Is going on a cruise luxury at bottom tier?

[Mommypig]

although our favorite way to cruise is with a balcony, we would rather cruise more so we now choose based upon how much we really think we will be in the room. If all we are doing is sleeping there, as in a very port intensive cruise, we will go with interior or ocean view. Doing some awesome scenic cruising and we will spend the money on a balcony.

 

One tip for interior cabins. Turn your TV on to the bridge cam channel. That way you always know what time of day it is outside.

 

Dont be sucked in by the shops and photographers. And get your manicure pedicure at home.

 

I like Diet Pepsi in a can, so I bring on 2 twelve packs for a 7 day cruise. I don't do alcohol, but my friends who cruise limit themselves to one drink of the day by the pool on sea days, and wine with dinner.

 

Have a great cruise!

 

 

 

 

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[Love my butler]

Good morning all,

 

I've been doing a lot of research because I am about to book my first cruise for next month. I am really young and while I can afford to go, I can basically only afford to go at the bottom tier. Cheapest rooms, not much shopping at ports, etc.

 

So after all my reading, I can't help but notice..

"Soda is not included, cost extra"

"you can go to some areas of the ship unless you have VIP etc. "

"buffet is free, but other food cost extra"

"coffee costs money"

 

So it makes me think, if you book a cruise and go with the cheapest options, basic room, no extra packages, etc. Is it even luxury? Does it feel like luxury? Or does it feel like some cheap hotel you stay at in Dallas between flights?

 

Is the buffet like Denny's and Old Country Buffet or is it actually decent? Can I do the bowling and climbing wall or is that expensive?

 

I guess my concern is that we will get there thinking we have all inclusive food etc, but the food will be so bad that we are forced to buy food instead. Does the buffet menu change daily? Does it get old?

 

I'm booking with the pearl for the record. Thanks a lot guys...

 

You are correct. Unless you are in a high-end suite cruising is NO longer luxury. The buffet is actually worse than Old Country Buffet. Almost everything you might want to do costs extra. NCL has taken nickel and diming to a whole new level.

 

Your room will be tiny with an uncomfortable bed. The bathroom also tiny. In that regard, worse than a cut-rate motel room. The upside is you will most likely have a very good steward who will keep your room clean.

 

You are buying a bare bones seven day cruise. Anything that might feel 'luxury' will cost you more money at point of sale.

 

Shopping and excursions in Alaska are $$$$$$.

 

I say this because cruising on NCL today is not like it was 10-15 years ago. It is no longer luxury except for a select few who pay lots and lots of $$$$ for the experience.

[cb8]

Soft drink package is worth the extra money in my eyes.

 

Limit access? Only the VIP / vilas area.

 

Your room? Who cares, Its a place to put your head down and shower. Simple as. You will not be spending a lot of time in it.

 

Food, entertainment... You only live once. Go and have fun and don't have any regrets

Edited July 18, 2014 by cb8

[Hikini]

The ship is luxurious in many areas that you do have access to. I don't know which ship you'll be on but the grand atriums, or crystal atriums on all of the ships are beautiful and oft times the focal point when you first step onto the ship. At that point you will probably already have a "wow" moment.

 

The MDR's are elegant - particularly the one at the back of the ship. Many times it seems like you're in a nice hotel in Europe or something.

 

The Spinnaker Lounge, depending on the ship is big and usually decked out in fanciful furniture.

 

Walk around the hallways on all of the decks, visit the spa (even just for a look-see) and you will see luxury and elegance.

 

It may not be fancy in your room but it won't be a dump either.

 

Enjoy yourself - it will be worth what you spent!

[justcake]

Any cruise is a great vacation! My first cruise was oceanview, then we went to balcony, then to a suite, then inside, back to suite and another inside.....you get the point. When we have a special occasion that we are celebrating we like to go all out and book a suite. When we want to add another vacation for the year we book the cheapest cabin we can find. One of our favourite cruises ever was an inside cabin with our 2 daughters. That's 4 of us in an inside cabin after being in the deluxe owners suite the cruise before. A cruise is what you make of it and the cabin is definitely not the beginning and the end. There is always a good meal to find that is included, the shows are great and just relaxing and enjoying the ocean is the best part. I would say go ahead and book the cruise and you will soon realize what an awesome vacation cruising is. Just beware.....it is easy to get hooked on cruising!!!:D

[gcdogwalker]

Our first cruise was on the NCL Majesty out of Boston. I had waited for what seemed like a lifetime to cruise but could never afford it. We had a tiny room on the 4th deck and thought it was the closest to heaven we had ever been. It did have a window and I remember looking out after we left Boston and there was the ocean! I can still remember that day and will never forget it. I would cruise in an inside cabin in a heartbeat and I would love it. That first cruise was the best I have ever had. The Majesty was a wonderful old ship but nothing like the beautiful hotels at sea we have today. It will always be my favorite ship and my favorite cruise. Go on your cruise, don't even worry about the cabin. I've seen them and they are just fine! Have a wonderful time! Your cabin will be just great!

[kcwingwalker]

You are correct. Unless you are in a high-end suite cruising is NO longer luxury. The buffet is actually worse than Old Country Buffet. Almost everything you might want to do costs extra. NCL has taken nickel and diming to a whole new level.

 

Your room will be tiny with an uncomfortable bed. The bathroom also tiny. In that regard, worse than a cut-rate motel room. The upside is you will most likely have a very good steward who will keep your room clean.

 

You are buying a bare bones seven day cruise. Anything that might feel 'luxury' will cost you more money at point of sale.

 

Shopping and excursions in Alaska are $$$$$$.

 

I say this because cruising on NCL today is not like it was 10-15 years ago. It is no longer luxury except for a select few who pay lots and lots of $$$$ for the experience.

 

Have never felt this way on any NCL cruises perhaps it depends on the ship and crew. Combined as a family we have sailed since 2007 on the Spirit, Jewel, Pearl and have the Breakaway booked.

 

Would be interested in your sailing history.:)

[coscab]

There is free coffee, tea, iced tea in the main dining rooms at breakfast lunch and dinner and always available at the buffet. Even with out a butler you can have snacks in your cabin every afternoon if you want, just grab some from the buffet on the way back to your cabin when returning from shore. I wish I knew how to attach menus but if you search cruise critic for menus for the MDR you should find some, we are picky eaters and we always find something yummy to eat, there are many appetizers, main entrees and desserts offered everyday, one side of the menu changes daily and the other side offers the same entrees everyday, plenty to choice from. We ask for the same wait person everyday, by the 2nd day they know what my favorite dessert is and bring me two. We started out with an inside when we were young (many years ago;)) then booked outsides, then balcony and are going to experience our first suite in Dec., be careful, you might become addicted to cruising!:D

[pokerpro5]

Too many NCL/cruising cheerleaders in this thread.

 

The OP asked a reasonable question, and I don't feel like he's getting accurate answers.

 

Sure, there are people who would consider a Deck 4 inside cabin and Main Dining Room meals to be a luxury vacation.

 

Just like there are people living in the jungles of third-world countries who would consider McDonald's a gourmet meal experience.

 

So it's really a matter of taste and what you're used to. But I'm going to answer this from the point of view of a middle-class American who can afford cruise vacations but isn't necessarily doing everything "first class" all the time.

 

No, the bottom-tier-of-everything cruising experience is not luxury. It will not feel like luxury. The food will not impress you, and in fact might be inferior to some meals you've had at lower-end chain restaurants.

 

Can you have a good time anyway? Can you make the best of it? Will you have fun?

 

Yes. Just like I can have fun taking my kid to the city park. But that doesn't mean I'm immersed in luxury at the city park. It just means I've gone somewhere free where I can find fun activities for us.

 

Keep in mind that I am NOT anti-cruising or anti-NCL. I am taking a cruise in 2 weeks on NCL. I took one in December and was impressed enough with NCL to do it again just 8 months later. Overall I like cruising, especially because you can see hard-to-reach places without having to pack/unpack tons of times and don't need to spend your trip at airports.

 

But if you're going on a cruise for the "luxury" experience, that ship has sailed a long time ago, unless you want to pay extra money for better rooms, better perks, and better food.

 

Here are my suggestions on how to improve your cruising experience for very little extra money:

 

1) Get the Ultimate Dining Package. The specialty restaurants are SO much better, and it's just $119. It will make a big difference in your enjoyment of the cruise.

 

2) Wait until the "last minute" to get your stateroom (start looking about 50 days before the cruise, but you may need to wait as close as 14 days). When prices sharply drop, grab a balcony cabin for a heavy discount. You might end up paying LESS for this balcony cabin than you would for an inside cabin more in advance. The balcony cabin is a MUCH nicer experience than the inside, no matter where you go.

 

3) Skip the cruise-run shore excursions, and hire your own private people instead. It will be much more private and personal, and you'll save about 50%.

 

 

EDIT: The buffet actually is surprisingly good for buffet-standards, but "luxury" isn't what comes to mind when I think of it.

Edited July 18, 2014 by pokerpro5

[Love my butler]

Have never felt this way on any NCL cruises perhaps it depends on the ship and crew. Combined as a family we have sailed since 2007 on the Spirit, Jewel, Pearl and have the Breakaway booked.

 

Would be interested in your sailing history.:)

 

If people normally stay at Motel 6 and eat at Taco Bell I think they would be in awe of cruising on NCL. Others, not so much.

 

20+ cruises on NCL and counting.:)

[Demonyte]

2) Wait until the "last minute" to get your stateroom (start looking about 50 days before the cruise, but you may need to wait as close as 14 days). When prices sharply drop, grab a balcony cabin for a heavy discount. You might end up paying LESS for this balcony cabin than you would for an inside cabin more in advance. The balcony cabin is a MUCH nicer experience than the inside, no matter where you go.

 

Now that is a gamble. There are more than enough examples of cruises on popular times (school and national holidays) or popular itineraries where prices have only gone up and never dropped - in those cases one will end paying a lot more IF they even have last minute availability (well, usually there are insides available at least).

 

Just because price drops can happen on off-season cruises or so called "bulk" itineraries on new megaships with almost double as much cabins as most of the fleet, this is definitely not the advice that I'd give to a newbie cruiser in general (without carefully checking the history of selected cruise etc).

Edited July 19, 2014 by Demonyte

[KeithJenner]

I have had some of my most fun vacations on cruises. Fun and luxury are two different things. I will take fun over luxury any day.

 

 

Absolutely.

 

I would never describe NCL as luxury, but they are lots of fun.

 

It you want luxury then another line is probably best (or the Haven on NCL I suppose), but that is a lot more expensive. Otherwise just concentrate on it being fun.

[meglet]

Hi OP

 

As many have said, depends on what your definition of luxury is. From your post, you sound younger, in your 20's, and many would assume a younger person is going on cruises for partying, but maybe you're someone who is quieter, maybe a reader, or a movie buff who grew up with the ideas of cruising being a pampering, luxurious vacation. So just another thought...if peace and quiet is part of your definition of luxury, be really careful about WHEN you book your cruise. 20 years or so ago, cruising was not thought of as a family vacation and there were nowhere near the number of children you'll find today. On a mass market cruiseline in the summer you'll find 1,000+ children and really be searching for a place to sit outside in the quiet. There won't be any sitting on the edge of the pool with your book and your feet in the water.

[Markanddonna]

I have cruised quite a bit and have learned that much of the extras just aren't necessary IMHO. I was on a 14 day transatlantic and worked hard at spending the $100 on board credit. I maybe went $2 over so NCL only made $2 extra on us!

 

We had only one bottle of wine, just a few purchases at the gift shop (meds and such), two beers (wow- drinking is expensive), etc. We find that photos are not important and that the food is just fine, not great, just okay. I also observed the yoga class $ and noted that the instructor was likely a newbie. I did my yoga outside the studio and rolled my eyes at all the people who paid...

 

You will have a great time.

[Barb Nahoumi]

On embarkation day, head for the MDR for lunch rather than the buffet. You will enjoy a seated meal with waiter service. This is so much more relaxing than jockeying for a table in the buffet.

[hscruiser]

I've yet to cruise NCL myself, so I'll try to speak about mass-market cruiselines in general (Royal Caribbean, Carnival, etc.)

 

Is your typical interior/oceanview/balcony cruise going to be "luxury?" No, I don't think so. You probably won't be addressed by your name throughout the ship. You won't have filet and lobster every night. Nobody will be coming around the pool area with frozen fruit. (Where you will get this kind of stuff is in luxury products like the Haven.)

 

I think what's so appealing about cruising is that just about everything is done "well." Is every meal going to blow your mind? Probably not. But you're getting a nice cabin with twice-daily housekeeping, entertainment of (IMO) a very high quality, a variety of food selections, including a buffet that is several steps up from Denny's and the other places you mentioned, all while traveling to some of the most beautiful places in the world. You can have a fantastic vacation even without paying for anything extra above this.

[SailawayKC]

On embarkation day, head for the MDR for lunch rather than the buffet. You will enjoy a seated meal with waiter service. This is so much more relaxing than jockeying for a table in the buffet.

 

 

Best advice I've seen on here. My first cruise on the Pearl, getting on the ship and dealing with my bags, the buffet and finding a seat were the worse part of the trip.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[LrgPizza]

... Nobody will be coming around the pool area with frozen fruit. (Where you will get this kind of stuff is in luxury products like the Haven.)

Uh, yes they will. Don't tell the Haven people who like to think this is their own little luxury, but they also hand out fruit skewers by the main pool. Sshhh!

[hscruiser]

Uh, yes they will. Don't tell the Haven people who like to think this is their own little luxury, but they also hand out fruit skewers by the main pool. Sshhh!

That's certainly not the case on RCI or Carnival...nice! :)

[Steve007NY]

On port days, you can save a lot of money by packing a "lunch to go". What's of cold cuts available at the breakfast buffet which you can eat instead of spending money in restaurants while touring. Happily, I no longer have to live on a shoestring but still frequently do this when I know there going to be long train rides or sometimes just so I can grab a quick bite rather than interrupting exploring the town. A box of Ziploc quart size bags works great for this (we carry them anyway to get through customs, bring home wet bathing suits, or bring food onto the ship from the port in towns with really wonderful fruit or exotic cheeses etc.

[Barb Nahoumi]

You will pay extra for the excursions, price will depend upon whether you choose ship trips or private tours.

 

I recommend ship trips if your port time is limited. You need to be back onboard about 1/2 hr before sailing time. If ship trips run late, the ship will wait for you. If you are on your own, the ship may sail without you. Private tours may save some money, and are great if you have a longer port time. We have done both.

[Swampbabe]

On port days, you can save a lot of money by packing a "lunch to go". What's of cold cuts available at the breakfast buffet which you can eat instead of spending money in restaurants while touring. Happily, I no longer have to live on a shoestring but still frequently do this when I know there going to be long train rides or sometimes just so I can grab a quick bite rather than interrupting exploring the town. A box of Ziploc quart size bags works great for this (we carry them anyway to get through customs, bring home wet bathing suits, or bring food onto the ship from the port in towns with really wonderful fruit or exotic cheeses etc.

 

Absolutely DO NOT do this!!! This is against the law in ports and you may get fined. Worse yet, introduce something into a closed ecosystem.:mad:

Edited July 19, 2014 by Swampbabe

[Fokis]

Hi OP

 

As many have said, depends on what your definition of luxury is. From your post, you sound younger, in your 20's, and many would assume a younger person is going on cruises for partying, but maybe you're someone who is quieter, maybe a reader, or a movie buff who grew up with the ideas of cruising being a pampering, luxurious vacation. So just another thought...if peace and quiet is part of your definition of luxury, be really careful about WHEN you book your cruise. 20 years or so ago, cruising was not thought of as a family vacation and there were nowhere near the number of children you'll find today. On a mass market cruiseline in the summer you'll find 1,000+ children and really be searching for a place to sit outside in the quiet. There won't be any sitting on the edge of the pool with your book and your feet in the water.

 

I guess what I'm looking for is peace and quiet. But, that will be achieved by not bringing my phone on the cruise. :D I'm glad you warned me about the kids... that's going to be tough to deal with I think but I'm hoping this cruise (because it's Alaska) is full of seniors. Old people are the best.

 

 

Thanks a lot to everyone who took the time to reply. I read each and every post :)

[hscruiser]

I guess what I'm looking for is peace and quiet. But, that will be achieved by not bringing my phone on the cruise. :D I'm glad you warned me about the kids... that's going to be tough to deal with I think but I'm hoping this cruise (because it's Alaska) is full of seniors. Old people are the best.

 

There are kids on just about every mainstream cruise now. However, please don't conjure up thoughts of Disney-World-at-sea. There are usually lots of nice, quiet areas of the ship to read and relax. (The promenade deck on non-Breakaway-class ships, for example.)

 

I think you're going to have a fantastic time.

Edited July 20, 2014 by hscruiser

[sparks1093]

There are kids on just about every mainstream cruise now. However, please don't conjure up thoughts of Disney-World-at-sea. There are usually lots of nice, quiet areas of the ship to read and relax. (The promenade deck on non-Breakaway-class ships, for example.)

 

I think you're going to have a fantastic time.

 

On every ship we've been on I have been able to find quiet places even if there were a lot of kids onboard.