Any HAL cruisers defected to NCL?

[SuiteTraveler]

I've been on both. HAL - we were in a suite and had a beautiful bathroom and double balcony. Food was forgettable and entertainment sorely lacking. NCL - we were in a suite and had an amazing bathroom and suite but then we also had the Epic Club for breakfast and lunch and ate in very good specialty restaurants every night and enjoyed the Cirque du Soliel show and so much more. Well, the Epic is sort of like Las Vegas on a smaller scale. The experience was significantly better overall - more interesting and better food and overall just a more enjoyable and relaxing vacation - did I mention we were in an AWESOME spa suite? Yes, the spa on Epic is wonderful. What a great place for chilling out and relaxing.

[Cruiser Bruiser]

Thanks for all the information, so far I haven't read anything that puts me off. I'm around 40, so the younger demographic is fine by me.

 

How is the embarkation/ disembarkation on such a large ship, will we have to wait for hours?

 

Also how is the Garden Café for lunch, crazy busy?

 

Hey, Deb! I just sailed Epic in December and I loved it. Ironically, I will be on Maasdam with my niece in June because she wanted to see New England and Canada. I warned her she will be the youngest person on the ship and I will be the second youngest. She's 17 and I'm 47. :-P But we plan on having a lot of fun on HAL.

 

On embarkation day on Epic, have lunch at Taste, one of the MDRs. It's much more pleasant than dealing with the buffet. Also, Epic, like most Norwegian ships, has lots of poolside grills. There's one just outside the Garden Cafe by the main pool. Spice H2O also has it's own grill with burgers, chicken, and a different Asian dish every day. And as mentioned above, O'Sheehan's is good for lunch, too.

[debsjc]

KateQ22003 - I'm hoping in November most of the kiddies will be in school!

 

newmexicoNita - We had always had good food in the MDR on HAL, then cruise before last it was just OK, but on the Noordam last month the MDR was awful (especially the service)

I do like the library on HAL, but I never spent any time there, just wandered through sometimes :)

 

punkincc - Thanks for all the information. I had heard about La Cucina, but it's nice to be reminded. I'll need to get use to picking up what I want in 1 trip. Usually I get one small, thing, then keep popping back to the buffet!

[debsjc]

TexasMoogy - We have cruised in suites on HAL twice, and they are lovely as is the Neptune lounge, but then you still have to eat in the MDR! The NCL suites are a bit out of our price range, at least whilst we are having 2-3 vacations a year :D

 

SuiteTraveler - I do like Las Vegas, so fingers crossed I like the Epic too.

The Haven suites look amazing. If we like the ship, we might have to save up and try one at some time.

 

Cruiser Bruiser - I've done that New England routing on HAL, and it is fantastic - not sure if yours is the same, but we did Quebec City to New York. I think you will love the ports.

Thanks for info on the Epic dining

[KSH11]

We have done HAL 2 X (both to Alaska) and NCL 2 X (Jade in the Med and Getaway last month).

 

I seem to be the dissenter here, but we actually prefer HAL. We are a mid 40s couple, but don't party at night, so maybe that is the issue.

 

On HAL we experience friendly, happy staff as a rule. Staff were happy to chat, wanted to talk about their home countries, interacted where we went.

 

The food was really good, though I do admit I have allergies, so I eat a more limited diet than 95% of people. On HAL they worked with me, were willing to find ingredients, and even make food if I gave them notice.

 

The cabin (OV and Verandah) were both very well laid out, very spacious. They also have a bath tub, which is critical for me.

 

We went to hear some lounge singers several times, but we do not go to discos or late night DJs, so no clue on that aspect.

 

Our Med Cruise on the Jade was good, a nice variety of music, food was passable. We enjoyed it enough we bought a future cruise certificate.

 

Our Getaway cruise was good, any cruise is good, to be honest.

 

The staff seemed unhappy, overworked and not the happy, happy staff we experienced on the Jade.

 

When I had someone in the Garden Cafe go out of their way to bring me dessert, I actually commented on it to her, took down her name and made sure she was mentioned on a comment card.

 

Whenever I tried to information on food allergies, it was a lot of I don't know. I talked to several chefs, and over and over I was told, I cannot be sure if there are xyz ingredients in that, better not eat it.

 

There was a lot of announcements on spa sales, art sales, bingo sales, etc. It got a bit tiresome.

 

We really, really missed having a Promenade deck. The Waterfront doesn't allow you to get a proper walk in, since you are dodging the glass barriers, the chairs, and it doesn't go fully around.

 

The smoke smell from the Casino does permeate a good deal that center section of the ship.

 

Our Large Balcony mini suite didn't have a bathtub, my error, since I thought mini suites had them. I made it work for our 7 nights, but won't make that mistake again.

 

The ship was very large, which was fine as far as the walking went (we were really forward), but most of the time it felt impersonal.

 

Will we cruise NCL again, yes, but on a smaller ship. I am thinking maybe we are just not 4000 passenger ship people.

 

I know many will disagree, but thought I would give my views.

[debsjc]

Thanks KSH11 -It's good to hear the other side too.

 

I have always thought I don't know if I would like a ship with 4000 people, but I think we have to just try it and see... like you say, no cruise is a bad cruise.

They will probably be good and bad things about NCL. the same as there is with HAL :)