I'm really enjoying your review. We're on the Encore in a week for our anniversary and NYE. My last NCL cruise was the Norway and Norwegian Sea in the early 1990s.
my first cruise was the Norway in 1995, I did 2 more NCL cruises in the 1990s had a paper latitudes number and all that mess. Didn't cruise again until 2004 and NCL would not credit the cruises. It's a bummer for sure.
We're doing a NYE and (10 year anniversary) cruise on the Encore to the eastern Caribbean. It's my first cruise on NCL since the Norway in 1995 or so. Typically we cruise Royal in a suite and have access to the suite deck.
out of about 50 cruises the Mardi Gras was probably the absolute worst ship and most disappointing cruise I've ever taken. Too many people, not enough crew. If you like waiting for everything then I'd say the MG is for you.