How Did You Get Hooked on NCL?

[sverigecruiser]

1. Freestyle dining.

 

2. When we started to cruise NCL published prices for every cabincategory on every cruise in their brochure and I love that. When I look in a brochure without prices I loose interest because I don't know how much the cruise will cost!

 

We were hooked but with the price they now charge for their suites we felt that we wanted to move on.

[BaWBarmy]

Just tried another line , and we felt comfortable. Every cruiseline has positives and negatives, irregardless of the Cheerleaders of each line.

 

Its not about cheerleading. The OP asked what got you hooked to NCL.

 

For me it was the freestyle dining.

[vpearlkc]

When we first cruised on NCL the other lines still had assigned MDR dining times, tables and formal nights. The looser freestyle was great for us. We also think the shows are better on NCL.

 

After four cruises we are now only two away from platinum status and loyal NCL customers.

[KateQ22003]

For me, the fact that they cruise out of Boston to warm weather locations is a huge factor for me. I don't particularly like a lot of the things that they do lately, but I love going out of Boston.

[JamieLogical]

NCL is the only cruise line I've been on. Only been on two cruises so far. But I really love the freestyle dining/atmosphere, the specialty restaurants, and the UBP! I have priced out some other cruises on other lines since returning from my first cruise and realizing how much I love cruising, but with drinks added in, NCL just comes up cheaper. So I am sticking with it. Plus they are now sailing the Escape out of NYC which is very convenient for me, since I live in NY state and can just drive and park there, versus flight, hotel, taxi, etc.

[BostonGal35]

we love the demographic of cruisers. people of all ages. somethign for everyone to do.

 

we love not having to dress up, no assigned dining.

 

now that we've been dabbling in suite life we love it even more. NCL gives us the luxury of an upscale experience, but we get to still be with the "regular folk" demographic which wouldnt happen on a luxury line.

 

NCL has been very good to us. have we had some issues here and there? Sure, but they always make it right for us.

[Pens fan]

After 5 Disney cruises, we sailed on the NCL Sun last summer strictly due to itinerary. Disney didn't offer a one way Alaska cruise nor do they go to Glacier Bay. The Sun did both. That got us in the door.

 

What hooked us was the fact that for the same price we were used to paying for a balcony cabin on Disney, we could book a suite on NCL and be spoiled rotten. We also greatly preferred the lack of formal nights and set dining times/places, and thought the food was simply better than on Disney. I'm sure we will wander back to Disney (or some other line) again at some point, but we currently have two cruises booked and they are both on NCL.

[ama123]

NCL was our first family cruise, and the first cruise ever for my husband and daughter. I had previously cruised once on Carnival, and while it wasn't bad at all, I wasn't drawn to necessarily go back either. We fell in love with the whole atmosphere of NCL. Many of the things that have already been mentioned - we love the freestyle concept. We love it for dining and for the whole idea of doing as much as little as you want, for the most part when you want to and how you want to. Wide variety of ages and families/couples/singles on board. Something for just about everyone.

[Mike D.]

I was well into my 60's and had never been on a cruise. But the casino (Harrah's Tahoe) had a promo on for "free" (OK...it is cheap but not free) inside cabins on NCL. My friend and I had done some traveling together, so we gave it a whirl. That was really "the hook"...appealing to my frugal nature in order to get me to to try it!

 

It was the Jewel, out of New Orleans. I'd never been to New Orleans (setting the hook?) and walking to the port and stepping onto the Jewel seemed like entering a different world. The entertainment, the service and the food were all a revelation to me (continuing to set the hook?).

 

Now, quite a few cruises later (see below), I'm hooked on booking a suite when I can. There the hook, as others on the thread have mentioned, is the service. Regardless, no dishes to wash, no meals to cook, no driving to do, or, really, any responsibilities are a great deal IMHO.

 

Great topic. Thanks.

[deladypilot]

When my mother retired after many years with the same company, they gave her a $3000.00 gift certificate with a travel agent to book any cruise for 2 she wanted any where she wanted. She took me. She chose to do the POA and from the moment we stepped foot on the ship until the moment we stepped off the ship, we felt like royalty. I came home told hubby all about cruising and we had our first cruise together booked the next day.

 

 

We love freestyle, we always feel relaxed and welcomed. For the most part, we have always felt that they had the best bargain going, value wise. Does not mean we wont go somewhere else but the value has always been there

[pjo]

Our family went on NCL for the first time earlier this year. We did a 10 day Canary Island cruise out of Barcelona. I found the casual atmosphere and freestyle dining fit our needs perfectly. And, the best perk I have ever received on a cruise was the UBP.

 

Paul

[Doitforlove]

I’m not loyal to NCL but I do like the UBP being included, freestyle dining, and the waterfront on the larger ships. My partner appreciates not having to dress up too much as well

 

Since they have so many cruises sailing out of my home port (NYC) I’ll stick with them for now. May shake it up to trying Royal again on one of their mega ships next year.

[Nicky Mouse]

Went on first cruise on POA, loved it, then a weekend on the Sky a couple years later.

 

Then the following year went on a Carnival and it just felt...less. Like the difference between Target and Walmart. The food, the people, the alcohol, lots of little things. Kept telling myself that it was my imagination since it had been awhile since I'd been on NCL. After getting off the CCL ship, I had a 14 day Panama Canal book on NCL 2 days later. So direct comparison. It was not my imagination. NCL just felt a better quality on lots of levels.

 

The other reason I'm partial to them is the last minute deals. I never see any for the other cruise lines as much. Plus now I'm almost Platinum on NCL.

 

Did try a Princess cruise a couple of years ago. Very nice, lots of things that were nicer than NCL. But not my scene. Average age on ship was much older. Not as many activities. Just didn't have the vibe and feel of NCL. But I did appreciate many things about it.

 

Haven't tried RCL or any of the others yet. But will say, unless the price is right, not really interested in CCL. That being said, I did have a fun time on the CCL cruise, but just wasn't the same.

 

Just my thoughts and how it hit me.

[spanishguy1970]

For us it was the our first Transatlantic in 2009 on the Gem, the freestyle, the fact you don't have to dress up, sit with the same people every night in the main dining room and the competitive prices. However, even though cruise lines are there to make money their competitive prices are no longer available but the freestyle is still the best :-):D

[Crzy4my2]

We sailed RCCL's Allure in 2014 to the Eastern Caribbean and it was a good, cruise awesome, ship with a good staff (no complaints) but when we were looking for a cruise for a 2017 vacation, RCCL didn't have a cruise on the dates we needed and NCL had the exact dates. So we thought we would give it a try. I like to play the slot machines and after our 1st cruise with NCL I got a really great offer from NCL for another trip so we booked a cruise that was on 2/2018 and they have been good with everything.... they are giving me a great deal again for our 2019 European cruise. I have loved the staff that work on the ships and they are making me offers to come back. They now have me as a loyal customer.

[peggycnm]

Why does it look like Escape is returning to Port in NYC !! Live on the Jersey Shore and watch her pass by every week

[Von & John]

We are hooked on cruising - not a specific line.

 

Our three go to cruise-lines are NCL, Princess & Celebrity. We will happily sail any of the 3. Our first priority is the itinerary, then the ship & finally the value. Having said that, if our priorities were equal for all 3 lines (same itinerary, same type of ship & same value) - Celebrity would edge the other 2 out. That has never happened, as we usually find different itineraries to enjoy! As a rule we prefer the smaller ships vs. the new mega's.

 

Whichever cruise you choose... Enjoy!

[Sweetnspicy]

For us NCL just seems to have a younger crowd! I love to read reviews and for the most part what bothers people on other lines is the average age of the cruisers. Sometimes the crowd is too full of kids or the crowd is very old. We are 30 so we just really enjoy night life and wild adventures. The overall cost of NCL also keeps us coming back.

[bmwman]

For us it was easy the crew and informality. We were part of the dream team who are sadly now either left NCL or in the office. There will never be another Klaus Lugmaier and team that he built. Indeed a certain waiter made it to HD

[derek005]

We saw the show Mighty Ships going through the TV channel guide and booked the Epic and haven't been disappointed at all. Great leadership and crew.

[mugtech]

First cruise on RCI, did not like the MDR situation in 2006. Next 10 cruises were on NCL, but more recently other lines have better itineraries and the dining situation is more freestyle than 12 years ago. Booking by price and itinerary did Princess 10 days out of Singapore and a TA on the brand new Carnival Horizon, still like NCL better. Have one cruise booked in Asia on NCL and a TP on RCI, great prices for balconies on Quantum class ships is my favorite go to cruise right now. Hope to cruise the Bliss once prices get back to normal.

[PelicanBill]

We'd done 3 cruises on RCCL and 2 on Carnival... then decided to give NCL a try because we could drive to NYC. And we found we liked the fact that there was no assigned dining room time, and we liked the ship (Breakaway), the entertainment (Rock of Ages, Howl at the Moon, etc.) and then the double points cruises which will get us to Gold after just 4 cruises (and platinum in 5 because of an upcoming 15 day double points cruise.) So we keep going back!

[dbrown84]

Freestyle dining for me

[Jonslola]

The relaxing atmosphere and wonderful service got us hooked!

[Tedj6050]

After trying carnival and Rcl I got hooked on ncl in 2010 when the epic launched with studio cabins.ncl’s commitment to hosting solo cruisers combined with freestyle dining and casinos at sea discounts makes ncl an easy choice.

Cruise next certificates keep me going to ncl.com