Compared to NCL?

[alleghator]

I've cruise twice, both times with Carnival (Ecstacy '93 and Paradise '03), and am considering a cruise this next January on NCL's Majesty.

 

What differences should I be aware of? Looking for practical considerations I should keep in mind...info from those who have cruised both fleets.

 

Thanks!

--Heidi

[tarbashchaputi]

I have sailed both lines.

 

The biggest difference for you to know about is the dining differences. NCL has freestyle dining versus the assigned seating with CCL. I enjoy both, but the nice thing about the free style dining is you can eat when and where you want.

 

Other than that, I found both lines to be very similar in almost all aspects. I liked the entertainment aboard the NCL Sky more than on Carnival, but that is just my personal preference, as I do not care for Las Vegas type entertainment. Both my wife and I found the food to be pretty much on par, however, I'd give a slight edge to Carnival in the main dining room. Our last cruise on the Conquest touted excellent food!

 

Really, I think if you are in favor of the dining set up on NCL, you will have an equally good time on either line.

 

Good luck and enjoy your vacation!

[BW0727]

I've cruise twice, both times with Carnival (Ecstacy '93 and Paradise '03), and am considering a cruise this next January on NCL's Majesty.

 

What differences should I be aware of? Looking for practical considerations I should keep in mind...info from those who have cruised both fleets.

 

Thanks!

--Heidi

I have gone on the NCL Majesty last year and beside the Freestyle dining the most major difference that you will see is that the ship is older. The Majesty is a wonderful but the rooms are much smaller then most other cruiselines. The Majesty was the first cruise that I went on and everyone I know that had been on it said that it was a great ship for first time cruisers. Even though it is a small ship it was still wonderful and i really enjoyed myself.

[phlydude]

One thing to keep in mind too with NCL is that you don't get the same server all the time so dining service can be great OR it can be horrible depending on who you get. Also, you don't get to sit with the same people every night unless you arrange it. It's possible you will sit by yourselves or you could be combined with a bunch of people at a 12 person table. Dinner at the busiest times in the main dining rooms had wait times of upwards of 45 minutes...kind of annoying to me since I can go to TGIFriday's and wait less on a Friday night!

[judyf]

Freestyle, Freestyle, Freestyle!!! We loved it!!!! You do get to know the dining staff and can ask to sit in the same servers area. We liked the freedom of being able to eat when and where we wanted. I also liked meeting more people and we arranged with some to meet at the dining room entrance at a certain time to sit togther. Worked great!

 

We cruised during Easter, the dinner on Easter Sunday was GREAT! We never waited to be seated for dinner and this was spring break. If you want a table for two by the window every night you might have a wait. Food was about the same we enjoyed the food on all our cruises!

 

The entertainment was really good and we were on a 14 day cruise and every night we enjoyed the entertainment. That surprised me, I can't say that about some of the 7-9 day cruises we've been on, LOL.

 

What we liked that was different, the bar hopper card, that was fun and something to do and I got two free shotglasses (I collect shotglasses). I also liked the exercise card and I got a free t-shirt.

 

We were on a smaller and older ship but we knew that when we booked and got a great price.

 

All in all I would sail NCL agin and plan to on our family cruise to Hawaii with all first timers. The reason we will sail NCL is the America flag ships staying in Hawaii and freestyle, freestyle, freestyle! For first timers with children this is the way they want to cruise for the first time. Not to have to be at dinner either 5-6 pm or 8-9 pm.

 

I also like to try all different lines and hope to someday have tried them all!

 

Hope this helps some.

[Linda the Book Lover]

We sailed the Majesty to Bermuda and loved the ship. The DH and I love eating when we want and enjoy free style. We like meeting different people at each meal and having the flexibility to dine alone should we choose. The specialty restaurant (there is only one on the Majesty) is very nice but close seating. We didn’t mind, as everyone seemed to enjoy the camaraderie. It has been quite some time since we sailed Carnival but we enjoyed the experience. The Majesty is older and stretched but there are so many wonderful places to have a “cocktail” and read. The Majesty does not have as many things to do when you are at sea as Carnival. Each ship like each person has a personality and we just plan to spend our time accordingly.

[sfagent]

We have done both, but I think a lot of it has to be about the ship you are taking. We traveled on the NCL Dream which offered a somewhat "freestyle" experience over two weeks through the Baltic sea, but comparatively for seven days on the Triumph and Glory we thought the selection was much greater. Obviously for ships that were built with freestyle in mind, there are advantages.

 

All in all, if the ship wasn't built for freestyle, I don't think it's better than Carnival