Long time Princess cruiser just booked 1st NCL Cruise! Any suggestions?

[TracieABD]

Hi-

I have sailed primarily on Princess (I am Platinum). My mother and I just booked our first NCL cruise on the Spirit in January.

 

While I am very familiar with the Princess product, I know very little about NCL.

 

I would love to know a little more about NCL and the Spirit! Thank you for any responses!:)

Tracie-Lynn

[pwppaul]

Me too! I see NCL doesn't have Captains Party. Any need to bring a suit or dress up? Do you need a jacket or tie for the specialty restaurants? Do they have any welcome back parties for past guests (It's been a long time but I sailed NCL a couple of times years ago).

[deladypilot]

NCL is a relaxed cruise line but they do have what they call "Dress up or Not" night. So you can dress in formals if you wish or anything else. On our last cruise my husband wore a suit and I cocktail dress on that night, had our photos taken and had a wonderful dinner. We say women in long dresses as well as others that were in jeans. Either way you go, you will not feel out of place. They typically do this twice on a 7 day cruise. The rest of the cruise the main dining rooms require "resort casual" during dinner meals.

 

Also, there will be no set dinner time. If you want to have dinner at 5pm go and eat. Of course this does mean that during peak hours you may have to wait to be seated a few minutes but nothing very long.

 

NCL is fantastic with their Cruise Critic M & Gs. Many officers will show up and introduce themselves. They will have coffee, tea and snacks set out.

 

While I have not sailed with anyone else to help you compare, we have found NCL to give us a very relaxing vacation with fantastic service

[deladypilot]

Me too! I see NCL doesn't have Captains Party. Any need to bring a suit or dress up? Do you need a jacket or tie for the specialty restaurants? Do they have any welcome back parties for past guests (It's been a long time but I sailed NCL a couple of times years ago).

 

Forgot to answer this....They will have a Latitudes (past guests) party or meeting as you may call it. On our cruise this past summer they had several officers there and served some kind of rum punch or champagne along with snacks. I think each hotel director handles it a bit different.

[lolane1]

Hi-

I have sailed primarily on Princess (I am Platinum). My mother and I just booked our first NCL cruise on the Spirit in January.

 

While I am very familiar with the Princess product, I know very little about NCL.

 

I would love to know a little more about NCL and the Spirit! Thank you for any responses!:)

Tracie-Lynn

 

I am also Platimun on Princess. I have been sailing exclusively on Princess since 2007, which was also the year of my one and only NCL cruise. I do remember it being quite nice and had a great time, but Princess sort of fit the bill better. I am a long time cruiser of RCL and Celebrity also. Seems like I travel one line for years, then move on for some reason. However, I feel I will always remain a Princess fan.

 

I am expecting to pack way less formal and dressy clothes, and jewelry, which, hey, is a nice change. However, as there are no laundry rooms, I may be packing additional casual wear. Yes, I know laundry services are available but we'll see if I use it. I may not even request an iron!! Talk about relaxed cruising...... Those wrinkles will just chill themselves out of my clothes.

 

I also expect the crew and services to be just as good. From previous posts, I gather the food is not as good as Princess but that is all subjective. One can always find something to eat.

 

No matter what people write about the comparison, only you will be able to tell if you truly like NCL. Should be interesting and we both will never know unless we try it.

[sdmike]

I think the biggest differences you'll notice are:

 

More relaxed dress code. There is no formal night. Shorts are allowed most everywhere, including all venues for dinner except Le Bistro and the aft main dining room.

 

Freestyle dining with no set seats or times. It works like land-based restaurants. Walk up and get seated. You can make reservations for specialty restaurants (on-line 45 days in advance, or on the ship), or you can wing it.

 

Because of Freestyle, and the fact that both you and your servers work and eat all over the ship (you may not have the same one twice), they instituted a $12 per day/person service charge to cover tipping for your servers, room steward, and others that support behind the scenes. Butlers, concierges and kids club staff aren't in this pool and should be tipped separately if you use them (butlers and concierge come with a suite)

 

The Spirit is a smaller, older ship compared to most NCL ships, so there aren't as many dining or entertainment options as others, but you should still find plenty to do and good things to eat.

 

I suggest reading some reviews and checking out a few pages of this board for related topics. If you use the search function in this NCL section you should find lots of comparison threads between princess and NCL. Just put "princess" in the search box and scan the results

[pwppaul]

So you can wear whatever you want in the speciality restaurants La Bistro or Cagneys? Also does NCL offer a wine package like RCLL and Carnival?

Edited November 14, 2013 by pwppaul
Forgot to ask about wine package

[Sauer-kraut]

Yes, I know laundry services are available but we'll see if I use it. I may not even request an iron!! Talk about relaxed cruising...... Those wrinkles will just chill themselves out of my clothes.

 

LOVE this line!! LOL :D

[sdmike]

So you can wear whatever you want in the speciality restaurants La Bistro or Cagneys? Also does NCL offer a wine package like RCLL and Carnival?

 

No, Le Bistro has a dress code in the evenings. Long pants and closed toe shoes required. Cagneys you can wear shorts at any time. You're not allowed beach wear (swim suits, flip flops, etc.) in any of the main dining rooms or specialties. There is a dress code (you can't wear "anything you want"), but it is more relaxed.

 

Most here love it. Others long for the old days of formal nights and jackets for dinner

Edited November 14, 2013 by sdmike

[realtorlady42]

We sail both Princess and NCL.

 

We enjoy both cruise lines equally...but for different reasons.

 

We typically sail NCL for our Carribean "beach" cruises.

 

Dress up or Not night does not typically see very many suites for men or cocktail dresses for women. Yes there are some, but that is not the standard on those nights.

 

The standard would be a sundress or "sunday best" dress for a woman and a jacket and slacks for a man rather than a suite.

 

Many men will just wear a shirt and slacks, no jacket.

 

And MANY people will not dress up at all.

 

it is VERY relaxed dining in the buffet (we rarely eat at the buffet),

 

the MDR's typically will have ladies in capris or sun dresses (resort wear) and men in dark denim with a button down shirt or casual pants and a polo type shirt.

 

Some people wear shorts to MDRs but it is not typical

 

One of the biggest ship differences you will find is NCL does not have the Grand atriums that princess does...some of the ships have no atrium at all, and those that do it does not compare to Princess.

That is one of the things we really enjoy on princess..and all the entertainment that goes on there.

 

Also, the pools are not as good on NCL. They focus on the water slides etc..which are excellent for those who like that, the pools themselves are smaller and you need to climb in using a ladder...like you would for an above ground pool at home. Not difficult, but I was surprised at the difference at first.

 

I am not sure what kind of cabin you typically are in, but we typically sail balconies...and the balcony cabins on NCL are bigger and have a sofabed/sitting area.

Balcony size is comparable.

Amenities are comparable

Service is comparable

 

Entertainment:

Night shows are comparable as far as quality..both lines do an excellent job.

 

NCL does a lot of "gameshow" type things..which are a lot of fun..the not so newly wed one is a HOOT!

 

They do not do many of the demonstrations and enrichment classes like princess does.

 

There is LOTS of music and dancing of varies types (more or less depending on the ship..probably more on Spirit since it is an older smaller ship)

 

Lots of smaller venue concerts..similar to Princess

 

There are several threads with "dailies" (same as princess patter) if you search for one of those you will get a very good idea of the types of entertainment offered.

 

There is no "afternoon tea" on NCL...no formal tea..there is always food available lol

 

There tend to be more kids on NCL, but they have some dedicated adult only areas (if you are not traveling with kids)

The adult pools and areas are not as good, unless you pay extra for the spa areas.

 

The thermal spas are not as good...and they do not adhere to spa etticate (translated...people can be loud/talking, etc..not peaceful unless you are there when no one else is.) They are also a LOT more expensive.

 

We decided for our cruise in JAn to upgrade to an Aft balcony instead of get the spa pass. I was very annoyed, last cruise because I am a "spa girl" and expect quiet and relaxation, since I am in the minority this time we won't spend the money on the spa passes and will enjoy the peace and quiet on our aft balcony instead :-)

 

 

NCL has a Chocolate buffet that is famous.

It is beautiful, and is one evening typically for an hour. (this week I had a survey come in from Princess and one of the questions they asked was weather a choc buffet was something guests would enjoy...they have obviously heard about the popularity of NCL's)

 

 

The over all quality of the two lines is very similar,

but the "vibe" on NCL is MUCH more casual.

and because there are so many kids it can be much more noisy around the pools and in the buffet.

 

We avoid the buffet as much as possible and the main pool and can always find quiet spots when we want to

 

Having said that...the smaller ships do not tend to have as many kids because the larger ships have more activities geared towards the younger families

NCL has a LOT of smaller snack and light meal options scattered about the ships..less on the smaller ships, but still lots of choice.

 

The Spirit will be a good choice for you...the smaller older ships tend to be closer to what a princess experience is. As do all the Jewel Class ships.

 

You will have a wonderful time....it will be different than what you are used to, but not different bad, as long as you know ahead of time what to expect.

When we do bigger, longer trips we like princess when we want a relaxed getaway..we sail NCL. Both are excellent lines with very good service, food and entertainment.

 

Both have their fans, both have those who really dislike them..but for those who are open to different types of cruising .. more relaxed, vs more formal not better or worse, they will enjoy both equally as well.

[nets33]

No, Le Bistro has a dress code in the evenings. Long pants and closed toe shoes required. Cagneys you can wear shorts at any time. You're not allowed beach wear (swim suits, flip flops, etc.) in any of the main dining rooms or specialties. There is a dress code (you can't wear "anything you want"), but it is more relaxed.

 

Closed toe shoes must be just for the men - I've worn nice sandals/heels with no problems ;).

 

 

I've done most major lines (NCL, Carnival, Princess and RCI) - you will notice minor differences between each line but they are minor. I've come to enjoy the differences that I find. DH and I really enjoy NCL for the casual and relaxed environment. Enjoy!

[mugtech]

For me the biggest plus for NCL entertainment-wise is the sketch and improv comedy of Second City. Since they are from Chicago and the material is usually geared to the USA, there is no Second City on any European cruises, a true shame

[Bobug]

We sail both Princess and NCL.

 

We enjoy both cruise lines equally...but for different reasons.

 

We typically sail NCL for our Carribean "beach" cruises.

 

Dress up or Not night does not typically see very many suites for men or cocktail dresses for women. Yes there are some, but that is not the standard on those nights.

 

The standard would be a sundress or "sunday best" dress for a woman and a jacket and slacks for a man rather than a suite.

 

Many men will just wear a shirt and slacks, no jacket.

 

And MANY people will not dress up at all.

 

it is VERY relaxed dining in the buffet (we rarely eat at the buffet),

 

the MDR's typically will have ladies in capris or sun dresses (resort wear) and men in dark denim with a button down shirt or casual pants and a polo type shirt.

 

Some people wear shorts to MDRs but it is not typical

 

One of the biggest ship differences you will find is NCL does not have the Grand atriums that princess does...some of the ships have no atrium at all, and those that do it does not compare to Princess.

That is one of the things we really enjoy on princess..and all the entertainment that goes on there.

 

Also, the pools are not as good on NCL. They focus on the water slides etc..which are excellent for those who like that, the pools themselves are smaller and you need to climb in using a ladder...like you would for an above ground pool at home. Not difficult, but I was surprised at the difference at first.

 

I am not sure what kind of cabin you typically are in, but we typically sail balconies...and the balcony cabins on NCL are bigger and have a sofabed/sitting area.

Balcony size is comparable.

Amenities are comparable

Service is comparable

 

Entertainment:

Night shows are comparable as far as quality..both lines do an excellent job.

 

NCL does a lot of "gameshow" type things..which are a lot of fun..the not so newly wed one is a HOOT!

 

They do not do many of the demonstrations and enrichment classes like princess does.

 

There is LOTS of music and dancing of varies types (more or less depending on the ship..probably more on Spirit since it is an older smaller ship)

 

Lots of smaller venue concerts..similar to Princess

 

There are several threads with "dailies" (same as princess patter) if you search for one of those you will get a very good idea of the types of entertainment offered.

 

There is no "afternoon tea" on NCL...no formal tea..there is always food available lol

 

There tend to be more kids on NCL, but they have some dedicated adult only areas (if you are not traveling with kids)

The adult pools and areas are not as good, unless you pay extra for the spa areas.

 

The thermal spas are not as good...and they do not adhere to spa etticate (translated...people can be loud/talking, etc..not peaceful unless you are there when no one else is.) They are also a LOT more expensive.

 

We decided for our cruise in JAn to upgrade to an Aft balcony instead of get the spa pass. I was very annoyed, last cruise because I am a "spa girl" and expect quiet and relaxation, since I am in the minority this time we won't spend the money on the spa passes and will enjoy the peace and quiet on our aft balcony instead :-)

 

 

NCL has a Chocolate buffet that is famous.

It is beautiful, and is one evening typically for an hour. (this week I had a survey come in from Princess and one of the questions they asked was weather a choc buffet was something guests would enjoy...they have obviously heard about the popularity of NCL's)

 

 

The over all quality of the two lines is very similar,

but the "vibe" on NCL is MUCH more casual.

and because there are so many kids it can be much more noisy around the pools and in the buffet.

 

We avoid the buffet as much as possible and the main pool and can always find quiet spots when we want to

 

Having said that...the smaller ships do not tend to have as many kids because the larger ships have more activities geared towards the younger families

NCL has a LOT of smaller snack and light meal options scattered about the ships..less on the smaller ships, but still lots of choice.

 

The Spirit will be a good choice for you...the smaller older ships tend to be closer to what a princess experience is. As do all the Jewel Class ships.

 

You will have a wonderful time....it will be different than what you are used to, but not different bad, as long as you know ahead of time what to expect.

When we do bigger, longer trips we like princess when we want a relaxed getaway..we sail NCL. Both are excellent lines with very good service, food and entertainment.

 

Both have their fans, both have those who really dislike them..but for those who are open to different types of cruising .. more relaxed, vs more formal not better or worse, they will enjoy both equally as well.

 

Thank you for this info!! I too am Platinum with Princess (also 5 cruises with Carnival & 2 with RCCL). Will be doing my first NCL cruise on the Jewel in Feb. I didn't know about the atriums & the pools being smaller than Princess. They are saltwater on NCL right?

[lolane1]

Realtorlady42 -

Thank you very much for taking the time to write such a comprehensive comparison between NCL and Princess. I am looking forward to our NCL cruise.

[mypleasure]

I see that you will be getting on as we get off.

 

The Spirit is a lovely ship with a great crew. Cruises with NCL are more laid back and left to your own choice than some of the other lines.

 

This is a January cruise that involves sailing in the North Atlantic so it will be far different from a Caribbean cruise. We sailed Feb 6th last year on the same itinerary (Tenerife instead of Morocco) and it was rough and quite cold. I never once wore shorts and sundresses are probably not needed. I doubt you will see anyone in shorts and flip flops during the daytime let alone the evenings... maybe at the ports but I don't think it is warm enough for such attire on sea days. Bring a warm and waterproof coat. Seasick stuff if you are prone to it.

 

There will be a lot of British and German passengers on board and so most people will change into smart casual as a minimum at night, some will be wearing jeans and so forth but not shorts. It is the way the people of these two counties are and that is not meant as any kind of jibe or insult at anyone. I don't care how folk dress, it is up to them, I just concentrate on my own dinner companions and food.

 

There will be few if any kids onboard of school age. Maybe a few babies and toddlers. The buffet can be crowded in the daytime as many people take over tables because it is not good to sit outside. Pool deck tends to be deserted.

 

There is a thread here http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1939035 which details a recent cruise and someone has posted dailies online if you want to see them.

[dexddd]

Hi-

I have sailed primarily on Princess (I am Platinum). My mother and I just booked our first NCL cruise on the Spirit in January.

 

While I am very familiar with the Princess product, I know very little about NCL.

 

I would love to know a little more about NCL and the Spirit! Thank you for any responses!:)

Tracie-Lynn

 

I happened to be over on the Princess board this morning and saw your post. NCL was getting pretty beat up over there at that time.

 

We were on the Spirit in 2007 and had read many bad things about the ship before we went. We had a great time and really liked the ship. It is more classic with wood, brass, Asian inspired throughout.

 

Look for a review of the Spirit from computerworks (sp) who has tons of great pics of the ship.

[hpecorari]

I happened to be over on the Princess board this morning and saw your post. NCL was getting pretty beat up over there at that time.

 

We were on the Spirit in 2007 and had read many bad things about the ship before we went. We had a great time and really liked the ship. It is more classic with wood, brass, Asian inspired throughout.

 

Look for a review of the Spirit from computerworks (sp) who has tons of great pics of the ship.

 

 

I, as well, was over there. What made me laugh was when someone said that the waitstaff serve while wearing t-shirts!

 

Harriet

[nets33]

I, as well, was over there. What made me laugh was when someone said that the waitstaff serve while wearing t-shirts!

 

I've seen staff serving wearing t-shirts the night of the White Hot Party - but only at the bars (and not all of them). Of course, they were wearing White Hot Party T-shirts so it didn't even phase me. :D

[hpecorari]

I've seen staff serving wearing t-shirts the night of the White Hot Party - but only at the bars (and not all of them). Of course, they were wearing White Hot Party T-shirts so it didn't even phase me. :D

 

Yes, agree, as I saw that too....

but I don't believe that's what the OP was talking about when they said it! LOL I took it as the wait staff in the restaurants/MDR's.....and the way it was said it seemed like it was the norm.....a daily thing!

 

Harriet

[LegallyBlonder]

I like both lines, as well. For one, the food on Princess is very good, and some accustomed to Princess food are disappointed when they change lines. We avoid this by eating all of our dinners in the specialty restaurants. When eating at those, I find the food comparable to Princess. Some people claim to enjoy the main dining room on NCL, and I hope you do, but if not, the Specialties are generally pretty safe bets. The buffet is fine for grabbing something quick at breakfast or lunch, but you certainly won't be finding Alaskan king crab legs on the buffet on NCL, sailaway or not ;)

 

All that said, I far prefer the "suite life" on NCL, as do my parents who were long-time Princess suite cruisers. I'm not sure if this applies to you on this cruise or not, but good to know in general, I think.

 

Overall, we liked the Spirit- she's a unique ship for NCL.

 

As stated above, NCL is quite a bit more casual than Princess, but I think that pretty much goes without saying, by virtue of their "freestyle" branding, if by no other measure.

[Delbankin]

I'd say NCL is a dumbed down version of the sort of cruise you normally take. We've tried most cruise lines apart from 6 star type and have cruised once on NCL Jade earlier this year and once on Crown Princess several years ago.

 

We take cruise depending on price and itinerary. We might be on Spirit same time as you as we have booked NCL again for our next cruise. Much more relaxed than you are used to. Very little in the way of dressing up which is a pleasant change.

 

Didn't see the point of dress up or not night - some folks all dressed up to the nines next to some guy in jeans and t-shirt isn't my idea of something worth getting dressed up for. We didn't bother packing any suits or dresses but were always smart. Will be the same this time too.

 

We found the quality of food generally on a par with other lines and didn't use any speciality restaurants on Jade. The staff were always happy at their work and efficient too.

 

Not sure we expect the weather to be as cold as mentioned in a recent post and will certainly be packing our shorts. Mind you, being from Scotland, any blink of sunshine in winter is a bonus. Only issue might be the sea conditions which could be a little rocky but we're hoping for the best on that front and looking forward to chilling out post Xmas.

[newmexicoNita]

Hi-

I have sailed primarily on Princess (I am Platinum). My mother and I just booked our first NCL cruise on the Spirit in January.

 

While I am very familiar with the Princess product, I know very little about NCL.

 

I would love to know a little more about NCL and the Spirit! Thank you for any responses!:)

Tracie-Lynn

 

just a couple of things: 1-do not play the comparison game, you lose every time. Remember all lines are different and have their pros and cons. and second, the Spirit, though a very popular ship, is not like most of the NCL ships.. Again, it offers some unique qualities and yet is lacking in other areas. The cabins are tiny, but the ship is beautiful even though it is a bit older.

 

I would recommend you try the Asian restaurant; we love it.

 

I also think you will find the crew the friendliest at sea or we have anyway. The casual dress code is very important to us. It saves so much packing.

 

What I do like about Princess: they have a few more on board activities and more variety of entertainment, but we like the actual entertainment on NCL better and the showrooms are better size. It seems on Princess we have to get to the showroom 1/2 before show time to get a seat, not so on NCL.

 

The first few Princess cruises we thought the food was better than NCL, our last cruise it wasn't that great. We live the specialty dining on NCL better than Princess and the buffets are better on NCL, we think. the MDR dinners on Princess are a little better than NCL.

 

Drinks are a little less expensive on Princess, but only a few cents.

 

Again, you are going to find some things better, some not. Of course being elite with Princess does make a difference.

Edited November 14, 2013 by newmexicoNita

[newmexicoNita]

I happened to be over on the Princess board this morning and saw your post. NCL was getting pretty beat up over there at that time.

 

We were on the Spirit in 2007 and had read many bad things about the ship before we went. We had a great time and really liked the ship. It is more classic with wood, brass, Asian inspired throughout.

 

Look for a review of the Spirit from computerworks (sp) who has tons of great pics of the ship.

 

I have to say, this is the one aspect of Princess I can't stand: the passengers are anti any line but Princess much of the time and they are very defensive.

[TracieABD]

Hi-

Wow! I am totally overwhelmed!

I just got home from work to see a great response to my question. I am so grateful for all of the information, hints and tips ya'all shared. That is quite a welcome!:)

 

I do want you to know, I am super open-minded about NCL AND I like a change now and again. I think this will be great fun.

 

We are staying in a suite, and I think NCL suite perks are awesome! On Princess, you get unlimited laundry. I am not sure about NCL.

 

I do like food. I may even be a bit of a foodie. With that said, food will not make or break a cruise for me. I can be just as happy with a banana and toast as I can be with Beef Wellington and a soufflé.

 

I am really excited for this adventure!

 

Keep the tips and ideas coming! I am so appreciative!:)

Tracie-Lynn

[realtorlady42]

Thank you for this info!! I too am Platinum with Princess (also 5 cruises with Carnival & 2 with RCCL). Will be doing my first NCL cruise on the Jewel in Feb. I didn't know about the atriums & the pools being smaller than Princess. They are saltwater on NCL right?

 

 

My pleasure :)

 

I find the secret to a great holiday is to have correct expectations. When we know what to expect there tends to be less disappointment.

 

Now you know the major differences and won't be surprised/disappointed as a result. :-)

 

We are sailing on the Jewel in January...we are doing just under a week in New Orleans before then our itinerary is Belize, Roatan Costa Maya and Cozumel.. REALLY looking forward to that cruise.

There is a thread that has the dailies (patter) for the Jewel this season for that itinerary. If that is the one you are doing you may enjoy looking at them.

If so let me know and I will post a link for you :)