New to NCL-which line do you compare it most to?

[sjde]

We are thinking of booking our first NCL cruise on the Breakaway to go to Bermuda. Which other line is it most like, would you say? (I hope you don't say Carnival!) We've been on RCCL, HAL, Princess, Celebrity , Azamara and Oceania. We liked them all . (Thought Princess had the best food, but all were good). I think NCL is like Carnival in that their décor is bright rather than refined/subdued? Someone told me we are likely to be disappointed after being on those others! :(

[happy cruzin]

We are thinking of booking our first NCL cruise on the Breakaway to go to Bermuda. Which other line is it most like, would you say? (I hope you don't say Carnival!) We've been on RCCL, HAL, Princess, Celebrity , Azamara and Oceania. We liked them all . (Thought Princess had the best food, but all were good). I think NCL is like Carnival in that their décor is bright rather than refined/subdued? Someone told me we are likely to be disappointed after being on those others! :(

I doubt it!

The Breakaway is a fantastic ship - the décor is bright, airy and resort like. Not at all like the old neon of the Farcus days of Carnival.

[S&S Cruisers 1983]

I doubt it!

The Breakaway is a fantastic ship - the décor is bright, airy and resort like. Not at all like the old neon of the Farcus days of Carnival.

 

I agree. I have only been on Carnival once and the Breakaway was nothing like the Carnival ship. It does have a resort like feel to it.

[Ilovesailing]

Have done one carnival cruise from hell from the minute we stepped foot in our room to the time we got off the ship, just too many issues to list.

Have done close to three dozen with NCL. Love the ships because the decor isn't over the top or gaudy, love the selection of specialty restaurants which we only eat dinner at and the best of all is the overall freestyle concept resort casual.

[sjde]

Thanks for reassuring me!

 

ilovesailing--So is the main dining room food not that good, that you eat only in the specialty restaurants?

[TrumpyNor]

Thanks for reassuring me!

 

ilovesailing--So is the main dining room food not that good, that you eat only in the specialty restaurants?

 

I would say that the MDR food is good, and the specialty restaurant food fantastic.... :)

My personal preferences among the NCL specialty restaurants is Le Bistro (French) and the Asian Fusion.

Edited April 5, 2014 by TrumpyNOR

[mrobstad]

I agree that MDR is ok, speciality restaurants fantastic!

 

 

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[sjde]

Are they difficult to get in? It looks like you can't reserve online ahead unless you have a large group.

 

Can you reserve when you board?

Is there a charge for some of them?

[Ilovesailing]

Thanks for reassuring me!

 

ilovesailing--So is the main dining room food not that good, that you eat only in the specialty restaurants?

 

The specialty restaurants have higher end dishes such as Coq au vin,

lamb, great salmon, large selection of appetizers like large shrimp cocktail, escargot, mushroom soup. too many to list. And there are enough restaurants to last a week.

We both room in the service industry so for us this is a real treat plus like think the staff from Maitre'D to the servers are more attentive.

 

There is nothing wrong with the food MDR it's just not for us and we don't like to be rushed.

And we absolutely hate buffet of any type but will eat breakfast and lunch there because it's faster.

 

If we didn't have the restaurant selection I don't think we would be cruising.

 

I will say that we did find the steakhouse far better on Freedom than NCL ships.

[sjde]

I have never felt rushed in the MDR on any cruise ship/cruise line.

[Ilovesailing]

Are they difficult to get in? It looks like you can't reserve online ahead unless you have a large group.

 

Can you reserve when you board?

Is there a charge for some of them?

 

We never make reservations in advance because you really just don't know what you feel like eating till the day, also issues like what time will you get back to the ship, what time are the shows and other entertainment. Usually when we make reservations the day we get the time we want maybe 15 min. window.

[Ilovesailing]

I have never felt rushed in the MDR on any cruise ship/cruise line.

 

Well are dinners will go at least two hours with a bottle of wine or two if we don't order drinks. I would not feel comfortable taking a table up for that amt of time when they line up outside the entrance.

[Out to sea!]

I felt the Epic (with the exception of the tiny cabin) was similar to a cross between the Carnival Conquest class ships and the RCCL Mariner of the Seas. Just my two cents worth.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Out to sea!

[Prinycesa07]

I actually like Carnival and didnt find NCL and Carnival that different. *Shrug*.

 

My sister has been on NCL, Carnival and Royal. NCL is her fav followed by Carnival. She did not like Royal. All subjective.

[Cruisercl]

I actually like Carnival and didnt find NCL and Carnival that different. *Shrug*.

 

My sister has been on NCL, Carnival and Royal. NCL is her fav followed by Carnival. She did not like Royal. All subjective.

 

I totally agree; it is all subjective. :) I have cruised on many of the larger cruise lines and each has their good points and each has their not so good points. IMO the food on each cruise line carries the same point.

 

I would say that overall they do a pretty good job on serving the amount of meals they do in the MDRs; I have also had poor food in a specialty restaurant. Not everyone is looking for or likes the same thing.

Give NCL a try, I have been cruising for over 30 years and IMO it is a good product including the food.

 

Enjoy what ever you decide to do, you are on a cruise!!! :D:D

Happy and safe cruising!!!

[nbsjcruiser]

We're fans of RCL and to us NCL is a good comparison.

[halos]

I find NCL to be unique...I love the things that make it different and yes, it is very different from Carnival.

NCL's Freestyle dining is so much better than the other lines imitation of it. I have heard that the food on Princess is better but I can't compare as I haven't sailed Princess yet. I will say that I enjoy the food on NCL and the entertainment (imo) is fabulous.

The crew are what I feel sets NCL apart...they are efficient without being stuffy (I found Celebrity crew too uptight for my comfort). NCL crew seem to love what they do and it reflects in their work.

Edited April 5, 2014 by halos

[TrumpyNor]

Are they difficult to get in? It looks like you can't reserve online ahead unless you have a large group.

 

Can you reserve when you board?

Is there a charge for some of them?

 

You can reserve tables in any of the specialty restaurants online on myncl when it is 45 days or less until your cruise starts. And yes, you can also make reservations when you are on board. Up until now it has not really been a need to make a reservation in advance in any specialty restaurant (except maybe the Teppenyaki), if you were a little flexible about dining times you could get a table without reservation - but now that they are selling the UDP (dining package with only specialty restaurants) that might change a little...

Edited April 5, 2014 by TrumpyNOR

[medsed]

Our one and only cruise was last fall on the Carnival Pride, and while I won't go into all of the details suffice it to say that we will never, short of a freebie, do carnival again. We had huge issues with our cabin, and the customer service was extremely poor in dealing with the issues. We are traveling on the Gem in a penthouse suite in October, I am certainly hoping beyond all hope that this will be a much better experience.

 

We learned that we love the cruise concept, for that we are thankful for our first cruise...the rest of the trip we would rather forget...please, please, please let NCL do a better job

[Valen9]

We are traveling on the Gem in a penthouse suite in October, I am certainly hoping beyond all hope that this will be a much better experience.

 

The Gem is a great ship and I'm sure you'll be well taken care of in the penthouse suite. Be sure to go visit the Bridge Viewing Room and the Gem mermaid!

[4774Papa]

We have done both NCL and Celebrity. We started with NCL but went to Celebrity because it cruised to South America, Asia, Australia, British Isles, Black Sea, etc.

 

Now NCL has plans for SA and British Isles.

 

We like the NCL specialty restaurants and the entertainment. Celebrity's MDR food is better.

 

Still, we go mainly on itinerary and compare prices as well. NCL tends to be a bit cheaper than Celebrity.

 

There are more similarities with the cruise lines than differences. Many of the cruise lines now offer specialty restaurants and dine when and where you want, like NCL's freestyle.