NCL vs Carnival

[newmexicoNita]

49 minutes ago, BNBR said:

 

NCL is hardly the "step above" line.  They are a bargain line no different than CCL.  Royal is similarly situated however their mega ships are a step above both Carnival and NCL.  The smaller ships are similar experiences.

 

Your overly embellished rant about CCL holds no water and nobody is going to take your insults about Carnival food seriously.  If anything, Carnival is known for having the better food options of the mass market lines.  NCL is in no way a step up from Carnival.  Even the ship designs/layouts are almost identical.  Carnival is by no means my favorite line, but to suggest they are cut rate compared to NCL is laughable.

lad you can laugh about it; You do realize this is just your opinion don't you? All 3 lines have similarities: that is why they are considered mass marketed lines. I do think NCL is a level from Carnival but again that is an opinion and not a fact There is no way any of us can say unequivocally  Carnival is better than NCL or NCL is better than RCI

[BNBR]

16 minutes ago, newmexicoNita said:

lad you can laugh about it; You do realize this is just your opinion don't you? All 3 lines have similarities: that is why they are considered mass marketed lines. I do think NCL is a level from Carnival but again that is an opinion and not a fact There is no way any of us can say unequivocally  Carnival is better than NCL or NCL is better than RCI

 

I didn't claim one was better than the other. That's a personal preference. I claimed that their quality is all basically the same.  They all provide a slightly different product and experiences. Quality is similar.

[BNBR]

47 minutes ago, 2bthere said:

I find the comparison from BnS to be strange.
Over on the CCL forum they posted a question about getting casino literature constantly and wanted to know how to get it stopped.
It seems a couple of posters did a content check and reported that BnS is going on their FIRST Ncl cruise coming up.
BnS then said they won $10,000 in their casino on their last CCL cruise.
Things that really make you wonder..

 

 

Good catch. Seems like that poster may just be a forum troll. 

[BNBR]

57 minutes ago, debgreg said:

Why, how can you tell from them being in port ?

 

To be fair, I'd agree that some of the older Carnival ships don't look all that great on the exterior.  It's been a compliant of my own even though I do like their product.  But yeah, how can someone have an opinion of a line they have never sailed?

[fmrlkr]

DH and I have sailed 20 Carnival cruises (114 nights)  all out of New Orleans.  9 NCL (90 nights) including 2 trans atlantic, 1 repositioning and 1 Alaska.  3 Princess (24 nights) 2 Alaska 1 Panama Canal.  The Carnival cruises, for us, are like the people here in the South who go to Panama City, FL every year (cheaper too).  We love them.  They seem to have the friendliest crew.  Number of days and what time of year determines who you are sailing with.  Rooms are slightly bigger.  Food is very consistent.  We sailed Princess for the experience.  I did not feel it was worth the extra cost.  Our first NCL was because of the itiniary.  We continue because we are platinum and have cruise next certificates.  Food has been inconsistent but we love the specialty restaurants.  As several people already said, they are more similar than different. 

[geffric]

I have done CCL, NCL and Royal..I tend to think of NCL as Carnival with tablecloths 

[GrabMyWrist]

6 hours ago, debgreg said:

Why, how can you tell from them being in port ?

 

Because they were dirty, unpainted, decks were worn and many other observances.

[BNBR]

3 minutes ago, GrabMyWrist said:

 

Because they were dirty, unpainted, decks were worn and many other observances.

 

Carnival is highly rated by cruise critic editors and cruisers. NCL, not so much. There is a reason for that. You should consider giving them a try. 

[TNcruising02]

I've sailed on both Carnival and NCL.. There are pros and cons of both.  
Based on my own opinion:
NCL has much better theater shows.  The best I have seen. Also, the Howl at the Moon is a lot of fun and full of energy.
Carnival has much better comedy shows.  #1 out of all of my sailed cruise lines. More comedians and more shows that aren't repeats.
The other entertainment is equivalent, although when Norwegian has the shows in the middle of the ship on a lower deck, it gets very crowded and many times we had to stand.  Other than the Vista class, Carnival's shows offer plenty of seating. Vista class, not so much.
NCL often offers "free" perks (their free drink package adds a fee for the gratuities), but it's still a good deal.  Anything extra on NCL is more expensive than on Carnival.
Carnival has very nice free food options near the main pool (Guy's and Mexican food).  The breakfast and lunch buffets are similar, but Carnival's dinner buffet is better.
The deck parties on both are similar and a lot of fun.
I've never paid for food on a cruise, so I don't know anything about the specialty restaurants on either line.

I prefer Carnival because I really like watching comedy shows, among a few other things.
 

[newmexicoNita]

8 hours ago, BNBR said:

 

Carnival is highly rated by cruise critic editors and cruisers. NCL, not so much. There is a reason for that. You should consider giving them a try. 

giving any line a try is a good thing to do, but as for the ratings, most of them are not CC editors but by those who bother to vote on line. Like any other similar poll they are not always reliable. Just like reviews: very subjective at best, sometimes down right phony. 

[BNBR]

13 minutes ago, newmexicoNita said:

giving any line a try is a good thing to do, but as for the ratings, most of them are not CC editors but by those who bother to vote on line. Like any other similar poll they are not always reliable. Just like reviews: very subjective at best, sometimes down right phony. 

 

The cruisers choice rankings are based on thousands and thousands of reviews. Not just some poll.  NCL is the only American market large cruise line to not crack the top 10 for in any category.  Not one.  It's dominated by Celebrity and Royal Oasis class. The experiences on those ships simply earns higher ratings from more satisfied cruisers. 

 

Even the cruise critic editors... NCL won just a single category.. Best for solo cruisers.  Carnival was given the top pick for nightlife and best service. 

Edited May 21, 2019 by BNBR

[newmexicoNita]

1 minute ago, BNBR said:

 

The cruisers choice rankings are based on thousands and thousands of reviews. Not just some poll.  NCL is the only American market large cruise line to not crack the top 10 for in any category.  Not one.  It's dominated by Celebrity and Royal Oasis class. The experiences on those ships simply earns higher ratings from more satisfied cruisers. 

 

Even the cruise critic editors... NCL won just a single category.. Best for solo cruisers.

I think we are all, or at least most of us here on CC are aware of how it works. It is still a  write in vote process and not at all a true reflection of the cruise lines. It has been suggested more than once that many who vote are employees of a particular cruise line or are encouraged to vote, vote and vote. We have a similar situation right here in our region. like many cities and communities we have a "Best or the Best" contest sponsored by our newspaper every year. Our Travel Agent, who happens to be a relative wins consistently. We are very proud of her and she loves the honor, but even she admits  it's a popularity contest and nothing more. 

[BNBR]

5 minutes ago, newmexicoNita said:

I think we are all, or at least most of us here on CC are aware of how it works. It is still a  write in vote process and not at all a true reflection of the cruise lines. It has been suggested more than once that many who vote are employees of a particular cruise line or are encouraged to vote, vote and vote. We have a similar situation right here in our region. like many cities and communities we have a "Best or the Best" contest sponsored by our newspaper every year. Our Travel Agent, who happens to be a relative wins consistently. We are very proud of her and she loves the honor, but even she admits  it's a popularity contest and nothing more. 

 

It's not even close to the same thing as an online poll or popularity contest. It's based on comprehensive reviews from cruisers. Are you really suggesting all of the CC ship reviews are all cruise line employees? Are you completely discounting cruise critic then I take it? It's the reviews that all of us leave after our cruises. To suggest NCL is merely the victim of a popularity context is ridiculous, it's not based on number of votes.  The fact is, NCL cruisers are simply not rating their cruise experience very high compared to other lines. 

[Beachiekeen]

We have sailed Carnival twice but our cruise on the Dawn was probably the most fun we've had on a cruise.  We loved that there was music somewhere on the ship every night.  We ended every night at the champagne bar listening to music.  We went to the white party which we had never done before and it was a blast.  Generally, we liked the food better than Carnival.  We don't normally go to shows, as we prefer to have drinks and listen to music, but we did see Elements which was awesome.

 

I will say that our cruise was mostly adults and we also got the spa pass so we could escape the main pool area.  That area will most likely be a zoo in March as it seemed really busy even on our cruise which was in October out of Boston.  But if you like that area, I do remember there was almost always something going on there.

Edited May 21, 2019 by Beachiekeen

[newmexicoNita]

2 hours ago, BNBR said:

 

It's not even close to the same thing as an online poll or popularity contest. It's based on comprehensive reviews from cruisers. Are you really suggesting all of the CC ship reviews are all cruise line employees? Are you completely discounting cruise critic then I take it? It's the reviews that all of us leave after our cruises. To suggest NCL is merely the victim of a popularity context is ridiculous, it's not based on number of votes.  The fact is, NCL cruisers are simply not rating their cruise experience very high compared to other lines. 

I am saying that most similar polls are a mixture of true and not so true reviews, etc. It is like taking a political poll on line. They are somewhat accurate, but certainly not always. If you want to believe every poll you read, that is certainly your right. I am still saying these polls are not 100% a way to judge good and bad. Obviously the example of the "best of the best' are based on reviews as well. I am guessing you have never taken part in one. I never said NCL or any other line is a victim of anything, nor did I say these polls are all phony. You may want to stop reading things into comments that are not there. For now, I will just let this go and continue to read what others have to say. We will never agree on this and maybe for a good reason: we each have our own idea.

[newmexicoNita]

2 hours ago, Beachiekeen said:

We have sailed Carnival twice but our cruise on the Dawn was probably the most fun we've had on a cruise.  We loved that there was music somewhere on the ship every night.  We ended every night at the champagne bar listening to music.  We went to the white party which we had never done before and it was a blast.  Generally, we liked the food better than Carnival.  We don't normally go to shows, as we prefer to have drinks and listen to music, but we did see Elements which was awesome.

 

I will say that our cruise was mostly adults and we also got the spa pass so we could escape the main pool area.  That area will most likely be a zoo in March as it seemed really busy even on our cruise which was in October out of Boston.  But if you like that area, I do remember there was almost always something going on there.

The Dawn is one of our favorite ships: yes, we too do not spend much time in the show rooms but love to listen to the music throughout the ship after dinner. There is something for everyone's taste for sure. WE have nothing against Carnival or any other line. Each person has to decide for themselves what is best for them. Some people choose based on itinerary and cost: some based on a favorite line and others based on embarkation port or dates. 

[davy jones]

11 hours ago, TNcruising02 said:

I've sailed on both Carnival and NCL.. There are pros and cons of both.  
Based on my own opinion:
NCL has much better theater shows.  The best I have seen. Also, the Howl at the Moon is a lot of fun and full of energy.
Carnival has much better comedy shows.  #1 out of all of my sailed cruise lines. More comedians and more shows that aren't repeats.
The other entertainment is equivalent, although when Norwegian has the shows in the middle of the ship on a lower deck, it gets very crowded and many times we had to stand.  Other than the Vista class, Carnival's shows offer plenty of seating. Vista class, not so much.
NCL often offers "free" perks (their free drink package adds a fee for the gratuities), but it's still a good deal.  Anything extra on NCL is more expensive than on Carnival.
Carnival has very nice free food options near the main pool (Guy's and Mexican food).  The breakfast and lunch buffets are similar, but Carnival's dinner buffet is better.
The deck parties on both are similar and a lot of fun.
I've never paid for food on a cruise, so I don't know anything about the specialty restaurants on either line.


 

IMHO - That is a pretty fair assessment.  (I can't speak for dinner buffets though).

[BNBR]

13 minutes ago, newmexicoNita said:

I am saying that most similar polls are a mixture of true and not so true reviews, etc. It is like taking a political poll on line. They are somewhat accurate, but certainly not always. If you want to believe every poll you read, that is certainly your right. I am still saying these polls are not 100% a way to judge good and bad. Obviously the example of the "best of the best' are based on reviews as well. I am guessing you have never taken part in one. I never said NCL or any other line is a victim of anything, nor did I say these polls are all phony. You may want to stop reading things into comments that are not there. For now, I will just let this go and continue to read what others have to say. We will never agree on this and maybe for a good reason: we each have our own idea.

 

It. Is. Not. A. Poll.  It's an aggregation of comprehensive review data.  You are trying to compare to political polls and that's completely different.

 

All the cruise lines are using the same review standards on Cruise Critic.  One line seems to not rate well.  It's not complicated.  They don't rate well and you made claims that cruise line employees are leaving reviews which is boosting their ratings and apparently NCL is not.  These were your words that you are walking back now.

 

It's simple.  NCL cruisers are not rating their cruises as highly as virtually every other American market line.  No need to make excuses for it.  They need to do better.

Edited May 21, 2019 by BNBR

[davy jones]

There was a period where a certain competitor of NCL had "ambassadors" on CC.  

[BNBR]

2 minutes ago, davy jones said:

There was a period where a certain competitor of NCL had "ambassadors" on CC.  

 

Were they filling out a bunch of false reviews?

 

Regardless, this would also suggest EVERY other cruise line is doing it except NCL.  Since all the major American market lines are represented on the cruisers choice awards, other than NCL.  I guess anything is possible....

 

These claims would also suggest that the CC Editors are biased since they don't seem to rate NCL very well either, and it's not at all based on reviews as far as I know.

Edited May 21, 2019 by BNBR

[davy jones]

Long time members will remember it better than I do.  The cruise line in question was said to be providing favors to a group of members to speak favorably on CC about the line.  It was a large issue at the time.  It happened before I joined, but I saw it mentioned in threads.  As you might expect, it was quite a controversy at the time.

[Beachiekeen]

1 hour ago, newmexicoNita said:

The Dawn is one of our favorite ships: yes, we too do not spend much time in the show rooms but love to listen to the music throughout the ship after dinner. There is something for everyone's taste for sure. WE have nothing against Carnival or any other line. Each person has to decide for themselves what is best for them. Some people choose based on itinerary and cost: some based on a favorite line and others based on embarkation port or dates. 

We just sailed on the Carnival Vista.  We did miss the music choices and remarked on it several times.  There was really only one band that we loved and they always played late.  (They were awesome though.)  Also the white party was in the atrium and not on the pool deck which was weird to me.

 

But we still had a blast with our friends and would have had the same amount of fun no matter the cruise line--a cruise is what you make of it. 

 

To the OP, I would say give the Dawn a try, it's a great ship.

[Lupush]

I prefer NCL because of the Haven product.  CCL has some interesting ships to me but their "suite" class is nowhere near to where the Haven is which is why I wouldn't book.  My wife and I tried a 4 night RCL out of Miami a few months ago and were not impressed.

[GA Dave]

20 minutes ago, Lupush said:

I prefer NCL because of the Haven product.  CCL has some interesting ships to me but their "suite" class is nowhere near to where the Haven is which is why I wouldn't book.  My wife and I tried a 4 night RCL out of Miami a few months ago and were not impressed.

I have had that question for a while.  I looked at both CC and RCL for their "Haven"-level cabins and did not find half the perks of the Haven mentioned on their sites.  Do any other lines have the completely separate area for suite-level guests like the BA and BA+ ships of NCL?  Separate restaurants, lounges, pool decks, sun decks, concierge, butlers?  I have seen many mentions to MSC's YC being similar to the Haven, but nothing about any of the other lines.  I know people mention some of the premium lines being all Haven-like, but we love having the mega-ship benefits of NCL's BA and BA+ ships, while still being able to escape to the Haven for that secluded feeling.  What do the CC and RCL suites offer?

[Lupush]

5 minutes ago, GA Dave said:

I have had that question for a while.  I looked at both CC and RCL for their "Haven"-level cabins and did not find half the perks of the Haven mentioned on their sites.  Do any other lines have the completely separate area for suite-level guests like the BA and BA+ ships of NCL?  Separate restaurants, lounges, pool decks, sun decks, concierge, butlers?  I have seen many mentions to MSC's YC being similar to the Haven, but nothing about any of the other lines.  I know people mention some of the premium lines being all Haven-like, but we love having the mega-ship benefits of NCL's BA and BA+ ships, while still being able to escape to the Haven for that secluded feeling.  What do the CC and RCL suites offer?

The only one that I've seen that comes close is "The Retreat" on the Celebrity Edge.  I'd imagine that Celebrity will be expanding this to all of their new ships and possibly retrofitting some of the older ones with it in dry dock.