67Miner

With Choice Air, I booked IAD/BCN via Toronto on United and Air Canada Rouge. Having never flown Air Canada nor transited through Toronto, I have a few questions: (1) Will I have to go through any immigration or customs formalities in Toronto? (2) Since the Rouge portion of the trip is a United code share flight, will I have an option to select seats in advance and will Rouge honor my United status (Star Alliance Gold)? (3) Is Rouge really as awful as internet reviews indicate? With a $231 airfare, my expectations are fairly low.

I like the hallway carpets on the NCL ships. The fish are all swimming forward. And I like the 24/7 cafe, O'Sheehan's, and its tasty grilled Reuben sandwiches. And I like the atrium entertainment venue where there's adequate seating to enjoy the music. X is still my preferred cruise line but NCL it cannot compete with the service or food quality that offers (although I did have a nice inch-thick prime rib cooked to perfection on the NCL Star last year).

This itinerary is definitely for cruisers who love sea days. I have two booked in the future and have done the crossing on the Millennium the last three years. I have experienced rough seas, calm seas, ice on the deck (in Petropovlosk), several consecutive days of dense fog, and beautiful days with warm temperatures and abundant sunshine. And I've enjoyed everyone of those days. I prefer the west-bound crossing (from Vancouver) because I like 25-hour days rather than 23-hour days when there are time changes -- and there are many. I think it is accurate to say that the vast majority of the passengers are returning passengers who enjoy the sea days and the fickle weather the crossing brings.

Here are the options for airport transfer from Dublin:

Celebrity transfer: $31

Taxi: 40 euro for four persons (make arrangement night before with a taxi driver parked at the ship otherwise you will have a substantial wait)

Airport express bus No. 757: 7 euro (but you must exit dock and walk about 1 mile for the nearest pickup point).

Why would you believe that they wouldn't do it? The purpose will be to penalize/reduce the number of people who book several cabins knowing that they will cancel without any penalty.

 

 

I think it's a good thing. People who book several cabins then cancel, wind up raising the price of the other cabins because of the phantom higher cruise occupancy rate.

 

I feel if you don't expect to cruise, you shouldn't book. If something unforeseen happens, that's what they make trip insurance for.

 

 

 

 

HAL gives you a lower, non-refundable rate and a refundable rate to choose from. I believe RCL does as well. Azamara and Oceania just have a cancellation fee per person.

I understand penalties for for last minute cancellations but to place penalties on consumers for cancelling a reservation made two years out is bothersome. There are many factors in planning a cruise vacation and one cannot know about unexpected events that may occur 18 or 24 months from now. Job situation could change. An uexpected family situation could create a fiancial issue. Air service to your destination could be terminated or become cost prohibitive. Health could become an issue. So, while intentions to follow through on a cruise booking may be valid at the time of booking, stuff happens and the cruise line needs to maintain some flexibility (i.e., transferring the deposit to a future cruise if cancelling). It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

I read the same thing. Surely, X has not lost its mind by putting into place non-refundable deposits. Something seems to be amiss with this announcement.

I sailed the Millennium from Vancouver to Yokohama in September and found the entertainment uninspiring. The production shows have not been updated to the new Celebrity in house produced shows and have been around for several years. On a scale from 1 to 10, I would rate the entertainment no higher than a 3. I've been on 30+ X cruises and found the entertainment on this particular cruise to be in the bottom 5 at best. Don't mean to be negative but, seriously, pretty low-budget entertainment overall.

A little snarky there, aren't you, teecee60? No excuse for your unwarranted ramblings.

I have enjoyed the discussions about loyal X cruisers checking out the competition but somehow we have gotten off track to discuss drinking packages. Would really like to get back on topic and hear from others who have experiences to share from jumping the X ships for a look at another cruise line.

Well, I am a newbie to NCL from Celebrity and just returned from an 8-day cruise on the Escape. I liked it. In fact I liked it so much that I purchased 100 shares yesterday in order to qualify for the OBCs. I also own RCL stock but don't get OBCs often because they are very restrictive and not combinable with other offers. My research shows that NCL is much less restrictive. We'll see. Anyway, stock up $1.03 today. RCL down 6 cents. I did ok.

I just have to say how gratified I am to read so many positive responses to the OP on this thread! Kudos to everyone for taking the high road and not turning into vicious cheerleaders, pounding the OP into the ground for having the audacity to post on an X thread any positive comments about another cruise line! On many other threads I've read --and you all know what I mean -- the OP would be crucified!

 

Just shows that Celebrity cruisers are discerning, open-minded and polite -- in short, a cut above, right? ;););) (But mostly we're humble...:cool:)

Kind words. Thank you. I kind of went into this NCL Escape booking with the attitude, "just because you're on a diet doesn't mean you can't look at the menu." I really wanted to see if I was missing anything my being a loyal cruiser with X. I was pleasantly surprised by by experience. I was not disappointed with NCL. I enjoy cruising and I am glad that I now have other options to consider. Not that there's any connection, mind you, but I did buy NCL stock yesterday and it went up $1.03 today. :) RCL went down 6 cents.

67Miner good thread, thanks for posting.

 

I've never thought about sailing NCL before. The official ship ratings looked low and this might sound ridiculous but the ships looked unattractive to me with the awful paint jobs. In short they looked all a bit downmarket and so we never paid any attention to them.

 

But recently when trawling through TA adverts I see some fairly attractive pricing and this caught my eye. At least with the three ships Breakaway, Getaway and Escape.

 

So, can anyone answer the following questions please :-

 

How does the quality of food compare in the MDR's and in the specialty restaurants on both lines?

 

I see 'mini suites' advertised at very low prices when compared to Celebrity. Are these more comparable to say an AQ room as opposed to a real suite?

 

Am I correct in thinking that suite guests have an entire area of the ship available exclusively available to them?

 

Thanks in advance.

Question 1. NCL has twice the specialty restaurants than X. Two of the three that I dined in were exceptional -- Moderno Churasscaria (a Brazilian steakhouse) and Teppanyaki (a Japanese steakhouse) were excellent, comparable to a land-based restaurant with similar themes. The third, an Italian grille, was good but the Tuscan Grille on X is much better. On Escape there is also a tapas bar, a seafood restaurant, a French bistro, a global fusion restaurant, and a Jimmy Buffet burger joint. Honestly, I thought the presentation and quality of the main dining rooms (there are three) were better than X. I especially liked O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar and Grill. Twice I ordered medium rare prime rib (one-inch cuts almost covering the plate). I would say, too, that the Garden Cafe overall was better than the Ocean View Cafe on X -- more variety and more vegetable selections. For whatever reason, X seems bent on serving green beans and carrots at every meal of late.

Question 2. About the only difference that I could see between the veranda stateroom and the mini-suite is that the mini-suite has a bath tub. Verandas are considerably smaller than X. The Escape, and I presume other NCL ships, have spa suites which I suppose are similar to aqua class.

Question 3. Yes, the Haven is quite private and has its own amenities. I am not sure about the other suites as my NCL experience is very limited.

Hope this helps.

Though I understand that you cruised on NCL so as to provide a cruise experience oriented toward the younger folks in your party, I get the impression from your comments that you, as an adult, enjoyed the cruise as well. Is this a fair assessment? If you had not had young people with you, would you have enjoyed NCL in the adult way you have enjoyed X?

 

I ask because I myself a considering sailing on NCL (though never on such a big ship), and we travel as an adult couple only.

Yes, I enjoyed the experience very much. It was a big ship but I was never overwhelmed by crowds. There were LOTS of kids. But that would have been the same on any cruise ship the first week of August. There were "adults only" areas on the ship for escape. I've booked a trans-Atlantic on NCL Star for next November. While Celebrity will probably continue to be my primary cruise line I feel like my opportunities have been greatly enhanced by adding NCL to my preferred cruise lines.

Hi 67 Miner,

 

Thank you for your review. I enjoyed your insights very much. It's always nice to hear about other cruise options. Your comparision was most informative.

 

Thanks again, and I'm glad you had a great cruise with your family. BTW, of the 3 specialty restaurants you dined at, which did you enjoy the most ?

For sure the kids loved the Japanese steakhouse, Teppanyaki, because of the entertainment the chef provided. I enjoyed Moderno Churasscaria, the Brazilian-style steakhouse with all the meat prepared on skewers and served at the table. And the feijoada soup (Brazilian black bean soup with salted ribs and bacon) was something not to be missed. La Cacina, the Italian restaurant, offered portions that were much too big but was no match for Celebrity's Tuscan Grille.

Thank you for your review. Just curious, was there a reason you did not choose the Oasis or Allure since you would have been diamond in the RCCL loyalty program? Glad you enjoyed NCL.

It was the only cruise I could find that was longer than 7 days but shorter than 14 days. And Miami was my preferred departure city. The biggest perk I missed from Celebrity was the elite plus complimentary internet package. That expense on NCL set me back just over $200.

After 34 Celebrity cruises I decided to try another brand, mainly because I was taking five grandchildren (ages 10-16) and their parents with us and I didn't think Celebrity offered the amenities that kids would want. After some research and reading hundreds of cruise critic posts I decided to book NCL's Escape, the newest ship in their fleet -- an 8-day eastern Caribbean cruise from Miami. I was a skeptic for sure and my expectations quite honestly were were not very high. With that in mind I thought I would share a few thoughts about this adventure.

EMBARKATION: There were just over 5,100 passengers on this cruise, probably because it was the last cruise of the summer before many kids returned to school. And NCL pulled it off quite well. Unlike Celebrity, NCL provides a check-in time for each passenger in an effort to balance out the number of passengers arriving at any given time. That seemed to work very well. With no loyalty status, we were checked in and onboard in about 30 minutes. Quite remarkable.

THE SHIP: It was big. Lots of bars and restaurants and entertainment venues. Staterooms were laid out very nicely and were about 10-12 square feet larger than Celebrity. But, Celebrity verandas are considerably larger. No lounge chairs and the table was, maybe, 144 square inches. Hallways are also much smaller. Two people cannot walk side-by-side. The ambiance of the ship -- both inside and outside -- was more vibrant than Celebrity. I liked the artwork on the hull of the ship. I also liked the bright colors that NCL chose in its decor, from the hallway and stateroom carpeting to the decors of the many public areas. What I noticed especially, was the use of the atrium area. Unlike Celebrity, where seating is at a premium, the Escape had seats for a hundred or more guests with additional seating surrounding the atrium on the floor above. A huge high-definition video screen was also a plus. The fitness center and jogging track was similar although the track, I believe, was somewhat shorter than Celebrity. But Deck 8 was a walker's heaven where you could literally walk the entire perimeter of the ship. I calculated that 3 laps would equal 1 mile. And the stuff for the kids was amazing -- water slides, a rope (zip) line, a 2-lane duck pin bowling alley, a water feature park, etc. Pretty awesome.

RESTAURANTS, DINING, ETC. I think there were five or six specialty restaurants. I tried three of them (Italian, Japanese steakhouse, and Brazilian churrascaria) because they were included as a perk. I was impressed by the quality and the service. I believe the cost, though, was under $30 a person, somewhat less than Celebrity's specialty restaurants. There were other restaurants, too, that did not have a surcharge. And, of course, the larger main dining area was also available. The buffet on Deck 16 was amazing, and like Celebrity, offered a wide variety of foods, from curry, to Asian, to salad bars, etc. But, the kids always were attracted to the soft serve ice cream stations -- four of them! And, unbelievably, lines and seating were never a problem. And for breakfast, the buffet line always had my personal favorites -- grits and gravy biscuits.

SERVICE: I've got to be truthful here. I was pleasantly surprised because I didn't think any cruise line could measure up to what I've come to expect from Celebrity. But the crew on this ship -- from the bars to the restaurants to the staterooms -- met my challenge. What I experienced far exceeded by expectations.

ENTERTAINMENT; No match here. I prefer Celebrity. NCL is too complicated. Sometime reservations are required although standbys are generally seated without a problem. But the shows were disappointing and one show, in particular, "The Brat Pack," needed to use the F-bomb in an audience that included kids (although there was a warning that there would be adult language). But, honestly, there was no need for it. I attend shows for the musical talent, not the dialogue. One show, a Cotton Club Cabaret, was a good high energy musical. Then there was the usual juggler and hypnotist that I seem to have seen on Celebrity before. And no cruise can be compete today without a Jersey Boys tribute group. And NCLs was quite exceptional.

STRIPES Never saw any of the ship's officers. I'm used to seeing that on Celebrity. But the Escape is a big ship and the public areas are quite big. I always enjoy exchanging a few words with the ship's officers. But, I didn't on this ship. No big deal. But, the crew, I thought, was extraordinary -- always smiling and offering pleasant exchanges.

OVERALL IMPRESSION; Extremely satisfied. I even contacted my broker today to buy 100 shares as I booked a trans-Atlantic from Rome next Fall. From reading the NCL boards, apparently their OBCs, unlike Celebrity, are combinable with other offers. The cost, significantly lower than Celebrity.

These are just some random thoughts. Celebrity will remain as my preferred cruise line. But it was nice to experience a change. The good news, though, is I can reach top tier in their loyalty program a whole lot quicker than I can with Celebrity. Even with 35 cruises, I've got a long way to go to make Zenith. But, for sure, what NCL does not have, are those great Captain's Club hosts that I see on every cruise.

It seems to me like the cruise lines are using the models airlines are using for pricing. Pay a base fare and have add on charges for the amenities you want. Having cruised with both X and NCL, I can say that NCL has more add ons. But at least X hasn't YET got to the point of selling lottery tickets or tables in front of the stage before evening shows. Bottom line, to me, is that the elegance and affordability of cruising is changing rapidly. It will never go back to the way it was and we need to get used to it. Changing cruise lines won't bring back the old days. To me the essential ingredient for a memorable cruise is service and quality of the product. X still marks the spot for me with that in mind.

I've seen 7 of the new production shows (Summit, Silhouette, Reflection) in the past four months. Two were exceptional -- "Broken Strings" and "Pearl." The other five were unremarkable, except for the specialty acts that were entwined in the productions. Over time I would expect significant "tweaking" of many of these shows to respond to audience feedback.

Prime Rib on 1st night and duck and lobster on next to last night. Lobster tail is now smaller with some shrimp. It is actually more tender than the larger tail. My least favorite night is Top Chefs. While it sounds good on paper, it is terrible. After trying several items on that menu, I now skip the MDR on that night..

Agree totally. Top chef night definitely the night to hit the specialty restaurant.

Sorry but the Promotional chips cannot be used on the red black or odds even lines.

You will need to bet on a particular number or numbers.

Not true on the Summit. My wife and I used $350 promotional chips doing that very thing. I bet red, she bet black. 0 came up only once. Cashed in $340.

Too funny! Yesterday I had my husband check out the maps (he likes that stuff) and plan our route. He saw I270 and wondered if it would be a good alternative. Is it as crowded and irritating as I95?

 

Thank you!

 

PS as I look at the route, it goes waaaaay around, seems to be a bit longer.

Do you know if it is that much longer than it seems to be on the map? Again, thank you.

From Frederick Google maps show that driving time via I-95 is about six miles and 15 minutes shorter than using US 15, I-81, I-83 etc. I-270 traffic is not an issue traveling on a Sunday. Even on a weekday, early morning traffic northbound would not be an issue.

Hmm.... Now let's think about this. They moved it to deck 4. Now why would celebrity move select dinning to a smaller floor of the restaurant when it's becoming more popular. Your contradictory statement makes me question your purpose.

What's with the snarky comment, pumpkin?

I have no purpose other than to point out that traditional dining has always been the assigned the larger venue on Deck 4. That has now been reversed. You may recall, in the past, Celebrity honored requests for early seating traditional dining, late seating traditional dining, or select dining. They placed limits on each category. When the limit was reached, guests were offered their second choice.

Obviously, Celebrity has chosen to change that process. As a traditional diner, I am disappointed. That's all. Your thinking confuses me.

I was stunned the first time we drove to Bayonne from NC. The tolls!:eek:

This year I got a transponder from NC that is supposed to work in the northern toll roads.

I'm thinking to be able to sail thru the tolls and just pay 1 bill will be nice.

 

I am also enjoying your report. Thank you!

For travelers from the South consider I-270 through Frederick:

Follow US-15 N to PA-581 E in Camp Hill. Take the PA-581 E exit from US-15

Take I-81 N and I-78 E to US-1 Truck/US-9 Truck N/Raymond Blvd in Newark. Take the US 1 Truck N/US 9 Truck N exit from US-1 Truck N/US-9 Truck N

Continue on US-1 Truck/US-9 Truck N. Take NJ-440 S and Goldsborough Dr to Port Terminal Blvd in Bayonne

Time from Frederick: 4 hours

Tolls: $0 ($1 on the return as you enter Pennsylvania)

In a major turnabout , select dining has been moved to Deck 4 on the Summit and the traditional dining has been relegated to the much smaller and cramped Deck 4. Seems to me like Celebrity is moving towards the NCL model and doing away with traditional dining. Very disappointing.

The Bistro on 5 on the Reflection was replaced in February with a sushi style restaurant. There were not many people utilizing the old Bistro and a change was made by management.

I just got off the Reflection after 23 days earlier this week and I rarely saw anyone eating there.