Need honest opinions - good or bad please

[cruzbound]

Hi All,

 

We are scheduled to cruise NCL for the first time and we have started hearing not-so-good stories about some of the NCL ships, etc.  I need your opinions, honest either good or bad, on NCL ships, food, entertainment, etc.  Just so you know were are scheduled to be on Spirit but I would like thoughts on this one and others (particularly Pride of America as this is where we heard more of the bad opinions).

 

We are going to be on sea days for 5 days straight on Spirit - will we get bored or are there enough things to keep us busy and if so, what do they have?

 

Thanks,

cruzbound

[majmaj4]

You might explain your cruising background so we say relative to other cruises you have done.  I have cruises NCL, Celebrity,  Royal, Princess, and HAL.  I find NCL entertainment to be best of the bunch.   For a repositioning cruise the entertainment doesn’t change as often since they aren’t bringing on as many special acts, but I like the selection of bar and theater acts NCL produces.   Activities very similar across lines.  Food a little more basic on NCL but execution is good. Spirit is a small ship so there aren’t going to be big active things like rope courses bumper cars etc.   

[DCGuy64]

11 minutes ago, cruzbound said:

Hi All,

 

We are scheduled to cruise NCL for the first time and we have started hearing not-so-good stories about some of the NCL ships, etc.  I need your opinions, honest either good or bad, on NCL ships, food, entertainment, etc.  Just so you know were are scheduled to be on Spirit but I would like thoughts on this one and others (particularly Pride of America as this is where we heard more of the bad opinions).

 

We are going to be on sea days for 5 days straight on Spirit - will we get bored or are there enough things to keep us busy and if so, what do they have?

 

Thanks,

cruzbound

We love NCL. Granted, we've only been on 2 cruises with them so far, but we have another one lined up for November and are planning a 4th for next year. We've never been bored, ever, not even on our last cruise which ended up being 9 days at sea (transatlantic). I like to take walks, go to the gym, go to the art shows, hang out at the bar, stuff like that. You can always soak up the sun and lie on a lounger somewhere and think about what you're having for lunch and dinner. They show movies and have trivia contests, too. The food is great, I'm a big fan of the Garden Café because they have a tremendous amount of choices. We also love the specialty restaurants like Moderno, Cagney's, La Cucina and Teppanyaki. We're also big Asian food fans so we love the free Asian restaurants (Shanghai's on some ships, Orchid Garden on others). I'm usually too exhausted after dinner to take in the entertainment, actually, but we did catch the Priscilla show on the Epic and it was incredible. I'm curious where you're hearing bad things about NCL. I hope you'll bear in mind that most people don't bother to write reviews, and those who do are usually mad about something, so their comments should be taken with a grain of salt at best, or ignored altogether at worst.

[9tee2Sea]

You might find language classes being taught as well as port information being discussed.  There will probably be some sort of assorted dance lessons being taught.  If you are a bridge player, there will be open tables to join.  There is a library for quite reading time.  Of course there will be trivia games.  Maybe wine tasting classes ( extra cost).  I was on one ship and they let us watch the rehearsals for the evening show by NCL Cast.  During sea days, I walk 1 mike around the deck in the morning, 1 mile after lunch.  

[BirdTravels]

11 minutes ago, cruzbound said:

Hi All,

 

We are scheduled to cruise NCL for the first time and we have started hearing not-so-good stories about some of the NCL ships, etc.  I need your opinions, honest either good or bad, on NCL ships, food, entertainment, etc.  Just so you know were are scheduled to be on Spirit but I would like thoughts on this one and others (particularly Pride of America as this is where we heard more of the bad opinions).

 

We are going to be on sea days for 5 days straight on Spirit - will we get bored or are there enough things to keep us busy and if so, what do they have?

 

Thanks,

cruzbound

 

First and foremost, don't believe everything you read on the internet. It is mostly fake news put out be people who feel empowered by being able to complain about things anonymous. Many have not cruised in a long time. 

 

We sail on NCL and Royal 6-8 times a year. You are booked on a mainstream cruise line. Not on a luxury cruise line or a yacht. Food on NCL is probably at or above average. NCL continues to try an evolve their menus to meet the tastes of the contemporary cruiser. Lots of people complain that fish fingers and mac-n-cheese were removed from the menu (there was literally a long thread a couple of months ago about mac-n-cheese)... because no one was ordering it. So, you are likely going to see Pho as the soup on the menu versus chicken noodle. Cuban pulled pork instead of ham-n-cheese. 

 

Both the Spirit and POA are smaller ships and have traditional cruise ship entertainment (i.e., not big broadway productions). I have not seen blazing boots. Elements is one of NCL's premiere production shows and it is a great show! 

 

The Spirit recently underwent a total overhaul. The public areas of the ship were stripped down to the deck plates and rebuilt to modern, contemporary standards. So, the ship is new and fresh. It will have traditional cruising entertainment day and night (i.e., no go karts and no virtual reality pavilions.) As far as 5 sea days straight, that's the itinerary you picked. I don't think that there would be any "more" things to occupy your time on another line. The activities on any line are wake up, eat breakfast, sit in sun, eat lunch, take a nap, eat dinner, go to a show, sleep. 

 

POA is the absolute best way of seeing Hawaii. No time lost crossing the Pacific like other lines. 7 days, in port every day, 2 overnight port calls allowing you to see the most of Hawaii. On thing is that since Hawaii does not allow gambling and you never leave Hawaii, there is no casino onboard. 

 

We sailed on NCL last month. We sail on NCL this month. We sail on RCCL in July. They are all about the same. We prefer NCL because they continue to innovate and evolve their product. Change is difficult for people and gives them a chance to complain about things. At one point, fish fingers left the lunch menu and poached salmon was added to the menu,,, people complained. Poached salmon was removed and baked tilapia was added,,, people complained. People just like to complain. Filet and eggs was removed from the suites breakfast menu and replace with NY Strip steak and eggs,,, the world has come to an end (I actually like the strip steak better because it is bigger - more meat). 

[cruzbound]

Thanks all for the information.  We have always sailed on RCCL (20-plus sailings with them).  The couple we are cruising with on NCL, have good friends that went on POA and did not speak highly of it and they were RCCL cruisers so that is the reason for my posting.

 

This has nothing to do with opinions, just a quick question - will NCL customize, so to speak, the meals?  I do not do vegetables (so would they leave them off the plate?) and I only like certain kinds of potatoes (so if they have potatoes I don't like, could I get mashed potatoes in their place?).

 

cruzbound

[DCGuy64]

12 minutes ago, cruzbound said:

Thanks all for the information.  We have always sailed on RCCL (20-plus sailings with them).  The couple we are cruising with on NCL, have good friends that went on POA and did not speak highly of it and they were RCCL cruisers so that is the reason for my posting.

 

This has nothing to do with opinions, just a quick question - will NCL customize, so to speak, the meals?  I do not do vegetables (so would they leave them off the plate?) and I only like certain kinds of potatoes (so if they have potatoes I don't like, could I get mashed potatoes in their place?).

 

cruzbound

Probably. Just ask them. My wife is vegetarian and she has the opposite issue, namely asking that meat- or meat-containing products be left off. Just ask your waiter if you're in the MDR (obviously if you're in the Garden Café you can choose whatever you like.) Enjoy your cruise!

[kitkat343]

Here are the recent reviews of the spirit

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/getreviews.cfm?action=ship&ShipID=299

[kjquilts]

YouTube has a number of Norwegian Spirit tours ..... here is one by Chris Frame

 

 

We were on her years ago and would love to sail her again. 

 

 

[vacation44]

2 hours ago, cruzbound said:

 

This has nothing to do with opinions, just a quick question - will NCL customize, so to speak, the meals?  I do not do vegetables (so would they leave them off the plate?) and I only like certain kinds of potatoes (so if they have potatoes I don't like, could I get mashed potatoes in their place?).

 

cruzbound

Unfortunately, I do not like vegetables.  I also ask for them to be not given to me and I also always switch out any kind of potatoes for french fries and have never had an issue.

[UKstages]

one thing to remember is that the POA, due to its routing within the USA and complicated laws regarding how you can staff a ship that doesn't leave the USA, has a completely american crew. that has caused staffing issues and some people believe quality of service issues.

 

i was born and bred in america, but i do believe that the foreign born staff on most of the other NCL ships are more dedicated to service. hospitality is in their blood and they take great pride in service and customer satisfaction. many of the frontline american crew members on the POA are just passing through on their way to their next gig. so, some of the negative comments you hear about the POA may be related to its crew.

[wolft927]

2 hours ago, cruzbound said:

Thanks all for the information.  We have always sailed on RCCL (20-plus sailings with them).  The couple we are cruising with on NCL, have good friends that went on POA and did not speak highly of it and they were RCCL cruisers so that is the reason for my posting.

 

This has nothing to do with opinions, just a quick question - will NCL customize, so to speak, the meals?  I do not do vegetables (so would they leave them off the plate?) and I only like certain kinds of potatoes (so if they have potatoes I don't like, could I get mashed potatoes in their place?).

 

cruzbound

So when it comes to service, do not compare POA to the international ships...100% totally differant 

[ChiefMateJRK]

3 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

POA is the absolute best way of seeing Hawaii.

 

3 hours ago, cruzbound said:

The couple we are cruising with on NCL, have good friends that went on POA and did not speak highly of it

I agree with both of these.  They are not mutually exclusive.  While POA doesn't provide the normal cruise experience, it serves quite well as a floating hotel to allow you to see a lot of HI.  Unfortunately, they recently removed the absolute best part (the Napali Coast line) ostensibly to provide more time on Kauai, but many of us think it was just a move to reduce fuel costs.  That's fine if it helps them keep POA viable as a business strategy.  Hopefully it will be back once they right the balance sheet.

13 minutes ago, UKstages said:

one thing to remember is that the POA, due to its routing within the USA and complicated laws regarding how you can staff a ship that doesn't leave the USA, has a completely american crew. that has caused staffing issues and some people believe quality of service issues.

This is certainly a core challenge for NCL.  We sailed POA once and don't remember anything but great service, but it was our first cruise and we had nothing to compare it to.  Also, we tend to be on the lower side of the "demands" scale, so aren't likely to complain if we only get a half smile or my name isn't proceeded with "sir." 🤣

[retired714]

3 hours ago, cruzbound said:

 

This has nothing to do with opinions, just a quick question - will NCL customize, so to speak, the meals?  I do not do vegetables (so would they leave them off the plate?) and I only like certain kinds of potatoes (so if they have potatoes I don't like, could I get mashed potatoes in their place?).

We have only sailed on NCL one time on the Bliss last summer. I am lactose intolerant, so I am careful about things with sauces and with desserts. The staff in all the restaurants we ate in were great  about subbing things for me. I am sure they will do it for you.

[MNcruisingcouple]

3 hours ago, cruzbound said:

Thanks all for the information.  We have always sailed on RCCL (20-plus sailings with them).  The couple we are cruising with on NCL, have good friends that went on POA and did not speak highly of it and they were RCCL cruisers so that is the reason for my posting.

 

This has nothing to do with opinions, just a quick question - will NCL customize, so to speak, the meals?  I do not do vegetables (so would they leave them off the plate?) and I only like certain kinds of potatoes (so if they have potatoes I don't like, could I get mashed potatoes in their place?).

 

cruzbound

 

My first question would be, when did they sail on the POA?  They've definitely had a rough start  up after the pandemic.  We sailed on it in Dec 2019 and are planning another trip for this coming Dec.  It is for sure a different style cruise but a fabulous way to see Hawaii.  Much more of a floating hotel, just using it to sleep and eat, compared to other cruise ships. 

 

To your second question, we have a friend that is similar and they've always been accommodating.  Removing veggies and providing mashed potatoes or fries.  

[FLAHAM]

Bring books.  Or, better yet, a Kindle with several unread books.

[TrumpyNor]

We have cruised with the Spirit several times in the past, and have had a great cruise each of those times. BUT those have been port-intensive-type cruises - with 5 sea days on board the Spirit I would get very bored. 

[carohs]

I haven't been on the Spirit. We only sailed on the Jewel and loved it for the most part. I like read books, relax under the sun, crafty type of activities, and night dancing. The Jewel offered all of the above and I was never bored. In fact, sometimes I had trouble finding the time to eat dinner. On port days there weren't any increase of activities though and they definitely have more options in the evening than during the day. You might get bored during the day if there's a scheduled activity that is isn't interesting for you. We didn't because we used those as opportunities to read, play cards, or hot tub. 

 

Food was good, and especially the cafe always had options I was willing to try. Some of it was ok to good, but there were also things I tried that were truly delicious. The soup options were interesting, some things I had never heard of before. That's great because I love trying new things. Luckily I have good eaters because DD and DS also ate everything they tried, but they also mostly stuck to pizza and pasta. I didn't even realize Mac wasn't available in the dining rooms but it certainly was in the Cafe. That's also a plus because I do discourage my kids to eat it at every meal. 

 

The negs: free coffee was only okay and the mugs are a disgrace. Bring your own mug at the least. Smoking smell permeated beyond the casino boundaries and we "had to" walk around by using another deck.  Kids club closing for intervals was more inconvenient than convenient. 

[reporterbabe]

We are going on our third NCL cruise next month, to Alaska. Our last cruise was on POA and we loved almost everything about it (I think my recap is linked in my signature; the things I didn't like were not typical). You essentially are using the ship as a floating hotel so you can get a taste of all the islands. We went in the spring, before school let out, so there weren't a ton of kids running around and we were among the younger adults on the ship.

Our very first cruise was Boston to Bermuda, a big family trip that included our then-young kids, and they absolutely loved the kids programming during the at-sea days.

[carohs]

6 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

. So, you are likely going to see Pho as the soup on the menu versus chicken noodle.

Funny story: One day we had the option of both. Actually, it wasn't Pho but I couldn't pronounce what it was and it looked like Pho to me. This day DS was feeling under the weather and asked for soup. He loves the soup at our local Pho restaurant, so I bring him a bowl with broth and noodles. He complained it's not what he wants he just wanted the broth, etc etc. Enough whining later, we're on vacation, I go grab another bowl, this time chicken noodle (no noodles). He was incredulous I didn't brink him noodles in his Chicken Noodle soup and whined about that too! But he did finish the broth at least.

[genealogyfan]

7 hours ago, cruzbound said:

Hi All,

 

We are scheduled to cruise NCL for the first time and we have started hearing not-so-good stories about some of the NCL ships, etc.  I need your opinions, honest either good or bad, on NCL ships, food, entertainment, etc.  Just so you know were are scheduled to be on Spirit but I would like thoughts on this one and others (particularly Pride of America as this is where we heard more of the bad opinions).

 

We are going to be on sea days for 5 days straight on Spirit - will we get bored or are there enough things to keep us busy and if so, what do they have?

 

Thanks,

cruzbound

Don't go by people's opinions, as they all have different ones for the exact same food, sailing etc.  My friend and I went on the Pride of America and loved it. We met a family who had total opposite opinions on the same sailing. They thought it was crowded, we didn't, they liked dressing for dinner, we didn't, they liked having set dinner times, we didn't. 

 

On my most recent sailing of over 4000 people, I was expecting it to be a lot more crowded then it seemed. I read another review who complained about the long lines, the crowds, etc.. and I didn't think it was that way. Also I have read reviews about how some people loved the Epic Beatles performances and some went to every performance. I thought they were so bad, I walked out half way through, thought they were corny. Everyone will have a different opinion, even about the entertainment.

 

Sometimes the food is excellent, sometimes it's mediocre Some sailings and ships have great entertainment, other ships/sailings it's not as good.

 

Some people love sea days, some people don't. Sea days aren't my favorite, I'd rather be in port, but others like sea days better. 

 

Everyone will have a different opinion, and doesn't make them right or wrong. Do alot of research, research the ports, the tips of your sailing (like if you need to make reservations for entertainment or restaurants ahead of time), look on youtube for tours of your ships.

 

Edited May 5, 2023 by genealogyfan

[Ellis1138]

My honest opinion. 

 

For my first cruise in 2003, I chose NCL because of the Freestyle Dining and specialty restaurants. I believe it was the only one that did that. I like being casual and not having to worry about needing a dress for me and a tux or even a good suit for my husband. We've been on the Sun and the Jade and liked both ships. We were not as impressed with the RCL Explorer.

 

NCL handled my allergies and other concerns the best, so I do like that. 

 

Neither my husband and I are into the entertainment or parties or games, so I can't tell whether those were good or not. My next 2 cruises will be on the Escape and the Pride of America. Even though PoA is supposed to be awful, I'm approaching it as just a floating Best Western. 

 

So whether or not you like NCL will have more to do with your needs and your expectations.

[bluesea777]

We were on the Spirit for the 17 days Rome to Dubai Arabian Odyssey cruise in Feb 2020, and the cruise included a 5 consecutive sea days. There were plenty of activities and things to do. We had to find time to get bored.

Spirit is a great big little ship - our new fave ship. 
 

 

 

[ChiefMateJRK]

54 minutes ago, Ellis1138 said:

Even though PoA is supposed to be awful, I'm approaching it as just a floating Best Western. 

I've only been on POA once, and that over 15 years ago.  I highly doubt that it is "awful."  It's a nice ship with a fantastic itinerary for somebody who wants to see HI.

 

What's wrong with Best Western? 😎

[wil e coyote]

21 hours ago, cruzbound said:

Hi All,

 

We are scheduled to cruise NCL for the first time and we have started hearing not-so-good stories about some of the NCL ships, etc.  I need your opinions, honest either good or bad, on NCL ships, food, entertainment, etc.  Just so you know were are scheduled to be on Spirit but I would like thoughts on this one and others (particularly Pride of America as this is where we heard more of the bad opinions).

 

We are going to be on sea days for 5 days straight on Spirit - will we get bored or are there enough things to keep us busy and if so, what do they have?

 

Thanks,

cruzbound

We've sailed NCL several times, Princess a few times, and RCL a few times. We definitely prefer NCL. As others have said, everyone's tastes and preferences are different, but we have found we like the atmosphere of NCL best, along with the dining options and the Freestyle dining approach. In general, the shows have all been good to excellent. That said, we have also had the experience of talking to others on our sailings who didn't like their NCL cruise at all.

Give NCL a shot -  you'll never be able to compare YOUR likes and dislikes of NCL vs. other lines unless YOU actually cruise with them.

Enjoy!