Thinking of cheating on NCL

[cruisejunkie76]

isn't NCL also going out of New Orleans?

Is that your only reason to change the cruise line?

[luvtheships]

The majority of our cruises have been on Ncl but that is because the cruises we chose fit our needs price itin and date and embark port wise.

 

I'm happy to report for our big 2012 Med cruise that we chose ruby princess and while we paid approx $3000 more in total for the 6 of us we enjoyed the ship tremendously. Of course the entertainment was inferior to Ncl but the service impeccable

 

The movies under the stars with blankets and personalized service was perfect

 

The alternate was the Ncl spirit but the new mega ruby was the right choice

 

Again it's all about a combo of price (not always looking for cheapest but do prefer cheapest lol) itin dates and embark port.

Edited May 30, 2016 by luvtheships

[Aquahound]

My family has cruised exclusively on NCL for 5 cruises now. We love the freestyle idea and have been mostly satisfied but I am thinking of trying something new new next go round. We are not big drinkers and prefer things casual. Carnival out of New Orleans is a convenient possibility. Any suggestions or should we stay with NCL?

 

Is it because you want to sail out of NOLA specifically? If that's the case, the Carnival option looks a lot better than the NCL option. The Dawn is a ship I never want to set foot upon again.

[spanishguy1970]

I am like you. We have only done NCL however i am thinking of changing soon either doing Celebrity or Royal Caribbean, not because i dislike NCL although i think their prices have gone way up but because Celebrity and Royal have some itineraries i am thinking of doing.:D

[graphicguy]

Don't quite understand the "cheating" reference. But, I like variety, even though I've been sailing more on NCL and RCCL lately. That's more a function of the itinerary and the "want" of being on newer ships more than anything else.

 

I haven't cruised out of NOLA for a while. But, you're kind of limited and if I remember correctly, Carnival offers quite a few selections from there.

 

Been on HAL, CCL, RCCL, Celebrity, NCL....right now, NCL offers more of what I like (going on Getaway in July).

 

None of these are bad. They all offer something slightly different than the other. I love NCL for Freestyle, Service, Entertainment and Food. RCCL would be right there with them.

 

I don't think Carnival or Celebrity are a step down....just a little more

different. Carnival is a party. I think everyone knows that. Not bad, just a constant party. Their entertainment leans towards being simpler than RCCL and NCL, but they have more smaller shows.

 

Celebrity (Solstice), although I didn't have a bad time, I didn't find the "upscale" I was expecting. If anything, it was a little less than what I was expecting, plus they seemed to be a "bit off the game" on my cruise with them. Different ship at a different time? Probably different results.

 

HAL is an older, "go to bed at 11:00 p.m." type of crowd. Nothing wrong with that. Just not my thing. That said, my sisters and I will be sailing HAL for their Mediterranean itinerary in September. Looking forward to that.

 

In short, sail the ships that offer you something out of NOLA, given it's your home port. Knowing that's probably going to be Carnival, enjoy it and have a good time.

 

No "cheating" is involved here.

[cruisetimeforme]

I've sailed many cruise lines over the past 20 years, mostly Celebrity for the past 5 due to being Elite status with them. Decided to take a break from them to try Getaway last Sept and really enjoyed, enough to book Escape and another Getaway coming up. Went back to Reflection this past Jan, and was so bored with the same ole stuff, nothing to do. Don't kid yourself about the dress code, most everyone still dresses up way more than anything I've seen on NCL. It's good to switch things up once in a while, its your $$ after all.

[Barb Nahoumi]

It's definitely not cheating to try something different. On land we tend to try various restaurants or hotels, depending what we feel like doing.

 

As much as we like NCL, we have cruised on other lines if they offered an interesting itinerary at a good price.

[AdoraBelle]

I have no brand loyalty--this is business, and they DON'T love you back. My first cruise was on NCL GA (loved it), second on DCL (concierge level was fabulous but it was harder to escape the kiddies than I expected) and then Celebrity Eclipse. Celebrity was shockingly blah. It makes me laugh when I still see posts about how much better their food is than other mass market lines. (Example: embarkation day lunch, roast beef that I couldn't saw through with a knife.) Entertainment was ... often embarrassing. Other pax were of the "scream at the staff" variety. Baristas were snooty. (My room steward was great, though.) My favorite part was the Solarium. Every ship should have something like this (JMO).

 

So I'm going back to the GA next.

 

But, having said all this, I know there are people who will read my post and think I'm crazy. But you only find out by trying other lines.

[travelnap]

It's definitely not cheating to try something different. On land we tend to try various restaurants or hotels, depending what we feel like doing.

 

As much as we like NCL, we have cruised on other lines if they offered an interesting itinerary at a good price.

 

Totally agree with this post. I sail more for the itinerary than I do the ship, and have never had a bad cruise. Yes, some were better than others, but all were enjoyable. I have sailed with NCL, Carnival, RCI, Princess, Celebrity, and HAL, and to be honest have not seen all that much difference in any of them to make a big difference.

 

We all have things we like and dislike so unfortunately there is no one cruise line that is perfect for everyone. That's why we need to try different ones to see what is out there. To some, the ship is the destination, to others it is the itinerary, to others the entertainment or fine dining is a must. Fortunately we are all different so we can all enjoy different things, so although a line may not be your line of choice, there are other people who love it.

 

So who is right and who is wrong? No One. They are just different, so to all the negative people, just chill out, and enjoy the journey.

Edited May 30, 2016 by travelnap

[spanishguy1970]

I have no brand loyalty--this is business, and they DON'T love you back. My first cruise was on NCL GA (loved it), second on DCL (concierge level was fabulous but it was harder to escape the kiddies than I expected) and then Celebrity Eclipse. Celebrity was shockingly blah. It makes me laugh when I still see posts about how much better their food is than other mass market lines. (Example: embarkation day lunch, roast beef that I couldn't saw through with a knife.) Entertainment was ... often embarrassing. Other pax were of the "scream at the staff" variety. Baristas were snooty. (My room steward was great, though.) My favorite part was the Solarium. Every ship should have something like this (JMO).

 

So I'm going back to the GA next.

 

Someone said to me she is not loyal to cruise lines because at the end of the day they wont be loyal to you. She also says that is been her experience when you are loyal they wont try as hard to get or keep your business because they know you will choose them anyways. Is all about business, choose the ship you want, itinerary you may want to do no matter what cruise line it is. I have to admit i read reviews of cruise lines i don't think i will ever go on a Carnival ship other than that is fair game.

Edited May 30, 2016 by qtaromar1970

[navybankerteacher]

Trying other lines can hardly be called "cheating" - unless one happens to be a rabid fan. I prefer Cunard, Celebrity and HAL, but every few years will give NCL another try - sadly, each time I do they leave me less impressed.

[Winnigirl]

I've never really understood the "cheating" concept. Why is it cheating to take the cruise that's right for you? It sure hasn't kept me awake at night. However, if you're going to cheat, I wouldn't be asking Carnival to the prom. It is the one cruise line that we will not give a second chance. Once was enough.

[Seafan22]

I also have been with NCL for years and will be going again this year. But as you, some things have caused my eye to wander, and I am seeing a Celebrity next Spring.

[candigirl41]

I have been on 15 Carnival Cruises, 3 Royal and 3 Princess. I would recommend them all. A lot of people don't like Carnival but I have had some of the best service on Carnival. It really depends on what you expect. I am really easy going and could cruise any line and be happy. If I am on a cruise ship I am happy.

 

Candi

[DeeT]

We have enjoyed all three of our Carnival cruises. Go sleep around and have fun!!! (Always use protection though - LOL)

[ECCruise]

I am looking to try Celebrity in 2017 for the first time. I am really nervous about their dress code. DH always wear cargo shorts. He didn't bring any pants or jeans to our Alaska cruise. Not sure how he will feel about their chic nights and smart casual.

 

Shorts are OK in the buffet on Celebrity but will not fly in the dining room. Chic is just a word and most people just dress up casual a bit, but he will need to wear long trousers.

 

Having sailed Celebrity 25+ times and NCL 10+ times, the differences, which used to be stark, are fading fast. Having done long cruises on both in the last 90 days, I definitely would no longer put Celebrity much above NCL, if at all.

[zqvol]

My family has cruised exclusively on NCL for 5 cruises now. We love the freestyle idea and have been mostly satisfied but I am thinking of trying something new new next go round. We are not big drinkers and prefer things casual. Carnival out of New Orleans is a convenient possibility. Any suggestions or should we stay with NCL?

 

There is not a lot of difference between any of the mass market lines. The two things that you will notice about Carnival is that their suites are not at all like on NCL, but their regular cabins are probably 25% bigger.

 

I have done both many times and you won't go wrong either way.

[SheehanDJ]

Understand completely what you mean by "cheating". We used to be hard core Loyal to Royal until the Empress fiasco where we were left with 10 days to replace a cruise vacation.

 

Getaway had available cabins and the price was comparable. It's a cruise, we've never had a bad one, this will just be different.

 

What we found was, there were things we wish RCCL would steal from NCL (ie the H2O and waterfront areas) and things we wished NCL would steal from RCCL (ie set dining and a better pool area).

 

The main difference was our excitement level on getting on the NCL Getaway. We are "old salts" when it comes to RCCL and their ships. In example Freedom was new to us but it is still just a stretched and widened Voyager class so we knew our way around immediately. Even ship classes that aren't similar we still know how RCCL does things. Some individual feature may be new and never seen before, but over all it is still RCCL. We didn't have that on our NCL cruise, all the features and how NCL does things was new. Some we liked, others we didn't, but none of this took away from our cruise.

 

We are always excited to go on a cruise, but switching to NCL brought back some additional excitement we haven't experience since our first cruise. We will still sail with RCCL (leaving again in October), will eventually make our way back to NCL, but now our top priority is trying out as many cruise lines as we can, looking like Princess next year for a west coast cruise.

 

The perks of being loyal are nice, but in all honesty we didn't miss them at all.

[mjnelson]

We have never had any problems with Carnival.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[cincicruisers]

We have only sailed with RCCL but are going to try NCL Escape for our next cruise. There is nothing wrong with RC but two things made me look around at other cruise lines.

 

#1. My husband and Son drink on the cruise. The price for drinks has gone thru the roof. Around 450 for the week. If you order without a drink package your paying $10-$15 each.

 

#2. We are Diamond members. We were getting $225 off a balcony room. The have changed and said you can't use your Diamond discount with any sales. I essence you are paying the same as new cruisers.

 

These two things made me look around. There is nothing wrong with RC, but I am looking forward to something new. The only thing I am nervous about is the size of Escape. We prefer mid size ships. Booked Escape because of ports and price.

[SuiteTraveler]

To me, changing cruise lines is like changing hotels - no big deal.

 

HAL - more sedate and quiet with great cabins. Love that the entry level suites have a separate tub and shower. Food is bland, entertainment is so-so. Not so many amenities as other ships.

 

NCL - lots to do, lots of restaurants, no traditional cruise dining or dressing up - a huge bonus for some. Best spa thermal suite at sea.

 

Carnival - nice spa thermal suite, not at nice as NCL, but nice enough. Plenty to do. MDR food is hit or miss (however the Appetizers and soups tend to be the best of what is offered) but Chef's table is one of the best at sea and the steakhouse is great!

 

Princess - more sedate and low key, shows are mediocre, but overall a nice relaxing cruise.

 

MSC - the Yacht Club is all-inclusive! Live music everywhere. This is probably the nicest suite experience I've ever had as far as amenities go. Even better than NCL. Entertainment was fantastic! Loved the Neapolitan cuisine!

 

Celebrity - ships are rather blah with sedate colors. Nice cruise, but overly sedate. I found myself spending most days at sea reading in the tea shop and most nights reading in bed for lack of things of interest to do. Food in MDR at dinner is better than on other ships - or was last time I was onboard in 2013 - not sure now. Entertainment very lacking.

 

RCCL - lots of activities, nice suites in terms of space, but lacking amenities and level of service found on NCL and MSC. On Oasis class ships, spectacular entertainment. Very good specialty restaurants.

 

Uniworld - small, boutique, all-inclusive great food that fits where you are cruising. Cabins are small, of course - it's a river ship. Overall a very, very nice experience that felt more culturally immersive than an ocean going cruise liner.

[Sissaaaaaa]

My family has cruised exclusively on NCL for 5 cruises now. We love the freestyle idea and have been mostly satisfied but I am thinking of trying something new new next go round. We are not big drinkers and prefer things casual. Carnival out of New Orleans is a convenient possibility. Any suggestions or should we stay with NCL?

 

Stay far away from Carnival. Seriously! That is not the better option ...

[Freespir8]

Princess - more sedate and low key, shows are mediocre, but overall a nice relaxing cruise.

 

MSC - the Yacht Club is all-inclusive! Live music everywhere. This is probably the nicest suite experience I've ever had as far as amenities go. Even better than NCL. Entertainment was fantastic! Loved the Neapolitan cuisine!

 

Thank you for your thoughts on this. We are trying these lines next year for the first time. For many of the reasons others have posted, we are looking outside of NCL for the first time. We are pretty low key and aren't much for the party scene but enjoy being pampered. We have a Princess land cruise planned for Alaska that was significantly cheaper than NCL's comparable itinerary. We also have the Yacht Club on MSC because we had heard such great things about it. The price was just too good to pass up. We are looking forward to the change and trying something new.

[VideoTech]

Stay far away from Carnival. Seriously! That is not the better option ...

 

After being long time NCL loyalists (primarily because of CAS and the NCL Suite life), we had an argument with NCL and separated. We took a Celebrity cruise and found that the grass was not greener on the other side of the fence.

 

First of all, I agree with an earlier poster who said that all major cruise lines deliver essentially the same experience. I think this is true, but I also think that each cruise line does one or two different things better than the others.

 

In the case of Celebrity, that would be the food. Far better than NCL, which has really suffered in the past few years in this area. However, the Suite life on Celebrity is no where near as good as NCL, and the casino itself (and casino benefits) are terrible. In fact, there really are no casino benefits on Celebrity.

 

We have been on Carnival and would not go back. The "party animal" vibe of most cruises on Carnival is not for us. We have been on RCCI and enjoyed the cruise, but again, the suite life did not meet up to NCL and we prefer smaller ships anyway.

 

So we've made up with NCL, and we're getting back together at the end of June. We're a little nervous, though: While we were split up, NCL has had a make over and we're concerned that it might have spoiled some of the things we used to really enjoy. From reading here on CC, it appears that the laid back "Freestyle" has been replaced with a lot of scrambling for reservations, since NCL now gives almost everyone the UDP. We've also been hearing that the casino benefits on ships have been reduced and that it seems casino managers don't have the kind of latitude they once did when handing out perks. We're hoping this is all jealous gossip though..you know how these breakups go. I guess we'll find out in a few short weeks if the marriage with NCL is back on or not.

[queenschick9b]

On a complete experience basis, for me I like Royal the best. Thought the ship layout on allure (especially pools and crowd control) was a lot better than Breakaway or Epic, but 2/3 of the time I travel solo and nothing for me is better than traveling on NCL with the studios and solo get together where people try to arrange for meals together.

 

My cruising reflects this :)

 

My last 2 and upcoming 2 - freedom of the seas, breakaway, adventure of the seas and breakaway again.

 

I think unless you expand you won't know what you will like.

 

I also went on X summit and the thought that service and food was great, but their itineraries don't work for me - my next two cruises are summer but I still want to do Caribbean- they seem to only been in Alaska or Europe.