How is NCL for enrichment programs?

[thermal]

I'm trying to decide on a cruise, and something that's very important to me is enrichment programs.  How is Norwegian for this?   I love learning about different cultures and places that we visit.  

[ChiefMateJRK]

What is an enrichment program?

[thermal]

14 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

What is an enrichment program?

Maybe I used the wrong term?   I'm thinking of programs where they might have naturalists give presentations about the ports, the history/culture of the areas etc.  I've read that some cruise lines actually have planetariums on board, which I think it really cool 🙂

Edited September 15, 2022 by thermal

[shof515]

NCL does do any kind of those things. other cruise lines like Princess and Holland do similar activity depending on the itinerary

[thermal]

17 minutes ago, shof515 said:

NCL does do any kind of those things. other cruise lines like Princess and Holland do similar activity depending on the itinerary

Excellent, I was hoping they would.   How would Norwegian compare to Princess or Holland America re: cultural talks?  

[Ken the cruiser]

We’re curious about this as well. We’re going to be on a 38 day B2B cruise on the Jade starting in mid November leaving from Greece, going through the Suez Canal and then on down the east coast of Africa winding up in Cape Town. It would be totally awesome if they offered professionally given lectures on sea days covering the areas we’ll be cruising through! I would imagine the shorter 9 day or less cruises probably don’t have lectures on sea days, but hopefully their longer cruises do.

 

Edited September 15, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[YVRteacher]

It’s minimal.  Not at all like Princess.  If you find some of the live reviews you will see the Freestyle Dailies and all the listed activities.

I’ve been on 29 NCL cruises and have experienced the Hawaiian cultural program on the Pride of America (language classes, hula, cooking lessons, lei making.) On the Panama Canal cruises there is usually a presentation the day before the canal transit and a representative from the canal onboard throughout the duration doing a presentation over the speakers.  In Alaska, National Park Rangers come on board while in Glacier Bay.  Occasionally there are speakers such as a woman talking about bullfighting or cocoa farming but nothing like a true “enrichment” program.

[annmarz]

If this is really important to you, NCL is not the cruise line for you.  (except maybe for  Hawaii). I recently cruised on Norwegian to Iceland, Norway, and Scotland, and while I thoroughly enjoyed the cruise, there were no "enrichment programs."  I would have enjoyed this, as I have on many Princess cruises, and as I hear Holland America focuses on.

[Ken the cruiser]

2 hours ago, thermal said:

I'm trying to decide on a cruise, and something that's very important to me is enrichment programs.  How is Norwegian for this?   I love learning about different cultures and places that we visit.  

Sorry to hear NCL doesn’t provide enrichment lectures on their longer cruises. We have recently enjoyed them on Celebrity as well as on Princess cruises when they are single itineraries and at least 10 days or longer.

 

Edited September 15, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[epanchenko]

Cunard is probably your best bet for enrichment (the QM2 has the planetarium), the smaller luxury lines like Viking also cater to this.  Holland America did have some enrichment when I went on their Alaskan cruise.

Edited September 15, 2022 by epanchenko

[Markanddonna]

On one of my last cruises, ncl asked passengers to volunteer to give presentations for free. Except for special places like Glacier Bay, you won't see lecturers or cultural presentations unless they are sponsored by the port area. 

[cruiseny4life]

*Yawn* 

 

There isn't any type of enrichment, except for learning about different alcohol through your drink package. I sure hope NCL continues to stay far, far away from these boring community college style lectures. 

[GreenFamily]

I don’t understand why all cruise lines don’t offer history and cultural lectures, at least for the European and Asian cruises. 

[Ken the cruiser]

Just curious on transatlantic cruises where there are multiple sea days, are there any lectures? If not, what fun things are offered for the old 60+ crowd on these longer cruises during the 5-7 days at sea other than maybe trivia?

[Peachypooh]

Glacier Bay was the only time they had something like that and I have been on numerous NCL ships to numerous places.

[Ken the cruiser]

 We were recently on a 21 day Princess cruise in the Med which was three 7 day cruises tied together. They actually had a lecture on the sea day of each leg and maybe 20-30 people out of 3000 showed up. When we mentioned it to my son and his DW, who are 40, they both yawned too. 😂

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Just curious on transatlantic cruises where there are multiple sea days, are there any lectures? If not, what fun things are offered for the old 60+ crowd on these longer cruises during the 5-7 days at sea other than maybe trivia?

Beverage package?

[weltek]

The fact that these are very, very rarely offered is one of my least favorite things about NCL (and I say this as a Platinum cruiser with them). You should definitely look elsewhere if this is important to you.

[trivimp]

They did have some lectures on my Panama transit; a little history, a little oceanography & marine life.  That's the only NCL cruise I've been on that had enrichment stuff (other than the Glacier Bay rangers, which is cool, but more NPS than NCL.) As others have said, it's not a big focus for NCL.

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Beverage package?

I can only cringe to even imagine what the “service charge” on that “free” beverage package might be, probably around $20 pp/day, especially since my DW only drinks water. 😂 

[FlGoodShips]

15 hours ago, thermal said:

I'm trying to decide on a cruise, and something that's very important to me is enrichment programs.  How is Norwegian for this?   I love learning about different cultures and places that we visit.  

Azamara has a lot of lectures/enrichment programs.

[cruiseny4life]

28 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I can only cringe to even imagine what the “service charge” on that “free” beverage package might be, probably around $20 pp/day, especially since my DW only drinks water. 😂 

Make sure you upgrade that "free" beverage package to the premium plus so she can drink boxed water! 

[ggTexasGal]

3 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Just curious on transatlantic cruises where there are multiple sea days, are there any lectures? If not, what fun things are offered for the old 60+ crowd on these longer cruises during the 5-7 days at sea other than maybe trivia?

There typically will be Trivia. Usually it takes place in the Atrium (where they can use the big screen to show the questions).

[wolft927]

The reason why NCL doesn't offer them is because in all my years sailing on ships as well as working on them, enrichment programs are very poorly attended. They can be utilizing the venue for something far more received or even revenue generating. With that being said the only lecture that was always well received and attended every time was when they used to do the History of the SS Norway (SS France) 

But again that was when I worked on board and was almost 17 years ago 

[ontheweb]

16 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

What is an enrichment program?

That answer sums up very well whether there are enrichment programs or not.