Local paper Travel Section snubs NCL

[newmexicoNita]

After being on two NCL cruises, most recently POAM, I don't think the paper is being unfair, just honest. NCL is not a premiere cruise line anymore, especially with the addition of POAM and POH

Oh for heavens sake, you didn't have a good cruise, the paper did not say they were not going to carry any NCL stories and the truth of the matter: most travel stories boarder on being op eds. I doubt the ariticle was even written by someone working at that particular paper. BTW, no mass marketed line can be considered a premiere line; no one has ever claimed or suggested NCL fits into the premiere catagory. They don't even claim that. Reading your other 9 posts you just were not happy with things like having to wait a few minutes to eat. I assume you didn't like your first NCL cruise either. NMNita

[wmunley]

Worst of all is that NCL was not mentioned anywhere in the story, not even recognized as a cruise vacation provider in the industry...nothing....zilch..!

 

Very discouraging!

 

I said the exact same thing when I got mine last week... first article I turned to... I could not believe they were not listed as a provider, I was wondering if that was a list the lines had to pay to be listed under...

 

by the way, I am already done with the entire mag! I find myself reading it faster and faster every week...

[mbisson]

Worst of all is that NCL was not mentioned anywhere in the story, not even recognized as a cruise vacation provider in the industry...nothing....zilch..!

 

Very discouraging!

 

Now I must disagree. I need no validation from Conde Nast in which cruise line I like. I could care the least if they like NcL or not, So what's discouraging?

 

jmo

-Monte

[wmunley]

Monte,

 

Couldn't agree with you more... the ratings were actually terrible imho, how could one ship in a class of say 5 be "leaps and bounds" ahead of others that might have not even been listed... very inconsistent...

I'm not discouraged by NCL not having a top ranking ship... I am actually more or less an RCI cruiser but thought I would go with NCL this time around (Star 2/21) and I know it will be one helluva time anyway...

 

~Bill

[mbisson]

Monte,

I am actually more or less an RCI cruiser but thought I would go with NCL this time around (Star 2/21) and I know it will be one helluva time anyway...

 

~Bill

 

Interesting. We've sailed more with RCI than with any other line (the Radiance is still the most beautiful ship we've sailed from any line) and still have no problems sailing with them, but we really prefer Freestyle dining over the traditional option. And the NCL MBNA card has given us $1000 off of each of our last 2 cruises :) . I hope you are able to post a review after your Star cruise. We've booked her for our next cruise (Alaska in Sept)

 

-Monte

[KroozNut]

Now I must disagree. I need no validation from Conde Nast in which cruise line I like. I could care the least if they like NcL or not, So what's discouraging?

 

jmo

-Monte

 

Monte,

 

Like you, I need no validation from Conde Nast either, but this was supposed to be an unbiased 'reader's poll', so I expected see at least some NCL representation in the survey results, what with all the loyal NCL fans out here. But not even a cursory mention of the line, either in the survey results (dominated by X, Princess and RCI in all categories), or in the narrative accompanying the results.

[wmunley]

Interesting. We've sailed more with RCI than with any other line (the Radiance is still the most beautiful ship we've sailed from any line) and still have no problems sailing with them, but we really prefer Freestyle dining over the traditional option. And the NCL MBNA card has given us $1000 off of each of our last 2 cruises :) . I hope you are able to post a review after your Star cruise. We've booked her for our next cruise (Alaska in Sept)

 

-Monte

 

I'm not convinced on the Freestyle yet... I did it once in 2003 (with a large group) but did not really take full advantage of it and attempted to try and mirror traditional dining as close as possible, didn't do the specialty restaurants and never made reservations for the main dining rooms... this time around it is just my girlfriend and myself and we intend to hit every single specialty restaurant and make reservations ahead of time (Big mistake on the groups part I guess)... so this time around we shall see how good the Freestyle option is (I am anticipating that it is as good as most say)... I got sold on the specialty restaurant concept from RCI's Portofino and Chops since they were spectacular... the only thing I will miss out on is the "personalized" attention at the dinner table having the same waiters every evening (and having my iced tea waiting for me!)

 

~Bill

[Host CMLA]

Like you, I need no validation from Conde Nast either, but this was supposed to be an unbiased 'reader's poll', so I expected see at least some NCL representation in the survey results, what with all the loyal NCL fans out here. But not even a cursory mention of the line, either in the survey results (dominated by X, Princess and RCI in all categories), or in the narrative accompanying the results.

I have to at least mention this even if it will continue to fall on deaf ears. Anytime anything is based on a survey of some kind, you have to understand the survey method in order to understand the results. Without knowing their survey method, there is absolutely no way to know how they reached their results. As with any survey, it can be skewed to say anything you want it to say. NCL not being included in a story based on a reader's poll could mean nothing more than NCL cruisers don't read Conde Nast. There's very little other concrete evidence to support any of the claims here.

[KroozNut]

I have to at least mention this even if it will continue to fall on deaf ears. Anytime anything is based on a survey of some kind, you have to understand the survey method in order to understand the results. Without knowing their survey method, there is absolutely no way to know how they reached their results. As with any survey, it can be skewed to say anything you want it to say. NCL not being included in a story based on a reader's poll could mean nothing more than NCL cruisers don't read Conde Nast. There's very little other concrete evidence to support any of the claims here.

 

Yes, but based on this thread alone, there at least two NCL cruisers that read Conde Nast, and I suspect there are more..

[Host CMLA]

Yes, but based on this thread alone, there at least two NCL cruisers that read Conde Nast, and I suspect there are more..

Most certainly there must be some readers of Conde Nast magazine that have cruised NCL at least one time. However, what if the two people on this thread didn't answer the poll? Then what? My point is that we don't know what their survey method was. Conde Nast may have only polled people who live in Maine that have subscribed to Conde Nast every year for the last five years. Or maybe they polled all of their subscribers but it was a voluntary poll so no one had to respond and only people that have cruised RCI decided to respond. If Conde Nast didn't use a scientific method for their poll then there's really nothing we can draw from it except to say that of the people that responded, they didn't say NCL was their cruise line of choice.

[wmunley]

Polls do tend to be very biased and also there was no note of the poll being of any scientific nature so indeed Cecelia's point is very valid. Exactly why I was speaking of the "inconsistency" in th epolling results. My point was pretty much just about not seeing NCL listed under the cruise providers list, I found that pretty interesting.

[kathas2boys]

We are first time Cruisers and what brought us to ncl was the fact that it is freestyle...who wants to be told when to eat dinner???Vacation is for relaxing and we are just happy to be going...I have many friends that want a full report from us when we get back...Depending on what we say theyare ready to book...I am looking forward to our cruise and will make the most out of everything...remember negative opinions are just that opinions...Take it with a grain of salt and have a great vacation...Live life to it fullest and have tons of fun:D

[wmunley]

Freestyle or traditional...Norwegian or RCI (or carnival or princess etc)... you are going to go and you are going to be hooked...no doubt in my mind. Odds on your friends booking a cruise upon your return are even money in my eyes, I am sure of it.

 

You aren't at work, you aren't in the everyday grind, how could it not be awesome!

[jaylb31]

Hi - sailed the Norwegian Star in Dec 01 and it was the worst cruise we have ever been on. I mailed a 5 page letter to the President of NCL and got very little response in return. This ship was brand new. Will never sail NCL again. Our favs are Holland America and Princess.

 

D and D

 

I wrote Oprah one time about a problem I had with her and she never wrote me back either. Hmm, I wonder why, and I wonder why the President didn't write you back. Maybe because they have better things to do than read someone's gripe about how they didn't get enough towel animals or the ice sculpture melted too fast.

[newmexicoNita]

I wrote Oprah one time about a problem I had with her and she never wrote me back either. Hmm, I wonder why, and I wonder why the President didn't write you back. Maybe because they have better things to do than read someone's gripe about how they didn't get enough towel animals or the ice sculpture melted too fast.

good points,5 pages would have to have a whole lot on nit picking it seems to me. BTW, notice poster hasn't come back. NMnita

[professor]

Most certainly there must be some readers of Conde Nast magazine that have cruised NCL at least one time.

I, too, am a subscriber to Conde Nast magazine, and do not recall being polled on the subject being referred to. The magazine's failure to reference NCL in any way reflects on Conde Nast more than on NCL.

Isn't NCL the forth largest cruise line sailing from U.S. ports?

[newmexicoNita]

I'm not convinced on the Freestyle yet... I did it once in 2003 (with a large group) but did not really take full advantage of it and attempted to try and mirror traditional dining as close as possible, didn't do the specialty restaurants and never made reservations for the main dining rooms... this time around it is just my girlfriend and myself and we intend to hit every single specialty restaurant and make reservations ahead of time (Big mistake on the groups part I guess)... so this time around we shall see how good the Freestyle option is (I am anticipating that it is as good as most say)... I got sold on the specialty restaurant concept from RCI's Portofino and Chops since they were spectacular... the only thing I will miss out on is the "personalized" attention at the dinner table having the same waiters every evening (and having my iced tea waiting for me!)

 

~Bill

Bill missing the same wait person probably is the biggest drawback to freestyle. The advantages in my estimation out weigh the disadvantages, not everyone agrees. Freestyle has improved since 2003, that you will find out; cruising with 10 people does interfer with the entire concept. As for the specialty restaurants, we think they are well worth the extra charge, other disagree. Again, it is a personal thing. Enjoy your cruise and please give us an objective review. We won't even blast you if you disagree with some of us: Promise!!!!! NMNita

[newmexicoNita]

Yes, but based on this thread alone, there at least two NCL cruisers that read Conde Nast, and I suspect there are more..

Oh there are many of us that read the magazine, we still don't pay much attention to surveys and polls or I don't. Most everyone realizes even a scienticfic poll can be altered. Polls are just something to use to try and get a point across. For someone like me who isn't very gullible it doesn't quite work. NMnita