I've been sailing NCL long enough to remember when...

(I'm newer but "had" to chime in):

-We received double Latitude points for booking 6 months in advance

-When you bought specialty dining it was for the day not just for one meal

-Houston was an NCL embarkation port

-It appeared Harvest Cay was actually going to be a private island

-The Joy was being purpose built for the Chinese Market

-I could remember stuff

I like all of yours better.

MD

Denis Prguda was Hotel Director

Tony Lockett was Food and Beverage Director

...........there was a midnight buffet..........a chocolate buffet and a Chef's Table.....

but it's not all about the food folks........

There was assigned dinner seating, smoking was allowed everywhere, our cabin had metal bunks and cash was used....and it was filled with really old people. I remember looking at the Carnival ship docked next door with music blasting wishing I was there, lol. Now I think NCL is more fun.

I'm a bit of a newbie, first cruise (Star Feb. 2012) we got a bottle of wine if we dined at Cagney's on embarkation night and there was no UBP which was fine since I only drank wine, and still do. We got the Trio dining package (not sure of the name) so tried Cagney's (I still book Cagney's on embarkation nite), Le Bistro and La Cucina... wasn't it around $57pp?

Also bought the Viva Vino package... price hasn't changed much since either although the wine list has changed a bit and obviously the 20% service charge has been added.

2006 - 2 room stewards assigned to our cabin. The Pearl having a Rock Wall was cutting edge haha

I remember when Bermuda was 4 days and 3 ports![emoji41]

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sunward.southward starwood.. you pick the weekend and ncl assigns one of these ships. LONG TIME AGO. .

Seaward Jan 1994

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When seniors got the AARP discount.

* Handed a glass of sparking wine as you boarded

* Big comfy beach towels for suite guests

* Cagneys was $20 and included EVERYTHING

* Cocktails cost less on board than land (at least in the Miami area)

* No service charges on cover charges

* Couples spa pass was $199 (for both all week)

* All suites came with 2 1 liter bottles of spring water

Holy smokes it has been so long I forgot the sparkling wine and also having an escort when you boarded!

Cruising the Haw. Islands and Fanning island on the Norwegian Wind. One of my all time favorite cruises.

Too funny I recently sailed POA and all I could talk about was the Wind (loved that ship) and Fanning Island (which was not the highlight of our 10-day cruise) LOL

The Norway felt huge, paying for ice cream ala carte was strange, and there was a snorkeling program called “Dive In”.

I had a "Dive In' shirt around here somewhere but I think it is now a great dust rag.

Round trip airfare was included in your cruise fare.

Do you remember when we used to sing

Sha la la la la la la la la la la dee dah

But seriously, since my others were taken already... Baked Alaska

In 2004 when Great Stirrup Cay was a single beach and you could walk on a path past the old lighthouse to a lagoon on the other side of the island.

I remember Lobster in the MDR's.

I remember Freestyle.

Now it is all Feestyle.

Thanks Andy.

Thanks George.

Oh, almost forgot those new "Convenience Fees" that really

make for a big surprise if you don't check your account often. :p:cool:

4 night cruises that went to Key West and Cozumel. No stopping at crappy Nassau.

Norwegian beer Ringnes available onboard.

Quality shows onboard from Jean Ann Ryan Productions.

Smaller ships that were older, but unique to other mass market lines.

Chocolate buffet

Lobster in MDR

Baked Alaska

Assigned dining in MDR with dining staff that learns your preferences. A bond that you form with fellow table mates. An experience that is unlike a land based vacation.

Only one surcharge restaurant called Le Bistro. Emphasis is on communal experiences and not a class based system like past ocean liners.

Tasting Aquavit on the Norway - still have the "collectable" horn shaped shot glass but couldn't drink the Aquavit then or now - too strong!

I remember the captain of the Norway walking down the grand staircase into the Windward Dining Room wearing a giant horned helmet and toasting everyone with one of those shot glasses. I hated the taste of the Aquavit but still have my glass from that night in 1994!

I also remember watching the flaming baked Alaska parade and waiting for the Maitre'D to wheel up his cart to make tableside cherries jubilee or crepes suzette. And going to the midnight buffet every night!

Seems like all of my memories are related to food or drinks . . .

My first cruise at 20 yrs Old was on the Norway anniversary cruise in 1981. The pool was filled with balloons covered by a net, when we sailed they pulled back the net and let the balloons fly - People on the pier were waving and throwing streamers - and everyone had glasses of free champagne. What a great start to my cruising life! 25+ and still sailing!! 7 days until our Escape to Bermuda 😁

-There was no DSC, you were given envelopes and put your tips in the envelopes and handed them out, maitre'd even had a tip envelope.

-The tiny slide on the Pearl was impressive and they had water slide races to see who could make the biggest splash.

-Lobster, Midnight Buffet

-Only one specialty restaurant, you could not book in advance, had to book once you got on the ship

-You couldn't go online and compare prices or even book online, you had a local TA

-When you could get a beer for $2

-Parking at the pier in Miami was $2 a day.

I am sure there are more but I am too old to remember LOL:eek::(

NCL's credit card gave you 5% back on all purchases. My second cruise, one going to Alaska, was free except of course for the port fees.

Compared to other cruise lines at the time (1970s), NCL was incredibly regimented.

Lunch was served in the MDR (no buffets onboard). Lunch seating was "open," but you needed to have your party together when you entered and the head waiters would insist that you file in and fill the seats on a table in the order in which you entered. So on a long table for eight , the first person sat in the first chair on one side and the following three people had to sit in chairs 2, 3, and 4 and the next person sat in the chair across from passenger 1 and the following passengers filled the rest of the seats before the following group was in line was led to the next table.

Food was as bad then as it is now.

To enter into a show lounge, one had to line up outside the lounge and wait for the doors to be opened. Again, like the lunch seating, entrance was only in single file.

When leaving a show venue (lounge), staff would be there to make sure that one only exited out the lounge and to other parts of the ship only on the required exit path.

I remember telling my husband that I was surprised the crew wasn't equipped with cattle prods to keep us in line and going where directed. We were disappointed enough in the onboard experience that it was over twenty five years before we would try NCL again.

Today, NCL prides itself on being "freestyle." One only has to reserve in advance entertainment and restaurants. Of course, one still gets to stand outside locked doors to enter the shows.

Food is still bad.

The more things have changed, the more they have stayed true to the NCL traditions of passenger management.