Just off Prima...lots of thoughts

[laudergayle]

@mitchtech Try not to compare ships snd focus more on the joy that comes with cruising.  The awesome food, the entertainment, the silly activities, the itinerary…and most importantly, the drink package 😁. Enjoy.

 

[uneamie]

On 4/20/2023 at 8:10 AM, ontheweb said:

Before you follow that strategy, I spoke earlier this week to our TA and he said that he is selling a lot of cruises on the Prima and Viva as people are looking for a new ship.

Sure, many people want to cruise on a NEW ship.....that's the reason we booked the Prima. But learning about all the complaints here on CC, I am sorry we did. Booking Prima due to it being new is going to get OLD. And people will seek out reviews before booking it. We sail away in 2 weeks and I am going to get on board and try to forget all that I've read here and try to obtain my own perspective. 

[uneamie]

On 4/20/2023 at 12:09 AM, bruzin_for_a_cruizin said:

We, too, were on this past sailing. I agree with just about every point nearly every passenger has made about the ship.

It was our first -- and last -- sailing on NCL. They had one chance to make a first impression on my wife and me, and failed miserably. The Prima seems to be built for the Instagram age: it looks great in pictures, but doesn't work in the real world. They made some bold design choices, and almost every single one is a big fat fail:

 

- I usually figure out where everything is by the afternoon of the first day. It took me until Day 5 to understand the layout of Prima, and even then I found myself walking into dead ends. 

- the pools are too small, and putting the infinity pools on deck 8 means shade half the day. On this past cruise, the main pool was closed/drained for 2 days. Thank goodness we were able to secure Vibe passes (at a $600 expense for something that is included on every other cruise line) so we could at least enjoy some sun after the storm passed.

- the buffet is wayyyyyy too small, the hours are too restrictive and it's gross that people have to walk through to get to other venues. No hyperbole: I did not see a single person wash their hands prior to serving themselves at the buffet. NOT ONE.

- the only venue for breakfast after 10:00 a.m. is The Local until 10:30, and good luck getting a table since everyone on board is trying to get breakfast before everything shuts down until 11:30.

- the only option for lunch after 2:30 -- when most people are returning from excursions! -- is finger sandwiches in the Observation Lounge. 

- entertainment is non-existent. My wife and I watched 5 movies on this cruise. We've never had 10 hours in our cabin at night on any other ship on any other cruise line.

- lineups for everything. Again, no hyperbole: People were lined up for Syd Norman's more than 1.5 hours before showtime. Who wants to waste that much vacation time waiting in line?

- no pizza? Really? 

- balcony cabins on deck 9 are blocked from the ocean due to the roof structure on Ocean Boulevard. These should be sold as obstructed view. Extremely disappointing for a cabin I booked more than a year ago.

- no nightclub? Really?

- Premium Plus Beverage Package was a total rip-off. I enjoy tequila, and the best I could find at any bar was Cazadores Anjeo. That's a CAD$47 bottle, hardly "Premium Plus." The Vibe bar, where I did most of my drinking because it was the only bar which wasn't overly crowded, only had 1800 Reposado. That's a CAD$40 bottle. 

 

I could go on, but just read any review on this ship and you'll keep seeing the same notations over and over again. 

It wasn't all bad. The food was uniformly quite good, with Indulge Food Hall for dinner as a standout. I also quite enjoyed Onda, and the service at Cagney's was 100% spot on (coming from someone who waited tables in high-end restaurants for 20+ years). The Price Is Right Live was fun, and the ship is modern with some nice seating and colour choices, though not as nice as the Edge-class ships on Celebrity.

 

There's a reason why Prima enjoys a 2.8 review score here on Cruise Critic. I'm tempted to short NCL stock... they've got 3 (4?) more of this design bought and paid for, and it just doesn't work.

Thank you for your review...we sail in 2 weeks and I am going to try to ignore all these complaints but it may be hard. That said, I do have to wonder about one thing you said, "I did not see a single person wash their hands prior to serving themselves at the buffet. NOT ONE." How would you know that? I mean most people wash their hands in the restroom. 

Edited April 21, 2023 by uneamie

[bruzin_for_a_cruizin]

1 minute ago, uneamie said:

Thank you for your review...we sail in 2 weeks and I am going to try to ignore all these complaints but it may be hard. That said, I do have to wonder about one thing you said, "I did not see a single person wash their hands prior to serving themselves at the buffet. NOT ONE." How would you know that? I mean most people wash their hands in the restroom. 

Two things in response:

1) the complaints/issues with Prima are real. You'll find that for yourself in 2 weeks. BUT, despite the issues, my wife and I still had a fun vacation. It will be what you choose to make of it. If you choose to harp on the issues, you'll be miserable. If you choose -- as we did -- to laugh at it, you'll still have fun! Just go in with the proper mindset: this ship has major design flaws, but the food will be great, and you'll just have to adjust your schedule to accommodate for all the queuing up you'll have to do. Have a great cruise!

2) on every other cruise I've ever been on, pre- and post-COVID, hand washing before entering the buffet is mandatory (many cruisers will smile when I say: "Washy Washy!"). There are so many surfaces where bacteria/germs can linger on a cruise ship, that simply washing one's hands after exiting the restroom isn't sufficient. The fact that they don't enforce that on Prima is gross. Period.

[uneamie]

1 minute ago, bruzin_for_a_cruizin said:

Two things in response:

1) the complaints/issues with Prima are real. You'll find that for yourself in 2 weeks. BUT, despite the issues, my wife and I still had a fun vacation. It will be what you choose to make of it. If you choose to harp on the issues, you'll be miserable. If you choose -- as we did -- to laugh at it, you'll still have fun! Just go in with the proper mindset: this ship has major design flaws, but the food will be great, and you'll just have to adjust your schedule to accommodate for all the queuing up you'll have to do. Have a great cruise!

2) on every other cruise I've ever been on, pre- and post-COVID, hand washing before entering the buffet is mandatory (many cruisers will smile when I say: "Washy Washy!"). There are so many surfaces where bacteria/germs can linger on a cruise ship, that simply washing one's hands after exiting the restroom isn't sufficient. The fact that they don't enforce that on Prima is gross. Period.

Now I understand.....you meant that there was no "hand sanitizing dispenser" person there inforcing passengers to wash up before entering? Not good!  Ever since Covid i carry a freshly washed hand cloth that is saturated with alcohol in a baggy and it's in my purse at all times. I use it frequently when out and about. I wipe down grocery carts, and definately use it on my hands when touching frequently used surfaces like door knobs and hand rails. It may be "over-kill" but even though Covid is less of a concern I am going to keep this way of protecting myself from germs. Even with all that...I still got Covid 2 times. So there's that. That said,  I won't be one of those unwashed people at the buffet. LOL 

[KKB]

On 4/19/2023 at 11:09 PM, bruzin_for_a_cruizin said:

 

- entertainment is non-existent. My wife and I watched 5 movies on this cruise. We've never had 10 hours in our cabin at night on any other ship on any other cruise line.

- lineups for everything. Again, no hyperbole: People were lined up for Syd Norman's more than 1.5 hours before showtime. Who wants to waste that much vacation time waiting in line?

 

No entertainment?

Donna Summer show didn't run?

No Improv shows?

No musicians around the ship?

No trivia or gameshows?

(these are similar to the entertainment offerings on other lines)

 

And I agree--I don't wait in line for anything I don't have to.

But Syd Normans was WORTH IT. EVERY NIGHT.

 

Now, I'm no huge NCL fan & your other concerns are little different than we have encountered on other NCL ships. 

But the librarian in me always seeks accuracy in reporting...

[bruzin_for_a_cruizin]

1 minute ago, KKB said:

No entertainment?

Donna Summer show didn't run?

No Improv shows?

No musicians around the ship?

No trivia or gameshows?

(these are similar to the entertainment offerings on other lines)

 

And I agree--I don't wait in line for anything I don't have to.

But Syd Normans was WORTH IT. EVERY NIGHT.

 

Now, I'm no huge NCL fan & your other concerns are little different than we have encountered on other NCL ships. 

But the librarian in me always seeks accuracy in reporting...

Okay, to be fair "no entertainment" might be a bit of a stretch.

The Donna Summer show ran two nights. We saw it. The singers were great, but the talky bits in between were cringe-worthy. When I booked the cruise, Noise Boys was also on the calendar, but it has since been cancelled.

The Improv shows were impossible to get into with only 70 seats in the Improv. They moved the "comedian" to the Theatre one night, but we only stayed for the first 10 minutes of his act. I'm no prude by any means, but there are only so many BBC "jokes" I really care to sit through.

There were limited musicians around the ship. There was a guitar player in the Metropolitan, but there are not enough seats in the venue. There was a small band on the lower deck of the atrium, but there are not enough seats, and it's not even a real "venue." There was no live/recorded music on the pool deck, nothing on Ocean Boulevard, no piano bar... so very limited opportunities for live music (which is one of my favorite things about cruising!).

There was trivia, but that's not really my jam, and there was 1 Newlywed/Love&Marriage gameshow. 

 

I will concur that we loved the Syd Norman's band the first night when we were fortunate to get there before a line formed and got seats. Otherwise, I'm not waiting for 1.5 hours, and I'm not standing in the back of the room. Those days are long past for my middle-aged self!

 

I did/do get a strong sense that NCL fans are fiercely protective of the brand and any criticisms. A bit of cognitive dissonance makes folks uncomfortable. But the truth is the truth. Read the reviews. Like I said, a 2.8 average score from 143 passengers isn't just one or two Karens with unreasonable expectations. If you've got a booking on Prima, go and have a great time. The food is great (if you adjust your schedule to suit the ship's), and the cabins/bathrooms are a plus as well. But know that she might not otherwise match up to what you're expecting, especially given the Premium pricing they've been chargin. 

[KKB]

9 minutes ago, bruzin_for_a_cruizin said:

Okay, to be fair "no entertainment" might be a bit of a stretch.

The Donna Summer show ran two nights. We saw it. The singers were great, but the talky bits in between were cringe-worthy. When I booked the cruise, Noise Boys was also on the calendar, but it has since been cancelled.

The Improv shows were impossible to get into with only 70 seats in the Improv. They moved the "comedian" to the Theatre one night, but we only stayed for the first 10 minutes of his act. I'm no prude by any means, but there are only so many BBC "jokes" I really care to sit through.

There were limited musicians around the ship. There was a guitar player in the Metropolitan, but there are not enough seats in the venue. There was a small band on the lower deck of the atrium, but there are not enough seats, and it's not even a real "venue." There was no live/recorded music on the pool deck, nothing on Ocean Boulevard, no piano bar... so very limited opportunities for live music (which is one of my favorite things about cruising!).

There was trivia, but that's not really my jam, and there was 1 Newlywed/Love&Marriage gameshow. 

 

I will concur that we loved the Syd Norman's band the first night when we were fortunate to get there before a line formed and got seats. Otherwise, I'm not waiting for 1.5 hours, and I'm not standing in the back of the room. Those days are long past for my middle-aged self!

 

I did/do get a strong sense that NCL fans are fiercely protective of the brand and any criticisms. A bit of cognitive dissonance makes folks uncomfortable. But the truth is the truth. Read the reviews. Like I said, a 2.8 average score from 143 passengers isn't just one or two Karens with unreasonable expectations. If you've got a booking on Prima, go and have a great time. The food is great (if you adjust your schedule to suit the ship's), and the cabins/bathrooms are a plus as well. But know that she might not otherwise match up to what you're expecting, especially given the Premium pricing they've been chargin. 

Oh, honestly, I find comedians to be a crapshoot...I've seen some very good ones on ships but many very mediocre ones!

And yes nearly EVERY venue is too small on NCL--I think they felt people would evenly distribute themselves throughout all venues & never go twice, so their plans were good!

We prefer Celebrity, Princess, RCCL & even Carnival (have only done 1-14 day HI cruise) over NCL--it is on the same level as MSC to me. Things we REALLY like about each but the negatives are such a list it makes it hard to love it.

If only I could take the things I love about each line/ship I've sailed & put it all in one place!

 

Edited April 21, 2023 by KKB

[mitchtech]

On 4/20/2023 at 10:17 AM, willow surfside said:

Do you mind sharing your cabin number..we are looking at balcony deck 10 or 11 midship.

also do you prefer port or starboard. 
thanks for the report.

Hi. We were in 10316. I think it was port. Great location but overlooks the infinity pool so it's  noisy on the balcony during the day and not too private. I would recommend  going up a deck or two. It may still be noisy but it will be more private as people will not be able to look up and see you on your balcony higher up. It was fun in the early morning  seeing people reserve the daybeds and not coming back for hours, haha

[mitchtech]

15 minutes ago, bruzin_for_a_cruizin said:

Okay, to be fair "no entertainment" might be a bit of a stretch.

The Donna Summer show ran two nights. We saw it. The singers were great, but the talky bits in between were cringe-worthy. When I booked the cruise, Noise Boys was also on the calendar, but it has since been cancelled.

The Improv shows were impossible to get into with only 70 seats in the Improv. They moved the "comedian" to the Theatre one night, but we only stayed for the first 10 minutes of his act. I'm no prude by any means, but there are only so many BBC "jokes" I really care to sit through.

There were limited musicians around the ship. There was a guitar player in the Metropolitan, but there are not enough seats in the venue. There was a small band on the lower deck of the atrium, but there are not enough seats, and it's not even a real "venue." There was no live/recorded music on the pool deck, nothing on Ocean Boulevard, no piano bar... so very limited opportunities for live music (which is one of my favorite things about cruising!).

There was trivia, but that's not really my jam, and there was 1 Newlywed/Love&Marriage gameshow. 

 

I will concur that we loved the Syd Norman's band the first night when we were fortunate to get there before a line formed and got seats. Otherwise, I'm not waiting for 1.5 hours, and I'm not standing in the back of the room. Those days are long past for my middle-aged self!

 

I did/do get a strong sense that NCL fans are fiercely protective of the brand and any criticisms. A bit of cognitive dissonance makes folks uncomfortable. But the truth is the truth. Read the reviews. Like I said, a 2.8 average score from 143 passengers isn't just one or two Karens with unreasonable expectations. If you've got a booking on Prima, go and have a great time. The food is great (if you adjust your schedule to suit the ship's), and the cabins/bathrooms are a plus as well. But know that she might not otherwise match up to what you're expecting, especially given the Premium pricing they've been chargin. 

I totally agree with you concerning  the entertainment  and the lack of music. And the positives about the food and cabin/bathrooms

[bruzin_for_a_cruizin]

7 minutes ago, mitchtech said:

I totally agree with you concerning  the entertainment  and the lack of music. And the positives about the food and cabin/bathrooms

You, and me, and hundreds (thousands?) of others! LOL!

[InfrequentPNWCruiser]

Donna Summer was good,  but the quality and quantity of other music was not as good. A lot of the game shows were moved to the improv making it impossible to see and others conflicted with excursions and other items, so haven't seen one yet. Been making up my own entertainment spending hours in Vibe, which more than makes up for any shortcomings on this voyage.

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, uneamie said:

Sure, many people want to cruise on a NEW ship.....that's the reason we booked the Prima. But learning about all the complaints here on CC, I am sorry we did. Booking Prima due to it being new is going to get OLD. And people will seek out reviews before booking it. We sail away in 2 weeks and I am going to get on board and try to forget all that I've read here and try to obtain my own perspective. 

Please go with the attitude that you are going to have a good, make that great, time. If you allow all your preconceived notions about what will be bad, it will become a self fulfilling prophecy.

[willow surfside]

Thanks Mitchtech..we booked on deck 11 further toward the front…thanks so much for the heads up 

[JGmf]

2 hours ago, bruzin_for_a_cruizin said:

There was no live/recorded music on the pool deck, nothing on Ocean Boulevard,

 

This. I love the outdoor bars, but the lack of music, even at low volumes, is a giant pet peeve of mine.  Having no music makes a bar feel like something's missing, like you're in a library or study hall.  This is a NCL-wide issue at the Waterfront bars.  Major thumbs down!

[UKstages]

3 hours ago, uneamie said:

I mean most people wash their hands in the restroom. 

 

i can't tell if you're being serious or not, but i continue to be appalled at how few men wash their hands after doing their business. i'd guess around 15%. so, if they're not washing their hands or using sanitizer before dining at the buffet, there is a very good chance that those hands have fecal matter on them.

 

3 hours ago, uneamie said:

Ever since Covid i carry a freshly washed hand cloth that is saturated with alcohol in a baggy and it's in my purse at all times. I use it frequently when out and about. I wipe down grocery carts, and definately use it on my hands when touching frequently used surfaces like door knobs and hand rails.

 

sanitizing and disinfectant wipes are two different things, but - wether commercially distributed or homemade - they are intended for one time use. they should not be reused... or you run the risk of contaminating additional surfaces and spreading disease... the exact opposite of what they were designed to do.

 

3 hours ago, bruzin_for_a_cruizin said:

there are only so many BBC "jokes" I really care to sit through.

 

british television is enjoyed throughout the world, the BBC is a preeminent force and so it is ripe for mocking and derision.

 

wait! what?

 

oh, i see. that's very different then.

 

carry on.

 

 

 

[uneamie]

7 hours ago, UKstages said:

 

i can't tell if you're being serious or not, but i continue to be appalled at how few men wash their hands after doing their business. i'd guess around 15%. so, if they're not washing their hands or using sanitizer before dining at the buffet, there is a very good chance that those hands have fecal matter on them.

 

 

sanitizing and disinfectant wipes are two different things, but - wether commercially distributed or homemade - they are intended for one time use. they should not be reused... or you run the risk of contaminating additional surfaces and spreading disease... the exact opposite of what they were designed to do.

 

 

british television is enjoyed throughout the world, the BBC is a preeminent force and so it is ripe for mocking and derision.

 

wait! what?

 

oh, i see. that's very different then.

 

carry on.

 

 

 

I don't use the store bought throw away wipes....I have a dish cloth soaked in alcohol....dripping with alcohol.  There are no germs gonna live on that. The baggy has about a 1/4 cup of pure alcohol inside it. I disguard it after about a week and make a whole new one. As for people washing their hands in the restroom, I was questioning a poster when they said they didn't see many people wash their hands before serving themselves in the buffet........I mentioned that people usually wash in the restroom.....meaning "how would anyone know if someone washed their hands in the restroom or not? ". 

[UKstages]

yes, i completely understood.

 

and i'm here to tell ya that most men - a super majority - do not wash their hands after going to the bathroom, based on my unscientific observations at public restrooms. it's disgusting, it's reprehensible, and yet... there it is.

[PATRLR]

On 4/18/2023 at 12:05 PM, BirdTravels said:

I think the answer is that she is a small ship. 3100 passengers versus the BA+ ships at 4200 passengers. She should be compared against the Jewel-class ships vs. BA+. 

@BirdTravels you wrote those words in response to @laudergayle's comments about the hours of the buffet.   It makes sense to have a smaller buffet on a smaller ship.  But I fail to see how reducing the hours makes sense.  Do people sailing on a smaller ship desire less flexibility?  If I like to sleep in and eat a late breakfast, do I suddenly not like to sleep in just because I'm on a smaller ship?

[PATRLR]

On 4/18/2023 at 7:10 PM, laudergayle said:

We sail in two weeks…and when we get back onboard around 3…the lunch options will be Local, snacking items in Observation Lounge or a crowded, very small, tucked away Surfside Grill. 

If this is true, that sucks.  

I know that when we come back from port we always like to get a bit to eat on the ship (we eat dinner late).  That's going to really be a bummer if the only options are limited and inside (I'm not familiar with surfside grille).

 

[ontheweb]

45 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

@BirdTravels you wrote those words in response to @laudergayle's comments about the hours of the buffet.   It makes sense to have a smaller buffet on a smaller ship.  But I fail to see how reducing the hours makes sense.  Do people sailing on a smaller ship desire less flexibility?  If I like to sleep in and eat a late breakfast, do I suddenly not like to sleep in just because I'm on a smaller ship?

That makes a lot of sense. Many passengers will be off the ship on excursions or do it yourself during the stated lunch times.

[laudergayle]

42 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

I'm not familiar with surfside grille).

It appears on the deck plan to be situated aft end of the buffet right outside Vibe. Lucky Vibe guests will have easy access. For us, we are FWD cabin so it’s definitely a hike for us or anyone else at the main pool. 

[mitchtech]

2 hours ago, PATRLR said:

@BirdTravels you wrote those words in response to @laudergayle's comments about the hours of the buffet.   It makes sense to have a smaller buffet on a smaller ship.  But I fail to see how reducing the hours makes sense.  Do people sailing on a smaller ship desire less flexibility?  If I like to sleep in and eat a late breakfast, do I suddenly not like to sleep in just because I'm on a smaller ship?

Haha! So true!!!!

[mitchtech]

2 hours ago, PATRLR said:

If this is true, that sucks.  

I know that when we come back from port we always like to get a bit to eat on the ship (we eat dinner late).  That's going to really be a bummer if the only options are limited and inside (I'm not familiar with surfside grille).

 

It's  true. But The Local is very good

[KKB]

23 hours ago, InfrequentPNWCruiser said:

Donna Summer was good,  but the quality and quantity of other music was not as good. A lot of the game shows were moved to the improv making it impossible to see and others conflicted with excursions and other items, so haven't seen one yet. Been making up my own entertainment spending hours in Vibe, which more than makes up for any shortcomings on this voyage.

With 25 cruises tucked under my belt (over 20 yrs, several lines), I have noticed that a CD is KEY to whether I LOVE a cruise or LIKE a cruise. 

Mariner of the Seas 10 yrs ago was least fav--pompous CD who blew in for 5 min for a couple events/day, and very few events planned.

Ruby Princess last month they scheduled overlapping trivias (HUH--you KNOW this is the same crowd...) in addition to gameshows. So then, yes, dead times.

Sounds VERY much like activity scheduling is not the Prima's CD's strength to be sure.

Again...REALLY glad we swapped this for Beyond!