I am having second thoughts about NCL

[JerseyMom]

Two people (on separate occasions) have told me that NCL is really a down-market line and I should have booked something more upscale. :( I don't know if they know what they are talking about, but since I have not cruised before, I am uncertain.

QUOTE]

 

 

Down-market compared to what? Compared to Radisson, Silversea, and Seabourn - yes it probably is. Other than NCL, I have only sailed DCL and to me they offer a very similar product with NCLs prices being much better. I prefer NCL because I can dine where I want, when I want and without having to dine with strangers. Formal night is optional so I can dress up as much as I want (or not). For the price difference, I can do without photos of me and Mickey Mouse. From what I've heard from others who have sailed both lines, it is comparable to RCCL.

 

Hope you and your family have a wonderful cruise!

[booklady26]

My husband & I have been on 40 cruises in 25 years.

 

We're Elite members of Princess' Captain Circle, Platinum in RCCL's Crown & Anchor, Select in Celebrity's Captian's Club, Mariner's in Holland America AND Gold Latitudes members on NCL. We've also sailed on Carnival, Costa, Cunard (QM2) and some cruise lines which are no longer around.

 

So I speak from experience when I say that there is NO SUCH THING AS A BAD CRUISE. Only passengers with BAD ATTITUDES.

 

A cruise, like any vacation, is what you make of it. If you choose to focus on the negatives, you'll be miserable. Instead think about what you enjoy and you'll have a great time. Because there is also no such thing as a PERFECT cruise.

[klct39lg]

We will be on our first NCL cruise in March of 2008; sailed with Disney and Princess previously. I was also put off by some of the things that I read here on CC. HOWEVER, I also noticed that there were more favorable comments than negative. It just seems to take a bunch of positive reviews to cancel out 1 negative. I could not make up my mind, finally my husband said, "If we don't like it we'll try a different line next time." So I booked it. I think we got a good deal and now, I am totally looking forward to our cruise.:)

[WaldosPepper]

I just reserved our sixth cruise with NCL, this time we'll sail on the Gem in February.

 

I invite you to read my review of our Feb '06 trip on the Dawn. If after reading that you're not convinced, then I'll post a link to the thread which contained my "live blog" while onboard the ship.

 

I wouldn't dream of booking on any other cruise line! :D Forget everything those nay-sayers told you, relax, and get ready for a wonderful vacation!

[Toyz711]

if you were to click on "new posts" (at the top of this thread) and just keep watching..every day someone has complaints about any of the cruiseline. every country i have been to, i was told not to go...bad food, rude people. i was on a great cruise from athens around to istanbul and back. 3 weeks after that cruise, i was on a plane, heard people complaning about that same ship (they were on it 2 weeks before i was), they hated everything i loved. they hated the ship, the food, the people were too "greek". (gee, i wonder?)

no one can tell if you are going to have a good time or not, that is totally up to you and your family. create your own experiences, don't relay on what others say.

BTW...we love NCL...it's not a party ship, but a fun ship..good for families or (almost) seniors, like us.

[TonyFred]

You will be on vacation instead of working. You will be in a beautiful ship enjoying nice weather while most folks will be fighting snow. You will be surrounded by all the food you can eat and all the fun you can imagine.

What's not to enjoy???

[mrleo33]

It's all about what you expect from the cruise experience.If you want a wonderful time with your family at a moderate price, with lots of fun activities or just some quiet time to relax, I think you'll be pleased with NCL.

There are some things I do to enhance my cruise experience that help me feel as though I am cruising a bit more upscale manner.. I order coffee from room service each morning, so I can relax and enjoy a little quiet time while the rest of the family is still sleeping, I avoid the buffets, unless I am going for a mid-afternoon snack and a cup of coffee, I only eat breakfast and lunch in the formal dining rooms. The food is hotter, fresher and best of all served by the lovely wait staff in the lovely elegant dining room. I dress up for dinner, even though I am not required to. My children are given the chance to decide whether they would like to dress up for dinner and have a longer lovely meal with Mom and Dad or if they would like to grab a quick bite from the kid's corner area of the buffet or join the kid's club for dinner when that is offerred. When the kid's don't join us for dinner, we treat it as a nice dinner date and visit the speciality restaurants and really make a special night of it.

 

You can make this experience whatever you desire. It's completely up to you and your family. I do not feel that cruising on NCL is selling anyone short. There is a lot of value to be had. I also like Carnival and RCCL, but each time I cruise I find things I like and things I dislike, however it has never been anything that would cause me to write off the entire cruise line.

[lvz2cruz]

I don't think you need to worry. A first cruise is almost magical. You go into it not knowing what to expect and constantly amazed at the new adventures each day brings.

NCL does a lot of things very well. You will most likely love some things and wish others were different. It will be like that on every cruiseline.

We have sailed on a more upscale line and love some things on it but appreciate other things on NCL.

If you go into your cruise regretting having booked it, you will not have a good time. Think positive and remember no line is perfect in every way. I think you have picked a great ship to start your cruising days.

Good luck and enjoy!

[insidecabin]

Personaly the mid market(USA)cruise lines that we have done Princess,RCI,NCL are all on a par, Celebrity slightly better if you like the positive diffrences, same if not. There is no way NCL is bottom market, come to the UK if you want some bottom feeder cruising(on price). (air,AI,7n $650)

 

NCL is different from regular cruises being freestyle and for someone new to NCL they can get hit by not knowing the ropes especialy with dining on the shorter cruises(have they got those screens working yet), booking/waits seem to be the big issue, we tend to do longer cruises where booking late same day or just turn up has been easy.

 

Research how the systems work and get on the roll call for your cruise so you are up on what is going on and if there are other families you can all kick start without learning the ropes and getting to know people for the first couple of days.

 

Open mind and remember it is a new environment so look out for what is going on and available.

[deliza]

I really think you'll be just fine. This will be our 4th cruise with NCL and I won't even consider another cruise line unless NCL just doesn't have what I'm looking for in either dates or itiniery. I can't think of anything about NCL that says cheap or down-market (except prehaps that the prices are often better). The cabins are similar, catagory for catagory, to other mainstream lines, the public spaces just as lovely, the service on ship just as attentive (in my experience anyway) and from what I hear the kids program is better. As for the clientel, well there will be a few people on board that probably wouldn't be choice dinner companions (but at least on NCL you don't have to worry about getting stuck dining with them), but you will find a few of those types on any cruise line, and most resorts. I think freestyle scares a lot of people, but DH and I love it. We usually do dress up for dinner and have never felt uncomfortable doing so on NCL, but it is nice to know when you come in from an active day in port, that if you don't feel like donning heels and a dress, that you don't have to. I really think you will have a great time, just relax and enjoy.

[mikemo]

I am having dinner Sat PM with a Fodors Honolulu expert at Alan Wong's and am told the food on NCL's POH will be close to fast food in comparison.

My three prior cruises have been on Clipper Cruise (twice) and Celebrity Millennium: the food was very good to near great for the $$.

M

[deliza]

I would avoid comparing NCLA with NCL, I understand there are some pretty dramitic differences (although in fairness, I have not cruised NCLA)

[songanddance]

Two people (on separate occasions) have told me that NCL is really a down-market line and I should have booked something more upscale. :(

 

My DH is a bit of a snob (I love him, but it is true). I really don't want him to have anything at which to look down his nose.

quote]

 

Oh boy!!

[Toyz711]

if you were having dinner with a travel expert, the 1st thing he should have told is: NCL and NCLA are 2 (VERY) different cruises/companies/experiences

and if my food on the NCL star was fast food...ask them where i can find fast food, like that, in memphis? best to talk about your own experiences, not what you are told, even by a "expert".

[TTown Traveler]

best to talk about your own experiences, not what you are told, even by a "expert".

 

Absolutely ~ I have many times disagreed with the "expert reviews"...

 

Go with an open mind, expecting a great vacation and you will most likely have exactly what you are expecting! :o

[wxtrix]

why let people who have never sailed NCL color your perception? and why worry about your husband's perceptions? chances are, if you don't dwell on the opinions of people who have no direct experience with NCL then he won't either.

 

we chose NCL b/c my mom and dad sailed the Majesty a few years ago and loved it. and if my mom and dad loved it, trust me, it's not "down-market". in fact, their first-hand experience--on a ship much older than the one we were considering--was what sealed the deal for us.

 

in the end, you have the vacation you are prepared to have. it can either be spent worrying that it's not "classy" enough or it can be spent having fun. and the best news is that it is all entirely in your control. personally, I can't wait for my cruise--and I've traveled extensively and at a number of different price points.

[wxtrix]

just to add 2 more thoughts:

 

I was always taught that "manners are free." it is entirely possible that people who are not super-rich can be more decorous and better-behaved than regular people. certainly Paris Hilton teaches us that much at least. ;)

 

also IMO snobbery is merely a way to hide self-worth problems. the 2 richest people I know, and literally the most gracious and go-with-the-flow people I've ever traveled with.

[sweetpolly]

This is a very reassuring thread. I have to admit to having serious buyer's remorse after booking my upcoming NCL cruise (departs next Friday). I started reading reviews on the internet after the fact, and got a little upset when I saw so many negatives (mostly about the food and the fact that we would seemingly be unable to bring our wine onboard). Thanks to the vast knowledge of my new CruiseCritic pals, I have already ordered a bar setup for our suite, and we also plan to bring a case of wine onboard with us (happily paying the $15 corkage per bottle). Another poster supplied a link to some of the menus, which look absolutely WONDERFUL...after reading a few online reviews a month ago, I was having visions of Applebee's.:rolleyes:

 

Anyway...I have an open mind, now. The price is right. The ship is new. How bad can 10 days in Caribbean possibly be, anyway? ;) Our last cruise was on Celebrity (which I believe is considered to be a level up from NCL, but was rather conservative and structured as far as dining, etc.)...I am looking forward to comparing the two (as apples to oranges). Will post my findings when I return. :)

[themishmans]

Thank you all for your reassurances. I feel much better. My SIL sailed on Royal Caribbean, which I thought originally was the same level as NCL but she tried to convince me it wasn't. The other woman sailed on Silversea (I think) and said she enjoyed the pampering and thought NCL would be too "mass market."

 

I will try not to let other people's opinions cloud my first cruise. I am even a little embarrassed I posted this. :o

[GoNCruisnFamily]

I have sailed on NCL, RCL, Princess, and Carnival. My family loves NCL and my boys ask all the time when we can go again -- can't wait for January.

I would compare NCL to Royal and Princess in similarity and a big step above Carnival. I don't consider the people who cruise on NCL to be of lower class -- just the opposite! Don't let the hearsay of people who have not sailed on NCL to make you regret your upcoming trip. Enjoy yourself!

[lgfromdg]

 
I am even a little embarrassed I posted this. :o

 

 

Don't be embarrassed. By posting your doubts, you allowed yourself to be reassured and now won't waste another minute worrying :p

[marylandcrab]

When I went on my first cruise a few years ago, we too booked NCL because of the itinerary and the dates that we were available. After reading cc bords I thought that perhaps we had done something terrible. However, we thoroughly enjoyed our cruise. We went with the attitude that the Glass is Half Full not Half Empty. Since then we have sailed on more "up scale ships" and enjoyed them too. We are sailing this Friday on NCL Pearl with our 26 year old son and we are going freestyle as we think a young person would like it better. Although our son is a professional and a very sophisicated well travelled young man we just feel that he will like the informal atmosphere better for a holiday.

 

Remember more people tend to criticize than praise. Have a great time on your cruise.:)

[greywillow]

The major issue I can see is that if someone goes on a vacation--cruise, land resort or whatever--and is intent on finding fault, he or she is sure to find it. There isn't a cruise or escorted land tour or you-name-it that I've taken where I couldn't come back and start a thread listing all the things that weren't just to my liking. But on each of those trips I could have written a much longer list of wonderful experiences, sights, meals, people met, and on and on.

[fin]

My husband & I have been on 40 cruises in 25 years.

 

We're Elite members of Princess' Captain Circle, Platinum in RCCL's Crown & Anchor, Select in Celebrity's Captian's Club, Mariner's in Holland America AND Gold Latitudes members on NCL. We've also sailed on Carnival, Costa, Cunard (QM2) and some cruise lines which are no longer around.

 

So I speak from experience when I say that there is NO SUCH THING AS A BAD CRUISE. Only passengers with BAD ATTITUDES.

 

A cruise, like any vacation, is what you make of it. If you choose to focus on the negatives, you'll be miserable. Instead think about what you enjoy and you'll have a great time. Because there is also no such thing as a PERFECT cruise.

 

 

Wow! Now those are SOME credentials lady. Yours is an opinion I would have loved to see.

[Suesan Jean]

This will be our first cruise (DH, me, DD15 and DD9) and I thought NCL would be great for the itinerary , but now I am having second thoughts. Since it is too late to cancel, can you guys just tell me why you like NCL and why I shouldn't worry.

 

All I can tell you is that I have been on NCL four times (The Dawn, 3 times and the Crown, once) and WE LOVE NCL....!!!!:D

We even have our fifth NCL cruise booked for next October on the Dream......:)

The Dawn is a VERY BEAUTIFUL SHIP....!!! There are SO MANY GREAT Restaurants to pick from..... The public spaces are just FABULOUS....!!!!

I honestly can NOT see how you could NOT enjoy the Dawn. The crew and staff are SUPER TOO....!!!

Go on your cruise, ENJOY, BE HAPPY....!!!:D