Why are prices so much better for NCL?

[brenderlou]

I've been toying with the idea of booking a cruise on NCL and the prices are amazing based on competitors (RCCL/Princess, etc) for the same length cruise @ the same time.

I know there are speciality restaurants that charge a fee but I presume there is the regular main diningroom dinner as well....am I right and is it very similar to other dinners on other ships?

I was wondering if they make up for the lower fares on board with any hidden charges?

[Lewis/Klitschko]

I haven't cruised since 1989, and that was on the QE2, but from what I've seen online, Royal Carribean looks a lot slicker and smoother than NCL. Not sure if that's true or not, and it certainly does have a shopping mallish quality to that promenade, but one gets the feeling that RCC is like the MGM Grand or Mandalay Bay and NCL is more like Excaliber or the Tropicana. Hopefully not Circus Circus!

[bakerintn]

Make sure that you compare, including the fuel surcharge and the per person per day service charge (tip pool).

 

The included restuarants are fine for most people and its nice to have the opportunity to upscale if you want.

[knjfaith]

yer scaring me with the circus circus comment...i always thought carnival was the crappy one...not ncl???

[newmexicoNita]

I've been toying with the idea of booking a cruise on NCL and the prices are amazing based on competitors (RCCL/Princess, etc) for the same length cruise @ the same time.

I know there are speciality restaurants that charge a fee but I presume there is the regular main diningroom dinner as well....am I right and is it very similar to other dinners on other ships?

I was wondering if they make up for the lower fares on board with any hidden charges?

 

actually, depending on the ship, the age and the class all lines have some darn good prices out there. Yes, NCL ships offer several dining options, some included in the price like all lines, some with sur charges, just like other lines. The difference, NCL has more choices which is good for many, while others prefer to dine in the inclusive dining rooms only.

 

Do they make up with hidden costs? That is a matter of opinion. Drinks on NCL are a little higher than some lines, the same as others;; Bingo is higher and because of the number of sur charge dining rooms, I am sure more people try more of them than on other lines. What you spend on the cruise is your choice. You can go all out or stick to a budget..

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

actually I just brought up some pricing, I don't know where you are looking or what itinerary but here is a couple of examples: NCL isn't cheaper or much anyway;

 

These are all sailings from 1/10-1/20 of 2009

 

4 days out of Miami:::RCI starting at $159

NCL starting at $169

 

5 days out of Miami: Carn starting at $289

5 days out of Galv Carn starting at $329

 

7 days out of Los Ang Princess start at $479

7 days out of Los Agn NCL $499

 

RCi also has 7 nights from $569 out of Miami about the same as NCL.

 

Nita

[Greymeowsr]

We'll be taking an NCL cruise in January and took a RCCL cruise in 2005. Of course I can't review before I leave, but my guess is there are things better on RCCL and things that are better on NCL. I think they are really competing in the same market.

 

We don't plan to eat in the restaurants with cover charges, but who knows? It's vacation and we plan to enjoy.

 

Who was it that said the worst cruise ever was still GREAT?

[cruzcntrl]

I read this on Cruise Critic a couple weeks ago and if you look at the bottom of the article it breaks down some of the a la carte charges by cruise line: http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=149

 

It looks like NCL is on the mid-lower range for overall a la carte charges.

[VonChap]

yer scaring me with the circus circus comment...i always thought carnival was the crappy one...not ncl???

 

Sounds like the poster who compared NCL to circus circus has not cruised since 1989. Since that year, we have been on Carnival, RCCL and we just keep going back to NCL. We love the Freestyle concept. Cant wait to get back on the Pearl in a few weeks!:D

[Host Kewlguy]

Cruise prices are cheap right now for all the major cruise lines. Many excellent last minute deals to be had. :)

[ugen512]

Since I am in the biz and have cruised on all but Hal of the major 6 lines....

 

You really can't compare NCL to Princess since PCL is a premium line. RCL is usually higher than CCL and NCL since it has very little problem filling their ships. They rarely run below 97-98% capacity. NCL has had the best pricing over the last few months probably due to the hits the took in Hawaii and they are trying to re-establish themself after declining revenue for many years.

 

IMO NCL is good for the price but don't expect RCL service and food.

[Host Kewlguy]

Since I am in the biz and have cruised on all but Hal of the major 6 lines....

 

You really can't compare NCL to Princess since PCL is a premium line. RCL is usually higher than CCL and NCL since it has very little problem filling their ships. They rarely run below 97-98% capacity. NCL has had the best pricing over the last few months probably due to the hits the took in Hawaii and they are trying to re-establish themself after declining revenue for many years.

 

IMO NCL is good for the price but don't expect RCL service and food.

 

I cruise on both NCL and Royal Caribbean and really don't feel the food or service is any worse on NCL. We enjoy cruising on both cruise lines and shall continue to do so. Princess is a mass market cruise line just like Celebrity. If you want premium try Crystal.

[KerCar]

I cruise on both NCL and Royal Caribbean and really don't feel the food or service is any worse on NCL.

 

I agree. I haven't sailed RCCL but have sailed X and Carnival in addition to NCL. While the overall dining experience was slightly more upscale on X, I found the food quality on all three lines to be pretty comparable.

 

The last 4 cruises I've booked have been out of NY/NJ. IMO, NCL wins hands down for best value for the $$$ out of this area. I recently booked a 7 day on the Dawn for A LOT less than what it what have cost me to book a 5 day on the EOS from Bayonne (also to Bermuda) for the same week:eek:

[Host Kewlguy]

I agree. I haven't sailed RCCL but have sailed X and Carnival in addition to NCL. While the overall dining experience was slightly more upscale on X, I found the food quality on all three lines to be pretty comparable.

 

The last 4 cruises I've booked have been out of NY/NJ. IMO, NCL wins hands down for best value for the $$$ out of this area. I recently booked a 7 day on the Dawn for A LOT less than what it what have cost me to book a 5 day on the EOS from Bayonne (also to Bermuda) for the same week:eek:

 

I'm not looking to bash Celebrity but their food quality has dropped considerably over the past year or so compared to when we first sailed with them back in 2004. As I stated on another thread, for us price and itinerary always wins out in the end as the food is pretty comparable on all the mass market cruise lines. On our last Celebrity cruise we experienced horrible dining room service so for people to single out NCL for inferior service is simply ridiculous.

[newmexicoNita]

Since I am in the biz and have cruised on all but Hal of the major 6 lines....

 

You really can't compare NCL to Princess since PCL is a premium line. RCL is usually higher than CCL and NCL since it has very little problem filling their ships. They rarely run below 97-98% capacity. NCL has had the best pricing over the last few months probably due to the hits the took in Hawaii and they are trying to re-establish themself after declining revenue for many years.

 

IMO NCL is good for the price but don't expect RCL service and food.

If you are in the business you certainly have access to the same prices I just listed. Checking 15 different cruises, 4 lines, all in Jan, the prices were almost identical. Princess isn't a premium line, HAL and Celebrity are. Well, I guess it depends on what resourses you are using, there are so many out there.

 

Nita

[terrymtex01]

I haven't cruised since 1989, and that was on the QE2, but from what I've seen online, Royal Carribean looks a lot slicker and smoother than NCL. Not sure if that's true or not, and it certainly does have a shopping mallish quality to that promenade, but one gets the feeling that RCC is like the MGM Grand or Mandalay Bay and NCL is more like Excaliber or the Tropicana. Hopefully not Circus Circus!

 

Since I am in the biz and have cruised on all but Hal of the major 6 lines....

 

You really can't compare NCL to Princess since PCL is a premium line. RCL is usually higher than CCL and NCL since it has very little problem filling their ships. They rarely run below 97-98% capacity. NCL has had the best pricing over the last few months probably due to the hits the took in Hawaii and they are trying to re-establish themself after declining revenue for many years.

 

IMO NCL is good for the price but don't expect RCL service and food.

 

I have to say I disagree completely. Food is so subjective, that me disagreeing really doesn't mean any more than what you posted, but we have found the food on CCL, RCCL and NCL to be almost identical. In fact, if you factor in the specialty restaurants, I can honestly say without any hesitation we have had better food on NCL than any other cruiseline.

 

As far as the service and comparing them to the difference in Vegas hotels, thats a tough one in that they are just different. For us we found RCCL to be more "formal" of a staff and crew.. more stuffy.. and NCL more laid back and fun and friendly. Although the crew on RCCL was good, I got the worst service I have ever had on any vacation from a crew member on RCCL. So ..it could happen any where you go.

[newmexicoNita]

I have to say I disagree completely. Food is so subjective, that me disagreeing really doesn't mean any more than what you posted, but we have found the food on CCL, RCCL and NCL to be almost identical. In fact, if you factor in the specialty restaurants, I can honestly say without any hesitation we have had better food on NCL than any other cruiseline.

 

As far as the service and comparing them to the difference in Vegas hotels, thats a tough one in that they are just different. For us we found RCCL to be more "formal" of a staff and crew.. more stuffy.. and NCL more laid back and fun and friendly. Although the crew on RCCL was good, I got the worst service I have ever had on any vacation from a crew member on RCCL. So ..it could happen any where you go.

Terry, I agree, to compare NCL with Excalibor or Tropacana border lines on being a joke. Notice he hasn't cruised in 20 years, to make any comments about ships could not be taken seriously by anyone I would think....What one sees on line and what one experiences are hardly the same thing. Right???

 

Nita

[fin]

I just got a jaw popping email for the 12 day Med cruise on the Jade. The fare was $549 per, but if you book immediately, there was a $300 on board credit. So for a bit under eight hundred US bucks, a couple could spent nearly two weeks in Europe and see such places as Barcelona, Rome, Athens, Ephesis, Malta and Egypt.

 

My SO cannot get the time off, and if I go without her [again]:(, she will almost surely be my ex-SO. Not [quite] worth it............

 

Sigh

[Leafpeeper]

We love to cruise on different cruiselines each year. We shop for the best deals and our favorite ports for the best price. Sometimes we settle for older ships with few amenities on short weekend cruises, but we definetely compare for those longer cruises.

 

NCL is one of our favorite cruiselines. What we love most is dining in a different venue each night: Italian, French, Mexican, Asian, American, Steak House, etc. There are additionally 2 main dining rooms on most NCL ships--one large and elegant and one smaller and more casual. One of our favorite spots for food is the Blue Lagoon open 24 hours when you are in the mood for fast food like chicken wings and fried rice or lomein or fish and chips. We love it late night when we have a late port departure.

 

The newer NCL ships have a great outdoor buffet area with a fantastic bar on the aft of the ship on the top deck. It is half sun and half shade. We love it late night for a cocktail or late night cup of tea and we enjoy it late afternoon for a reading area after the lunch buffet ends. Great view of the wake--that's probably why it is called "The Great Outdoors".

 

NCL has wonderful movie theaters on the Star and Dawn. The newer ships have a jumbo movie screen in the atrium with football on Sunday and MOnday and wii games during the daytime.

 

If you find a great price on an NCL cruise, grab it and try it. YOu may like it as much as we do. BTW, NCL has the most colorful decor of any cruiseline. We enjoy the tropical themes. They brighten up anyone's disposition.

[Seanote]

Since I am in the biz You really can't compare NCL to Princess since PCL is a premium line. quote]

 

Whoa! Are you really comparing Princess with the likes of Crystal, Cunard, Regent, Seabourn, Seadream and Silversea; being in the biz and all?

 

Laughed soo hard, I almost tossed some cookies :eek:

[fin]

Which of THOSE lines is offering Med cruises for $34 a day?

[Lewis/Klitschko]

As far as the service and comparing them to the difference in Vegas hotels, thats a tough one in that they are just different.

 

Nita's right, obviously I have a very limited frame of reference (stated up front) and made that comparison with tongue in cheek. Vegas hotels do have different price grades, though, just like cruise lines, and I expect have variances in style that are not altogether dissimilar.

[kruzkid]

Been on both RCCL and NCL. I believe quality is extremely similar in all major aspects, and the difference maker for us is freestyle dining. Thats why we have been on one RCCL cruise, and will be on our 4th NCL cruise in 5 years in May.

[Sundagger]

In fact, if you factor in the specialty restaurants, I can honestly say without any hesitation we have had better food on NCL than any other cruiseline.

 

NCL better than Regent (Radisson)?

[Budget Queen]

 

IMO NCL is good for the price but don't expect RCL service and food.

 

I have sailed both lines this year, just returned from a 16 day RCI sailing, took a 14 day NCL in July.

 

The food on RCI was overall crappy, and on NCL very good. Completely open to debate. Overall, ALL lines have cut back on the food quality. No one will starve. :) :)