NCL vs. CCL

[mom22tinks]

I've been cruising with CCL for the past few years because of the prices and ports. For the first time I think it will be possible for me to finally try out NCL Gem. I've been reading NCL boards but was wondering what are some major differences between the lines? I know that NCL has more specialty restaurants....and freestyle dining....anything else I may notice that is different? Thanks. Jessica

[Donna_In_India]

We just did a B2B Carnival Breeze and NCL Epic (our first NCL cruise). Hands down we loved the Epic. Great entertainment(!!), live music, good food, and good service. Haven't been on the Gem but wouldn't hesitate to sail NCL again, while not likely to sail Carnival. I think sometimes you should just try something new! Happy Cruising!

[sverigecruiser]

I've been cruising with CCL for the past few years because of the prices and ports. For the first time I think it will be possible for me to finally try out NCL Gem. I've been reading NCL boards but was wondering what are some major differences between the lines? I know that NCL has more specialty restaurants....and freestyle dining....anything else I may notice that is different? Thanks. Jessica

 

Do CCL still have singing waiters? If yes, that's a big difference. NCL don't have any singing waiters and that's a thing I really like about them.

[OceanDreaming2]

Do CCL still have singing waiters? If yes, that's a big difference. NCL don't have any singing waiters and that's a thing I really like about them.

 

NCL had a singing waiter on the Star in October/November. :)

[jdvmd]

Please do a search on this board as this question comes up several times a week. Lots of threads especially in the last two weeks.

[my_crib_too]

We went the other way and just took our first Carnival cruise after many NCL cruises. We enjoyed the Carnival product and will certainly sail with them again. In our experience, we only found very minor differences.

 

·

More evening dining options on NCL. (We have no problem paying for the extra options.)

·

Carnival workers all seemed to be very polite and efficient but not as friendly or chatty as the workers we have met on NCL. On each of our NCL cruises, we remember a few people that took a moment out of their day to have a brief conversation with us. That did not happen on our Carnival cruise.

·

The main theater shows on Carnival we saw were poor. The main theater shows on NCL that we have seen are mostly better.

·

Carnival Elegant night had most guests participating. NCL guests tend to be more split on formal nights. We did not participate and ate on the lido deck.

·

Lunch on the Carnival ship had plenty of options.

·

Our Carnival ship had much more outdoor seating and higher quality seating. They also had more small, quiet spaces.

·

Carnival seems to have more DJs and less live music.

·

Carnival has room service via the TV. We never experienced this on NCL. The room service menu seemed better on Carnival too.

 

These are all minor items and you can see variances in the NCL product depending on the NCL ship you select. For our future cruises, we will select itinerary first and then see if NCL and Carnival have similar cruise available. For our tastes, we will select the cruiseline with the newest ship available. It was great taking a cruise on a new ship.

[mom22tinks]

Thanks for all the input.

 

Yes, CCL still has singing waiters. For some reason I am unable to search on cruise critic right now even though I am signed in?? Not sure why and it only shows 10 available pages to search for NCL which I have read thru and not found the info I had hoped for. I think I'm going to take the plunge and book it and research over the next few months. Again - thanks :)

Jessica

[swedish weave]

Thanks for all the input.

 

Yes, CCL still has singing waiters. For some reason I am unable to search on cruise critic right now even though I am signed in?? Not sure why and it only shows 10 available pages to search for NCL which I have read thru and not found the info I had hoped for. I think I'm going to take the plunge and book it and research over the next few months. Again - thanks :)

Jessica

\

I tried a search a few minutes ago and got a message that search function is disabled.

[jasbo49]

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I tried a search a few minutes ago and got a message that search function is disabled.

There have been several threads about the search not working. Just run a search for "search not working."

(Just kidding.)

 

Jim

[mizLORInj]

Both lines offer a good cruise on a nice ship. Gem is fabulous. Cabins on Carnival are larger, so a balcony cabin on Carnival will be more like a mini-suite on Gem than the balcony cabin. Still, the NCL cabins are nice and have a different style bathroom that takes up more space.

I think NCL food is more to my taste.

Give it a try and see what you think.

[jasbo49]

We went the other way and just took our first Carnival cruise after many NCL cruises. We enjoyed the Carnival product and will certainly sail with them again. In our experience, we only found very minor differences.

·

More evening dining options on NCL. (We have no problem paying for the extra options.)

·

Carnival workers all seemed to be very polite and efficient but not as friendly or chatty as the workers we have met on NCL. On each of our NCL cruises, we remember a few people that took a moment out of their day to have a brief conversation with us. That did not happen on our Carnival cruise.

·

The main theater shows on Carnival we saw were poor. The main theater shows on NCL that we have seen are mostly better.

·

Carnival Elegant night had most guests participating. NCL guests tend to be more split on formal nights. We did not participate and ate on the lido deck.

·

Lunch on the Carnival ship had plenty of options.

·

Our Carnival ship had much more outdoor seating and higher quality seating. They also had more small, quiet spaces.

·

Carnival seems to have more DJs and less live music.

·

Carnival has room service via the TV. We never experienced this on NCL. The room service menu seemed better on Carnival too.

 

These are all minor items and you can see variances in the NCL product depending on the NCL ship you select. For our future cruises, we will select itinerary first and then see if NCL and Carnival have similar cruise available. For our tastes, we will select the cruiseline with the newest ship available. It was great taking a cruise on a new ship.

This list covers most of the stuff I noticed, though we only have on one NCL cruise. A couple things I'd add: While NCL entertainment was far superior, we found the main theater really cramped, no leg room. Also, we found the MDR food better on Carnival and the buffet better on NCL.

 

Jim

[justlaff69]

NCL has better port times but the cabins and elevators on the Sky were way smaller. I wouldn't dare think of putting 3 people in any category below a balcony. Where as on Carnival, their Oceanview staterooms have convertible sofas and give you the same amount of livable space as a balcony.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

\

I tried a search a few minutes ago and got a message that search function is disabled.

 

It was like that last night as well. I don't know about anybody else but pages have been loading slowly for the last week or so on my computer.

 

Maybe they are trying to speed up the board if the problem isn't on my end.

 

Bill

[MelissaFreed]

I am by no means a cruising expert, but I've done a 7 day on the Carnival Pride, and a 7 day on the NCL Pride of America. I've also done a one night on the NCL Gem. So far, I think I prefer NCL by a small margin. I really like the concept of freestyle dining. My husband and I are pretty active, and eat when we have time. We are not the type of people that need to eat at the time time, everyday. In that respect, NCLs freestyle dining appeals to us. However, I did miss the relationship that you build with your server with assigned dining on Carnival. I found the food quality, in general, to be about the same between the two, but I do like the pay dining options for NCL. I really like the personal attention I get from my NCL PCC, but I've also read on the boards that their NCL PCCs aren't that impressive. The scale tipper for me is NCL's Latitudes program, and suite perks. We have more cruises booked, now that we are officially hooked on cruising, and I check both Carnival and NCL.

[my_crib_too]

we found the main theater really cramped, no leg room.

 

 

The main theater on the Carnival Breeze was certainly superior to anything that we have experienced on NCL. Seats were comfy and some had tables. Three decks tall too. Because I have only been on one Carnival cruise, and never on the Epic, I put that down to Carnival being a new ship and my NCL experience being on older or old ships.

 

Lately when we cruise on NCL we book suites and utilize the reserved seating option so we don’t have to arrive fifteen minutes early. The reserved suite seats are in a poor location on NCL but they are more comfortable than the standard NCL theater seats.

[my_crib_too]

double post, sorry

[jasbo49]

If you like bacon:

Carnival buffet has something forum mavens call "bacon police." Meaning they dole it out a piece or two at a time. You practically have to beg.

 

NCL just has bacon, no police. Grab as much as you want.

 

Jim

[Sizzlechest]

· Carnival has room service via the TV. We never experienced this on NCL. The room service menu seemed better on Carnival too.

 

Yeah, this is really annoying about NCL. Their TVs don't have on-demand movies, you can't check your charges, you can reserve restaurants, etc. It's 2013 for cry-not-loud. Hotels have had these services since the 90s.