"Norwegian Crown" 04/04/04 Review Can Now Be Read Over On "Review" Board

[bigmike7]

Yo-

Check out the latest "Crown" Review-

Happy Cruisin'

Mike

Fairsea'86-Mexican Riviera
Stardancer'88-Mexican Riviera
Crown Odyssey'00-E. Med
Dream'01-W. Med
Sky'01-Hawaii
Regal'02-Alaska
Norway'02-E. Carib
Norway'03-E. Carib
Elation'03-Panama Canal
Crown'04-Canada/East Coast
Norway "Royal Suite" 07/04/04-CANCELLED!!
"We have never had a BAD cruise - some were just BETTER than others"

[cmitch9999]

Hi Mike
appreciate your honest review and as you warned..it ain't pretty....
I am really disappointed that NCL is not giving this ship the attention it needs. That summer Bermuda run is one that is heavily booked at premium prices-- one that is a halmark of their 'homeland' cruises... I am tempted to jump ship to RCL or on the Dawn out of NYC.

Are you planning on writing NCL and letting them know about your cruise experience? With your history of being a loyal NCL customer hopefully they will do something to win you back!

safety and engine issues are a huge concern. Did they get the norwalk under control on your sailing??

We don't make final payment til June. Any hope this is a temporary situation or something that will get worse?

Thanks again... your imput is just what this cruise planner needs.
Chris Mitchell

16 Voyages completed 1999-2004, 81 wonderful days at sea
dreaming of ....
Norwegian Crown 8/04
Carnival Fascination 11/04

[bigmike7]

Yo Chris-

Thank you for the positive feedback-

There are a lot of cruises out there - and the "Crown" may be for you - I would have appreciated a review like mine to compair to others when we were making our decision - and it might have very well been different-

I think - as the folks get back to their "real world" - that there will be many more comments on this cruise - at least I hope so -

As far as communicating with NCL - or any other cruise line for that matter - you would do better to talk to a stone wall..........

Happy Cruisin'

Mike

[cruzholic]

Hi Mike, Where is your review? I went to the cc member reviews on the Crown and there was only one old one from South America. I want to read yours to compare with mine. I was on the repo trip that brought the ship to you. Please rsvp either here on to [email]cckruise@aol.com[/email]. Tx

[livermorenancy]

Chris- sorry to say, but we had the same experience on the 4/4 as bigMike. We had anticipated this cruise for months. If this was our first cruise, we never would have cruised again- but we have cruised many times before and know they can be better. Everything mike said is true- we had lifeboat drill (we were all the suites) out in the cold drizzle, embarkation was very slow, and disembarkation was even worse. Since we were the first NCL Philly terminal cruise for the year, I think we were their learning cruise so hopefully they will have all the kinks ironed our by then for these 2 points, engine lose and fires were also true (Crown had to add two more lifeboat stations before Bermuda cruising so they were working all the time outside installing them and the air vents took in smoke from their torches), rust and other parts of ship getting run done, ducttape in several places covering broken glass, they hijacked 2 of our suitcases because after waiting 4 hrs for our butler and steward looking for them we finally went to reception after sailing to see if all luggage was onboard and were told they were pulled because they had alcohol in them and could find them in the lounge and retreive them after we opened them, unlocked already, and gave them the alcohol, of which was totally incorrect since this was the first cruise we had taken and decided NOT to take any wine due to NCLs strict regulations-needless to say,after proving there was only clothing (not even any bottles of any type, shampoo, etc...) hubby lugged the 2 suitcases back to our room (no apology) and we had 20 minutes to get dressed for our reservations at LeBistro. We had our complaints recorded throughout the cruise.
Positive note-our steward, butler, and concierge were awesome! I had towel animals from steward when I asked if he knew how and he gave them towel friends from time to time. Wilson, Johnson, and Pamela up in Pasta Restaurant were the best! We ate there 4 times just to have them. Chopstix service was also great. The staff in whole was so great! Remember, most of the problems were not their fault. We met several great couples onboard so we made the best of a very dismal situation. Hope Pride of Aloha June 20th cruise goes much better. Wish I had a better review for you too. Sorry, Nancy

[awatt]

Livermorenancy,

We are booked in an AB suite on the Crown for August(unless the bad reviews continue). Can you tell me what the suite and butler/concierge service was like? Its our first time in a suite.

Also,do you(or any other Crown veterans) remember seeing a server Nadia from Romania? She was wonderful on the DAwn and told us she was moving to the Crown. Would love to see her again.

Thanks!

[cmitch9999]

Hi Mike & Nancy
Mike maybe you can also post the review here on the NCL board??, this board gets a lot more traffic and hopefully more chance being picked up by the watchful eyes of NCL.
Wow..your experiences are just what we hope not to hear..I value the opinions as I know you are both experienced cruisers and have a good base for judgement. Unfortunately, there is not a good option for us. Have 11 tied into this date and a Sunday departure is what will work. (RCL and Celebrity leave for Bermuda on Sat) Hate to give up Bermuda for the itinerary on the Dawn tho I know we would be much happier with the ship.

Knowing what you do now about the Crown.. if you had a cruise booked with them for August..would you change to the Dawn or rearrange somehow to another cruise line??
We are celebrating my Dad's 80th birthday and each year we never know when it might be the last time together. We hope to not have to deal with major problems or disappointment. At this point before final payment we have some flexibility.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences. Knowledge is always the key!
Chris Mitchell

16 Voyages completed 1999-2004, 81 wonderful days at sea
dreaming of ....
Norwegian Crown 8/04
Carnival Fascination 11/04

[Kay D]

Help -- Cannot find his review under Norweg Crown -- only 1 from a So Amer cruise. How to get to it???

Considering 13 nt repo in Nov from Balti to Miami -- BUT can't pull up itinerary on NCL site, can't find any good comments on ship on this board and there are NO reviews on cruise-addicts board! From Orbitz I like the 7 stops: Norfolk, Charleston, San Juan, St.Thomas, St.Martin, Curacao & Aruba, but that leaves 5 sea days! And not many balcony cabins!

Don't know if I want to be on such small ship for nearly 2 wks when we've been on larger ones like Grand Prin & RC Brilliance. Would do this same itinerary on Regal Prin but NCL Crown even smaller than that.

Grand Princess 5/11/03
Brilliance of Seas 11/11/02
Grand Princess 3/02
Ocean Princess 10/31/01 (Halloween)
Grand Princess 4/01 (Easter)
Grand Princess 10/00
Crown Princess 1/00
Dawn Princess 11/98
Sun Princess 11/97
Crown Princess 11/96 (Thanksgiving)
Crown Princess 11/91

[tug]

[url="http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=927093444&f=069097554&m=757101341"]Mike's review[/url]

~tug [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

_________________________
looking forward to 8/8/04 - Crown to Bermuda!

[bigmike7]

Yo-

Thanks for the props-

Nancy - it was "I" who yelled out "Livermorenancy" when you called out your room number at the lifeboat drill.......

btw the "member Reviews" board said that it would take several days for the review to be posted - that is why I also posted it in "Cruise Reviews"

Tug - thanks for the link for the computer challenged folks....

Happy Cruisin'

Mike

[Choose2Cruise]

Regarding the ill-fated 04/04/04 15 day cruise on the NCL Crown out of Philadelphia *****


Have to agree with everything BigMike and Livermorenancy wrote. The embarkation procedure was the biggest fiasco we've encountered in 13 cruises. As mentioned, this was NCL's first sailing out of the Philly Cruise Terminal, and like Murphy's law, anything that COULD go wrong, DID go wrong! Add to that, the rainy weather, and it was a real mess. The shuttle driver from our hotel didn't even know where the terminal was, so I gave him a map of how to get there that I had printed off the computer so he could get 12 of us to the terminal. First, there were the serpentine lines to get through security (no bathrooms anywhere in sight) and then more long lines to get checked in by NCL, who we heard were using a brand-new software program on their computers and no one knew what they were doing. We were in line over 3 hours and tempers were very short.

Our AC suite was great, plenty of room, more storage space and drawers than we could use, bathroom with tub AND shower, sitting area had a sofa, loveseat, 2 chairs, coffee table, small refrigerator and a TV (with CNN, 2 movie channels, and 1 channel with old sit-coms, and 1 channel with ship info). Only complaint was our 3 bay windows (which do NOT open) were dirty when we boarded, and because of all the rain, just got dirtier and dirtier as the cruise went on, to the point where we could hardly see out of them at all.

I think that NCL missed the boat (literally) on the timing of this cruise. Should have been scheduled 2-4 weeks later, weather-wise. Our first 2 stops in Canada were very cold, gloomy, snow on the ground, etc. The ship's tour to the Moosehead Brewery and around St. John, N.B. was another joke. Went from 10 AM to 2 PM with a short stop at the brewery (no samples there as promised), then several short stops (5-20 minutes each) at other locations in town, but no time at all for lunch anywhere. Got back to the ship too late for lunch in any of the restaurants. My husband wrote a 2 page letter to the Crown Shore Excursion Mgr. detailing the problems on the tour, and never got so much as a phone call or any answer to his remarks. Very poor PR, I thought. Hoped for better weather as we headed south toward Boston, and we did see the sun a couple of hours on shore, but it was cold and windy; then on to Martha's Vineyard, where it was more of the same, only no sun. The harbor pilot who brought the tender in to the dock told our tender pilot that we were sure early in the season, that the next cruise ship wasn't due there for weeks! At least half the shops and restaurants in Martha's Vineyard weren't even open for the season yet.

Next stop was Norfolk, VA where it was pouring rain. We were booked on a $56 tour of the Botanic Gardens, Va. Beach, and a lighthouse, and couldn't even see out of the bus windows because it was raining so hard. Baltimore was next, again cold, rainy and gray. Those passengers who were not on a ship's tour were left on their own with no information as to how to get from the ship to the Baltimore Harbor, 6 miles away. No info on bus shuttles or taxi availability or cost of either one. We were out in an industrial area and had to fend for ourselves. It cost us $20 + tip one way in a taxi, and the same back.

Charleston, S.C. was the one and only bright spot on our port stops. The sun was finally out (hurray) for the first time in 11 days and we had about 7 hours in port. Enjoyed touring the market area, eating fresh oysters in a raw oyster bar, and sitting on a bench at the Waterfront Park soaking up the rays. This partially made up for the news that we would not be sailing on to our last port at Savannah, GA due to an engine problem that had plagued the ship since we left Boston. This was a great disappointment to many passengers, especially after hearing from the Captain that NCL did not have guaranteed dock space in Savannah even if we had gotten there as originally planned. Seems it is a first-come, first-serve situation between cruise and cargo ships and we might have had to dock somewhere else completely. NCL did give every passenger a $25 refund + taxes for missing Savannah, but many felt it wasn't enough.

I agree with Mike that the ship seemed a little rundown. We liked the size of the ship and number of passengers; it was easy to get around. Lines for the restaurants were either short or non-existent. Food was good to very good, especially in the main dining room, Le Bistro and the Pasta Cafe. You could ask for shared seating at a table for 6 or 8, or for a table for 2 or 4. The waitstaff were mostly friendly and helpful, some seemed very impersonal and hurried.

Our Sr. Room Steward, Glorious Antonio, was outstanding, the best we've had in 13 cruises. We tipped him a little extra twice during the 2 weeks he took care of us. We had a letter from the concierge, Gemma, waiting for us in our suite, but we never used her services or even met or talked to her. The entertainment each evening was good to very good, and the musical duo in the Top of the Crown and the trio of guitar players in the Lido Bar were very good. There was a well stocked library, a few tables for puzzles, games or cards near the Internet room which had 4 computers available for passenger use at a cost of 55-75 cents per minute. The Mandera Spa offered a 20 minute foot massage for $17 and I had my hair washed and set for $35, these prices included the mandatory 15% service charge that is put on any bill from the spa or any bar bill. Neither the massage nor the shampoo and set were outstanding but still worth the price.

One other problem we had was with our on-board charge account. We looked our changes over about 5 days into the cruise and saw the tour charges, the $10 per day per person service (tipping) charges, and other charges for the internet, spa, gift shop purchases, etc (all expected) and then found a couple of charges that were not ours. It took 5 trips to the reception desk and repeated requests for these charges to be removed. They would credit one and then add another that wasn't ours. It took until the 13th day of the cruise to get everything straightened out. I would suggest to future cruisers that you check your account every few days, because if there is a problem,you don't want to wait until debarkation morning to try to get it fixed.

All in all, the cruise was enjoyable, except of course for all the rain, wind and cold weather. We met BigMike (he and wife Joan were actually next door to us in the next suite) and BillZ and wife Pat from Rochester, NY, who all had been on the CC boards before the cruise. Enjoyed their company, as well as some nice folks from California and England. Our suite was great, nicest accommodations we've ever had. Don't know if we will be sailing NCL again; seems like our 4 cruises on the Skyward, Norway, Star and now the Crown have convinced us to perhaps try Holland America or RCCL for a change. Freestyle has its advantages, but like Mike, I think they should have left the Crown to the original format, like they did the Norway. It seems to work on larger ships better than on the smaller ones. There were only 2 formal (optional) nights, although NCL had told me there would be 3 to 4 on a 15 day cruise, and we enjoyed them, though not many dressed for the occasion.

I hope NCL learns from the problems and mistakes they made on this particular cruise,because they alienated a great many repeat passengers by their evasions and self-serving half truths, but then maybe they don't need us, as there are always more new cruisers to fill the gap (until or unless they get the same treatment).

Barb and Ron, Albuquerque, NM.

[bigmike7]

Yo Barb and Ron-

Again - sorry for all those loud parties with the Jean Ryan dancers and all........... [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Glad that you made it home ok-

See ya on a Holland America or Celebrity Cruise Line next time - ok?

Happy Cruisin'

Mike

[Dorie&Bud]

Haven't been able to find Mike's review. We were on the same cruise and all I can say is after 50 plus cruises, this had to be the worst ever. My husband says he's never been on a bad cruise, just some he liked better. But this was bad....from the beginning to waiting in line for almost three hours to get on the ship through the 14 days. Everything that could happen did. Most disapointing. I wonder if any of us will ever receive that letter from NCL that the Captain promised.

Dorie

[bigmike7]

Yo Dorie-

To find the review either go to Tugs post above and click on link or go back to this sections main header and click on "Cruise Reviews" and it will take you to the review-

Happy Cruisin'

Mike

[Choose2Cruise]

A word about recent Crown reviews ~~~~~ though some of us on the 4/4/04 "Colonial America" 2 week cruise out of Philly have posted some negative remarks about the way NCL handled some aspects of the cruise, we also had some positive things to say as well. I sense a little antagonism toward our remarks from other cruisers not on our trip who did not encounter the same problems.

None of us want anything but an enjoyable vacation and most of us go into it with a positive attitude, as we did. Our reviews aren't meant to spoil anyone else's trip, only to warn of possible problems and make suggestions that might be helpful to future cruisers, so that they can be aware of and possibly circumvent similar situations.

Freestyle cruising is probably here to stay and there are several aspects of it that appeal to us, as well as some that make us yearn for the "old ways". Wouldn't it be great if both aspects could be incorporated in the same cruise, but that is not meant to be. At least not on ships the size of the Crown.

Everyone has their own expectations of a vacation, and sometimes those expectations just aren't fulfilled for one reason or another. Just don't shoot the messenger for pointing out some of the problems that were encountered on this particular ill-fated cruise.

Wishing everyone sunny days, calm seas, and happy cruising wherever they go!


Choose2Cruise in Albuquerque, NM

[SecondMate]

Does anyone have any idea when the Crown is scheduled for repairs/deep cleaning, etc. in drydock?