I was also on the Encore February 16, 2020 sailing. You are 100% correct that Encore is a TERRIBLE ship for a family if you want to enjoy a relaxing cruise while sunbathing on decks 16 or 17, swimming in the adult pool, using the water slides, watching your children swimming and playing in the children's pool, spending time with your children in the water park area, or even going to the Garden Café or the Locale for lunch with your family. You can't do these things on the Encore for more than 15 minutes, because if you do, your chairs will likely be TAKEN by either NCL staff or other cruisers. Good luck finding open deck chairs if yours are taken because of the ridiculous 15 minute rule. Based on my experience – I bet that you won’t. Unfortunately there are not nearly enough deck chairs provided by NCL so it is very very difficult, if not impossible, to find available chairs to accommodate your family after 10 am. IT IS VERY STRESSFUL. I also agree that the Encore buffets and the quality of food were substandard as compared to the Escape, Breakaway and Getaway. For some perspective, I have also sailed on multiple Royal and MSC ships and have fairly substantial experience cruising over the last five years - in excess of 15 cruises. I will never sail on the Encore again but would do so on ANY of the other ships I have been on.
AVOID NCL ENCORE AT ALL COSTS
in Norwegian Cruise Line
Posted
I was also on the Encore February 16, 2020 sailing. You are 100% correct that Encore is a TERRIBLE ship for a family if you want to enjoy a relaxing cruise while sunbathing on decks 16 or 17, swimming in the adult pool, using the water slides, watching your children swimming and playing in the children's pool, spending time with your children in the water park area, or even going to the Garden Café or the Locale for lunch with your family. You can't do these things on the Encore for more than 15 minutes, because if you do, your chairs will likely be TAKEN by either NCL staff or other cruisers. Good luck finding open deck chairs if yours are taken because of the ridiculous 15 minute rule. Based on my experience – I bet that you won’t. Unfortunately there are not nearly enough deck chairs provided by NCL so it is very very difficult, if not impossible, to find available chairs to accommodate your family after 10 am. IT IS VERY STRESSFUL. I also agree that the Encore buffets and the quality of food were substandard as compared to the Escape, Breakaway and Getaway. For some perspective, I have also sailed on multiple Royal and MSC ships and have fairly substantial experience cruising over the last five years - in excess of 15 cruises. I will never sail on the Encore again but would do so on ANY of the other ships I have been on.