Thinking about trying NCL for our second cruise...questions:

[nilsbyy]

First, we just (as in, 6 days ago!) got back from our first cruise, which was a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary with RCCL. We enjoyed it a lot and have found cruising to be a good compromise between my partner's and my travel preferences. On to the questions...

 

1. What differences are we going to notice between the two lines, other than the fact that you show up for meals 'whenever'? Does freestyle extend to anything other than the dining situation?

 

2. It seems that there both is and isn't a dress code --- what's up with that? Are passengers casual at all times, or are dress code norms similar to other cruise lines?

 

3. Is the Spirit, as compared to the Voyager of the Seas, a small ship? How does being on a smaller ship affect the experience (positively or negatively)?

 

4. In general, are NCL's passengers older/younger than RCCL's? More/less affluent? Any other differences? I've heard that Carnival's ships are known for their 'party atmosphere' --- what is NCL known for?

 

If anybody has the answers to these questions, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

[markf]

A few differences--if you enjoyed the give and take you had with your waiter and bus boy at meals time--you will miss it on NCL--There is 1 or 2 formal nights on NCL but it is completely up to you if you want to get dressed--I would say 20-25% of the people dress--The Spiriit is an older smaller ship--it was originalyy made for Asian market and then upgraded--I dont think it has the bells and whistles of the newer NCL ships--ex. Gem Dawn Jewel--

Food quality is similar and i have heard people getting frustrated at having to wait to eat as there could be lines --On RCL you kinow when you will eat--

 

I will say one thing NCL does the suite experience better than RCL--with butlers and other goodies and many more suites to choose from

[garycarla]

Good comments from last poster. Freestyle is the biggest issue. We can not handle the fixed dining time, or expectation or requirement to wear a suit to dinner. I do not pack even a sportcoat.

 

Not a party boat like Carnival, but somewhere in between I think. Spirit is smaller but we enjoy it. Some say smaller is better. Others say bigger is better.

[terrymtex01]

First, we just (as in, 6 days ago!) got back from our first cruise, which was a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary with RCCL. We enjoyed it a lot and have found cruising to be a good compromise between my partner's and my travel preferences. On to the questions...

 

1. What differences are we going to notice between the two lines, other than the fact that you show up for meals 'whenever'? Does freestyle extend to anything other than the dining situation?

 

The biggest difference other than dining to us is that on disembarkation day you aren't herded out of your stateroom at 8AM into a public area to wait for your group to be called to leave the ship. With NCL you can wait in your stateroom up until final call which I believe is 10ish. It gives you plenty of time to go have breakfast, go back to your stateroom and rest a bit before leaving the beautiful ship. I have read other lines are starting to do this, but I don't know if RCCL has or not.

 

2. It seems that there both is and isn't a dress code --- what's up with that? Are passengers casual at all times, or are dress code norms similar to other cruise lines?

 

For the main dining venues that are included resort casual is always welcome. (Dockers and polo's, etc). Other than one of the main included dining rooms you are allowed to wear jean. The buffet of course has the most lack dress code where you can wear shorts for dinner if you wish.

 

3. Is the Spirit, as compared to the Voyager of the Seas, a small ship? How does being on a smaller ship affect the experience (positively or negatively)?

 

Generally the smaller the ship, the less amenities there are, however usually the shorter the lines are for whatever there maybe a line to wait in. Also it seems you get to know the crew better on smaller ships and they aren't so much into " this is our rules, we must stick to them" kind of thing.

 

4. In general, are NCL's passengers older/younger than RCCL's? More/less affluent? Any other differences? I've heard that Carnival's ships are known for their 'party atmosphere' --- what is NCL known for?

 

I have to say from our experience that Carnival is more younger party crowd, RCCL was more of an older crowd and NCL was more of a mixture of all age groups. I don't know that I could say which was more affluent, however I will say NCL pax in general are more laid back than RCCL.

 

If anybody has the answers to these questions, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

 

More than anything, RCCL and NCL are alike than they are different. Before we sailed on NCL we had taken a RCCL cruise and I did not think it could get any better. When we did book our first NCL cruise I was terrified that we had booked a "dicount" cruiseline and that I would be miserable onboard. Not trying to say I think Im first class or anything, but don't want to FEEL like we skimped on vacation. Believe me, with NCL we have never had that feeling at all. Thier crews are wonderful, ships are beautiful and food has been very good in our opinion.

 

Don't take this the wrong way.. but I could careless which you choose. I'm not on NCL's payroll.. LOL.. I just want to give you my honest opinion because I want every one who takes a cruise to have the time of their lives. I feel by knowing every thing they can up front, it will help them do that. We have booked our last four cruises on NCL and have booked our next one on NCL and wil be booking our cruise for 2010 on NCL. But if we had as good a deal with RCCL, I wouldn't hesitate to book with them again either, although I would miss Freestyle dining a great deal.

 

One last thing about Freestyle dining that makes it the best choice for us... We love it that we do not have to rush back from a port of call to shower, get ready, get all dressed up, etc, for dinner. We love that we can take our time in port and eat when and where we want to when we get back on the ship. And you will read about people having to wait in lines to dine... not saying they didn't... but out of four cruises with NCL we had to wait once, and it was for maybe 10 minutes. Whereas on our RCCL cruise I can think of at least two times we had to wait more than ten minutes past our scheduled time before we could enter the dining room. Just goes to show, nothing is perfect.

[beachchick]

The age range on RCI really doesn't skew older than NCL except on the smaller ships and the longer voyages. Particularly the ships in the Voyager-class and up are usually packed with families with children. We found the age range on our specific RCI and NCL cruises to be pretty similar. Also, Carnival's smaller ships that do the weekend or short cruises are the ones really known for being party-oriented, but that's kind of true on all mass-market lines. Short cruises, particularly weekend ones, draw more of the "let's have an inexpensive getaway and party" folks. Longer or more exotic cruises simply don't have the heavy partiers to the same degree, regardless of whether it's RCI, NCL, or Carnival.

 

beachchick

[flashdog_1]

why an RCCL cruise was a compromise between what you two really wanted for a vacation. What are the two extremes from which a cruise was a middle ground? Are we talking all inclusive nude beach large resort (Club Med comes to mind) on one end and a bed and breakfast in a small, out of the way place on the other?

 

Nilsbyy, Whatever the two original intentions were, I am glad that a cruise was a good compromise. But most of us around this board are addicted to cruising, even if we still take other kinds of vacations, so we are going to skew you toward cruising if it fits. If it doesn't fit, we'll send you ashore to be happy.

[nilsbyy]

why an RCCL cruise was a compromise between what you two really wanted for a vacation. What are the two extremes from which a cruise was a middle ground?

 

Yeah, that's probably a good question! I love to travel independently and inexpensively, and I don't mind sacrificing some of the comforts of home in order to do it. My partner is the opposite; she hates bugs and dirt and strange food and not being able to find anyone who speaks English. The biggest part of the compromise is that cruising allowed us to travel outside the US without freaking her out! We also both enjoy snorkeling and swimming, so it's something we can both do.

[brovol]

Good comments from last poster. Freestyle is the biggest issue. We can not handle the fixed dining time, or expectation or requirement to wear a suit to dinner. I do not pack even a sportcoat.

 

Not a party boat like Carnival, but somewhere in between I think. Spirit is smaller but we enjoy it. Some say smaller is better. Others say bigger is better.

 

We have been on most mainstream lines, at least several times each. I would say the average age on RCL and NCL is similar. NCL earned kind of a poor reputation in terms of overall quality for a while; but has made efforts to improve. We sailed the Gem last March, and thought it was outstanding. We are not fans of Carnival, for many reasons. Trust me; NCL is better than Carnival. The RCL ships are bigger and better than NCL, but don't be shy about cruising with NCL; they have a good concept, and a good product.

 

Every time we cruise (at least once or twice a year), we compare the cruise we are on with the other cruise lines. They all have advantages and disadvantages. There are also differences between ships within each line. For that matter, there are differences in the product provided on the same ship from one year to another. Different crew, and new policies.

 

Everything is subjective. What one person thinks is good you may think is bad; food, entertainment, accommodations, its all personal preference. Heck, my wife and I have different tastes on tons of things. My point is, you will never get a consensus on this question.

 

What you need to watch out for, however, is when you talk to someone who went on his/her first cruise, and loved it, so he/she only books future cruises on the same line. Those folks will insist that you book a cruise with their line. Don't get locked into a particular line. Go with the best deal for you.

 

Good luck.

[flashdog_1]

First, we just (as in, 6 days ago!) got back from our first cruise, which was a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary with RCCL. We enjoyed it a lot and have found cruising to be a good compromise between my partner's and my travel preferences. On to the questions...

 

Now that you've explained why a cruise is a compromise between your two different ideas of what's an ideal vacation, and you enjoyed your first cruise, I see absolutely no reason to think you would not enjoy a second cruise on any other line. I've been on only 3 different lines and they were all wonderful. I was apprehensive about NCL because of Freestyle, but I adjusted. you know, When in Rome, do as the Romans.

 

1. What differences are we going to notice between the two lines, other than the fact that you show up for meals 'whenever'? Does freestyle extend to anything other than the dining situation?

 

You don't ever HAVE to dress up, but CAN. Therefore you see people in jeans in the dinner line with people in formal attire and no one bats an eye like they might if you "broke the dress code" on a traditional dining ship. Actually, on NCL I thought people were overall dressed more appropriately, that is, resort casual, than on HAL and Celebrity. You really stand out on those two lines when you break dress code!

 

2. It seems that there both is and isn't a dress code --- what's up with that? Are passengers casual at all times, or are dress code norms similar to other cruise lines?

 

Some stay casual all week while others still "dress for dinner." It's just up to you. The dining rooms are beautiful and you might want to dress accordingly, but not formally. Just clean and neat in different clothes than you wore during the day. But then again, maybe the same clothes. Up to you. The only restriction I heard about was no caps in the dining room and that is pretty standard on all lines.

 

3. Is the Spirit, as compared to the Voyager of the Seas, a small ship? How does being on a smaller ship affect the experience (positively or negatively)?

 

Some people are crazy about smaller ships, and lament the trend for building huge ones. Remember that it isn't always the size (length and beam) of the ship, but the passenger to space ratio that counts. Also the passenger to crew ratio. Also, consider the length of time it takes to disembark in port when you have 3000 passengers. Frustrating! That is certainly an advantage with a smaller ship. If you have any mobility problems or are directionally challenged, a smaller ship is easier to get around on! A large ship will probably have oh so many more places to hang out, things to do, etc. than a smaller one. So if you're going for relaxation, you can find it on both. If you are going for activities, you'll find more on the big ships. Personally, I look at the size of the staterooms. Some of the mega sized ships have the tiniest cabins. I know, you get what you pay for. I like celebrity because all their cabins even the cheapest inside are 172 sq ft. After you've taken your 2nd cruise, like I said before, you'll be able to decide perhaps what is the best fit for the two of you.

 

4. In general, are NCL's passengers older/younger than RCCL's? More/less affluent? Any other differences? I've heard that Carnival's ships are known for their 'party atmosphere' --- what is NCL known for?

 

Cruise lines get reputations, fairly or not, about ages. I have friends in their 60s who don't drink alcohol who are loyal Carnival cruisers. Go figure! They like the repeat passenger discounts! I have seen more energetic 80 year olds on HAL than I am. People say there are so many walkers and canes on HAL that you might get tripped. But on an X sailing there was a contingency of handicapped passengers who were aboard for the motivational speaker, so the people in wheelchairs were not old! When people are having fun you really can't tell their ages. And also, people who don't want to go to a disco just don't go, so you won't notice their holding anyone back! Same with young people who want to be in the gym instead of in the library. It really does not matter about the age distribution. You do your thing, they do theirs.

 

Affluence? I don't think you can tell on NCL when you don't have to dress up, so there's no one "showing off." And then again, when people are in bathing suits and shorts, you aren't wearing your diamonds. And lots of affluent people don't show it. Where you are going to notice the difference in incomes is on very short cruises. Because of the relatively cheap fares, you will have lots of people who could not afford a long cruise going. That is not to say that everyone is going because of low fares. Some just find it convenient to take a long weekend cruise because of work schedules etc.

 

And it will depend upon the length of your 2nd cruise and whether it is a school vacation as to whether the ship will be filled with kids, or even college kids. If you're trying to find a time when your own kids would have company book during a school holiday. If you want to avoid kids, book when they're in school. But now with home schooling, you really can't even count on that.

 

So, if you take your 2nd cruise and you do not enjoy it as much as your first, you have a place to start comparing. Try a third line etc. You will find your match. But remember that individual ships/crews vary even within a brand name.

 

I think joining your roll call is the biggest help of all. You can get to know some people ahead of time. This makes it so much easier after you've had your first meet & greet. You will have people you will say hi to on the ship and on land!

[Philly Steve]

I think it was good to get your cruising start with a more structured line like RCI with its dinner seating times and debarkation calls. Now that you know what to expect, I recommend that you try NCL's freestyle approach, perhaps to Bermuda or the eastern Carib.

 

A agree with the post on the Roll Call. Adds a lot of pre-cruise fun and info! :)

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

First, we just (as in, 6 days ago!) got back from our first cruise, which was a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary with RCCL. We enjoyed it a lot and have found cruising to be a good compromise between my partner's and my travel preferences. On to the questions...

 

1. What differences are we going to notice between the two lines, other than the fact that you show up for meals 'whenever'? Does freestyle extend to anything other than the dining situation?

 

2. It seems that there both is and isn't a dress code --- what's up with that? Are passengers casual at all times, or are dress code norms similar to other cruise lines?

 

3. Is the Spirit, as compared to the Voyager of the Seas, a small ship? How does being on a smaller ship affect the experience (positively or negatively)?

 

4. In general, are NCL's passengers older/younger than RCCL's? More/less affluent? Any other differences? I've heard that Carnival's ships are known for their 'party atmosphere' --- what is NCL known for?

 

If anybody has the answers to these questions, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

 

 

The Spirit is not a small ship, however compared to the Voyages it could be called that. It is up to your preferance, but as long as you can make do without the Royal Promenade carnivals it very much isnt to much of a big change. In my past experience's, Princess was a subtle line, RCI was party party party and NCL was a very good compromise. Also the vast amount of restruants was brilliant! NCL has no dress code, and you really can do what you want when you want to. In my experience, NCL's passengers are more or less the same age as RCI's. RCI does have a dress code. However none of the passengers are ever botherd to go by it. NCL has a dress code for the main dining room only. I say go for NCL!