First time on NCL, likely the last time (long read)

[The Fun Researcher]

1 hour ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

 

Were these "bed near closet" or "bed near balcony" configuration? Getaway has both for balcony and club balcony staterooms.

Good question.  Our bed was near the closet.  That was the problem.  Our kid’s connecting balcony room had the beds near the balcony and the closet location was a none-issue in their room.

 

Dan

[Oxo]

3 hours ago, MNcruisingcouple said:

I agree Princess is mainstream but even mainstream have a difference in levels.  Think Kia versus Toyota.  I would put Carnival then NCL and RCCl and then maybe a step up would be Celebrity, Princess, HAL.  Just my opinion of course.  I hope you find a line you like and meets your personal needs and expectations.

This is an example of how people rate their cruise lines. 

 

JMHO.

We cruise them all. We have no favorite. They all provide something in the way of pluses and minuses. 

Food very subjective.

Prices very comparable. 

Nickel and dimming. They all do it. 

Loyalty perks - all cutting back.

 

You may have enjoyed your best cruise on this cruise or your worst Cruise on this cruise. 

Your opinions count as you experienced that specific cruise. 

Ours on the NCL JOY last month was our best. Some others may have had a bad experience. 

You pay for your cruise. Sirens your money as you see fit. 

Stay Safe and Happy New Year!

 

 

[BennyBrun]

2 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

We just got off the same cruise and our experience was a lot different from yours.  About the only thing I agree with is the chopped up ship and the closet location in the balcony cabins.  We did very much miss the large interior promenade, dining room, theater and MUCH nicer pool decks on our go to Royal Caribbean ships.

 

However, we thought the service was excellent.  The “free” drink packages were a nice plus, as was our one free specialty dining voucher, which we used for Le Bistro.  Excellent meal.  We eat all of our dinners in the MDR typically and I would say the the quality and selection is a bit of a step down from Royal but still enjoyable.

 

Overall had a great cruise.  We will stick with Royal or Celebrity if we can but I would sail NCL again if we had the right group going.

 

Dan

I do agree with you about the large promenade area and Central Park are on Royal Oasis class ships.

[oteixeira]

4 hours ago, Captain_Morgan said:

I agree completely that other lines are fairing worse than NCL when it comes to masks, etc as evidenced by outbreaks across several RCCL ships!

 

The food overall was better than Princess, I absolutely agree there but it did seem a bit repetitive even on a short trip.  Presentation was much better but the ‘nickel and dimeing’ with so many ala carte restaurants was a bit off putting.  Moderna was alright but as mentioned the crew didn’t seem to want to be there which puts a damper on what should have been an enjoyable experience.  We ate in Moderna, the buffet, Ocean Blue, and had snacks in O’Sheahans (sp?).  We wanted to try Teppanyaki but couldn’t get a good time and the idea of sitting near nose to nose with someone in the noodle bar was not appealing.  
 

As for the security guard, the issue was less with their presence and more about the way they ‘greeted’ us after being sent to the wrong door in the first place and an obvious lack of visible signage.  I know it’s a thankless job at the best of times but barking at people who are about to start a vacation isn’t necessary. 

I decided to reply back again as I feel we are having a good conversation here.  I think if you are going to call specialties nickel and dimeing then it occurs on most lines, they all have restaurants like this.  As for the noodle bar, you missed out.  That was my absolute favorite venue to eat when we were on Getaway, and I am sad that they pulled it going forward (even though Food Republic is a great choice as well).   I am one of the few that does NOT like Teppanyaki, go to a Benihana on land and get the same experience.  I found that the chefs tend to be loud to try to get more attention on the ship, and the one time I went I left with a pounding head.  LOL  

As for the guard you are right, but my point still stands that they were not an NCL employee, so you really should not hold the ship/line responsible, but rather bring it up with the port.

Edited December 27, 2021 by oteixeira

[purpleally]

4 hours ago, hallux said:

Sorry, @Captain_Morgan Princess is one of Carnival's higher-end lines, maybe P&O also.  Maybe not to the level of Seabourn or Cunard, but it's a step up from 'mainstream'.  NCL is the 'mainstream' line for NCLH while Oceania and Regent are the higher-end.

 

I agree with the other poster, the fair comparison is Royal Caribbean.  I see NCL as an intermediate between Carnival and Princess even if both Carnival and NCL can be classed as 'mainstream'.

I would call Princess mainstream, Cunard likes to think they are luxury but they can’t touch Seabourn 

After sailing Seabourn, when going on NCL don’t even think about Seabourn. Sounds you got what you paid for. 

[Captain_Morgan]

6 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

 

Were these "bed near closet" or "bed near balcony" configuration? Getaway has both for balcony and club balcony staterooms.

Bed near closet

[CPT Trips]

I wish I remembered DW’s hack for picking the bed by balcony cabin. That solves the closet access problem. 
 

We just returned from a cruise on NCL’s Anthem and were on the Breakaway in October. A few observations and comparisons. 
-A’s indoor pool and adult only solarium are excellent for cruising from a northern port. Nothing like it on BA except, perhaps, the Haven; but that’s a big upsell. I don’t consider either B’s Spice H2O or Vibe comparable as they are both essentially outdoor sun decks.

-We enjoy pre-dinner music. A had more “silent” time than BA.

-Syd Norman’s house band on BA was far superior to either of the bands that played in A’s Music Hall. But the Music Hall was a far superior venue.

-Two70 on A is far superior to any space on BA. Spectra’s Cabaret is unique although a bit weird for some.

-Although the space is spartan, Headliner’s Comedy Club/Howl at the Moon dueling pianos on BA has no counterpart on A.

-MDR food is extremely subjective. Compared to our pre-Covid cruises, overall NCL has stepped up quality while RCL slipped. The meats and fish on A were over cooked and dried out. That wasn’t the case on BA. Both had rotating items on the lunch and dinner menus along with the always available classics.

-Both had too much “wasted” space on upper open decks, think bumper cars, go karts, climbing stuff, and water features.

 

Just my take, YMMV . . . 

 

[mking8288]

Me think, been on the GA's sister ships, the Breakaway and Escape ... will be interesting when/if we sail the GA in 2022 (that's just around the corner) - it would be helpful to do a little research as part of cruise planning, before booking and read some of the posted reviews, check out the deck plans & photos, videos on the *Tube channel, etc. (not always accurate and/or spot on, but useful & good to know)  

 

Unless that balcony stateroom with the bed next to the closet was a GTY or assigned by NCL, with no choice in selecting one - and tight spacing (known to many of us ...) easily "fixed" by changing to a different cabin with the bed next to the balcony.  Actually, there is another possible fix, get the room steward to move that slim night/end table out, slide the beds away from the closet - would get you an extra foot (approximately) of spacing away from the sliding closet doors.  Yes, we've been in one of them - DW had to sit on the bed to open/use the closet. 

 

I wonder how many crew members onboard were new & fresh to NCL, post-covid and doing their first assignment & still in training - that might help answer their observed behavior.  I would not be surprised that some of the "elder" NCL crew members decided to not return, after what many of them experienced themselves - stranded at sea and unable to go home, being shuttled around for months circling the oceans.  Who was the CD onboard ??

[hallux]

6 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

NCL’s Anthem

I think you meant Royal's (RCI's) Anthem.  That's a nice ship.

[Captain_Morgan]

15 hours ago, oteixeira said:

I decided to reply back again as I feel we are having a good conversation here.  I think if you are going to call specialties nickel and dimeing then it occurs on most lines, they all have restaurants like this.  As for the noodle bar, you missed out.  That was my absolute favorite venue to eat when we were on Getaway, and I am sad that they pulled it going forward (even though Food Republic is a great choice as well).   I am one of the few that does NOT like Teppanyaki, go to a Benihana on land and get the same experience.  I found that the chefs tend to be loud to try to get more attention on the ship, and the one time I went I left with a pounding head.  LOL  

As for the guard you are right, but my point still stands that they were not an NCL employee, so you really should not hold the ship/line responsible, but rather bring it up with the port.

I agree, a healthy discourse is something rarely had on CC as most times threads devolve into all sorts of bizarre topics and drifts...

That said, I agree that every line has it's specialty venues (aka nickel and dime) but what I found with NCL on this occasion was that they were in the  majority so unless you wanted to eat in the buffet every meal or MDR your options were limited.

The noodle  bar did interest us, but as i say with the close proximity of so many people literally within a chopstick's length from one another it didn't seem very appealing under the current circumstances, but perhaps thats just my view.  Ironically enough, when discussing Teppanyaki with my wife I did reference Benihana which might have been a factor in not worrying too much about finding a suitable time to check it out.

 

I agree that the guard is not a reflection of NCL, but when that is one of the first things that you experience upon arriving at your vacation, due entirely to the lack of signage and information expected to be in place it puts a bit of negative spin on things with regard to how the company (NCL) organizes itself.

[Captain_Morgan]

7 hours ago, mking8288 said:

I wonder how many crew members onboard were new & fresh to NCL, post-covid and doing their first assignment & still in training - that might help answer their observed behavior.  I would not be surprised that some of the "elder" NCL crew members decided to not return, after what many of them experienced themselves - stranded at sea and unable to go home, being shuttled around for months circling the oceans.  Who was the CD onboard ??

I have no doubt that there's been a large number of new hires under the given circumstances of the pandemic, but this was not the first cruise (albeit the first from Miami) as the ship has been trading in the Med for a good while.

 

CD was 'travelling' Jeff...

[gmkgks]

I agree with everything @Captain_Morgan said.  Currently on the Joy.  We just did RC Symphony a month ago.  Night and day difference. Everyone on NCL seems put-out.  We are calling it to the ship of “no” because that’s always the answer.  The ship is beautiful to look at but nothing runs smoothly (except my nail technician Tobey- she was awesome) and none of the cruise seem happy to be here. And don’t go on the Joy if you want to dance.  It’s like the Footloose of cruise ships. The ironic thing is that we are platinum, almost to the next level, on NCL and we are lower levels on RC, Celebrity, and Princess.  But we won’t cruise NCL again.  

[Trimone]

We were on the first European cruise on the Epic in September, I personally will not return until the staff adopt the same standards and discipline that we receive in  hotels offer on land.

 

[ECCruise]

1 hour ago, Captain_Morgan said:

I have no doubt that there's been a large number of new hires under the given circumstances of the pandemic, but this was not the first cruise (albeit the first from Miami) as the ship has been trading in the Med for a good while.

 

CD was 'travelling' Jeff...

Actually, we met virtually no new hires at all on Getaway.  Lots of "3rd contract or 5th contract or more."  Don't think we met a single crew member on their first contract.

 

No, the problem with non-involvement was something else.  Like I've said, never seen such an obvious lack of it, especially from senior staff, on our 20 or so NCL sailings.  Not to even mention other lines. 

 

And this is not to discredit those who were friendly and inclusive, because they definitely were some who were exactly that and we were appreciative.

 

And note that the 2 posts directly above this cite basically the same thing. 

[Captain_Morgan]

10 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

Actually, we met virtually no new hires at all on Getaway.  Lots of "3rd contract or 5th contract or more."  Don't think we met a single crew member on their first contract.

 

No, the problem with non-involvement was something else.  Like I've said, never seen such an obvious lack of it, especially from senior staff, on our 20 or so NCL sailings.  Not to even mention other lines. 

 

And this is not to discredit those who were friendly and inclusive, because they definitely were some who were exactly that and we were appreciative.

 

And note that the 2 posts directly above this cite basically the same thing. 

Fair enough, I was trying to give some benefit of the doubt with respect to the dismissive behavior being perhaps down to a lack of confidence with the product as opposed to lack of interest in providing a product (customer service).

 

Although there were a few crew who were noticeably more engaging than others, the vast majority seemed bothered that people were on holiday and that shone through in so many ways up to and including a complete lack of any ambiance onboard until the last 2 days of the cruise when we finally heard soft music being played in the hallways.

[mking8288]

3 hours ago, Captain_Morgan said:

 ... this was not the first cruise (albeit the first from Miami) as the ship has been trading in the Med for a good while.  CD was 'travelling' Jeff...

I see, thank you ... just want to give them the benefits of the doubt.  Wonder if Jeff is new / recently promoted b/c I don't recognize the name - s/he often set the tone & pace for the "social" staff onboard.  We've met some good ones but had one that didn't "impress" or leave a positive feel.  

 

1 hour ago, gmkgks said:

I agree ... Currently on the Joy.  Everyone on NCL seems put-out.  We are calling it to the ship of “no” because that’s always the answer.  The ship is beautiful to look at but nothing runs smoothly

Oh mine, indicative of something rooted up and down the chains of command 

 

1 hour ago, ECCruise said:

... the problem with non-involvement was something else.  Like I've said, never seen such an obvious lack of it, especially from senior staff, on our 20 or so NCL sailings ... not to discredit those who were friendly and inclusive, because ... 

Wow, I know someone else on our upcoming GA Roll Call (hi, Bonnie 😉 ) is probably reading this or going to - going to pay close attention to these feedback and written reviews.  

 

We also know that NCL's social media team and even those onboard the ship are known to read/follow these posts, every now & then ... time to relay the negativity up the food chain !! 

 

If the general managers & senior officers or department heads are acting that way, the rank and file will often not go "above & beyond" ... that's really sad and disappointing.  Hoping these aren't going to ruin our onboard days.  Thanks again, to the posters contributing their feedback, really appreciate it.  

 

 

[ECCruise]

14 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

I see, thank you ... just want to give them the benefits of the doubt.  Wonder if Jeff is new / recently promoted b/c I don't recognize the name - s/he often set the tone & pace for the "social" staff onboard.  We've met some good ones but had one that didn't "impress" or leave a positive feel.  

Jeff is not new, has been replacement CD in the past according to Simon, normal CD on Getaway.  Seemed to be doing OK at the beginning (midway through our first sailing) but didn't really hit his stride, IMHO

14 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

 

Oh mine, indicative of something rooted up and down the chains of command 

 

time to relay the negativity up the food chain !! 

Would love to, but have not received a Guest Satisfaction survey on either of the sailings (maybe they know we have a lot to say--both laudatory and critical--and haven't sent it 😧.  Actually, when we contacted them about it they said "don't understand it.  Fill out a "case submission form" and we will look into it."

14 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

 

If the general managers & senior officers or department heads are acting that way, the rank and file will often not go "above & beyond" ... that's really sad and disappointing.  Hoping these aren't going to ruin our onboard days.  Thanks again, to the posters contributing their feedback, really appreciate it.  

As I said, we had a decent month on the ship, but only that:  Decent.  And for the dough we paid (especially in the Haven), decent doesn't do the job, unfortunately. 

[mking8288]

16 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

Jeff is not new, has been replacement CD in the past according to Simon, normal CD on Getaway ... have not received a Guest Satisfaction survey on either of the sailings (maybe they know we have a lot to say ... 😧 ... had a decent month on the ship, but ... for the dough we paid (especially in the Haven), decent doesn't do the job, unfortunately. 

Gotcha and thanks (the CD's background is very helpful for others to understood ... we haven't sail yet)  The post-cruise eSurvey lately has been a joke anyway ... did they have those Hero's card & little Survey/Feedback form out at Guest Services or have a Dropbox for Letters to the GM/HD ??  I read a fairly recent review (can't remember which ship it was) that those cards/forms were not available, not distributed nor encouraged to be filled out ... seem unusual.  

 

Actually, we're on a different ship with similar vibe among some of the crew and the senior officers, the onboard survey card/feedback form were nowhere to be found, as if they discontinued and didn't give a darn about it.  Different ship, different time and had a problem with the sagging bed mattress - HD's secretary called back promptly - management style/lack thereof and leadership ... 

 

Yulp, going above & beyond sounds great but ... DW and I will be just fine with a decent balcony and sea days, Haven prices are mad crazy high these days and as you described, not worth it.  Land resort, 1 bedroom suite at 750 or 850 sq. ft. - now that by itself is worth tipping extra for.  

Edited December 28, 2021 by mking8288

[ECCruise]

11 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Gotcha and thanks (the CD's background is very helpful for others to understood ... we haven't sail yet)  The post-cruise eSurvey lately has been a joke anyway ... did they have those Hero's card & little Survey/Feedback form out at Guest Services or have a Dropbox for Letters to the GM/HD ??  I read a fairly recent review (can't remember which ship it was) that those cards/forms were not available, not distributed nor encouraged to be filled out ... seem unusual.  

Neither HD feedback card nor Vacation Hero cards.  Asked specifically about them because there were several "Vacation heroes" we wanted to give accolades to, but response was "paper reduction has forced us to no longer use those, but you will have an online satisfaction survey after the cruise."  Not. 

11 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

 

 

Yulp, going above & beyond sounds great but ... DW and I will be just fine with a decent balcony and sea days, Haven prices are mad crazy high these days and as you described, not worth it.  Land resort, 1 bedroom suite at 750 or 850 sq. ft. - now that by itself is worth tipping extra for 

And the worst part is we paid WAY less than most in the Haven since we upgraded a week before the sailing (not a "bid" which we never do, but a specific $$ amount--and specific cabin--upgrade).  Likely our last time in Haven/Suite land on NCL after doing many.  Price to value ratio is not even in the same universe when, as you said, we can have wonderful accommodation in a land resort (or rent a full house) for way less dough.  

 

[MsTabbyKats]

@mking8288Just out of the shower and back to the forum...lol.

 

 For the 11/21 Gem:

I had an issue (lack of communication) from "upper mgmt" about one of the canceled ports (there was a handout at the pier for those who got there early; we arrived about noon...they must have run out). We were never officially informed why etc....I only found out from these boards after we got back.

 

However, the "lowly people" went above and beyond.  For example...in the buffet: the staff kept offering to carry my plate to the table (I'm not disabled).  One of them said "just so I have something to do".  In addition, I drink almond milk.  They didn't have it (multiple people looked) but the staff kept bringing me options.  Our steward knew our names and accomodated whatever request we had (probably just laundry).

 

Honestly, I thought the service was excellent because passengers were at perhaps 50% capacity...but crew was at 90% (that's what I was told anyway).  DH and I were joking that "this must be what service is like in the Haven."

 

 

[coffeebean]

On 12/27/2021 at 12:25 PM, Captain_Morgan said:

I agree completely that other lines are fairing worse than NCL when it comes to masks, etc as evidenced by outbreaks across several RCCL ships!

 

The food overall was better than Princess, I absolutely agree there but it did seem a bit repetitive even on a short trip.  Presentation was much better but the ‘nickel and dimeing’ with so many ala carte restaurants was a bit off putting.  Moderna was alright but as mentioned the crew didn’t seem to want to be there which puts a damper on what should have been an enjoyable experience.  We ate in Moderna, the buffet, Ocean Blue, and had snacks in O’Sheahans (sp?).  We wanted to try Teppanyaki but couldn’t get a good time and the idea of sitting near nose to nose with someone in the noodle bar was not appealing.  
 

As for the security guard, the issue was less with their presence and more about the way they ‘greeted’ us after being sent to the wrong door in the first place and an obvious lack of visible signage.  I know it’s a thankless job at the best of times but barking at people who are about to start a vacation isn’t necessary. 

After reading Moderna several times by more than one poster I feel it necessary to offer the correct name for the specialty restaurant......

 

Moderna is a Covid vaccine.

Moderno is the Brazilian Steakhouse specialty restaurant on NCL ships.

 

Thank you.

[Captain_Morgan]

5 minutes ago, coffeebean said:

After reading Moderna several times by more than one poster I feel it necessary to offer the correct name for the specialty restaurant......

 

Moderna is a Covid vaccine.

Moderno is the Brazilian Steakhouse specialty restaurant on NCL ships.

 

Thank you.

 

I kept thinking the same thing and wondered why the name Moderna kept coming so naturally 🤣

 

Thanks for the correction!

[MNcruisingcouple]

We had fabulous service on Breakaway 12/5 sailing.  One of the best waiters every in Cagney's, fabulous service in both Le Bistro and Ocean Blu.  Amazing bar tenders in Maltings.  Very attentive room steward.

Rough service in Manhattan Dining room which seems to be par for the course lately.  And irritated that I couldn't get Vueve at a bar, only in a dining room.

 

Overall, excellent service.

[coffeebean]

8 hours ago, gmkgks said:

I agree with everything @Captain_Morgan said.  Currently on the Joy.  We just did RC Symphony a month ago.  Night and day difference. Everyone on NCL seems put-out.  We are calling it to the ship of “no” because that’s always the answer.  The ship is beautiful to look at but nothing runs smoothly (except my nail technician Tobey- she was awesome) and none of the cruise seem happy to be here. And don’t go on the Joy if you want to dance.  It’s like the Footloose of cruise ships. The ironic thing is that we are platinum, almost to the next level, on NCL and we are lower levels on RC, Celebrity, and Princess.  But we won’t cruise NCL again.  

We embarked on NCL Joy December 11 and disembarked on December 18. Just about everyone of the crew greeted us just about every time. I don't want to say every single time because no one would actually believe that but (honestly) it seemed to me like they gave us a big smile and a hello every single time we encountered them. So much that I began to think their jobs are on the line if they don't give everyone a big greeting. The Joy crew was one of the most friendly crew we have encountered on our 45 cruises.

 

As for dancing.......there was dancing in the atrium and other venues every night.

 

Seems like we are referencing different ships.

[Turtles06]

2 hours ago, MNcruisingcouple said:

We had fabulous service on Breakaway 12/5 sailing.  One of the best waiters every in Cagney's, fabulous service in both Le Bistro and Ocean Blu.  Amazing bar tenders in Maltings.  Very attentive room steward.

Rough service in Manhattan Dining room which seems to be par for the course lately.  And irritated that I couldn't get Vueve at a bar, only in a dining room.

 

Overall, excellent service.

Interesting. We were on the Breakaway’s Oct. 31 sailing and found the service in the Manhattan Dining Room to be excellent. The service we had in Cagney’s was terrible.