RCI fan tries Freestyle Cruising

[QTMichele]

Thanks for taking the time to write such a great comparison/review! RCI Mariner of the Seas is my one and only cruise to date and I have to tell you that we LOVED our experience. We cannot wait to cruise again, but aren't too anxious to try another line - yet. Basically, we know and love the product RCI puts out and we're staying put for awhile! It's nice to know that you had some good comments about NCL though. :)

[PhoenixCruiser]

Yeah, I sorta don't recommend working full time, studying for the bar, and packing and moving into a new home at the same time. Thank God for my wonderful mother who volunteered to completely pack me and move me - how could I turn down that offer?

 

 

Wrona, we too just purchased our first home :) Any chance that your mom would be willing to help us pack and move ;)

 

Gordon, is the Spirit the same size/class/age as the Dawn? What is the itinerary?

 

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[Cruising89143]

Wrona, we too just purchased our first home :) Any chance that your mom would be willing to help us pack and move ;)

 

Gordon, is the Spirit the same size/class/age as the Dawn? What is the itinerary?

 

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She is a little smaller than the Dawn and entered service in 2000. The itinerary is a 8 night from New York down to St. Thomas, Tortola and Samana which is in the Dominican Republic.

[abridalmaven]

Thanks for the great review. I totally agree with you about Cagney's, the Garden Buffet (Windjammer) and the wind glass on the upper decks. I really liked Teppanyaki. Other than that, I realized that NCL is not for me.

I do have to agree on this but we were lucky with Cagney's we had an excellent steak.

 

But the ship layout was bothersome when getting to some of the dining rooms, you could not walk thru on decks.

[Host Kewlguy]

We had a very similar reaction the first time we sailed with NCL and experienced "Freestyle." Loved the variety of dining choices, loved self service laundry facilities (didn't have to pack as much), felt the overall service was just as good as RCCL, loved not having to pack formal wear for a change. On the down side we felt the food was a step below RCCL. Not terrible but a step below. Such as RCCL is a step below Celebrity. Also RCCL's loyalty program blows away the competition. We'll continue to cruise with both cruise lines. RCCL is still our favorite but NCL is a nice change of pace.

[aqhacruiser]

Excellent, detailed review and I enjoyed reading it! Thank you:)

[PhoenixCruiser]

She is a little smaller than the Dawn and entered service in 2000. The itinerary is a 8 night from New York down to St. Thomas, Tortola and Samana which is in the Dominican Republic.

 

Wow, nice ports - especially Samana!

 

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[wrp96]

Wrona, we too just purchased our first home :) Any chance that your mom would be willing to help us pack and move ;)

 

She says you can't afford her.:D

[isujim]

Thanks for the great review Gordon. It is reviews like this that may yet get me to try NCL and the freestyle concept. Your review goes a long way towards that decision.

 

Thanks.

[molly361]

Thanks for the great review- We would like to try NCL again, we took a three day cruise years ago on one of the older ships and did not like it at all so we are kind of gun shy about trying it again with all the other options available- We do like the Freestyle option though so maybe it is time to give NCL another shot!!

[RichardK]

I feel in many areas that NCL equals that of RCI. Very good service along with clean and well maintained ships and good entertainment. The food was hit or miss but overall not bad even though I may have sounded critical in some areas. There are things that I like about both cruise lines. IMHO no one can match the beauty or WOW factor that RCI has with their ships. RCI has a very nice past guest program that I think is the best in the industry. IMHO they are truly the leader in these two categories. On NCL I loved the Freestyle concept by being able to choose from all the different dining venues on board and when I wanted to dine. The suite amenities were nicer on NCL.[/font]

 

 

I have cruised both RCI and NCL on a number of occasions.

 

If I had to summarize my thoughts, comparing both cruise lines, they would have mirrored exactly what you said above.

[EggDropErin]

Thank you for your thoughts. I appreciated reading your comparisons.

[xpcdoojk]

I had missed this thread in all of the activities of the last couple of days. Great review as always, Gordon. Thanks for sharing.

 

I want to try all of the cruiselines someday, and it sounds like NCL would be ok.

 

jc:cool:

[alcheme]

NO!!!! The correct answers are:

 

RCI is the only cruise line that's any good.

NCL is terrible and should not even be mentioned in the same breath as RCI.

Freestyle dining is the work of the devil.

 

 

Edit: I should probably clarify that the above was in jest. :)

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

Excellant review and pictures Gordon!

I am gld you had a great experience, you'll be forever spoiled with bulter service! I agree that RC needs to look into some of these amenities and services. Step it up a notch....like Emeril says BAM! :D

I will agree with another poster who said NCL ships and decor are cheap looking, in some places it looks gawdy! :eek: :D

 

Thanks for a great review!

 

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[Cruising89143]

Thanks for the comments everyone.:)

[scopewest]

Great photos, thanks for a look at the ship. Also thanks for update on wind on balcony. You do realize that you got one of the "hot" cabins for NCL ships, people on the NCL boards adore that cabin! I wish people wouldn't get hysterical about trying different cruise lines. If I could afford it, I'd try every ship out there at least once :)

[Cruising89143]

Great photos, thanks for a look at the ship. Also thanks for update on wind on balcony. You do realize that you got one of the "hot" cabins for NCL ships, people on the NCL boards adore that cabin! I wish people wouldn't get hysterical about trying different cruise lines. If I could afford it, I'd try every ship out there at least once :)

 

Those two cabins are very popular with many folks and now I can see why. Two other things that I just remembered and forgot to place in my review. NCL will allow you to order room service on the last morning and also stay in your stateroom until your luggage tag color is called. Two very nice perks.

[danajjj]

Nice review...but I loved your pictures. You have some great shots. A few years ago, we were docked next to the Dawn, and I thought she looked like a really nice ship. I haven't had much interest in trying NCL except for the Dawn. It does look like her decor is a little loud though and would take some getting use to. I think we would probably like anytime dining and being less formal although we can go either way. I found your comparisons really interesting, thanks for posting the review.

[dfishner]

Thought this was a great review and a superb side by side comparsion. The review made me interested enough to look at NCL as a possible cruise option in the future. We really have enjoyed all our RCL cruises but we would like to try something else. I am not a fan of open seating but NCL with their 10 restaurants does offer a fair amount of choice compared to Princess open dining option for the main dining room. Thanks for the fair and balanced review it gave us something to think about.

[ronandannette]

To the OP, and others here that have also sailed NCL, I'm curious to know how you booked your cruise. NCL is pretty notorious for their HIDEOUS shoreside service (of which I've personally been a victim). Although I'm aware that these kind of things can occur with any cruise line, it seems to happen in many, many more instances with NCL. Once on-board, NCL has been delivering a fairly unique product (Freestyle) and the staff and crew are usually good enough that the warm fuzzies carry the day. (NOTE: NCLA to Hawaii is said to be a pitiful experience start to finish - even NCL loyalists can't defend it).

 

Personally, I have cautiously recommended NCL in past, and under the right circumstances would have considered them again for ourselves. That all changes the day RCCL gets open seating dining up and going. We really, really enjoyed Freestyle, but I will NEVER, EVER again fight my way past their horrible lack customer service if I can get everything I like somewhere else.

 

There's a really interesting thread about this on the NCL boards right now and I've chimed in with the same sentiments there. It seems to me that NCL is going to have to make some SERIOUS changes to their front-end processes now that other cruiselines are elbowing in on the open-seating and relaxed dress code action.

 

Happy Sails,

 

Annette

[awatt]

Thanks for such an objective, balanced review. I am a fan of both NCL and RCL. I never understand why some folks like to bash either line, or any line for that matter.

 

A note to those who prefer traditional dining: We always arrange same table/waiter/time on our NCL cruises. As a family with young kids that is what works for us. So if that is what you want, you CAN have it on NCL.

 

Annette- I always book NCL through a TA, often one of the online discounters. I like that NCL still allows discounting. The price through a TA I have found is always less than dealing with NCL directly.

 

Regarding the Dawn's bright colors, I love them! They are fun, energetic and tropical IMO. And they look better in person than in teh pictures.

[Nliedel]

Great and honest review. Thank you.

[Cruising89143]

To the OP, and others here that have also sailed NCL, I'm curious to know how you booked your cruise. NCL is pretty notorious for their HIDEOUS shoreside service (of which I've personally been a victim). Although I'm aware that these kind of things can occur with any cruise line, it seems to happen in many, many more instances with NCL. Once on-board, NCL has been delivering a fairly unique product (Freestyle) and the staff and crew are usually good enough that the warm fuzzies carry the day. (NOTE: NCLA to Hawaii is said to be a pitiful experience start to finish - even NCL loyalists can't defend it).

 

Personally, I have cautiously recommended NCL in past, and under the right circumstances would have considered them again for ourselves. That all changes the day RCCL gets open seating dining up and going. We really, really enjoyed Freestyle, but I will NEVER, EVER again fight my way past their horrible lack customer service if I can get everything I like somewhere else.

 

There's a really interesting thread about this on the NCL boards right now and I've chimed in with the same sentiments there. It seems to me that NCL is going to have to make some SERIOUS changes to their front-end processes now that other cruiselines are elbowing in on the open-seating and relaxed dress code action.

 

Happy Sails,

 

Annette

 

I used a TA so I did not have to deal with NCL's customer service other than when I was trying to register on line pre cruise and I kept getting an error message. I called NCL and they suggested that I fax the completed form and they would enter for me. I checked back on line a few days after I had faxed the form and it was completed so what little I did deal with CS, they were very helpful.

[nfused2cruze]

Cruisingator2,

 

That was one of the best reviews I've read here in Cruise Critic. I like how you compared the two lines. The pictures were excellent also. Keep up the good reporting. From your beneficiaries (sp?)....;)