Please educate me on sailing NCL.

[stargate fan]

Hello everyone.

As you can see by my signature, we have sailed Carnival a lot and Royal Caribbean a little. Hubby and I are entertaining the idea of trying NCL for something different.

 

Please do not bash any other cruise line. We enjoy sailing Carnival and already have more cruises booked.

 

That said, my adult ADHD has reared its ugly head and I am having trouble going through review after review and making sense of what I am reading.

 

*We are an active couple in our mid-50's.

*Our idea of a perfect cruise is a balcony cabin, on a high deck, for watching the ocean below us pass by and for napping, a deck chair in the sun for me and one in the shade for my hubby in an adult area, and a pool in which to cool off, also in an adult area.

*We appreciate those who work hard to keep our stateroom clean, serve us good food, remove our dishes when we are done, and entertain us.

*We have no interest in paying extra for food nor entertainment.

*We realize that we'll be starting off on NCL as peons, which will feel weird since we are Platinum on Carnival and enjoy the perks afforded us. We're up for the challenge. :D

*For those who are familiar with Carnival, the Spirit class of ships is my favorite while the Dream class is hubby's.

 

That's us in a nutshell.

 

Please help us by explaining the different ships, what dining options are included in the fare, what kind of evening entertainment is available and is also included in the fare.

 

I know this is a lot to ask. Thanks for reading and for any info you can give us.

 

Cheers!

[mrobstad]

You'll get crucified by most for not finding that info on these boards. I'll try to help. I've only cruised on the newer NCL ships and the older RCCL and Carnival ships, so I'm comparing apples to oranges. The newer NCL ships offer a variety of dining options. For me, personally, it's worth the $119 pp for the UDP cuz those restaurants are terrific and worth the upcharge. But, there are several free restaurants in addition to the buffet. You can go to an adults only swim area called H2O, but again, I prefer paying extra for Vibe, an adults only area as well that only sells 60 passes for $79 pp. The entertainment on new NCL ships surpasses older ships with college singers and dancers and third rate magicians and comedians. Most people choose NCL because of freestyle dining. If I had to eat in the main dining rooms, I'd say I prefer set dining times and dinner companions, which has worked out better 90% of the time. The newer ships also have a pub called O Sheehans which offers nice snacks send sandwiches 24 hours. Finally, NCL has no formal night and people are quite casual. Hope this helps![emoji41]

[legion3]

We enjoyed our NCL Cruise on the Dawn, which is roughly the Spirit class sized ship. We did the Legend prior to the Dawn. We enjoyed both ships.

 

I prefer early set dining so I Give CCL a + for that. (most want open seating style)

 

Kids club had better rules and hours on CCL so another + for them. (that may mean nothing in your shoes) No putt putt on Dawn but we ended up playing it only once on the legend.

 

We preferred the MDR on CCL but loved the max choice of specialty eats on NCL, although they were hit and miss sometimes.

 

We really loved having a suite on NCL and so that may have been the biggest factor, would love to do the haven but...to much $ for us, even with the kids sailing free.

 

 

We will be doing the Breeze next month and then the NCL Escape next year so both lines mega ships are in our future.

 

NCL's special offer of unlimited specialty dining and the kids sailing free was to good to pass up and CCL didn't have a really good choice next year the week we have to sail and RCCL is just to much $ during that week.

 

I think you will like NCL but in many ways it's not CCL but in many ways they are quite similar. BUT if you aren't interested in paying for extra for food then you may be slightly disappointed with NCL. I know I would.

Edited March 8, 2015 by legion3

[sarlin]

We have been on CCL, RCCL, and NCL. We too are a couple in our 50's. We were on the Getaway last September and I'm happy to say we are booked on her again this September!!! Why? Because we had a wonderful time-The best cruise ever for us. The Entertainment was awesome-Dueling Pianos was 70s rock and roll, the comedians were great and the Grammy Experience with the live Jazz was fantastic! The food-fantastic-and the service was great- I checked our mailbox this morning and we received a flyer from Princess for some awesome cruise deals-I asked my husband if he wanted to switch and he said"no Way"---He said he loves NCL and UBP makes it that much more attractive for us

[hypercafe]

We like NCL for the freestyle concept and the all resort casual dress. If you like going to a pool I would be careful of the mega ships as the pool deck is very crowded with a water park and a very small pool. The smaller ships are more traditional. Food is good in the included restaurants while excellent for the most part in the extra pay ones. choice is great. We find the shows, mix of people, condition of the ship and service to be fine. Give them a try.

 

Sent from my SM-T320 using Forums mobile app

[lisakoivu]

I have only sailed on ncl and carnival. I have sailed ncl about six times. I have never paid extra for a "meal" though I have paid for coffee, snacks at noodle bar and carlos bake shop on occasion. I think most will agree entertainment is better on ncl. If you love set dining times and eating with a large group of people and having same waiter each night, you may not like ncl...but I absolutely love freestyle dining, eat when and where I want with my own group of people.

 

I did splurge for adults area only pass this past Christmas and now I would always try to get it. But that is the only large extra at $99 pp that I would get, otherwise I am fine with what is included in cruise fare onboard. If you want this pass, available on the large ships and called posh or vibe pass, get there early, like 9:30 or so, as they are first come first served.

 

Which line you will prefer comes down to preferred dining style, I think, otherwise pretty much the same....but for my hubby, carnival dining system is a deal breaker, lol, so I will be sailing ncl for life...or until I get a different husband!

[stargate fan]

You'll get crucified by most for not finding that info on these boards. I'll try to help. I've only cruised on the newer NCL ships and the older RCCL and Carnival ships, so I'm comparing apples to oranges. The newer NCL ships offer a variety of dining options. For me, personally, it's worth the $119 pp for the UDP cuz those restaurants are terrific and worth the upcharge. But, there are several free restaurants in addition to the buffet. You can go to an adults only swim area called H2O, but again, I prefer paying extra for Vibe, an adults only area as well that only sells 60 passes for $79 pp. The entertainment on new NCL ships surpasses older ships with college singers and dancers and third rate magicians and comedians. Most people choose NCL because of freestyle dining. If I had to eat in the main dining rooms, I'd say I prefer set dining times and dinner companions, which has worked out better 90% of the time. The newer ships also have a pub called O Sheehans which offers nice snacks send sandwiches 24 hours. Finally, NCL has no formal night and people are quite casual. Hope this helps![emoji41]

 

Thanks for not crucifying me. ;)

 

Can you please tell me what $79 gets us at Vibe?

[stargate fan]

We enjoyed our NCL Cruise on the Dawn, which is roughly the Spirit class sized ship. We did the Legend prior to the Dawn. We enjoyed both ships.

 

I prefer early set dining so I Give CCL a + for that. (most want open seating style)

 

Kids club had better rules and hours on CCL so another + for them. (that may mean nothing in your shoes) No putt putt on Dawn but we ended up playing it only once on the legend.

 

We preferred the MDR on CCL but loved the max choice of specialty eats on NCL, although they were hit and miss sometimes.

 

We really loved having a suite on NCL and so that may have been the biggest factor, would love to do the haven but...to much $ for us, even with the kids sailing free.

 

 

We will be doing the Breeze next month and then the NCL Escape next year so both lines mega ships are in our future.

 

NCL's special offer of unlimited specialty dining and the kids sailing free was to good to pass up and CCL didn't have a really good choice next year the week we have to sail and RCCL is just to much $ during that week.

 

I think you will like NCL but in many ways it's not CCL but in many ways they are quite similar. BUT if you aren't interested in paying for extra for food then you may be slightly disappointed with NCL. I know I would.

 

I don't think our 27 year old and 24 year old sons would have much interest in the kids club. :eek: :D

 

Thanks for your thoughts on the ships and food.

[luddite]

Cruise Critic is a terrific research tool that will enable you to research all aspects of cruising NCL as well as any other line.

[davy jones]

Hello everyone.

As you can see by my signature, we have sailed Carnival a lot and Royal Caribbean a little. Hubby and I are entertaining the idea of trying NCL for something different.

 

Please do not bash any other cruise line. We enjoy sailing Carnival and already have more cruises booked.

 

That said, my adult ADHD has reared its ugly head and I am having trouble going through review after review and making sense of what I am reading.

 

*We are an active couple in our mid-50's.

*Our idea of a perfect cruise is a balcony cabin, on a high deck, for watching the ocean below us pass by and for napping, a deck chair in the sun for me and one in the shade for my hubby in an adult area, and a pool in which to cool off, also in an adult area.

*We appreciate those who work hard to keep our stateroom clean, serve us good food, remove our dishes when we are done, and entertain us.

*We have no interest in paying extra for food nor entertainment.

*We realize that we'll be starting off on NCL as peons, which will feel weird since we are Platinum on Carnival and enjoy the perks afforded us. We're up for the challenge. :D

*For those who are familiar with Carnival, the Spirit class of ships is my favorite while the Dream class is hubby's.

 

That's us in a nutshell.

 

Please help us by explaining the different ships, what dining options are included in the fare, what kind of evening entertainment is available and is also included in the fare.

 

I know this is a lot to ask. Thanks for reading and for any info you can give us.

 

Cheers!

 

We are similar to what you describe, except that we tend to get our sun and shade in spaces away from the crowds and noise of the pool areas. NCL fits us very nicely.

 

Most NCL ships (except EPIC, Breakaway, and Getaway) are in the same size range as the Spirit class, with similar ameneties.

 

There are ample dining options with no additional charge on NCL Jewel class. Two MDRs, good buffet, and a 24 hour sit down restaurant.

 

During the day, entertainment is similar to Carnival and Royal. (Pool Games, Trivia, Bingo, etc.)

 

Nighttime entertainment on NCL is significantly better than Carnival (since their 2.0 changes)

 

We sail 1 to 2x per year and spread the wealth, so our perks are minimal on all and not a big deal to us.

[zacdilone]

As someone who is also new to NCL, I'm wondering if there could be a "sticky" thread called "Info for first-time NCL cruisers" or something like that. It could contain a lot of the information that gets repeatedly asked about on here.

 

Or is there a different place where that information is available, and I just haven't seen it? The "First Time Cruisers" page was very helpful for me, but I'm thinking a hub of NCL-specific info.

[ColinIllinois]

As someone who is also new to NCL, I'm wondering if there could be a "sticky" thread called "Info for first-time NCL cruisers" or something like that. It could contain a lot of the information that gets repeatedly asked about on here.

 

Or is there a different place where that information is available, and I just haven't seen it? The "First Time Cruisers" page was very helpful for me, but I'm thinking a hub of NCL-specific info.

 

 

Reasonable idea but a sticky thread would do no good because people would just ignore it and ask their questions just like they do when the same questions has already been asked twice on the first page. It happens every day.

 

The best place for people to start is on NCL.com. First check out the Frequently Asked Questions section. Tons of good info there. Then check out the ships section to see what is on board and if it appeals to you. Each ship includes sections with information on dining (complimentary venues, surcharge venues, sample menus, etc), entertainment and activities.

 

 

Lots of great, helpful posters here with decades of experience.

Edited March 9, 2015 by ColinIllinois

[hockeyluver]

Hello everyone.

As you can see by my signature, we have sailed Carnival a lot and Royal Caribbean a little. Hubby and I are entertaining the idea of trying NCL for something different.

 

Please do not bash any other cruise line. We enjoy sailing Carnival and already have more cruises booked.

 

That said, my adult ADHD has reared its ugly head and I am having trouble going through review after review and making sense of what I am reading.

 

*We are an active couple in our mid-50's.

*Our idea of a perfect cruise is a balcony cabin, on a high deck, for watching the ocean below us pass by and for napping, a deck chair in the sun for me and one in the shade for my hubby in an adult area, and a pool in which to cool off, also in an adult area.

*We appreciate those who work hard to keep our stateroom clean, serve us good food, remove our dishes when we are done, and entertain us.

*We have no interest in paying extra for food nor entertainment.

*We realize that we'll be starting off on NCL as peons, which will feel weird since we are Platinum on Carnival and enjoy the perks afforded us. We're up for the challenge. :D

*For those who are familiar with Carnival, the Spirit class of ships is my favorite while the Dream class is hubby's.

 

That's us in a nutshell.

 

Please help us by explaining the different ships, what dining options are included in the fare, what kind of evening entertainment is available and is also included in the fare.

 

I know this is a lot to ask. Thanks for reading and for any info you can give us.

 

Cheers!

 

WOW you sound like us..... except we are only 50 :D Also jumping ship from only doing Carnival to giving NCL a try. Finding many of the differences between the two lines from reading reviews very confusing ( what is included and what costs extra ) We have never eaten in one of the extra pay steakhouses on Carnival.

 

!!! I will definitly be following along!! We enjoy relaxing out in the sun away from the busy water park/ pool /game area. I am hoping there will be an area where we can just enjoy the sun and go for a swim on the Escape. We just did the Carnival Breeze and loved being out on the lanai area!!

Edited March 9, 2015 by hockeyluver

[laurabegorrah]

Thanks for not crucifying me. ;)

 

Can you please tell me what $79 gets us at Vibe?

 

It basically just gets you access to the adults only sun area. No pools located there, just hot tubs. You also have some nice loungers, dedicated bar, and a slightly more relaxed atmosphere. I think. I've toured the vibe area, but never bought the pass or been in there during a cruise.

 

Spice H2O is also a adults only area. No fee to play here, a few water features and hot tubs - still no actual pool though.

 

Both Vibe and Spice H2O are only on NCLs newer ships - Epic, Breakaway, Getaway, and (coming soon) Escape. If you are looking at Jewel Class or earlier, there aren't really any official adults only outdoor areas.

[awaywego0000]

On the Jewel Class ships you can buy a spa pass. It gives you access to spa area only (no treatments). See older post below.

 

Originally Posted by dwjoe View Post

The Dawn's spa has unheated wooden loungers with a gorgeous view over the stern of the ship. It also has male/female quiet relaxation rooms with upholstered chairs and the same view. And a fairly large indoor pool that wasn't crowded at all.

 

There are robes, juice, tea, and plenty of towels.

 

The men's thermal suite has sauna/steam rooms, showers, hydromassage showers and a pair of Japanese plunge baths (hot and ice cold). The cold bath is a real shocker when you dip. According to my wife, the women's thermal suite is similar except it does not have the plunge baths.

[neighbour_lady44]

We have done a few Carnival cruises and tried NCL and loved it. We have a second NCL booked for April. (Can't wait).

 

We like the casual dress code. No lugging all the fancy stuff to wear one night...

You don't sit with the same people every night - but if you like a waiter in the dining room, you can request their section. if there is room. We found a great server gal last cruise and sat in her section every night. She started saving us tables knowing we would be there soon.

We like the way NCL does the last day of leaving the ship. You pick when you want to leave, there is never line ups on NCL.

For Excursions thru NCL you all gather at the theatre and your groups leave from there - no waiting game either.

The muster drill is in the theatre and not on the deck with the ugly float thing. You don't even bring it with you.

I didn't find the towel hoggers as bad on NCL either...or was I just lucky?

Edited March 9, 2015 by neighbour_lady44

[mizLORInj]

What NCL ships are you considering? The Breakaway, Getaway and Escape (though not arriving till the fall) are the newest with the most modern technology and most sedate decor, as well as largest cabins. If you're comparing Carnival to any other NCL ships, the Carnival cabins are larger.

 

We tried out NCL in 2009 after cruising Carnival (my very first 3 cruises, plus many more--platinum too), Royal Caribbean and Princess. Later added Celebrity and Disney to the mix and I have liked all. I've learned that I like variety!

 

I have had good service on all the lines. The shows on NCL I find to be the most entertaining, though Punchliners on Carnival is good too. (Carnival shows the past couple years have gotten worse and worse IMO. We always find something to do, or do nothing at all and watch the sea go by from our balcony.

 

On NCL we rarely eat at an upcharge restaurant, though we have tried them out over the years. Their main dining room food as well as the buffet are satisfying enough for us. I wasn't sure I'd like the "freestyle" concept after years of fixed dining, but it really works fine.

 

Best thing is to try it out for yourself. I'm very glad I did.

[RuthlessBoss]

If you go, and like it, you can buy a future cruise certificate for $250. For buying one, they'll take $100 off your current cruise bill. They are good for 4 years as a full $250 for deposit on your next cruise. You do not book another cruise while on board like you do on Carnival.

[Carnac767]

Just a point of clarification, the Spirit is NCL's smallest ship, at 73,000 tons. Next in size is the Sun Class (Sun and Sky), tipping the scales at 78,000 tons. The Dawn Class (Dawn and Star), at 92,000 tons, is nearly the same size as the Jewel Class (Jewel, Gem, Jade, and Pearl). The new Breakaway Class (Breakaway, Getaway, and soon-to-be Escape (Breakaway Plus)) are 150,000 tons and upwards. Spirit, the Sun class, and the Dawn class don't have the Haven.

 

None of NCL's ships are old. In maritime terms, a ten-year-old ship is brand new. Some are just older than others, but the way some refer to the older ships, you'd think they're crewed by galley slaves and serve salt pork and peas in the galley. And even the SMALL ships are big ships.

 

Our favorite is the Jewel class. Their suites are the best value in the industry, or so we've found. We usually dine at least once in Le Bistro and once in Cagney's, because we've found their food to be excellent. But we've always found the food in the MDRs to good to really good. Let me put it this way, I've never seen any passenger on the verge of starvation on any cruise.

 

I've yet to cruise on the new class (yet) but it's easy to see that because of their size, they're able to offer more entertainment venues. Go to youtube and you'll find a lot of great video on the new ships. You'll find a lot of video on all the ships, for that matter, which ought to help you decide which one's you'd like to try.

 

NCL is running some great offers this month with choices of Unlimited Beverage, Unlimited Dining, Onboard Credit, and Prepaid gratuities, depending upon what type cabin you book (the full whack if you book a suite).

 

From your personal description, you seem the type of cruiser who will have a good time no matter what cruise line you sail with. I doubt you'll be disappointed with Norwegian.

[stargate fan]

We have been on CCL, RCCL, and NCL. We too are a couple in our 50's. We were on the Getaway last September and I'm happy to say we are booked on her again this September!!! Why? Because we had a wonderful time-The best cruise ever for us. The Entertainment was awesome-Dueling Pianos was 70s rock and roll, the comedians were great and the Grammy Experience with the live Jazz was fantastic! The food-fantastic-and the service was great- I checked our mailbox this morning and we received a flyer from Princess for some awesome cruise deals-I asked my husband if he wanted to switch and he said"no Way"---He said he loves NCL and UBP makes it that much more attractive for us

 

Thanks for the positive information.

 

What is UBP, please?

[stargate fan]

We like NCL for the freestyle concept and the all resort casual dress. If you like going to a pool I would be careful of the mega ships as the pool deck is very crowded with a water park and a very small pool. The smaller ships are more traditional. Food is good in the included restaurants while excellent for the most part in the extra pay ones. choice is great. We find the shows, mix of people, condition of the ship and service to be fine. Give them a try.

 

Sent from my SM-T320 using Forums mobile app

 

We are getting more convinced to try NCL. The pools on the big Carnival shops also tend to get very crowded. Thanks for the pool info.

[stargate fan]

I have only sailed on ncl and carnival. I have sailed ncl about six times. I have never paid extra for a "meal" though I have paid for coffee, snacks at noodle bar and carlos bake shop on occasion. I think most will agree entertainment is better on ncl. If you love set dining times and eating with a large group of people and having same waiter each night, you may not like ncl...but I absolutely love freestyle dining, eat when and where I want with my own group of people.

 

I did splurge for adults area only pass this past Christmas and now I would always try to get it. But that is the only large extra at $99 pp that I would get, otherwise I am fine with what is included in cruise fare onboard. If you want this pass, available on the large ships and called posh or vibe pass, get there early, like 9:30 or so, as they are first come first served.

 

Which line you will prefer comes down to preferred dining style, I think, otherwise pretty much the same....but for my hubby, carnival dining system is a deal breaker, lol, so I will be sailing ncl for life...or until I get a different husband!

 

We used to like only the assigned dining times. Then we tried Your Time Dining on Carnival. We could go anytime between 5:30 and 9:45 P.M. We're hooked now! Sounds like we would enjoy the Freestyle Dining on NCL.

 

Thanks.

[stargate fan]

We are similar to what you describe, except that we tend to get our sun and shade in spaces away from the crowds and noise of the pool areas. NCL fits us very nicely.

 

Most NCL ships (except EPIC, Breakaway, and Getaway) are in the same size range as the Spirit class, with similar ameneties.

 

There are ample dining options with no additional charge on NCL Jewel class. Two MDRs, good buffet, and a 24 hour sit down restaurant.

 

During the day, entertainment is similar to Carnival and Royal. (Pool Games, Trivia, Bingo, etc.)

 

Nighttime entertainment on NCL is significantly better than Carnival (since their 2.0 changes)

 

We sail 1 to 2x per year and spread the wealth, so our perks are minimal on all and not a big deal to us.

 

This is great info, thanks.

 

Re: Carnival's nighttime entertainment...You are right. That's one of the reasons we are looking elsewhere.

[stargate fan]

Cruise Critic is a terrific research tool that will enable you to research all aspects of cruising NCL as well as any other line.

 

Which is why I'm here. Everyone has been very kind in sharing information.

[stargate fan]

As someone who is also new to NCL, I'm wondering if there could be a "sticky" thread called "Info for first-time NCL cruisers" or something like that. It could contain a lot of the information that gets repeatedly asked about on here.

 

Or is there a different place where that information is available, and I just haven't seen it? The "First Time Cruisers" page was very helpful for me, but I'm thinking a hub of NCL-specific info.

 

Reasonable idea but a sticky thread would do no good because people would just ignore it and ask their questions just like they do when the same questions has already been asked twice on the first page. It happens every day.

 

The best place for people to start is on NCL.com. First check out the Frequently Asked Questions section. Tons of good info there. Then check out the ships section to see what is on board and if it appeals to you. Each ship includes sections with information on dining (complimentary venues, surcharge venues, sample menus, etc), entertainment and activities.

 

 

Lots of great, helpful posters here with decades of experience.

 

I admit that I'm one of those who don't even think about the sticky threads. :o