Princess vs NCL

[coffeebean]

NCL had announced "Freestyle 2.0" upgrades. Here is the link...

 

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20071219006036&newsLang=en

 

How would you compare Princess to NCL after " NCL Freestyle 2.0" upgrades are all in place???

[Wormy53]

I think that this will be great!! We usually cruise Princess, but couldn't beat the price NCL gave us for a trip to NE last September. The food was the only area that I saw was a significant difference. You had to eat in the Pay venues to get the Princess dining room quality.

 

The other thing that we consider when choosing a trip is kids. We take longer trips during school ;) Seems like most of NCL trips are shorter and more geared to kids. We wouldn't hesitate to try them again on a longer voyage!

[A Sixth?]

NCL had announced "Freestyle 2.0" upgrades. Here is the link...

 

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20071219006036&newsLang=en

 

How would you compare Princess to NCL after " NCL Freestyle 2.0" upgrades are all in place???

 

Ground Hog Day? :rolleyes:

 

NCL staff attack? :eek:

[deppong]

Since we just came off our 5 day NCL cruise last Friday I would hesitate to think this is a really good deal. I felt like the freestyle dining was not really freestyle as we couldn't get reservation at any times. Also they are nickel and diming you to death. Bowling ,restaurants, and their liquor prices were very high. I wonder how much more they will charge to cruise once these upgrades are in place and will they charge more for each extra upgrade. I am very leary of something that seems too good to be true.

[NAS-KARR]

I could NOT find any edible food aboard the POL to save my soul. Pay the low price and take your chance. Pick up a few boxed lunches on the docks.

 

 

 

CIAO, :D

[bdjam]

How would you compare Princess to NCL after " NCL Freestyle 2.0" upgrades are all in place???

I would rate NCL a poor choice because I don't like the Freestyle concept. They can improve the product all they want, but as long as it's the Freestyle product, it's not for me - and I would venture to guess a good number of people who choose Princess over NCL. The NCL product might appeal to those who aren't specifically drawn to Princess for what they offer.

 

I find it interesting that NCL is instituting this new version of their on board product only after the Apollo transaction - and $1 Billion became available - was complete. I also find it interesting that the changes are driven by "feedback" from guests and travel partners. Perhaps the transaction with Apollo came in time to fix what is broken?

 

I mentioned it on the last NCL/Princess thread - if you want vibrant ships, a casual atmosphere, more lobster than is necessary for one person and cheap sparkling wine at sailaway, then perhaps this 2.0 is for you.

[coffeebean]

I would rate NCL a poor choice because I don't like the Freestyle concept. They can improve the product all they want, but as long as it's the Freestyle product, it's not for me - and I would venture to guess a good number of people who choose Princess over NCL. The NCL product might appeal to those who aren't specifically drawn to Princess for what they offer.

 

I find it interesting that NCL is instituting this new version of their on board product only after the Apollo transaction - and $1 Billion became available - was complete. I also find it interesting that the changes are driven by "feedback" from guests and travel partners. Perhaps the transaction with Apollo came in time to fix what is broken?

 

I mentioned it on the last NCL/Princess thread - if you want vibrant ships, a casual atmosphere, more lobster than is necessary for one person and cheap sparkling wine at sailaway, then perhaps this 2.0 is for you.

 

I have been very satisfied with the product NCL has offered all along. I have completed 21 cruises on six different mass market cruise lines, including HAL, Celebrity, RCCL, Princess, NCL and Carnival. I have never had a bad cruise, in fact I have had a wonderful time on all of them. Some of the ships were a bit older without all the ammenities of the newer ships, but DH and I still had a great time on them.

 

I am very excitied about NCL's Freestyle 2.0 upgrades and I can't wait to see how much more enjoyable my NCL cruise experience is going to be. One thing I have to say about NCL, is their production shows far outshine all the other lines I have been on. This is purely my opinion but NCL has more elaborate costumes, sets, computerized light shows, specialty acts such as "flyers" and Ballroom dancers besides their Jean Ann Ryan company. The only other shows that can compare to NCL's production shows are RCCL's ice shows on their Voyager class ships. Entertainment is an important aspect of a cruise for DH and me but I'm aware it is not the most important thing for lots of folks.

 

Happy cruising!!!

[bdjam]

I have been very satisfied with the product NCL has offered all along.

Great - and I'm sure that's why Freestyle 2.0 appeals to you. But it doesn't appeal to everyone and NCL isn't going to take over the whole mass-market if their product doesn't appeal to everyone. Freestyle aside, I find the pictures I've seen of ship decor to be garish and not something I really want to spend a week around. I've never seen an NCL production show and so I can't compare them to what Princess offers, but I'm not willing to sacrifice the rest of the Princess experience to partake in a higher-end production show.

I think it's great to be excited about a favored cruise line upgrading their product - especially if you believe in the upgrade. I'm just not sure why there continues to be a comparison with Princess. While they are both mass-marketed, the product is totally different. There's nothing wrong with that because it gives people a choice - but people who have chosen Princess because of what the product offers and have no interest in NCL won't be drawn there by these "upgrades." I really can't see a mass exit of passengers from Princess to NCL.

 

Colin Veitch, who interestingly enough was at Princess when the Anytime concept was started – and one must wonder if he left because Princess didn’t roll over and accept the full-blown deal that’s presented on NCL - states himself that these changes make NCL unique and uniqueness doesn't appeal to everyone. Unique is the operative word – let’s keep it that way.

[newmexicoNita]

Since we just came off our 5 day NCL cruise last Friday I would hesitate to think this is a really good deal. I felt like the freestyle dining was not really freestyle as we couldn't get reservation at any times. Also they are nickel and diming you to death. Bowling ,restaurants, and their liquor prices were very high. I wonder how much more they will charge to cruise once these upgrades are in place and will they charge more for each extra upgrade. I am very leary of something that seems too good to be true.

Remember a few things: 1-it was a Christmas cruise, never the best way to get an honest opinion of any vacation: 2-short cruises are never the same as longer ones: 3-of course bowling is not cheap, I think that goes without saying, as for drinks, we have found NCL to be about the same as HAL and maybe a little lower than Celebrity. I know Princess has the cheapest. As for the dining being costly, if you couldn't get reservations I don't understand what you mean. BTW, the prices for the sur charge restaurants are about the same as Princess and much less then Carnaval, Celebrity or HAL and are as good, if not better.

 

Will they charge more? That remains to be seen, I would assume yes. I think many of us are waiting to see what happens, especially the Travel Agents.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

I could NOT find any edible food aboard the POL to save my soul. Pay the low price and take your chance. Pick up a few boxed lunches on the docks.

 

 

CIAO, :D

There is no NCL ship that has the letters POL> Did you mean POH or are you referring to Pride of Aloha, which I guess could be shortened to POL> Regardless it is almost impossible to compare NCL with NCLA and the OP asked us about the difference after "freestyle 2.0 is implemented, not what was. BTW, NCL isn't always less expensive. WE are trying Princess and very excited because of the low price.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

I would rate NCL a poor choice because I don't like the Freestyle concept. They can improve the product all they want, but as long as it's the Freestyle product, it's not for me - and I would venture to guess a good number of people who choose Princess over NCL. The NCL product might appeal to those who aren't specifically drawn to Princess for what they offer.

 

I find it interesting that NCL is instituting this new version of their on board product only after the Apollo transaction - and $1 Billion became available - was complete. I also find it interesting that the changes are driven by "feedback" from guests and travel partners. Perhaps the transaction with Apollo came in time to fix what is broken?

 

I mentioned it on the last NCL/Princess thread - if you want vibrant ships, a casual atmosphere, more lobster than is necessary for one person and cheap sparkling wine at sailaway, then perhaps this 2.0 is for you.

Very good points, I am sure the Apollo entrance has much to do with the implementation of 2.0. On the other hand NCL has always been a pioneer in the industry. I think this may be one reason they sometimes get a bad rap. other times the rap is probably deserved. Freestyle certainly isn't for everyone, yet isn't it interesting, no other ship had any version of open dining until NCL introduced "freestyle" 7 years ago (almost) I do hope it works, time will tell. I really doubt they expect to take over the entire mass marketed business btw. The cheap "sparkling wine" you refer to, well, as much as it doesn't particularly impress me, how many times do you hear people mention what a wonderful perk this is on Celebrity. All these things will impress a certain number of cruisers.

 

Nita

[bdjam]

Very good points, I am sure the Apollo entrance has much to do with the implementation of 2.0. On the other hand NCL has always been a pioneer in the industry. I think this may be one reason they sometimes get a bad rap. other times the rap is probably deserved. Freestyle certainly isn't for everyone, yet isn't it interesting, no other ship had any version of open dining until NCL introduced "freestyle" 7 years ago (almost) I do hope it works, time will tell.

 

Nita

I'll agree that NCL is may be a "pioneer" but I think they pioneered in order to attract, or perhaps fill a void for, a certain market. Not everyone is attracted to that pioneering product. And in it's history, NCL was actively involved in the demise of more than one cruise line (Royal Cruise Line is one that comes to mind) and it wasn't until Star took ownership that things started to change for them. There have been a number of questionable business decisions made my NCL to supposedly support their product. My personal opinion is that it's an attempt to hold on to part of the market because their product quality is generally thought of as low.

I'm still curious as to why this is a NCL vs. Princess thing - as evidenced in the title of the thread. I think there are posters here who find the NCL experience superior - just the same as there are for the Princess experience. I still don't see how this is any "comparison." The two products - including the Princess Anytime Dining option - are totally different. I think touting Freestyle 2.0 is more of a NCL board topic... :confused:

[deppong]

Remember a few things: 1-it was a Christmas cruise, never the best way to get an honest opinion of any vacation: 2-short cruises are never the same as longer ones: 3-of course bowling is not cheap, I think that goes without saying, as for drinks, we have found NCL to be about the same as HAL and maybe a little lower than Celebrity. I know Princess has the cheapest. As for the dining being costly, if you couldn't get reservations I don't understand what you mean. BTW, the prices for the sur charge restaurants are about the same as Princess and much less then Carnaval, Celebrity or HAL and are as good, if not better.

 

Will they charge more? That remains to be seen, I would assume yes. I think many of us are waiting to see what happens, especially the Travel Agents.

 

Nita

I do agree about christmas time being a busy time and a 5 day is too short. We usually do a 7 day during spring break so I think christmas vs spring break is comparable. As for food we did NCL about 3 years ago and the food was very good to excellent. This time it just didn't have the pazzazz the we have come to expect. We have been on the Big Red Boat,Princess, Royal Caribbean and NCL. We do not do the extra charge specialty rest. The prices for the specialty rest.on NCL were about the same or cheaper than other lines. My biggest complaint was that we couldn't get reservations in the non paying specialty rest. They are small and book up very fast. If you have a garden villa or a suite you can get the conciere(SP?) to make your reservations and you will be guarenteed a reservation. I had one lady look at me like I was trailer trash and say "It pays to stay in a suite" Very nasty. But that was the only person on the entire cruise who was like that. We had a wonderful time on our cruise and I think with the new things that NCL in putting into place will just give everyone more choices in cruising. Face it....How many times can the same ship, same ports, same entertainment be exciting. Thats why we try different cruise lines. They each have something a little bit different to offer. We all have our favs but change in nice too. I wish NCL and all of her faithful cruiser the best of luck and maybe we will try them again somewhere down the line.

[newmexicoNita]

I'll agree that NCL is may be a "pioneer" but I think they pioneered in order to attract, or perhaps fill a void for, a certain market. Not everyone is attracted to that pioneering product. And in it's history, NCL was actively involved in the demise of more than one cruise line (Royal Cruise Line is one that comes to mind) and it wasn't until Star took ownership that things started to change for them. There have been a number of questionable business decisions made my NCL to supposedly support their product. My personal opinion is that it's an attempt to hold on to part of the market because their product quality is generally thought of as low.

I'm still curious as to why this is a NCL vs. Princess thing - as evidenced in the title of the thread. I think there are posters here who find the NCL experience superior - just the same as there are for the Princess experience. I still don't see how this is any "comparison." The two products - including the Princess Anytime Dining option - are totally different. I think touting Freestyle 2.0 is more of a NCL board topic... :confused:

I am not certain I get your point: what is wrong with pioneering? This started with NCL over 20 years ago, way before Star took over. I am not defending them, just making a point. It isn't just a NCL versus Princess issue, the OP happens to have asked a question. She could have asked it on any board. As for the product being thought of as low, I beleive is changing dramatically since the entrance of so many wonderful new ships. Again, my opinion only and, as I said I am not defending NCl nor trying to put any line down. I am just anxious to see how this all plays out. If helps NCL fine, I doubt it will hurt another line or I hope it doesn't.

 

Nita

[coffeebean]

Great - and I'm sure that's why Freestyle 2.0 appeals to you. But it doesn't appeal to everyone and NCL isn't going to take over the whole mass-market if their product doesn't appeal to everyone. Freestyle aside, I find the pictures I've seen of ship decor to be garish and not something I really want to spend a week around. I've never seen an NCL production show and so I can't compare them to what Princess offers, but I'm not willing to sacrifice the rest of the Princess experience to partake in a higher-end production show.

 

I think it's great to be excited about a favored cruise line upgrading their product - especially if you believe in the upgrade. I'm just not sure why there continues to be a comparison with Princess. While they are both mass-marketed, the product is totally different. There's nothing wrong with that because it gives people a choice - but people who have chosen Princess because of what the product offers and have no interest in NCL won't be drawn there by these "upgrades." I really can't see a mass exit of passengers from Princess to NCL.

 

Colin Veitch, who interestingly enough was at Princess when the Anytime concept was started – and one must wonder if he left because Princess didn’t roll over and accept the full-blown deal that’s presented on NCL - states himself that these changes make NCL unique and uniqueness doesn't appeal to everyone. Unique is the operative word – let’s keep it that way.

 

How can you profess who will or will not be drawn to NCL with the upgrades? I certainly don't have a crystal ball and I doubt if you do either. Apollo is investing a lot of money in NCL and I would imagine they are expecting some kind of interest to be generated from non NCL cruisers. Folks may not be wooed away from their favorite cruise line, but there may be some who will test the waters, so to speak.

[coffeebean]

Very good points, I am sure the Apollo entrance has much to do with the implementation of 2.0. On the other hand NCL has always been a pioneer in the industry. I think this may be one reason they sometimes get a bad rap. other times the rap is probably deserved. Freestyle certainly isn't for everyone, yet isn't it interesting, no other ship had any version of open dining until NCL introduced "freestyle" 7 years ago (almost) I do hope it works, time will tell. I really doubt they expect to take over the entire mass marketed business btw. The cheap "sparkling wine" you refer to, well, as much as it doesn't particularly impress me, how many times do you hear people mention what a wonderful perk this is on Celebrity. All these things will impress a certain number of cruisers.

 

Nita

 

Hello Nita...

The sparkling wine certainly impressed me when DH and I embarked on Celebrity Millenium several years ago. I still remember how nice it felt to receive this welcome aboard beverage from the smiling waiter. Made me feel special.

[coffeebean]

I'll agree that NCL is may be a "pioneer" but I think they pioneered in order to attract, or perhaps fill a void for, a certain market. Not everyone is attracted to that pioneering product. And in it's history, NCL was actively involved in the demise of more than one cruise line (Royal Cruise Line is one that comes to mind) and it wasn't until Star took ownership that things started to change for them. There have been a number of questionable business decisions made my NCL to supposedly support their product. My personal opinion is that it's an attempt to hold on to part of the market because their product quality is generally thought of as low.

 

I'm still curious as to why this is a NCL vs. Princess thing - as evidenced in the title of the thread. I think there are posters here who find the NCL experience superior - just the same as there are for the Princess experience. I still don't see how this is any "comparison." The two products - including the Princess Anytime Dining option - are totally different. I think touting Freestyle 2.0 is more of a NCL board topic... :confused:

 

Actually I posed this question on a total of three forums...Princess, RCCL and Celebrity. I have been getting very interesting responses from folks on all three forums.

 

Who better to pose this question to other than the fans of Princess, RCCL and Celebrity??? They are the folks who are experienced with their favorite respective cruise lines and can offer their comments on this subject from their cruise experiences.

[coffeebean]

I do agree about christmas time being a busy time and a 5 day is too short. We usually do a 7 day during spring break so I think christmas vs spring break is comparable. As for food we did NCL about 3 years ago and the food was very good to excellent. This time it just didn't have the pazzazz the we have come to expect. We have been on the Big Red Boat,Princess, Royal Caribbean and NCL. We do not do the extra charge specialty rest. The prices for the specialty rest.on NCL were about the same or cheaper than other lines. My biggest complaint was that we couldn't get reservations in the non paying specialty rest. They are small and book up very fast. If you have a garden villa or a suite you can get the conciere(SP?) to make your reservations and you will be guarenteed a reservation. I had one lady look at me like I was trailer trash and say "It pays to stay in a suite" Very nasty. But that was the only person on the entire cruise who was like that. We had a wonderful time on our cruise and I think with the new things that NCL in putting into place will just give everyone more choices in cruising. Face it....How many times can the same ship, same ports, same entertainment be exciting. Thats why we try different cruise lines. They each have something a little bit different to offer. We all have our favs but change in nice too. I wish NCL and all of her faithful cruiser the best of luck and maybe we will try them again somewhere down the line.

 

I hope you reported this incident or at least made note of it on the comment card, giving the name of the offending crew member.

[bdjam]

IThis started with NCL over 20 years ago, way before Star took over. I am not defending them, just making a point. It isn't just a NCL versus Princess issue, the OP happens to have asked a question. She could have asked it on any board. As for the product being thought of as low, I beleive is changing dramatically since the entrance of so many wonderful new ships. Again, my opinion only and, as I said I am not defending NCl nor trying to put any line down. I am just anxious to see how this all plays out. If helps NCL fine, I doubt it will hurt another line or I hope it doesn't.

I'm not sure about the 20 years...my first cruise was on an NCL ship - Starward - and that wasn't 20 years ago. That experience was about as traditional as one can get. That was the ship where we saw people admonished for being on deck in shorts after 6:00 p.m. There was no alternative dining - you ate either on the late schedule or the early schedule - breakfast, lunch and dinner - in the Dining Room.

 

The original poster is asking for a comparison, but the "NCL vs. Princess" makes it seem more like a competition - perhaps hoping for an NCL win. I totally agree with both of you that NCL is improving it's product - I'm just saying it isn't the same as the Princess product and therefore can't be compared. I doubt that Princess loyalists will take to the Freestyle concept. And I'm thinking the emphasis on 2.0 by NCL is due to a realization that they need to improve and capture more of the market or they're in trouble. I think that's also why they're petitioning Congress to change a very old maritime law to the advantage of their Hawaii operation.

How can you profess who will or will not be drawn to NCL with the upgrades? I certainly don't have a crystal ball and I doubt if you do either. Apollo is investing a lot of money in NCL and I would imagine they are expecting some kind of interest to be generated from non NCL cruisers. Folks may not be wooed away from their favorite cruise line, but there may be some who will test the waters, so to speak.

I only profess to what I - as a Princess loyalist - perceive my brethren might feel - personally, I'm not interested in NCL's product and I still don't see the objective behind pitting the upgrades against Princess. I think NCL is seeking the lucrative casual cruise market. More power to them. NCL also seeks to hamper the business of other cruise lines - so I kinda don't trust them.

Who better to pose this question to other than the fans of Princess, RCCL and Celebrity??? They are the folks who are experienced with their favorite respective cruise lines and can offer their comments on this subject from their cruise experiences.

Yes - the responses on the Celebrity board are interesting. I apologize for misinterpreting your initial post - perhaps if it was more explanatory, I would have had a better understanding of your topic. But I'm still not sure I understand the objective. Why are you looking for various "experts" in different cruise lines to weigh in? Market research?

[bdjam]

Just for kicks and giggles – my opinion only, of course – here’s my thoughts on the 2.0 features in comparison to Princess:

 

Dining

· Increased investment – without knowing what the expenditure was, hard to say if or how this challenges Princess

· Lobster galore – how much do you really want? I don’t care for lobster. Princess does offer lobster in the dining room and in the seafood buffets where available…that’s enough for me.

· Signature dishes in specialty restaurants - it’s easy to name any dish a “signature” dish

· Princess has already initiated enhanced service in Horizon Court

· Don’t know what NCL’s previous room service menu was, hard to say if this challenges Princess

· Free embarkation champagne – already get it on Princess in the minis and suites

· Taste of Freestyle at embarkation – now that’s interesting – events where restaurants get together and have tastings are good fun.

· Hardware and back house investments – its what’s at the front of the house that counts

 

Stateroom

· Princess has already upgraded bedding and linens

· No coffee maker, but I’d rather have my coffee on deck

· Don’t watch TV when on board

 

Balcony and Minis

· Distinctive card color – Princess has a lot of balconies – that would be pretty much the whole ship with a distinctive color. Besides, I like my Black Card, thanks

· I get priority embarkation on Princess

· I don’t need an escort to my room

· I get priority disembarkation on Princess

 

Suites and Villas – I’m not interested in suites on Princess or either on NCL, so I’m neutral here

 

Onboard Activities

· Princess already has enhanced educational programs

· Princess already has enhanced health and wellness programs

· Pool Deck

o Not sure what “entertainment taken upscale” means

o Neutral on the drink flags and the Evian spritz

o Princess has Sanctuary and adult pools

 

Past Guest Program

· Princess program is already tiered

· Not sure what the “tangible, meaningful and deliverable benefits” are – can’t tell if this challenges Princess

· Princess has Captain’s Circle hostess

 

I'll stick with Princess - thanks! :D

[coffeebean]

I'm not sure about the 20 years...my first cruise was on an NCL ship - Starward - and that wasn't 20 years ago. That experience was about as traditional as one can get. That was the ship where we saw people admonished for being on deck in shorts after 6:00 p.m. There was no alternative dining - you ate either on the late schedule or the early schedule - breakfast, lunch and dinner - in the Dining Room.

 

The original poster is asking for a comparison, but the "NCL vs. Princess" makes it seem more like a competition - perhaps hoping for an NCL win. I totally agree with both of you that NCL is improving it's product - I'm just saying it isn't the same as the Princess product and therefore can't be compared. I doubt that Princess loyalists will take to the Freestyle concept. And I'm thinking the emphasis on 2.0 by NCL is due to a realization that they need to improve and capture more of the market or they're in trouble. I think that's also why they're petitioning Congress to change a very old maritime law to the advantage of their Hawaii operation. I only profess to what I - as a Princess loyalist - perceive my brethren might feel - personally, I'm not interested in NCL's product and I still don't see the objective behind pitting the upgrades against Princess. I think NCL is seeking the lucrative casual cruise market. More power to them. NCL also seeks to hamper the business of other cruise lines - so I kinda don't trust them. Yes - the responses on the Celebrity board are interesting. I apologize for misinterpreting your initial post - perhaps if it was more explanatory, I would have had a better understanding of your topic. But I'm still not sure I understand the objective. Why are you looking for various "experts" in different cruise lines to weigh in? Market research?

 

Market research??? No, that's not my goal of this thread. NCL has always had a tendency to drop their cruise fares as sailing date gets closer. I guess they feel an empty cabin can not generate as much revenue than an occupied cabin. That makes sense to me.

 

Anyway...DH and I book all our cruises last minute most of the time and reap the benefits of the low cruise fares NCL offerers. I'm just concerned that with the advent of the Freestyle 2.0 upgrades, NCL's cabins just may fill up faster now that their product will be better.

[coffeebean]

Just for kicks and giggles – my opinion only, of course – here’s my thoughts on the 2.0 features in comparison to Princess:

 

Dining

· Increased investment – without knowing what the expenditure was, hard to say if or how this challenges Princess

· Lobster galore – how much do you really want? I don’t care for lobster. Princess does offer lobster in the dining room and in the seafood buffets where available…that’s enough for me.

· Signature dishes in specialty restaurants - it’s easy to name any dish a “signature” dish

· Princess has already initiated enhanced service in Horizon Court

· Don’t know what NCL’s previous room service menu was, hard to say if this challenges Princess

· Free embarkation champagne – already get it on Princess in the minis and suites

· Taste of Freestyle at embarkation – now that’s interesting – events where restaurants get together and have tastings are good fun.

· Hardware and back house investments – its what’s at the front of the house that counts

 

Stateroom

· Princess has already upgraded bedding and linens

· No coffee maker, but I’d rather have my coffee on deck

· Don’t watch TV when on board

 

Balcony and Minis

· Distinctive card color – Princess has a lot of balconies – that would be pretty much the whole ship with a distinctive color. Besides, I like my Black Card, thanks

· I get priority embarkation on Princess

· I don’t need an escort to my room

· I get priority disembarkation on Princess

 

Suites and Villas – I’m not interested in suites on Princess or either on NCL, so I’m neutral here

 

Onboard Activities

· Princess already has enhanced educational programs

· Princess already has enhanced health and wellness programs

· Pool Deck

o Not sure what “entertainment taken upscale” means

o Neutral on the drink flags and the Evian spritz

o Princess has Sanctuary and adult pools

 

Past Guest Program

· Princess program is already tiered

· Not sure what the “tangible, meaningful and deliverable benefits” are – can’t tell if this challenges Princess

· Princess has Captain’s Circle hostess

 

I'll stick with Princess - thanks! :D

 

Hello bdjam...

 

Thank you for your thoughts and comparisons. This is exactly what I was looking for although I wasn't expecting folks to take the time to do the comparison like you did. It looks to me like NCL will be matching Princess now on several aspects of goods and services. Thank you again.

[Host Caroline]

This IS the Princess board and a great forum to compare Princess to other cruise lines; however, that being said, it's not the forum to allow personal preferences to start a bickering match.. Each of us has our favorite cruise line(s) for various reasons and there's no "right or wrong" here.. We welcome fans of all the cruise lines on this board but not raise a ruckus.. lord knows we get enough of that amongst ourselves here, right guys?;) :eek:

[A Sixth?]

This IS the Princess board and a great forum to compare Princess to other cruise lines; however, that being said, it's not the forum to allow personal preferences to start a bickering match.. Each of us has our favorite cruise line(s) for various reasons and there's no "right or wrong" here.. We welcome fans of all the cruise lines on this board but not raise a ruckus.. lord knows we get enough of that amongst ourselves here, right guys?;) :eek:

 

I saw your name and was scared to death that you were going to announce "Cruise Critic 2.0" :D

[coffeebean]

This IS the Princess board and a great forum to compare Princess to other cruise lines; however, that being said, it's not the forum to allow personal preferences to start a bickering match.. Each of us has our favorite cruise line(s) for various reasons and there's no "right or wrong" here.. We welcome fans of all the cruise lines on this board but not raise a ruckus.. lord knows we get enough of that amongst ourselves here, right guys?;) :eek:

 

Hello Host Caroline...

 

Thank you for making me feel welcome here. You are a credit to your Princess community.