesty as I will be on it in August-September.

[janetz]

Thank you for the replys. We would sail from NY or Boston. The options are only two ships. I am leaning towards the Dawn...:)

[smeyer418]

Hi Sid,

 

Curious....do you prefer the Dawn because it's made for freestyle or are there many other reasons? I have no loyalty to any cruiseline (yet), so NCL from NY is always another option for us, since we're just an Amtrak ride away. Thanks.

 

 

The Dawn is just a ship that I feel at home on. Somehow the cabins were more comfortable...even when it was the same type cabin....does that make sense?

[Wanderlust72]

NCL is a great cruise line, very innovative and the youngest fleet in the industry. They're the first to come up with freestyle dining, and also the private island for a port of call...

 

Here is comparison...

 

Dawn:

Slightly larger and has just a one more restaurant.

Built in 2002, refurbished in 2005

13 restaurants

2 Pools and 6 hot tubs

 

Spirit:

Built in 2000, re-christened in 2004

12 Restaurants

2 swimming pools/4 hot tubs

 

If you've never sailed on an NCL ship, it ought to be explained that freestyle dining works like this...

 

You DO have to make reservations every morning for the restaurant and time you'd like. If not, you run the risk of wait times...there are electronic boards all over the ship with the current wait times.

 

If you like the idea of being able to choose what time you want to eat in the morning, depending on the ports and activities that day, this is the cruise line for you!

 

If you don't want to be bothered with the hassle of making reservations everyday, you might want to reconsider...

 

Hope this helps!

[barante]

We took our first Bermuda cruise last September. We wanted seven days and we wanted it cheap. Ships sailing from Baltimore were five days and expensive. Because of the distance Boston was out. We considered NYC or Philadelphia and went with the old Norwegian Crown out of Manhattan. Our porthole cabin was something like $525 pp., including taxes and fees. So no complaints there.

I would go out of Boston. There are terrific deals on that run. My own feeling is that the ship really doesn't matter because it is Bermuda that you want to concentrate on. We really loved the island and the fact that we didn't have to worry about the ship sailing each night but could do things we wanted to do according to the time table we wanted.

Good luck.

[smeyer418]

NCL is a great cruise line, very innovative and the youngest fleet in the industry. They're the first to come up with freestyle dining, and also the private island for a port of call...

 

Here is comparison...

 

Dawn:

Slightly larger and has just a one more restaurant.

Built in 2002, refurbished in 2005

13 restaurants

2 Pools and 6 hot tubs

 

Spirit:

Built in 2000, re-christened in 2004

12 Restaurants

2 swimming pools/4 hot tubs

 

If you've never sailed on an NCL ship, it ought to be explained that freestyle dining works like this...

 

You DO have to make reservations every morning for the restaurant and time you'd like. If not, you run the risk of wait times...there are electronic boards all over the ship with the current wait times.

 

If you like the idea of being able to choose what time you want to eat in the morning, depending on the ports and activities that day, this is the cruise line for you!

 

If you don't want to be bothered with the hassle of making reservations everyday, you might want to reconsider...

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

There are only waits at certain high water marks(like when the early show gets out) other than that on most nights in the Main restaurants-there are at least two- the only wait is to be seated. Also on most nights except in Cagneys and the Italian rest you can walk up and be seated(with 2-4 people) even in the reservations restaurants and there is also the Buffet and a snack bar that you can go to at anytime. Its like being at any resort.

 

I sailed the Crown and was in the Owners suite so I didn't have to worry about waits which were the worst on the Crown as it wasn't set up well for freestyle.

[madelinerose]

Makes sense to me....thanks! ;)

 

The Dawn is just a ship that I feel at home on. Somehow the cabins were more comfortable...even when it was the same type cabin....does that make sense?

[janetz]

NCL is a great cruise line, very innovative and the youngest fleet in the industry. They're the first to come up with freestyle dining, and also the private island for a port of call...

 

Here is comparison...

 

Dawn:

Slightly larger and has just a one more restaurant.

Built in 2002, refurbished in 2005

13 restaurants

2 Pools and 6 hot tubs

 

Spirit:

Built in 2000, re-christened in 2004

12 Restaurants

2 swimming pools/4 hot tubs

 

If you've never sailed on an NCL ship, it ought to be explained that freestyle dining works like this...

 

You DO have to make reservations every morning for the restaurant and time you'd like. If not, you run the risk of wait times...there are electronic boards all over the ship with the current wait times.

 

If you like the idea of being able to choose what time you want to eat in the morning, depending on the ports and activities that day, this is the cruise line for you!

 

If you don't want to be bothered with the hassle of making reservations everyday, you might want to reconsider...

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

Interesting about the freestyle. I just assumed you went when you wanted like anytime on Princess. (Love it) I didn't know you had to reserv each day. Is there a place to eat without a reservation? :)

[madelinerose]

I thought the same thing. IMO, it seems as though the spontaneity of freestyle doesn't exist if you have to make reservations. For instance, we don't always want to eat at the same time every evening. With freestyle, I always thought you could just walk into a restaurant, maybe with a 5-10 minute wait. Interesting.

 

 

Interesting about the freestyle. I just assumed you went when you wanted like anytime on Princess. (Love it) I didn't know you had to reserv each day. Is there a place to eat without a reservation? :)

[smeyer418]

I thought the same thing. IMO, it seems as though the spontaneity of freestyle doesn't exist if you have to make reservations. For instance, we don't always want to eat at the same time every evening. With freestyle, I always thought you could just walk into a restaurant, maybe with a 5-10 minute wait. Interesting.

 

 

You can at the two main restaurants- which don't take reservations except for large groups-8 plus-...(although you can probably get a standing reservations at 5;30-6;30 and at 10)...

 

On some cruises I made no reservations on some I made some...rarely did I have a wait more than a few minutes...

[ninkb]

On our NCL cruise last fall, we never made a reservation for the dining room and never had to wait. You MAY make a reservation if you want a particularly popular time, but you don't have to. As they say, "do it your way". Reserve or don't. Dress up or don't. I think it's the best!!!

 

:) ninkb

[smeyer418]

OK now its reported that the stores on the ships and the Casinos can saty open beginning in 2009 in Bermuda ports....

[madelinerose]

Thanks Sid and ninkb. Now, that sounds more like it.

 

Interesting about the shops and casino staying open. I'm actually surprised. We love Bermuda, but have never cruised there.

[bluesea777]

OK now its reported that the stores on the ships and the Casinos can saty open beginning in 2009 in Bermuda ports....

 

Where did you hear this? :eek:

[smeyer418]

Where did you hear this? :eek:

 

here

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=788364

[janetz]

Great information, thank you. :)