I have been on 16 consecutive NCL Cruises. Never a complaint or bad day with NCL! Highly recomend. Helpful hint...Be especially nice to the crew, and they will be especially extra nice to you! They are the best!
thats the spirit, thats what i am talking about, be nice and nice comes back to you. treat others as you would have them treat you first. i go between ncl and rcl, but ncl offers me as a single cruiser more often as not 0% for the person not in my cabin. Single fare, single occupancy rate folks...ncl is for the single cruiser more than any other line. you can meet people just like you on the ship to talk to and maybe have dinner with? I am sapphire now and you would think i was someone important to get all the benefits of crusing with them this long. its real nice. 75 days and your platnium, 2 free dinners for 2 in the specialty restuarants and 1 bag free laundry. thats what you need to reach and it really makes your cruise more enjoyable and less expensive. oh and buy the 100 shares of stock before you cruise and fill out the form and send it to NCL and if its over 7 days you get $100 on board credit to use most everywhere. if its over 14 days its $250!!!!yeah baby!!! when the stock goes up you might just earn a free cruise with the $$$ you made too.
Hope you can help. We are using ncl flight promo bogo to our cruise on the ncl viva to and from Athen, Greece. Have you had any experience with their flight program?
My wife and I love NCL, we are both retired and can usually stay Haven. We have been on the Dawn, Encore, Joy and the Sun. We are in our 60s and have achieved PLATINUM status. We are in our mid-60s and NCL just works for us. We really appreciate the Crew; on our 5 NCL cruises ALL have been EXTREMELY nice, helpful and polite.
@@PleaseEnterA.Name. I'm not sure I understand your question. "The Haven" is a section of several ships like the Encore. Several NCL ships have "The Haven" but not all."The Haven" is a somewhat private part of those ships and includes several stateroom types and some Havens have their own bar and restaurant.
My first cruise was a Norwegian solo. I paid $1099 for a huge balcony room. It was an amazing experience. My only complaint was forgetting additional outlet adapters and not bringing extra seasonings and hot sauce.
@@TimothyZakaria Do a transatlantic cruise and start looking at prices after final payment dates. I've done a 16 night transatlantic NYC to Barcelona for $1500.00 total which is less than $100 a day.
Comparing Virgin & NCL for solo. What do you like most about NCL solo? Easy to meet singles? Pool overly crowded? Do you mostly eat by yourself at a table or eat at the bars? Do you opt to eat at others tables too? How is the Solo Lounge?
I have been on a number of NCL cruises and agree with what you have said. I do think NCL has dropped a bit lately, cancelling some of their shows, without good back up plans. NCL has great staff and I love freestyle dining.
I sailed on Epic recently & there was the most amazing live band on board. All Dominican men who sang & played music all Latinos would love. It was my go to even though I really tried to enjoy other entertainment. The food was mostly great (skipped the buffet COMPLETELY after the 1st time), but I bought a seasoning kit as soon as I got home for my next cruise. I’ll be taking my own seasonings & hot sauces.
I have tried 1 time where NCL embarkation was complete chaos and took 3 hours to get on board. No information was given what so ever and we just sat waiting in the terminal, without knowing why. That was a very bad experience. Later it was revealed they had some IT issues, but still at least provide information to people. This experience still haunts me to this day
We have been on 5 lines and NCL is the worst for embarkation/disembarkation. They should send over some associates to see how Royal does it and take good notes. It’s not even close.
Agreed. Of the three cruise lines my wife and I have sailed on, NCL is by far the worst with regards to embarkation. On our last NCL cruise, the lines for embarkation were over 1 hour long, and the line to disembark wound back and forth through one of the night clubs and the main dining room (IIRC, it took almost 45 minutes to get off the ship). By contrast, we just finished a cruise with Princess; the embarkation process only took 15 minutes, and disembarking took less than that. I think a lot of the slowdown with NCL is due to their insistence that they give you your stateroom card(s) in the terminal, whereas Royal puts them outside your stateroom, and Princess mails your medallion to you prior to the cruise.
I was on one last month leaving from Port Canaveral. I was on board within 30 minutes, drink in hand within 45 minutes. It took longer to ride the bus from MCO. Luggage took awhile to get to my room, but it was worth the wait.
PRO TIP: If you are on your very first NCL cruise, do not book a follow on cruise while onboard. Go ahead and buy Cruise Next certificates, but do not book or pay for any follow-on cruise. Reason being that if that follow-on was eligible for bonus loyalty points, NCL will not honor them. You have to have completed your first cruise before you gain any loyalty eligibility. Wait till you get home, then book. The sales folks at the Cruise Next desk took us for a ride!
I agree 100%. They were offering "if you put down $500, we'll give you $1000 off your next cruiseSSS!" Meaning, you can't use the $1000. You get FOUR separate $250 credits, that can't be combined(95% of the time- they said they occasionally let people use two at a time). SO, that means they're tying you into up to FOUR more cruises. I'm the King of finding deals, but this is a scam if you ask me, and I walked away from the desk.
@@dBsound100it’s all about screwing you, on shore excursions over priced and lack of explanations, etc etc, my last with them there’s way much better looking ships with more , they are trying to follow Royal Caribbean good luck your way out Norwegian. Like they say onboard gauging non stop….
@@wc6975 I have never liked them. I was on one Norweigian cruise and they ran out of eggs at breakfast one morning. How the hell does that happen? It’s like Kentucky Fried Chicken running out of chicken.
Tip for NCL...every ship I have been on has a Starbucks somewhere. Buy a Starbucks gift card BEFORE you board. Starbucks is expensive to begin with but add MORE to the cost on board (roughly 15-20%) I got one for Christmas and ran it dry.
But check before you do. From browsing other forums, I've learned that not ALL have a 'full-service' Starbucks. The ones that do will take the gift card - the others *won't*. I'm booked on the NCL Jade, and discovered that she's one of the "won't" ones.
@@zaribariso if you have a gift card you paid $20 for and you buy a coffee on a cruise and it's $5 then you have $15 left on your gift card....whether or not the coffee is 15-20٪ more on the cruise is irrelevant you are still paying the 15-20% more because whatever yhe charge is for a coffee on cruise that amount get deducted from the amount you have on gift card. What am I missing? I'm not sure how getting a gift card prior to getting on cruise makes any difference??
@@barbs9644 The gift card itself doesn’t save you from the markup on board, but it allows you to set a budget before you board. Since you’ll know you only have a certain amount on the card, it can help with managing spending. Plus, if you receive a gift card ahead of time as a present or buy one when there’s a promo or discount, that can effectively offset some of the higher prices you’ll encounter on the ship.
Just came back from a trip on the Breakaway. Don’t try to use a portable WiFi repeter so everyone in ur cabin can shared one internet plan. It doesn’t work anymore. Tendering takes a long time. better to skip that day unless u can get an early allocation. Got #14 and only got to spend 2 hrs on island before having to leave. Self disembark if u can. We booked transportation with them and had to wait hours before our color was called to disembark. Couldn’t wait in room b/c they had to clean so people had to wait where ever u could find a seat which was kinda hard to find. When we did disembark it was like a cattle drive. Pro tip: if ur traveling as a family get matching shirts to disembark. Makes it easier to keep track of everyone especially kids. It also seemed to make other people respect the family unit trying to stay together so they would let us pass narrow sections together and not try to cut in
FYI - the dining options are limited to very tight time schedules when they are open. Most of the time we got back to the ship from NCL excursions at 2:30 or 3:00 pm, all dining venues are closed. We just sailed 19 days on the VIVA, April 2024. Vegetarian diet style food is almost non existent, same goes for gluten free, very limited. The Local Bar is open 24 / 7 but that is mostly deep fried pub food.
One of my cruises was Mexican Riviera 10 day. "Huge Disappointment" as no real nightlife. Chatting with my new poolside bartender buddy he laughed at me. "Your going too early. It really kicks off between 11 and 12. Go tonight, I'm lead bartender and can point out the single women for you." (He received an additional tip as i had no clue)
Thank you, I thought your video was a fair assessment and on point regarding the pros and cons of the Norwegian cruise line. I recently had my first 7 day Mediterranean cruise on the NCL Getaway as a solo traveller, and I had an amazing time. You made some valuable points, especially regarding the pre purchasing of WiFi, which I found that you have more options to purchase when you are on board the vessal, and can be better value for money. Also, two weeks before my departure. I managed to be upgraded from a solo cabin room to a state balcony cabin room for an extra £30 which absolutely made my cruise special. I am now planning my next cruise with NCL.
Great video. I agree with everything you stated except the embarkation and disembarkation. We’ve been on two NCL cruises in the last year (out of New York and Trieste Italy) and both were terrible to get on or off the ship - even at the ports of call. Really turned our whole family off of NCL. We’ve been on many cruises with other lines as well so we feel like we have the proper perspective to compare. Anyway, I am glad to hear you praising NCL. We have another cruise booked for 2025 and we’ll see if the third time is the charm. Other than this one point, I agree with all your other observations. Very nice ships. Very friendly staff. Lots of nickel and diming on board but overall enjoyable.
Going on the Breakaway in April cannot wait to experience NCL for the first time. The hubs and I are trying out all the cruise line to see which one we like the best to build points with. MSC is out.
The Breakaway is an old ship and it shows. We experienced long queues, bad food and very stressed staff. We were very disappointed. We cruised this passed December. Something is going on with NCL management, lots of complaints lately. Switch your trip for a Royal Caribbean one, would be my recommendation. If you haven’t tried Viking yet, try them, top notch!
I have been in a couple of NCL cruise line , the last time I went to Europe and the ports that use tenders its real mess unless you are platinum or above , waiting time in those ports for me was a nightmare looking at the port and waiting 3-4 hours just to get on the tender its a con and at least 1 hour for the tender on the way back . 10 or 8 hours on port and waiting 3-4 hours for tender will mean a lot less time on that port .I have been on other cruise line in Europe and in other parts of the world and never have that type of situation . I send email to the cruise line and still waiting for a response .
I have missed Norwegian private island twice now. The ship could not tender in the weather. They do not have a pier, unlike RCCL. We could see the RCCL ships docked at Coco Key, enjoying the day when we could not.
well i missed there island 5 times laura so you can rest assurd that its not just you this happened too. good thing is there are building a new dock which will allow then to dock and not tender. eventually i will see there island. i remember when Coco cay was a tender island for RCL. see you at Sea.
We had a great time sailing NCL in Europe and Hawaii. We have never sailed them in the Caribbean and I think I will stick with Royal and Celebrity due to the solarium, outdoor deck space and private islands.
My Wife and I have only sailed on MSC in the last 10yrs. As a change we're sailing on the VIVA in June in the Mediterranean. We're looking forward to check out the difference. Thanks for such an informative video❤
I like NCL. Done Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, Canada....fun. Service was always outstanding food was amazing and the people were fun. My only recommendation is DO NOT book a balcony cabin directly below the water slide! I goofed but first day at sea i realized what i had done. They moved me no questions asked
The newer ships have smaller venues. I was on the Prima a fantastic ship but smaller venues. I also been on the Jewel and Sun much bigger venues. I love NCL almost Ambassador.
Hi, I have been on 4 N. C. L cruses two had a crew that was Rude People were allowed to stay for two shows and I could not get good seats and was even turned away. The service and food is better on other lines.
We have been on 2 cruises with NCL to Bermuda. The 1st (about 8 years ago) one was FANTASTIC! The second one (last year) not so stellar. Cold food, food not cooked properly, attitude from some of the staff…. I did fill out the survey but of course they never contacted me. I’m not looking for anything free or discounts just someone that actually cared. Not sure at this point if I will sail with them again
Free style dining is not really a “pro” if you want to meet other people during the cruise. I’ve always preferred the traditional dining where you can be assigned to a large table and get to know other passengers. A few years ago, we did the Norwegian cruise around the Hawaiian Islands. On a couple of nights, we asked if we could be seated with other people, but the staff seemed to think it was inconvenient to respond to our request. Perhaps things have changed since then.
Going on my first ncl next year. So far I've noticed the have way to high a propensity to cancel cruises they cancel way more than typical. When you do longer cruises you tend to book further put makes me not want to do that with ncl
I work for a health insurance company. Normally, if you get care on something like a cruise ship, the care will be Out of Network (OON). However, most plans will still give some coverage though the patient will have to submit the claim. To submit this claim, the patient will need to get a detailed bill from the provider showing what services were performed under what circumstances. This is normally not an issue as even the most intransigent OON provider will provide that bill. However, I have helped several of our subscribers recently who got care while on Norwegian and they would not supply the bill which meant our subscriber could not submit a claim! Be very careful about medical care on a cruise ship. Caveat Emptor!
Simply supply and demand. Popular cruises that are filling up and prices go up right up until sail embarkation. Cruises on that aren't as popular simply wait and watch prices drop like a wet bag of cement as they try to fill up the ship for that sailing.
Most great deals are on ships that are not full …. Worst thing is you get a deal one month before you sail only to watch prices plummet to half what you paid a few week before . BUT …. If you have to fly to the port last minute the airline is going to charge you a lot more than you might have saved on the cruise . Also you can not get the cruise lines to book you tickets for air travel ( not even if you are paying for it ) … same with ground transportation … if you want those things you can not unless you book your trip 120 days ( 4 months ) before the cruise begins.
Most cruise ships charge for activities at times. I love just lounging and do not need so many activities. That’s kind of what I want to sail for and do not need lots of kids running around(they have Disney for that lol). I want to try Norwegian. Which ship do you recommend to start with and how is the food?
I have to disagree with some of the things that you say in this video. Il been on two NCL cruises this year and the entertainment other than the choir of man show was lacking. Yes, there are other venues with music but they’re tiny and accommodate 3 to 400 people. Meanwhile, there’s 4000 people on board the ship and not everybody can fit in. Also the Air program is not good and that they have split families up in order to get them on different airplanes when it was not requested. Finally, I have found the crew not to be extremely happy. I will suggest you sale and Princess or Holland America in compare the cruise friendliness, an attitude to what you see on Norwegian.
Theres no sugar coating the non free at sea promotion. Im taking my first NCL cruise nev 2024 and literally nothing is actually free. The new more at sea is aptly named, but youre still paying extra for more.
We travelled on the Escape last July and had a fantastic time. Is the drink package worth it? For my wife and I, yes, because we are drinkers and it's nice not having to think about each individual charge. When you're on a cruise, you kind of want to let loose and not worry about it. Having said that, if you price a similar cruise out with RCCL and include the cost of their drink package, the Norwegian package may offer minimal savings. You'll notice that every promotion they run is pretty similar. Do they nickel and dime you? On the Escape? No. On the newer ships? That's what I've heard. They definitely seem to have more games/activities that are extra on those ships. Overall though, I thought the food, drinks, and overall venues and activities were great. The waterfront deck 8, which seems to be exclusive to NCL's newer ships, was a fantastic venue and feature. I'll take that over any large promenade or park or whatever RCCL offers. There was just something about being able to hang out, have a drink, and get some fresh air on a comfortable couch. The ship also wasn't overwhelmingly large. We got accustomed to it pretty quickly and the kids were able to go off on their own more. At the end of the day, I think a lot of the criticisms I saw were largely unwarranted and personal. What one person experiences on the same cruise can vary wildly from what the person next door does. Is there a little less personal service? Yes, but I think you see that across most lines, especially post-Covid. You also find some awesome bartenders and servers as well, that make it all worth it. Bottom line is that NCL is definitely worth trying out, especially if you have kids. The flexibility and dining options are top notch and our kids enjoyed the various clubs that they attended.
Comments based on my 2/23 Southern Caribbean Cruise on the Norwegian Epic: 1) Weird room design. The shower and toilet are in different sides of the cabin. There is very limited privacy. 2) Employees were very unhappy on the cruise as their pay had been cut and staffing was reduced. 3) Smaller venues are tiny for a 4000+ capacity ship. We tried for days to see the comic. Even showing up 45 minutes early was not enough as people were saving 4-5 seats. 4) The buffet was OK but very little variety. 5) Lines were everywhere, especially trying to get into the MDR. While the food was acceptable, NO employee was smiling. 6) There was a near mutiny at the IN-PERSON muster drill where staff was screaming at the guests. Honestly, it has been Grade 3 since I have been talked down to like that. We were about ready to hop off the ship in San Juan and spend another great week on shore. Seriously. We are up to eleven cruises on seven different lines. NCL and Costa are on our "no go" list at this point.
I keep hearing NCL nickle and dimes you but we are going on Royal in a few months and the fun activities are to pay for on there also. Seems they are all alike. And most of the cruise lines have flexible/any time dining so that isn't a pro for NCL anymore.
I hate 2 things about NCL, 1) The food is sub-par. Yes even Carnival is much better. 2) They nickel and dime you relentlessly. BUT, there are some pros! They are beautiful and fun ships, less of the "Smash & Grab" group onboard from profits selling their stolen loot on eBay. And a good ship for teenagers and young adults with great shows. Carnival is my overall go to line but I love NCL for the items they excel at and plan on sailing with them in the future. Did I mention Carnival gives free Lobster at dinner and NCL in the specialty restaurant still charges EXTRA for it?
I travel solo and balcony only. I buy the all inclusive package. Expensive sure. No surprise at the end and I know going in that they are hitting me double occupancy. My first ever cruise, I learned fast when I got an additional bill for $2000.00
@@Cornelius_Pop yup. On Icon they even charge up to $90 for a three minute “ropes” course. $200-$600 for cabanas, up charge on food, more expensive drinks, etc.
The pros all struck me well and the cons fell flat. I'm not interested in swimming, so crowded pools don't affect me. My children are grown adults now, with their own children, so the lack of children's activities isn't a concern. And I'm not into gaming, so the charges for the various gaming activities also don't affect me. I've always found on-board buffets to have excellent offerings, so the charges for specialty dining rooms don't bother me. And, lastly, one of the reasons I like cruising is getting away from the world. I rarely use wi-fi on cruises, so the charges for wi-fi aren't a worry. All in all, it looks like Norwegian is a good fit for me. Affordable cruises that go all over the world, great food, lots of bars and cheerful, helpful staff.
We have done 3 NCL cruises and won't be doing any more, the new ships have super small pool areas and entertainment venues, ie Syd Normans on the new ships have a capacity of less than a hundred guests and you can never get in unless you feel like spending an hour standing in line. Everything on board seems to be geared to try an entice you to pay a fee to upgrade to a better area or dining option, even the deck games are mostly a paid option, the king of the nickel and dimes cruise lines has only cemented their position at the top of this category with their new ship design. Oh and btw "free at sea" is anything but and their flight options are terrible, always booking the cheapest flight that is scheduled to land the morning of the cruise does Not Work!!!! Do better NcL
You left out one destination, Antarctica. Oh, they won't go there but they will advertise it and take your money but cancel it after you sail then offer no explanation or compensation. Who knew the cruise contract covered them for any false advertising they might do?
They have a good product onboard, but I will never sail or sell them again because of the absolute worst customer service in any industry. They either blame the passenger or are outright mean. Reservations department is great, but everyone else is horrible.
@@niuhuskieguy I think Mr. Texas is confused. 1. Escape is an awesome ship. 2. It's only one generation/class old, and 3. They recently put in an order for several new ships.
there is no customer service on ncl anymore, i learned that the hard way.i only book the haven and recently went to the carribean. my cabin is an aft cabin with hot tub on the balcony. a very expensive cabin so you expect the best. booked it six months in advance of sailing. two days before the sailing i get an email that the hot tub can only be used one hour per day with an appointment. totally unacceptable for the cost of this cabin.called custormer service about this to be told nothing can be done period with an attitude. no refunds, no credit towards a future cruise nothing. i asked for a room without a hot tub again no.only the rooms in the haven had this problem,the public hot tubs worked just fine all week long including the public ones in the haven.i have CALLED ABOUT THIS NUMEROUS TIMES AND GOT NOWHERE. NCL IS A JOKE NEVER AGAIN.BOOK ANYLINE EXCEPT NCL IF YOU DONT WANT ANY PROBLEMS.
Just returned from a 10 day NCL cruise on the Vista in the Mediterranean. Never again! Poor value overall with mediocre food, entertainment and facilities. Gouging at every turn.
warning do not book ncl ever, they have the worst customer service period. all they care about is your money. stay away. i always go in the haven and they screwed me royally.never again
NCL is the worst of the worst. I have cruised all the major cruise lines and NCL is garbage. Save your money and eat at Sizzler. The ships are just okay, ports suck, personal suck, food is garbage. Never again for me.
Let me give ncl some free advice. Stopping offering a a 'included beverage package' and then add a graduity to what they feel the package is worth. . That is a complete money grab ripping off your customer. The gratuity should be on the drinks consumed. It's not really ia difficult concept to understand🎉 unless you are determined on screwing over your customers with Nickle and diming polices. I refuse to support these Scammers until they stop this practice.
The gratuities are based upon the daily cost of the beverage package which is how gratuities are determined by ALL THE CRUISE LINES that have a beverage package. A glass of wine and two soda drinks and you've already consumed enough beverages to pay for the daily gratuity and any drinks after that are literally FREE since you've already gotten the value in the first two drinks consumed. It's a GREAT DEAL to pay only $20 a day in gratuities when ALL DRINK PACKAGES are $100+ a day PLUS GRATUTIES.
Princess plus, that is how it's done. It includes all the gratuities, drinks, very fast WiFi, we streamed with it unlike ncl , room service, no extra fees added onto a 'free' package ncl gives you. . Ncl is a horrible company. I will never support them until they change their business model. Nickle and dime every step of the way.
@@tibcordeiro You're welcome to your opinion and that's marvelous that you've decided that Princess Cruises lines is the line for you. Personally, I find Princess lacking in entertainment (no big Broadway shows) and outdoor activities (waterslides), but you like them and that's truly wonderful.
I have been on 16 consecutive NCL Cruises. Never a complaint or bad day with NCL! Highly recomend. Helpful hint...Be especially nice to the crew, and they will be especially extra nice to you! They are the best!
I agree. I loved my first cruise with them that when I came home, I bought stock.
thats the spirit, thats what i am talking about, be nice and nice comes back to you. treat others as you would have them treat you first. i go between ncl and rcl, but ncl offers me as a single cruiser more often as not 0% for the person not in my cabin. Single fare, single occupancy rate folks...ncl is for the single cruiser more than any other line. you can meet people just like you on the ship to talk to and maybe have dinner with? I am sapphire now and you would think i was someone important to get all the benefits of crusing with them this long. its real nice. 75 days and your platnium, 2 free dinners for 2 in the specialty restuarants and 1 bag free laundry. thats what you need to reach and it really makes your cruise more enjoyable and less expensive. oh and buy the 100 shares of stock before you cruise and fill out the form and send it to NCL and if its over 7 days you get $100 on board credit to use most everywhere. if its over 14 days its $250!!!!yeah baby!!! when the stock goes up you might just earn a free cruise with the $$$ you made too.
They are 53 billion in debt!@@Star-Boarder
@@carlrafferty7788
Blah blah blah, NCL sucks big time
Hope you can help. We are using ncl flight promo bogo to our cruise on the ncl viva to and from Athen, Greece. Have you had any experience with their flight program?
I think your video is very fair. There are good and bad points for every Cruise line.
My wife and I love NCL, we are both retired and can usually stay Haven. We have been on the Dawn, Encore, Joy and the Sun. We are in our 60s and have achieved PLATINUM status. We are in our mid-60s and NCL just works for us. We really appreciate the Crew; on our 5 NCL cruises ALL have been EXTREMELY nice, helpful and polite.
What makes you like Haven more than Encore?
@@PleaseEnterA.Name. I'm not sure I understand your question. "The Haven" is a section of several ships like the Encore. Several NCL ships have "The Haven" but not all."The Haven" is a somewhat private part of those ships and includes several stateroom types and some Havens have their own bar and restaurant.
I don’t share your feelings. NCL is pretty shitty.
Thank you for a fair and descriptive explanation. Been on lots of cruises but booking my first with NCL.
Nice job. I've been in 15 NCL cruises and it's my favorite!
14 have been solo.
My first cruise was a Norwegian solo. I paid $1099 for a huge balcony room. It was an amazing experience. My only complaint was forgetting additional outlet adapters and not bringing extra seasonings and hot sauce.
@Ciuatontla I prefer cruising than flying but I don't know how much it is to go from NY to Northern Europe. Pricing is always an issue
@@CiuatontlaI first saw Norwegian when I was on a ferry in NY
@@TimothyZakaria Do a transatlantic cruise and start looking at prices after final payment dates. I've done a 16 night transatlantic NYC to Barcelona for $1500.00 total which is less than $100 a day.
Comparing Virgin & NCL for solo. What do you like most about NCL solo? Easy to meet singles? Pool overly crowded? Do you mostly eat by yourself at a table or eat at the bars? Do you opt to eat at others tables too? How is the Solo Lounge?
I sailed on NCL last month for the first time, I loved it!
I have been on a number of NCL cruises and agree with what you have said. I do think NCL has dropped a bit lately, cancelling some of their shows, without good back up plans. NCL has great staff and I love freestyle dining.
I sailed on Epic recently & there was the most amazing live band on board. All Dominican men who sang & played music all Latinos would love. It was my go to even though I really tried to enjoy other entertainment. The food was mostly great (skipped the buffet COMPLETELY after the 1st time), but I bought a seasoning kit as soon as I got home for my next cruise. I’ll be taking my own seasonings & hot sauces.
I have tried 1 time where NCL embarkation was complete chaos and took 3 hours to get on board. No information was given what so ever and we just sat waiting in the terminal, without knowing why. That was a very bad experience. Later it was revealed they had some IT issues, but still at least provide information to people. This experience still haunts me to this day
We have been on 5 lines and NCL is the worst for embarkation/disembarkation. They should send over some associates to see how Royal does it and take good notes. It’s not even close.
Agreed. Of the three cruise lines my wife and I have sailed on, NCL is by far the worst with regards to embarkation. On our last NCL cruise, the lines for embarkation were over 1 hour long, and the line to disembark wound back and forth through one of the night clubs and the main dining room (IIRC, it took almost 45 minutes to get off the ship). By contrast, we just finished a cruise with Princess; the embarkation process only took 15 minutes, and disembarking took less than that. I think a lot of the slowdown with NCL is due to their insistence that they give you your stateroom card(s) in the terminal, whereas Royal puts them outside your stateroom, and Princess mails your medallion to you prior to the cruise.
Cruise lines don’t control embarkation, the cruise terminal does.
I was on one last month leaving from Port Canaveral. I was on board within 30 minutes, drink in hand within 45 minutes. It took longer to ride the bus from MCO. Luggage took awhile to get to my room, but it was worth the wait.
PRO TIP: If you are on your very first NCL cruise, do not book a follow on cruise while onboard. Go ahead and buy Cruise Next certificates, but do not book or pay for any follow-on cruise. Reason being that if that follow-on was eligible for bonus loyalty points, NCL will not honor them. You have to have completed your first cruise before you gain any loyalty eligibility. Wait till you get home, then book. The sales folks at the Cruise Next desk took us for a ride!
that's NCL for you....screw you when they can...lol :)
I agree 100%. They were offering "if you put down $500, we'll give you $1000 off your next cruiseSSS!" Meaning, you can't use the $1000. You get FOUR separate $250 credits, that can't be combined(95% of the time- they said they occasionally let people use two at a time). SO, that means they're tying you into up to FOUR more cruises. I'm the King of finding deals, but this is a scam if you ask me, and I walked away from the desk.
You got a free cabin upgrade for booking onboard
@@dBsound100it’s all about screwing you, on shore excursions over priced and lack of explanations, etc etc, my last with them there’s way much better looking ships with more , they are trying to follow Royal Caribbean good luck your way out Norwegian. Like they say onboard gauging non stop….
@@wc6975
I have never liked them. I was on one Norweigian cruise and they ran out of eggs at breakfast one morning. How the hell does that happen? It’s like Kentucky Fried Chicken running out of chicken.
Tip for NCL...every ship I have been on has a Starbucks somewhere. Buy a Starbucks gift card BEFORE you board. Starbucks is expensive to begin with but add MORE to the cost on board (roughly 15-20%) I got one for Christmas and ran it dry.
But check before you do. From browsing other forums, I've learned that not ALL have a 'full-service' Starbucks. The ones that do will take the gift card - the others *won't*.
I'm booked on the NCL Jade, and discovered that she's one of the "won't" ones.
I don't get how buying a gift card prior saves money on board??
@@barbs9644She said they add 15-20% more than the original price on the cruise ship. Also, you’ll be able to have a budget before you get on the ship.
@@zaribariso if you have a gift card you paid $20 for and you buy a coffee on a cruise and it's $5 then you have $15 left on your gift card....whether or not the coffee is 15-20٪ more on the cruise is irrelevant you are still paying the 15-20% more because whatever yhe charge is for a coffee on cruise that amount get deducted from the amount you have on gift card. What am I missing? I'm not sure how getting a gift card prior to getting on cruise makes any difference??
@@barbs9644 The gift card itself doesn’t save you from the markup on board, but it allows you to set a budget before you board. Since you’ll know you only have a certain amount on the card, it can help with managing spending. Plus, if you receive a gift card ahead of time as a present or buy one when there’s a promo or discount, that can effectively offset some of the higher prices you’ll encounter on the ship.
Getting ready for my first cruise and it’s NCL ;)
Just came back from a trip on the Breakaway. Don’t try to use a portable WiFi repeter so everyone in ur cabin can shared one internet plan. It doesn’t work anymore. Tendering takes a long time. better to skip that day unless u can get an early allocation. Got #14 and only got to spend 2 hrs on island before having to leave. Self disembark if u can. We booked transportation with them and had to wait hours before our color was called to disembark. Couldn’t wait in room b/c they had to clean so people had to wait where ever u could find a seat which was kinda hard to find. When we did disembark it was like a cattle drive. Pro tip: if ur traveling as a family get matching shirts to disembark. Makes it easier to keep track of everyone especially kids. It also seemed to make other people respect the family unit trying to stay together so they would let us pass narrow sections together and not try to cut in
FYI - the dining options are limited to very tight time schedules when they are open. Most of the time we got back to the ship from NCL excursions at 2:30 or 3:00 pm, all dining venues are closed. We just sailed 19 days on the VIVA, April 2024. Vegetarian diet style food is almost non existent, same goes for gluten free, very limited. The Local Bar is open 24 / 7 but that is mostly deep fried pub food.
One of my cruises was Mexican Riviera 10 day. "Huge Disappointment" as no real nightlife. Chatting with my new poolside bartender buddy he laughed at me. "Your going too early. It really kicks off between 11 and 12. Go tonight, I'm lead bartender and can point out the single women for you." (He received an additional tip as i had no clue)
Thank you, I thought your video was a fair assessment and on point regarding the pros and cons of the Norwegian cruise line. I recently had my first 7 day Mediterranean cruise on the NCL Getaway as a solo traveller, and I had an amazing time. You made some valuable points, especially regarding the pre purchasing of WiFi, which I found that you have more options to purchase when you are on board the vessal, and can be better value for money. Also, two weeks before my departure. I managed to be upgraded from a solo cabin room to a state balcony cabin room for an extra £30 which absolutely made my cruise special. I am now planning my next cruise with NCL.
Great video. I agree with everything you stated except the embarkation and disembarkation. We’ve been on two NCL cruises in the last year (out of New York and Trieste Italy) and both were terrible to get on or off the ship - even at the ports of call. Really turned our whole family off of NCL. We’ve been on many cruises with other lines as well so we feel like we have the proper perspective to compare. Anyway, I am glad to hear you praising NCL. We have another cruise booked for 2025 and we’ll see if the third time is the charm.
Other than this one point, I agree with all your other observations. Very nice ships. Very friendly staff. Lots of nickel and diming on board but overall enjoyable.
Don't forget about the thermo spas on the breakaway class to me they are second to none
Just booked on the Aqua! Will be sharing my thoughts soon!
Awesome review! Thank you!
Going on the Breakaway in April cannot wait to experience NCL for the first time. The hubs and I are trying out all the cruise line to see which one we like the best to build points with. MSC is out.
The Breakaway is an old ship and it shows. We experienced long queues, bad food and very stressed staff. We were very disappointed. We cruised this passed December. Something is going on with NCL management, lots of complaints lately. Switch your trip for a Royal Caribbean one, would be my recommendation. If you haven’t tried Viking yet, try them, top notch!
@@Bazou2013 It's so strange because I've heard the exact opposite. It's probably the people more than the cruise line
I have been in a couple of NCL cruise line , the last time I went to Europe and the ports that use tenders its real mess unless you are platinum or above , waiting time in those ports for me was a nightmare looking at the port and waiting 3-4 hours just to get on the tender its a con and at least 1 hour for the tender on the way back . 10 or 8 hours on port and waiting 3-4 hours for tender will mean a lot less time on that port .I have been on other cruise line in Europe and in other parts of the world and never have that type of situation . I send email to the cruise line and still waiting for a response .
Thanks for the feedback. I will look to a different cruise line to book the Mediterranean cruise on my list.
I have missed Norwegian private island twice now. The ship could not tender in the weather. They do not have a pier, unlike RCCL. We could see the RCCL ships docked at Coco Key, enjoying the day when we could not.
well i missed there island 5 times laura so you can rest assurd that its not just you this happened too. good thing is there are building a new dock which will allow then to dock and not tender. eventually i will see there island. i remember when Coco cay was a tender island for RCL. see you at Sea.
I hope to see NCL Private Island on a future cruise
We had a great time sailing NCL in Europe and Hawaii. We have never sailed them in the Caribbean and I think I will stick with Royal and Celebrity due to the solarium, outdoor deck space and private islands.
Such a great point!!!
NCL has private islands.
My Wife and I have only sailed on MSC in the last 10yrs. As a change we're sailing on the VIVA in June in the Mediterranean. We're looking forward to check out the difference. Thanks for such an informative video❤
keep us posted on the difference between MSC and NCL. were looking at MSC
I like NCL, we have done 6 so far and all have been good
You should take a NCL in Puerto Rico and talk about it...I like to see that..
I like NCL. Done Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, Canada....fun. Service was always outstanding food was amazing and the people were fun. My only recommendation is DO NOT book a balcony cabin directly below the water slide! I goofed but first day at sea i realized what i had done. They moved me no questions asked
The newer ships have smaller venues. I was on the Prima a fantastic ship but smaller venues. I also been on the Jewel and Sun much bigger venues. I love NCL almost Ambassador.
Hi, I have been on 4 N. C. L cruses two had a crew that was Rude People were allowed to stay for two shows and I could not get good seats and was even turned away. The service and food is better on other lines.
Good guide.
We have been on 2 cruises with NCL to Bermuda. The 1st (about 8 years ago) one was FANTASTIC! The second one (last year) not so stellar. Cold food, food not cooked properly, attitude from some of the staff…. I did fill out the survey but of course they never contacted me. I’m not looking for anything free or discounts just someone that actually cared. Not sure at this point if I will sail with them again
Actually, she’s very honest. Thank you for the video.
But I think NCL is hands-down, the best cruise line in the industry
Thank You Very much. Great Info
If you want to go to a specific place (eg the Panama Canal), you don't have a wide choice of ships
Your narrative is fair. But im going to ask if wifi is accessible in the ship?
Helpful. Thank you
Free style dining is not really a “pro” if you want to meet other people during the cruise. I’ve always preferred the traditional dining where you can be assigned to a large table and get to know other passengers. A few years ago, we did the Norwegian cruise around the Hawaiian Islands. On a couple of nights, we asked if we could be seated with other people, but the staff seemed to think it was inconvenient to respond to our request. Perhaps things have changed since then.
We are big fans of NCL! Our disappointments are few- extra costs, lack of productions shows (wife) and staff cutbacks!
Going on my first ncl next year. So far I've noticed the have way to high a propensity to cancel cruises they cancel way more than typical. When you do longer cruises you tend to book further put makes me not want to do that with ncl
I love NCL as well. What camera do you use to do your recording?
I work for a health insurance company. Normally, if you get care on something like a cruise ship, the care will be Out of Network (OON). However, most plans will still give some coverage though the patient will have to submit the claim. To submit this claim, the patient will need to get a detailed bill from the provider showing what services were performed under what circumstances. This is normally not an issue as even the most intransigent OON provider will provide that bill. However, I have helped several of our subscribers recently who got care while on Norwegian and they would not supply the bill which meant our subscriber could not submit a claim! Be very careful about medical care on a cruise ship. Caveat Emptor!
I don’t like how they jack the prices up the closer it gets to the date of the cruise. You’d think they’d lower a bit.
Simply supply and demand. Popular cruises that are filling up and prices go up right up until sail embarkation. Cruises on that aren't as popular simply wait and watch prices drop like a wet bag of cement as they try to fill up the ship for that sailing.
Most great deals are on ships that are not full …. Worst thing is you get a deal one month before you sail only to watch prices plummet to half what you paid a few week before .
BUT …. If you have to fly to the port last minute the airline is going to charge you a lot more than you might have saved on the cruise . Also you can not get the cruise lines to book you tickets for air travel ( not even if you are paying for it ) … same with ground transportation … if you want those things you can not unless you book your trip 120 days ( 4 months ) before the cruise begins.
Every cruise line does.
Right On !!!
Going on NCL sky in December for 17 days leaving from Mauritius I read some bad reviews pertaining to the ship, staff and food
Most cruise ships charge for activities at times. I love just lounging and do not need so many activities. That’s kind of what I want to sail for and do not need lots of kids running around(they have Disney for that lol). I want to try Norwegian. Which ship do you recommend to start with and how is the food?
I have to disagree with some of the things that you say in this video. Il been on two NCL cruises this year and the entertainment other than the choir of man show was lacking. Yes, there are other venues with music but they’re tiny and accommodate 3 to 400 people. Meanwhile, there’s 4000 people on board the ship and not everybody can fit in. Also the Air program is not good and that they have split families up in order to get them on different airplanes when it was not requested. Finally, I have found the crew not to be extremely happy. I will suggest you sale and Princess or Holland America in compare the cruise friendliness, an attitude to what you see on Norwegian.
I only sail NCL. leaving for Vancouver end of March. Mexico in November. Both on Bliss. Solo studio. Love observation deck
Theres no sugar coating the non free at sea promotion. Im taking my first NCL cruise nev 2024 and literally nothing is actually free. The new more at sea is aptly named, but youre still paying extra for more.
We travelled on the Escape last July and had a fantastic time. Is the drink package worth it? For my wife and I, yes, because we are drinkers and it's nice not having to think about each individual charge. When you're on a cruise, you kind of want to let loose and not worry about it. Having said that, if you price a similar cruise out with RCCL and include the cost of their drink package, the Norwegian package may offer minimal savings. You'll notice that every promotion they run is pretty similar. Do they nickel and dime you? On the Escape? No. On the newer ships? That's what I've heard. They definitely seem to have more games/activities that are extra on those ships. Overall though, I thought the food, drinks, and overall venues and activities were great. The waterfront deck 8, which seems to be exclusive to NCL's newer ships, was a fantastic venue and feature. I'll take that over any large promenade or park or whatever RCCL offers. There was just something about being able to hang out, have a drink, and get some fresh air on a comfortable couch. The ship also wasn't overwhelmingly large. We got accustomed to it pretty quickly and the kids were able to go off on their own more. At the end of the day, I think a lot of the criticisms I saw were largely unwarranted and personal. What one person experiences on the same cruise can vary wildly from what the person next door does. Is there a little less personal service? Yes, but I think you see that across most lines, especially post-Covid. You also find some awesome bartenders and servers as well, that make it all worth it. Bottom line is that NCL is definitely worth trying out, especially if you have kids. The flexibility and dining options are top notch and our kids enjoyed the various clubs that they attended.
Definitely a pro! Who wants to have other people's brats around.
Agree with your views, have been a solo guest for over 15 years. Things have change but still good bank for the bucks
Comments based on my 2/23 Southern Caribbean Cruise on the Norwegian Epic:
1) Weird room design. The shower and toilet are in different sides of the cabin. There is very limited privacy.
2) Employees were very unhappy on the cruise as their pay had been cut and staffing was reduced.
3) Smaller venues are tiny for a 4000+ capacity ship. We tried for days to see the comic. Even showing up 45 minutes early was not enough as people were saving 4-5 seats.
4) The buffet was OK but very little variety.
5) Lines were everywhere, especially trying to get into the MDR. While the food was acceptable, NO employee was smiling.
6) There was a near mutiny at the IN-PERSON muster drill where staff was screaming at the guests. Honestly, it has been Grade 3 since I have been talked down to like that. We were about ready to hop off the ship in San Juan and spend another great week on shore. Seriously.
We are up to eleven cruises on seven different lines. NCL and Costa are on our "no go" list at this point.
Thank you so much for the information. Were any of the trips paid for or incentivized by NCL?
Hello! Thank you for watching! None of our trips with Norwegian Cruise Line thus far have been sponsored or paid for by Norwegian Cruise Line.
@@hayley_phillips thanks for the response!
I keep hearing NCL nickle and dimes you but we are going on Royal in a few months and the fun activities are to pay for on there also. Seems they are all alike. And most of the cruise lines have flexible/any time dining so that isn't a pro for NCL anymore.
I'm still waiting for getting my cruise ride
I hate 2 things about NCL, 1) The food is sub-par. Yes even Carnival is much better. 2) They nickel and dime you relentlessly. BUT, there are some pros! They are beautiful and fun ships, less of the "Smash & Grab" group onboard from profits selling their stolen loot on eBay. And a good ship for teenagers and young adults with great shows. Carnival is my overall go to line but I love NCL for the items they excel at and plan on sailing with them in the future. Did I mention Carnival gives free Lobster at dinner and NCL in the specialty restaurant still charges EXTRA for it?
Yes! They nickel and dime the crap out of people… all cruise lines do it but NCl is the worst.
I didn’t feel that way at all on the Prima we just went on two weeks ago. RCL is way worse.
@@davidmcottrell Royal charges for activities like NCl? It just seems like NCl makes u pay extra for pretty much all onboard activities.
I travel solo and balcony only. I buy the all inclusive package. Expensive sure. No surprise at the end and I know going in that they are hitting me double occupancy. My first ever cruise, I learned fast when I got an additional bill for $2000.00
@@Cornelius_Pop yup. On Icon they even charge up to $90 for a three minute “ropes” course. $200-$600 for cabanas, up charge on food, more expensive drinks, etc.
The pros all struck me well and the cons fell flat.
I'm not interested in swimming, so crowded pools don't affect me. My children are grown adults now, with their own children, so the lack of children's activities isn't a concern. And I'm not into gaming, so the charges for the various gaming activities also don't affect me. I've always found on-board buffets to have excellent offerings, so the charges for specialty dining rooms don't bother me. And, lastly, one of the reasons I like cruising is getting away from the world. I rarely use wi-fi on cruises, so the charges for wi-fi aren't a worry.
All in all, it looks like Norwegian is a good fit for me. Affordable cruises that go all over the world, great food, lots of bars and cheerful, helpful staff.
We have done 3 NCL cruises and won't be doing any more, the new ships have super small pool areas and entertainment venues, ie Syd Normans on the new ships have a capacity of less than a hundred guests and you can never get in unless you feel like spending an hour standing in line. Everything on board seems to be geared to try an entice you to pay a fee to upgrade to a better area or dining option, even the deck games are mostly a paid option, the king of the nickel and dimes cruise lines has only cemented their position at the top of this category with their new ship design. Oh and btw "free at sea" is anything but and their flight options are terrible, always booking the cheapest flight that is scheduled to land the morning of the cruise does Not Work!!!! Do better NcL
You should have requested a flight deviation. NCL will fly you up to two days before.
Tiny public areas, tiny theater, no Spinnaker observation lounge. reservation required for theater.
What boat did u go on when u flew from flordia to England?
Not a boat
Hello! Thank you for watching! We sailed onboard the Norwegian Star for our British Isles cruise sailing.
You left out one destination, Antarctica. Oh, they won't go there but they will advertise it and take your money but cancel it after you sail then offer no explanation or compensation. Who knew the cruise contract covered them for any false advertising they might do?
Of all my cruises, would have to say NCL was my favorite. MSC was my least favorite
Oh did they (MSC) suck!
Adaline Fort
Not having more kids around is a plus.
They have a good product onboard, but I will never sail or sell them again because of the absolute worst customer service in any industry. They either blame the passenger or are outright mean. Reservations department is great, but everyone else is horrible.
Booking flights through NCL are you flying in the day of the cruise?
We've flown in day of to London last year......plan to fly in day before for Rome in July 2024
What is your favorite cruise and or cruise ship?
Ughh.. we booked on NCL sun this summer and some reviews are freaking me out.
Having a great crew and staff is not rare. Many other cruise lines have great staff and crew. I have yet to experience anything less.
Owen Radial
The entire fleet of ships in the NCL stable is about to be dramatically reduced. Including the removal and retirement of the NCL Escape.
I find that hard to believe as the Escape is not even remotely close to being their oldest ship
@@niuhuskieguy I think Mr. Texas is confused. 1. Escape is an awesome ship. 2. It's only one generation/class old, and 3. They recently put in an order for several new ships.
Yea, I don't think kids need to be on cruise ships.
The cruiseline is terrible. Don't do it. Terrible customer service.
there is no customer service on ncl anymore, i learned that the hard way.i only book the haven and recently went to the carribean. my cabin is an aft cabin with hot tub on the balcony. a very expensive cabin so you expect the best. booked it six months in advance of sailing. two days before the sailing i get an email that the hot tub can only be used one hour per day with an appointment. totally unacceptable for the cost of this cabin.called custormer service about this to be told nothing can be done period with an attitude. no refunds, no credit towards a future cruise nothing. i asked for a room without a hot tub again no.only the rooms in the haven had this problem,the public hot tubs worked just fine all week long including the public ones in the haven.i have CALLED ABOUT THIS NUMEROUS TIMES AND GOT NOWHERE. NCL IS A JOKE NEVER AGAIN.BOOK ANYLINE EXCEPT NCL IF YOU DONT WANT ANY PROBLEMS.
There are no pros.
Just returned from a 10 day NCL cruise on the Vista in the Mediterranean. Never again! Poor value overall with mediocre food, entertainment and facilities. Gouging at every turn.
warning do not book ncl ever, they have the worst customer service period. all they care about is your money. stay away. i always go in the haven and they screwed me royally.never again
NCL is the worst of the worst. I have cruised all the major cruise lines and NCL is garbage. Save your money and eat at Sizzler. The ships are just okay, ports suck, personal suck, food is garbage. Never again for me.
Let me give ncl some free advice. Stopping offering a a 'included beverage package' and then add a graduity to what they feel the package is worth. . That is a complete money grab ripping off your customer. The gratuity should be on the drinks consumed. It's not really ia difficult concept to understand🎉 unless you are determined on screwing over your customers with Nickle and diming polices. I refuse to support these Scammers until they stop this practice.
The gratuities are based upon the daily cost of the beverage package which is how gratuities are determined by ALL THE CRUISE LINES that have a beverage package. A glass of wine and two soda drinks and you've already consumed enough beverages to pay for the daily gratuity and any drinks after that are literally FREE since you've already gotten the value in the first two drinks consumed. It's a GREAT DEAL to pay only $20 a day in gratuities when ALL DRINK PACKAGES are $100+ a day PLUS GRATUTIES.
Princess plus, that is how it's done. It includes all the gratuities, drinks, very fast WiFi, we streamed with it unlike ncl , room service, no extra fees added onto a 'free' package ncl gives you. . Ncl is a horrible company. I will never support them until they change their business model.
Nickle and dime every step of the way.
@@tibcordeiro You're welcome to your opinion and that's marvelous that you've decided that Princess Cruises lines is the line for you. Personally, I find Princess lacking in entertainment (no big Broadway shows) and outdoor activities (waterslides), but you like them and that's truly wonderful.
Would never travel with them now. Evil company.
very mediocre . lack of entertainment . food is subpar.