Princess v NCL

[gatorchinsky]

After sailing NCL for our last 10 cruises, we want to switch it up and try Princess again for our next cruise. We are looking at the new Sun Princess which looks like it will be gorgeous. Just want to hear from others who have done a good number of NCL and Princess cruises to give their opinion on which they prefer. Also, has Princess cut back on entertainment, activities, food, etc? While we have enjoyed all of our cruises with NCL, our last couple cruises really showed us that NCL is not what they use to be.

[asctony]

You only notice cutbacks if you cruise a cruise line often. They are all cutting back. Food, entertainment, perks, but raising costs for us.

Been on RCI, Celebrity, MSC, NCL & Princess this year. They all are fully booked and raised prices on all things.

JMHO!

HAPPY Cruising! 

[EllieinNJ]

I agree.  NCL used to be our preferred cruise line but our last few cruises with them have been a disappointment.  I still have one cruise next left and also $200 in FCC from problems on a cruise plus now there is $200 off $1000 in American Express so I might just book one more cruise with them.

 

We will be going on our 5th Princess cruise next November on the Enchanted.  It is a repro from NY to Ft. Lauderdale.  We did this same exact itinerary in 2022 and liked it so much we are doing it again.  Meanwhile, we are spreading our money out between Royal, MSC and Carnival but Princess seems to be our favorite now.  The food is very good, they have shows every night (not game shows) and the ambience seems a little more refined.

[gatorchinsky]

1 minute ago, EllieinNJ said:

I agree.  NCL used to be our preferred cruise line but our last few cruises with them have been a disappointment.  I still have one cruise next left and also $200 in FCC from problems on a cruise plus now there is $200 off $1000 in American Express so I might just book one more cruise with them.

 

We will be going on our 5th Princess cruise next November on the Enchanted.  It is a repro from NY to Ft. Lauderdale.  We did this same exact itinerary in 2022 and liked it so much we are doing it again.  Meanwhile, we are spreading our money out between Royal, MSC and Carnival but Princess seems to be our favorite now.  The food is very good, they have shows every night (not game shows) and the ambience seems a little more refined.

I will book at least one more with NCL because I have to use up FCC but decided not to worry about loyalty to just one line anymore.

 

Our last Princess cruise was in 2008 so we are excited to try them again.

 

I’m glad that there are nightly shows and not just game shows. After awhile they get old. Also since NCL appears to be getting rid of their Broadway production shows, not sure what they will replace them with. The last cruise was sorely lacking in any type of stage shows and we were a little bored.

[rocklinmom]

For us the main difference between the two is having formal nights on Princess and none on NCL (I like not having to dress up for dinner), afternoon tea on Princess only, and NCL definitely has more of a party atmosphere and lots of fun nighttime options. Also liked the self-serve ice cream on NCL haha. We like cruising on both lines and it really comes down to itinerary, dates, and price. 

[karatemom2]

Princess is generally our top choice for many reasons, not the least of which is DH casino perks and our Elite loyalty benefits. That being said, we really like NCL and have done a number of cruises with them as well. 
 

in terms of comparison, some things that I find better on Princess are the cabin size - unless you are in a Haven suite on NCL, their standard cabins are a little tight. We also find the overall ambiance and vibe of Princess a bit more elegant and relaxing. The beautiful atriums on Princess are a lovely gathering place and the ships are really nicely designed and appointed. You will be on the Sun which appears to be next level! In terms of CD level entertainment like trivia, which we enjoy, Princess teams do a great job and the venues where it is held are much nicer and more conducive to large groups. There is more variety as well. We find the main dining room food on Princess slightly better than NCL main dining room food, however, I will say NCL has the edge in my opinion on specialty dining. Princess specialty restaurants are very good, but Ocean Blue and Le Bistro on NCL are exceptional. In terms of casual dining, they are pretty evenly matched with a slight edge to the Princess buffet, pizza and grill. I do love The Local on NCL though. But nothing beats my beloved afternoon tea on Princess!

 

I think some of the biggest differences are in the entertainment and activities. Like I said, Princess is more low key. You will find mini golf, pickleball, sports deck area, a giant chess board, pools, etc. but no giant slides, go karts, virtual reality, laser tag, arcades, bowling or pool tables. Princess casinos are very nice though! Princess also does a great job offering live music throughout the ship, however, NCL has some top notch entertainment with its Cavern Club, Comedy shows and outstanding production shows which we have found to be the best of any line. Truly topnotch professional productions. That being said. Princess shows can be very entertaining and you will be seeing them with fresh eyes which is always fun. 
 

We find plenty to like about both lines and have never had a bad cruise on either. No doubt the Sun will be magnificent in all its new glory and I’m sure you will get to experience added aspects Princess will be offering on that ship. Enjoy!!

Edited November 19, 2023 by karatemom2

[billco]

We've done 9 cruises on NCL, 41 on Princess. We were leaning toward NCL until after the pandemic, but that has changed a bit. First negative was the way they abruptly told the cast of Kinky Boots to take a hike. Then they reduced room steward salary and eliminated turndown while raising the gratuity to the highest of the cruise lines we sail on. Also their phony marketing techniques like one week it will be 35% off a ridiculous high fare, the next week it will be 70% second person. Or their 2nd person flys free scam. Lately, I have been trying to book a cruise to use up my Cruise Next coupons, but I end up cancelling, because I find a better deal elsewhere. These articles pretty much tell the NCL story:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2950254-entertainment-cutback-concerns-and-real-disappointment/

https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-cruise-line-closing-multiple-production-shows/104189

https://crew-center.com/ncl-lays-staff-members-entertainment-department-will-be-reduced-across-fleet

 

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, rocklinmom said:

For us the main difference between the two is having formal nights on Princess and none on NCL (I like not having to dress up for dinner), afternoon tea on Princess only, and NCL definitely has more of a party atmosphere and lots of fun nighttime options. Also liked the self-serve ice cream on NCL haha. We like cruising on both lines and it really comes down to itinerary, dates, and price. 

You do not have to dress up for dinner on Princess.  Smart Casual for all nights has been fine for several years now.

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, gatorchinsky said:

After sailing NCL for our last 10 cruises, we want to switch it up and try Princess again for our next cruise. We are looking at the new Sun Princess which looks like it will be gorgeous. Just want to hear from others who have done a good number of NCL and Princess cruises to give their opinion on which they prefer. Also, has Princess cut back on entertainment, activities, food, etc? While we have enjoyed all of our cruises with NCL, our last couple cruises really showed us that NCL is not what they use to be.

Other than the general Princess atmosphere and amazing crew and menus, I imagine the experience on Sun is going to be a lot different than the rest of the fleet, so hard to compare.  

[gatorchinsky]

2 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

You do not have to dress up for dinner on Princess.  Smart Casual for all nights has been fine for several years now.

That’s good to know. When on vacation we don’t like to dress up. One of the main reasons we like NCL

[waltd]

As long as the cruiselines are still paying back billions in loans expect cutbacks.

[luv2kroooz]

We jumped ship from NCL when they raised their service charges to a ridiculous $20 pp per day and the gratuities on the beverage package to $21.80 per person per day. We just finished a Princess cruise and we thought it compared well with NCL. We thought the Princess cruise was a bit more refined and less "in your face" than NCL with its intrusive announcements for art auctions and spa tours etc. The entertainment was more traditional with three production shows that were well done and various fly on entertainers such as singers and comedians. The shows were ridiculously overcrowded on Princess, though, requiring you to show up at least 30 minutes prior to showtime if you wanted to get a seat.

 

Overall, Princess seemed more "all inclusive" to us. We had unlimited internet included instead of having to pay to upgrade on NCL. We enjoyed, lobster, beef wellington, scallops in the MDR which don't show up in NCL MDR unless you pay. Also, the beverage package on Princess is far more all inclusive than NCL with coffees, bottled/sparkling water, top shelf liquor such as Hendricks Gin, Grey Goose Vodka, Woodford, Bailey's etc all included in the base package. These are all upcharges on NCL. For the right price, we would cruise either line again. If prices were equal, we'd choose Princess as you get more value for your $$.

Edited November 19, 2023 by luv2kroooz

[KKB]

9 hours ago, gatorchinsky said:

After sailing NCL for our last 10 cruises, we want to switch it up and try Princess again for our next cruise. We are looking at the new Sun Princess which looks like it will be gorgeous. Just want to hear from others who have done a good number of NCL and Princess cruises to give their opinion on which they prefer. Also, has Princess cut back on entertainment, activities, food, etc? While we have enjoyed all of our cruises with NCL, our last couple cruises really showed us that NCL is not what they use to be.

Having done 36 cruises in 20 years (but half in the last 2 years), 11 on Princess (including last month) & 5 on NCL (Prima coming in Jan), I have a pretty good comparison.

 

We find cruises more alike than different. We find certain ships to have things we love...and things we aren't as fond of. Lines, too.

 

I really like the Waterfront, production shows (tho they are cutting those...) & Syds on NCL. I'd say their specialty dining is overall better than Princess.

 

I really like MDR (especially dessert),  trivia & game shows & Princess Plus package (includes specialty coffee & tips) on Princess.

(Princess production shows are quite "meh" imo; talent is great, shows not so much)

 

Now, Princess doesn't have those NCL "bells & whistles"--slides, rope courses, etc.

We don't care much for them, so they don't hit our radar.

 

Haven't been on ANY cruise on ANY line that we didn't have a good time on.

We were concerned on the Encore in 2019; they felt very short staffed & I was concerned this was a cost cutting measure; but didn't experience it on Getaway last summer or Breakaway this summer.

 

Crew--by & large crew is always great on every ship.

 

Overall we do like newer ships; we did the Discovery.

The Sun should not disappoint!

 

DH28 is the only kiddo that has done both lines (other 2 haven't done NCL); he feels Princess food is better & agrees they do a better job of trivia & gameshows (tho I feel NCL has been better the last couple cruises than our 1st couple in that regard--that often is due to a great CD or a not so great one, imo)

 

Have a great time!

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by KKB

[KKB]

2 hours ago, luv2kroooz said:

We jumped ship from NCL when they raised their service charges to a ridiculous $20 pp per day and the gratuities on the beverage package to $21.80 per person per day. We just finished a Princess cruise and we thought it compared well with NCL. We thought the Princess cruise was a bit more refined and less "in your face" than NCL with its intrusive announcements for art auctions and spa tours etc. The entertainment was more traditional with three production shows that were well done and various fly on entertainers such as singers and comedians. The shows were ridiculously overcrowded on Princess, though, requiring you to show up at least 30 minutes prior to showtime if you wanted to get a seat.

 

Overall, Princess seemed more "all inclusive" to us. We had unlimited internet included instead of having to pay to upgrade on NCL. We enjoyed, lobster, beef wellington, scallops in the MDR which don't show up in NCL MDR unless you pay. Also, the beverage package on Princess is far more all inclusive than NCL with coffees, bottled/sparkling water, top shelf liquor such as Hendricks Gin, Grey Goose Vodka, Woodford, Bailey's etc all included in the base package. These are all upcharges on NCL. For the right price, we would cruise either line again. If prices were equal, we'd choose Princess as you get more value for your $$.

I agree with your POV...tho $20/day gratuities on NCL doesn't bother me when the drink package is free!

[Ken the cruiser]

9 hours ago, gatorchinsky said:

After sailing NCL for our last 10 cruises, we want to switch it up and try Princess again for our next cruise. We are looking at the new Sun Princess which looks like it will be gorgeous. Just want to hear from others who have done a good number of NCL and Princess cruises to give their opinion on which they prefer. Also, has Princess cut back on entertainment, activities, food, etc? While we have enjoyed all of our cruises with NCL, our last couple cruises really showed us that NCL is not what they use to be.

We’re in our early 70s and very much enjoy cruising on either Princess or NCL if the 3-5 week itinerary we’re considering is a good one. For example, on Princess we have cruises booked to Antarctica, the Baltic, Alaska, and a cool TA that stops in Brazil. On NCL, we have a B3B booked that goes to Egypt, so we can see the pyramids, and Ancient Greece, and a B2B that goes to Longyearbyen twice.
 

However, on Princess we prefer to book at least a Reserve Collection mini-suite, so we can dine in their “anytime dining” Reserve dining room, and a Club Balcony cabin with FAS Plus on our NCL bookings.

 

As far as fun goes, we always have fun on both. But as others have mentioned, you need to get to the Princess theater early if you want to get a good seat. But then we always develop a shipboard strategy when we first board any cruise, so that’s no big deal.