Norwegian?

[katmigordon]

Has anyone cruised Norwegian?
My mom and her BFF are trying to talk us into going on one in 2021, we've only done Disney and I really don't know what I think. Thoughts? (And no the trip would not be free for us, we would be paying our own way.)

 

[DCLCrazy64622]

We love it and are starting to book strictly NCL based solely on the price. We are over the Caribbean and are branching out to trips that require airfare. So we had to choose a cruise line that went to Europe but did not have the premium prices of DCL. We enjoy the restaurants and the extra activities like the rock walls, the laser tag, the bumper cars, and the race tracks. Our daughter is getting out of the princess phase so NCL fits our needs better for the preteen era. The biggest difference is that DCL has a consistent product across the ships and each of NCL’s ships have their own unique differences. Which ship are you going on?

 

[katmigordon]

We're looking at a Haven Suite on the Breakaway - prob a spa suite.

We love it and are starting to book strictly NCL based solely on the price. We are over the Caribbean and are branching out to trips that require airfare. So we had to choose a cruise line that went to Europe but did not have the premium prices of DCL. We enjoy the restaurants and the extra activities like the rock walls, the laser tag, the bumper cars, and the race tracks. Our daughter is getting out of the princess phase so NCL fits our needs better for the preteen era. The biggest difference is that DCL has a consistent product across the ships and each of NCL’s ships have their own unique differences. Which ship are you going on?

 

[Marc D]

We sailed Norwegian last year, in a Haven stateroom. We therefore had access to the Haven restaurant, the private courtyard (on Bliss) and concierge services. Even with all that, and a cost similar to what DCL charges for a regular stateroom, we would not sail NCL again. For reference, we are Platinum on DCL and have sailed RCCL, Celebrity and Azamara. However, we have friends that are on the highest tier of the NCL fidelity program and wouldn’t sail on another line. Like shoes, what fits one will not fit the other.

For us, what left to be desired :

- Embarkation at San Pedro (L.A.) was a total mess, even if we were supposed to have a priority line. Lines everywhere, with guests not knowing why they were waiting. Porters overwhelmed with luggage, employees not able to direct us or just not listening. Once we got to the Haven section, the service was fine in the terminal.
- Food in the Haven restaurant was the same every night and not very sophisticated, unlike the MDRs on DCL or Luminae on Celebrity. We therefore ventured into the specialty restaurants and found the food to be so-so at best. Our favorite food is on Celebrity, especially the buffet. Some here prefer DCL food to Celebrity’s. It is the most subjective of all the aspects of cruising.
- The food in the buffet was also not to our liking, and we are not fussy about breakfast/lunch buffet food.
- Concierge service was sub-par. When we tried to book specialty restaurants, they couldn’t do more than we could by going ourselves on the reservation system. When they said ‘we’ll try to find you something’, they never came back to us with a yes or a no. Regular guests services on DCL is way better.
- In general, service was all over the place. In the Haven restaurant, we had five servers come and ask for our orders on a particular night. In a specialty restaurant, we had two servers discuss loudly near us about who was responsible for our table. Our stateroom host came too early, too late or needed to be called to clean our room. On DCL, we’ve always felt like our host was spying on us and cleaned our room the second we left for breakfast.

The only positive aspect of Bliss for us is the ship itself, including the Haven courtyard, the observation deck, and the Haven lounge. We had access to the spa and it was the nicest we’ve experienced at sea.

 

[katmigordon]

The itinerary we're looking at is a much better choice for us - every port is a dream (Unlike the Mexican cruise we have booked), it's going to cost us about 2k less - and we'll be able to take my mom for free. Concierge is nice, but they won't be any more or less help than Disney Concierge would be since I would be planning everything else myself anyway - so long as Concierge can make last-minute changes that's all I need from them. Having the same serving staff at Disney is awesome... if you get lucky and like your staff. If not it's kind of an awkward week. On the other hand, a bad serving team with NCL wouldn't be something we would be stuck with. The drinks pkg would be included so I could get a drink anywhere - not just sodas on deck 9. We wouldn't have to pay for specialty restaurants the way we would have to pay for Palo... we would get an excursion credit for free, front row access to any show we want... which Disney can't guarantee me, even in concierge...

To figure out the food thing, it would help to understand you a little better - for that we need common ground experience. What is do you like/dislike about Disney Cruise line dining?

We sailed Norwegian last year, in a Haven stateroom. We therefore had access to the Haven restaurant, the private courtyard (on Bliss) and concierge services. Even with all that, and a cost similar to what DCL charges for a regular stateroom, we would not sail NCL again. For reference, we are Platinum on DCL and have sailed RCCL, Celebrity and Azamara. However, we have friends that are on the highest tier of the NCL fidelity program and wouldn’t sail on another line. Like shoes, what fits one will not fit the other.

For us, what left to be desired :

- Embarkation at San Pedro (L.A.) was a total mess, even if we were supposed to have a priority line. Lines everywhere, with guests not knowing why they were waiting. Porters overwhelmed with luggage, employees not able to direct us or just not listening. Once we got to the Haven section, the service was fine in the terminal.
- Food in the Haven restaurant was the same every night and not very sophisticated, unlike the MDRs on DCL or Luminae on Celebrity. We therefore ventured into the specialty restaurants and found the food to be so-so at best. Our favorite food is on Celebrity, especially the buffet. Some here prefer DCL food to Celebrity’s. It is the most subjective of all the aspects of cruising.
- The food in the buffet was also not to our liking, and we are not fussy about breakfast/lunch buffet food.
- Concierge service was sub-par. When we tried to book specialty restaurants, they couldn’t do more than we could by going ourselves on the reservation system. When they said ‘we’ll try to find you something’, they never came back to us with a yes or a no. Regular guests services on DCL is way better.
- In general, service was all over the place. In the Haven restaurant, we had five servers come and ask for our orders on a particular night. In a specialty restaurant, we had two servers discuss loudly near us about who was responsible for our table. Our stateroom host came too early, too late or needed to be called to clean our room. On DCL, we’ve always felt like our host was spying on us and cleaned our room the second we left for breakfast.

The only positive aspect of Bliss for us is the ship itself, including the Haven courtyard, the observation deck, and the Haven lounge. We had access to the spa and it was the nicest we’ve experienced at sea.

 

[mevelandry]

Has anyone cruised Norwegian?
My mom and her BFF are trying to talk us into going on one in 2021, we've only done Disney and I really don't know what I think. Thoughts? (And no the trip would not be free for us, we would be paying our own way.)

I haven’t but a friend that has tastes similar to mine did (Norwegian Jewel) and she said it was absolutely lovely.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

LOVE Norwegian. Both NCL and DCL are my favorites that I've tried (done Carnival, Royal, NCL, and DCL). Just did the Encore last month and it was fantastic. Food, shows, and service were great all around and I love how inclusive a lot of the promotions are so it actually helps you budget: drinks included, specialty dining can be pre-purchased, internet, etc.

Also, I have to echo the sentiments here.. I actually prefer the rotating wait staff. Never had bad service but I imagine if they were lackluster, I'd only have to worry about that for one night.

 

[katmigordon]

BTW does Dreams Unlimited do Norwegian?

 

[Pens Fan]

After five DCL cruises, we have now taken three NCL cruises and have another one booked. These included a 7 day on the Sun to Alaska, a 12 day on the Gem to Canada / New England and a 14 day on the Jade to Italy / Greece. All of these cruises were in non Haven suites (only available on the smaller ships).

We've enjoyed all of our cruises on NCL and look forward to cruising with them again. Some comparisons to DCL:

The food on NCL ranged from fine to excellent, and we love the variety offered. We do not enjoy DCL's set dining times and sharing tables model and appreciate that we don't have to deal with that on NCL. We love the casual atmosphere of NCL and find the food overall to be more to our taste than than on DCL. That being said, we certainly haven't starved on any cruise .

We've experienced great service on NCL - equivalent to DCL. We've had hiccups here and there, but have also experienced that on DCL. If I had to choose, I'd give NCL the nod, as their service is more of the friendly, professional type. I hate to say this, but at times I find DCL service to be a bit forced and cloying, to the point of making me uncomfortable. I've never experienced that on NCL.

Entertainment on NCL definitely is more adult focussed. We enjoy that, as our son is 21 and often isn't even with us when we cruise anymore. However, I would hesitate to recommend NCL smaller ships to anyone with young children, as I don't think there will be a ton for them to do outside of the kids club. Now, the larger ships do have a lot more options for kids - slides, rope courses, go karts, laser tag - depending on the ship. As a previous poster noted, NCL ships vary quite a bit from one another. Do your homework and make sure your ship has something to offer everyone in your travelling party.

NCL (and many other cruise lines) have far more options when it comes to itineraries. In my opinion, it's DCL's greatest weakness. We love cruising, but we don't cruise just to cruise. We love port days and want to sail to somewhere we actually want to see. That makes DCL a tough sell anymore. I really hope once the new ships are sailing, that will change.

We've never sailed concierge on DCL, so I can't compare that to NCL's suite life. We've enjoyed being in a suite on NCL and especially liked the private dining for suite guests at breakfast and lunch. (The smaller ships do not offer private dining for dinner.) The concierge service was nice, though we really didn't use it that often. Probably the best perk was on our last cruise which was 13 port days on a 14 day cruise. The priority disembarkation and especially tendering was a huge plus in getting off the ship. We were escorted down the crew elevators and off the ship as soon as it was cleared - a real bonus!

I think the number one thing when trying any new cruise line is to keep an open mind. It's not going to be Disney. There are no characters, Disney music playing in the halls, etc. While we did miss that on our first non Disney cruise, we soon got over it and just enjoyed our cruise for what it was - great food, service and ports - nothing wrong with that!!

 

[belle032]

I've sailed other cruise lines besides DCL, but have not sailed Norwegian. However, we are strongly considering it for an Alaska 2021 itinerary. My mom and a couple friends sailed on the Bliss last September and loved it. Said it was the most beautiful ship they had been on, with great food and entertainment. And she's not one to hold back on her opinion.

In terms of service, I've never experienced bad service on any cruise I'm ever been on. Maybe we've been lucky, but we've received the same equally great service from line.

A co-worker of mine and her husband only sail Norwegian and they are total foodies, if that counts for anything!

I think you'll get a wide range of opinions here, which is great, but you really need to take the leap and try it yourself if you truly want to find out if you'll enjoy the trip or not! And in my eyes, a day on a cruise ship is pretty much always better than a day at work!

 

[DCLCrazy64622]

We're looking at a Haven Suite on the Breakaway - prob a spa suite.

Omg take me with you! I’ve never been in the Haven suites! You will definitely have a good time. Do not be apprehensive at all!

 

[Bonnie1222]

After 12 Disney cruises and 1 Princess cruise (15 years ago that was a gift from the inlaws) we have booked a 7 day western on the Breakaway next year. We love Disney, and have been cruising twice a year on the Fantasy the last few years. It is expensive, and DH and I decided that if we want to keep vacationing this way we need to try someone else. We have done 11 western cruises - they are our favorite so we chose this NCL cruise because we know we will have a good time at the ports and that won't "cloud" our judgement.

As a PP said, we are keeping an open mind - this will be a completely new experience and my outlook is it will be fun to explore and try new things. We actually booked a sail-a-way room so we have no perks, but that is fine with us. We have an inside room (closet LOL) but with so much more to do on this ship than Disney has I don't see us spending much time in the room except to take a nap or change clothes.

I'm am looking forward to everyone's comments and experiences.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Just don't cruise NCL-Hawaii. Worst cruise ever!

 

[katmigordon]

What went wrong?

Just don't cruise NCL-Hawaii. Worst cruise ever!

Just don't cruise NCL-Hawaii. Worst cruise ever!

 

[jdb in AZ]

What went wrong?

About 1/3 of the crew walked off the job in a wildcat strike so service was a mess. Food was crummy -- even my pregnant niece lost weight. Very little menu variety. Dinner took an hour between courses, and was finally delivered to the table by management, while other hungry passengers waited in the hallway to be seated. Beds were still unmade at 4 p.m. while the (remaining) crew flipped each other with towels in the hallway. The gangway slipped in one of the ports, trapping the foot of one of the passengers. Crew stood by like deer in the headlights while other passengers helped the trapped woman free her foot. Crew re-set the gangway then watched the passengers test it out. Due to a booking snafu our extended family wasn't given the promised rooms. Our travel agent had to escalate the situation up the food chain to a corporate V.P. to get the correct rooms.

I realize that NCL Hawaii uses American work force and has different labor laws than the other ships, but our Hawaiian cruise kind of put us off NCL entirely.

 

[martikus]

We actually thought food was better on norweigen. Evening entertainment not great for kids, but ropes course,
Mini golf and water slides on breakaway were great. The late evening snack options so much better than Disney.

we prefer royal when traveling with kids. The big ships. The pool areas so much nicer. Ice shows, water shos, great performers etc. big ships offer pizza until 3am but do wish they had a few more
Later options.

for me every cruise ship has new features so I am not stuck to one line. Try a variety! But I do stick to bigger ships with more bells and whistles with kids.

 

[DisMommyTX]

Each of the lines has its strengths. We have always loved the live music on NCL, along with free drinks and specialty dining. As long as you are on one of their newer/bigger ships and book with a deal that includes all the amenities you want (free drinks, dining, internet, etc.) you'll have a great time. Go for it!!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

but our Hawaiian cruise kind of put us off NCL entirely.

We have friends who did the NCL Hawaiian cruise. Their report to us pretty much has put Norwegian on the bottom of our "must cruise on...." list.

 

[Marc D]

We have friends who did the NCL Hawaiian cruise. Their report to us pretty much has put Norwegian on the bottom of our "must cruise on...." list.

Pride of America is in a world of its own. Exclusivity on the Hawaiian routing, American crew and the second oldest refurbishment in the fleet all contribute to offering a bad experience. While NCL is not for us, it is not a bad cruiseline in general.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

I have only once sailed on NCL - a 7 night med cruise in the Haven on the Epic. Being in the Haven was great - service, food, lack of crowds (although our "butler" was not so great). Otherwise, ship was super crowded; service at the bars was very slow because probably 75% of people had free drink packages; always a line/wait to use no charge restaurants -or anything, really; lines to get off ship, etc, very long and crowded (I think in part because of size of ship -huge - and only 2 elevator banks). The "entertainment" staff were the worst and the trivia on board was such a letdown; a couple times they just didn't show up even though it was on the schedule.

We had a good cruise because the ports were great and we were in the Haven. Still would have had a good cruise not being in the Haven, but not so much on the ship but off the ship.

I'm not picky about food, I just hate spending a lot of my vacation waiting and if I hadn't been in the Haven, I would have spent SO much time waiting for drinks, food, etc...

I would sail again in Haven, otherwise, I prefer DCL (of course) or Celebrity or even Carnival; although I did probably like it better than HAL.