If you were going to cheat on NCL with another line...

[Andy0215]

We just got off the Epic and stayed in Haven. It was our first NCL cruise (my first period) and we had a very memorable and great vacation. That being said, somehow I felt a little let down by the haven. I think my expectations after reading many reviews might have been a little too high for a mass market cruise line. That said I would definitely cruise with NCL again and certainly in the haven if I did, but not at the current price.
 

I got what apparently was a great deal for our cruise last month. I added the premium drink package and a pass for the thermal spa. We probably didn’t need the drink package but my wife wanted the internet and Starbucks and I wanted sodas so when I looked at those items individually the price was so close the convenience of not having to worry about paying for any drink was just worth doing the upgrade to me. The thermal

spa was great and we really enjoyed our time using it. 
 

When I started looking at prices for trips next feb/March I was shocked to see haven rooms, including the exact one I stayed in, a minimum of 35-40% more than my all in cost on the last one. At the price points I was seeing I didn’t feel like my recent experience matched that cost. Same basic itinerary and March 15/16 dates, add drinks and spa pass put me at nearly $11k.

 

We decided to try MSC YC. I’m all in at $5300 (drinks and spa included) for a larger room with a bigger balcony. The basic itinerary is the same but I believe prefer the MSC visit to Ocean Cay over NCL’s trip (not even going to private island and our last cruise we missed it due to tender boats not being able to operate anyways).

Not a huge deal for me yet but they matched the points I just earned on NCL for their status program which gets me an extra 5% discount on that $5300 price and some OBC thrown in. The videos of the ship in particular looks like a very nice ship and the YC looks VERY nice in comparison to NCL’s product. If the experience is even remotely similar to what I felt was average service (excluding restaurant which was EXCELLENT) in Epic haven then I will be ecstatic. 
 

I’ve read some complaints on MSC customer service but so far my interaction with them has been fine. I’ve already received a call from a pre cruise YC concierge (never got one from NCL) asking me what they can do to make our cruise great and I’ve only been booked for 3 days with them. 

[ysolde]

It's just DH and me, and we travel a bit differently, but here goes.  A couple of years ago, DH and I decided to try Regent for the first time.  Since then, we have cruised Regent once more and booked three more Regent cruises and one more NCL cruise.  Our NCL cruise is on Viva, a not-huge ship.  In a non-Haven suite.  We have now booked business class flights for ourselves, as well as a hotel in the city where the ship is leaving from.  We still need to book specialty dining and drinks packages, and we have to account for all the gratuities, and the cost of our NCL cruise is already higher than anything we have booked on Regent, whose suites are larger and more comfortable, and which have a better crew to passenger ratio and more personalized service overall.  It's not likely we will be booking anymore NCL cruises.

Edited March 3 by ysolde

[amygutman]

On 3/3/2024 at 9:08 AM, Andy0215 said:

We just got off the Epic and stayed in Haven. It was our first NCL cruise (my first period) and we had a very memorable and great vacation. That being said, somehow I felt a little let down by the haven. I think my expectations after reading many reviews might have been a little too high for a mass market cruise line. That said I would definitely cruise with NCL again and certainly in the haven if I did, but not at the current price.
 

I got what apparently was a great deal for our cruise last month. I added the premium drink package and a pass for the thermal spa. We probably didn’t need the drink package but my wife wanted the internet and Starbucks and I wanted sodas so when I looked at those items individually the price was so close the convenience of not having to worry about paying for any drink was just worth doing the upgrade to me. The thermal

spa was great and we really enjoyed our time using it. 
 

When I started looking at prices for trips next feb/March I was shocked to see haven rooms, including the exact one I stayed in, a minimum of 35-40% more than my all in cost on the last one. At the price points I was seeing I didn’t feel like my recent experience matched that cost. Same basic itinerary and March 15/16 dates, add drinks and spa pass put me at nearly $11k.

 

We decided to try MSC YC. I’m all in at $5300 (drinks and spa included) for a larger room with a bigger balcony. The basic itinerary is the same but I believe prefer the MSC visit to Ocean Cay over NCL’s trip (not even going to private island and our last cruise we missed it due to tender boats not being able to operate anyways).

Not a huge deal for me yet but they matched the points I just earned on NCL for their status program which gets me an extra 5% discount on that $5300 price and some OBC thrown in. The videos of the ship in particular looks like a very nice ship and the YC looks VERY nice in comparison to NCL’s product. If the experience is even remotely similar to what I felt was average service (excluding restaurant which was EXCELLENT) in Epic haven then I will be ecstatic. 
 

I’ve read some complaints on MSC customer service but so far my interaction with them has been fine. I’ve already received a call from a pre cruise YC concierge (never got one from NCL) asking me what they can do to make our cruise great and I’ve only been booked for 3 days with them. 

We loved our YC trips - and the service on board was beyond amazing. Really loved the rotating menus in the YC restaurant as well. The observation areas were outstanding and the crew divine. 

 

Entertainment...very odd. Like random velociraptor in a peter pan pirate show, and a man dressed in a giant nose walking across the stage in another production dance show (I kid you not). Not bad...just really, really strange. 

 

Plus, there are literally mirrored surfaces everywhere. I have not had a single cruise on MSC in which I didn't end up with at least one bruise from smacking my elbows (or face) into shiny wall or staircase. 

 

It's just their customer service - my TA, who has the patience of a saint, hates dealing with them despite their great prices. I agree - have never gotten a straight answer (or the same answer twice from different reps), challenges with response times, and a website that is so bad it makes you want to toss your laptop. 

 

However - get past that and I know you will LOVE the YC. ONly downside is no covered pools in the YC area which is a definite perk on NCL (except for Epic / Getaway). 

 

Warmest, Amy

[mac66]

We've cruised on NCL 4 times, Carnival 2 times, Royal about a dozen times and Celebrity 7 times.  We like Celebrity the best but Royal is our go to.

 

The Oasis class ships on Royal I think are the best for families, tons of stuff to do. Of course now they have even bigger Icon class ships.  Now that our kids are grown we tend to like the smaller Royal ships but we've sailed on all their classes of ships and always had a good time.

 

Just got off one of the biggest Celebrity ships (Beyond). It was nice, almost too big. I think I prefer their smaller ships as well.  And BTW, we don't do suites, rarely do specialty dinning or drink packages or anything special. Often sail in inside cabins.

 

And...while food quality and service tended to go down after covid, we went on a smaller Royal ship last winter with my brothers and their wives (who don't cruise very much) and they raved about the food and service. I was pleasantly surprised as well considering the previous couple cruises, food and service were mediocre.

 

I would like to try NCL again but so far haven't found a price or itinerary comparable to Royal.

Edited March 5 by mac66