NCL compared to Princess

[Lady Arwen]

We've sailed NCL once and never had any desire to repeat that experience. Princess, although not perfect, is IMHO far superior to NCL.

[deedeetoo]

We have also sailed once on Princess and are now considering NCL. While we would like to go on Princess again, we can only cruise during the summer due to kids schedules. Europe is out of our budget this year and we have no interest in cruising Alaska (we have relatives there and have visited twice on land vacations). This means we have to look at other lines.

 

The draw of NCL is that they cruise out of Boston which means no flying for us. This makes it very attractive. RCL cruises out of NJ but it is so expensive. Carnival seems to be on par with NCL so can't see any reason to drive to NY for that. We are just trying to figure out whether we will be happy on an NCL cruise or if we would be better off just flying to an island and staying for a week.

 

If we fly to Florida, all three lines are back in as options. RCL seems to be the best but they are so much more expensive that I can't bring myself to consider them. Decisions, decisions...

[psyfi]

I think you should consider specific ships over the cruise line. I have found ships within the same line have great variability. Have a great time whichever you choose!

[mistshar]

We are going on our first Princess cruise in April. I sure hope it is better than NCL. I don't know how Princess does it yet but I assume they do the same as Carnival (could be wrong).

 

On Carnival and RCCL, the staff always took note at what time we went to breakfast & dinner and that is when they cleaned and came in and turned down the room. On NCL, they just started at one end of the hall and cleaned the rooms. Sometimes it was late at night before they would come to our room and we were ready to go to bed. We like to come back to our cabin after breakfast too and we didn't know when they would show up. Sometimes it was in the afternoon when we wanted to take a nap. It may not sound like a very big deal to other people but to us it was major. We appreciate having our cabin available to us when we want it without other people in it.

 

Another thing is, you better double lock your door because they will unlock the door and come in without knocking. That I really did not appreciate. The thing was that they had already turned down the room and left. I don't know why they came back in.

 

There were other things that we didn't like too but we said we were never going to cruise NCL again when we left that cruise. I sent them a complaint letter and they sent me a discount on another cruise but we didn't use it. NOT INTERESTED!!!

[caribill]

 

On Carnival and RCCL, the staff always took note at what time we went to breakfast & dinner and that is when they cleaned and came in and turned down the room.

 

On Princess there is a card you can insert in the door which says on one side "Do not disturb" and on the other "Room needs attention" or similar words.

 

The cabin stewards are pretty good at coming by when you are not in the cabin, but use of the card helps keep you undisturbed when you want to rest.

[gymbomb]

On Princess there is a card you can insert in the door which says on one side "Do not disturb" and on the other "Room needs attention" or similar words.

 

The cabin stewards are pretty good at coming by when you are not in the cabin, but use of the card helps keep you undisturbed when you want to rest.

 

 

NCL has something similar to this as well -- at least on the two ships I've been on. It's a little status wheel next to the door where you can spin it to "make up room" or "do not disturb" and when the cabin has been made up the steward will spin it back to "welcome". There is a 4th option as well, which I can't remember at the moment.

 

On my last NCL cruise we happened to walk by our cabin steward one afternoon near the ship as we were leaving it and he was returning to it. He greeted us by name and apologized for not cleaning our cabin that morning (we'd forgotten to change our status away from "do not distrub"), saying he'd checked on it several times, and asked if we needed anything before the evening turn down. I was very impressed.

[mistshar]

On Princess there is a card you can insert in the door which says on one side "Do not disturb" and on the other "Room needs attention" or similar words.

 

The cabin stewards are pretty good at coming by when you are not in the cabin, but use of the card helps keep you undisturbed when you want to rest.

 

Yes, we had that and we put it in the door but it made no difference. They paid no attention to it. They went in order of the rooms with no regard to signs or anything. They told us that is how they operated.

[swedish weave]

Yes, we had that and we put it in the door but it made no difference. They paid no attention to it. They went in order of the rooms with no regard to signs or anything. They told us that is how they operated.

 

The NCL ships I have sailed do not use the cards in the door. They have a status wheel as described in a previous post. Is the Spriit different from the others ?

[mistshar]

The NCL ships I have sailed do not use the cards in the door. They have a status wheel as described in a previous post. Is the Spriit different from the others ?

 

There was no wheel that I saw. I can't remember if it was a card we inserted or a hangar but either way we put it out so they would know we were gone.

[Greyhound3]

My only two complaints with NCL are their very strict liquor enforcement and their pushy onboard marketing.

 

When I saw security officers sniffing passenger's water bottles when reboarding the Norway, that did it for me. Haven't set foot on another NCL ship since and never will.

 

We are extremely happy with Princess and look forward to many more cruises with them.

 

Grey

[coka]

I just got back from a 10 day Panama Canal cruise with Princess, my first cruise. I am already planning my bext cruise! I really liked Princess. I thought the accomodations were nice, the food was pretty good and the ship rarely felt crowded. I also liked the lack of kids and teens onboard. It was pretty laid back without losing class, if that makes sense. Unfortuntely, the itinerary my husband and I would like to do next is not with Princess but with NCL. Having loved our first cruise so much, I don't want to switch lines and be disappointed. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Hi sjmbruce, welcome to the wonderful world of cruising! How lucky for you to take a Panama Canal cruise! I have been on Norwegian 38x, Princess 3x, Carnival 7x, Royal Caribbean 2x, and getting ready for Holland America cruise a third time this February. I am on these boards as I am considering Princess again for April and my husband told me he just read something in news paper about a Princess ship. I have also been reading cruise critic for over ten years. For all my cruises, the accommodations were nice and the food was pretty good. If lack of kids and teens is important to you then make sure your sailing is not during holidays, presidents week, or summer months. The longer the cruise, such as over 7 days length, the more likely there will be less kids. Know that most ships have adult only areas yet sometimes you can read on cruise critic a particular sailing did not enforce it.

 

If you go on Princess, you are getting a product you are familiar with and already have a good feel for. Know however that each sailing on each ship can be different. This is true for all cruise lines. If you go on another cruise line know that many things will be similar to Princess yet there will be things that are different too. The key is how you embrace or not the comparisons.

 

I encourage you to consider all responses to your question and decide if anything we write here is a deal breaker or not for you. Each board tends to favor their own line of choice. Also read the reviews on your ship in the ship review section. Then, go to the boards and ask more questions. Good luck with your choice! Oh...I should tell you I usually pick Norwegian because I love to dress up every night!

 

coka

[seastheday]

I love them both, going Princess again next week but would return to either if they had the itinerary I wanted at a price point I liked.

 

Open to trying others in the future, absolutely, with the exception of Carnival which I have no desire to try at all. I'm not closed-minded, just not into drunken revelry with 20-somethings anymore. :D

[cheggy]

I am platinum on NCL and elite on Princess. My most recent cruises have been on Princess because NCL left California and we don't particularly like to fly, so book to avoid it when the price and itinerary are right for us.

 

I find very little difference in the two lines and quite a lot of difference in the different ships on each line. That leads to the varied opinions you see on the CC boards.

 

The food on each line is similar and I have always found something I like on all the ships.

 

The entertainment is somewhat better on NCL ships.

 

The dress code is a much discussed subject, and many refer to the published guidelines, but in actual practice, both lines have the same restrictions on things such as shorts, baseball caps, etc. Both lines allow men to eat in the MDR on formal ( or dress up or not on NCL) wearing dress shirt and slacks. NCL is a little more liberal in that area and allow attire that is neat and clean. Disregard the comments about wife-beaters and such because I have seen men wearing those turned away on both lines.

 

NCL has much better suite and above amenities and service.

 

The basic service on both lines can vary with the person doing the serving as it is almost anywhere. I have met servers on Princess that I know from NCL a few years ago, and they have not changed.

 

Many have had a bad experience on one line or the other, and vow to NEVER sail on that line again. That is their choice, but do not allow that to dissuade you because it happens on ALL cruise lines to different people. Keep in mind that one person hated the cruise and the cruise line while up to two thousand others had a great cruise.

 

Both lines have many items to sell you and they strive to see that you notice them. That is standard on all the mainstream cruise lines I have sailed recently.

 

The last suggestion I will post is to go on your cruise with a positive attitude, and you will most likely enjoy it and have a wonderful vacation.

I am going to 2nd everything said here. We will be on our 2nd cruise with Princess the 30th on the Island but have done 2 on NCL with cruise credit for another in place. We picked the region we wanted then the line traveling where we want to go.

NCL is more casual but has a good feeling of comfort. We did the Jewel to Canada and New England 11 day for an intro to their line . Loved it! Went to Bemuda on the Dawn 7 days and was not dissapointed.

Have done to with HAL and will do more . 2 with RCL too.

Pick where you want to go and go with the idea it will be wonderful!!!

Our 1st was Carnival and may give them another try just hate to pay money and come home wishing I had not gone in the 1st place.

[cheggy]

We have also sailed once on Princess and are now considering NCL. While we would like to go on Princess again, we can only cruise during the summer due to kids schedules. Europe is out of our budget this year and we have no interest in cruising Alaska (we have relatives there and have visited twice on land vacations). This means we have to look at other lines.

 

The draw of NCL is that they cruise out of Boston which means no flying for us. This makes it very attractive. RCL cruises out of NJ but it is so expensive. Carnival seems to be on par with NCL so can't see any reason to drive to NY for that. We are just trying to figure out whether we will be happy on an NCL cruise or if we would be better off just flying to an island and staying for a week.

 

If we fly to Florida, all three lines are back in as options. RCL seems to be the best but they are so much more expensive that I can't bring myself to consider them. Decisions, decisions...

Try NCL Dawn to Bemuda . It was a cruise we will repeat. Since you do not have extra expense of air travel you will get great value . Check 90 day ticker on websites for cut rate deals. We do not get the luxury of being close to a port or we would be cruising so much more.

[Pamster]

We sailed NCL exclusively before trying Princess because of a Pacific Coastal itenary that looked interesting, so we gave Princess a try.

 

The things I prefer about Princess are:

1. The decor - I like the calm colors

2. The atrium - with the International Cafe and Vines. We loved going there after breakfast for Bloody Mary's and coffee, comfortable seating, visiting with other cruisers. The same area on NCL was dark and only had coffee drinks, no bar service.

3. Pizza and ice cream bar

4. No smoking on balconies, although I think NCL is implementing that policy.

5. Food at the buffet was better.

6. Lots of cruises from California.

 

The things I prefer about NCL are:

1. Freestyle - with multiple specialty dining rooms, especially the Asian dining room

2. Freestyle dress code. We don't do formal.

3. A couch in the standard cabins

4. Beds were more comfortable

5. Casino - the casino on the ships we were on was bigger than on the Sapphire, the Casino at Sea program gives free drinks and discounts on rooms if you gamble enough. NCL had more poker. While NCL allowed smoking in the casino, they didn't make part of the casino the smoking lounge.

 

We're really partial to Princess because of the atrium and the decor, although I do miss the specialty restaurants. But I would sail NCL if there were an itenary that we really wanted to do that we weren't able to find on Princess. But if both lines were sailing the same, I would go Princess (if it were a ship with an International Cafe).

[Once Upon A Time]

Having had a lot of experience cruising various lines, I have to say that we prefer Princess… However, we were on the Jewel a few months ago and the crew was absolutely outstanding.. Also, If I were sailing in a suite, I would not hesitate to sail on any itinerary NCL offered. The Courtyard area is fantastic, but since we seldom sail in suites, we'll stick with Princess.

 

I find the food better on Princess .. Specialty restaurants on NCL were a disappointment (a little less expensive, but still not worth the price) We had a Mini-Suite and NCL's was smaller than the Princess Mini's… NCL always seemed crowded, the passengers seemed pushy and rude at times (guess that can vary by cruise) and I got tired of seeing a lot of hairy legs in the MDR… yes, they do allow shorts at night...:eek:

[pmd98052]

We've cruised NCL (twice), HAL (once) and Prince (once, soon to be twice). We'd sail any of the lines we've tried again. Pros and Cons to each but all were great. We've only sailed in suites on NCL and looking at the comparisons there is no comparison. Overall I'd rate food on Princess as slightly better though buffets on NCL were definitely above Princess. Entertainment was similar on NCL and Princess though I don't like the sound of Princesses latest cut backs in this area with respect to Explorers lounge entertainment - That may give the lead back to NCL.

 

We're back on Princess in Feb though due to location/cost but next up is to try Royal Caribbean or Carnival.

[Clutterlady]

The only way I can put it is that NCL is at the bottom of our list. Not saying we wouldn't sail with them again, but they would not be our first choice. The only way you're really going to know if you would like sailing with them is to just book the cruise. We always have a great time no matter what line we sail on....enjoy:)

[beshears]

We have done several "Carnival" cruises, as well as other cruise lines too in the last 20 years.

 

It was mentioned about people be "drunk", etc. We did not find that. If you go the the areas where there is drinking, I'm sure you will find it. The only time we noticed it was some people coming back from the port, and were feeling a little "high."

[swedish weave]

Carnival has the reputation as the cruise line of drunks, and NCL is tagged as "nickel and dime" cruise line.

 

I have seen drunks and sales on all the cruise lines I have sailed.

 

When I see the repeated comments, it seems like I am in a parrot cage. Hear it -- say it -- even if you don't know if it is true.

[swedish weave]

I got tired of seeing a lot of hairy legs in the MDR… yes, they do allow shorts at night...:eek:

 

I agree that those women should shave their legs if they are wearing shorts --- and braid their armpits when wearing sleeveless blouses :o:D

[mistshar]

We have done several "Carnival" cruises, as well as other cruise lines too in the last 20 years.

 

It was mentioned about people be "drunk", etc. We did not find that. If you go the the areas where there is drinking, I'm sure you will find it. The only time we noticed it was some people coming back from the port, and were feeling a little "high."

 

I agree. We never found that on Carnival either. Of course, we normally go back to our cabin pretty early at night so that could be the reason. If there were a lot of drunks around I would not feel comfortable sailing with them. However, I have never felt uncomfortable on a Carnival ship.

[spunkyhungry]

I like both NCL and Princess. I think Princess has more classy decor, and their ships look more beautiful. NCL ships still look good, but they have more of a fun/colorful look. I think NCL has better food than Princess. Other than that, they're pretty similar. I'm sure you'll have a great time on a NCL cruise. I think itinerary/price are more important than cruise line.

[swedish weave]

When comparing, don't forget to compare the various ships within a cruise line.

 

There is much more difference than between the cruise lines.

 

I find it interesting when a person uses a cruise line one time and decides the entire line is not suitable for them. The other ships within that cruise line may suit you perfectly.

[tarheelmjfan]

I've been on one Princess & one NCL cruise. The ships were Island & Star. Star went to Alaska, while we took Island to Panama Canal. While the dress code may be different, I noticed very little difference in the way passengers were dressed. There were as many dressed up on NCL on formal night as on Princess. More people seem to dress up on Alaska cruises than the Caribbean though. The crew on Star as a whole (with the exception of the dining room) was a little better than on Princess, but Island's crew was fine with a few standouts. A major negative to NCL was food quality. If I ever sailed on that line again, I would only eat in specialty restaurants. The service in the MDR was also lacking. Imagine an avg. server at Applebees & that was the service we experienced. We only ate in the MDR twice on Princess, but the server we had there was very good. The food quality those two evenings was better than on NCL, but it was only 2 nights. I don't know if that's always the case. I'm not much of a buffet person, but NCLs was more extensive. We thought Island's buffet was very limited. To me, neither line stood out above the other in the entertainment dept.

 

Bottom line is we would sail on either line again under the right circumstances, but neither would be our first choice. We do like the extra things Princess offers such as balcony dining & Chef's Table, & would give it the edge overall. OTOH, my sisters aren't as into food or service as I am, & NCL is their favorite cruise line. If you eat to live rather than live to eat, you will probably enjoy NCL. As you can tell, I'm in the live to eat crowd. :D