Prima is definitely not for us

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, MsTabbyKats said:

@mscdivina2016Sounds to me like someone is missing the Yacht Club

Yeah, so the Divina has 62 YC staterooms versus 80 Haven rooms on the BA/BA+ ships and 105 on the Prima class. The total passengers from 62 rooms on the Divina are not very intimate either. 

[MsTabbyKats]

4 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Yeah, so the Divina has 62 YC staterooms versus 80 Haven rooms on the BA/BA+ ships and 105 on the Prima class. The total passengers from 62 rooms on the Divina are not very intimate either. 

You're forgetting....YC also has "the grill" for breakfast and lunch! 

[ontheweb]

18 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

There are three Donna Summers singing. Young, Mid-aged, Old. along with a supporting cast of a musical.

Yes, you and I saw the same Donna Summers' show. I don't know what the OP saw. 🤦‍♂️

[InfrequentPNWCruiser]

3 hours ago, eileeshb said:

Some of the NCL ships have “the great outdoors” area just outside the buffet or in Spice H20 but those are public areas and not specific to haven. It usually served burgers and hotdogs in the time between lunch and dinner when the buffet was closed. 

There is a grill on Prima just aft of the main buffet and adjacent to the Vibe, but it is not outside. Used it plenty while hanging around in the Vibe to avoid the zoo of the buffet.

[UKstages]

5 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Donna summer was primarily 1 person singing.

the NCL cutbacks are more severe than i had thought. i’m glad i saw the show with a full cast. this makes me a little leery of my upcoming voyage on the joy. i guess i will just have to be prepared for only one “element.” i pity the fools on the bliss and breakaway who are being forced to watch “one” instead of “six.” going on the encore or the escape? better get used to “solo of man.”

[Cruising Lynne]

1 hour ago, InfrequentPNWCruiser said:

There is a grill on Prima just aft of the main buffet and adjacent to the Vibe, but it is not outside. Used it plenty while hanging around in the Vibe to avoid the zoo of the buffet.

The convenient access to the Vibe from the grill area and buffet on Prima is one of the reasons I would consider Vibe passes if I sail on Prima again. When I was on Prima I remember thinking how nice it would have been to bring my meal out there since the buffet area was so busy with limited seating.

[kasimir]

3 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Yes, you and I saw the same Donna Summers' show. I don't know what the OP saw. 🤦‍♂️

 

We also seen the Donna Summers show 3 months ago on the Prima (twice), and I have no idea what the OP is talking about. 

I think the OP seems confused and all over the place, complaining about lack of a Grill, while no other Haven has an outside Grill either... and there are many more things mentioned where I just go "huh?". 

 

The Prima/Viva is not perfect and for sure things can be better, but we actually like it, as there a lot of pro's that for us have outweighed the con's. But the Prima/Viva is a vastly different concept/ship and it almost feels like its a different cruise line and maybe some have issues adapting compared to the BA/BA+ ships. 

We have booked another Prima cruise for November 2023 and this time in the Haven, so we will for sure report back. 

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, InfrequentPNWCruiser said:

There is a grill on Prima just aft of the main buffet and adjacent to the Vibe, but it is not outside. Used it plenty while hanging around in the Vibe to avoid the zoo of the buffet.

Actually, that "grill" is technically outside. It is outside the air conditioned buffet and it is open to the outside air (the window slats go directly outside the ship)

[BunnyHutt]

Thank you, everyone, for clarification. I was picturing a setup of physical - ie Weber - grills. Not like a bar and grill. 😆

[Liljo22]

32 minutes ago, BunnyHutt said:

Thank you, everyone, for clarification. I was picturing a setup of physical - ie Weber - grills. Not like a bar and grill. 😆

At one point there use to be a physical grill they wheeled out and cooked hamburgers and hot dogs.  

[graphicguy]

Based on their user name, I’ll assume they are an MSC fan.  Sailed in the Yacht Club on the Meroviglia and Divina.  

 

I liked it both times.  There are no seats at the YC bar and bar service was slow.

 

Entertainment wasn’t bad.  It’s mostly dancing and operatic in nature.  Nothing wrong with it, just not my “thing”!

 

Both good, just different.  

 

If MSC is to your taste, stick with it.

 

Personally, I’m anxious to sail Prima!

[ready2cruzagain]

5 hours ago, Liljo22 said:

At one point there use to be a physical grill they wheeled out and cooked hamburgers and hot dogs.  

 

I remember those days! Back in the late 90s and early 2000's I remember they would wheel out several large round kettle charcoal grills by the pool area and have a big party. It was fun to watch and delicious. I think the last time I seen it was in 2005 on the Dream.

[ready2cruzagain]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

Based on their user name, I’ll assume they are an MSC fan.  Sailed in the Yacht Club on the Meroviglia and Divina.  

 

I liked it both times.  There are no seats at the YC bar and bar service was slow.

 

Entertainment wasn’t bad.  It’s mostly dancing and operatic in nature.  Nothing wrong with it, just not my “thing”!

 

Both good, just different.  

 

If MSC is to your taste, stick with it.

 

Personally, I’m anxious to sail Prima!

 

He didn't care for MSC either, complained a lot. I am thinking maybe Viking or Seabourne might be a better fit.

[david_sobe]

Not every ship is for every person. It's ok.  One thing that I have always been curious about on these new NCL ships is how all Haven cabins are outside the Haven facilities and you must take an elevator to them.  NCL has always charged top dollar to stay inside the complex.  I would have to personally experience this to have an opinion.  Have they made the Haven so big that it defeats its own purpose?

[dexddd]

Festivus.

[ontheweb]

10 hours ago, kasimir said:

 

We also seen the Donna Summers show 3 months ago on the Prima (twice), and I have no idea what the OP is talking about. 

I think the OP seems confused and all over the place, complaining about lack of a Grill, while no other Haven has an outside Grill either... and there are many more things mentioned where I just go "huh?". 

 

The Prima/Viva is not perfect and for sure things can be better, but we actually like it, as there a lot of pro's that for us have outweighed the con's. But the Prima/Viva is a vastly different concept/ship and it almost feels like its a different cruise line and maybe some have issues adapting compared to the BA/BA+ ships. 

We have booked another Prima cruise for November 2023 and this time in the Haven, so we will for sure report back. 

Yes, it is one thing to have an opinion, but quite another thing to just misstate facts.

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, david_sobe said:

Not every ship is for every person. It's ok.  One thing that I have always been curious about on these new NCL ships is how all Haven cabins are outside the Haven facilities and you must take an elevator to them.  NCL has always charged top dollar to stay inside the complex.  I would have to personally experience this to have an opinion.  Have they made the Haven so big that it defeats its own purpose?

On BA/BA+ ships about 1/3 (or more) of the Haven staterooms are outside the Haven complex. Our next cruise is on the Joy where over 1/2 of the Haven staterooms are outside the Haven complex.

 

Last Fall, we were in a 2BR suite in the courtyard area... about 10 steps away from the Haven Bar,,, that was great. Last month we were in a forward facing Haven about a million steps from the Haven Bar,,, but other than having to do a bit of walking, we used the Haven area as much, if not more, than when we stayed in the courtyard. I didn't give it a second thought to run up to the Haven to talk to the concierge desk, grab a drink, use the courtyard or the chilly sundeck hot tubs. 

 

Unlike the Joy where they arbitrarily added Haven Rooms (converted former Suites to Haven) that  have to share the facilities designed for 80,,, the Prima class has right sized the Haven for the 100 Haven cabins (20 cabins,,, 40+ guests more than BA/BA+). We'll be sailing in the Haven on the Viva shortly, so we'll see how that works. 

 

For us, the standard Haven penthouse is too small for the money (although that is what we have booked on the Viva). We'll book Forward Facing, Aft Facing, Spa, or 2BR suites before a penthouse.

Edited October 2, 2023 by BirdTravels

[cruisewingman]

I'd seen some complaints about the MDR on Prima not changing the menu but after looking at a sample menu, I though it was fantastic and better than a rotating menu. The rotating menus on other ships would occasionally not have something that I'm interested in but the larger static menu looked great. I'm actually looking forward to a larger menu that doesn't change!

[debenson0723]

5 minutes ago, cruisewingman said:

I'd seen some complaints about the MDR on Prima not changing the menu but after looking at a sample menu, I though it was fantastic and better than a rotating menu. The rotating menus on other ships would occasionally not have something that I'm interested in but the larger static menu looked great. I'm actually looking forward to a larger menu that doesn't change!

Prima now has a rotating menu other than in the Haven.

[ontheweb]

52 minutes ago, cruisewingman said:

I'd seen some complaints about the MDR on Prima not changing the menu but after looking at a sample menu, I though it was fantastic and better than a rotating menu. The rotating menus on other ships would occasionally not have something that I'm interested in but the larger static menu looked great. I'm actually looking forward to a larger menu that doesn't change!

I think I would have liked that larger static menu, but it is no longer there on the Prima.

[MamaToMany]

39 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

I think I would have liked that larger static menu, but it is no longer there on the Prima.

Would anyone be able to point us to the new MDR menus for Prima?

[DCGuy64]

8 hours ago, ready2cruzagain said:

 

He didn't care for MSC either, complained a lot. I am thinking maybe Viking or Seabourne might be a better fit.

I was about the say the same thing. He's complained many times over on the MSC boards, yet when he's mad at NCL, he threatens to go back to MSC. 🤷‍♂️ Like you said, maybe Viking or Seabourn would suit him better.

[kasimir]

43 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

I was about the say the same thing. He's complained many times over on the MSC boards, yet when he's mad at NCL, he threatens to go back to MSC. 🤷‍♂️ Like you said, maybe Viking or Seabourn would suit him better.

 

Don't want to be mean, but there are also people that are very difficult to please and will always complain, no matter what. In the end, no matter what cruise line you go on or how little or how much someone pays, things will never be perfect. 

We try to prepare as good as possible and manage our expectations and make the most of it, because in the end of the day, since we work really hard and have busy lives the rest of the year, for us those vacation days themselves are a luxury in itself and we can only spend our vacation once. 

So we will not let petty things ruin our time and get back home more stressed. 

[Asawi]

1 minute ago, kasimir said:

We try to prepare as good as possible and manage our expectations and make the most of it, because in the end of the day, since we work really hard and have busy lives the rest of the year, for us those vacation days themselves are a luxury in itself and we can only spend our vacation once. 

Amen to that! I have never been on Prima so I have no idea if the complaints are "valid" or not. But either way, you can choose to focus on the positives or the negatives. To focus on negatives that you cannot change will just make you miserable. Choose your focus!

[DCGuy64]

6 minutes ago, Asawi said:

Amen to that! I have never been on Prima so I have no idea if the complaints are "valid" or not. But either way, you can choose to focus on the positives or the negatives. To focus on negatives that you cannot change will just make you miserable. Choose your focus!

Well, having just taken a look at OP's signature, he's got quite a nice set of cruises booked in the months ahead, including a 16-day TA from the UK to the USA on the Emerald Princess starting a week from today. Hopefully that cruise will turn out better than this one.