What's the Catch - NCL vs Princess

[toberman]

I've never been on NCL, but am considering. Researching cruises for Nov this year I find a 7 day on NCL out of Tampa - Balcony room - for $600. Same day cruise on Princess out of FLL - also Balcony - $1050. How can there be that much difference in the two lines to warrant $450pp?? I know NCL is more strict with liquor, but other than that what gives?? :confused:

Could it have something to do with inaugural fares on NCL since they are just starting out of TPA this fall? Sure am interested !! :)

[kitty9]

There's a huge difference in terms of food and service on NCL. You'll find many on here who wouldn't cruise NCL again even if it were free. The cheaper price is probably because of the new port. Plus, it's difficult to compare cruise prices unless they are the same itinerary.

[Dayenu]

I haven't done the same itinerary on Princess and NCL, but comparing them: food - Princess, entertainment - Princess, itinerary - depends, assigned seating that I like - Princess (NCL only non-assigned), cabins about the same, service about the same.

 

We go by itinerary as this is the most important for us. Cruised with Princess, NCL, Royal Carribean (and rate them in this order)

[toberman]

Plus, it's difficult to compare cruise prices unless they are the same itinerary.

 

So that's like a supply and demand type of thing ? Princess is Eastern and Southern Carib. while NCL is Western. Could it be not as many people want the Western run??

[caribsun]

The reason is NCL no longer gives you a chocolate on your pillow.:)

[toberman]

The reason is NCL no longer gives you a chocolate on your pillow.:)

 

OK - Now I get it, and that's a deal breaker !! :D

[geoherb]

I could buy a lot of chocolates for $450--but even if NCL offered Godiva I wouldn't sail on it again. Once we tried other cruise lines, we knew we'd never go back.

[riffatsea]

I haven't been on Princess(yet) but after cruising RCCL, Carnival, and NCL, I'll tell you that the DIFFERENCE between the other 2 and NCL is QUALITY. I will not go on NCL again!

[Taxguy77]

I could buy a lot of chocolates for $450--but even if NCL offered Godiva I wouldn't sail on it again. Once we tried other cruise lines, we knew we'd never go back.

 

We agree!

[lpsquillace]

OK - Now I get it, and that's a deal breaker !! :D

 

Hi guys, How are you? We went on NCL over Thanksgiving and were not impresssed. Won't go into details here but we can send you an email about it.

 

FYI - We are thinking of a 10 day cruise on 11/19/11 out of FLL on the Island princess.

 

Paul & Lori

[Essiesmom]

Another difference is that NCL offers a lot more options for extra charge dining. I suspect they depend on those surcharges to supplement the bottom line...EM

[Sheffie]

The reason is NCL no longer gives you a chocolate on your pillow.:)

 

We have had no chocolates on our last 2 RCI cruises, either. :(

[BruceMuzz]

Supply and demand have a lot to do with it.

When one product is popular in a free market, the price goes up.

When one product is not as popular, the price goes down.

You need to determine why one is more popular than the other.

 

Cost also has a lot to do with it.

Princess spends twice the money every day to feed you.

 

Spending more money is not a guarantee of higher quality, but it is a very strong hint.

[Bonnie J.]

We just got off the Crown Princess, our 3rd Princess cruise. Last was 2006. We are in our mid 60's and felt we were very young for this cruise! We had never heard so many waltzes on a ship with many 'old' people dancing. The Caribean band played on deck and my husband and I were the only ones who ever danced to their great Caribean music. After the 1st two nights in traditional dining we went to 'any time' because we were the only ones at our table for 8 and service was so slow. Next night we went to both any time dining rooms around 7:30. We were told it would be 45 miuntes before we could be seated at both . So we went to the buffet, 1st time ever for dinner, and we hated it. Next nights we went around 8PM and had no wait. At night a group would play for dancing for 45 minutes then MAYBE be back an hour later. We would have to walk to the other end of the ship and still not find music. Oh, if you like classical violin music, with cello and piano that was in the Piazza (atrium) at night. On other ships the groups, always more than one group, plays 7pm - 11pm or 12am, take breaks but you wait for them to come back after maybe 15 minutes - not an hour!

Doubt we'll do Princess again.

We do not like NCL because of their freestyle and have had long waits with them - you get a beeper!

[trish1c]

We usually sail NCL & are switching to Princess for this cruise. I'm looking forward to seeing how it compares.

[Bonnie J.]

Let us know which you like better and why!

[flamomo]

~~~~~We usually sail NCL & are switching to Princess for this cruise. I'm looking forward to seeing how it compares.~~~~~

 

I hope you will be pleased with Princess, and would like it if you posted post cruise to let us know what you think.

 

I have never sailed with any cruiseline but Princess, have completed 9 sailings, have 2 more booked for this year, and will be booking one for 2012 while on my upcoming cruise.

 

I have never found a reason not to stick with Princess ..... lovely, classy ships; excellent variety of itineraries; decent fares; great service; great food and entertainment, etc.

[wg6530]

If you are a fairly casual, flexible, low-maintenance person, give NCL a try.

 

Cabins are well designed, but small.

 

Freestyle dining suits some people, not others. don't select NCL if getting to know waiters and table mates is important to you. if you try NCL, understand that you are more likely to wait if you wish to dine at a peak time. try NCL if you are comfortable going a bit early, take your beeper, go get a drink or stroll the promenade. Don't go if that makes your skin crawl.

 

NCL entertainment is good. Often better than other lines.

 

Service on average is a bit less personal and room stewards seem a bit slower, maybe more overloaded than other lines. but maybe that has just been luck of the draw.

 

food is subjective of course. I like NCL's buffet salad bars. save some of the extra cash for a specialty restaurant or two.

 

I think the service charge is a bit higher than most other lines. $12 day.

[cruisemom42]

but even if NCL offered Godiva I wouldn't sail on it again.

 

the DIFFERENCE between the other 2 and NCL is QUALITY. I will not go on NCL again!

 

Agree completely with the above.

[toberman]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I've only sailed Princess and am happy with them... it's just the price difference that seemed so out of line. Starting to think it might be one of those "If it sounds too good to be true".....

[Happy ks]

Listen to that little voice in your head. We have cruised on NCL twice and would always look for other alternatives than settle for NCL again. We had a great time on both, but some of the laughs we had were laughing at NCL rather than laughing with them.

 

I'd still rate them slightly higher than our one Carnival cruise.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We've been on Princess 7 times, so we obviously like them, but we liked our one NCL cruise, a TA on the Jewel as well.

 

We found the MDR food to be just fine and never ate in one of the specialty restaurants. I also like the buffet variety of food and especially the spacious layout, which made getting around easier than on Princess and some other lines.

 

The entertainment was top-notch, better than most. Of course it probably helped that we hadn't done NCL before. We've seen some of the Princess shows more than once.

 

The ship was clean, the staff friendly and efficient and the pools on this April crossing were kept around 90 degrees!

 

We had a mini-suite, which seemed smaller than most lines but had a great bathroom. We did a cabin crawl and inside and balcony cabins seemed small too, but wow, the Garden Villas! Unbelievable.

 

I know many people dislike NCL, but we were pleasantly surprised. We booked because the price for the 11 day cruise was so amazing and didn't regret it. I have heard that some of their older ships are to be avoided. And, we're not incredibly picky people and have never had a cruise we didn't like.

[LindaKE]

We've cruised both Princess and NCL. We went to the Eastern Caribbean on each line less than a year apart, so the comparison is probably good. I was leary of trying NCL because of stories I heard, but decided to try because of the price difference. We found that there were very few differences. On both lines, we got excellent service, similar food, similar entertainment, similar everything. We even saw similar dress, but that could be because we don't cruise during the school year so most of the cruisers are seniors. We didn't like the decor on NCL as well, but that isn't worth hundreds of dollars. The cabins were smaller on NCL, but it's so well thought out that it's not a problem unless you spend the cruise in your cabin. If you spring for a suite on NCL, you supposedly get a much superior product. The crew on NCL was calling us by name after the first day or 2; I can't say that about Princess. NCL has around 11 dining venues, many with a cover charge, so you have more options. We ate once on each cruise at the steakhouse; the rest of the nights in the MDR. On both lines, we found food we liked and food we didn't. Now, I'd say we give a slight edge to Princess, but choose based on itinerary and price. Why don't you give NCL a try? You might like it. NCL has many, many loyal fans.

[LindaKE]

Sorry. Duplicate post.

[zookiebird]

Listen to that little voice in your head. We have cruised on NCL twice and would always look for other alternatives than settle for NCL again...

 

We agree, especially after having discovered HAL.