RCI vs NCL...please help if you've sailed both

[RubyDog08]

Hi! I just booked a cruise for late 2013. We have always sailed with RCI but thought we'd give NCL a try...and I'm looking for info to confirm my sanity. :o

 

I booked an aft-facing penthouse with balcony on NCL Sun, but have always sailed mid-ship and always on RCI ships. Are the Penthouses nice rooms? Is there a lot of motion? If so, is it enough to cause seasickness in those prone to it? :eek:

 

Sorry for so many questions, but it's a huge step for me to take a chance on a different line. Any comments on food/service/amenities/ports/differences to expect, etc., very much appreciated! Thanks in advance for all the help! :)

[rsinj]

We've sailed both.

 

You will get no better value for your dollar than with NCL - at least that's what we've learned when we've sailed in the suites of both.

 

Penthouse/suites - yes, very nice. Aft-facing, you don't get a better view/location. We don't get seasick so wouldn't know.

 

Food - overall is going to be similar across the mass market cruiselines.

 

Service - as far as suites - no comparison, NCL wins. I have no idea about the average cabin - haven't sailed in one on either cruiseline.

 

Freestyle - though all cruiselines now offer some form of it, NCL pioneered it, has the most experience with it, and as a result does it best.

 

Don't know about your specific situation, but for us:

Kids club/program - RCL wins hands down - no comparison.

 

Activities - again, RCL hands down. If you have an active family, RCL provides so much more because the ships are larger and designed to have more active things to do. If you have a younger family, I think they will be happier with what RCL offers as far as things to do. On the Sun, you aren't going to have the amount of things that Oasis, Freedom, or Voyager class ships have to offer.

 

All around however, again, at least for my family, NCL provides the greatest value for the money and a great experience.

 

Howard

[kocruiser]

We have salied RCI three times, twice on the Enchantment and once on the Empress. On our first cruise on the Enchantment we had a balcony room, second cruise a Junior Suite, on the Empress we had an Owner's Suite on the bow. We sailed last week on the Dawn from Boston to Bermuda with an Aft Facing Penthouse Suite and by far was the nicest room of any that we have had on any cruiseline. Big, nicely decorated, plenty of storage and the view is just incredible. We were on deck 9 and found the balcony to be very small for a suite. I understand that the balconies on deck 10 are larger. My wife has a tendency to get a little sea sick at the beginning of our cruise and had no problems this cruise at all. However, this is the first cruise where we didn't have to fly to get to, so we aren't sure if that played a part.

 

I believe NCL offers different perks for suite passengers (it's been five years since we were on RCI), NCL offers a butler, who brought treats every afternoon (finger sandwiches one day, chocolate strawberries another, canapes twice, and fresh sliced fruit) we didn't much care for most of these and they went back untouched. We received this same perk on RCI only it was delivered by our room steward. We also got flowers and champagne on the first day, same on RCI. On NCL you have a concierge which was helpful in getting dinner reservations, which I don't get. If you go to the reservation desk and ask for a reservation at the specialty restaurants they will tell you what is available. If you call the concierge and tell them you want a specific time they can usually get it for you. In my opinion this is just one more person that you have to tip. I had no problem when on RCI or Princess just picking up the phone and making a reservation at the specialty restaurant. One of the big perks for suite passengers that I see people talking about on these boards is breakfast and lunch at Cagneys. We tried breakfast the first day and it was horrible. We ate at the Venetion or Buffet the rest of the week for breakfast and lunch.

 

As for the food...we found NCL in general to be the very worst of any cruiseline we have traveled (with the exception of MSC). You have more choices but we found the food to be terrible. Cagneys at twenty five a person is way over rated and had the worst tasting beef I have ever had. Atmosphere was nothing spectacular in our opinion in comparison to Chops on RCI. We did enjoy the Italian restaurant on NCL. Buffet was typical of any cruiseline.

 

What we like most about NCL vs RCI is that we travel with our teens and at the end of the day like to sit and relax over dinner and talk about what we did that day and plan the next day as a family, and not have to sit with others. We had a really bad experience on one cruise, where we had two other couples assigned to our table and after a day of heavy drinking and usually drinking their way through dinner, the conversations would get quite colorful. Not exactly the family dinner setting. On another cruise, we had a couple with the table manners equal to that of a farm animal. So, it was nice that we had the opportunity to eat together as a family. What we didn't like is that you don't get to know your servers and they you, like on RCI.

 

This is getting long! In summary, I would say they are both good, but feel RCI just does it a little classier and with a little more thought to customer satisfaction, but not enough of a difference that would make us not want to cruise on NCL again.

 

Have a great cruise!

[mizLORInj]

Hi. I've sailed both lines along with others. Why not give it a try. I did and have been back a few times.

I found NCL food to be very good, but I realize people's tastes vary.

[Mrs_Tiki]

Since our cruise on the Sun was 10 years ago, our experiences re: food and service are probably no longer relevant.

 

BUT, I do want to share a word of caution regarding the aft penthouse suites directly over the show lounge (deck 8, I think.) We had a young child with us and turned in early at night, but were kept awake by the bass beat of the music and the slamming of the stage rigging into the celing beneath us. In an attempt to make the best of things, we tried to take naps during the day, but the performers were rehearsing, so we had the same issues.

 

Otherwise the view was great, and the suite was lovely and spacious. With 3 sharing a bathroom, we especially appreciated the separate "water closet" for the toilet. I would strongly advise choosing a suite on one of the higher decks.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

One thing not mentioned in the difference between RCI and NCL is Crew. I have done 3 RCI and 2 NCL with number 3 NCL coming up in Novmeber.. NCL Crew is far better, the service and friendliness far exceeds what we have experienced on RCI. I have always felt the RCI Crew that everything they say is scripted and they truly are not sincere. The perks and how you are treated in NCL Suites far exceeds anything that RCI offers and if you are booking a year in advance I already know you are paying far less for something that is far Superior.

Many on RCI talk about how wonderful their shows were, frankly I was not impressed and feel that NCL has beeter entertainment and definitely more things going on for adults in the evenings.

As also mentioned food is subjective but there is no way you could pay me enought money to eat in another Windjammer on RCI, food definitely is better on NCL especially Blue Lagoon ;)

Granted as you can tell from my signature, NCL is not the cruiseline I cruise most often but I would say it is definitely number 2 and RCI is last for many reasons.

[ansadler]

I have done 2 RCI cruises and 1 NCL and by far enjoyed NCL better. We haven't taken kids yet, but are planning a family cruise with NCL in December. I've looked at all the kids activities dailies for our ship and it looks like plenty of fun for our family..

 

http://www.beyondships.com has great reviews/pics and info on daily activities for both NCL and RCI if that helps.

[DMH15]

I have cruised both. For me, it's NCL all the way... Especially since I joined the NCL suite life.

 

I cruised the Sun in an aft gacing PH (9076) in 2009 and loved it so much have same suite booked for 2013!

 

Look at my avatar for the Sun stern view.

 

Can't specifically mention, per CC guidelines, but I subscribe to a site where you can view cabin pictures on any ship. Reasonable $ to join.

 

Happy cruising!

[Dolphins]

We have sailed both cruise lines and found they each have their advantages. What we really liked about RCI was their indoor pool solarium which you could use in any weather year round. Since NCL sails year round out of New York, they should have such a pool. I also found RCI's no fee fitness classes and instructors to be better than NCL.

 

I give the big edge to NCL on crew friendliness and service, perks for repeat cruisers, freestyle dining at your convenience with a choice of numerous venues. If you liked RCI, you won't be disappointed with NCL.

[mpk218]

Have sailed both and prefer NCL but would still sail RCI . 3 times on the SUN , all in an AFT PH . No extra movement but you will notice the vibration form the props when you are docking . Its an older ship but still one of my favorites.

The suite perks ? No other line does it better , period.

[graphicguy]

Have to go with everyone else here. Have sailed 2X on RCL (including the most recent one a couple of months ago on the Oasis, their Flagship) and 2X on NCL (although the first one was quite a few yeas ago on the SS Norway).

 

Prefer NCL by a pretty fair margin. Reasons....

 

-Entertainment on my last NCL cruise (Epic) was a whole category better than what I experienced on either of the RCL cruises.

-Food was better on NCL, whether in the MDR or in the Buffet. As someone else mentioned, you couldn't pay me to eat in RCL's Windjammer ever again.

-I'm a fan of Freestyle. RCL tries to imitate it, but NCL really implements it very well. I do have a soft spot in my heart for Giovanni's Table on the Oasis. I'm 100% Italian and they do Italian the most authentically I've ever experienced other than being home outside of Rome.

-Service goes to NCL, too. While I've never done a suite on either NCL or RCL, I have been in Balconies on both. My room steward on NCL's Epic should have been a professional Butler....he was that good. We did make friends with a bartender on RCL's Epic, who treated us VERY WELL. The entier staff on the Epic went over and above for us.

 

I've heard so much about NCL's suites, I'm looking into booking one sometime next summer, if the GF and I can ever make up our minds where we want to go....:D

[nosekh]

Hi! I just booked a cruise for late 2013. We have always sailed with RCI but thought we'd give NCL a try...and I'm looking for info to confirm my sanity. :o

 

I booked an aft-facing penthouse with balcony on NCL Sun, but have always sailed mid-ship and always on RCI ships. Are the Penthouses nice rooms? Is there a lot of motion? If so, is it enough to cause seasickness in those prone to it? :eek:

 

Sorry for so many questions, but it's a huge step for me to take a chance on a different line. Any comments on food/service/amenities/ports/differences to expect, etc., very much appreciated! Thanks in advance for all the help! :)

Please note this is only my opinion.....I did not like RCCL ...people way to stuffy and stuck up...NCL the people are more REAL ...that is why I really

like NCL:)

[Cruise_More_Often]

We have cruised on both lines and in suites on both. NCL wins hands down with its suites. We were in a Grand Suite on the Radiance, and although there was a concierge, he was absolutely awful. To take advantage of whatever service he offered, we had to go to the tiny, very crowded, Concierge Lounge in the evenings. To get up to where he was standing, you have to wait your turn (it was like he was a prince, with his subjects waiting to curtsy). We left. On NCL, we have had the concierges come to us to introduce themselves. They are in Cagney's every morning to meet with you, if you like, to make reservations or just shoot the bull. :D And once they meet you, they will address you by name. And this is for a first-time cruiser in the least expensive suite or one with Platinum status in the Haven.

 

We liked the physical layout of our Grand Suite, but we prefer the layout (and the interior design) of NCL's suites.

 

As someone said, the NCL crews are wonderful--very friendly and outgoing, less formal, and fun to be with.

 

We much prefer NCL's Freestyle Dining. They've been doing it since before we started cruising with them in 2004, and they do it right! We have never had a bad meal on NCL, and Cagney's and Il Adagio on the Sun are excellent. If you want to eat solely with your family in the main dining rooms, no problem. We did love Chops, probably our favorite cruise meal. Our dinner in Giovanni's was interrupted by a musical trivia game being held right outside the restaurant. When we mentioned it to the maitre 'd, she told us there was nothing they could do about it.

 

We think the NCL shows are way better than any we've seen on HAL, Princess or RCI.

 

I can sum it up by saying that we've just had more fun on our NCL cruises than on any other line, and we feel the service is better. We also like the cruisers we've cruised with better on NCL than on any other line.