NCL-Never Again

[SailAways]

My question is this: what would constitute, in your opinion, a "good" reason for someone to say "never again" to NCL.

 

If they lost my DH while checking in!!

 

Anything else, I think I can handle - even sprucing up my own cabin - although, it would tick me off.

 

But, I would get over it, go up on deck with DH, and have a great time with the wind blowing all of our gray hair into a cute do of some kind for others to snicker at.

 

Food, unless we are starved for the duration, cannot upset me.

Towel animals are cute, but not necessary.

Missed ports happen, rude people happen, dress code abuse happens.

I can ignore most of it - and in no way will it cause me to say "Never Again"....

 

We are thrilled to be on any type of vacation, but have found that the afterglow of a cruise lasts much longer than any other we have tried so far.

Never say Never, as my signature states: You may want to cross that bridge again!

[angeljt]

My question is this: what would constitute, in your opinion, a "good" reason for someone to say "never again" to NCL.

 

If they lost my DH while checking in!!

 

Anything else, I think I can handle - even sprucing up my own cabin - although, it would tick me off.

 

But, I would get over it, go up on deck with DH, and have a great time with the wind blowing all of our gray hair into a cute do of some kind for others to snicker at.

 

Food, unless we are starved for the duration, cannot upset me.

Towel animals are cute, but not necessary.

Missed ports happen, rude people happen, dress code abuse happens.

I can ignore most of it - and in no way will it cause me to say "Never Again"....

 

We are thrilled to be on any type of vacation, but have found that the afterglow of a cruise lasts much longer than any other we have tried so far.

Never say Never, as my signature states: You may want to cross that bridge again!

That sure is the truth!!!

Jackie :cool:

[packercruising]

Because we aren't all cut from the same cloth there will be differences of opinion. The cruise ships aren't going to please everyone and every message board seems to have at least one chicken little.

 

You wonder how there can be such varying opinions.

[cuccicruisers]

Most of these complainers need to get a grip and let go of the little things and enjoy life.

 

What is a big thing ? Well....today we found out my friend's 5 year old daughter DOES NOT have cancer after believing for two weeks she did. That put things into perspective. A hundred bucks, a missed fight ? Forget about it...move on....more importance things to worry about.

[FundyGirl]

The only reason I would never sail NCL again would be if I fell overboard and a crew member didn't throw me a life jacket and I had to swim to shore. :) :) :)

 

Paul (Fundy Girl's DH)

[angeljt]

Because we aren't all cut from the same cloth there will be differences of opinion. The cruise ships aren't going to please everyone and every message board seems to have at least one chicken little.

 

You wonder how there can be such varying opinions.

 

I think some people tend to let the little things slide while others complain about every little thing. We make our own good times and we can choose to be happy or be miserable. Life it too short to sweat the little things.

There's an old saying....'do you want to be happy or do you want to be right?'

Jackie :cool:

[angeljt]

I think some people tend to let the little things slide while others complain about every little thing. We make our own good times and we can choose to be happy or be miserable. Life it too short to sweat the little things.

There's an old saying....'do you want to be happy or do you want to be right?'

Jackie :cool:

[TrinaLC]

...

I have more sympathy with the person who complained about not being able to buy the transfer on the ship. The thing there is that if NCL has posted on its site that this is available then it is not out of line to me to expect that it will be available for purchase on the ship. Whether the person should have allowed more time to catch the flight or not isn't relevant. To me NCL should stand behind what it tells it's customers either on its web site or over the phone. - now for what you all expect to hear from me- NCL seems to have a poor record for this sort of thing. Based on a number of issues raised on this board I would say that it is very difficult to get reliable information from them no matter how you get in touch with them and I think NCL needs to work on this.

 

First of all, we haven't established that the website in fact said you could buy transfers to Newark on the ship; LGA yes, others? I would doubt it.

 

Secondly, once they learned they couldn't buy it on the ship, then go to Plan B. Which as far as I can tell would just involve crossing the street and grabbing a taxi.

 

Thirdly, shame on anyone who hasn't arranged something as important as a transfer prior to boarding a ship to begin with.

[cruzin2paradise]

Great thread!

 

The only time I'm unhappy, is when I wake up on that last day and I have to disembark. I actually get cranky 'cause it's over. Otherwise, I love cruising and I can't wait till the kids are no longer an "expense" so the DH and I can cruise more often.

 

As for the "topaz" issue - I don't agree with the bellyaching, but to each his own -- I personally, wouldn't buy anything that I couldn't part with on a cruise. What I mean is, if I'm out of the country, I'm not going to buy something that I may end up unhappy with because I'm not thinking returning it is going to be "simple." I'll spend more and buy my jewelry here.

 

I won't let those others bring me down! Thanks for the good thread again.

[packercruising]

Disembarking is the realization that someone else is going to be sleeping in YOUR cabin that night, being pampered by YOUR steward :(

 

On the other hand, disembarking is when you start planning your next embarking! :)

[packercruising]

This is a duplicate post. Is there a way to delete?

 

Disembarking is the realization that someone else is going to be sleeping in YOUR cabin that night, being pampered by YOUR steward :(

 

On the other hand, disembarking is when you start planning your next embarking! :)

[7SeasLover]

The best thing about cruising: picking the cruise

The best thing about cruising: planning once you PICKED the cruise

The best thing about cruising: leaving to board the ship

The best thing about cruising: boarding the ship

The best thing about cruising: everthing that happens before debarking

The best thing about cruising: picking the next cruise

 

The worst that's ever happened to me on a cruise: I forgot to pack underwear and the ship's store only carried small. My passport got washed inside a security pocket in my Ex-Officio skirt. I ate too much. I spent a small fortune on a 3ct Tanzanite emerald cut stone. (It was real and appraised for far more than what we paid - in Aruba). I've been cruising since the 80's and I can't think of anything worse than these. Lucky? Nope... I just consider everything an adventure! Even when they found "explosives" in my luggage and the cute little dog SAT by my suitcase. So much for perfect packing! :eek:

[7SeasLover]

What irked me and what caused me to generate this thread is that of the several critical posts written about NCL, the posters had fewer than 10 posts total on the whole board. What's up with that?

 

And I read a question about what would constitute someone saying never again... Dunno, but certainly not buying something ashore and blaming the cruiseline, or missing my own 3:30 flight when the ship debarked at 10:00.

 

Maybe those folks whose toilet didn't work for 4 days on a 7-day cruise. I don't care for Carinval. I've sailed on that line twice and twice I know why I don't like that line, but I still wouldn't say never. If another cousin desides to get married on Carnival again, I'll go again. And probably dislike it again.

 

Likes and dislikes are purely subjective. It's just how these recent nay-sayers presented their stories that got to me. I like my house, don't come in and try to tear it down.

[electricron]

A drastic step taking away personal liberties such as declaring an entire cruise line as no smoking and no alcohol. Which by the way, the Airlines and Amtrak have already started (no smoking).

 

I can live a few hours without a smoke, but not days at a time. They will lose me as a customer, as I will find another that will allow smoking aboard a ship.

[Aliann]

A drastic step taking away personal liberties such as declaring an entire cruise line as no smoking and no alcohol. Which by the way, the Airlines and Amtrak have already started (no smoking).

 

I can live a few hours without a smoke, but not days at a time. They will lose me as a customer, as I will find another that will allow smoking aboard a ship.

 

Go ahead electricron, couldn't stand it that everyone was getting along, could you? Had to bring up a 'hot' subject, the smoking. Just needed to start a little something tonight, didn't you? - Just kidding of course, I don't have faces to put here to tell you that, so I'll do a generic :)

 

Don't think that will happen, Carnival tried it and failed, I don't think you'll see the other lines following a failed attempt.

[electricron]

Did Carnival try no smoking?

I didn't know that.

 

There's one surburbian city in the DFW area with no smoking in restaurant laws, and they're wondering why most restaurants within the city limits closed, and are now located across the street on the city limits.....

 

Get a clue, you chased them away.

[Aliann]

Going on in states everywhere, and they wonder why the businesses (restaurants and bars) are failing and going under.

 

Okay, not the thread for that and I could go on and on but won't.

 

But yes, Carnival came out with the brand new Pride as non-smoking but is now converted to smoking because it didn't work. There were tough, tough penalities too for anyone on that ship that even possessed tobacco from what I heard. They were actually booted off ship in ports. And I think if anyone was caught smoking they had to walk the plank. Okay, that was a joke, but there were some tough consequences paid.

[gxchan]

The only reason I would never sail NCL again would be if I fell overboard and a crew member didn't throw me a life jacket and I had to swim to shore. :) :) :)

 

Paul (Fundy Girl's DH)

 

I agree with Paul that falling overboard and not having a crew member throw me a lifejacket would be a deal breaker. Losing a spouse would also "probably" be a deal breaker. (LOL) Pretty much everything else that can happen, short of criminal behavior, sinking or pirates, can be dealt with. I loved my cruise on NCL but others on the same cruise disagree. I hate to hear people trash NCL as much as most of you but it is their right to do so. It is also their right to come on this board and say "never again" whether we agree that their particular grievance is valid or not because as noted in this thread "it is subjective." Newbies reading this board will (and should) get the great and good with a seasoning of discontent, less they become one of those first time cruisers with completely unrealistic expectations and come back and write of their great disappointment.

 

Just MHO. Again, I really enjoy hearing the positives. Thanks!

[Aliann]

Losing a spouse would also "probably" be a deal breaker. (LOL)

 

I notice the 'probably', does that mean that given a specific day it 'may not' be a deal breaker? lol

 

 

I hate to hear people trash NCL as much as most of you but it is their right to do so. It is also their right to come on this board and say "never again" whether we agree that their particular grievance is valid or not because as noted in this thread "it is subjective."

 

True, my gripe most times is the 'one post wonders' who have never posted, say they've been on 30 cruises, and then come on with an instant gripe. Wouldn't you think they would have posted on the board at SOME point throughout that 30 cruise career, even if only to ask a question? And if they didn't feel the need to do that, why then would they feel the need to immediately post a gripe as soon as they return? Of course I say that as if it's a legitimate gripe. Most times I think it's just someone who has nothing better to do with their time and the post is full of crap anyway.

 

Newbies reading this board will (and should) get the great and good with a seasoning of discontent, less they become one of those first time cruisers with completely unrealistic expectations and come back and write of their great disappointment.

 

Not only newbies, I too like to hear the good and bad. As not all complaints are crap, and are true legitimate concerns and I appreciate knowing about them. Much information can be had reading both the positives and negatives. Safe Sailing!

[kathas2boys]

We are 1st time cruisers and upon reading the boards, we are not discouraged by the negatives that other people have stated...Cruiselines have humans working onboard and as such they are entitled human error. When you place a bid on ebay if you do not check the rating of the seller and you win the item then the possibility of you getting the shaft is possible. The whole idea is to do homework before booking know what you want and if it is not there keep looking until you find it.

 

We are looking forward to our cruise and we are counting down the days...We don't care how much space is needed in the cabin (all you do is sleep and shower in there anyways). I remind my family about the other people who have never been on a cruise and how they would be willing and thankful to trade places with any of us. Food is food. If you don't like it, don't order it. If you are trying something new then you have to expect the possibility of liking it or not.

 

I do agree with the statment of you make you cruise what you want. Well we are gonna have alot of fun and I can't wait to see the excitement on my kids faces when we board.

 

Until then, happy cruising!!!:) :) :) :)

[angeljt]

We are 1st time cruisers and upon reading the boards, we are not discouraged by the negatives that other people have stated...Cruiselines have humans working onboard and as such they are entitled human error. When you place a bid on ebay if you do not check the rating of the seller and you win the item then the possibility of you getting the shaft is possible. The whole idea is to do homework before booking know what you want and if it is not there keep looking until you find it.

 

We are looking forward to our cruise and we are counting down the days...We don't care how much space is needed in the cabin (all you do is sleep and shower in there anyways). I remind my family about the other people who have never been on a cruise and how they would be willing and thankful to trade places with any of us. Food is food. If you don't like it, don't order it. If you are trying something new then you have to expect the possibility of liking it or not.

 

I do agree with the statment of you make you cruise what you want. Well we are gonna have alot of fun and I can't wait to see the excitement on my kids faces when we board.

 

Until then, happy cruising!!!:) :) :) :)

Kathas2boys,

Yes, you will have a lot of fun with your great attitude. You're kids are going to love it too. Wait until they see their BIG ship and all of the fun things there are to do aboard. Have a wonderful cruise.

Jackie :cool:

[SailAways]

We are 1st time cruisers and upon reading the boards, we are not discouraged by the negatives that other people have stated... The whole idea is to do homework before booking know what you want and if it is not there keep looking until you find it.

We are looking forward to our cruise and we are counting down the days... Food is food. If you don't like it, don't order it. If you are trying something new then you have to expect the possibility of liking it or not.

I do agree with the statement of you make you cruise what you want. Well we are gonna have alot of fun and I can't wait to see the excitement on my kids faces when we board,Until then, happy cruising!!!:) :) :) :)

 

You are beginning this adventure with an open mind, and a smart attitude.

There is no way that you will not enjoy yourselves.

Wonderful to see that first timers are actually getting the message - It is only a cruise - another vacation to be enjoyed - and things do happen, even on a cruise. So, have a wonderful time, regardless!

Good Luck. But, it seems all you really need is to get packed and cruise away.

[cruzin2paradise]

Did Carnival try no smoking?

I didn't know that.

 

Carnival Paradise -- ended the non-smoking when they moved to the West Coast.

[gxchan]

I notice the 'probably', does that mean that given a specific day it 'may not' be a deal breaker? lol

 

Well . . . I think we all have had "one of those days" with our loved one. I suppose I would get him back, eventually, so I wouldn't blame the cruise line. LOL

 

I agree about the one-post wonders. I've often wondered where they complained before they found CC. The ones that truly get to me are the ones who post the exact same complaint (word for word) on CC and a number of other cruise chat boards. Where do they get the time and energy?