Celebrity vs Norwegian

[wednesday]

Next time if you try regular room and eat in MDR, wonder if the opinion will change....

 

I did have one dinner, several lunches and most breakfast there and they were all as good as anything I have had on RCCL. I did mention I haven't been on Celebrity yet but I found nothing about NCL to be of horrible dirty days inn quality.

[wednesday]

A "mini suite" on NCL is just a somewhat larger regular balcony room.

 

Thank You!

[momofmeg]

Next time if you try regular room and eat in MDR, wonder if the opinion will change....

 

A minisuite on NCL is NOT a suite. It is more a balcony a bit larger with a small tub instead of shower, and also a sliding privacy screen by the toilet. Except for that, not much difference between our mini suite on the Pearl and our balcony on the Sun. A minisuite does NOT have the suite perks people mention when they speak of NCL.

[momofmeg]

I did have one dinner, several lunches and most breakfast there and they were all as good as anything I have had on RCCL. I did mention I haven't been on Celebrity yet but I found nothing about NCL to be of horrible dirty days inn quality.

 

I have done 3 NCL cruises, eighteen days total, 2 Celebrity 17 days total, and RCI 19 days total- so the 3 lines I have done almost an equal amount of days. I did not find NCL dirty either, but the great quality of Celebrity is definitely lacking on NCL. As far as RCI main dining room food, I too said the food was about the same, until our last cruise on Jewel of the Seas, she had fairly good food-not as good as Celebrity, but much better than my Mariner of the Seas cruise. Better chefs? Or the 1000 less PAX makes for better quality food? Not sure-but JOS's food was much better than my 3 NCL cruises.

 

However, NCL main dining room food is decent/okay. You need to think of it as being similar on par with places like Applebee's, whereas Celebrity is a better quality.

 

We did eat in the main dining room on all our NCL cruises but we average eating in the specialty 3 nights out of a 7 night cruise.

[islandgirlejfan]

I have this to say....if the choice is working in my office and a dirty NCL cruise, I'll take the cruise! ;):p (BTW, I too have never been on a dirty NCL cruise!)

 

We cruised NCL and it was fine....I also admit being a Celebrity convert, however to have the chance to be on the open sea, well NCL would be just fine! I'm not ruling out the NCL Breakaway leaving NYC....life's too short, cruise MORE! :)

[flygal311]

I have been on most major cruise lines and can say that while you can have a good time on an NCL cruise it really depends on the type of experience you are looking for. My huband and I apreciate good food and more refined service. We went on our first NCL cruise last summer to Bermuda and it will be our last. Interestingly enough, we went with my cousin and her husband. They love NCL for alot of the reasons we don't. They hate to dress up, are not interested in the historical signifcance of anyplace we go to and like to hang out at the pool. The pool was noisy, with bikini contests, loud music and tons of people and kids running this way and that. It was like a floating Coney Island without the sand. Dining was very mass market and I liken the buffet lines to waiting on lines at Disney World to go on a ride. I hate feeling like a number and while on most lines you can't help that to some degree unless you go Crystal, Seabourn etc., NCL made me feel somewhat zombie like. Service was adequate and again it depends on what you wish to pay for and what you like. I am a former Pan Am flight attendant and have cruised and travelled the world over. I guess I'm kind of particular. If you are looking to just hang out in tropical weather and don't care about the niceties or good food, then NCL is fine. If you are interested in history about the places you'll see, cooking classes, good food and wine and excellent service, stick to Celebrity, HAL or higher lines. If you are the sporty type and can't sit still or traveling with a large group with many different tastes, RCL is your best bet. I can't bring myself to advocate for Carnival.

:)Happy sailing!

[Anthony&David]

And what is wrong with that? We all make decisions based on our experiences. If someone has a bad experience, they should have as much of a right to share it as someone who has had a good experience. If I ate at a restaurant and got food poisoning, should I not "knock" the restaurant for fear of being too quick to point out a bad experience? Life isn't always perfect.

 

Since you asked...

 

I made no claim that people do not have a right to share (or that it is problematic to make decisions based on our experiences). But, I do think it problematic when people overstep the sharing of their experience and instead make statements that attempt to position their experience as representative of the whole (and then attempt to influence others' decisions by making recommendations about the whole that are based on this positioning).

[boogs]

Since you asked...

 

I made no claim that people do not have a right to share (or that it is problematic to make decisions based on our experiences). But, I do think it problematic when people overstep the sharing of their experience and instead make statements that attempt to position their experience as representative of the whole (and then attempt to influence others' decisions by making recommendations about the whole that are based on this positioning).

 

No, but you implied that if someone knocks " NCL, they are somehow too eager to voice that negative. That should then also apply to anyone who "cheerleads" for NCL, correct? Isn't that the same type of overstepping, only in a way that you like better? Here are your exact words:

 

It seems that some posters are quick to 'knock' NCL (based on their own experiences and/or what they have heard from others).

 

You then proceeded to list all the favorable reasons you cruise with NCL. Isn't that "overstepping the sharing of your experience and instead make statements that attempt to position your experience as representative of the whole (and then attempt to influence others' decisions by making recommendations about the whole that are based on this positioning)"?

 

If it's OK for you to present your list of favorables, it should also be equally OK for someone to present their list of UN-favorables.

[Cruise Junky]

We've done both. They are very different experiences. The food in the MDR was definitely lacking but they had the best buffet I've ever experienced at sea.

 

We had a corner FV on Celebrity so probably not a fair comparison but our cabin on NCL was great.

 

They really are very different experiences and if asked, I would recommend Celebrity over NCL - BUT, NCL has one monster advantage over Celebrity in Alaska, they sail into Glacier Bay...that might push me towards NCL for that itinerary.

[pris993]

I have not been on NCL for 10 years, have booked a cruise though for next year on the Jade. We are elite on Princess and Celebrity, cruise HAL, and Cunard. Just finished a Celebrity and Princess cruise, each 7 days in the Carribean. We were in Aqua Class, dined in BLU on the Eclipse. We enjoyed it but it was not outstanding. We booked Aqua class because we were not really satisfied with the MDR on the Equniox. We actually preferred Princess, the Ruby over Celebrity. There is a lot of hype on Celebrity about being the best. My experience is it is comparible to other lines. Entertainment is not as good, the buffet is better, MDR is not as good, BLU okay. All lines have something to offer. Really liked my mini suite on Princess better better storage and more confortable cabin, entertainment more consistent on Princess as well. Food about the same on both ships.

[Anthony&David]

...You then proceeded to list all the favorable reasons you cruise with NCL. Isn't that "overstepping the sharing of your experience and instead make statements that attempt to position your experience as representative of the whole (and then attempt to influence others' decisions by making recommendations about the whole that are based on this positioning)"?

 

If it's OK for you to present your list of favorables, it should also be equally OK for someone to present their list of UN-favorables.

 

If one were to carefully read what I wrote in my first post, s/he will see that I solely spoke about our experiences on our three cruises on NCL. I made no statement about NCL as a whole, nor did I make any recommendation about NCL as a whole. Also, if one were to carefully read my second post, s/he will see that I did not indicate only certain kinds of "overstepping" or the sharing of certain kinds of experiences to be problematic.

 

Anyway, there is no need to continue this bit of back-and-forth. :)

[josh35b]

I've been on Celebrity, NCL, RCL, Princess and Carnival, all multiple times. I don't have a loyality towards any of them, I tend to go by itinerary and actual ship reviews when choosing my cruise. I would say Princess or Carnival are my least favorite, but I would book another Carnival or Princess cruise in a heartbeat. I can't imagine a bad cruise except for maybe the older smaller ships that sail out of Florida that tend to attract lower budget people getting inside cabins for $199 for 3 or 4 nights. NCL is top notch all around, from the food to the entertainment to especially the crew. The best thing about Celebrity is that the passengers are more older and mature, so you won't have many issues at the pool area or buffet area. NCL has more of a wider age range, so there is a better chance that no matter your age, there will be an activity or show going on that you will like.

And by the way, the NCL Epic would have to be my all-time favorite and I would say would blow away any Celebrity ship.

[4774Papa]

We have done two X cruises and two NCL cruises. We enjoyed all four cruises and will continue to cruise both lines, depending on the itinerary.

 

I read many of the negative comments about NCL and cannot dispute the experience of others. However, based on the four cruises that we have made, I can say the following:

 

1. Celebrity has better MDR food than NCL. X is consistently excellent, but I have never had a bad meal on either line.

2. NCL has a wider variety of specialty restaurants, which I like. The specialty restaurants are quite good, especially the French restaurant.

3. NCL's entertainment is a little better than X.

4. X manages the towels on the pool chairs a lot better than NCL.

5. I do like the NCL freestyle and don't get excited about formal nights.

6. NCL's cruises do attract younger passengers. On one X cruise, I have never seen so many wheelchairs and scooters.

7. NCL had better fitness centers.

8. X allows you to bring on board two bottles of wine, NCL not.

9. X has a better non-smoking policy.

[momofmeg]

If one were to carefully read what I wrote in my first post, s/he will see that I solely spoke about our experiences on our three cruises on NCL. I made no statement about NCL as a whole, nor did I make any recommendation about NCL as a whole. Also, if one were to carefully read my second post, s/he will see that I did not indicate only certain kinds of "overstepping" or the sharing of certain kinds of experiences to be problematic.

 

Anyway, there is no need to continue this bit of back-and-forth. :)

 

I saw nothing wrong with your post. You were not bashing, merely sharing your experience. Good for you for refusing to get into a tangle! I need to take a page from your book. I am much too easily bated.

[flashdog_1]

We have done two X cruises and two NCL cruises. We enjoyed all four cruises and will continue to cruise both lines, depending on the itinerary.

 

I read many of the negative comments about NCL and cannot dispute the experience of others. However, based on the four cruises that we have made, I can say the following:

 

1. Celebrity has better MDR food than NCL. X is consistently excellent, but I have never had a bad meal on either line.

2. NCL has a wider variety of specialty restaurants, which I like. The specialty restaurants are quite good, especially the French restaurant.

3. NCL's entertainment is a little better than X.

4. X manages the towels on the pool chairs a lot better than NCL.

5. I do like the NCL freestyle and don't get excited about formal nights.

6. NCL's cruises do attract younger passengers. On one X cruise, I have never seen so many wheelchairs and scooters.

7. NCL had better fitness centers.

8. X allows you to bring on board two bottles of wine, NCL not.

9. X has a better non-smoking policy.

 

Agreed, and also with post #42. They are different experiences in some ways, and yet, you have to endure boarding and disembarkation on both, don't you?

 

If a cruiseline I'd sworn I'd never sail was the only game in town for a particular itinerary, I'd book it (this is the case for one of those 5 nights for $229 mentioned above that I will take within the next two years on Carnival to Progresso, not from a Florida port, but New Orleans. Any excuse to go to New Orleans, I'll take).

 

I tend to do a lot of research before I cruise, and know what I want to experience. If I'm going to stay on the ship at ports, of course I want a wonderful ship. If I'm getting off, I don't care as much (like Progresso mentioned above).

 

Our first cruise was on X and I loved every minute of the 11 days, especially the lectures and food demos. Although my DH hates to dress up, he liked everything except dinner in the main dining rooms. But he prefers to stay at home. So my daughter began cruising with me.

 

From then on I only booked him on NCL so he'd be happy at a table for two (quite plentiful, although very close to the next table for two).

 

My DD on the other hand loves X and she and I tend to prefer X or Princess. HAL was okay, no more than that. DD was open to NCL and loves it now! She is one who will dress up on "dress up or not nights." She and I dress nicely for dinner on any ship. There's no quarrel about whether or not to wear jeans, that you will hear on the NCL board. But that lighter luggage on an Alaskan NCL cruise is wonderful if you do not tote formal wear.

 

It is hard to find classical music on NCL. That's a big draw for us toward X. There's more dignity in the air on X, but NCL is really friendly.

 

When I first stepped foot on NCL Majesty to Bermuda I realized these passengers had come to have fun, & most were genuinely open and inviting. But we all know that the clientele can vary from sailing to sailing.

 

The crew, from stewards to drink servers will have an actual conversation with you on NCL, not so formal as on X. But then you don't always want to get chummy with your server, do you? Then X is the line for you!

 

NCL does not have lectures but they have something called NCL University. A class in martini making and drinking, for instance! 5 martinis for $15.

 

I cannot say this for sure, but I believe that NCL does not carry an Alaskan naturalist on board, but X did. There were lots and lots of lectures about the area, the sea, glaciers, wild life, the stars on X. I haven't been to Alaska on NCL because of this rumor that they do not have these. Read some reviews and see if anyone mentions lectures.

 

We like NCL main dining room food. You just have to be careful in what you order. Do NOT order a steak in the main dining room on NCL. Other than wonderful service in the specialty restaurants, I was not that impressed with them and we usually eat in the main dining room where at least someone might be playing jazz piano.

 

Even if you do not like NCL, I'd recommend their 7 night Hawaiian Islands cruise where the crew is 98% American, so everything flows smoothly. And they have two "Hawaiian ambassadors" on board every cruise, so your questions can be answsered. Lots of wonderful activities, hula lessons included. but no Hawaiian food.

 

All lines will offer the same shore excursions if you book thru the ship.

 

So if you are sailing NCL, do your own homework, and know what you want to experience because what they tout may be different.

 

One final comment. We had an Alaska cruise booked on NCL Sun a few years ago, out of Vancouver on say July 15 for x $. Then I saw a sale where Celebrity Mercury was sailing out of Vancouver on July 15 for the same price!!! I quickly changed!

 

BTW if you are sailing out of Seattle on NCL you will NOT get that gorgeous inside route. They go W of Vancouver Island up and back.

 

Please enjoy yourselves.

[cruzeluver]

I usually avoid these "my cruise line can beat up your cruise line" type of threads, but what the heck!:p

 

NCL and X are different. One is no better than the other. Your enjoyment of either will depend on what your priorities are. I have 3 NCL and four X cruises under my belt. I know folks who love both and folks who do not care for both, so who is wrong??

[Lyn2005]

Have done both NCL and Celebrity. NCL is less formal but we didn't mind it for a change. The NCL ship wasn't as fancy, probably a 3 1/2 star comparison but it certainly was clean and well-cared for. The last trip was Hawaii so the destination was the focus rather than the ship.

 

Looking forward to our Celebrity cruise this year and our NCL next year. I must be an eternal optimist because just being on any cruise is just so nice and I can't remember anything bad about any ship we've been on. There have been a few not-so-nice fellow passengers but they aren't isolated to any particular cruise line.

[Kellie Poodle]

I did the Alaska cruise on NCL. It was by far the worst cruising experience in my life. Count me as another cruiser who will never set foot on one of their ships if they gave me a cruise for free.

 

The crew were poorly trained, rude and surly. The food in the MDR was horrible. The buffet was worse than a high school cafeteria.

 

The ship was dirty. Our cabin steward was inept. The coffee cup from morning two sat on the unwiped balcony table as we departed.

 

I stood in a line for over 45 minutes to go to a chocolate buffet. When I got there they handed me a PAPER PLATE! The attitude was, "take your food and get out of here". The empty paper plate sat for three more days in the cabin and was still there when we departed.

 

We did this cruise with a group and had no idea that we should have booked the specialty restaurants in advance. When we tried to book them, they were filled so we had to eat in the MDR.

 

Since we were only two people we were not permitted to make a reservation in the MDR. We wanted to catch the shows (which were the best part of the cruise) and needed to dine early enough to get a seat in the theater. We were forced to stand in a line for upwards of 30 minutes every night to get a seat at a table. We had no problem sharing and always asked for first available, but we always had to wait. Even when we came the moment the doors opened, we still had to wait at least 30 minutes.

 

The Free-style dining was chaotic. There was not a single evening when someone did not drop a tray full of dishes causing a distraction. No one could ever find our wine. It took another 20 minutes each night we had an open bottle. Coffee after dinner was another 25 to 20 minute wait.

 

With everyone coming and going all the time the MDR is noisy and distracting. The dining experience was horrible. Wait staff were not attentive and very rushed. Frankly, I've had more pleasant experiences eating at a Denny's.

 

The constant barrage of announcements was extremely intrusive. We could not turn off the speakers in the cabin. We asked if they could be lowered and were told that they couldn't.

 

We had cruised with NCL back in the late 80's and very early 90's and thought they were great. We had not been cruising for quite a few years and were totally unaware of the downgrading of service and quality in the line.

 

I am certain that some people who have never been exposed to a finer way of cruising or on a tight budget have no problem with NCL, but it's not for me.

 

We cruise mostly with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity as well as river cruising. If you are looking for comparisons between Celebrity and NCL, the best way I can describe it is that Celebrity is the Hilton and NCL is Motel 6.

[Bridge Maven]

Agreed, and also with post #42. They are different experiences in some ways, and yet, you have to endure boarding and disembarkation on both, don't you?

 

If a cruiseline I'd sworn I'd never sail was the only game in town for a particular itinerary, I'd book it (this is the case for one of those 5 nights for $229 mentioned above that I will take within the next two years on Carnival to Progresso, not from a Florida port, but New Orleans. Any excuse to go to New Orleans, I'll take).

 

I tend to do a lot of research before I cruise, and know what I want to experience. If I'm going to stay on the ship at ports, of course I want a wonderful ship. If I'm getting off, I don't care as much (like Progresso mentioned above).

 

Our first cruise was on X and I loved every minute of the 11 days, especially the lectures and food demos. Although my DH hates to dress up, he liked everything except dinner in the main dining rooms. But he prefers to stay at home. So my daughter began cruising with me.

 

From then on I only booked him on NCL so he'd be happy at a table for two (quite plentiful, although very close to the next table for two).

 

My DD on the other hand loves X and she and I tend to prefer X or Princess. HAL was okay, no more than that. DD was open to NCL and loves it now! She is one who will dress up on "dress up or not nights." She and I dress nicely for dinner on any ship. There's no quarrel about whether or not to wear jeans, that you will hear on the NCL board. But that lighter luggage on an Alaskan NCL cruise is wonderful if you do not tote formal wear.

 

It is hard to find classical music on NCL. That's a big draw for us toward X. There's more dignity in the air on X, but NCL is really friendly.

 

When I first stepped foot on NCL Majesty to Bermuda I realized these passengers had come to have fun, & most were genuinely open and inviting. But we all know that the clientele can vary from sailing to sailing.

 

The crew, from stewards to drink servers will have an actual conversation with you on NCL, not so formal as on X. But then you don't always want to get chummy with your server, do you? Then X is the line for you!

 

NCL does not have lectures but they have something called NCL University. A class in martini making and drinking, for instance! 5 martinis for $15.

 

I cannot say this for sure, but I believe that NCL does not carry an Alaskan naturalist on board, but X did. There were lots and lots of lectures about the area, the sea, glaciers, wild life, the stars on X. I haven't been to Alaska on NCL because of this rumor that they do not have these. Read some reviews and see if anyone mentions lectures.

 

We like NCL main dining room food. You just have to be careful in what you order. Do NOT order a steak in the main dining room on NCL. Other than wonderful service in the specialty restaurants, I was not that impressed with them and we usually eat in the main dining room where at least someone might be playing jazz piano.

 

Even if you do not like NCL, I'd recommend their 7 night Hawaiian Islands cruise where the crew is 98% American, so everything flows smoothly. And they have two "Hawaiian ambassadors" on board every cruise, so your questions can be answsered. Lots of wonderful activities, hula lessons included. but no Hawaiian food.

 

All lines will offer the same shore excursions if you book thru the ship.

 

So if you are sailing NCL, do your own homework, and know what you want to experience because what they tout may be different.

 

One final comment. We had an Alaska cruise booked on NCL Sun a few years ago, out of Vancouver on say July 15 for x $. Then I saw a sale where Celebrity Mercury was sailing out of Vancouver on July 15 for the same price!!! I quickly changed!

 

BTW if you are sailing out of Seattle on NCL you will NOT get that gorgeous inside route. They go W of Vancouver Island up and back.

 

Please enjoy yourselves.

 

Flashdog - one problem with NCL is that there is so much entertainment taking place simultaneously, all over the ship, it is easy to overlook something. Our NCL Gem cruise had a wonderful Russian pianist who played classical music every night in one of the smaller lounges. He was absolutely amazing and would take requests because he could play so many classical pieces without sheet music.

[PIPER50]

My first cruise was in a balcony cabin on NCL Jewel we had a great time which led us to being totally hooked on cruising - it was a great experience :) However on our second cruise on the Pearl we had a penthouse suite and it just blew us away and was a totally different experience to our first cruise. We enjoyed the special treatment and the privileges of eating in Cagneys for breakfast and lunch each day over NCL's very busy buffet and mdr. We enjoy our food and my only complaint about our first cruise was that the food was not hot enough in either the mdr or the buffet. However on the second cruise we had no complaints whatsoever. We have booked Celebrity for 2013 and are very much looking forward to the food aspect of the cruise although the dressing up for dinner - not so much. However I always go on holiday with a positive attitude and try to make the most of things. I am sure there is good and bad about both lines but hey you're on holiday so make the most of it and enjoy yourself whichever cruise line you go on :)

[sunshine nana]

All three of our NCL cruises were to experience history and the local culture based on the ports which included Hawaii, Italy, Greece and Turkety. I would not expect that in visiting Bermuda or the Car. islands no matter which cruise line you were on. We do not cruise to sit by the pool, so we choose an itinerary and then look for the best price and dates.

[Bridge Maven]

I can only think of one negative in comparing NCL with Celebrity. NCL has smaller inside, oceanview, and balcony cabins than Celebrity has. However, NCL has a 235 square foot mini suite, with a bath tub in its bathroom, that is much larger than any non suite cabin on Celebrity, with the exception of family cabins, so this is a good compromise for people who don't want to pay for a full suite on NCL.

 

In addition, NCL is not a good fit for people who love formal nights because formal night on NCL is optional. This is not an issue for me because while I use to love formal nights at sea years ago, I no longer do.

[Ghengis Klown]

I'll be sure to make some good observations when I'm on the cruise. I just hope I don't end up on one of these really ****ty NCL cruises I read about on this forum.

[cherylroslyn]

If one were to carefully read what I wrote in my first post, s/he will see that I solely spoke about our experiences on our three cruises on NCL. I made no statement about NCL as a whole, nor did I make any recommendation about NCL as a whole. Also, if one were to carefully read my second post, s/he will see that I did not indicate only certain kinds of "overstepping" or the sharing of certain kinds of experiences to be problematic.

 

Anyway, there is no need to continue this bit of back-and-forth. :)

Hey guys!!! As I said before, I am really excited that you two are going to be trying Celebrity. I think you will really enjoy your experience. I am with you when it comes to NCL, and I have been on Celebrity plenty. I love the suite experience on NCL, it is wonderful. I love the overall experience on Celebrity and truly enjoy all the dinning options including the healthier aqua spa cafe......

 

In the end a cruise is what you make of it and I continue to cruise both lines because when I travel with my 22 year old daughter ,Celebrity is not what she considers to be "happening". NCL nighlife will win every single time in my book........but there are times when even I can't keep up with the pace of NCL nightlife and in those instances I do like the subdued nature of Celebriy.

 

Its really like herbal tea and coffee, I like them both, but at different times and for different reasons........ Celebrity is nice cup of high quality herbal tea....and NCL is that first cup of coffee on a monday morning.....

 

I'll be on Summit three weeks before you.....so I'll try to post a review when I get back.......... Two weeks from today I should be londing in Puerto Rico getting ready for the Summit repositioning cruise that leaves on April 28, 2012 :)

[rothjer]

We cruised Norwegian Sun on its final cruise prior to dry dock, and only a couple months aboard Celebrity Summit for two weeks. Although both products are different- and they do attract a different- ahem- type of clientele, both cruise lines have the same level of service, quality of food, and general upkeep of public and private areas. Although X might be more refined and classy, the finishes aboard NCL were just as nice and well taken care of.

 

We found the entertainment to be much better aboard NCL. In terms of food, we LOVE X's food , and this is a major draw for us. We found the food on NCL to be amazing, although they do not rotate breakfast and lunch menus in the MDR- we were happy both were offered each and every single day (x does not offer lunch in the MDR each day). We are not huge buffet fans- and the buffet on NCL was a step down to what X offers.

 

Furnishings in the staterooms on NCL were much more basic, even the flooring on the balcony was some sort of plasticy surface- not very barefoot friendly. The room was basic, yet functional, and all very clean and upkept.

 

We WOULD sail NCL again, especially for the price we paid. I think after cruising a few lines you do realize that most ships are really built the same way, many have similar layouts, food offerings, and public areas- they are all just decorated differently.