Please Tell Me ~ What Do You LOVE About NCL???

[VABeach]

First Time NCL Cruiser here with all of the typical questions.

 

It seems like on all of the other boards, we always get to hear the bad about NCL.

 

I want to hear what keeps you guys coming back. Give me the GOOD stuff. ~ :D

[LOWTYD]

Freestyle! No having to go to dinner when they say or eating with people they assign you to.......no fancy dress up nights (only if you want to!) Casino at Sea Program and really nice people you meet on the NCL CC and Roll Calls!:)

They must be doing something right becuase the ships I have been on are always full!

[cruise4kicks]

Definitely Freestyle. I like being able to play things by ear, rather than planning where I'll eat, when I'll eat, or what I'll wear -- even if these thing are planned for me on traditional lines. ;) That's fine on some vacations, but there are other times I just really need a laid-back experience.

 

And, NCL has the BEST suites at sea, especially when you consider price and all the perks. :)

[Planer's Edge]

I really like the inedible food and I really don't want the crew to be friendly to me.

 

Oh, and I really like sitting through the horrible shows after being bugged to buy Krackits.

 

 

:D

 

PE

[VABeach]

I hate being on a schedule while on vacation! I know you have certain things you HAVE to do on time, like meet your tour group and be back on the boat on time, but other than that..... :cool:

 

We didn't even do dinner in the dining room on Christmas Day this time. I think we will like that part. But on the other hand, is kind of cool to actually get to "know" some people on the ship.

 

This cruise for me will be more about being in Europe. :D

[watchdiva]

NCL has the best suite perks.........we love the butler service. Also, we love freestyle and having a choice about when and where we want to eat. DH loves not lugging his tux along also. We love the can-do attitude on the ships that we have sailed.

 

Can you guess we love NCL? Other lines we've sailed (HAL and RCCI) were good and our cruises were fine but......we just prefer NCL. We've been cruising NCL for years and years (20 years and counting) and as long as they continue to meet and exceed all of our cruise expectations we'll keep on returning again and again.

[pengu1n]

Not having to dress up! With the weight limits and extra baggage charges, it makes packing easier!

 

The Blue Lagoon. This may not be available on all ships, but it beats out 24 hour pizza. It's kind of like a diner, limited menu, but made to order. Buffalo chicken wings, fish & chips, hamburgers, soup, etc. We cruised on HAL last summer, and after the midnight buffet (served between 10 and 11pm), with no Blue Lagoon, you might starve before breakfast! :D

 

It seems like there are more things to do on NCL than other lines, esp. on sea days. Maybe they just appealed to me more or the times worked out better. I have heard that all lines have cut back on these, so maybe this is just remembering the good old days. On our previous NCL cruises, there were several opportunities to make crafts, practice towel and napkin folding (not just watch), mini-classes on computers, photography, etc., martini & margarita tastings.

 

The crew is very friendly. One of the waiters in the buffet and one of the bartenders that were on the Wind in 2005 were also on our next cruise a year later. Both remembered us (and I don't think we're that memorable for any reason) before I recognized them. (Oddly enough, the entertainers, Alfred and Seymour, were also on both ships and said they remembered my adult children who had hung out with them on the Wind.) These kind of things make NCL seem like home. (When they kick you out on disembarkation, they seem less like your nicer relatives, though!:D)

[IUcruiser]

I like not being rushed on the cruise. I have enough of a schedule at home without having to rush back to the ship to avoid missing dinner. dinner.

[garycarla]

No dress up.

No set diner time or table.

Casino that at least acknowledges our donations.

 

Done.

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

all of the above AND not being in party atmosphere, not having a sport fest and not being to subtle but something very nicley in the middle. What Carnival, RCI and X lack NCL has.

[chrisbd1]

1. Freestyle-assigned dining wigs me out
   
2. Being able to stay in my room until it's time to disembark
   
3. No mandatory Dress Up night
   
4. Friendly crew members
   
5. Cagney's :)
   
6. Free cappuccino/lattes/espresso in the dining rooms
   
7. Free cappuccino/espresso/latte machines on Jewel class ships:):)
   

[lhall85917]

All of the above and I USED to love their credit card. I want it back and I could fall in love again!!! :eek:

[Carey and Kerry]

Freestyle dining!!!!

 

Not having to pack dress up dresses for me and suits for DH !! (especially now that he insists on carrying scuba stuff, gotta find the room somewhere)

 

Suite perks are the BEST!!!! Gotta love the concierge and butler!!!!!!

[johnql]

1. Numerous alternative dining venues, especially on the newer ships.

2. Diversity of cuisines available.

3. No fixed dining times.

4. No assigned tables.

5. No assigned tablemates.

6. Resort casual attire acceptable every night in every dining venue.

[cruisinmom68]

I didnt take my first cruise until I was almost 37 years old. I never liked the idea of being forced to dress up and sit with people I didnt know for meals. I am a mother of 5 so when I vacationed it was usually just my husband and I. I want to spend a few days doing what I want, no set times, no fancy clothes. NCL offered that and now I am hooked!

[canuckgal]

i love their witty, slightly sarcastic marketing and labels - the shoe shiner that says "flip flops and tennis shoes need not apply" the clocks that say "not that it matters" underneath, the lounge chairs that say "i'm way too relaxed to get up and get myself a drink" etc. hilarious!

[newmexicoNita]

First Time NCL Cruiser here with all of the typical questions.

 

It seems like on all of the other boards, we always get to hear the bad about NCL.

 

I want to hear what keeps you guys coming back. Give me the GOOD stuff. ~ :D

 

Many things, just like someone else keeps coming back to Princess or Celebrity, whatever:

 

For me it is: my comfort zone

friendly crew but not all over you all the time

dining choices whether inclusive or sur charge

good ports

being able to decide for myself what time I want to eat tonight. Even if I choose the same time every night it will not be the hours someone else choose for me

not having to dress up, I would not mind the dressing but lugging all that stuff especially with the airline restrictions.

 

 

Nita

 

PS. by the way, if you pay attention to the complainers on NCL board or other boards and check out the names you will find they are often the same person over and over.

[Don Haynes]

Many of the bad reviews are from every family member writing a bad review on purpose, just to stir up the pot. They weren't able to plow over the crew, so they attempt to plow over the reviews with nasty reviews at this site.

 

I have enjoyed every cruise I have participated in, whether Cunard, Carnival, Holland American, or NCL. I like NCL freestyle dining, and like others, choose not to dress up to the nines to dine in the main dining room. There is nothing wrong with resort casual, and I prefer dining when I want to, not when someone else decides.

[lgfromdg]

Like everyone, the big thing for me is FreeStyle cruising. It is so nice to come back after a day ashore and know that you can take a nap, relax, get up and go eat in the main dining room whenever you're ready. No rushing to make a set dining time or settling for the buffet or room service when you want a nice sit down dinner. Plus, not having to dress-up is a real selling point for me.

[bonnie voyage]

Definitely the relaxed atmosphere; no dressing up; dinner when we want; the ships; the service. Though we haven't cruised as many times as others on this Board, when we did make a switch to Princess (because of the itinerary), we decided we would go back to NCL. Food is better; service better; cocktails better; atmosphere better.

[chezbo99]

I never thought I would enjoy a cruise because we are just not dress up people so that is not what we want to do on a vacation. But I really wanted to go to Alaska so we tried NCL and we LOVED freestyle. In fact we loved it so much we were booked for Hawaii just a few weeks after returning from Alaska!!! My DH and I went on the 10 day Pride of Aloha cruise with a carry on bag each and never wished we'd packed more. Now we're thinking about South America...don't think we can get away with a carry on there--the weather is too diverse, but we may try! NCL is a perfect match for us.

[mbisson]

First Time NCL Cruiser here with all of the typical questions.

 

It seems like on all of the other boards, we always get to hear the bad about NCL.

 

I want to hear what keeps you guys coming back. Give me the GOOD stuff. ~ :D

 

I guess we like the crews, food and beverage, entertainment, ships, crews, service, ability to eat when we want, embarkation process, disembarkation process, crews and itineraries (carribbean/Alaska/10 day Hawaii---I still want to do the Med). Oh, & we have had great onshore service as well (booking, price adjustments etc).

 

Other than that I think we might hate NCL ;)

 

BTW-we've sailed 3 other lines and like them as well---just prefer Freestyle :D

[pascalburns]

love freestyle dining.love not having to put a tie on,or

as some would say,dress up for dinner.

 

island princess 12/08

 

ncl pearl 2/08

 

grand princess 11/07

 

carnival holiday 9/06

 

grand princess 2/06:)

[DMH15]

Love freestyle

My schedule

[BaileyandBella]

Chilled soups

The best pillows and beds

Entertainment

Freestyle dining