? for those who have sailed other lines and NCL before

[FloridaGram]

We have sailed over 20 cruises on Disney, Royal, Carnival and NCL. We own a time share that has points associated with it and we have been able to get reimbursed for cruises if we book through their travel agency. Just as I reach Platinum status to get some perks on another line I was just notified that NCL has been their preferred line and I will have to go there or only get reimbursed 30%. I am sickened by this...It just makes me mad a company can just change the way things are. But that is not the point of my post.

 

Can anyone who prefers NCL over another line tell my why? I need some encouragement since I guess if I cruise this year it will have to be NCL. The maintenance fees have increased so much on the time share that it takes more than our budget for travel so paying for another cruise line is not an option. At least not this year.

[torybruno]

We got rid of our timeshare years ago. We are not cruise line loyal, but if all ports are the same, NCL would be at the bottom of our list. Sorry, I know it's not what you wanted to hear!

[firefighter15]

I like freestyle dining and NCL is budget friendly. Both of my trips on Carnival haven't been as fun. I would like to do Princess next but they seem to be out of my price range.

 

NCL for all its guff about being a young 20 something cruise line, i have never had a bad experience with other passengers. We stay to our self and they younger passengers generally behave and stick to themselves.

[DMH15]

NCL was my first. But that was on the Norway. So, a long time ago...

 

Then I was reintroduced to cruising. Tried Carnival, Celebrity, Royal and then NCL. ON NCL I was introduced to freestyle cruising and loved it. Since then the other lines have added their own version.

 

Then I was introduced to suite cruising and through my research found NCL does it best, or in the top few of mainstream lines. So, booking suites and booking early I quickly reached platinum. Combining perks has added value for me.

 

That being said, I ended up cruising a few years ago on the Carnival Magic in an aft balcony with my sister and it was great! But honestly, I do not see myself cruising NCL in a non-suite room. I would know what I am missing.

 

But, that being said, NCL has lots of dining choices we were not afforded on the other 3 lines I have cruised and I enjoy the variety.

 

Good luck with your choice.

[Sauer-kraut]

I personally prefer NCL over Carnival, I was on the Breeze in 2014 and I didn't enjoy myself as much as I did on the EPIC (although I don't particularly like the ship). If they could put NCL on the Breeze it would be a home run.

 

Also sailed the ship formerly known as Destiny and that was a truly boring cruise. I also perfer the true Freestyle Dining and it is leaps and bounds better than My Time Dining on Carnival.

 

So for me I enjoy Cunard, but will book Norwegian if price is better than Carnival.

[casofilia]

Freestyle Dining and Cost. :D

 

We have had some problems with NCL but they are outweighed by the benefits. :)

 

Mike

[cmdchiefthom]

We got rid of our timeshare years ago. We are not cruise line loyal, but if all ports are the same, NCL would be at the bottom of our list. Sorry, I know it's not what you wanted to hear!

 

Nor have you given your rationale for your answer confused:

[sandancer]

We have cruised on almost all of the mass market cruise lines except Costa and MSC. We only tried Carnival once but have 10 cruises with NCL. We are very easy going and generally enjoy all our cruises. NCL is the most informal and Cunard the most formal. We don't eat in the MDR on NCL very often. We prefer to pay the surcharge for the speciality restaurants on NCL and love the food and service. The entertainment on NCL is very good. Obviously you have to decide for yourself if you want to try NCL but I hope you will enjoy your cruise.

[punkincc]

We have sailed Carnival, Royal, HAL, Celebrity and Princess, most of them more than once. Then, a few years ago, we tried Norwegian and 9 NCL cruises later we have yet to go back to another line.

 

We hated being told when to go to dinner and having to dine with others and the forced formality on the other lines. Most of them now have an "anytime" option, but the majority of the passengers are still early or late dining, and it is absolutely not the same. There is something so luxurious about being able to decide on any given day when and where you feel like eating. Sometimes we dress up a little, dockers and a nice outfit, and sometimes we just feel like going really casual. Only a couple places do not allow shorts. 6 or 7 options for specialty dining, and great dining packages that make it as affordable as @ $20 pp. Complimentry venues are probably 10 or more on the newer ships.

 

And the entertainment is much better than most. Dinner shows, Cabaret shows, Cirque type shows, Comedy, Howl at the Moon, music venues like Fat Cats, shows in the theatre, live music and dance floor in the MDR. So much going on on any given evening it is difficult to make a choice. We have enjoyed the smaller ships, but we love the new ones.

 

Why not give it a try, you might find you like it.

[MBMGWM]

Can anyone who prefers NCL over another line tell my why? I need some encouragement since I guess if I cruise this year it will have to be NCL.

 

I've been critical about some of the changes NCL has made (most recently the Margaritaville change on the Escape), and it seems to me that the tipping/gratuities/daily service charges/whatever are now tending towards the excessive, but on the whole my wife & I still view NCL as our go-to cruise line for what we look for in a cruise - - informality, casual dress, many dining & entertainment options onboard, reasonable cost overall, etc. We've cruised other lines (Carnival, Royal Carib'n, Oceania, Regent, Holland America) and we've enjoyed them all, but we've cruised NCL the most. Whenever I start getting riled at the negative changes NCL has made, I (eventually) stand back and realize the positive changes they've made as well (for example, including the ultimate beverage and dining packages in the cruise fare; multiple high-quality theater shows instead of just one; even the occasional upsell deal that blows me away), and I remember why, overall, I still like NCL.

 

Not that they won't eventually drive me away if they continue making further changes that irritate me, and it doesn't mean that I won't make the occasional negative post here in the future, but for now, on balance, NCL still gets most of our cruise dollars. I'll see if anything changes my mind after our two (b2b) NCL cruises coming up next month!

[FloridaGram]

Thanks to you all. We did the Jewel in AK in 2014 but we did the ultimate dining and never had dinner in the MDR. And AK is such a different cruise so I really feel like I did not have an opinion one way or the other.

 

I had judged that Freestyle dining was not good because I figured you would have to wait in line a lot. Is that the case? We usually go early, when it opens or shortly thereafter.

[OhJinkies]

I've sailed mostly with Carnival, Disney and NCL. I've enjoyed them all for different reasons. I do have to say that NCL spoiled me with their freestyle dining. Being able to eat where/when I want, choose which restaurant/menu sounds most appealing, dine on my own or with others, is something I really enjoy. Dinner on the other cruise lines now feels very restrictive.

The crew is very friendly, I like the ship decor (not as elegant as Disney but not as gaudy as Carnival), and the shows are usually fun.

 

I've never sailed in a suite (though I did visit a DOS on the Epic and it was QUITE grand). I've sailed with balconies, oceanview, interiors, and solo studios.

 

For your first NCL cruise, I'd recommend choosing one of the newer, larger ships (Getaway, Breakaway, Escape) or the Jewel-Class ships (Gem, Jewel, Pearl).

 

My next cruise is on the Carnival Sensation, which sounds like a few steps above a rustbucket, but I just want to get away for a few days at sea and it will be fine. Vacation is what you make of it! Bon Voyage!

Edited January 1, 2016 by OhJinkies

[waterbabies7415]

We have sailed over 20 cruises on Disney, Royal, Carnival and NCL. We own a time share that has points associated with it and we have been able to get reimbursed for cruises if we book through their travel agency. Just as I reach Platinum status to get some perks on another line I was just notified that NCL has been their preferred line and I will have to go there or only get reimbursed 30%. I am sickened by this...It just makes me mad a company can just change the way things are. But that is not the point of my post.

 

Can anyone who prefers NCL over another line tell my why? I need some encouragement since I guess if I cruise this year it will have to be NCL. The maintenance fees have increased so much on the time share that it takes more than our budget for travel so paying for another cruise line is not an option. At least not this year.

 

We also own timeshare and we have used RCI a few times to book cruises but I'd like to hear how you get such a reimbursement...:confused: RCI has so many fees associated we only save a nominal amount-almost breaking even with Manintence fees.

We have cruised other lines but love NCL and freestyle-nobody does it better-then there is the Haven, Wow! we will be sailing in the Haven again in 2017, and we can't wait! You cannot go wrong with NCL's freestyle dining. If you are concerned about a wait, you can make a reservation for the time you would like. Enjoy cruising NCL-we do!!

[NMLady]

...

 

Can anyone who prefers NCL over another line tell my why? I need some encouragement since I guess if I cruise this year it will have to be NCL. The maintenance fees have increased so much on the time share that it takes more than our budget for travel so paying for another cruise line is not an option. At least not this year.

 

Our cruises the past five years have all been on NCL because we like not having to dress up and we like the fact that all dining is freestyle. So no dining room space is reserved for assigned dining. This means very little waiting for a table.

We like that some nights we can ask for a shared table but other nights choose a table for two.

 

We like the entertainment.

[Sauer-kraut]

Thanks to you all. We did the Jewel in AK in 2014 but we did the ultimate dining and never had dinner in the MDR. And AK is such a different cruise so I really feel like I did not have an opinion one way or the other.

 

I had judged that Freestyle dining was not good because I figured you would have to wait in line a lot. Is that the case? We usually go early, when it opens or shortly thereafter.

 

Personally I never had to wait, the most was perhaps 5 minutes and to me that isn't waiting. Since there is no more lobster night that huge line has been eliminated. IF you go at a popular time 6:30-7:30 you might have a wait but you will be given a free drink coupon while waiting to fetch from the bar. Since you tend to eat early I doubt you'll have much if any wait at all.

[Budget Queen]

I find much more similarities between the major cruise lines compared to the differences.

 

ALL have a "freestyle" dining option. I instead take cruises for the itinerary, not the ship or line. I have been on all the majors, and would book any of them, depending on the offers- price, itinerary, time. Doesn't matter to me. I have been on 109 cruises with over 40 on NCL, so a great line in my opinion. :)

[Loucat]

We have sailed on many lines with the exception of Carnival and MSC.

Our most recent cruises have all been on NCL. There are good and not so good points about all cruise lines.

We eat in the MDR or specialty restaurants. I am not a buffet lover!

The good about NCL is their suite perks-if you can nab one, do it. Their crew has always been great on our sailings with good service throughout the ships. Food quality OK.

I am not happy about their recent upcharges but we do not order room service anyway!

The area I like least is on Star and Sun, the main pools are small when you consider the volume of passengers. Star had a large water park installed on the main pool deck which really limits space.

I have read great things about the newer NCL ships and plan to sail on Breakaway in 2016.

Give them a try and enjoy!

[Irene7]

We have cruised NCL, DCL & RCCL. This is how I see it.

 

All cruise lines have their pro's and cons.

 

Loved EVERYTHING about DCL but the price is just so expensive. You can go on a 7 night cruise on other lines for the price of a 4 night disney cruise, but with that said I do think they are worth the money but I don't want to spend that kind of money every time we cruise.

 

RCCL is fun with very good entertainment but we never like their food. We always have to go to a specialty rest., to get good food. Their service throughout the ship is not good and they seem like they don't like their jobs (note: this is our opinion). I know others that like their service.

 

NCL is fun, we like the food and there is food everywhere and until late hours with a good selection for late night food, Royal has the park cafe late at night but we didn't like the food or the small selection they offered. We like the entertainment and the service is not as good as Disney but much better than Royal IMO, but definitely good. The deal maker is the cost of the cruise which is very affordable. Over all we like this cruise line the best.

 

When I look at things on an overall basis NCL is our choice of cruise line because they are a complete package that hit on everything we are looking for in a cruise. Fun, service, entertainment and price. We are currently booked on the breakaway to Bermuda this May and sailed the Gem last June to the Bahamas on an 8 nighter. We love sailing out of NY.

[NLH Arizona]

I sail on three lines; Crystal, Celebrity and NCL and I like them all. I like NCL for its freestyle dining and specialty restaurants, for its casualness, for their Casino at Sea program benefits, for the crew who are very pleasant and efficient.

[cmh]

We have sailed over 20 cruises on Disney, Royal, Carnival and NCL. We own a time share that has points associated with it and we have been able to get reimbursed for cruises if we book through their travel agency. Just as I reach Platinum status to get some perks on another line I was just notified that NCL has been their preferred line and I will have to go there or only get reimbursed 30%. I am sickened by this...It just makes me mad a company can just change the way things are. But that is not the point of my post.

 

Can anyone who prefers NCL over another line tell my why? I need some encouragement since I guess if I cruise this year it will have to be NCL. The maintenance fees have increased so much on the time share that it takes more than our budget for travel so paying for another cruise line is not an option. At least not this year.

 

I have sailed on NCL, Princess, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Carnival. I like NCL for the fact that there are no formal nights and you can dress casually for dinner. When you have to fly to a city for embarcation, you can pack less with no formal wear being required. I like being able to sit with just my friends or just my husband without having to make small talk with people you will never see again.

[aztekpm]

Have sailed both Carnival & NCL, with my first Royal coming up. I have to give Carnival the nod for their food & service and NCL the nod for the shows. That being said, never was bored on Carnival, nor hungry on NCL. They're more alike than different, I'm sure you'll have fun.

[lmaccaro]

Done Carnival, Celebrity, and NCL. NCL had the worst customer service, worst food, worst experience overall, but they give the best value for the money spent.

[phoenix1181]

We've cruised NCL & RCCL & for now, we'll stick with NCL.

 

Our first NCL cruise was the Majesty in 2000 & it was so bad I swore I would never set foot on an NCL ship again. We stayed with RCCL & were very happy.

 

In 2012, we got a deal that was too good to pass up so we did the Boston to Bermuda cruise on the Dawn & to our surprise.............. we loved it! We've been on Dawn once a year since & have cruises booked for June 2016 & May 2017.

 

Freestyle dining is fantastic

Love the more casual atmosphere

Enjoy having breakfast & lunch in the dining room & not being pushed to join a group of strangers

Service is better on NCL

The pool on Dawn is ridiculously small

The cabin layout is better on Royal

Buffet layout is better on Royal

Food availability is much better on NCL

Food is better on NCL

Better pay restaurant options (Dawn vs Voyager & Vision class)

Larger casino (Dawn vs Voyager & Vision class)

[pspercy]

Would be most interested to know which timeshare and associated booking company (RCI, II )as we also own timeshare (Marriott).

 

As for NCL, we just did our first with them, and we were very well pleased with them overall. We were on Jade out of Houston, 12/5/2015.

Edited January 2, 2016 by pspercy