Norwegian (NCL) vs. Royal Caribbean (RCI)

[Tristar Cruiser]

Hi Everyone,

 

I would like some opinions regarding which cruise line is better? I have long debated this topic with my girlfriend and she swears up and down that Royal Caribbean beats Norwegian hands down...

 

To partially settle the discussion we are sailing on the NCL EPIC in January followed by a cruise on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas the week after.... But I am looking forward to the opinions of fellow cruisers ... regarding your experience on the NCL vs. RCI

 

Thank You!

 

:confused:

[njhorseman]

There's no such thing as "better" in absolute terms. "Better" is a matter of what is most pleasing to any individual's personal taste and expectations. What is better for me may not be for you.

 

By the way, we cruise on both Royal Caribbean and NCL, as well as several other cruise lines.

[GORDONCHICK]

Depends on what's important to you. We've enjoyed the relaxed atmostphere on NCL and liked being able to eat when & where we wanted. And formal being 100% optional was also a plus. Our 1st RCCL cruise (RCI is the parent company of RCCL, Celebrity & Azamara) is coming up in 2 months so we'll see.

 

Just wondering - has your friend ever sailed NCL (and it should be within the past 3-5 years for it to be particularly relevant)? Most people I've been around that talk down another line have either never even been on it or if they have been it wasn't within the past decade.

 

I will say, from pictures from a friend who only sails RCCL also, their ships seem to be glitzier than the NCL ones I've been on. Personally, that doesn't make or break my cruise but if you enjoy a "wow-factor", it might add to it a little.

[Starry Eyes]

I like both lines. there are more similarities than differences, but I enjoy the different styles. Epic is different from other NCL ships. she has wonderful entertainment and a a fun crew. loads of dining options. the cabin design is, well different, but couples usually manage.

 

the Freedom class of RCCL ships are terrific...I didn't really love RCCL until I boarded Independence of the Seas. Great layout. You will find lots to do on LOS

 

 

It will be interesting to see which you like better. You may find you like many things about each ship. Will you like Flowrider better than the Epic's plunge? I dunno. Will you like the ice show better than the Cirque or the jazz club? beats me . Which menus will appeal more? hard to guess. I hope you love them both...I do.

[Cruzaholic41]

Truthfully, you really cannot accurately judge which cruise line is better based on 1 cruise on each line.

 

Keep this in mind. With NCL, you are cruising on the best they have to offer. However, it is one ship and the rest of their entire fleet is very different from that one ship.

 

With RCI, you are cruising on what used to be their flag ship class. It has since been replaced by a larger class. However, like NCL, RCI still has many ship classes that are very different from one another.

 

To accurately judge, you would have to sail NCL's, for example, Sky, Dawn, Jewel, and Epic. Then, you would have to sail, for example, RCI's Majesty, Radiance, Freedom, and Oasis. Only then would you really be able to judge.

 

For now, all you will be able to judge is what's better in your opinion - the Epic or Liberty.

[Dayenu]

We thought NCL was a step up from RCI, but we didn't travel on those new huge ships.

[Aquahound]

To partially settle the discussion we are sailing on the NCL EPIC in January followed by a cruise on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas the week after.... But I am looking forward to the opinions of fellow cruisers ... regarding your experience on the NCL vs. RCI

 

After a 10 year break from NCL following a terrible cruise, I finally tried them again. I was very happy with certain aspects, but it still just doesn't measure up to RCI. RCI's ships are so much nicer and are much better maintained. RCI's private islands (Coco Cay and Labadee) blow away NCL's Great Stirrup Cay.

[jdvmd]

We enjoy NCL much more than RCCL and we are Diamond on Royal. Enjoyed our time on the Oasis but went on the Epic a few months later and liked the Epic a great deal more.

 

We can't stand Royal's policy on not bringing any wine onboard versus NCL's unlimited policy provided you pay the $15 corkage fee.

[trish1c]

We love freestyle & the lower price points of NCL.

They are both good. It's a matter of what you like better.

[CruiserChloe]

I think this whole Freestyle thing is overrated. People say they love it, but I found it really only applies to dinner times, and frankly, I found MTD works better on RCI than Freestyle on NCL.

 

I did enjoy the Epic, but despised my Sky cruise. RCI, on the other hand, has been consistently excellent. I would cruise RCI any day over NCL. The service is better, food is better, and most importantly, the ships are a lot better.

[Tristar Cruiser]

Thanks to everyone for the excellent feedback.... I will be sure to share our experience upon on return from both NCL and RCCL!

[jbsuzi]

Thanks to everyone for the excellent feedback.... I will be sure to share our experience upon on return from both NCL and RCCL!

 

I know that this is several years old Tristar Cruiser, but what was your verdict?

[SuiteTraveler]

If you consider RCCL compared to NCL in terms of how suite guests are treated and even the quality of the suite accommodations, NCL's Jewel Class and newer ships beat RCCL hands down. If you were to go on the Epic in The Haven Spa Cabin or above, I think you would be wowed. On RCCL the suites just seem more like they are just larger rooms but suite guests don't receive the special treatment they receive on NCL.

 

If you compare spas, NCL's spas on the newer ships, Epic and newer, far surpass RCCL's spas.

NCL has:

water circuit

hot tub

several dry saunas

sanarium

salt room (Getaway and Breakaway)

steam room

heated tile loungers

and the newest ships have a snow room

 

RCCL has:

dry sauna

steam room

heated tile loungers

 

 

If you compare physical activities,

RCCL has:

zipline

flowriders

ice skating

rock climbing

 

NCL has:

Major water park slides - as many as 5 on a ship

rock climbing

ropes course

bowling

 

If you compare Main Pool areas, RCCL wins for having not only a main pool, but the all adult Solarium area. NCL's newest ships main pools are usually overcrowded.

 

If you compare buffets, NCL's buffets win hands down for variety and quality.

 

If you compare specialty restaurants,

 

RCCL wins for

Izumi (Japanese)

150 Central Park (Tasting Room)

Giovanni's Table (Italian)

 

NCL wins for

Le Bistro (French)

Cagney's (Steakhouse)

Moderno (Brazilian churrascaria)

O'Sheehan's (pub food)

 

To me, RCCL's ships are divided up into neighborhoods like an amusement park with the carousel and bumper cars to emphasize that. They put on large scale Acrobatic type shows such as diving shows, acrobat shows in the main theater, they also do a broadway show, comedy club. So the overall feel to me is more like an amusement park.

 

NCL's newest ships are more like being at a new Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. The Casino is at the heart of the ship with the restaurants and lounges in areas nearby. There is the fabulous spa, the pool, the stuff for kids to do, and then the high roller suites in The Haven.

 

I think that both cruise lines are good and for very different reasons and would enjoy a cruise on either cruise line equally and again, for different reasons. I'm not a loyalist who thinks only one cruise line is good and all others are bad. To some extent RCCL and NCL are more similar than different. I enjoy both cruise lines and have sailed on both recently (RCCL last November, NCL in May). I also sailed on Carnival earlier this month (spa balcony) and will be on Carnival Breeze (midship balcony) this October. I enjoy Carnival as a less expensive cruise with good food, lots of things to do and most of all a relaxing trip. But I've also sailed on HAL, Celebrity, Uniworld and Princess. In fact, I probably would not hesitate to sail on any cruise line that has fairly new ships. I'm more particular about being on a ship that is under 10 years old than anything else.

[Grandma Dazzles]

We enjoy NCL much more than RCCL and we are Diamond on Royal. Enjoyed our time on the Oasis but went on the Epic a few months later and liked the Epic a great deal more.

 

We can't stand Royal's policy on not bringing any wine onboard versus NCL's unlimited policy provided you pay the $15 corkage fee.

 

 

RC allows you to bring two bottles of wine on board at embarkation. RC does not charge a corkage fee.

[Sandy Sails]

Yes, but when this post first appeared in 2012, they did not allow you to bring wine onboard. Things have changed in the last couple years so most of these comments are out of date.