Cruise Line Preferences and Experiences?

[katiemylady]

Not a first time cruiser, but I’m not sure where else to ask this, as all other boards are cruise line specific. 

 

A little background....my boyfriend and I are around age 30 and we would like to go on a cruise this spring. Last year, we traveled with NCL and liked that we could add on the unlimited drink package using their promo. We really enjoyed our trip....it had a good balance of quiet time and fun events throughout our stay. He has been on RCCL as well (when he was younger), and he said he preferred that one better. We are comparing prices now between the two lines, and it seems prices are pretty comparable, but if we were to do the drink package with RCCL, it would cost us upwards of an additional $1,000 for the trip. Is RCCL really worth that much extra? My gut steers me towards no, and we should do NCL instead, and take advantage of the promo for free UDP, but I’d love to hear people’s comparisons who have been on both. 

[OCruisers]

Which RCCL and NCL ships are you considering?  

Some ships in both lines are better than others.  

[Grandma Dazzles]

I agree.  Make sure you are comparing “apples to apples” not only in terms of the ship, itinerary, cabin, etc.  RC drink packages do frequently go on sale.  Also, make sure the prices you are comparing are the same - things like taxes, insurance, gratuities.  

[katiemylady]

We are definitely comparing apples to apples in regards to taxes, fees, etc. 

 

I believe we were looking st comparable ships....the Norwegian Breakaway to the Allure of the Seas. 

[lenquixote66]

If you want something totally different in cruising I suggest Cunard.My favorite to date in 46 years of cruising.

[pacruise804]

I think it depends on how much you drink as to how much of a value the drink package is for you.  We are light to moderate drinkers and generally don't find the packages worth it for us.  An average a la carte bill for us would be under $300 for two of us on a 7 night cruise, and when we sailed NCL with the package we found we drank more than we really wanted just because we had the package.

 

I think NCL values their package at a higher rate than most lines sell theirs, therefore charging more in gratuities (maybe this has changed).  I would look at the total cost of cruise fare, estimated bar tab vs. drink package, gratuities, expected times at an up-charge restaurant, etc when comparing prices.  There are also intangibles that can be a factor.  There were a few things NCL did quite well, but much more that we didn't like.  Royal had a few things we didn't like, but many we did - enough that we plan to try them again this summer.

 

I would find out why your boyfriend preferred Royal and see if those are things Royal still offers (many lines are perceived to have decreased service/food levels than 10 years ago).  Most cruises will have good parts and not so good parts, the trick is finding the balance that works best for you - if you want low fares, expect a lower quality product; if you want lots of activities that appeal to teens and young adults, expect a lot of teens/families as well as the adults; if you want no kids, expect an older demographic.  Best wishes finding the cruise that works for you 🙂