NCL Commercials

[MERIDIAN]

I personally sailed NCL old and new. I cannot believe that Newmex is heralding NCL's history as if they were connected in some way. NCL was at one time a class act before changing owners. A waiter handed me a menu at dinner and I saw macaroni and cheese, I said "I beg your pardon but I think you gave me the childrens menu by mistake." He said "no, this is the adult menu." -- enough said. Freestyle at it's best.

 

A good commerial to put NCL back in it's place would be to simply show pictures to potential NCL cruisers what they will be eating because NCL carefully avoids doing so themselves in their brochures.

 

Bottom line- it's a low blow for NCL to portray traditional dining a bad thing to recruit new cruisers. It's fitting that NCL has a sloppy dress code. Dressing an NCL passenger would be akin to wearing a tuxedo to a local fast food restaurant.

[Opinions]

... The other side of the coin, that NCL and Princess won't tell you about, are the potentially long waits for dinner, or getting a lousy table. I've heard stories about both of these things happening on lines with "freestyle" or "anytime" dining.

 

Paul Noble

 

Yes, and on traditional there are those who prefer early dining and only can get late. That's a real long wait for dinner!...And if you get stuck with a lousy table on traditional it could be for the entire cruise!...

 

There are plusses and minuses for each type of dining...The "stories" I've heard about Freestyle-Anytime don't always agree with what I have experienced...While I prefer freestyle-anytime I can live with Traditional.

[hammybee]

Yes, and on traditional there are those who prefer early dining and only can get late. That's a real long wait for dinner!...And if you get stuck with a lousy table on traditional it could be for the entire cruise!...

 

There are plusses and minuses for each type of dining...The "stories" I've heard about Freestyle-Anytime don't always agree with what I have experienced...While I prefer freestyle-anytime I can live with Traditional.

 

This too is a well balanced assessment of the situation. So many assume that they will get their preferred dining time and table location on HAL and it's just not possible to please every passenger, every time. One way is not better than the other. They are simply different. And that's OK in my book.

[tindiver]

We have cruised NCL Freestyle it is true you eat when you want,:rolleyes: sit where you want:rolleyes:, get a different waiter every time :eek:some good, some bad. So if thats what you want go with NCL. We have been with RCL and having the same people and waiters for dinner made the cruises more enjoyable. Going with HAL now we will see how they do it, from what I hear at CC they seem like they no a good job. First time on Noordam 3/31:). Can't wait.

Tom

[kryos]

...but I would like to know what those cruisers are going to do when flex dining becomes the rule, not the exception. This has been my point for the past few years. I am not trying to sell anyone on something they do not want or are not willing to try, I am simply pointing out there may soon be no choice. NMnita

I doubt you'll see flexible dining being the only choice on HAL for a good number of years. HAL's traditional passenger base would never stand for it. True, I agree with you in that I think some form of flexible dining will find its way onto at least the Vista class ships in the next year or so ... as an option ... not as the only choice. But I just can't see HAL shoving flexible dining down the throats of its loyal customer base comprised of many, many traditionalists. It's today's style of cruiser who generally embraces freestyle ... so those are the ones HAL will offer it to ... and it will be on the ships doing the kind of itineraries they gravitate to. The more traditional HAL cruiser taking longer voyages, I believe, will always enjoy the traditional style of dining that HAL is so good at.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

Yes, and on traditional there are those who prefer early dining and only can get late. That's a real long wait for dinner!...And if you get stuck with a lousy table on traditional it could be for the entire cruise!...

I have rarely seen anyone get "stuck" with anything. Maybe your docs have you down for a dining time you aren't happy with, but generally you can always change that once onboard.

 

And why on earth would you get stuck with a lousy table? If you don't like your table or your tablemates, just ask the matri 'd for a change. I've never had a problem with doing that.

 

Personally, I'd rather dine with people I get to know over the course of the cruise than dine in the impersonal manner of freestyle where, even if I am seated with others, it is with a different group each night and no opportunity to really bond with any of them.

 

Dinner would just become another version of lunch or breakfast in the dining room. Take their orders, feed 'em and then move 'em out.

 

No thanks.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

We have cruised NCL Freestyle it is true you eat when you want,:rolleyes: sit where you want:rolleyes:, get a different waiter every time :eek:some good, some bad.

And I can well understand why some of them are bad. Tips probably aren't that generous on NCL ships. After all, what possible reason would anyone have to tip so much as a nickle beyond the auto-tip amount? After all, you don't have one set waiter all week providing you with "above and beyond" service. So, why should you tip extra? Also, what happens if a group happens to be unlucky and draw three bad waiters out of a seven-night cruise? What if they decide to just remove their auto-tip because of it? Now the four good waiters they have get punished too. That kinda sucks. :(

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[newmexicoNita]

And I can well understand why some of them are bad. Tips probably aren't that generous on NCL ships. After all, what possible reason would anyone have to tip so much as a nickle beyond the auto-tip amount? After all, you don't have one set waiter all week providing you with "above and beyond" service. So, why should you tip extra? Also, what happens if a group happens to be unlucky and draw three bad waiters out of a seven-night cruise? What if they decide to just remove their auto-tip because of it? Now the four good waiters they have get punished too. That kinda sucks. :(

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

You would be surprised how many do. Every person we have cruised with on NCL has tipped someone over the automatic amount. As for service, I would say, what we got on HAL and NCl (last 2 cruises) was very similar. Most of it very good, some just not totally polished. In fact the little things we noticed missing were exactly the same. I do like the way HAL brings out the desserts following dinner and explains each one. NCL doesn't usually do that. The Lido service is also better than the buffet on NCL. NMnita

[FLACRUISER99]

I think the NCL commercial is great. It sure seems true as far as I am concerned. I will bet I have waited longer for Traditional dinning rooms to open then I have waited for a table on Freestyle or Personal Choice. And as for dinning service the worst service I ever experienced was an my 10/06 Volendam trip.

[hammybee]

You would be surprised how many do. Every person we have cruised with on NCL has tipped someone over the automatic amount. As for service, I would say, what we got on HAL and NCl (last 2 cruises) was very similar. Most of it very good, some just not totally polished. In fact the little things we noticed missing were exactly the same. I do like the way HAL brings out the desserts following dinner and explains each one. NCL doesn't usually do that. The Lido service is also better than the buffet on NCL. NMnita

 

Nita, As I understand it, NCL has gone to a non-negotiable service charge of $10 per day per passenger, in Hawaii. It's not too hard to make the connection between NCL/Hawaii and that the staff are U.S. or green card holders and demand a minimum of compensation. If this is indeed true, it may be another wave of the future.

 

Our service on NCL has been more than adequate. It's obvious however, the staff is less seasoned, and as you say, less polished than HAL. On a port intensive cruise ( my favorite) or if the ship includes a destination that I cannot get anywhere else, I am more than willing to give up the polish for the intinerary. But I always come home to HAL.

[newmexicoNita]

Nita, As I understand it, NCL has gone to a non-negotiable service charge of $10 per day per passenger, in Hawaii. It's not too hard to make the connection between NCL/Hawaii and that the staff are U.S. or green card holders and demand a minimum of compensation. If this is indeed true, it may be another wave of the future.

 

Our service on NCL has been more than adequate. It's obvious however, the staff is less seasoned, and as you say, less polished than HAL. On a port intensive cruise ( my favorite) or if the ship includes a destination that I cannot get anywhere else, I am more than willing to give up the polish for the intinerary. But I always come home to HAL.

The non-negotiable NCLA policy has been effect since the start of the Hawaiian route 2 plus years ago. I agree about the polish part but not the seasoned. Many of the NCL crew has been with the line for 10 or more years, I think it is the difference in what each line is trying to accomplish and what the guest want from a cruise. HAL is more formal, and does offer a different type of service although, as I said, ours certainly wasn't quite what we expected. Even though your preference is HAL and ours NCL, we seem to be saying pretty much the same thing and looking for the same thing. Port intensive, relaxed and for us freestyle will have us leaning toward NCL; if we do want the more elegent cruise experience we will choose HAL> The other lines get our business only if we have a real reason (cost or itinerary) to try them. I do want to try MSC just so I can advise my clients and they offer great TRA rates. I rarely use the travel agent discounts (in fact I never have) but that is one thing that would get me to try them.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR DAY.

[kittygrace]

I think those commercials are really funny! But then unlike most of you, I really enjoy NCL. I love the freestyle concept and dining when you want and with whom you want. I prefer to dine alone with my husband or our friends but not with strangers. I'm just not comfortable doing that. Seems like every cruise we've been on we get stuck with a table full of folks who prefer nothing more than to boast about themselves and their lives at every meal. Yuck! I enjoy being able to stroll in at any time and sit down and order. Seems more like being a restaurant and less like being at a "function". But then we've never had to wait to be seated either. I didn't like having to wear a watch on vacation to keep track of meal time. Don't get me wrong... I'm looking forward to my first cruise on HAL but I was excited to hear they are changing some of their dining "procedures". I think the commercial is for anyone who likes freestyle and anyone who hasn't tried cruising. And I think it's a good reminder to me, what I didn't like about the regimented, traditional experience. I'll let you all know if I've changed my mind when I return from my Jan Oosterdam cruise.

[mafig]

What's wrong with me?

 

I liked them both (NCL and Holland).

 

We enjoyed the Jewel. Ten different restaurants....ten different cuisines...something different every night. We never had to wait. :D

 

We enjoyed Volendam. Fabulous table for two on the upper railing...good waiters...liked the food... Although to be honest, our waitstaff always asked what we were drinking (and this was a 10 day cruise and whether we wanted coffee).

[FLACRUISER99]

What's wrong with me?

 

I liked them both (NCL and Holland).

 

We enjoyed the Jewel. Ten different restaurants....ten different cuisines...something different every night. We never had to wait. :D

 

We enjoyed Volendam. Fabulous table for two on the upper railing...good waiters...liked the food... Although to be honest, our waitstaff always asked what we were drinking (and this was a 10 day cruise and whether we wanted coffee).

Nothing, I feel the same way. I always say all the cruiselines have a great product. They are all different and some excel in different ways, but I have never found a cruise that I did not like. I will say that a lot of HAL cruisers think that HAL is the only cruise line , but that is there loss.