Princess vs. NCL pricing - Spring Break 2013

[oliverweagle]

Hmmmm- excited that Princess will be sailing from Galveston, I checked out the pricing for a spring break cruise given that the pricing has just been released. Here is what I found - Crown princess departing from Galveston 16 March 2013, 7 night Western Caribbean, ports of call Costa Maya, Roatan, Belize and Cozumel, aft suite category VS, 3 people ... $6,052. Same cruise on NCL departing from New Orleans on 17 March, aft suite category SF, 3 people ... $3,484.

 

What could account for the difference in price? I am certainly not an experienced cruiser, so perhaps the obvious escapes me!

 

Thank you,

 

Ollie

[oskidunker]

But for that Price difference...

[pegport]

NCL cannot compare in service, food, activities or cabins. Princess is a far more refined cruise experience. That's why the price difference. You pay for

what you get.;)

[gargoyle999]

Have you tried getting a quote for the Princess cruise through a TA? Princess website rate has always been more than double the rate I'm paying for my 18 night cruise this Oct.

 

Some people seem happy the pay thousands more just to book direct with Princess but I encourage you to shop around and you may find the same cruise for much much less. :)

[itzmered]

NCL food was just fine and their suite perks are awesome. I love our Princess cruise and we are going on another one but I wouldnt hesitate to sail on NCL again.

[willysgrandma]

Totally different experience - you get what you pay for.

 

NCL's ships are gaudier, the cabins don't have much storage space and the service and food is not as good as Princess. NCL is totally free style cruising, not necessary to dress up for formal nights, no assigned dining so sometimes long waits to eat dinner.

 

As someone said earlier, Princess is much more refined and a very different clientele.

 

That said - I am doing almost back to back cruises - one on NCL and one on Princess. Couldn't pass up the Epic based on the price, that's the only reason I booked NCL.

[michigan tim]

NCL food was just fine and their suite perks are awesome. I love our Princess cruise and we are going on another one but I wouldnt hesitate to sail on NCL again.

 

Agreed! I've sailed multiple times on both brands. The onboard experience and demographic of clients between the two lines is quite similar. IMO Princess and NCL line up closer than Carnival and NCL or Royal Caribbean and NCL. The main reason I'll choose Princess over NCL is for the elite perks. NCL suite perks are indeed peerless among mainstream cruiselines, however I'm not a suite customer.

 

As for food, both brands provide wonderful meals with NCL having a wider variety of venues. My wife does give Princess big props over all other lines we've sailed for deserts.

[jamesboat]

Totally different experience - you get what you pay for.

 

Funny you say that. My last 3 cruises have been princess because they've been hands-down the cheapest.

 

Same reason we used to go on RC a lot 15 years ago, they were cheapest....not the case at all these days.

[njsonja]

just sharing....no, i didn't go on the NCL Dawn because of the bathroom...but i sure wish i could have taken this home with me the suite perks were outstanding.....so worth the extra money.....if it can be done, i try to do it....

 

sonja

[Nanatravel]

Ollie, as mentioned, you are comparing Apples to Lemons. Although service was excellent on NCL, the overall experience can not be compared on any ships to other cruise lines. NCL is my last choice however many love them!

 

Yes, the just released rates are very high on Princess. However, there is a SALE coming up on Wednesday of next week. Check again.

[donna5]

Can some one list the comparison of suite benefits for NCL vs Princess? (Curious)

 

That picture of the bathroom, which ship and what Suite category?

[Clutterlady]

Having sailed NCL, there is no comparison between Norwegian and Princess. Food on NCL was just plain bad as was the service. I encourage you to shop around for a better price on Princess, you will be surprised!

[itzmered]

We thought the food and service on NCL was fairly comparable to Princess. NCL actually has a much better buffet than Princess does. The ships decor was much more refined on Princess. Entertainment was much better on NCL and we loved the Second City Comedy troupe. More choices of specialty dining on NCL and I have never eaten a better meal on a ship than what we had in Le Bistro on NCL. I really enjoyed MUTS in the evening on Princess, NCL does not have that. So each has their own merits for us. We will sail both of them again.

[mafig]

The suite experience on Norwegian is the best!

 

You could even dine in the specialty restaurants on Norwegian for most of your dinners and still come out ahead.

 

Norwegian gives you breakfast and lunch in Cagneys in a suite. That, for us, was the best perk. Filet Mignon for b'fast or lunch. Jumbo shrimp cocktail every day.

 

You get a butler and a concierge. Both of them will do whatever you ask. Your butler will even serve you dinner from any specialty restaurant or a combination of specialty restaurants -- appetiser from one, desert from another, main course from another.

 

Priority tendering. Priority embarcation/disembarcation.

 

Oh and that picture....I believe it's an AC on a Jewel - class ship, not even the highest category suite/ more entry level.

 

Champagne in your suite. H'ordoeves every day.

 

Priority seating in a reserved area for shows (depending on class of suite).

 

Private pool area (depending on ship and class of suite).

 

I probably have forgotten a few perks. The suite experience on Norwegian is wonderful!

 

 

I believe that picture is of the bathroom on a Jewel-class ship in an AC category - a lower end suite, imagine what the higher end suites look like!

[oliverweagle]

Interesting comments - thank you. I have sailed on NCL before - twice. The first time was in a suite which was excellent - Cagney's for lunch and dinner was thoroughly enjoyed. The second time was on Epic - which I will not repeat - but would willingly return to another NCL suite. Have not sailed Princess as of yet - but that will change in June as we have a VS suite on the Golden for Alaska. It certainly will be interesting to draw comparisons at that time!

[shepp]

Just a thought - it's supply and demand, no? NCL is not a charity; if they figured they could charge higher prices and still fill their ships, they would. Likewise, if Princess weren't selling out so many sailings, their overall pricing structure would surely go down.

 

I'm in no position to judge NCL, never having sailed her. But, though, thrifty as they come, I've been tempted by low NCL prices, I've resisted. Why? Because, honestly, NCL's reputation kept me away. Granted, some people love their ships. But there are plenty of people who've said, "I've enjoyed every line I've been on...except Norwegian" and the like. And then there's the "To get decent food, you have to pay the upcharge" rumor. (In the recent Conde Nast Traveler poll, Princess scored 9 out the 40 applicable spots, NCL zero.) So for me - and perhaps others - word of mouth has kept me away. Then there's corporate identity. CCL is the fun ship, X the sleek ship, RCI the activities ship, HAL the traditional elegance line, Princess still the Love Boat, and NCL is...what, the cheaper ship with the brightly painted hull?

 

Which is not to say that I wouldn't try the Epic if a real deal with a suitable itinerary came my way. But - even given the somewhat limited part of my overall travel budget I want to spend on cruising - I'd still rather hand over a bit more cash for a product I already know I'll enjoy.

 

And anyway, with shareholder credits and FCCs, another Princess cruise will probably price out the same for me as a first-time NCL. But then, I don't book suites...

[njsonja]

it depends on who you are....inside i mean....i have sailed 30 times, ncl, princess, rcl, carnival, celebrity and holland america....i will never sail holland america again...it's just not for me....too stuffy, and very rude at customer service...i was very surprised as my parents are european and i thought i would enjoy the european flavor....i think it depends on your expectation, when you sail and from which port....i really think that has a lot to do with it...

 

but that's just me...

 

next cruise is princess...but i have a carnival and ncl later in the year...

 

best*

 

sonja

[sun~]

Agreed! I've sailed multiple times on both brands. The onboard experience and demographic of clients between the two lines is quite similar. IMO Princess and NCL line up closer than Carnival and NCL or Royal Caribbean and NCL. The main reason I'll choose Princess over NCL is for the elite perks. NCL suite perks are indeed peerless among mainstream cruiselines, however I'm not a suite customer.

 

As for food, both brands provide wonderful meals with NCL having a wider variety of venues. My wife does give Princess big props over all other lines we've sailed for deserts.

 

Agreed. I have been on both cruiselines. Both are mass market lines, very similar.

 

The main difference is the outdoor pool areas, since Princess has much larger ships, there are more pools.

 

NCL wins for cabins though. If it is NCL Spirit, the regular cabins may be slightly smaller, but have much better bathrooms than a regular cabin on Princess (quite frankly, the worst bathrooms at sea). The beds are much better on NCL.

 

In my opinion, the food has been much better on NCL than Princess. The steakhouses (Cagney's & Crown Grill) are very similar. The Italian restaurants are very different, Sabitini's is 'evening out' while on NCL it is more family style (have to say the food & service was far better on NCL). There are more alternate dining restaurants on NCL. I dislike buffets, and when I did stop by, I would say they are about equal.

 

The service is one area that we have had much better success on NCL. We witness some pretty nasty altercations between staff on Princess (both on CB & the Crown).

 

I would never pay a premium to go on Princess, especially for a suite. The cheapest cruises I have ever had have been on Princess, so watch for the specials.

 

Comparing the two, I would go on NCL for the entertainment, speciality restaurants, cabins and service. On Princess I really like the outdoor pool areas and the price.

[Wormy53]

The suite experience on Norwegian is the best!

 

You could even dine in the specialty restaurants on Norwegian for most of your dinners and still come out ahead.

 

Norwegian gives you breakfast and lunch in Cagneys in a suite. That, for us, was the best perk. Filet Mignon for b'fast or lunch. Jumbo shrimp cocktail every day.

 

You get a butler and a concierge. Both of them will do whatever you ask. Your butler will even serve you dinner from any specialty restaurant or a combination of specialty restaurants -- appetiser from one, desert from another, main course from another.

 

Priority tendering. Priority embarcation/disembarcation.

 

Oh and that picture....I believe it's an AC on a Jewel - class ship, not even the highest category suite/ more entry level.

 

Champagne in your suite. H'ordoeves every day.

 

Priority seating in a reserved area for shows (depending on class of suite).

 

Private pool area (depending on ship and class of suite).

 

I probably have forgotten a few perks. The suite experience on Norwegian is wonderful!

 

 

I believe that picture is of the bathroom on a Jewel-class ship in an AC category - a lower end suite, imagine what the higher end suites look like!

 

In a regular cabin I would always choose Princess. But for that much difference in price you could eat in a different pay restaurant each night and still come out WAY ahead. I would choose the suite every time!!:D

[njsonja]

that was an AB suite on the Dawn.....a 14 day repo cruise!

 

sonja

[donna5]

So are the alternative restaurants you are talking about on NCL included in regular stateroom price (for everyone) or for suites or is there an extra surcharge.

[Umbarger]

There is nothing wrong with NCL. Their food is just fine, not quite as good as Princess but you certainly won't go hungry. Entertainment on NCL is superior to Princess in my opinion. There are pro's and con's to every cruise line.

 

I love NCL's prices. You can't expect Princess when you pay NCL prices and in this time of recession we are all trying to save money.

 

When I go on NCL I always remember how little I am paying and how much I am saving.

 

Some of my best cruises have been on NCL and not Princess. This had nothing to do with the product but the staff and people I met on NCL.

[NETSEG]

Close to $1000 of the difference is the charge for the 3rd person in the room. NCL is charging $299 and Princess is charging almost $1200. We noticed for our cruise earlier this year that Princess has not been as generous as in the past with their rates for third and fourth in a cabin.

[sredheada]

Princess is a good product but not good enough to warrant charging almost double! That is ridiculous.

 

I think a good cruise is all to do with attitude. You can have just a good of time on a $3000 cruise than you can have on a $6000 cruise.

 

You could go to the specialty (extra charge) restaurants on NCL(which are excellent by the way) every night and still not spend the extra money Princess wants. Just think of all the excursions you could go on with that extra money too.

 

This would be no brainer for me.

[itzmered]

So are the alternative restaurants you are talking about on NCL included in regular stateroom price (for everyone) or for suites or is there an extra surcharge.

 

The alternative restaurants cost extra. They range from $10 - $25 per person. IMO Le Bistro was the by far the best of all of them and that one was $15 pp.