Can someone explain to me why the Wind is so cheap?

[Cruzenbabe2]

I just priced the Wind for this August and it was between 2700 & 2800 for 3 people, 10 day with oceanview.

 

I want to hop on this deal but, my hubby and I are skeptical, you know what they say you get what you pay for. I know it's an older ship and will be going out of commision soon. Maybe that's why it's so cheap.

 

I have been on the Carnival Spirit and Imagination. RCCL Sovereign and Majesty. The favorites being the Spirit and Majesty. The least was the Imagination. So I have been on some older ships.

 

Does anyone have any comments on this ship, those of you who have sailed on here?

[ron46936]

I'm not sure that the Wind is so cheap but rather the US flagged vessels are a bit expensive. You're looking at a per diem of about $90 which is not out of line. We've been also on the Majesty of the Seas and the Sovereign. The cabins on Wind are larger and well appointed. We've also been on the Wind and Sky now the Pride of Aloha. I would go for the Wind as the best value. The only big downside is that the buffet in the Sports Bar is too crowded and there is sometimes a wait for the Mian dining room. Make reservations at the Terraces or La Trattoria both of which do not charge.

[garykool81]

I've asked this exact same question of some friends on this and other boards before, as well as in real life. While NCL's Wind is not as "up to date" as today's mega-ships, I understand that she is still in excellent condition and a lovely ship.

 

Same can be said of Majesty, which I really feel is one of NCL's best ships for her age. I was really wowed when I sailed this vessel as my first NCL cruise in January 2003.

 

Hope that helps a little bit. I would go ahead and book if I were you :-)

[metskinner]

I just sailed on the Wind 2/16-2/28 and loved it. Traveled with my parents in a FF, outside cabin. I thought the ship was in great shape: fresh paint, fresh varnish, well-maintained decks. Everything was also kept very clean. The stewards were wonderful and the deck hands were up early every morning... spraying down the decks and cleaning the furniture. I like the style of the ship...it had character...and I do not mean it looked worn. It felt like a true seafaring vessel. Who needs a 5-star floating hotel? I live in New York City...I can stay in nice hotels anytime. When I am at sea I want to feel it. By the way, you can feel the movement of this ship. It is not like sailing the Carribean. The Pacific Ocean is not as tame and it makes itself known. My father used to live on large aircraft carriers and he said those are even tossed around in the Pacific. My family and others found it enjoyable...other spent a fortune on seasickness shots. Go with a positive attitude that it will be fun and you'll be fine.

[Cruzenbabe2]

Thanks guys, It's 90 percent that we'll be taking this cruise. My hubby wants to sail the caribbean, but the 7 day cruises are the same price as this 10 day, it's a no brainer to me.

 

Thanks again for the comments.

[NJcruiser21]

Hi,

 

never sailed with any cruise line but I'll be on the dawn in may. my parents are frequent cruisers with ncl and they just did that 10 day hawaii on the wind last summer and LOVED it. they said aside from the dawn, it was their favorite ship. extremely well maintained, clean, great crew..all the stuff ncl has to offer and more.

 

enjoy!!

[cuppy]

We couldn't believe the low prices either. We are doing the Wind for 11 nights for less than 7 on the POA would cost. We are actually paying less than what I did for RCCL Explorer.

 

Book the cruise and use the saved money for shore excursions ;)

[Cruzenbabe2]

Cuppy my sentiments exactly. But you're not afraid of her being an older ship?

 

I just can't believe the price. Shoot, we may do the 11 day for a few dollars more.

[carol louise]

Cruzenbabe,

 

I'd say to go ahead! I think a couple reasons it is relatively inexpensive is that there are very few balcony cabins, which so many people want these days, and that the restaurant set-up presents a few challenges to the "freestyle" concept. There are a couple overall design quirks, such as having to walk through the Four Seasons diningroom to pass from one end of that deck to the other (on the other hand this is because the restaurant spans the entire width of the ship and therefore has natural light coming from both sides, which is a plus during the day) and an aft pool that is only accessible from exterior stairways or through the aft dininng room.

That said, let me say it's really a beautiful ship. The standard cabins are roomy and well laid out. And the public areas (aside from the quirks mentioned above) flow very nicely, with large windows facing the sea, for pleasant strolling day or evening. And that aft pool, since is a little off the beaten path and does not have a bar (at least it didn't when we sailed in 1999) meant it was a very quiet, peaceful place to take in the sun and watch the wake.

We cruised on it before the "freestyle" renovation, so some of the decor may have changed, of course, but we found the furnishings and color scheme particularly attractive. Here is a link to my sister's photos -- the Wind photos are on page two of the site:

http://community.webshots.com/user/nansmiley

Hope you have a lovely cruise.

Carol Louise

[cuppy]

Cruzenbabe

 

I'm not worried at all about it being an older ship. I have sailed on 3 older ships and 2 new ships. Although I prefer the larger newer ships that RCI has, I wouldn't be able to enjoy all the ship offers with this type of itinerary. Except for the 4 sea days .

 

Sometimes I think it is nice being on a smaller ship, we found the people we on board that we run into them more often and have made several friends that way who we keep in touch with.

 

Carol - thanks for the link to the pictures. Your sister has some great shots.

[nebraskanative]

i was on the wind last month. granted, i was a first time cruiser, but i LOVED it! i didn't feel that the decor was dated or scruffy. it was not as glitzy or glamourous as i'm sure many other ships are, but i was very very pleased. the service was excellent, the food was wonderful and the entire trip was incredible! the cabins were small and not "fancy" in any way, but heck, i was only there to sleep and shower!

 

if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

[dialc]

I just sailed on the Wind 2/16-2/28 and loved it. Traveled with my parents in a FF, outside cabin. I thought the ship was in great shape: fresh paint, fresh varnish, well-maintained decks. Everything was also kept very clean. The stewards were wonderful and the deck hands were up early every morning... spraying down the decks and cleaning the furniture. I like the style of the ship...it had character...and I do not mean it looked worn. It felt like a true seafaring vessel. Who needs a 5-star floating hotel? I live in New York City...I can stay in nice hotels anytime. When I am at sea I want to feel it. By the way, you can feel the movement of this ship. It is not like sailing the Carribean. The Pacific Ocean is not as tame and it makes itself known. My father used to live on large aircraft carriers and he said those are even tossed around in the Pacific. My family and others found it enjoyable...other spent a fortune on seasickness shots. Go with a positive attitude that it will be fun and you'll be fine.

We will be sailing on the Wind 5/21 and be in category FF, Biscayne Deck 5. Can you describe the cabin to me - layout, window vs. porthole, room size, etc.

[newmexicoNita]

As long as you don't expect to be sailing on the new, glitzy, mega ships you should be very satisfied. I haven't sailed her, but have heard the cabins are nice sized and the service is great. She wasn't designed for freestyle dining, meaning the multi choice dining rooms, but that shouldn't be a big deal. For a good price, which is sounds like you are getting go and enjoy!!! NMnita

 

ps all the lines offer great rates on their older ships or should anyway and most do.

[metskinner]

According to NCL, the main reason the Wind is cheaper is because the 7-day cruises are more popular. It's the simple economic reality of supply and demand.

[greenie]

Cruzenbabe,

 

I'd say to go ahead! I think a couple reasons it is relatively inexpensive is that there are very few balcony cabins, which so many people want these days, and that the restaurant set-up presents a few challenges to the "freestyle" concept. There are a couple overall design quirks, such as having to walk through the Four Seasons diningroom to pass from one end of that deck to the other (on the other hand this is because the restaurant spans the entire width of the ship and therefore has natural light coming from both sides, which is a plus during the day) and an aft pool that is only accessible from exterior stairways or through the aft dininng room.

That said, let me say it's really a beautiful ship. The standard cabins are roomy and well laid out. And the public areas (aside from the quirks mentioned above) flow very nicely, with large windows facing the sea, for pleasant strolling day or evening. And that aft pool, since is a little off the beaten path and does not have a bar (at least it didn't when we sailed in 1999) meant it was a very quiet, peaceful place to take in the sun and watch the wake.

We cruised on it before the "freestyle" renovation, so some of the decor may have changed, of course, but we found the furnishings and color scheme particularly attractive. Here is a link to my sister's photos -- the Wind photos are on page two of the site:

http://community.webshots.com/user/nansmiley

Hope you have a lovely cruise.

Carol Louise

 

Carol Louise--what wonderful pictures! I'm going to have to get BF to look at these--the pics of the Dawn especially interested me since I will be on her and "meeting her" for the first time in May. Thank you for sharing all those great memories.

[shay1]

We will be sailing on the Wind 5/21 and be in category FF, Biscayne Deck 5. Can you describe the cabin to me - layout, window vs. porthole, room size, etc.

 

 

Hello,

 

Please sign in on our NCL Wind 5/21 Roll Call.

 

We are looking forward to our first time to Hawaii.

[cruizluver]

We just returned from the Hawaiian cruise on the Wind--go for it!! We enjoyed the ship very much--it is older but has character (like of lot of it's passengers!!). The lounges are roomy and comfortable (we especially liked the Observatory Lounge on the top of the ship!!)--our room was on Biscayne deck with a large window (saw whales from the couch by the window!). We were a bit skeptical because of the price and some of the negative reviews but we loved the whole experience. The sea is a bit rougher than what we have sailed before but we didn't have any problems with sickness. Our cabin steward was wonderful, and we also thought the wait staff was very good. We never had to wait for a table for two--we went at 5:30 or 6:00 each night. I have just printed a review if you want to check out our opinion of the Wind!!!

[SueSea]

If I were to rank all the ships I've been on, Wind is at the bottom. Others have mentioned the crowded buffet and the quirky layout. This is due to the stretching of the ship. The ship now accommodates more passengers, but some of the public spaces are too small for the extra passengers. The buffet is one and the showroom is another. The chairs are literally crammed together. And there are a lot of columns in that room. The sight lines are terrible. You must get there very early to get good seat, and then you are stuck there unless you want to climb over people to get out. Our cabin was forward of the dining room, so we dealt with the quirky layout often. In addition, tendering on this ship was worse than any other ship I've sailed. The waits were very long.

 

Bear in mind that Wind is an older ship, and as such is more likely to have mechanical problems. She had several on my cruise that required several changes to our itinerary. When we booked this cruise at a great price, I thought it a great value. Because of the odd layout, the crowded public rooms, and the mechanical problems, it no longer seems like a great value. If I knew then what I know now, I would have paid more for a better designed, newer ship. If the types of things I mentioned matter to you, then you may well be disappointed with the Wind.

[metskinner]

The Wind was an excellent value. No doubt about it and the majority of the passengers who have navigated her corridors and decks will agree. This is coming from someone who readily spends $500 a night for a hotel room in NYC and $ 400 for strappy sandals, so I do understand quality and comfort...and excess. The ship is older and has character, but she is very well kept and actually feels like a true seafaring vessel. Some prefer floating hotels. I take cruises to cruise. If enormous and brand new is what you like, then be sure you carefully read the ship descriptions before booking a cruise. You also have to keep in mind that circumstances happen...passenger illnesses, weather disturbances and yes, mechanically difficulties. All of which can affect any ship regardless of age. I have several friends who have sailed the Queen Mary II and experienced multiple disappointments with her as well. It is true that everyone's taste are different and I have heard many complaints about the Wind on this site ranging from too many days at sea, her smaller size, the daily surcharge and freestyle cruising. I heard only a few complaints while on the ship. What I do not understand is the fact that people would go on a cruise without researching important things like the itinerary and the ship specs. People also need to realize that just because something is different than what they are used to doesn't make those things bad or inferior...just different. The service was excellent, the rooms and public areas were clean and as for the crowds...we never had to wait to eat regardless of the time or resaurant, never had to wait for a drink, and never had a problem finding a seat at a show even arriving late. The ninth floor had an interesting layout, but it was not rocket science to figure it out. There was three of us staying in a FF cabin with a window on floor 6. We arrived in Honolulu several days early. With taxes and port charges and cruise fare and hotel costs we paid $ 1000 per person for over two weeks. It was such a deal. I do not mean to be judgemental, but I have kept silent long enough: I am convinced that the majority of the complainers will find fault with Heaven itself...because I have to say, Hawaii was as close to it as I have ever been. Future Wind cruisers: have fun and just hang loose!

[nebraskanative]

i am TOTAL agreement with metskinner. i thought the wind was wonderful. although it is a great value, i'm not paying for luxury accomodations. i probably spent a grand total of 1 1/2 hrs. per day in my cabin. i felt the money was well spent on the fabulous service and the total relaxation. i have read so many reviews here on cc that are bashing the wind, her crew and her layout. before i took my trip last month, i was very nervous. all the complaints about runny eggs, long lines, etc...well, they have eggs for nearly 2000 passengers, there are nearly 2000 people trying to eat at the same time, nearly 2000 people wanting to disembark at each pier. of course there are going to be tiny problems. not everything is going to be perfect to EVERYONE's standards.

metskinner is right: hang loose. that is the most important thing i learned in hawaii. why stress, why complain? you're in paradise. in the end, you shouldn't remember the eggs or the lines or what you wore to dinner. immerse yourself in the trip itself. and you will be amazed!

keep in mind, "you get what you pay for" is not always true. you'll get out of it what you put into it....so relax and enjoy!

[carol louise]

Greenie, glad you liked the photos. Credit must go to my sister, the photographer (she posts on these boards as Joanne G.). And happy sailing on the Dawn, a colorful, lively ship with a wonderful crew.

Carol Louise

[pengu1n]

I love reading your reviews and tips about the Wind! I am SO counting the days now till we leave! I love cruising & I know we will have a great time on the Wind in Hawaii. Isn't it funny, the people who book this cruise & then complain that they don't like sea days? Why would you book this itinerary then? I love sea days & look forward to getting to Fanning Island, yet know due to circumstances our itinerary could change. It's OK, it's all good, we'll be in HAWAII! :D

[shay1]

Thank you all for your great positive comments on the Wind. It is about time some good comments are posted.

 

I totally agree it is up to you as the passenger to do your research, and if you know you do not like sea days then do not book this cruise!

 

I understand that yes things can change from circumstances that you have no control over, weather, mechanical problems and passenger illness, but that does not have to ruin your cruise.

 

Last October we were on a cruise and yes we were very disappointed that we did not get to one of our originial ports (the one we were the most excited about) but it did not stop us from having a good time.

 

We are really looking forward to our cruise on the Wind and experiencing the beautiful Hawaiian Islands!

[SueSea]

You also have to keep in mind that circumstances happen...passenger illnesses, weather disturbances and yes, mechanically difficulties. All of which can affect any ship regardless of age.

 

Agreed. But older ships are more prone to mechanical problems--the equipment just has more wear & tear. Mechanical problems do happen on newer ships (as with the Azipod & Mermaid propulsion systems), but occurrences are more prevalent on older ones. (Same concept with cars--when you buy a used car, you know it is more likely to break down than a new car would.) On my cruise, there was a problem with one of the ship's engines. There was also a problem making fresh water. Additionally, several tenders were pulled out of service and replaced with others due to problems with their engines. Could any of these things have happened on a newer ship? Sure. But it is far less likely that all of them would happen on a newer ship. Older stuff just breaks down more often.

 

Of course you can never be guaranteed that your itinerary will not changed. But if itinerary is important to you, you should realize that older ships have a greater risk. In addition to the things that can go wrong on any cruise are the additional things that could go wrong due to age/wear & tear on mechanical parts.

[newmexicoNita]

Agreed. But older ships are more prone to mechanical problems--the equipment just has more wear & tear. Mechanical problems do happen on newer ships (as with the Azipod & Mermaid propulsion systems), but occurrences are more prevalent on older ones. (Same concept with cars--when you buy a used car, you know it is more likely to break down than a new car would.) On my cruise, there was a problem with one of the ship's engines. There was also a problem making fresh water. Additionally, several tenders were pulled out of service and replaced with others due to problems with their engines. Could any of these things have happened on a newer ship? Sure. But it is far less likely that all of them would happen on a newer ship. Older stuff just breaks down more often.

 

Of course you can never be guaranteed that your itinerary will not changed. But if itinerary is important to you, you should realize that older ships have a greater risk. In addition to the things that can go wrong on any cruise are the additional things that could go wrong due to age/wear & tear on mechanical parts.

 

with your attitude about older things it would have have been wise for you to do your homework. If you had investigated, you would have known this is not the kind of ship for you. By the way, most of us who have sailed more than a few times know that itineraries change for many reasons. You have to roll with the punches. Some people are bothered by things that don't faze others. When the price is right compromises are often made. I would be upset if I paid Hilton or Ritz Carlton prices and got Holiday Inn quality, but if I paid Holiday Inn prices I wouldn't expect everything to be perfect. NMnita