NCL Star for RCCL Loyals

[AtlFolks]

We are RCCL loyalists (Emerald Level) entertaining trying out the Star from Tampa. Anyone sail both NCL and Royal care to offer some thoughts?

[romandog]

We sail both lines. Sailed the Star from NOLA. Older ship, but in nice shape. We love freestyle and had our 1st aft balcony on the Star. Love all the restaurant choices and food is subjective, but we find NCL food to be good to very good! Very friendly crew. Try it and see what you think.

[TonyFred]

The Star was my least favorite ship of the ones I have cruised on. But having said that it was still great! I sailed on her several years ago and thought she needed a makeover and really good clean up. That has probably happened since then. Of course opinions are just that...opinions. But I would take one cruise on the Allure in place of 2 on the Star. I am looking forward to the Getaway in October so there in nothing wrong with NCL. As many people have said, the major lines are more similar than different. RCCL felt a bit more classy and I love every one of their ships that I have been on.

[4774Papa]

Only thing that I really didn't like about the Star was that the buffet doesn't go all the way to the stern of the ship. There is not sunset cafe/bar there. Amazing, the fitness center is located there.

[Spaniel Lover]

I've been on the Norwegian Star and I've been on Allure Of The Seas and Independence Of The Seas.

 

The Norwegian Star is an older ship and doesn't have any of the newest stuff that you'll find on the latest generation of ships. I worry that it's not going to compare favorably to what you're used to with Royal Caribbean. I certainly have no plans to ever sail on the Norwegian Star again, after having been spoiled by far more advanced ships such as the Norwegian Getaway, Allure Of The Seas, Carnival Breeze, Independence Of The Seas, and even the Coral Princess. All of those offered a far better experience, with much more state-of-the-art features, than Norwegian Star.

 

If you want to experience the best that Norwegian Cruise Line has to offer, in order to give NCL a fair shot at impressing you, book a spa cabin on the Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Breakaway, or Norwegian Escape. For roughly the same price as a balcony cabin on a Royal Caribbean ship, a spa cabin on Getaway, Breakaway, or Escape will make you wish you had tried NCL a long time ago.

 

Here's a couple of photos of the Thermal Suite within the spa on Norwegian Getaway, and access to this area of the ship is free to anyone booked in a spa cabin. Royal Caribbean doesn't offer anything like this...

 

 

 

The other thing that Royal Caribbean cruisers should understand about NCL is that you'd have to be absolutely crazy to book a suite on a Royal Caribbean ship when, for about the same price, you could stay in The Haven on Norwegian Cruise Line.

 

Here's a shot of The Haven Courtyard on Norwegian Getaway. Royal Caribbean doesn't offer anything even close to this...

 

 

You'll have a nice cruise on Norwegian Star... after all, you'll be on vacation on a cruise ship, and that's always great no matter what ship it is... but don't expect the Norwegian Star to be the ship that makes you want to leave Royal Caribbean forever. You'd have to cruise on Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Breakaway, or Norwegian Escape for that.

[AtlFolks]

Very good feedback - thanks cruisers. Mr. Spaniel put it best, we are lucky to be able to cruise! Incidentally, my favorite ship has always been RCI Radiance, it's small and doesn't have all of the latest and greatest features, but it has a great feel and flow that call us to the sea. Oasis was an interesting cruise (been twice), but for a couple, I really enjoy something smaller with less people.

 

Since I have attracted quality cruisers for this discussion, let's go a step further and talk about cuisine. Royal does well in that area in the MDR and the buffet is average. How does NCL, or even Carnival compare for that matter?

 

Let's cruise!

[packercruising]

RCCL and NCL are our two favorite lines. Every thing Royal learned about being laid back, they learned from NCL. :) We have sailed the Radiance and its sister ship the Serenade and really liked them. We have sailed the Star twice and like that one as well. The only ship we didn't like is the Carnival Glory, and it has kept us from trying that line again. If you think you will like Free Style, you will like the Star. If you are particularly fond of formal nights, you might not. Give it a try!

[PATRLR]

Since I have attracted quality cruisers for this discussion, let's go a step further and talk about cuisine. Royal does well in that area in the MDR and the buffet is average. How does NCL, or even Carnival compare for that matter?

 

I just got off our first NCL Cruise (Dawn Boston-Bermuda). We have status on RCCL, but haven't been on them in about 4 years. We were on Carnival last year.

 

You asked about the MDR, so, I assume you typically eat in it. One thing freestyle does is eliminates the relationships you might build with other travelers (if you share a table with strangers) and with the wait staff. May mean nothing to you, but, as we got deeper into our cruise, we noticed it.

 

As for food quality, at the risk of getting flamed on the NCL board, I thought the MDR and buffet on the Dawn were the worst I've had at sea. Especially the buffet. In my opinion, the buffet barely meets the same quality as you would get at a Golden Corral, Grand Buffet, or Ponderosa on land. It really is that bad. In the MDR, we had only one meal that was decent (the Chateaubriand). The sauce on the Steak Diane reminded me of BBQ sauce! The Turkey dinner was moist, but bland. The strip steak was tough and tasteless, the stroganoff, well, I'm not sure how they could call it stroganoff, but whatever it was, it was awful. The quality of the MDR meals is about on par with low end national chain restaurants and to be honest I think if I received some of MDR meals in a chain restaurant I'd consider sending it back.

 

I know that all cruise lines food quality has gone down hill (Carnival and RCCL included), and I accept that. I had meals on Carnival and RCCL on my most recent cruises that disappointed me. But neither of those lines were as consistently bad as the Dawn. The good news is, NCL has a lot of premium options - you might find yourself using them.

 

That all being said, believe it or not, I will definitely go on NCL again, particularly out of Boston or NY because of the convenience for us. I don't cruise for 5 star dining (or even 4 or 3 star), so lousy meals are taken in stride.

[AtlFolks]

Royal's food has consistently (+/-) been better than average, and it still amazes me how these kitchens can crank out 2,000 plates of good food in a seating. For us, we don't want every meal to be 5-Star, but is must be better than good restaurants back home because it's really part of the experience IMO.

 

I am really interested in exploring NCL, along with Carnival just to see what the others have to offer as far as experience. We live in Georgia, so for us it's Tampa, Port Canaveral, FLL, or New Orleans.

 

Along with cuisine, nighttime entertainment is something to consider. What happens after dinner on NCL?

[graphicguy]

Have sailed both lines, but not the Star. Not sure what Emerald means. In general, the later ships from both lines are impressive. Free dining on both are similar.

 

I'll give a slight nod to RCCL's specialty dining veniues. But, I really like Giovanni's Table on RCCL better than LaCuccina on NCL. Specialty dining on the rest are about the same. Freestyle on RCCL is a step ahead of RCCL's Anytime.

 

Service on both is great. Entertainment on the mega NCL Ships is better on NCL than RCCL.

 

But, if you really want to move your cruise experience up a huge step, book a Suite in NCL's Haven. It's a great experiencw at about the price of RCCL's mini-suite prices.

 

Caveat....I don't think the Star has a Haven area, but does have full suites.

[JayinAZ]

A few have said that NCLs Haven suites are comparable in price to Royal suites, but I have found the opposite. Maybe it's just the timing of my cruises but I have found NCL to be pretty proud of what they offer.

In my one time in the Haven on Epic, I found it nice, but we were separated from the action. The main pools were so tiny on Epic that it was good to have another option, and I really liked the private sauna and steam room. I do like Royal's suite/concierge better I think with cocktails in the concierge lounge at night included as well as on the bigger ships a reserved area to sit at the main pools.

Each line has their pros and cons and so much is subjective.

That said, I'm really looking forward to the Getaway in 35 days.

 

There was a very large difference in price on Getaway between staterooms. Our mini suite for 3 guests was $2300 with drink package included. The cheapest Haven suite was the H5 (only 325 sf) for $5600 but also included drink and specialty dining package and gratuities for 2 and $300 obc.

The Haven and perks was not worth the $3300 upcharge for me.

 

Bye, bye.

[SwissLe]

I like to cruise on different lines, enjoying the small differences between lines. I like big and small ships, I enjoy the variety. I have D+ status on the line you wish to switch from but had a disastrous cruise in January with them - I won't go into specifics. I have yet to find a line that can match the wow factor of RCI and I think that will continue for some time.

 

I have recently returned to NCL after a break of around 5yrs and found the product both hard and soft much improved since my last cruise. I know some may disagree but the things that matter to me are still there - great staff, great food and clean ships.

 

When it comes to specialties the food in La Bistro in NCL is better than anything RCI offer, the steakhouse meat I Cagney's is better but the red velvet cake on RCI is bloody incredible. La Cucina needs to up its game to be as good as Giovani's table and is probably on the same pegging as Portofino's was.

[coffeebean]

NCL Star introduced my husband and me to cruising in 2001. Since then we are one cruise away from Diamond Plus on RCCL and are currently Platinum level on NCL which is their highest level.

 

NCL is the innovator of Freestyle dining and all mass market cruise lines have followed suit one way or another to mimic what is so popular and successful on NCL. None really are quite on the same level as Freestyle dining, however.

 

Hubby is yearning to cruise again on NCL Star simply for nostalgia sake and I, personally, much prefer the newer larger, more modern ships. Star simply can not compete with the newer ships. Having said that, I have cruised on the Radiance class ships and loved them.....Serenade when it was brand spanking new, actually. Now that I look back at that cruise experience.... I prefer the larger ships.

 

As someone said upthread, you really need to book NCL's Breakaway, Getaway or the newest ship, Escape to make a fair comparison to RCCL's newer larger ships. Actually, NCL Epic is a newer ship and has many of the ammenities of the modern ships. Epic is NCL's first mega ship. Anyone one of those NCL ships mentioned would be a great experience.

 

As for cuisine.....we usually dine in NCL's specialty restaurants. With our Platinum benefits, we are each entitled to a free meal with a bottle of wine in Le Bistro, NCL's French restaurant which is excellent. NCL's buffet is one of the best at sea we have found. No complaints from us at all with the buffet. Lots of fresh food and awesome breads on every buffet not to mention several flavors of hard ice cream......not that soft serve yogurt you will find on other lines.

 

Yes, I'm an NCL cheerleader but we also love RCCL. We are loyal to Royal and NCL.

Edited September 5, 2015 by coffeebean

[packercruising]

 

You asked about the MDR, so, I assume you typically eat in it. One thing freestyle does is eliminates the relationships you might build with other travelers (if you share a table with strangers) and with the wait staff. May mean nothing to you, but, as we got deeper into our cruise, we noticed it.

 

 

I don't agree with this. Whether it is Freestyle or My Time Dining, We ask for the same table each night, unless there is a reason not too. What we have found is that people that like this option, dine at the same time, or close to it, and at the same table. So we have had some excellent conversations with people that weren't necessarily at our table. :)

[Jay Sam]

We are RCCL loyalists (Emerald Level) entertaining trying out the Star from Tampa. Anyone sail both NCL and Royal care to offer some thoughts?

 

I like both lines, along with Carnival. I have taken Star from Tampa on a cruise to nowhere 3 years ago. That was my only complaint, 2 days and back to port. Don't think I will do the CTN again.

 

Royal offers a more polished service, but not that different to be concerned about. Try to get a balcony if you can. We had an ocean view and it wasn't roomy enough for us.

 

I like the port of Tampa as it is close to my home. The check in process was easy. Also if you are going to drive in and need a place to park, check out The Parking Doctors. I paid about 8.00 per day. They have a fenced in lot with transfers to and from the port. Here is their site. Great photo of the port area on the home page. Happy sailing. Jeff

 

http://www.theparkingdoctors.com/

[pspercy]

I don't agree with this. Whether it is Freestyle or My Time Dining, We ask for the same table each night, unless there is a reason not too. What we have found is that people that like this option, dine at the same time, or close to it, and at the same table. So we have had some excellent conversations with people that weren't necessarily at our table. :)

 

Exactly:)

 

We turned (RCL) Diamond (80+) on our last cruise but our next is as first-timers on NCL(Jade):D

So I hope Jade doesn't disappoint, sorta doubt it, seems to get good reviews, we"ll see . . .

Edited September 6, 2015 by pspercy

[PATRLR]

I don't agree with this. Whether it is Freestyle or My Time Dining, We ask for the same table each night, unless there is a reason not too. What we have found is that people that like this option, dine at the same time, or close to it, and at the same table. So we have had some excellent conversations with people that weren't necessarily at our table. :)

I guess I didn't realize you could ask for the same table each night. So if the traditional "assigned table/assigned time" format is what you like, then you can do that on NCL too. Fantastic. But, "same table/ same time isn't really "freestyle", is it? My comment was directed towards the freestyle format of different times, different tables, different venues that I considered to be the more typical way NCL cruisers "freestyle". I apologize for not being more clear.

[AtlFolks]

Exactly:)

 

We turned (RCL) Diamond (80+) on our last cruise but our next is as first-timers on NCL(Jade):D

So I hope Jade doesn't disappoint, sorta doubt it, seems to get good reviews, we"ll see . . .

 

 

It would be great if you would be willing to post your experience and comparisons to this thread after your trip on Jade. Have a great time!

[Spaniel Lover]

A few have said that NCLs Haven suites are comparable in price to Royal suites, but I have found the opposite.

 

The problem is that NCL has moved to this promotion of packaging their unlimited beverage package, specialty dining package, free wifi, and shore excursion credits with every Haven cabin. This has hugely jacked up the base price... because, of course, none of those things are "free".

 

I cruised in The Haven for a total of $3000 last year and when I return next year the same basic room will be costing me $5000 because of all the "free" stuff they're throwing in.

 

My point is that it's a little trickier to compare the price of Royal Caribbean suites to the price of staying in The Haven these days... because of all the stuff that is built in to the base price of your Norwegian cruise now.

 

For example, if you cruised in a suite on Royal Caribbean, at the end of the cruise you have all sorts of additional expenses such as your bar tab, the cost of all the shore excursions, the cost of any specialty restaurants you ate at, and the cost of Wi-Fi, if you purchase it. All that comes at the end of your Royal Caribbean cruise and is not reflected in the base price. All of that is priced in to the base price of your Norwegian cruise and you don't get hit with that big "gotcha" at the end. So, you do have to be careful to factor that all in when comparing the cost of a Royal Caribbean suite to the cost of staying in The Haven.

 

For me, the perks of staying in The Haven on NCL blow away the benefits of staying in a suite on Royal Caribbean. Just the simple fact that The Haven has its own quiet, uncrowded courtyard area with a swimming pool, Jacuzzis, and daybeds... and no such quiet outdoor area exists on Royal Caribbean ships... that's enough to keep me coming back to The Haven. Big cruise ships with thousands of passengers can be crowded and noisy... especially the swimming pools and Jacuzzis. The quiet uncrowded comfort of The Haven courtyard is worth all the money to me.

[packercruising]

I guess I didn't realize you could ask for the same table each night. So if the traditional "assigned table/assigned time" format is what you like, then you can do that on NCL too. Fantastic. But, "same table/ same time isn't really "freestyle", is it? My comment was directed towards the freestyle format of different times, different tables, different venues that I considered to be the more typical way NCL cruisers "freestyle". I apologize for not being more clear.

 

I see your point, but we like the fact that if we like our waiter, we can continue to ask for him/her. Thar is what Freestyle is all about. With assigned seating, if we get a bad waiter, and we have a couple times, we were stuck with him. The same with the guests. Who wants to get stuck at a table where there is a couple that do not want to be sociable?

 

Everyone has their own opinions for what they like best, and all of them are perfectly fine.

[AtlFolks]

The main takeaway I'm getting is that the lines have more similarities than differences, yet the subtle differences are enough to make cruising from line to line interesting.

 

For us, being a mid-tier loyalist (Emerald) on Royal really does not net us any real benefit, so loyalty really doesn't seem to pay anyway.

 

The theme on dinner seems to be Freestyle dining versus traditional MDR kind of sets the tenor for the cruise. On Royal, I've seen folks who skip the MDR altogether for the buffet each night, doesn't get any more freestyle than that. MDR can be successful or a disaster depending on who's at your table.

[packercruising]

The other thing is, if you like dressing up for dinner, you might be disappointed in NCL. If you like dress casual, you will probably like NCL.

[cheggy]

The other thing is, if you like dressing up for dinner, you might be disappointed in NCL. If you like dress casual, you will probably like NCL.

 

It's been 4 years since we sailed NCL but they had " Dress up or not " nights. So you have that option but most don't bother.

[packercruising]

I look at it as an opportunity to leave the suit and tie at home. :)