fleeflicker Posted September 19, 2006 #1 Share Posted September 19, 2006 I have been a many cruises and normally go on carnival. We are thinking about going on a NCL cruise. Can anyone tell me if NCL is basically like carnival or is it major different. thanks for any help you may be able to give Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcyjane Posted September 19, 2006 #2 Share Posted September 19, 2006 We've been on Carnival, RCI and once on NCL. For myself NCL was ok and would cruise again but, Carnival has more things to do and seems that the crew is more friendly. RCI as well seems to have more to do as well. As for the freestyle that NCL offers, we thought we would like it, but really didn't. You walk up like you would if you were going to eat at O'Charley's wait in line to be seated (no assigned table and never the same waiter) on the other cruise lines, it's fun to get to know the waiter and they too remember what you like and night after night it just seems to get more fun and better. Just go with what you want to do, I think it is always good to try a different cruise line and then you'll know that way what the difference are and anyway a cruise vacation is wonderful on any line. Marcy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heelfan94 Posted September 19, 2006 #3 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Just go with what you want to do, I think it is always good to try a different cruise line and then you'll know that way what the difference are and anyway a cruise vacation is wonderful on any line. Marcy FWIW, I think that is very sound advice. It seems we like and dislike different things with different cruise lines. If NCL has an itinerary that looks appealing, my advice would be to try it. Then you'll have a much better idea of how it suits your personal taste. Whatever cruise you take, have fun! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samtig Posted September 19, 2006 #4 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Been on 3 Carnival & 2 Norwegian cruises & enjoyed them all. Each cruiseline & each ship is different. My personal opinion is that the food is a little better on Carnival as is the entertainment; however, both are personal preferences. We find that some of the planned activities on Carnival are a little more boisterous than Norw., but doesn't bother me. There's plenty to do on Norw. too. We cruised on the Norwegian Sun in Dec. & the food was comparable with Carnival. We loved the ship, size, and the crew was wonderful. We enjoyed it so much we're going on the Sun again. We'll also go on Carnival again too. We enjoy free style dining because we can eat anytime we want which is great, especially on port days. The longest wait we had was 5 minutes. If you like a particular waiter you can request one of his tables. This doesn't matter to us, but does to some. We also have a RCI cruise planned. Want to try other cruiselines for comparison. Try something different. Never been on a bad cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmexicoNita Posted September 19, 2006 #5 Share Posted September 19, 2006 I think most who are honest will agree, there isn't much difference between NCL, Carnival and RCI; Carnival has larger cabins and maybe better food plus more activities like things around the pool etc. RCI has more activities like the rope climbing, ice skating, etc but they all cost extra; NCL offers freestyle dining with many more choices. If you choose to eat in special restaurants the prices on NCL are much lower. You can almost eat twice for the price of one meal on the other lines and the food in the specailty dining rooms is just as good if not better. Other than the freestyle dining the other plus, for us, anyway has been the crew. On NCL they are friendlier and more relaxed: the worst we have had was RCI and the worst dining room service was Carnival. Others have had just the opposite. It really depends on individuals. To us we base our cruising decisions on: 1-itinerary: 2-price-3-convenience of embarkation port 4-dates and timing. All being equal (which is never the case) we would go with NCL, but there is no line that we would not cruise I don't think and the difference anymore is more the ship itself, not the cruiseline. NMNita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimc_usa Posted September 19, 2006 #6 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Been on 2 Carnival and 2 NCL. Carnival was a party ship (we took my daughter and her friend) NCL more people of our age (50s) more relaxed less kids. I think that meals were less crowded on NCL - but then we didn't go to meals at the regular times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleeflicker Posted September 19, 2006 Author #7 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Thanks everyone for your input. I really do appreciate it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leafpeeper Posted September 19, 2006 #8 Share Posted September 19, 2006 We sail Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian. Our next cruise is on Crown Princess. I would suggest giving Norwegian a try to see how you like freestyle dining. There is one main dining room on NCL Dawn where you can eat at the same table, same waiter, etc. We really enjoyed the variety of restaurants on NCL Dawn: Italian, Mexican, Steak, English Pub, French, Venetian DR, Japanese, Chinese, etc.The Dawn had the best entertainment we've ever seen. We sailed Carnival in February and found their food to be comparable with the other cruiselines we've sailed. However, Carnival's dinner buffet was the worst. There was only one entree and one dessert selection. It almost forced you to eat in the dining room whether you wanted to or not. Royal Caribbean has wonderful specialty restaurants and an incredible buffet--best of any cruiseline. They also have hot food on room service, so we dined on our balcony a couple nights. The decor on Jewel of the Seas is fabulous. Everybody has their own taste, so I recommend trying each cruiseline--and stick with newer ships. We can't wait to try Crown Princess Sept 30 and NCL Star Feb 2. We love sailing on different ships. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itspilsbury Posted September 19, 2006 #9 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Just got home after a fabulous 3 week visit to the USA spoilt by NCL. During our 3 week stay we took a 7 night Hawaii cruise on NCL's Pride of America. This is the 5th cruise we have been on, the previous have been with RCI. This was our first and last ever cruise with NCL. Poor food, even worse service. The ship was fairly nice and the islands were fabulous. It was the staff, ignorant or what. Everyone that we spoke to on board felt the same. Food was regularly served luke warm not hot, thats when it eventually arrived. We went to the Cadilac dinner and left after an hour sat waiting to be served. Another time we stood for 10 mins waiting to be shown to a table, the waitress didn't even welcome us, she looked at us waiting at the front of the line and simply looked away ignoring us. They ran out of food in the buffet resturant, what no orange juice left, no cantaloupe melon after day 5..... Had to wait 45mins each night to get into the resturants yet there were many empty tables???? enough staff????. I think the main reason for this poor service is that they take the gratuitys automatically off you rather than you pay tips to those that you feel have earnt it during your cruise. No incentive for staff to serve you with a smile. Our next cruise will be with RCI where we know we will get good food and good service. (the only people that we spoke to onboard who though it was ok were 1st time cruisers). So my advice is avoid NCL's FREESTYLE cruing like the plague, spend your hard earnt cash on a decent cruise with another cruiseline, which will not necessarily be any dearer.:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melika091900 Posted September 19, 2006 #10 Share Posted September 19, 2006 carnival conquest was our favorite cruise we had been on, until we did NCL. NCL was by far awesome, the freestyle dining made a complete difference. one other poster said about the lines and stuff to me ,, its all better than having to eat at a certain time... like other cruise lines. that was just a drag, and formals on NCL are optional. everyone likes different things, but NCL had great service, beautiful ships. good food ,, and the prices are right.... and good iteneraries... we are sailing NCl again, same ship same cruise , since we enjoyed it so much... takecare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmexicoNita Posted September 19, 2006 #11 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Just got home after a fabulous 3 week visit to the USA spoilt by NCL. During our 3 week stay we took a 7 night Hawaii cruise on NCL's Pride of America. This is the 5th cruise we have been on, the previous have been with RCI. This was our first and last ever cruise with NCL. Poor food, even worse service. The ship was fairly nice and the islands were fabulous. It was the staff, ignorant or what. Everyone that we spoke to on board felt the same. Food was regularly served luke warm not hot, thats when it eventually arrived. We went to the Cadilac dinner and left after an hour sat waiting to be served. Another time we stood for 10 mins waiting to be shown to a table, the waitress didn't even welcome us, she looked at us waiting at the front of the line and simply looked away ignoring us. They ran out of food in the buffet resturant, what no orange juice left, no cantaloupe melon after day 5..... Had to wait 45mins each night to get into the resturants yet there were many empty tables???? enough staff????. I think the main reason for this poor service is that they take the gratuitys automatically off you rather than you pay tips to those that you feel have earnt it during your cruise. No incentive for staff to serve you with a smile. Our next cruise will be with RCI where we know we will get good food and good service. (the only people that we spoke to onboard who though it was ok were 1st time cruisers). So my advice is avoid NCL's FREESTYLE cruing like the plague, spend your hard earnt cash on a decent cruise with another cruiseline, which will not necessarily be any dearer.:(what part of not the same product do people not understand? NCL and NCLA are not the same company and you were not on NCL; this is like saying RCI and Celebrity are the same; if you have been on both you certainly know Celebrity is heads above RCI. NMnita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlywedcruisers Posted September 19, 2006 #12 Share Posted September 19, 2006 what part of not the same product do people not understand? NCL and NCLA are not the same company and you were not on NCL; this is like saying RCI and Celebrity are the same; if you have been on both you certainly know Celebrity is heads above RCI. NMnita Post count Nita, Post count. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lv2crooz2 Posted September 19, 2006 #13 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Post count Nita, Post count. ;) LOL!:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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