First timer with quick questions

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, krufrank said:

As I said, I may be wrong which is why we are interested in trying NCL.
 

That said, we are excited about Free Style Dining and having more food options open to us. We have also heard from many sources the entertainment on board is far superior than other lines. 
 

We are Princess Elite but NCL Prospects. LOL. Can’t wait to see how it all plays out. 

 

That said, they are the only major cruise line that does NOT let you bring water on board or any food (favourite snacks?). That’s pretty stringent. 
Incorrect. You can bring as much snacks onboard as you want. But, you have paid for unlimited food on the ship, and I don't understand why people want to pay for food and bring it onboard. 

 

You can bring your water containers onboard and use a clean glass to fill them, if you want. 

 

Royal lets us bring water onboard, but I have zero desire to be schlepping a dozen bottles of water around with me on embarkation day. 

 

Their excursions, at least in Alaska, are double the price (3 times more expensive in some cases) than say Princess (which we’ve done 3 times). I am using and independent excursion company. 
Prices on Alaska tours go up for all cruise lines every year. So, if you are comparing a Princess cruise 5 years ago, that is an invalid comparison. It's like saying "Eggs were $0.79/dozen last year compared to over $5/dozen for a while this year").

 

We sailed on Royal last year to Alaska and it was pricy. And we are doing NCL in a few weeks and it is pretty pricy. 

 

I also found their upgrades on drink package and internet to be super pricy - again compared to the other lines we’ve travelled with. 
There is zero need to "upgrade" your drinks package. And the grats on the free drinks package are certainly less than buying a drinks package on other lines. 

 

I was also told by our CP that we could NOT bring a small portable fan on board (this could prove to be false) and directed me to webpage which backed this up. Other lines you can. 
Incorrect. You can bring a small portable fan onboard. Totally allowable under the current prohibited items list. 

 

My wife has a C-Pap machine that needs distilled water. We made a request for some to be in our room and was told we had to bring it ourself. Not so with other lines. 
Incorrect. You can get a free gallon of distilled water onboard for your CPAP machine. Submit a request through the NCL access desk (although I have found that it is easier just to ask my cabin steward onboard). https://www.ncl.com/about/accessible-cruising#

 

 

[krufrank]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

 

That said, they are the only major cruise line that does NOT let you bring water on board or any food (favourite snacks?). That’s pretty stringent. 
Incorrect. You can bring as much snacks onboard as you want. But, you have paid for unlimited food on the ship, and I don't understand why people want to pay for food and bring it onboard. 

 

You can bring your water containers onboard and use a clean glass to fill them, if you want. 

 

Royal lets us bring water onboard, but I have zero desire to be schlepping a dozen bottles of water around with me on embarkation day. 

 

Their excursions, at least in Alaska, are double the price (3 times more expensive in some cases) than say Princess (which we’ve done 3 times). I am using and independent excursion company. 
Prices on Alaska tours go up for all cruise lines every year. So, if you are comparing a Princess cruise 5 years ago, that is an invalid comparison. It's like saying "Eggs were $0.79/dozen last year compared to over $5/dozen for a while this year").

 

We sailed on Royal last year to Alaska and it was pricy. And we are doing NCL in a few weeks and it is pretty pricy. 

 

I also found their upgrades on drink package and internet to be super pricy - again compared to the other lines we’ve travelled with. 
There is zero need to "upgrade" your drinks package. And the grats on the free drinks package are certainly less than buying a drinks package on other lines. 

 

I was also told by our CP that we could NOT bring a small portable fan on board (this could prove to be false) and directed me to webpage which backed this up. Other lines you can. 
Incorrect. You can bring a small portable fan onboard. Totally allowable under the current prohibited items list. 

 

My wife has a C-Pap machine that needs distilled water. We made a request for some to be in our room and was told we had to bring it ourself. Not so with other lines. 
Incorrect. You can get a free gallon of distilled water onboard for your CPAP machine. Submit a request through the NCL access desk (although I have found that it is easier just to ask my cabin steward onboard). https://www.ncl.com/about/accessible-cruising#

 

 

I really like Cruise Critic Boards but sometimes those who wish to “share” do so in such a condemning and harsh way it kinda ruins it. 
 

If you cared to read all my posts you will see where I got my info from. Our NCL CP could be wrong on a number of things - I dunno. That’s why I was asking. 
 

You are defending NCL so steadfastly in your response you make it seem like I was attacking them when clearly I wasn’t. 
 

By the way, we were in AK 4 months ago with Princess and I compared prices again this month between the same excursions - 2 to 3 times higher with NCL. 
 

Have a great night. We are going to experience a new cruise line tomorrow and going to enjoy it I am sure.

 

Thanks to the rest who were patient and civil in your responses. YOU folks are what makes Cruise Critics a fun place to hang out at. 

[BirdTravels]

9 minutes ago, krufrank said:

I really like Cruise Critic Boards but sometimes those who wish to “share” do so in such a condemning and harsh way it kinda ruins it. 

Basically, I quoted a posting which was condemning NCL for being inferior to other cruise lines in a very harsh way. I point out that the condemnation was based on invalid assumptions (as many others have pointed out). You can have your snacks, you can have your CPAP water, you can have your fan. Can't bring bottled water onboard, sorry, I will give you that. Have a wonderful cruise. 

Edited August 6, 2023 by BirdTravels

[krufrank]

10 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Basically, I quoted a posting which was condemning NCL for being inferior to other cruise lines in a very harsh way. I point out that the condemnation was based on invalid assumptions (as many others have pointed out). You can have your snacks, you can have your CPAP water, you can have your fan. Can't bring bottled water onboard, sorry, I will give you that. Have a wonderful cruise. 

I was not bashing nor condemning NCL in the least.  Not sure why you would take it that way.  Again, all my info I got from our NCL CP.  YOU were the harsh one.  Also, can't bring on a fan with a cord - no matter the size of said fan - which is what we have.  But again, just double checking with folks out here - many who gave salient and reserved answers. 

[Panhandle Couple]

46 minutes ago, krufrank said:

I was not bashing nor condemning NCL in the least.  Not sure why you would take it that way.  Again, all my info I got from our NCL CP.  YOU were the harsh one.  Also, can't bring on a fan with a cord - no matter the size of said fan - which is what we have.  But again, just double checking with folks out here - many who gave salient and reserved answers. 

So the key is...

 

Go on your cruise and HAVE FUN.

 

 

[krufrank]

9 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

So the key is...

 

Go on your cruise and HAVE FUN.

 

 

Amen and amen!

[goldmom]

15 hours ago, krufrank said:

Our fan is plug in. 

Apparently small plug in fans are allowed.

The prohibited items list is as follows:

 31. All types of fans with the exception of small electrical and battery-operated fans. *Please note, these fans are subject to confiscation by the ship’s security team for inspection and approval.

 

[DCGuy64]

16 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Basically, I quoted a posting which was condemning NCL for being inferior to other cruise lines in a very harsh way. I point out that the condemnation was based on invalid assumptions (as many others have pointed out). You can have your snacks, you can have your CPAP water, you can have your fan. Can't bring bottled water onboard, sorry, I will give you that. Have a wonderful cruise. 

Here I have to agree with @BirdTravels. I read OP's criticism of NCL as being "stringent" in a way that suggested "gosh, every other line lets me do X with no questions asked, why is NCL so mean?" Perhaps @krufrank did NOT mean to be critical of NCL, but that's how it sounded to me (and, apparently, to @BirdTravels, too). It isn't uncommon for someone who, like OP, is new to NCL but not new to cruising, to begin comparing NCL to the others, and occasionally in a negative way. That gets compounded when the comparisons are done based on what the poster thinks is true or what he/she was told by a 3rd party, which may be inaccurate. Of course, keep in mind that people on Cruise Critic aren't that much different than people on any website: there's always the potential for miscommunication. I hope the OP is having a great time and enjoys his/her 1st time on NCL!

[Ottawa Lynne]

There are not many electrical outlets in staterooms. NCL does have extension cords for CPAPS that you can order but they do suggest bringing your own - make sure it is not surge protected. If you bring your fan and your CPAP you won't be able to plug both in at the same time unless you bring a power bar or extension cord with many plugs on the end (we do this - it works well).

 

I have been on a dozen NCL cruises and they have always brought me distilled water. I just filled out the accessibility form and requested it and it appeared like magic.

 

Enjoy your cruise.