What's so great about NCL ships

[johnql]

Definitely Freestyle for me - love the resort casual dress code. And love the number and diversity of alternative dining venues. Yes, some of them carry a surcharge, but I factor that into my budgeting - if the base fare plus 4 or 5 nights of surcharge dining still add up to an attractive price, I book the cruise.

[geegee1]

 

I have my own opinion as to why people like cruising out of NY. But' date=' I will keep it to myself.[/color']

 

PE

 

It's not like you to be shy.

 

I know for me and many others in the area it's because we don't want to have to deal with flying.

[DawnGirl]

I agree that it is the Freestyle. All the other things people mentioned are important too, but Freestyle is what keeps me from cruising other lines.

[susgoss]

The Ports of call.

[A&G]

my order:

suite perks:D:D

price/discounts/OBC

departs NYC

specailty restaurants

freestyle

nice/friendly crew

 

G'day

 

Thanks to all posters, some very interesting comments here and we are looking forward to a new experience.

 

Mrs H, we have booked a mini suite on deck eleven on Pearl. Are there any "suite perks" attached to this catergory of cabin and if so what can we expect, or are the perks you refer to only for the full or grand suites?

 

Alan

[moorene]

In June, my husband and I will tender our third cruise with NCL. I have cruised other cruiselines, but none provides the service of NCL. In 2009 we cruised from Barcelona. The airline lost our luggage and did not find it for 5 days. We had never experienced missing luggage before and therefore did not buy travel insurance. NCL started tracking our luggage as soon as we checked in and provided updates until our luggage was delivered to our stateroom. In the meantime, we were allowed to go in any of the dining rooms without proper attire and they provided free laundry service. The other amazing thing they did without being prompted is they provided a claim form to submit to the airline.

 

I thought this was the perfect example of great customer service. In addition to this we love free style dining and not having to dine with a table of strangers.

[MrLee]

G'day

 

Thanks to all posters, some very interesting comments here and we are looking forward to a new experience.

 

Mrs H, we have booked a mini suite on deck eleven on Pearl. Are there any "suite perks" attached to this catergory of cabin and if so what can we expect, or are the perks you refer to only for the full or grand suites?

 

Alan

 

Sorry, no suite perks. You get a slightly larger cabin with a curtain around the bed and a tub in the bathroom and that's about it. My last cruise was in a mini but only because there were no balconies availlabe. I'm sure you'll have a great cruise anyway:D

[sunshine nana]

If you want to see Hawaii and don't want to spend 5-7 days just crossing the Pacific, NCL is the only way to go. We like the price, itineraries and if we can get a reasonable upsell to a suite, great! We have tried any time dining on Princess and it was really a little better than NCL (food and service), but for a price. We booked the Baltic on Princess because we could start and end in Copenhagen and not have to spend 2 extra days going to and from Britain.

[BikerAl]

We initially chose a return to NCL because of the 9 day southern Caribbean itinerary. We booked an AE penthouse suite, and had Karan as our butler, and that was our undoing. He and the rest of the crew treated us so well that we had to do that same cruise again. Soooo, I think for us it may be crew, itinerary, suite life. and finally cost.

 

Al

[mousey]

>>So, what's so great about NCL ships? What keeps you coming back to NCL?<<

 

 

It's usually the cheapest.

 

Ditto! That's why we keep sailing NCL. We are not necessarily loyal to NCL, as a matter of fact, our last cruise was on Carnival. But, it just seems that when it's time to pick a cruise they always seem to have the cheapest fare for the itinerary we want. It also helps that I have always enjoyed their service, food, entertainment, spa, etc. But the bottom line is their affordability and itineraries!:D One of my other favorite things about NCL is all the musical performances all over their ships!

[flashdog_1]

It was evident from the first time we stepped foot on an NCL ship. The crew probably have a lot to do with it, all smiles, buy a drink or not, be happy!

 

Speaking of crew, one of the officers I'd met at a meet and greet called me by name all during the cruise when our paths crossed. That's some memory!

 

The passengers were not at all what I expected them to be, either. I was accustomed to Celebrity where the passengers don't "mix" much except with their own party they came on board with. I enjoyed people so much more on NCL than on other lines. And surely this had to do with Freestyle.

 

I enjoy not having to go to dinner on a compulsory formal night. And amazingly, no one looks at you whether you are in formal attire or in chinos. It's okay!

 

I like always being able to get a table for two.

 

And what an eye opener disembarking is to see all of the same color tagged baggage together with plenty of walking room all around. you see, they only put the one color out at a time (or else put bags for an hour later way far away from your color). It feels totally different than the madhouse you get from other cruise lines disembarkation. Again, this is partly crew. Partly management.

[Djptcp]

Our first cruises were on NCL and we loved them. Then we tried freestyle in 2003 and didn't like it. We are ready to try it again on the Sun in Nov. and looking forward it. I disagree that the other cruise line passengers aren't as passionate about their favorite lines -- I follow Carnival and Holland America most of the time because those are the lines we have cruised on the most lately.

[e150club]

I think we might give The Jewel out of NY a try this year. We need to try somthing new. Glad I read this thread.

[slyfox0113]

IMHO its the suite perks, not having to fly, the freestyle, the crew. Did I mention the suite perks, they are the best.:D

[Mrs. H.]

IMHO its the suite perks, not having to fly, the freestyle, the crew. Did I mention the suite perks, they are the best.:D

 

I can't stop thinking about the perks! :D

[cruizinrican]

We are booked for our first NCL cruise in October. My research on CC leads me to believe that a lot of members are very passionate about NCL ships. There seems to be far more loyal/repeat NCL customers than any other cruise line. So, what's so great about NCL ships? What keeps you coming back to NCL?

 

Just 3 words: FREE STYLE CRUISING! I tell you we loe RCI but after starting this new way to dine, we are hooked! I eat with who ever, where ever and when ever I want! NCL ROCKS!

 

PS- And not just bc we are boarding the Dawn tomorrow for 10 days either! ;)

[A&G]

G'day All

 

Sounds like most are telling me that it is the "Free Style" that turns them on. So let me get this correct. We can dine whenever we want, wherever we want, wearing whatever we want. Does this mean that if I decide to wear a tux one night I could be sitting at a table with a PAX wearing their swimmers? (I was going to say "budgie smugglers" but then I remembered that is an Aussie term). Or, are there designated dining areas for the type of dress.

 

Thanks for all the comments, I have enjoyed reading them all. We most certainly will enjoy the friendly and interactive crew.

 

Alan

[halos]

The crew is the secret. They are much more friendly than any crew I have seen on other lines. I believe this comes down from the the upper management. Upper management on NCL ships are much more visible than other lines and they interact with their staff in a much more friendly manner. The crew in turn show much more respect for their bosses than just being their boss.

 

PE

 

I TOTALLY agree.

 

Crew is the first thing about NCL that comes to mind when I think of why I love the line...after that would be choices and variety.

[sparks1093]

G'day All

 

Sounds like most are telling me that it is the "Free Style" that turns them on. So let me get this correct. We can dine whenever we want, wherever we want, wearing whatever we want. Does this mean that if I decide to wear a tux one night I could be sitting at a table with a PAX wearing their swimmers? (I was going to say "budgie smugglers" but then I remembered that is an Aussie term). Or, are there designated dining areas for the type of dress.

 

Thanks for all the comments, I have enjoyed reading them all. We most certainly will enjoy the friendly and interactive crew.

 

Alan

 

NCL hasn't gotten to the point where they allow swimsuits in the MDR at night but you could certainly be seated next to someone in jeans or wearing bermuda shorts.

[Mrs. H.]

Last May on the Dawn, we were so tired one night that we ate in the main dining room and the food and service sucked. All the other nights we ate at the specialty restaurants and on out last night had the butler bring in room service from specialty rest. and the food at those places were the best.

 

lol I just told my dh what I wrote here and he said he wouldn't feed his dog the food that was served to us in the main dining room that night.

oh, and we were served by an old dead guy.

[sunshine nana]

Although we don't take gowns and a tux on NCL (it's great to have less baggage), we do like to dress up a bit. That's one reason we ask and have always been given a table for two in the MDR.

[newmexicoNita]

G'day All

 

Sounds like most are telling me that it is the "Free Style" that turns them on. So let me get this correct. We can dine whenever we want, wherever we want, wearing whatever we want. Does this mean that if I decide to wear a tux one night I could be sitting at a table with a PAX wearing their swimmers? (I was going to say "budgie smugglers" but then I remembered that is an Aussie term). Or, are there designated dining areas for the type of dress.

 

Thanks for all the comments, I have enjoyed reading them all. We most certainly will enjoy the friendly and interactive crew.

 

Alan

 

you will not see swim suits in the dining room and you can request a table for only 2 or 4 so what others might be wearing probably will not be an issue. As for a tux, you can wear them as well but you won't see too many. In fact you won't see many suits but some will be dressed to the nines.

 

Nita

[Cruise_More_Often]

Crew is #1 for me, too. I often say that NCL has a certain "personality" on all its ships, but whatever it is, we sure love it (followed by Freestyle, suites, port and cost). For us, if an NCL cruise and another line's cruise are doing the same or a very similar itinerary, even if the other line's cost is somewhat less, we'll choose NCL every time.

 

If you go to the Meet and Greet for your cruise and talk to any of the officers, they will remember you and talk to you when they see you around the ship. That just hasn't happened on other cruises.

 

And don't miss sailaway. It's always so much fun on NCL!

[nmat]

no one is really saying much about the Jewel and that is the one I'm going on so did I make a boo boo? I like the comment about the old dead guy!

[slyfox0113]

I can't stop thinking about the perks! :D

 

Me neither!!!:D