Trying Another Brand after 34 Consecutive X Cruises

[67Miner]

After 34 Celebrity cruises I decided to try another brand, mainly because I was taking five grandchildren (ages 10-16) and their parents with us and I didn't think Celebrity offered the amenities that kids would want. After some research and reading hundreds of cruise critic posts I decided to book NCL's Escape, the newest ship in their fleet -- an 8-day eastern Caribbean cruise from Miami. I was a skeptic for sure and my expectations quite honestly were were not very high. With that in mind I thought I would share a few thoughts about this adventure.

 

EMBARKATION: There were just over 5,100 passengers on this cruise, probably because it was the last cruise of the summer before many kids returned to school. And NCL pulled it off quite well. Unlike Celebrity, NCL provides a check-in time for each passenger in an effort to balance out the number of passengers arriving at any given time. That seemed to work very well. With no loyalty status, we were checked in and onboard in about 30 minutes. Quite remarkable.

 

THE SHIP: It was big. Lots of bars and restaurants and entertainment venues. Staterooms were laid out very nicely and were about 10-12 square feet larger than Celebrity. But, Celebrity verandas are considerably larger. No lounge chairs and the table was, maybe, 144 square inches. Hallways are also much smaller. Two people cannot walk side-by-side. The ambiance of the ship -- both inside and outside -- was more vibrant than Celebrity. I liked the artwork on the hull of the ship. I also liked the bright colors that NCL chose in its decor, from the hallway and stateroom carpeting to the decors of the many public areas. What I noticed especially, was the use of the atrium area. Unlike Celebrity, where seating is at a premium, the Escape had seats for a hundred or more guests with additional seating surrounding the atrium on the floor above. A huge high-definition video screen was also a plus. The fitness center and jogging track was similar although the track, I believe, was somewhat shorter than Celebrity. But Deck 8 was a walker's heaven where you could literally walk the entire perimeter of the ship. I calculated that 3 laps would equal 1 mile. And the stuff for the kids was amazing -- water slides, a rope (zip) line, a 2-lane duck pin bowling alley, a water feature park, etc. Pretty awesome.

 

RESTAURANTS, DINING, ETC. I think there were five or six specialty restaurants. I tried three of them (Italian, Japanese steakhouse, and Brazilian churrascaria) because they were included as a perk. I was impressed by the quality and the service. I believe the cost, though, was under $30 a person, somewhat less than Celebrity's specialty restaurants. There were other restaurants, too, that did not have a surcharge. And, of course, the larger main dining area was also available. The buffet on Deck 16 was amazing, and like Celebrity, offered a wide variety of foods, from curry, to Asian, to salad bars, etc. But, the kids always were attracted to the soft serve ice cream stations -- four of them! And, unbelievably, lines and seating were never a problem. And for breakfast, the buffet line always had my personal favorites -- grits and gravy biscuits.

 

SERVICE: I've got to be truthful here. I was pleasantly surprised because I didn't think any cruise line could measure up to what I've come to expect from Celebrity. But the crew on this ship -- from the bars to the restaurants to the staterooms -- met my challenge. What I experienced far exceeded by expectations.

 

ENTERTAINMENT; No match here. I prefer Celebrity. NCL is too complicated. Sometime reservations are required although standbys are generally seated without a problem. But the shows were disappointing and one show, in particular, "The Brat Pack," needed to use the F-bomb in an audience that included kids (although there was a warning that there would be adult language). But, honestly, there was no need for it. I attend shows for the musical talent, not the dialogue. One show, a Cotton Club Cabaret, was a good high energy musical. Then there was the usual juggler and hypnotist that I seem to have seen on Celebrity before. And no cruise can be compete today without a Jersey Boys tribute group. And NCLs was quite exceptional.

 

STRIPES Never saw any of the ship's officers. I'm used to seeing that on Celebrity. But the Escape is a big ship and the public areas are quite big. I always enjoy exchanging a few words with the ship's officers. But, I didn't on this ship. No big deal. But, the crew, I thought, was extraordinary -- always smiling and offering pleasant exchanges.

 

OVERALL IMPRESSION; Extremely satisfied. I even contacted my broker today to buy 100 shares as I booked a trans-Atlantic from Rome next Fall. From reading the NCL boards, apparently their OBCs, unlike Celebrity, are combinable with other offers. The cost, significantly lower than Celebrity.

 

These are just some random thoughts. Celebrity will remain as my preferred cruise line. But it was nice to experience a change. The good news, though, is I can reach top tier in their loyalty program a whole lot quicker than I can with Celebrity. Even with 35 cruises, I've got a long way to go to make Zenith. But, for sure, what NCL does not have, are those great Captain's Club hosts that I see on every cruise.

[Northern Aurora]

Interesting comments. Thanks for the post.

[loeb]

Thanks for posting your comments, we may have to try NCL when we take our grandchildren on a cruise.

[Cruiser Andi]

It all seems very positive. Thank you.

 

 

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[thebutlerdidit]

Could I ask about the smoking policy on NCL? Is it allowed in interior spaces such as the casino? Is smoking on balconies allowed? I'd like to branch out, but smoking is my deal-breaker.

[jelayne]

Found your comments about embarkation interesting.

 

On many cruises Celebrity has notified of passengers of their check-in window. We have received this notification on our last 4 cruises. This notification hasn't been very population with folks on these boards. Most guests show up for check-in at a time that is convenient for them.

 

So what works for NCL isn't well received on Celebrity.

 

Glad you enjoyed your cruise.

[hbe]

Could I ask about the smoking policy on NCL? Is it allowed in interior spaces such as the casino? Is smoking on balconies allowed? I'd like to branch out, but smoking is my deal-breaker.

 

I have done 13 NCL cruises and are at the top of their benefit program, Platinum. We will be doing our first Celebrity cruise this November. As for smoking policy, there is smoking in the casino and it can be bad. There is a cigar lounge on one of the decks that you can smoke in. This one is enclosed. There is absolutely no smoking on balconies, there are designated areas outside for smoking. Right after my equinox cruise that returns on December 9 we will be taking the Escape on December 10.

Looking forward to the X cruise. On the Escape we will be joined by our 3 granddaughters and NCL has a very good program for them.

[SeagoingMom]

Though I understand that you cruised on NCL so as to provide a cruise experience oriented toward the younger folks in your party, I get the impression from your comments that you, as an adult, enjoyed the cruise as well. Is this a fair assessment? If you had not had young people with you, would you have enjoyed NCL in the adult way you have enjoyed X?

 

I ask because I myself a considering sailing on NCL (though never on such a big ship), and we travel as an adult couple only.

[riclop]

After 34 Celebrity cruises I decided to try another brand, mainly because I was taking five grandchildren (ages 10-16) and their parents with us and I didn't think Celebrity offered the amenities that kids would want. After some research and reading hundreds of cruise critic posts I decided to book NCL's Escape, the newest ship in their fleet -- an 8-day eastern Caribbean cruise from Miami. I was a skeptic for sure and my expectations quite honestly were were not very high. With that in mind I thought I would share a few thoughts about this adventure.

 

EMBARKATION: There were just over 5,100 passengers on this cruise, probably because it was the last cruise of the summer before many kids returned to school. And NCL pulled it off quite well. Unlike Celebrity, NCL provides a check-in time for each passenger in an effort to balance out the number of passengers arriving at any given time. That seemed to work very well. With no loyalty status, we were checked in and onboard in about 30 minutes. Quite remarkable.

 

THE SHIP: It was big. Lots of bars and restaurants and entertainment venues. Staterooms were laid out very nicely and were about 10-12 square feet larger than Celebrity. But, Celebrity verandas are considerably larger. No lounge chairs and the table was, maybe, 144 square inches. Hallways are also much smaller. Two people cannot walk side-by-side. The ambiance of the ship -- both inside and outside -- was more vibrant than Celebrity. I liked the artwork on the hull of the ship. I also liked the bright colors that NCL chose in its decor, from the hallway and stateroom carpeting to the decors of the many public areas. What I noticed especially, was the use of the atrium area. Unlike Celebrity, where seating is at a premium, the Escape had seats for a hundred or more guests with additional seating surrounding the atrium on the floor above. A huge high-definition video screen was also a plus. The fitness center and jogging track was similar although the track, I believe, was somewhat shorter than Celebrity. But Deck 8 was a walker's heaven where you could literally walk the entire perimeter of the ship. I calculated that 3 laps would equal 1 mile. And the stuff for the kids was amazing -- water slides, a rope (zip) line, a 2-lane duck pin bowling alley, a water feature park, etc. Pretty awesome.

 

RESTAURANTS, DINING, ETC. I think there were five or six specialty restaurants. I tried three of them (Italian, Japanese steakhouse, and Brazilian churrascaria) because they were included as a perk. I was impressed by the quality and the service. I believe the cost, though, was under $30 a person, somewhat less than Celebrity's specialty restaurants. There were other restaurants, too, that did not have a surcharge. And, of course, the larger main dining area was also available. The buffet on Deck 16 was amazing, and like Celebrity, offered a wide variety of foods, from curry, to Asian, to salad bars, etc. But, the kids always were attracted to the soft serve ice cream stations -- four of them! And, unbelievably, lines and seating were never a problem. And for breakfast, the buffet line always had my personal favorites -- grits and gravy biscuits.

 

SERVICE: I've got to be truthful here. I was pleasantly surprised because I didn't think any cruise line could measure up to what I've come to expect from Celebrity. But the crew on this ship -- from the bars to the restaurants to the staterooms -- met my challenge. What I experienced far exceeded by expectations.

 

ENTERTAINMENT; No match here. I prefer Celebrity. NCL is too complicated. Sometime reservations are required although standbys are generally seated without a problem. But the shows were disappointing and one show, in particular, "The Brat Pack," needed to use the F-bomb in an audience that included kids (although there was a warning that there would be adult language). But, honestly, there was no need for it. I attend shows for the musical talent, not the dialogue. One show, a Cotton Club Cabaret, was a good high energy musical. Then there was the usual juggler and hypnotist that I seem to have seen on Celebrity before. And no cruise can be compete today without a Jersey Boys tribute group. And NCLs was quite exceptional.

 

STRIPES Never saw any of the ship's officers. I'm used to seeing that on Celebrity. But the Escape is a big ship and the public areas are quite big. I always enjoy exchanging a few words with the ship's officers. But, I didn't on this ship. No big deal. But, the crew, I thought, was extraordinary -- always smiling and offering pleasant exchanges.

 

OVERALL IMPRESSION; Extremely satisfied. I even contacted my broker today to buy 100 shares as I booked a trans-Atlantic from Rome next Fall. From reading the NCL boards, apparently their OBCs, unlike Celebrity, are combinable with other offers. The cost, significantly lower than Celebrity.

 

These are just some random thoughts. Celebrity will remain as my preferred cruise line. But it was nice to experience a change. The good news, though, is I can reach top tier in their loyalty program a whole lot quicker than I can with Celebrity. Even with 35 cruises, I've got a long way to go to make Zenith. But, for sure, what NCL does not have, are those great Captain's Club hosts that I see on every cruise.

 

That was 33 too many.

[KikisDad]

Thank you for your review. Just curious, was there a reason you did not choose the Oasis or Allure since you would have been diamond in the RCCL loyalty program? Glad you enjoyed NCL.

[Andy]

Hi 67 Miner,

 

Thank you for your review. I enjoyed your insights very much. It's always nice to hear about other cruise options. Your comparision was most informative.

 

Thanks again, and I'm glad you had a great cruise with your family. BTW, of the 3 specialty restaurants you dined at, which did you enjoy the most ?

[Swampduck]

Thank you for a well balanced review. I have never thought of changing from Celebrity, but I think after your review, I might give it a go.

[67Miner]

Thank you for your review. Just curious, was there a reason you did not choose the Oasis or Allure since you would have been diamond in the RCCL loyalty program? Glad you enjoyed NCL.

 

It was the only cruise I could find that was longer than 7 days but shorter than 14 days. And Miami was my preferred departure city. The biggest perk I missed from Celebrity was the elite plus complimentary internet package. That expense on NCL set me back just over $200.

[Cap'n Ron]

Thank you for your review. It is nice to see a very positive NCL review from an experienced Celebrity cruiser. We too sailed on the Escape back in July and had a fantastic time. Beautiful ship, very good food and excellent service/crew. We are looking forward to the Getaway in December 2017, after our Reflection cruise next April.

[67Miner]

Hi 67 Miner,

 

Thank you for your review. I enjoyed your insights very much. It's always nice to hear about other cruise options. Your comparision was most informative.

 

Thanks again, and I'm glad you had a great cruise with your family. BTW, of the 3 specialty restaurants you dined at, which did you enjoy the most ?

 

For sure the kids loved the Japanese steakhouse, Teppanyaki, because of the entertainment the chef provided. I enjoyed Moderno Churasscaria, the Brazilian-style steakhouse with all the meat prepared on skewers and served at the table. And the feijoada soup (Brazilian black bean soup with salted ribs and bacon) was something not to be missed. La Cacina, the Italian restaurant, offered portions that were much too big but was no match for Celebrity's Tuscan Grille.

[67Miner]

Though I understand that you cruised on NCL so as to provide a cruise experience oriented toward the younger folks in your party, I get the impression from your comments that you, as an adult, enjoyed the cruise as well. Is this a fair assessment? If you had not had young people with you, would you have enjoyed NCL in the adult way you have enjoyed X?

 

I ask because I myself a considering sailing on NCL (though never on such a big ship), and we travel as an adult couple only.

 

Yes, I enjoyed the experience very much. It was a big ship but I was never overwhelmed by crowds. There were LOTS of kids. But that would have been the same on any cruise ship the first week of August. There were "adults only" areas on the ship for escape. I've booked a trans-Atlantic on NCL Star for next November. While Celebrity will probably continue to be my primary cruise line I feel like my opportunities have been greatly enhanced by adding NCL to my preferred cruise lines.

[Tommy3putts]

Thanks for the review. Very informative

[GateGuardian]

Celebrity definitely has more open spaces than NCL. You don't realize how much you miss it until it's a sea day and it is packed everywhere. However, on a port day when you stay on the ship, you can pretty much have the water slides to yourself :)

 

I actually find NCL entertainment much better than Celebrity. NCL seems to invest more on their broadway shows.

[Brangwen]

Though I understand that you cruised on NCL so as to provide a cruise experience oriented toward the younger folks in your party, I get the impression from your comments that you, as an adult, enjoyed the cruise as well. Is this a fair assessment? If you had not had young people with you, would you have enjoyed NCL in the adult way you have enjoyed X?

 

I ask because I myself a considering sailing on NCL (though never on such a big ship), and we travel as an adult couple only.

 

 

Not the OP, but we travel as an adult couple as well. We typically travel the mid-size ships and find NCL and Celebrity to be comparable as far as service, food, enjoyment, etc. We are not "show" people so I have no comments or comparison there.

 

Our cruises on celebrity M class (so far Connie and soon Summit) are VERY close to the cruises we have done on NCL Jewel and Dawn... we love the open aft bar area and all of those ships have it. NCL has a nicer "bar" area on the aft I think but that may be highly influenced by a great bartender we met back there on our last NCL Jewel cruise. :cool:

Also prefer NCL's martini bar, as it's more of a lounge vibe instead of an open walkway area... again, personal preference.

 

Also LOVE the sailaway BBQ on NCL!!

 

Plenty of "stripes" on the smaller NCL ships.

Edited August 16, 2016 by Brangwen

[Brangwen]

La Cacina, the Italian restaurant, offered portions that were much too big but was no match for Celebrity's Tuscan Grille.

 

Hands down agreed! :D

[Jeremiah1212]

Interesting comparison. Glad you enjoyed yourself. We (mid 30's) did the Escape last winter and while we enjoyed it, we have no desire to book again. It was just too congested and the entertainment options didn't really appeal to us. The speciality dining was quite good. I'm hoping after a long absence that we find Celebrity to a be a better fit this upcoming winter. We are learning we prefer a little less busy and chaotic trip.

 

 

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[helen haywood]

Not to take over the OP's post, but I thought I'd add that we, too, as Elite Plus members, took our first NCL cruise last year on Getaway. It was in September and the main reason was X doesn't sail the Caribbean in September. We loved NCL and Getaway!! We loved that a MDR was open for lunch on embarkation day. We loved that there were 3 MDRs and 2 of them, Taste and Savor, were smaller more intimate spaces that felt like specialty restaurants. We loved that as a party of 2 we were seated at a table for 4 and the other set-ups were removed. Anyone who has dined on X's MDR at a table for 2 knows of what I speak!

 

We loved having a coffee machine in the cabin. We liked the full mattresses...no rounded corners. We liked the switches you could flip to request the cabin be serviced. We loved having a USB charger on the nightstands. We loved that you could get a hamburger cooked to order 24/7 at O'Sheehans for "free." Compare that to the Mast Grille's hours on X.

 

We liked the food very much. Part of that was just different menus after years of the same menus on X. And NCL's lava cake with stracciatella ice cream is right up there with Carnival's warm chocolate melting cake for deliciousness.

 

I especially loved the Waterfront. I don't want to be in the sun but I do want to gaze at the ocean. Here there were comfy sofas and basket chairs and coffee tables to sit in a covered area (protected from sun, rain, and once, the balcony washers' run off...) Direct view of the ocean. And never a problem getting a spot. Often had the whole area to myself.

 

We loved Burn the Floor and Million Dollar Quartet. But again, we were happy for some new shows after decades of X's.

 

I like NCL's beverage package. Yes, it is annoying to have to pay the grats when you don't on X if it is a promo....but NCL has one package that covers all drinks up to $15 and you just pay the difference for something over that.

 

I really think people would be happy giving an Away ship a try. I'm not jumping ship from X however; I have 6 future bookings with them.

[Brangwen]

We loved having a coffee machine in the cabin. We liked the full mattresses...no rounded corners. We liked the switches you could flip to request the cabin be serviced. We loved having a USB charger on the nightstands. We loved that you could get a hamburger cooked to order 24/7 at O'Sheehans for "free." Compare that to the Mast Grille's hours on X.

 

The coffee maker is a plus! And HOW did I forget O'Sheehans in my previous post. They are also open for breakfast and dinner. Prime rib night was FABULOUS and we were in shorts! LOL

 

We discovered it for breakfast on a sea day and kept going back, there was rarely anyone there for breakfast and it was quick and quiet! Corned beef hash did not disappoint. ;)

[hbe]

Though I understand that you cruised on NCL so as to provide a cruise experience oriented toward the younger folks in your party, I get the impression from your comments that you, as an adult, enjoyed the cruise as well. Is this a fair assessment? If you had not had young people with you, would you have enjoyed NCL in the adult way you have enjoyed X?

 

I ask because I myself a considering sailing on NCL (though never on such a big ship), and we travel as an adult couple only.

 

We, as adults always enjoy NCL. We are usually in suites or their Haven so it's a little harder to compare. I don't think X has anything similar to NCL's Haven, which is a ship within a ship. We have our own private pools, restaurant, lounge, concierge etc.Only guests staying in a Haven suite has access by room key to this area.

I am not crazy about the food in the MDR, but the specialty restaurants are quite good. Entertainment wise i find their shows quite good. Besides the fact my granddaughters are joining us for the 2nd half of our trip we also wanted to check out the ship itself. We find the service very good and hardly ever see them without a smile. The itinerary is awful, Tortola, st. Thomas and my favourite, Nassau.

[ISABELLA]

Yes, I enjoyed the experience very much. It was a big ship but I was never overwhelmed by crowds. There were LOTS of kids. But that would have been the same on any cruise ship the first week of August. There were "adults only" areas on the ship for escape. I've booked a trans-Atlantic on NCL Star for next November. While Celebrity will probably continue to be my primary cruise line I feel like my opportunities have been greatly enhanced by adding NCL to my preferred cruise lines.

 

Is there an adult only Solarium like on X ships?