Once and done with Norwegian. Ugh.

[RB9643]

2 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

The point is...is they don't offer what I enjoy, there are plenty of other choices for me.

 

 

Undeniable. Good luck elsewhere.

 

[complawyer]

hey rb9... im glad that you agree, but i'm to lazy to shift from lower case. but on the bright side, you did get my message in its entirety.

[RB9643]

1 minute ago, complawyer said:

hey rb9... im glad that you agree, but i'm to lazy to shift from lower case. but on the bright side, you did get my message in its entirety.

 

Hey, rb9, I'm glad that you agree, but I'm too lazy to shift from lower case. But on the bright side, you did get my message in its entirety.

 

It's really not that hard.

 

[Asawi]

8 hours ago, bobkat11 said:

 

 

 The Prima should never sail this particular itinerary. It is the wrong ship for the climate. It has far too much outdoor space for a chilly northern European itinerary, causing the indoor dining areas and lounges to be claustrophobically packed. Passengers did not want to be outside in the cold wind playing shuffleboard, mini golf, pickleball, water slides, Go-carts, pool areas, sitting lounges, or any of the other numerous outdoor offerings.

While it sounds like it's not a good ship for this destination because of its size, I truly don't get this. Why go on a cold weather cruise if you're not prepared for cold weather? Isn't that part of the experience? Scenery and climate. But hey, all the more outdoor space for me who loves cold weather when I go on the Star next month if everyone else wants to stay indoors! I think (hope) Star is more suited for this destination than the Prima.

[Dorhead1230]

3 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

That's fine but, as I mentioned, I found a reasonable work around.  The first time I asked, the waiter quickly and confidently proclaimed "RIBEYE!"  That's what I ordered and it was absolutely delicious.  Another time he recommended a filet, and it was not bad, but not something that creates memories. 🤣 (i.e. I don't remember it being either great or not great - it was just a steak).

Great idea to ask this but, and I know this is going to sound facetious but I’m really not being snarky…do you think they’d sometimes just recommend whatever they’re trying to unload/have too much of/isn’t that great just because they know we’re not “paying” for it anyway? Either way, I think I may try your method in a few weeks on the Joy. I’m going to go construct my foil hat now 👀😅

[insidecabin]

2 hours ago, Dorhead1230 said:

Great idea to ask this but, and I know this is going to sound facetious but I’m really not being snarky…do you think they’d sometimes just recommend whatever they’re trying to unload/have too much of/isn’t that great just because they know we’re not “paying” for it anyway? Either way, I think I may try your method in a few weeks on the Joy. I’m going to go construct my foil hat now 👀😅

On Star few weeks back everyone around us was warned off the rib eye, the guy next table had it anyway and said it was pretty good.

 

Dining package and FAS dinners are not free.

 

Latitudes come with zero additional cost

 

 

[Steff79]

10 hours ago, RB9643 said:

 

Do you have any idea what those port tenders cost? I think you would be shocked.

 

 

 

why should he care about?

NCL is selling this cruise with that port, so he paid for that with his cruise price.

 

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by Steff79

[Steff79]

thanks for you review,

if i was at this cruise and the observation Lounge was closed to me the whole cruise because of a lage group i was realy annoyd too. the best Lounge to sit down and to see Norway and iceland fjords.closed because of others.

 

The other points are similar to my experience. 

[akeka]

12 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

the incident with the women sounded like standard protocol in any business. If you are not trained and certified to render first aide, then don’t engage. Let the women scream. Any action creates a liability in the event that it causes more harm/injury in the eyes of an Abilene chasing lawyer. That is the world you live in. 

 

Sounds like you described just about any cruise line. Cruising on a middle of the pack cruise line is not for you. See ya. 

I hope bystanders continue to give aid when coming upon people needing it.  That's the reason good samaritan laws exist.

[herbanrenewal]

46 minutes ago, akeka said:

the incident with the women sounded like standard protocol in any business. If you are not trained and certified to render first aide, then don’t engage. Let the women scream. Any action creates a liability in the event that it causes more harm/injury in the eyes of an Abilene chasing lawyer. That is the world you live in. 

 

Sounds like you described just about any cruise line. Cruising on a middle of the pack cruise line is not for you. See ya. 

 

I hope bystanders continue to give aid when coming upon people needing it.  That's the reason good samaritan laws exist.

akeka is right -  And you don't need to be EMS to stop, say "We're calling for help" and holding someone's hand even though you can't render first aid. Until you've been in need for a calming reassuring presence in the event of an emergency, you won't know just how important that is.

 

 

 

[DMP609]

16 hours ago, bobkat11 said:

The entire stop at Isofjordour was cancelled.  (We were told we couldn't stop there because the Prima doesn't have tender boats. Don't all of the life boats double as tender boats?? And other ships continue to stop there, so we Prima passengers were frustrated by no satisfactory reason for the cancellation.)

Sorry to hear of your experiences with the Prima. That must be so disappointing.

 

Regarding tendering, I read posts when the Prima sailed over the winter to the Caribbean of people tendering, plus as you said, don't the tender boats also serve as life boats? Has anyone tendered while sailing on the Prima? 

[DrUrsula]

11 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

That's fine but, as I mentioned, I found a reasonable work around.  The first time I asked, the waiter quickly and confidently proclaimed "RIBEYE!"  That's what I ordered and it was absolutely delicious.  Another time he recommended a filet, and it was not bad, but not something that creates memories. 🤣 (i.e. I don't remember it being either great or not great - it was just a steak).

Also- if the steak was not up to par, SEND IT BACK!! I don't know why people complain about a poor quality item yet don't request a replacement.

oh well.

[ontheweb]

12 hours ago, mugtech said:

Glad I don't eat steaks.

Ah, another vegetarian.

[mugtech]

1 minute ago, ontheweb said:

Ah, another vegetarian.

Wrong, I eat fish and other seafood.

[ontheweb]

Just now, mugtech said:

Wrong, I eat fish and other seafood.

Actually, we also do that.

 

[ontheweb]

14 hours ago, RB9643 said:

 

Do you have any idea what those port tenders cost? I think you would be shocked.

 

 

 

Then don't sell a tender port and label it as a port where you dock!

[Dorhead1230]

5 hours ago, insidecabin said:

On Star few weeks back everyone around us was warned off the rib eye, the guy next table had it anyway and said it was pretty good.

 

Dining package and FAS dinners are not free.

 

Latitudes come with zero additional cost

 

 

I know; that’s why the quotes around “paying.” I’m a gambler and visit Atlantic City and Mohegan Sun often and we sail CAS, so I always know when free isn’t quite free 😅. I was just wondering if the crew’s view is since people aren’t forking over extra cash onboard, then why not recommend the choice that isn’t quite the best and unload it? Lol I swear I am not an actual conspiracy theorist. It would be a way for them to get rid of some less-than-stellar steak and as DrUrsula noted most people probably won’t send it back so…

 

At any rate, food is always so subjective that any crew member’s recommendation could fall flat with some, or like with the man at the next table from you, something the crew member doesn’t care for could go over well with some guests. First-world problem if there ever was one, anyway—I’ll take Cagney’s steak conundrums any day if I’m lucky enough to be on a cruise! 😎

[Sigyn]

We were on the Prima for a Caribbean cruise over the Christmas holiday and enjoyed it, but all of our tender ports were cancelled, so I find that super interesting about your experience. What is up with the tender situation on the Prima?

[njkate]

Thank you for a well written thought out review. I've seen many lackluster reviews of the Prima so there is no way I'd shell out the money NCL wants to book this ship. So sorry your cruise turned out this way.

 

I'm also glad to see the NCL apologists didn't come out in droves with their pitch forks attacking your review.

[AstoriaPreppy]

15 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

the incident with the women sounded like standard protocol in any business. If you are not trained and certified to render first aide, then don’t engage. Let the women scream. Any action creates a liability in the event that it causes more harm/injury in the eyes of an Abilene chasing lawyer. That is the world you live in. 

This is hot take is both nauseatingly cynical, and legally untrue in most Western nations. 

 

Good Samaritan laws provide legal protection for people providing assistance, and many nations/States have even stronger "duty to rescue" laws, where you have a legal obligation to provide assistance.

 

[knitlady037]

I sailed the first cruise from NY on the Prima in haven. Most of the passengers were seasoned NCL cruisers. My opinion, and the opinion of many others I spoke with was never again for this type of ship. There are so many haven cabins now it is not the same experience. I had a haven penthouse cabin. The bathroom was smaller than an inside cabin on other ships. NO  storage at all in bathroom. Next cruise is on Escape with a traditional haven experience. If this had been my first NCL cruise I would also be saying never again to an NCL cruise.

Edited June 17, 2023 by knitlady037

[bobkat11]

14 hours ago, jimsig said:

I'm a bit confused by this.  You said you arrived in you last stop in Reykjavik at 1:30 pm but then said you arrived at 6p the previous evening. 

Good catch, my mistake. It was Akeyruri that we arrived 6pm. Reykjavik we docked 1:30 pm.

But my point stands: we arrived in Reykjavik the day before disembarking, and we heard people complain that NCL had said they would not be allowed off the ship in time to make a 10am flight. According to some passengers, that is what NCL said prior to cruising. But then after they had already changed flights and/or added a night in a hotel in Reykjavik for one night, then NCL did end up allow early disembarking.

It didn't affect us, as our flight was 5pm. The only reason I mention this, is in case it's helpful for people whose only option home is a morning flight.

[Asawi]

15 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Let the women scream. Any action creates a liability in the event that it causes more harm/injury in the eyes of an Abilene chasing lawyer. That is the world you live in. 

No it's not. Maybe the world YOU live in. But I don't live in USA. (I'm not even sure it's true for USA)

[ontheweb]

55 minutes ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

This is hot take is both nauseatingly cynical, and legally untrue in most Western nations. 

 

Good Samaritan laws provide legal protection for people providing assistance, and many nations/States have even stronger "duty to rescue" laws, where you have a legal obligation to provide assistance.

 

But do those Good Samaritan laws provide legal protection for crew members who do not have medical training and know that there are crew members who do have that training?

 

I know I officiated high school sports for several years, and we were taught in case of an injury to a player we were to call the coaches who all had to have first aid training for their certification to coach, and to get away from the injured student/athlete. We also for legal liability reasons had to fill in a form with details like date, field conditions, etc. to have a contemporaneous report in case there was a lawsuit years later.

[graphicguy]

OP…sorry to hear it didn’t work out.

 

Some enjoy planning and securing their cruise plans.  I’m a “seat of the pants” cruiser.  If one restaurant, entertainment venue, etc is not open, I’m adaptable in finding something, somewhere else, I’ll probably find to entertainment me.  Not blaming you, but knowing some of the “ins and outs” for any cruise line, any ship, proves helpful.

 

Embarkation/disembarkation…..mostly a function of the port personnel.  Where I think NCL could do a better job, they state you can check in at xx:00 o’clock.  That does not mean you can board.  Just able to check in.  I think NCL could do a better job of making this point.  This isn’t exclusive to them, however.  All cruise lines do the same….unless you’re in a cabin (Haven) or pay for early access (Faster to the Fun with Carnival).  Personally, I always recommend people show up to the pier early afternoon for cruises that sail late afternoon.  All the masses have pushed and shoved their way on board by then, and it’s easy from that point.

 

NCL isn’t alone in this situation.  Have experienced it on other cruise lines.  Which is the entire reason I board after noon, regardless of cruise or cruise line.

 

I think if you take a look at the Freestyle Daily that you have access to either on your room TV, or in paper form, you’ll find at least something happening every hour of every day, where it’s happening, and what there is to do.…sometimes by the minute.

 

Syd Norman’s is an entertainment venue you should not miss.  They group(s) who play there are outstanding and usually perform different theme shows.  Unless you’re in the Haven, get there early as it fills up quick.  Trying to recall Prima’s main show…correct me if I’m wrong but I think it’s Donna Summer’s show.  Haven’t seen it.  Heard it’s excellent.  That’s true of most of NCL’s entertainment.  Although when I was on the behind the scenes tour of the Bliss a few months ago, the Stage Manager told us some of the shows’ contracts were up, across the fleet.  And, that they would be introducing others.  So, don’t know what is happening with Donna Summer.

 

Enough of all that.  Some cruise lines don’t fit with certain cruisers.  Now you know what doesn’t work and can identify another ship/cruise line that fits you better.  

 

NCL fits me well.  They PO me from time to time, however.  But, overall I find they fit best with what I enjoy doing.  If it didn’t fit well with you, I understand.  Sorry it didn’t work out.

 

I’m still trying to find a deal on PRIMA, as I really want to sail her.  Might be a while.  They seem to be sailing full and being NCL’s newest, will probably have fares higher than I want to spend. I’ll give it a while before looking again.

 

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by graphicguy