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@@Cruise411-uo8bb How so? Lol Yes i discriminate against what I am, my family the large group I was with in NYC Last year. Makes sense. Hopefully I get an explanation for such a dumb statement since you’ve gone out of your way to make sure I say this for some reason😂
@@JSHIPLIFE Come on you know black people can discriminate against other blacks! You are young and may not even realize it. Don’t worry I’m going to help educate you😀. I have four new hats that were given to me that would be perfect for you in the nightclubs! Got a PO Box? One day, I am sure I will see your girlfriend, who is drop dead gorgeous, and you two will beg me to allow you to get off the dance floor! Don’t try and steal any of my dance 💃🏾 moves😂😂😂🤣. I will subscribe! 👀
I was thinking about blogging about my cruises. I want to use Temi my robot! I asked one Cruiseline if I could bring Temi on board, I described it as an iPad on wheels🤔 🤞 One Cruiseline said YES😃
NCL has added a real true and honest to goodness military discount. I believe they started it last November or last December. Not only is it 10% off of the base rate, but you receive this wonderful welcome package that includes: a welcome aboard letter, a pamphlet of the Senior Crew that are former military, a military pin for your lapel, and a military patch to wear if you so desire on a jacket. In addition to this they also had a private reception with tray service such as; Beef Wellington and shrimp, and open bar. Individual pictures were taken with a Senior Crew, and a group picture was also taken with the Senior Crew. These pictures were delivered free of charge to your stateroom the next day. Very very very impressive. Plus every future NCL Cruise you can request that ships patch from guest services.
Yea but if you have to cancel due to military duty you better find a cruise thats exactly the same price or more if you want to get the full credit. And you cannot transfer it to someone else. If it comes out to less, than you lose the rest of that money. Theres a lot of other policies I been dealing with them in the customer service area that are just wild too. Basically they will take your money lol. Ass soon as I use all my credit and Cruise Now I am probably done with them. I called it a few month ago after I got off the phone with them, they probably wont be lasting long. Way higher prices, lower quality service and cutting back the most is not a good sign.
@@gar949 if you haven't made final payment I would call and ask if it can be added. You have to go to a secure site to put your information in. I can't remember the name of the site, but I did this for my husband years ago and it still works
I've been on 5 cruises with NCL, since I been cruising, they have been the only one I've traveled with. And so far, I've had zero issues. I'm going on the Breakaway next July, we'll see. I'm looking at Royal, MSC, but I have been loyal to NCL.
I have traveled NCL, Royal, Carnival, MSC, and Princess. I did a Caribbean and Hawaii with NCL years ago. Did my first European with NCL in 2019, because I liked the itinerary the best. I did the Prima Transatlantic last year, and will be on the Viva the end of September from Rome to Lisbon. The service has been great.
I don’t think people should be loyal to any cruise ship until you have at least tried others to have something to compare to. I’ve been on Norwegian Breakaway and we had a great time! With that said, we plan to try Royal, Virgin, Carnival and Princess. After that we may pick one that we frequent.
I agree ... I have been booking RCL exclusively and realized this year that I wanted to try other lines. I honestly do not think I'll be loyal to one line as I base my decisions on itinerary and pricing more than any other factors. I just tried HAL and was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the onboard experience during the days at sea. I'm scheduled to try Princess next and eventually want to try Celebrity.
I sailed NCL over the Christmas holiday. I had a wonderful time- the crew was amazing and so helpful. I will share that one of the crew members’ mother passed away in the Philippines and they flew him back home the next day. I was impressed! Maybe they are working on turning things around.
Our last two cruises were on NCL and really enjoyed them but we are disappointed that some of the entertainment shows are being cancelled. Previously we've sailed on Carnival & Royal. Carnival was not bad but just not for us. Royal is nice and their mega ships do have the wow factor but it just seems so overwhelming. NCL seems to be the happy median for us and we love the Free style way of things.
I did NCL in February and loved it, even though I was sick for 2 days a d the itinerary sucked. I loved it because of the great “Free at Sea Package - which I upgraded to plus” so I didn’t feel “nickel and dimmed” and the entertainment was amazing. These cuts are why I’m leery of going on anymore cruises. Because Entertainment is a big thing to me, I was looking at the Viva next yr specifically for Beetlejuice, but so far that’s the only show announced and who knows if it’ll even be there next summer…
My family and i are loyal NCL fans and enjoy their ships. The crew has been wonderful especially during superstorm Sandy when we were on the Gem. They go out of their way for seniors on their cruises. I hope they restore their shows as things turn around.
We’ve never sailed with NCL, so I can’t comment on quality or experience. We’ve always sailed with Celebrity and have never been disappointed. Thank you for keeping us all updated on everything- I always enjoy watching your content!
I'm mostly Royal fan, but I've been on a few NCL ships and had a good time. I'm getting very tired of prices going higher for all the lines, while services are going down. I have 2 NCL cruises booked for this fall, and they may very well be my last.
Staff, including entertainers, move frequently. Some don't like the surroundings, the job responsibilities, are seeking higher pay but don't qualify in their current position -- do we say the same about many "landlubber" workers who move from company to company on a regular basis, sometimes as frequently as 18 months to two years?
You do realize that many cruise staff are hired from 3rd parties like Stiener, Park West, Harding etc and move between lines from contract to contract. Many positions do not apply directly through the cruise line.
That’s hilarious! I was just watching your last video where you were saying that you were going to make a video about this and here comes this less than 10 minutes later. Thank you for all you do brother! We appreciate you, no matter what anyone else says!
We sailed Norwegian Gem in 2017 and had a wonderful time. Beautiful ship. Great crew. Food was ok. My only issue with them now and all the cruise lines is the price is going up but service is less, shows taken away. If prices go up, maintain everything. We are loyal to no one. Like experiencing as many cruise lines and ships as we can.
I've sailed with Norwegian three times out of my five cruises and honestly I have nothing bad to say at all. Like my family and I have had nothing but great experiences on board. We've sailed the Star, Gem and last fall was the Getaway. My parents have done six cruises and went with Norwegian four times. We did Disney with our first two. All the restaurants and food have been excellent each time, the shows have been really great but I will say the Getaway had the best shows we've seen with Norwegian. We had Syd Normans Pour House which is rock and roll themed in their own little dedicated bar/venue. There was Burn The Floor, we went to see that twice!, We had an amazing comedian and magician. However the Star had the best cruise director. Overall I would say Norwegian is my family and I's go-to cruise line. I would love to sail Disney again one day.
I have sailed with NCL many times in the past 4 years- the staff were not happy and not friendly especially on the Sky in January. Went on Royal for the first time in a long time last month and what a difference- you felt it within the first hour - amazing and welcoming - everyone - even in the buffet in the morning - the vibe was completely different.
I sailed on the Encore the first week of May. The week before NCL had contacted me to see if I would look at some shows they were considering for the future. I agreed to be part of the survey, and they said they would contact me after I boarded. They never did contact me once I was on board and I wondered if something changed, then they made this announcement about the shows. I've always sailed NCL, but that last Encore cruise has me wondering if I should give someone else my business. It was kind of a mess and several staff members were super rude to me. Thank you, Jay.
All cruise lines have a large debt due to the pandemic. Sounds like they are cutting costs, albeit in different, more dramatic ways than the other cruise lines. I believe they will bounce back. Time will tell.
@@travelingadler Also, not said above, I am assuming a new CEO doesn’t start out at the same salary as the tenured one. So that too should help the bottom line.
@@joeo7693 I havnt looked at those numbers exactly. I am a shareholder and looked at the quarterly earnings for 1st quarter this year. The biggest issue is the company has around 12 billion in debt at the moment. Around 2 billion is these adjustable rate bonds which were low when started but have gone up. Any profit in the future will likely go to pay down the adjustable rate ones. I dont expect to get any as a shareholder for the next 2-3 years while they pay off their debt.
I took a look at the details Carnival corporation has 32 billion dollars in debt and their interest rates they are paying are much higher than what Norwegian has. Norwegian has 13 billion dollars in debt with plans to pay off 765 million this year. Depending on how much profit they have.
I sailed once with NCL, and I will never do so again. I felt like they were trying to upsell be on every last thing I did. I do not need to be nickeled and dimed throughout my vacation. If I wanted that, I would go to Cancun.
I was just on the Norwegian Escape last week. It was a phenomenal trip! The food and entertainment were excellent! The Choir of Man was a fantastic show! The crew that I noticed seemed happy... a few were even singing as they delivered coffee to the tables in the buffet. There was plenty to do at all hours. It was my best vacation ever!
I've been on a few NCL cruises, Platinum 17 with Carnival, 2 MSC, 1 Princess, 1 Royal, 1 Costa. What made NCL better then other was the entertainment. The cabins are very small, the crew was excellent and service. Food was very good. If they cut back on the shows and the prices keep going up for me I'm not sure I'll keep sailing with them. I do hope they watch the comments on these boards.
Sailed on the Escape in May it was at max capacity. Just booked the Haven for June. I don't think it's money issues. Wanted try RC but too expensive the drink drink package is 600 per person that's insane
The things that ruin a vacation for me are loud noises: loud speaker announcements especially in the morning, loud people, loud drinkers, and excursions that are too short in time.
Don't underestimate the Free at Sea package. My wife and I paid $199 each for Free at Sea for a 10-day cruise last month and our final bar bill was $21 for a bottle of wine we had one evening. Two speciality restaurants also included as were 150 minutes of Internet each and some excursion discount too. I'm trying Royal Caribbean for the first time in August and the drinks package alone would cost near $1000 (we're skipping the package). 3x speciality restaurants set me back another near $300. Internet (albeit unlimited) another $300. NCL does have some issue with entertainment and cabin attendants but I'm hearing that Royal's food is rapidly going downhill, which would be a major issue for us. Will see in August.
I agree with you about the free at sea package. I mostly cruise on NCL for the free at sea. I have been on Royal and would probably use them more if they had anything close to the free at sea. It makes a big difference if you like the alcohol package.
I've been cruising Royal Caribbean since 2004. The food used to be much better and I've made my complaint known. I just came back from Anthems of the Sea, which I am loyal to Royal, but I have been on NCL 2010 or 2011. I've been on Princess once 12 days Tahiti Hawaii and Carnival wants, which I don't care for Carnival. Hopefully, your experience and Royal Caribbean will be a pleasant one. Please keep us updated regarding the food situation it used to be awesome. FYI, only one lobster tail, now the additional lobster tail, is $16.99. nope, I didn't do it, and I waited until I got home and got my ginger scallion. Lobster from Chinatown, enjoy🎉
I saw Kiss perform as well as many of other big stars (Lita Ford, Zakk Wylde, Cheap Trick) they invited and brought aboard during there annual Kiss Kruise every Halloween aboard one of the Jewel class ships on Norwegian. Halloween night, Kiss usually plays in full costume and makeup obviously minus the bombs, fireworks and flame throwers that they usually have in there show in the ships main large theater at the front of the ship!
I have gone on the breakaway and had an amazing time my only complaint was that it felt like a small boat but the host and entertainment kept it fun for us by the time our cruise ended it felt like we were family with the crew
NCL did put the go-carts, but a lot of families like us really don't care about go-carts and roller coasters. The main plus I liked about them: for the same price as the others, they'd have the 'free at sea' deals. No one else seems to have the deals for the upgraded dining. And we like that they have the 24 hour restaurant. And the buffet had a good variety to it. We have not done them in 4-5 years just due to timing/logistics.
NCL treat their crew like s**t (former crew member) I worked on several lines over 20 years and NCL was by far the worst. What went on in 2020 /21 with them and their crew was also appalling.
As a former assistant cook on the Pride of America, I can vouch for that. From what I can tell in my one month stint. Things haven't changed and from what I heard before I left for good, things got worse
I am not exclusive to NCL but I have sailed on them the most. One of the biggest reasons though is they go out of my home port and also out of New York which is the second closest port.
did NCL in 2004, booked Alaska for August. Loved the free style. We will see how much I love it now. Solo traveling, and although I am price sensitive, it's really more about value.
I'm loyal to NCL and sail them exclusively. I love the freestyle cruising, free at sea and the military discount. I really would like and plan to take an adult only Virgin cruise however. Maybe I'll be a convert after.
I trust my travel agent. I am looking forward to cruising on the NCL Epic next February. Shows are not important to me. Sun,wamth and not having to cook or clean are what I I enjoy. Also, I travel Solo and NCL has a great program for Solo cruisers. Keep up the good work.
I hope you have a good trip. I did it in March and was disappointed 😞 and I have no standards. Our room was cleaned 2x out of 7 days. Hopefully they have enough staff on your floor
I have sailed with NCL 4 times and had no issues. I like this line because it is freestyle and very laid back, what you make of your cruise vacation is what counts. I plan on booking another!
We sailed on Jewel in dec 2022 for 12 days. It was outstanding, service was impeccable. Then Dawn in April/May 2023. The difference was noticeable. From wheelchair availability to lack of communications from management. Crew was great but the shortages and training needs were evident.
NCL was an innovative cruiseline. 1st to do; Private islands, my time dining, comedy shows and specialized dining and buffets. but they never expand on it and then the other lines copy it and make it 10 times better.
I have sailed on Royal, Carnival and NCL. We became loyal to NCL When freestyle cruising was introduced And have an absolutely no reason not to stray. Loving NCL.
We are sailing Royal next week. We have sailed NCL twice this year. It is very apparent that cost Savings are going on all the lines right now. Since Cruising restarted after Covid I think we have seen the least drop off on Celebrity but we were on the smaller older ships. We will continue to sail NCL and register our opinions in the post cruise surveys. With over 350 days cruising in the past ten years we have learned to accept changes as unavoidable and necessary. Keep up the good work we enjoy your videos.
NCL has a great solo traveler program, with both the solo rooms on the large ships and the solo cruiser discount rates on many sailings on smaller ships. NCL in my opinion has the best loyalty program of the other lines NCL food is amazing And, the Free at Sea program is just icing on the cake.
We have been Loyal to Carnival, really like the easy going vibe we get on board. However we will be trying NCL July 2024 for a better itinerary. We shall see.
I was on Joy last October and LOVED her. I’d only been on RC and finally hit Diamond but wanted to try something different. I e never seen a happier crew! I even commented to some servers in the buffet and she said they are treated great. Food was better all around, a few misses but overall great. I have two more on NCL for next year. Finishing this year with Wonder though.
My husband and I were avid cruisers for many years but stopped cruising on ocean cruises for almost 14 years. Prior to, we cruised Carnival, NCL, Royal, and Celebrity. We were always partial to Royal but enjoyed NCL, we loved the freestyle and felt more relaxed on NCL. In between, we did some European River cruising. In 2022, we went back on an NCL cruise, our favorite itinerary, Canada and New England. The ship was old, Jewel, but we loved it. Food was as expected and entertainment was very limited, which disappointed us. We are cruising the same itinerary in August on NCL. I do think there is too much nickel and dime nonsense with an extra charge for almost everything. Cruising at one time was a way to vacation for relatively little, unfortunately it has become as pricy as a 5 star resort.
I'm a huge ncl fan.... because of their freestyle and entertainment. I'm wondering whate gonna happen with the shows as I have always loved them and was disappointed that kinky boots was canceled prior to my last sailing. My next cruise is booked with princess and I'm excited for the medallion experience and solar eclipse itinerary
Did my first cruise aboard the Epic in January we had a Southern Caribbean itinerary. The food was excellent I thought the staff was very friendly. Burn the floor and the Beatles tribute band were very good
I cruised with NCL years ago before the breakaway class ships came out and enjoyed the freestyle experience then got hooked on the newer Oasis class Royal ships but I’m looking forward to trying NCL again the free at sea promo is great
Even though you had a bad experience on MSC overseas, I would love to see you sail it again with Laureen a few years from now to see if things have changed. Currently, your review and experience have caused me to not sail on the MSC cruise line in the US or abroad. Love your content and keep up the great work!
Yes, I would be interested in an update. I did an MSC because they were one that was going to Cuba for an overnight (before the US closed to Cuba again). The ship was fine, the price was good, but I didn't really make any "ship friends," like I usually do, probably because English speakers were an extreme minority on the ship. That's fine, they have a niche that works for them, but it wasn't my favorite cruising experience.
Disney has the best shows. That’s why you pay luxe prices for their line. Large rooms, shows and character experiences. Star Wars and Marvel at sea are a lot of fun! Also, the ability to bring on some alcohol and consume in your room without fees! A big plus, as is the abundant self-serve laundry.
I too love the Free at Sea on NCL. I’m going to be on the Viva August 19th in the Haven. Really looking forward to it. I’ve been in the Haven 5 times and absolutely love it. That infinity pool is waiting for me.
I think there was a huge swell of people after the pandemic and now it evening out and companies are feeling the crunch. Unfortunately you can’t expect growth while offering your customers less and less
Going on NCL in September on the Escape. We have only sailed Royal but have a couple Carnival booked in the future. I will keep you posted if Norwegian makes us happy. If not, Royal and Carnival are definitely more affordable.
We only sail with NCL and love it. We always choose our NCL cruise based on the itinerary but do prefer the smaller ships such as the Star. The only advantage of the bigger ships is the Broadway entertainment and we greatly enjoyed seeing Six while on the Breakaway and Million Dollar Quartet on the Getaway. I’m sure that we would absolutely hate the floating mall atmosphere on the new Royal ships. We will still cruise with NCL even without the big shows, the smaller ships don’t have them, but I’m sure that they will find some excellent replacements for the shows that are leaving the larger ships. We are booked for 3 cruises on the new Viva that’s coming out soon which will have the Broadway show, Beetlejuice, so I’m sure that the performances of Broadway shows on the NCL ships isn’t at an end. We love the NCL Freestyle atmosphere and also greatly appreciate the military discount that we receive from them so, as Platinum latitudes members, we are staying with what we like.
4 cruises. All NCL. 2 more booked. Love the Freestyle feel. Husband packs very few dress clothes. Mostly dress shorts. And he loves that part because he wore shirts and ties before he retired. Now shorts and wild shirts. We have used them to book flights and hotels and have been happy with that too.
"Mafia Shipping Company" - Nice! 😀. NCL was doing really well before. Its surprising to see such a steep decline after doing so well following the Pandemic restart.
We started with Carnival and switched to NCL when Carnival started going down hill. I was afraid NCL was heading the same way a couple of years ago but our NCL cruise this year, at least on that ship, showed quite a bit of improvement. To the point that I usually ate at the buffet which hasn't been the case on any line in many years. As for the shows I really like what NCL usually has to offer and I hope that they will replace the shows they are doing away with with something at least as good. That being said and while I really like NCL we do have a HAL and a Celebrity cruise booked because of the ports.
I have sailed on many cruise lines and never found the same service as I do on NCL. That may have changed since I’ve only done NCL for the last 12 yers but we always enjoy everything on board. One exception……. The Sky and the Sun are just too small for us. We found ourselves getting board on those two ships.
I am Platinum with Carnival - however because of Carnival’s changes we have booked on the Prima so excited to try another Cruise Line out will let you know what our experience is lol
Traveled many times with NCL, always had a great time. Just got back from a Royal cruise, it was my 2nd. The first was 14 years ago and I loved it back then, this time however, no way. Royal was terrible. Food choices were bad, room was okay, not much to do, and my fellow passengers seemed... how to say..... I'll say this, there must of been a steep discount because folks were very shabby, bad language, not very polite, etc. Perhaps it was THIS cruise, but I was unimpressed. We're heading out on an NCL in a few weeks, so we'll see if these new changes have changed our feeling about NCL. Still, ANY time on a cruise is a good time!!!
It is crazy to see the cuts that NCL are making. Just from a American standpoint, they don’t get pushed like Carnival and Royal do. The cynic in me feels it’s a margin move. Corporate policy..cough cough GREED will see how much they can cut without losing revenue. Less expenditure makes higher profit.
I've been on one NCL cruise this year and loved it! Loved the Waterfront, Specialty Dining, Vibe Beach Club and The Choir of Men show was outstanding!!
As a single, they are me of the few cruise lines that have studios. I haven’t cruised since 2017. I agree with you, I’ll see if I can get another deal from another cruise line once my finances get better.
We have been on two NCL cruises within a year and one coming up this August since cruising is back. I do have a two week cruise planned for next August 2024 on NCL but now I may rethink this one with the changes they are doing with the shows and so on.
I am going on the Norwegian Breakaway in March of next year I wonder about that myself if the cruise line is going out of business? I feel worried about this my folks and I maybe a friend might come with me but this is my first time. I've been on 2 different Carnival Ships. My 2 Ships I was on was the Dream and the Elation nothing else. but I hope that NCL will get back up. In my opinion.
I have sailed Norwegion and my first cruise was on the Bliss to Alaska in 2019 and we did the Haven and I absolutely love the Haven I have been to Alaska twice and the Panama Canal cruise once and it’s all been on the Bliss. I love that ship. I’ve become really good friends with a lot of the workers on that ship and I watch a lot of reviews and my sister and brother-in-law went on the encore to Alaska and they said the food was not anywhere as good as the food is on the Norwegian Cruise left
We've primarily been NCL for probably near a decade now. They pulled us in with the free at sea stuff back when drink packages started becoming a thing. We only cruise out of New Orleans so it's a little limiting, but can't beat going from house to terminal in 15-20 minutes. So we've been on the Breakaway like 4 times now since that's been located here for many years at this point. Last year we caught a good deal on a Carnival trip and enjoyed it enough that we're scheduled for another this year. We'll have to see how this years trip goes with all the Carnival changes right now, feels like security theater than something that will stop the fights. Will be upset if NCL eliminates the Syd Norman group that does live rock shows inside the Syd Norman Pour House. My favorite thing on the ship. Not sure if this will be cut in their show cuts going on. Our next trip with them isn't until March so a lot can change between now and then.
Sailed on RCL as the first cruise in 2005, then went in the same Itinerary on NCL a couple of years later and lastly on NCL to Alaska back in 2017. Now fast forward to naw and the last 2 cruises have been in Carnival. I felt that the difference between our Mexican Riviera cruise and the Alaskan were night and day and that NCL was slipping for sure. Fast forward to now and the wife and I have really just been enjoying g the really fun atmosphere on Carnaval and the show have been pretty good. not to mention the bang for your buck value.
The "thing" that sets NCL apart is the Haven. Sailed in Haven many times and absolutely love it! Next one is in August and 2 more in 2024. And, we have sailed in balcony cabins many, many times. We have always had an amazing time on every cruise! I don't think they are going downhill at all. They are re-orging some... and changing up itineraries to get better deals... and the shows mentioned have been on board for a long time.... time to change it up! That and they just got the green light to build a pier at their Private Island, Great Stirrup Cay... btw, they are the only line that actually owns their island in Bahamas. If they are looking at bankruptcy, they wouldn't be planning that pier.
We sailed NCL Joy a few years back & as we did enjoy ourselves, there was a different feel for sure. 1st one away from Carnival. We were a bit disappointed the kids clubs were closed but this was near post Covid restart.. Not loyal by any means though ~ Price & Ports = Priority 😃
I have been on 4 cruises all with NCL and all with in a year and half, and I love it and the shows, with out the shows it might be a little boring at night, I don't like to lose money in the casino
Just got back from the Norwegian Pearl. Overall 8/10. They were predatory in their fees, there was no rock climbing which bummed out my child and no waterslide like you see in the youtube videos and ship model.
I'm an NCL junkie! When I first started cruising Carnival was catering to the younger crowd. Any given night the hall ways were full of passed out teen passengers. Then they upped the drinking age to 21 and things got better. Until my last cruise with them back in 2002, when the crew was horrible. I don't know what was going on behind the scenes, but they weren't happy campers. If I'm traveling with a group, I enjoy Royal Caribbean. However most of the time I'm solo, and have zero desire to dress up. NCL until more recent years catered to the over 35 age group.
Admittedly, we have yet to cruise any line (our first is this year with NCL) so I cant speak from experience. To me, it seems like NCL is positioning itself as a sort of entry level luxury that's a bit classier than RCL and CCL. The differences are subtle, but ive been bige watching tons of cruise videos lately, and everything on NCL looks just a little bit nicer. That includes service uniforms, cocktails, decor, the food, etc. You say they wouldn't be good without the Free At Sea, but they seem to run it constantly now, so it's effectively just a direct competitor to all-inclusive packages like Princess Plus. Especially for familie, the 3rd+4th guest promos make them cheaper than almost any other line while still providing something a bit more upscale. NCL may not have an obvious hook like the other 2, but when you dig into it, there is value to be had.
We traveled NCL to Alaska two years ago. We had a generally good experience -- but, this was when the ship was at 50% capacity; I'm sure our trip wasn't representative of what cruises are like now. We will be sailing NCL to Hawaii later this year, but that ship is very different than the rest of their fleet. They really don't promote the entertainment, the Hawaii cruise is all about Hawaii.
I’ve been on cruises with all of the major 3 cruise lines and they all have their pros and cons. Carnival - has a great party life and usually have the cheapest prices especially the casino discounts and they have great food with Guys burger joint and the Blue iguana but there entertainment is not on par with the other 2 Royal - has really nice entertainment especially the guest artists they bring on and I like how innovative they are but I thought they have the worst food out of the other two and the ships are getting too big. NCL- honestly has the nicest crew, they always have a smile on there face and have always made the trip for me and my family. The go karts are amazing and the portions for the food is the best out of all of the cruise lines. Ncl keeps me busy which I like, more than the other cruises and there entertainment has never been bad and I put it on the level as Royal. All the cruise lines have there pluses and for me Ncl has to be my favorite.
I've only been on NCL once I believe it was 2010 or 2011 when I was working with my travel agent as artist coordinator. We used to bring onboard our own entertainment. But I've been loyal to Royal since 2004 as well although my first cruise was with Princess 12 days Tahiti Hawaii and I would love to take that cruise again. However, they don't offer the same itinerary they have added New Zealand and Australia which I'm sad about. I don't care for Carnival I went 2004 with 98.7 KISS FM NY and v105 out of Atlanta with Michael Baisden. The cruise was just didn't cut it for me especially coming from Princess being my first cruise and my second cruise with Carnival nope! I've been loyal to Royal every since and I'm booked on Symphony Of The Seas May 16th 2024 for my birthday. I'm in love with your content you are hilarious and have me stopping what I'm doing thank God I'm retired😂😂 thanks for keeping us updated. I wish I could cruise four or five times a year😉 your truly blessed🙏🏽
I am going on the escape in September and been on the bliss . I love the free at sea . My bill on the bliss was $34.00 with all my credit. When I cruise I either sail with NCL or princess l love princess ocean Malden program. Also been abroad the Disney magic. Disney is awesome but a bit pricey for me
We love ncl was on the escape just last nov for thanksgiving cruise. We have an Alaskan cruise oct 22 2023 on the encore. This will be our 7th cruise with ncl.
I really enjoy traveling via NCL. I took a trip in February (solo) and had a blast. The Free at Sea package is outstanding! I felt like royalty, able to request whatever drinks I wanted. I also had a solo room, which was another NCL 'sailing' 😉 point for me as a solo traveler. The shows and entertainment were awesome. My dining experience was great. I felt well looked after. This was especially important to me as a solo traveler. I am now in the process of planning a family trip on NCL in the winter.
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@@Cruise411-uo8bb How so? Lol Yes i discriminate against what I am, my family the large group I was with in NYC Last year. Makes sense. Hopefully I get an explanation for such a dumb statement since you’ve gone out of your way to make sure I say this for some reason😂
@@Cruise411-uo8bb judging by your past history on my channel you seemed to really like my channel. I can see every comment you’ve posted on my channel
@@JSHIPLIFE Come on you know black people can discriminate against other blacks! You are young and may not even realize it. Don’t worry I’m going to help educate you😀. I have four new hats that were given to me that would be perfect for you in the nightclubs! Got a PO Box? One day, I am sure I will see your girlfriend, who is drop dead gorgeous, and you two will beg me to allow you to get off the dance floor! Don’t try and steal any of my dance 💃🏾 moves😂😂😂🤣. I will subscribe! 👀
I was thinking about blogging about my cruises. I want to use Temi my robot! I asked one Cruiseline if I could bring Temi on board, I described it as an iPad on wheels🤔 🤞 One Cruiseline said YES😃
@@JSHIPLIFE I believe success leaves a trail😍 I am studying bloggers! I am thinking about becoming one with my robot! 😊
I am loyal to two things - the ports and the price.
Exactly!!
Ditto
True
The correct answer
Yes! I have an RC, MSC & NCL currently booked!
I love Norwegian Cruise Line, especially their studio cabins for us solo travelers.
NCL has added a real true and honest to goodness military discount. I believe they started it last November or last December. Not only is it 10% off of the base rate, but you receive this wonderful welcome package that includes: a welcome aboard letter, a pamphlet of the Senior Crew that are former military, a military pin for your lapel, and a military patch to wear if you so desire on a jacket. In addition to this they also had a private reception with tray service such as; Beef Wellington and shrimp, and open bar. Individual pictures were taken with a Senior Crew, and a group picture was also taken with the Senior Crew. These pictures were delivered free of charge to your stateroom the next day. Very very very impressive. Plus every future NCL Cruise you can request that ships patch from guest services.
So true Im a veteran and loved it.
I had no idea. Im booked on NCL Encore in September for an Alaska cruise. I'm a navy veteran. Wished I had known.
Yea but if you have to cancel due to military duty you better find a cruise thats exactly the same price or more if you want to get the full credit. And you cannot transfer it to someone else. If it comes out to less, than you lose the rest of that money. Theres a lot of other policies I been dealing with them in the customer service area that are just wild too. Basically they will take your money lol. Ass soon as I use all my credit and Cruise Now I am probably done with them. I called it a few month ago after I got off the phone with them, they probably wont be lasting long. Way higher prices, lower quality service and cutting back the most is not a good sign.
@@gar949 if you haven't made final payment I would call and ask if it can be added. You have to go to a secure site to put your information in. I can't remember the name of the site, but I did this for my husband years ago and it still works
I've been on 5 cruises with NCL, since I been cruising, they have been the only one I've traveled with. And so far, I've had zero issues. I'm going on the Breakaway next July, we'll see. I'm looking at Royal, MSC, but I have been loyal to NCL.
Royal will blow them out of the water. Enjoy it! And have your travel agent outline all the details for you on what to expect.
I have traveled NCL, Royal, Carnival, MSC, and Princess. I did a Caribbean and Hawaii with NCL years ago. Did my first European with NCL in 2019, because I liked the itinerary the best. I did the Prima Transatlantic last year, and will be on the Viva the end of September from Rome to Lisbon. The service has been great.
@@dankoehler3157The free at sea is just unbeatable for me. The drinking packages on rcl are so expensive
I have sailed with both NCL and RC and I’ve enjoyed NCL more. Booked a cruise on prima next year can’t wait.
@@robbertvanderweide954: it really isn’t free at sea. There is an option to add it or not at beginning.
I don’t think people should be loyal to any cruise ship until you have at least tried others to have something to compare to. I’ve been on Norwegian Breakaway and we had a great time! With that said, we plan to try Royal, Virgin, Carnival and Princess. After that we may pick one that we frequent.
I agree ... I have been booking RCL exclusively and realized this year that I wanted to try other lines. I honestly do not think I'll be loyal to one line as I base my decisions on itinerary and pricing more than any other factors. I just tried HAL and was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the onboard experience during the days at sea. I'm scheduled to try Princess next and eventually want to try Celebrity.
I sailed NCL over the Christmas holiday. I had a wonderful time- the crew was amazing and so helpful. I will share that one of the crew members’ mother passed away in the Philippines and they flew him back home the next day. I was impressed! Maybe they are working on turning things around.
Our last two cruises were on NCL and really enjoyed them but we are disappointed that some of the entertainment shows are being cancelled. Previously we've sailed on Carnival & Royal. Carnival was not bad but just not for us. Royal is nice and their mega ships do have the wow factor but it just seems so overwhelming. NCL seems to be the happy median for us and we love the Free style way of things.
I'm glad NCL is reducing the number of premiere shows. One less show my wife can drag me to...
Ive been on NCL 3 times, it's my absolute favorite. With a kid, going to eat anytime you want and having variety is worth it.
I did NCL in February and loved it, even though I was sick for 2 days a d the itinerary sucked. I loved it because of the great “Free at Sea Package - which I upgraded to plus” so I didn’t feel “nickel and dimmed” and the entertainment was amazing. These cuts are why I’m leery of going on anymore cruises. Because Entertainment is a big thing to me, I was looking at the Viva next yr specifically for Beetlejuice, but so far that’s the only show announced and who knows if it’ll even be there next summer…
My family and i are loyal NCL fans and enjoy their ships. The crew has been wonderful especially during superstorm Sandy when we were on the Gem. They go out of their way for seniors on their cruises. I hope they restore their shows as things turn around.
We’ve never sailed with NCL, so I can’t comment on quality or experience. We’ve always sailed with Celebrity and have never been disappointed. Thank you for keeping us all updated on everything- I always enjoy watching your content!
I'm mostly Royal fan, but I've been on a few NCL ships and had a good time. I'm getting very tired of prices going higher for all the lines, while services are going down. I have 2 NCL cruises booked for this fall, and they may very well be my last.
When you find another company is "poaching" your employees, you know you're not treating your employees right.
Staff, including entertainers, move frequently. Some don't like the surroundings, the job responsibilities, are seeking higher pay but don't qualify in their current position -- do we say the same about many "landlubber" workers who move from company to company on a regular basis, sometimes as frequently as 18 months to two years?
No such thing as poaching employees it’s just the free market 😂
You do realize that many cruise staff are hired from 3rd parties like Stiener, Park West, Harding etc and move between lines from contract to contract. Many positions do not apply directly through the cruise line.
@@brettparnell8254 I'd say that supports my idea that poaching employees isn't a real thing.
NCL was the worst cruise we had ever taken !!
That’s hilarious! I was just watching your last video where you were saying that you were going to make a video about this and here comes this less than 10 minutes later. Thank you for all you do brother! We appreciate you, no matter what anyone else says!
We sailed Norwegian Gem in 2017 and had a wonderful time. Beautiful ship. Great crew. Food was ok. My only issue with them now and all the cruise lines is the price is going up but service is less, shows taken away. If prices go up, maintain everything. We are loyal to no one. Like experiencing as many cruise lines and ships as we can.
I've sailed with Norwegian three times out of my five cruises and honestly I have nothing bad to say at all. Like my family and I have had nothing but great experiences on board. We've sailed the Star, Gem and last fall was the Getaway. My parents have done six cruises and went with Norwegian four times. We did Disney with our first two.
All the restaurants and food have been excellent each time, the shows have been really great but I will say the Getaway had the best shows we've seen with Norwegian. We had Syd Normans Pour House which is rock and roll themed in their own little dedicated bar/venue. There was Burn The Floor, we went to see that twice!, We had an amazing comedian and magician. However the Star had the best cruise director.
Overall I would say Norwegian is my family and I's go-to cruise line. I would love to sail Disney again one day.
I have sailed with NCL many times in the past 4 years- the staff were not happy and not friendly especially on the Sky in January. Went on Royal for the first time in a long time last month and what a difference- you felt it within the first hour - amazing and welcoming - everyone - even in the buffet in the morning - the vibe was completely different.
I sailed on the Encore the first week of May. The week before NCL had contacted me to see if I would look at some shows they were considering for the future. I agreed to be part of the survey, and they said they would contact me after I boarded. They never did contact me once I was on board and I wondered if something changed, then they made this announcement about the shows. I've always sailed NCL, but that last Encore cruise has me wondering if I should give someone else my business. It was kind of a mess and several staff members were super rude to me. Thank you, Jay.
Cruise director on Joy in dec 2021 was super rude to me.
All cruise lines have a large debt due to the pandemic. Sounds like they are cutting costs, albeit in different, more dramatic ways than the other cruise lines. I believe they will bounce back. Time will tell.
I was about to comment saying that. Plus with all if them took loans out that are adjustable rates which have gone up.
@@travelingadler Also, not said above, I am assuming a new CEO doesn’t start out at the same salary as the tenured one. So that too should help the bottom line.
@@joeo7693 I havnt looked at those numbers exactly. I am a shareholder and looked at the quarterly earnings for 1st quarter this year. The biggest issue is the company has around 12 billion in debt at the moment. Around 2 billion is these adjustable rate bonds which were low when started but have gone up. Any profit in the future will likely go to pay down the adjustable rate ones. I dont expect to get any as a shareholder for the next 2-3 years while they pay off their debt.
I took a look at the details Carnival corporation has 32 billion dollars in debt and their interest rates they are paying are much higher than what Norwegian has. Norwegian has 13 billion dollars in debt with plans to pay off 765 million this year. Depending on how much profit they have.
I sailed once with NCL, and I will never do so again. I felt like they were trying to upsell be on every last thing I did. I do not need to be nickeled and dimed throughout my vacation. If I wanted that, I would go to Cancun.
I was just on the Norwegian Escape last week. It was a phenomenal trip! The food and entertainment were excellent! The Choir of Man was a fantastic show! The crew that I noticed seemed happy... a few were even singing as they delivered coffee to the tables in the buffet. There was plenty to do at all hours. It was my best vacation ever!
I was on the cruise with you. I agree with your comments
I just sailed NCL joy last year man I have no complaints at all
I've been on a few NCL cruises, Platinum 17 with Carnival, 2 MSC, 1 Princess, 1 Royal, 1 Costa. What made NCL better then other was the entertainment. The cabins are very small, the crew was excellent and service. Food was very good. If they cut back on the shows and the prices keep going up for me I'm not sure I'll keep sailing with them. I do hope they watch the comments on these boards.
Sailed on the Escape in May it was at max capacity. Just booked the Haven for June. I don't think it's money issues. Wanted try RC but too expensive the drink drink package is 600 per person that's insane
IKR! seeing the prices on drinks makes me glad i don't drink alchohol lol I can survive on the free water and juices provided only thing i buy is wifi
@@Cory69 I hated NCL's wifi it was terrible. I hope they change it soon
The things that ruin a vacation for me are loud noises: loud speaker announcements especially in the morning, loud people, loud drinkers, and excursions that are too short in time.
What cruise lines most do these annoying things?? Can you elaborate?
Don't underestimate the Free at Sea package. My wife and I paid $199 each for Free at Sea for a 10-day cruise last month and our final bar bill was $21 for a bottle of wine we had one evening. Two speciality restaurants also included as were 150 minutes of Internet each and some excursion discount too. I'm trying Royal Caribbean for the first time in August and the drinks package alone would cost near $1000 (we're skipping the package). 3x speciality restaurants set me back another near $300. Internet (albeit unlimited) another $300. NCL does have some issue with entertainment and cabin attendants but I'm hearing that Royal's food is rapidly going downhill, which would be a major issue for us. Will see in August.
I agree with you about the free at sea package. I mostly cruise on NCL for the free at sea. I have been on Royal and would probably use them more if they had anything close to the free at sea. It makes a big difference if you like the alcohol package.
I've been cruising Royal Caribbean since 2004. The food used to be much better and I've made my complaint known. I just came back from Anthems of the Sea, which I am loyal to Royal, but I have been on NCL 2010 or 2011. I've been on Princess once 12 days Tahiti Hawaii and Carnival wants, which I don't care for Carnival. Hopefully, your experience and Royal Caribbean will be a pleasant one. Please keep us updated regarding the food situation it used to be awesome. FYI, only one lobster tail, now the additional lobster tail, is $16.99. nope, I didn't do it, and I waited until I got home and got my ginger scallion. Lobster from Chinatown, enjoy🎉
The free at sea deal is great. I found the food on NCL was way better than RC.
Facts. I just got off Royal 6/4/23. Paid $550 for refreshment package (cocktails). It was a waste. The food is good but nothing exceptional.
I’ve always been loyal to Royal and super happy in that corner of the cruise world.
I saw Kiss perform as well as many of other big stars (Lita Ford, Zakk Wylde, Cheap Trick) they invited and brought aboard during there annual Kiss Kruise every Halloween aboard one of the Jewel class ships on Norwegian. Halloween night, Kiss usually plays in full costume and makeup obviously minus the bombs, fireworks and flame throwers that they usually have in there show in the ships main large theater at the front of the ship!
I have gone on the breakaway and had an amazing time my only complaint was that it felt like a small boat but the host and entertainment kept it fun for us by the time our cruise ended it felt like we were family with the crew
We did NCL this year for the Beach Boys Cruise. We enjoyed it
NCL did put the go-carts, but a lot of families like us really don't care about go-carts and roller coasters. The main plus I liked about them: for the same price as the others, they'd have the 'free at sea' deals. No one else seems to have the deals for the upgraded dining. And we like that they have the 24 hour restaurant. And the buffet had a good variety to it. We have not done them in 4-5 years just due to timing/logistics.
NCL treat their crew like s**t (former crew member) I worked on several lines over 20 years and NCL was by far the worst. What went on in 2020 /21 with them and their crew was also appalling.
As a former assistant cook on the Pride of America, I can vouch for that. From what I can tell in my one month stint. Things haven't changed and from what I heard before I left for good, things got worse
I'm sorry to hear this
That's a dealbreaker for me. No NCL then for me - ever. Staff abuse cannot be tolerated.
I am not exclusive to NCL but I have sailed on them the most.
One of the biggest reasons though is they go out of my home port and also out of New York which is the second closest port.
did NCL in 2004, booked Alaska for August. Loved the free style. We will see how much I love it now. Solo traveling, and although I am price sensitive, it's really more about value.
I'm loyal to NCL and sail them exclusively. I love the freestyle cruising, free at sea and the military discount. I really would like and plan to take an adult only Virgin cruise however. Maybe I'll be a convert after.
I trust my travel agent. I am looking forward to cruising on the NCL Epic next February. Shows are not important to me. Sun,wamth and not having to cook or clean are what I I enjoy. Also, I travel Solo and NCL has a great program for Solo cruisers. Keep up the good work.
I hope you have a good trip. I did it in March and was disappointed 😞 and I have no standards. Our room was cleaned 2x out of 7 days. Hopefully they have enough staff on your floor
I have sailed with NCL 4 times and had no issues. I like this line because it is freestyle and very laid back, what you make of your cruise vacation is what counts. I plan on booking another!
We sailed on Jewel in dec 2022 for 12 days. It was outstanding, service was impeccable. Then Dawn in April/May 2023. The difference was noticeable. From wheelchair availability to lack of communications from management. Crew was great but the shortages and training needs were evident.
I have only sailed 13 times with NCL. I have never had a serious problem. Going to Alaska on the Spirt July 19 for 14 days. Can't Wait.
We have sailed on NCL many times and in the next to top loyalty category. We only sail in the Haven now and find it an amazing experience!
NCL was an innovative cruiseline. 1st to do; Private islands, my time dining, comedy shows and specialized dining and buffets. but they never expand on it and then the other lines copy it and make it 10 times better.
I have sailed on Royal, Carnival and NCL.
We became loyal to NCL When freestyle cruising was introduced And have an absolutely no reason not to stray. Loving NCL.
We are sailing Royal next week. We have sailed NCL twice this year. It is very apparent that cost Savings are going on all the lines right now. Since Cruising restarted after Covid I think we have seen the least drop off on Celebrity but we were on the smaller older ships. We will continue to sail NCL and register our opinions in the post cruise surveys. With over 350 days cruising in the past ten years we have learned to accept changes as unavoidable and necessary. Keep up the good work we enjoy your videos.
NCL has a great solo traveler program, with both the solo rooms on the large ships and the solo cruiser discount rates on many sailings on smaller ships.
NCL in my opinion has the best loyalty program of the other lines
NCL food is amazing
And, the Free at Sea program is just icing on the cake.
We have been Loyal to Carnival, really like the easy going vibe we get on board. However we will be trying NCL July 2024 for a better itinerary. We shall see.
I was on Joy last October and LOVED her. I’d only been on RC and finally hit Diamond but wanted to try something different. I e never seen a happier crew! I even commented to some servers in the buffet and she said they are treated great. Food was better all around, a few misses but overall great. I have two more on NCL for next year. Finishing this year with Wonder though.
We went on the breakaway back in February and we loved it! Going back again in February.
My husband and I were avid cruisers for many years but stopped cruising on ocean cruises for almost 14 years. Prior to, we cruised Carnival, NCL, Royal, and Celebrity. We were always partial to Royal but enjoyed NCL, we loved the freestyle and felt more relaxed on NCL. In between, we did some European River cruising. In 2022, we went back on an NCL cruise, our favorite itinerary, Canada and New England. The ship was old, Jewel, but we loved it. Food was as expected and entertainment was very limited, which disappointed us. We are cruising the same itinerary in August on NCL. I do think there is too much nickel and dime nonsense with an extra charge for almost everything. Cruising at one time was a way to vacation for relatively little, unfortunately it has become as pricy as a 5 star resort.
I'm a huge ncl fan.... because of their freestyle and entertainment.
I'm wondering whate gonna happen with the shows as I have always loved them and was disappointed that kinky boots was canceled prior to my last sailing.
My next cruise is booked with princess and I'm excited for the medallion experience and solar eclipse itinerary
Free at Sea makes you pay the gratuities for the drink package...
Interesting 🤔 So glad you made the choice to follow a different path in life cruising world! Thanks for sharing 🛳️🛳️
I think we forgot NCL in the pandemic!
I cruise Ncl all the time especially when I am solo Traveling so far no complaints.
Did my first cruise aboard the Epic in January we had a Southern Caribbean itinerary. The food was excellent I thought the staff was very friendly. Burn the floor and the Beatles tribute band were very good
I cruised with NCL years ago before the breakaway class ships came out and enjoyed the freestyle experience then got hooked on the newer Oasis class Royal ships but I’m looking forward to trying NCL again the free at sea promo is great
Even though you had a bad experience on MSC overseas, I would love to see you sail it again with Laureen a few years from now to see if things have changed. Currently, your review and experience have caused me to not sail on the MSC cruise line in the US or abroad. Love your content and keep up the great work!
Yes, I would be interested in an update. I did an MSC because they were one that was going to Cuba for an overnight (before the US closed to Cuba again). The ship was fine, the price was good, but I didn't really make any "ship friends," like I usually do, probably because English speakers were an extreme minority on the ship. That's fine, they have a niche that works for them, but it wasn't my favorite cruising experience.
Disney has the best shows. That’s why you pay luxe prices for their line. Large rooms, shows and character experiences. Star Wars and Marvel at sea are a lot of fun! Also, the ability to bring on some alcohol and consume in your room without fees! A big plus, as is the abundant self-serve laundry.
I too love the Free at Sea on NCL. I’m going to be on the Viva August 19th in the Haven. Really looking forward to it. I’ve been in the Haven 5 times and absolutely love it. That infinity pool is waiting for me.
More interesting than I thought it would be. Thanks.
I think there was a huge swell of people after the pandemic and now it evening out and companies are feeling the crunch.
Unfortunately you can’t expect growth while offering your customers less and less
Going on NCL in September on the Escape. We have only sailed Royal but have a couple Carnival booked in the future. I will keep you posted if Norwegian makes us happy. If not, Royal and Carnival are definitely more affordable.
The last time I sailed with Norwegian Cruise line it was before they built the apartment block on top of the Norway back in the 90s
We only sail with NCL and love it. We always choose our NCL cruise based on the itinerary but do prefer the smaller ships such as the Star. The only advantage of the bigger ships is the Broadway entertainment and we greatly enjoyed seeing Six while on the Breakaway and Million Dollar Quartet on the Getaway. I’m sure that we would absolutely hate the floating mall atmosphere on the new Royal ships. We will still cruise with NCL even without the big shows, the smaller ships don’t have them, but I’m sure that they will find some excellent replacements for the shows that are leaving the larger ships. We are booked for 3 cruises on the new Viva that’s coming out soon which will have the Broadway show, Beetlejuice, so I’m sure that the performances of Broadway shows on the NCL ships isn’t at an end. We love the NCL Freestyle atmosphere and also greatly appreciate the military discount that we receive from them so, as Platinum latitudes members, we are staying with what we like.
4 cruises. All NCL. 2 more booked. Love the Freestyle feel. Husband packs very few dress clothes. Mostly dress shorts. And he loves that part because he wore shirts and ties before he retired. Now shorts and wild shirts. We have used them to book flights and hotels and have been happy with that too.
"Mafia Shipping Company" - Nice! 😀. NCL was doing really well before. Its surprising to see such a steep decline after doing so well following the Pandemic restart.
NCL has the Haven. The ship within a ship concept is wonderful and its an introvert's deam!
NCL’s “free excursion” included in the Free at Sea package is only a $50 excursion credit, not free excursion.
Agree whole heartedly - I’m booked on the prima. And if there is only one show for a week long cruise - that will be my last…
We started with Carnival and switched to NCL when Carnival started going down hill. I was afraid NCL was heading the same way a couple of years ago but our NCL cruise this year, at least on that ship, showed quite a bit of improvement. To the point that I usually ate at the buffet which hasn't been the case on any line in many years. As for the shows I really like what NCL usually has to offer and I hope that they will replace the shows they are doing away with with something at least as good. That being said and while I really like NCL we do have a HAL and a Celebrity cruise booked because of the ports.
I have sailed on many cruise lines and never found the same service as I do on NCL. That may have changed since I’ve only done NCL for the last 12 yers but we always enjoy everything on board. One exception……. The Sky and the Sun are just too small for us. We found ourselves getting board on those two ships.
I am Platinum with Carnival - however because of Carnival’s changes we have booked on the Prima so excited to try another Cruise Line out will let you know what our experience is lol
Traveled many times with NCL, always had a great time. Just got back from a Royal cruise, it was my 2nd. The first was 14 years ago and I loved it back then, this time however, no way. Royal was terrible. Food choices were bad, room was okay, not much to do, and my fellow passengers seemed... how to say..... I'll say this, there must of been a steep discount because folks were very shabby, bad language, not very polite, etc. Perhaps it was THIS cruise, but I was unimpressed. We're heading out on an NCL in a few weeks, so we'll see if these new changes have changed our feeling about NCL. Still, ANY time on a cruise is a good time!!!
It is crazy to see the cuts that NCL are making. Just from a American standpoint, they don’t get pushed like Carnival and Royal do.
The cynic in me feels it’s a margin move. Corporate policy..cough cough GREED will see how much they can cut without losing revenue. Less expenditure makes higher profit.
I've been on one NCL cruise this year and loved it! Loved the Waterfront, Specialty Dining, Vibe Beach Club and The Choir of Men show was outstanding!!
I love how u stay UP' on content and frequent uploads,your motivation and dedication really inspire me..thank you and excellent job bro'
As a single, they are me of the few cruise lines that have studios. I haven’t cruised since 2017. I agree with you, I’ll see if I can get another deal from another cruise line once my finances get better.
We have been on two NCL cruises within a year and one coming up this August since cruising is back. I do have a two week cruise planned for next August 2024 on NCL but now I may rethink this one with the changes they are doing with the shows and so on.
I am going on the Norwegian Breakaway in March of next year I wonder about that myself if the cruise line is going out of business? I feel worried about this my folks and I maybe a friend might come with me but this is my first time. I've been on 2 different Carnival Ships. My 2 Ships I was on was the Dream and the Elation nothing else. but I hope that NCL will get back up. In my opinion.
I have sailed Norwegion and my first cruise was on the Bliss to Alaska in 2019 and we did the Haven and I absolutely love the Haven I have been to Alaska twice and the Panama Canal cruise once and it’s all been on the Bliss. I love that ship. I’ve become really good friends with a lot of the workers on that ship and I watch a lot of reviews and my sister and brother-in-law went on the encore to Alaska and they said the food was not anywhere as good as the food is on the Norwegian Cruise left
We've primarily been NCL for probably near a decade now. They pulled us in with the free at sea stuff back when drink packages started becoming a thing. We only cruise out of New Orleans so it's a little limiting, but can't beat going from house to terminal in 15-20 minutes. So we've been on the Breakaway like 4 times now since that's been located here for many years at this point.
Last year we caught a good deal on a Carnival trip and enjoyed it enough that we're scheduled for another this year. We'll have to see how this years trip goes with all the Carnival changes right now, feels like security theater than something that will stop the fights.
Will be upset if NCL eliminates the Syd Norman group that does live rock shows inside the Syd Norman Pour House. My favorite thing on the ship. Not sure if this will be cut in their show cuts going on. Our next trip with them isn't until March so a lot can change between now and then.
Sailed on RCL as the first cruise in 2005, then went in the same Itinerary on NCL a couple of years later and lastly on NCL to Alaska back in 2017. Now fast forward to naw and the last 2 cruises have been in Carnival. I felt that the difference between our Mexican Riviera cruise and the Alaskan were night and day and that NCL was slipping for sure. Fast forward to now and the wife and I have really just been enjoying g the really fun atmosphere on Carnaval and the show have been pretty good. not to mention the bang for your buck value.
The "thing" that sets NCL apart is the Haven. Sailed in Haven many times and absolutely love it! Next one is in August and 2 more in 2024. And, we have sailed in balcony cabins many, many times. We have always had an amazing time on every cruise! I don't think they are going downhill at all. They are re-orging some... and changing up itineraries to get better deals... and the shows mentioned have been on board for a long time.... time to change it up!
That and they just got the green light to build a pier at their Private Island, Great Stirrup Cay... btw, they are the only line that actually owns their island in Bahamas. If they are looking at bankruptcy, they wouldn't be planning that pier.
We sailed NCL Joy a few years back & as we did enjoy ourselves, there was a different feel for sure. 1st one away from Carnival. We were a bit disappointed the kids clubs were closed but this was near post Covid restart.. Not loyal by any means though ~ Price & Ports = Priority 😃
I ve been to NcL 3 times, I don’t Loooove it but I do love the drink packages !
Was super disappointed in my last NCL cruise. Low quality service and staff, low quality food, poor service.
I have been on 4 cruises all with NCL and all with in a year and half, and I love it and the shows, with out the shows it might be a little boring at night, I don't like to lose money in the casino
Just got back from the Norwegian Pearl. Overall 8/10. They were predatory in their fees, there was no rock climbing which bummed out my child and no waterslide like you see in the youtube videos and ship model.
I'm an NCL junkie! When I first started cruising Carnival was catering to the younger crowd. Any given night the hall ways were full of passed out teen passengers. Then they upped the drinking age to 21 and things got better. Until my last cruise with them back in 2002, when the crew was horrible. I don't know what was going on behind the scenes, but they weren't happy campers. If I'm traveling with a group, I enjoy Royal Caribbean. However most of the time I'm solo, and have zero desire to dress up. NCL until more recent years catered to the over 35 age group.
Admittedly, we have yet to cruise any line (our first is this year with NCL) so I cant speak from experience. To me, it seems like NCL is positioning itself as a sort of entry level luxury that's a bit classier than RCL and CCL. The differences are subtle, but ive been bige watching tons of cruise videos lately, and everything on NCL looks just a little bit nicer. That includes service uniforms, cocktails, decor, the food, etc. You say they wouldn't be good without the Free At Sea, but they seem to run it constantly now, so it's effectively just a direct competitor to all-inclusive packages like Princess Plus. Especially for familie, the 3rd+4th guest promos make them cheaper than almost any other line while still providing something a bit more upscale. NCL may not have an obvious hook like the other 2, but when you dig into it, there is value to be had.
❤❤ love the flamingo shirt! 🎉🎉
We traveled NCL to Alaska two years ago. We had a generally good experience -- but, this was when the ship was at 50% capacity; I'm sure our trip wasn't representative of what cruises are like now.
We will be sailing NCL to Hawaii later this year, but that ship is very different than the rest of their fleet. They really don't promote the entertainment, the Hawaii cruise is all about Hawaii.
I’ve been on cruises with all of the major 3 cruise lines and they all have their pros and cons.
Carnival - has a great party life and usually have the cheapest prices especially the casino discounts and they have great food with Guys burger joint and the Blue iguana but there entertainment is not on par with the other 2
Royal - has really nice entertainment especially the guest artists they bring on and I like how innovative they are but I thought they have the worst food out of the other two and the ships are getting too big.
NCL- honestly has the nicest crew, they always have a smile on there face and have always made the trip for me and my family. The go karts are amazing and the portions for the food is the best out of all of the cruise lines. Ncl keeps me busy which I like, more than the other cruises and there entertainment has never been bad and I put it on the level as Royal.
All the cruise lines have there pluses and for me Ncl has to be my favorite.
NCL has the best organized solo program.
I've only been on NCL once I believe it was 2010 or 2011 when I was working with my travel agent as artist coordinator. We used to bring onboard our own entertainment. But I've been loyal to Royal since 2004 as well although my first cruise was with Princess 12 days Tahiti Hawaii and I would love to take that cruise again. However, they don't offer the same itinerary they have added New Zealand and Australia which I'm sad about. I don't care for Carnival I went 2004 with 98.7 KISS FM NY and v105 out of Atlanta with Michael Baisden. The cruise was just didn't cut it for me especially coming from Princess being my first cruise and my second cruise with Carnival nope! I've been loyal to Royal every since and I'm booked on Symphony Of The Seas May 16th 2024 for my birthday. I'm in love with your content you are hilarious and have me stopping what I'm doing thank God I'm retired😂😂 thanks for keeping us updated. I wish I could cruise four or five times a year😉 your truly blessed🙏🏽
I am going on the escape in September and been on the bliss . I love the free at sea . My bill on the bliss was $34.00 with all my credit. When I cruise I either sail with NCL or princess l love princess ocean Malden program. Also been abroad the Disney magic. Disney is awesome but a bit pricey for me
Went on the Escape in April and everything was great.
We love ncl was on the escape just last nov for thanksgiving cruise. We have an Alaskan cruise oct 22 2023 on the encore. This will be our 7th cruise with ncl.
I really enjoy traveling via NCL. I took a trip in February (solo) and had a blast. The Free at Sea package is outstanding! I felt like royalty, able to request whatever drinks I wanted. I also had a solo room, which was another NCL 'sailing' 😉 point for me as a solo traveler. The shows and entertainment were awesome. My dining experience was great. I felt well looked after. This was especially important to me as a solo traveler. I am now in the process of planning a family trip on NCL in the winter.