Help! Please share your good experiences on NCL!

[bte567]

My boyfriend and I are booked on the Pearl to sail out of Miami on 1/14/07 for 5 nights. We are 25 and 28 and were hoping for a fun cruise with a good balance of relaxation and adventure. We picked Norwegian because we had heard good things and were excited about sailing on a new ship. Plus, the freestyle cruising concept sounds great. NOW that we are booked, it seems that I keep reading all these bad things about the cruise line...terrible food, bad service, worst cruise line, etc.

 

Maybe this is a silly thread to start, but I'm just looking for help easing my mind with the decision. I want to be excited about the trip, not worried about it! Please share your insight, experiences, or any tips on how to make the most out of our trip on NCL.

 

Thanks!!

[driker2]

NOW that we are booked, it seems that I keep reading all these bad things about the cruise line...terrible food, bad service, worst cruise line, etc.

 

My wife and I (and previously our kids) have been on six or seven NCL cruises and I cannot even recall a significantly bad experience. Some people are never happy and -- some people have even stranger agendas.

[old faithful]

For my mom's 75th I took her on her first cruise - The Spirit out of NYC last April -LOVED IT - We are booked on the Jewel this coming April - CAN'T WAIT - I cruised the Sun last July - LOVED IT - I enjoy NCL & freestyle dining very much - it gives you freedom and allows you to make the most of everything

Hopefully you and your boyfriend can enjoy life where ever you are and whatever you do - life is never perfect - it just gives you things to talk about, laugh about, get angry about, or complain about - it is up to you - how will you deal with what life throws at you - get information here - food for thought - but start to enjoy the vacation right now by relaxing and looking forward to it...

I remember a "Far Side" cartoon - two devils in hell watching a guy push a wheel barrel - the guy was whistling - the caption read "never let them get you down" IMO attitude is the key to a happy life - the worst moments can become funny in time - it is ALL what you make it - enjoy:D

NCL is GREAT!

[Retired not Expired]

Good Experience = Getting on the ship

 

Bad Experience = Getting off the ship

 

Gravy = The time in between

[swoosh2005]

Please share your insight, experiences, or any tips on how to make the most out of our trip on NCL.

 

Thanks!!

 

Aside from being away from work-the daily grind-not cooking-the beautiful warm weather

-the best thing for me has been the great people of all ages that I've met on the ship

-This will be our 5th and probably final Dawn cruise as she is leaving NYC

-I look forward to the Gem

My suggestion is to go to the CC get together to really enhance your cruise

[newlywedcruisers]

I had the worst experiance of my life when during my NCL cruise... they made me get off!

 

Seriously, I loved it, the food was great, our cabin was amazing, the casino was great. I couldn't have asked for more!

[lastingtouch]

As you can see we love the Dawn. Soon we'll be forced to use another NCL ship if we still want to sail from NY. We love all the friends we've made especially the crew! Sail with an open mind. I really believe if you think you will have a bad time, you will.

 

Enjoy! :)

[macdays1]

As far as the food goes, if you don't like one thing, choose another. There is always something good to eat. I have never had a bad experience on a cruise. They have all been good. I love NCL and I LOVE Freestyle! Go with an open mind, get involved, and have fun! A cruise is what you make it. I don't think there is such a thing as a bad cruise. Take advice from others but remember...everyone has a different opinion. Happy cruising!

[Frick_&_Frack]

bte567 - We had a great time on the Dawn in February. The crew couldn't have been sweeter. Everyone was cheerful, helpful and friendly. There are always negatives if you seek them out; however, the best vacation is where you look for the positive.

 

One shining example of a positive - our favorite Assistant Waitress sang to us on our final night aboard (we had gotten engaged upon boarding). There wasn't a dry eye in the restaurant that night. It was heartfelt and one of the most unbelievable events I've ever had in cruising.

 

It's those little things that keep me cruising year after year.

[Planer's Edge]

Choosing the newest NCL ship is a great decision. With the last few new ships, they have harvested the best of the best from throughout the fleet to staff the ship.

 

We were on the Jewels first caribbean sailing last year and met a lot of people which we had met on previous cruises. And of course Klaus Lugmaier is the Hotel Director on the Pearl so you know it will be well oiled machine.

 

PE

[mpk218]

bte567

 

You must remember one thing on these boards. You will see alot more complaints than praise. People like to sound off when they feel slighted.

If all of us that had a great time on our cruise where to post our coments , they would shut down the system.

You will have a great time . Also when on board for your first time , dont be afraid to ask about anything . The staff are there to make your trip memorable...

 

Sail on

 

MPK ( 3/25/07 SUN )

[CruisinMK]

1) Make sure to catch the "jean ann ryan" shows, probably will be two nights with these broadway style production shows. Think you'll both love it, makes entertainment on other cruiselines look like the gong show in comparison.

 

2) Biggest mistake you could make is not taking advantage of the many wonderful "specialty restaurants" on your ship. I think there's french, italian, east asian, mexican, and a steak restaurant. I recommend at least 2 or 3 nights of them, but you should reserve these very early in your cruise to avoid disappointment. Many people figure out later in the cruise how great they are, but find most reservations are taken by the time they decide to try them.

 

3) You should do a little planning to get the most out of your ports.

 

4) Wear a hat and a little sunscreen, so you can laugh at all the bozos getting horribly sunburned instead of joining them. Now there's a sure way to ruin a cruise! You need to drink more water than you usually do also. Wash your hands frequently to avoid getting norovirus (72 hour stomach flu). Smart to bring earplugs in case of unwanted noise when trying to sleep.

 

5) Freestyle means you're not sitting down with the same strangers every night (unless you specially arrange it). Good and bad in some ways. Your cruise can be a little more alienating unless you compensate by being more friendly! It's up to YOU to talk to people when you can, reach out and be friendly wherever you are on the cruise!! This can make a huge difference in your cruise experience, don't expect to be passive and have friends handed to you on a platter. You can specifically ask the matre D to join strangers for dinner on the nights you are feeling sociable.

 

6) You should try the dance floor at night, nice thing about being on such a big ship is it is more likely to be hopping. Probably be fewer young people on cruises longer than 7 days though.

[newlywedcruisers]

5) Freestyle means you're not sitting down with the same strangers every night (unless you specially arrange it). Good and bad in some ways. Your cruise can be a little more alienating unless you compensate by being more friendly! It's up to YOU to talk to people when you can, reach out and be friendly wherever you are on the cruise!! This can make a huge difference in your cruise experience, don't expect to be passive and have friends handed to you on a platter. You can specifically ask the matre D to join strangers for dinner on the nights you are feeling sociable.

 

Met a nice older couple that way. DW was sick when I went to East Meets West, so I ate there alone. Sat next to this nice couple, Tom and Ivan from Idaho. Probably one of the most fun dinners I had, it was a good experiance, and just goes to show you how it pays to be a little more outgoing on cruises.

[eyzwdeshut]

We were also on the same cruise as Planer Edge's going to the Caribbean. We had a great time on the Jewel - it was our honeymoon (though we slept a lot!). It was my DH's first cruise, & we are booked for another with NCL in Feb. It's like your parents told you growing up (or at least mine did), it's what you make of it - don't sweat the small stuff. Obviously you will be going with someone you enjoy spending time with... i'm sure it will be nothing but fun. Not to mention, time away from everyday stress is a great thing!

 

Happy Travels!

[Glamourgal]

We cruised in June on the Spirit with our 3 kids in their 20's and we all loved it. The food was great, I don't know what some people are expecting but we all loved it and we all go out quite a bit! There is always something to do. We enjoyed the Margahrita and Martini clinics, lots of fun. Also the progressive trivia is a lot of fun. There is always a mixture of entertainment in the evening that we all found very good. We liked the freestyle although on your formal nights, it's a good idea to make reservations to avoid long lines, even in the main restaurants. We ate at LeBistro and Teppanyaki specialty restaurants and they were also very good. The staff was amazing.

 

Have a GREAT Trip!! We are going back on NCL Sept 2007, on the Sun to Hawaii...I can't wait!!

[wizard-of-roz]

Newbie to NCL...reservations? plan? That doesn't sound very vacation to me. Especially on a cruise. Which is why I pick cruising as opposed to land-based vacations.

I like the idea of having my dinner table waiting for me, with servers who get to know me; my likes and dislikes. Actually, it's one of my very favorite parts of cruising!

I'm open for a new experience to Freestyle dining...I'll probably pick a restaurant and make sure that the same table; at the same time is available to me every night.....to me it takes away the stress of lines and the inability of the dining staff to get to know my personal desires!

We'll see in 11 days on the Star! :p

[samtig]

Haven't been on the Pearl, but the Norwegian Sun is our favorite cruise so far. So much so we have another Sun cruise scheduled. Love free style dining. The speciality restaurants are fantastic. East Meets West has some of the best steaks we have eatten. Food in regular dining rooms was very good, as was the service. The staff was the best - very friendly and genuine. We've had some great Carnival cruises too, but Norwegian Sun was our favorite. Have a great cruise!

[wareagle1958]

We have cruised on 3 different NCL ships and they have all been first class. The ship's personnel have always been friendly and attentive. The food and entertainment is excellent. I would highly recommend NCL to anyone.

[newmexicoNita]

Newbie to NCL...reservations? plan? That doesn't sound very vacation to me. Especially on a cruise. Which is why I pick cruising as opposed to land-based vacations.

I like the idea of having my dinner table waiting for me, with servers who get to know me; my likes and dislikes. Actually, it's one of my very favorite parts of cruising!

I'm open for a new experience to Freestyle dining...I'll probably pick a restaurant and make sure that the same table; at the same time is available to me every night.....to me it takes away the stress of lines and the inability of the dining staff to get to know my personal desires!

We'll see in 11 days on the Star! :p

I think the OP asked for positives not negatives. I hope you enjoy your cruise experience, but it sounds like you are already prepared not to like freestyle. What made you decide on this type of dining experience if you prefer to have your table waiting for you. Please do let us know how you like freestyle, I am sure you will. NMNita

[bte567]

I am so glad I posted this…you really all have put my mind at ease.

I’m sure that we will have a wonderful time!!

The input is much appreciated!

[newmexicoNita]

My boyfriend and I are booked on the Pearl to sail out of Miami on 1/14/07 for 5 nights. We are 25 and 28 and were hoping for a fun cruise with a good balance of relaxation and adventure. We picked Norwegian because we had heard good things and were excited about sailing on a new ship. Plus, the freestyle cruising concept sounds great. NOW that we are booked, it seems that I keep reading all these bad things about the cruise line...terrible food, bad service, worst cruise line, etc.

 

Maybe this is a silly thread to start, but I'm just looking for help easing my mind with the decision. I want to be excited about the trip, not worried about it! Please share your insight, experiences, or any tips on how to make the most out of our trip on NCL.

 

Thanks!!

I am sure you will love the Pearl; just being on a new ship is always a plus. Be sure to try, at least one of the specialty restaurants. Our favorite has always been LE Bistro, but others prefer the steak house or the Asian dining experience.

 

Remember nothing is perfect and when someone has a problem they love to let everyone else know. Many of the negatives you read about NCL or any other line, for that matter are over exagerated or just plain nip picking. 20 plus cruises, about 8 or 9 on NCL and I have yet to be on a really bad cruise. NCL is certainly our first choice, great, relaxed crew, good to very good food most of the time, great entertainment, clean cabins, outstanding itineraries, super choice of embarkation ports and great value for our bucks.

 

Nita

[Dolphins]

We have had 8 cruises on NCL and never had a bad cruise. We look forward to sailing with them repeatedly in the future for the following reasons:

1. They are the only cruiseline that was innovative enough to schedule cruises year round out of New York. No more flying for us.

2. Freestyle dining is a pleasure because it allows us many dining options.

3. Optional formal nights give passengers numerous dress options.

4. The musicians performing in the various lounges on NCL ships have always been outstanding in talent, versatility and catering to the passengers.

5. The staff on NCL ships have always been friendly and accomodating in the extreme.

[wizard-of-roz]

The answer to WHY we picked NCL...I like trying all different lines. I'm very open to new experiences....I've always loved the traditional dining thing but again I'm open. And, you're right, although in no way was I being negative, I did sound like I wasn't leaving myself much room for other experiences...well, I am!

Truthfully, I've read all the threads; taken in all the good and not so good information and now, I want to see/taste and feel it for myself!

My DH is a truly casual kind of guy and we wanted to see what this "freestyle" thing was all about! You guys rave about it and the ships....and, I want to join the club.....may I? :)

[mbisson]

Gravy = The time in between

 

I dunno. After reading some postings on this board I think gravy is the best thing there is to eat on NCL... ;)

 

Seriously bte567-I think you'll have a great time.

 

-Monte

[mbisson]

Now how did another double post happen?