How does NCL compare to RCCL?

terpfan101 · #1 April 22nd, 2012, 02:41 PM

So I've only been on two cruises (soon to be three) all with RCCL. I just discovered the new ship Norwegian is building called Breakaway and it looks great (maybe Sunshine class will incorporate some of these features). Anyway I was wondering what RCCL loyals think of Norwegian. I took a quick glance at reviews by ship on CC and Norwegian averaged in the low 70s for people who loved it whereas Royal averaged more in the mid 80s. So I'm guessing Royal is much better, and in the case of the Breakaway 7 nighters out of New York in 2013, pricing seems to be the same as the Allure/Oasis. So it's not as if they are competing on price. Anyway I'd love to hear some thoughts.

cruisingator2 · #2 April 22nd, 2012, 03:14 PM

On NCL I liked their choice of specialty dining restuarants and also their suite perks. Best of all the mainstream and even premium lines. Other than that they are just okay. I found the MDR lacking and their buffet was the worst ever experienced in all my years of cruising. With that said, others rave about their buffet area but we all know food is very subjective. I would cruise with NCL again but it would not be my first choice.

janetz · #3 April 22nd, 2012, 04:44 PM

We enjoy both lines. NCL a bit more casual then RC. Food is subjective but we found the food on both very good and never used the buffet on either line. We have booked the Breakaway because it is a new ship and the port is close to us. Can't wait. There is not a line we do not like.

toocruisin' · #4 April 22nd, 2012, 06:44 PM

Hi Terpfan,

We have had great experiences on both lines, and to me they are very different experiences. We love the formality of Royal (not over the top, just right for us) especially for the longer cruises when we like to play dress-up, and for Hawaii and other beach intensive cruises the casual atmosphere on NCL works really well.

Food and entertainment is very personal, so I won't try compare, but I will say that we found the food and entertainment of both lines to be perfectly fine.

We never, ever go to buffets, so my take is limited to MDR (our preference for lunch and breakfast) and specialties (we always have at least two dinners in a specialty restaurant, otherwise MDR).

We also try to see every show (why not, we're there), and we found the entertainment on the Norwegian Jewel was excellent!! The other ships had some highs and lows, on balance, fine.

Finally, nothing compares with the Allure, which tops every other ship we've been on, in every way; we just wish the itineraries were more exotic.

Have fun!!

Paul

lrn2cruise · #5 April 22nd, 2012, 06:55 PM

I would love to see Blue Man Group.

joyride21 · #6 April 22nd, 2012, 06:58 PM

I recently sailed NCL for the first time. (9 previous cruises with RCL). It's definitely a different experience. I agree with Toocruisin', it worked well for the hardly ever at sea Hawaiian itinerary. I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if there were multiple sea days. The service is not as over the top, bend over backwards as it is on RCL - but I will add to that comment that Pride of America is an all American crew, and (here I go insulting my own country, sorry USA) in general I don't think that American's are as hard working as those from lots of other countries. Though I do like Royal better, I would not be opposed to sailing with NCL again.

janetz · #7 April 22nd, 2012, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lrn2cruise

I would love to see Blue Man Group.

Check out where they will be. We saw BM in Orlando.

Looks like Fort Worth in June/July

http://www.blueman.com/#tickets/national-tour/

LuckiStac13*Majesty* · #8 April 22nd, 2012, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruisingator2

On NCL I liked their choice of specialty dining restuarants and also their suite perks. Best of all the mainstream and even premium lines. Other than that they are just okay. I found the MDR lacking and their buffet was the worst ever experienced in all my years of cruising. With that said, others rave about their buffet area but we all know food is very subjective. I would cruise with NCL again but it would not be my first choice.

I agree with your sentiments. I feel that Royal is just more polished. The ships are quality--just nicer, cleaner, shinier. Crew is just better. Royal beats NCL hands-down, though I still enjoyed my cruise on the Dawn.

royalcruz · #9 April 22nd, 2012, 07:09 PM

My cousins recently went on NCL and had a great time. They had balcony rooms and tried every restaurant, ice bar, and shows, so they did it with upgrades all the way. I think that's what we would do if we tried it too. Many of the reviewers I've read didn't like the included services and didn't want to pay for upgraded services.

beachnative · #10 April 22nd, 2012, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terpfan101

So I've only been on two cruises (soon to be three) all with RCCL. I just discovered the new ship Norwegian is building called Breakaway and it looks great (maybe Sunshine class will incorporate some of these features). Anyway I was wondering what RCCL loyals think of Norwegian. I took a quick glance at reviews by ship on CC and Norwegian averaged in the low 70s for people who loved it whereas Royal averaged more in the mid 80s. So I'm guessing Royal is much better, and in the case of the Breakaway 7 nighters out of New York in 2013, pricing seems to be the same as the Allure/Oasis. So it's not as if they are competing on price. Anyway I'd love to hear some thoughts.

We cruise almost exclusively with Royal Caribbean but in October took NCL's Pride of America around the islands of Hawaii. The ship had mixed reviews with a lot of very, very negative ones. We had no complaints and there were actually a couple of things that NCL did that RCCL doesn't that we wish our favorite line would offer:
>There were plenty of NCL people outside the terminal to direct us and there was entertainment as a welcome in the cruise terminal as we waited to board.
>The main dining room was open for lunch on embarkation day.
>No reservations are accepted for My Time Dining (or at least not for small parties)
>You have to wait until you board to book speciality restaurants.
>There were two completely separate main dining rooms, one for casual dress and one dressy casual and THEY enforce it. (we REALLY liked this)

Of course the menu was different which was a nice change but the food quality wasn't any better.

We were so pleased with the entire cruise experience that we purchased a Next Cruise Certificate while on board because we plan to repeat the Hawaiian itinerary and probably make it a B2B.

Now, with that said, we are still totally loyal to Royal Caribbean and currently have 12 cruises booked with them.

Red-Sol · #11 April 22nd, 2012, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lrn2cruise

I would love to see Blue Man Group.

Great show on the Epic..had to go twice!

NEcruisers???? · #12 April 22nd, 2012, 07:24 PM

The
"Suite Perks" of NCL cannot be beat IMO.... But I do agree that NCL is a bit more casual than RCI.

janetz · #13 April 22nd, 2012, 07:25 PM

We sailed Oasis Of The Seas and right after, our first NCL on the Dawn. Had a great time on both ships and they certainly were different.

endymion6942 · #14 April 22nd, 2012, 07:47 PM

We have sailed on both NCL & RCCL for many years. People always seem to zero in on the food. I prefer assigned seating at dinner (RCCL) over freestyle or anytime dining. Usually, we eat in alternate restaurants on NCL ( LeBistro, Cagneys, etc.), on Royal we usually dine in the MDR. I am not thrilled with Royals' alternate dining choices
However, I like NCL over Royal for a few reasons other than food. First of all, it appears that there is more deck space on NCL ships over Royal. Roy is very much into the promenade style. I enjoy sitting on deck at one of the bars sometime until it closes at 1:00 or 2:00am. On my last two royal cruises (mariner & Voyager) they shut down the outside bars at 10:00.
Another thing (which has already bee mentioned) is the fact that NCL has much better suite perks and I think that NCL does a better job of taking care of their repeat customers.

So I will tell you now I prefer NCL over Royal.
Having said that, I have 2 Royal cruises booked in the next 45 days or so.

toocruisin' · #15 April 22nd, 2012, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beachnative

>The main dining room was open for lunch on embarkation day.

Yeah, I had forgotten about this; it's a really nice way to start the cruise experience. I wonder if they still serve champaign as a welcome aboard? I'd better book another NCL cruise to remind myself!

endymion6942 · #16 April 22nd, 2012, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toocruisin'

Yeah, I had forgotten about this; it's a really nice way to start the cruise experience. I wonder if they still serve champaign as a welcome aboard? I'd better book another NCL cruise to remind myself!

When I was on the Spirit in December, they still served champaign.

toocruisin' · #17 April 22nd, 2012, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by endymion6942

When I was on the Spirit in December, they still served champaign.

Thanks Scott!! I see you're coming to NY in June 2013; I live in the NY Metro area, so if you have any questions, fire away!! Paul

RCcruisinfamily · #18 April 22nd, 2012, 09:05 PM

Makes me want to try. They have family suites. I have checked them out, but need to look when new itineraries become available and are not all booked up

Lynn the Cruiser · #19 April 22nd, 2012, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joyride21

I recently sailed NCL for the first time. (9 previous cruises with RCL). It's definitely a different experience. I agree with Toocruisin', it worked well for the hardly ever at sea Hawaiian itinerary. I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if there were multiple sea days. The service is not as over the top, bend over backwards as it is on RCL - but I will add to that comment that Pride of America is an all American crew, and (here I go insulting my own country, sorry USA) in general I don't think that American's are as hard working as those from lots of other countries. Though I do like Royal better, I would not be opposed to sailing with NCL again.

I definitely agree with you about the service (most being American). Our waiter in the MDR was downright RUDE. He was a rich kid from California who was just doing this for fun (he told us that). We didn't care for the food, although the Specialty restaurant was excellent. The shows were boring. There was really no ship time being the Hawaiian itinerary was very intense!If we went to them with a problem, and there were many, they were very accommodating...free bottles of wine, free specialty restaurant, free mystery dinner show. (My sister had a big roach in her room, the one day when she went to get back on the ship, she was completely wiped out of the system, like there was no evidence of her being on it!!! Just some problems like that!!!!) But Hawaii was great. I think I will stick to Royal!

endymion6942 · #20 April 22nd, 2012, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCcruisinfamily

Makes me want to try. They have family suites. I have checked them out, but need to look when new itineraries become available and are not all booked up

I don't care what the polls that CC publishes, the suites on NCL absolutely rock. There are way too many perks, but I will start. With NCL you get both a butler & a concierge. The butler takes care of any and all details fir your suite. If you want to have dinner served to you in your cabin, no problem. I guess depending on the suite, your butler give you a mobile phone so you can get him from anywhere on the ship. The concierge handles many things for you. Priority seating at shows, escorting you off the ship to beat the lines getting off at ports of call. Oh, when you are a suite customer, you are allowed to have sit down breakfast and lunch in Cagneys. I could go on and on about NCL suites.
We have booked a forward facing penthouse for the Breakaway next