Compare RCI to NCL. RCI is getting too $

[steamboats]

3. In a GS and above you get to use CK for all meals (breakfast lunch and dinner) if you wish. Also the Suite lounge has a limited selection of free drinks all day, plus the extended version in happy hour. There is a sun deck (with pay-for bar) for suite users but as you say no pool.

 

But at least a hot tub on Harmony.

 

steamboats

[Aquahound]

There is NO additional 18% charged to suite or Haven guests. If you get the promo in any other room than a suite you pay the 18% tax

 

This is true. With the Free at Sea promotion, the 18% gratuity is waived if you book the Haven. Otherwise, the charge on a 7 night cruise is about $100 per person for the free beverage package, and about $40 person for the free specialty dining package.

 

On that note, no one plays pricing games like NCL. When I booked Escape, the price of a balcony was $649. However, if I wanted the Free at Sea promotion, the price jumped to $849. So at the end of the day, the total cost for the free promotion was $340 per person.

Edited June 13, 2016 by Aquahound

[bigque]

The new ships are always priced too high for me. We did not book Freedom until the prices came down after Oasis & Allure were built. We like balcony cabins and we have Oasis booked for a cruise next year as the price was good for us now that these newer ships are coming out. The price was even good enough that we booked our first Junior Suite for the upcoming Oasis cruise! :cool:

[Debde]

We are looking forward to our Harmony of the Seas trip but I have to be honest, for me RCI has priced themselves out of the market and I am taking my dollars to NCL. Here what I received on our recent rip on the NCL Getaway.

 

1. 2 Bedroom Haven suite for 5 on a 7 day Western for $10,367. 7 day Western in a sorta one bedroom Grand Suite and the required additional cabin for the 3 kids is $14,024 on Harmony.

 

2. NCL gave us (2 adults) the following. Ultimate Drink package, Ultimate Dining package to go to 4 extra cost restaurants free. 250 free internet minutes and $100 credit towards shore excursions. RCI is giving us nothing extra with our Grand Suite.

 

3. NCL Haven guests have all day, all evening access to the private restaurant, private bar and private pool. RCI....dinner only at suite guest restaurant. limited bar hours at the concierge lounge. What a joke.

 

I would expect according to the laws of capitalism they will lose more and more business to NCL as they price themselves out of the market. Time will tell.

 

 

I have switched from Royal to NCL when sailing in a suite. Nothing compares to the Haven that Royal has. The 'away' ships and that suite experience blows the doors off Royal.

[FLSteve11]

I've dined on NCL specialty restaurants and was not impressed.

 

One cruise on NCL was more than enough for me, UDP or not.:)

 

The Pride of America is a bit different in the NCL fleet than the rest of the ships. It's an American ship with an American crew and no casino. People sail it for the ability to do 7-days around Hawaii, and not concern with the onboard stuff quite as much. (Not that I think NCL is greatest, but it's hard to compare their line using that ship).

[jules815]

The new ships are always priced too high for me. We did not book Freedom until the prices came down after Oasis & Allure were built.

 

Same here! We didn't even sail on Freedom of the Seas for the first time until 2014. The only reason we're doing the Harmony transatlantic, which will be our first time on an Oasis class ship, is I was able to book during that short period of time where it was actually a good deal. Prices for that cruise have tripled!

[jules815]

I have switched from Royal to NCL when sailing in a suite. Nothing compares to the Haven that Royal has. The 'away' ships and that suite experience blows the doors off Royal.

 

I've looked at Haven on NCL and it looks pretty nice. The only concern I have is the Haven pool. It looks quite small, and I imagine it would get pretty crowded and less of a "Haven" if you had a few families with children. Are children allowed in those pools?

[Debde]

I've looked at Haven on NCL and it looks pretty nice. The only concern I have is the Haven pool. It looks quite small, and I imagine it would get pretty crowded and less of a "Haven" if you had a few families with children. Are children allowed in those pools?

 

The Haven pool is very small and children are allowed. On my sailing I saw very few kids so I can not say what it would be like if it was during summer or any school breaks.

I don't swim in the pools on any cruise so just to have the nice quiet area was heaven. Not to mention the courtyard food and bar service too!! I can say this was the first time I did just cool off in the small pool since no one was in it!!:D

[Single Cruiser]

Having sailed both Norwegian Escape and Harmony of the Seas inaugurals over the last 7 months each has pros and cons.

 

NCL I got the ultimate beverage package and didn't have to pay the 18% however NCL ultimate Beverage doesn't include things like bottled water!

 

The speciality restaurants on NCL IMHO beat Royal's , I'd choose Cagneys and Modernos any day.

 

The choice in the buffet the windjammer on Royal has loads more choice than the Garden Cafe on Norwegian. However on Royal they assume after 9:30pm you just want to eat pizza or order room service, Norwegian has a 24hr eatery like O'Sheehans where you can sit down and order burgers, wings, fish at 3/4AM if you want to and no room service wait or charge!

 

The ents on Royal are generally better than Norwegian.

 

Norwegian loyalty scheme is miles better than Royal. Even at lower levels simple things like nightly chocolates on the pillow through to top tier which I am with free laundry and speciality meals for 2 etc..

 

Comparing the ships the waterfront concept on the latest Norwegian ships beats even Royal's large ships for sea views, I.e. How many bars on harmony other than pool deck can you sit at and see the sea?

 

My bookings are currently 50/50. NCL is cheaper for me as they don't charge 100% single supplement as well!

[dani negreanu]

The Pride of America is a bit different in the NCL fleet than the rest of the ships. It's an American ship with an American crew and no casino. People sail it for the ability to do 7-days around Hawaii, and not concern with the onboard stuff quite as much. (Not that I think NCL is greatest, but it's hard to compare their line using that ship).

 

No casino - We don't go, so this was not a factor, but I'm sure the LACK of casino upped the price of an ocean view to the exorbitant 5K....

 

What I fail to understand is the connection between American crew (which, BTW, was mostly non-American crew -- at least the "low" level employees we had contact with) and the poor and sometimes inedible food :confused:

 

I've found the food on X the best, with RC close second.

[DrDani226]

I think that Royal is generally more expensive. Having sailed both, however, we still prefer Royal overall. The Haven experience on NCL was great, as was the service. But, the food was not impressive, and I had a hard time finding things for my kids to do during the day (they do not participate in the kids' clubs). It didn't feel as family oriented as Royal does, and certainly not as impressive as Royal's bigger ships. My husband and I may sail NCL again solo, but it would have to be in Haven and with all specialty dining, which is not likely to happen. Another nod towards NCL was that they gave us the best upsell of our lives:D

[DrDani226]

The Haven pool is very small and children are allowed. On my sailing I saw very few kids so I can not say what it would be like if it was during summer or any school breaks.

I don't swim in the pools on any cruise so just to have the nice quiet area was heaven. Not to mention the courtyard food and bar service too!! I can say this was the first time I did just cool off in the small pool since no one was in it!!:D

 

Agreed - there was hardly anyone at the Haven pool. We sailed in mid-May. My kids took advantage of the hot tubs there after dinner, but the pool was always deserted at that time. As noted, however, I didn't see many kids in the Haven area (or the rest of the ship for that matter, lol) at all!