What makes NCL so special?????

[Shellbelle28]

NCL fits for me, which doesn't make it "so special" it just makes it "right for me". There are several things I like. The "Freestyle" dining, which means we can eat whenever, wherever and with (or without) whomever we choose and without stressing about formalwear. I also like the type of passenger who we've encountered. From my observation of the CC boards, some cruiseslines seem to be much too "party hearty, drink all night and be as rowdy as you can" for my lifestyle while others seem a little too stuffed shirt and full of snooty attitude "my dear, you're not wearing the right outfit for 'semiformal bugle beads are appropriate but omigawd not sequins night' please don't stand anywhere near me!". The service I've received, the decor of the ships and the quality of the food of NCL have always met or exceeded my expectations. And of course, the prices have been what I consider within my reach.

[isujim]

Just want to thank everyone for your frank opinions.........our group is having a conference call tonight to discuss our options. I think so far they have been impressed with what they have read here......

 

If anyone else has anything to add, I would love to hear it......I believe the cruise we are looking at on the Spirit will definetly be a finalist.

 

Jim

[ssindy]

Aloha,

 

As a former crew member from the POA. Anyone cruising on the POA, DO NOT have high expectations. The best thing to look foward to is that you get to goto Hawaii, one of the most beautiful places around!

 

Mahalo!

[newmexicoNita]

Aloha,

 

As a former crew member from the POA. Anyone cruising on the POA, DO NOT have high expectations. The best thing to look foward to is that you get to goto Hawaii, one of the most beautiful places around!

 

Mahalo!

 

If I read all the posts correctly and I am sure I did, nowhere was there a referrence to cruising POA nor did the original poster ask about POA. I think the consideration was the Spirit.

 

NMNita

[gardencat]

As i stated in a previous post on this thread;

 

 

 

 

It's my impression that the NCL experience differs quite a bit from ship to ship so maybe your question would be more effective if you asked 'What makes the Norwegian Spirit so special?'

 

Maybe ssindy was judging the thread by the listed title 'What makes NCL so special' and so thought that all NCL ships were relevant?

[Traveler39]

A lot of confusion exist over the good, the bad and the ugly of NCL and the POA.... The problems are with ncl and the rebooked passengers of the Pride of America... We are sailing on an older smaller ship but we paid for a new ship and we are being told to accept this great privilage of sailing with ncl to Hawaii.. The replacement ship is the Pride of Aloha... It does not have lobster night, it charges a resort fee per person per night of $10.00 ... It has a poor designed and operated buffet and there has been complaints about the slow service in the dining room... It does not have the chocolite buffet night, etc... I am not sure that any other ship owned by NCL is doing as poorly as the Pride of Aloha in providing the normal cruise experience.. NCL may very well be doing a great job elsewhere but it has dropped the ball on the Pride of Aloha...

[isujim]

NewmexicoNita:

 

You are correct..........if our group chooses NCL it will be the Spirit out of NY......I guess I was incorrect in my OP.....which stated What makes NCL so special?? I assumed, I guess incorrectly that the cruise line as a whole had some characteristics that in customers eyes made it a special line.......it never occured to me to ask ship specific..........

 

This has certainly been interesting to follow.........as a poster new to the NCL boards.........

 

Jim

[mbisson]

We are sailing on an older smaller ship but we paid for a new ship and we are being told to accept this great privilage of sailing with ncl to Hawaii.. The replacement ship is the Pride of Aloha... It does not have lobster night, it charges a resort fee per person per night of $10.00 ... It has a poor designed and operated buffet and there has been complaints about the slow service in the dining room... It does not have the chocolite buffet night, etc... I am not sure that any other ship owned by NCL is doing as poorly as the Pride of Aloha in providing the normal cruise experience.. NCL may very well be doing a great job elsewhere but it has dropped the ball on the Pride of Aloha...

 

I think that the complaint about booking one ship and getting another is valid and if NCL didn't give you the opportunity to cancel they should've. BUT I think you'll find the condition of the Aloha is good.

 

As for no lobster night, resort fee, service in dining, no chocolate buffet I have to ask why you think these things would be any different on the PoAmerica?

 

-Monte

[gardencat]

isujim

 

Think your entry to this board sort of stumbled into the midst of a bit of a brou ha ha ( no IDEA how to spell that) over POA, NCL vs NCLA, and NCL customer service.

From what I've heard, the Spirit should be lots better than POA (at this time at least). You already know my feelings about NCL customer service but you seem ready to deal with that. So however the decision goes -- good cruising.

[Traveler39]

I may never know if the Pride of America would have been a better cruise as it is not available but it is for sure that the Pride of Aloha is a lot less than I paid for and hoped for on a cruise... Please note: For me the cruise is important not just the destination.. As I have said before .. NCL is no more that a cheap hotel that moves during the night to another port... A bus trip with Motel 6... When a cruise line removes all of the treats of a cruise then that cruise line becomes something less... We are all paying to fly to Hawaii... We are now paying ncl to move us from one Island to the other and provide us with minimum accommadations... We are paying ncl $1600 per person for that service... plus our airfare and car rentals and NOW most of our meals.... WHAT A CRUISE....

[mbisson]

I'm afraid that if you've already made up your mind that you won't like the cruise, then, you probably won't.

 

-Monte

[Traveler39]

Since I am on the poa cruise soon I feel it is my right to point out problems that the ship has and that we the paid passengers of the Pride of America are not getting what we paid for on this cruise... Those that wish to discuss how happy they are or are not is of no concern to me... I have cruised several times and visited Hawaii several times.... Never been on a cruise that I did not like but the expectations we held for the Pride of America, a new ship, may not be fulfilled by this older ship... Only time will tell... I cruise for the cruise and the ship and what it has to offer...

 

When will you be sailing on the Pride of Aloha ? I am sure you will be happy with the poa as it will get you from one island to the other, on yes, I guess the airlines can do that also....Let us hear from you when you sail and share your experiences...Have a steak dinner in the buffet if you can find a seat!

[newmexicoNita]

I may never know if the Pride of America would have been a better cruise as it is not available but it is for sure that the Pride of Aloha is a lot less than I paid for and hoped for on a cruise... Please note: For me the cruise is important not just the destination.. As I have said before .. NCL is no more that a cheap hotel that moves during the night to another port... A bus trip with Motel 6... When a cruise line removes all of the treats of a cruise then that cruise line becomes something less... We are all paying to fly to Hawaii... We are now paying ncl to move us from one Island to the other and provide us with minimum accommadations... We are paying ncl $1600 per person for that service... plus our airfare and car rentals and NOW most of our meals.... WHAT A CRUISE....

 

You lost me somewhere here: why do you think you will have to pay for most of your meals? Why would you make such a statement about NCL when you have yet to even cruise the line and what is meant by minimum accommadations for $1600 per person? It is too bad you have a mind set that will most likely spoil your cruise. I hope I am wrong. NMNita

[mbisson]

Traveler39

I'm only trying to say that since you're going on the cruise, give it a chance & you just might enjoy it. What would you have had NCL do in so far as not having the POAmerica ready? It Sank.

 

Post whatever you want, I'm also not trying to imply you can't.

-Monte

[Traveler39]

Start with reading the virtual cruise here on CC... Written by CC editor... then read the many complaints of food service problems, dirty rooms, dirty shower curtain, poor buffet, etc... it goes on and on... You should try to look at the facts and not live in a world where everone gets along and wears rose color glasses... There are problems with this ship, the poa... and if you are not sailing on it nor have just sailed on it then you do not have a vested interest... you are worring over something that will not effect you... Have a good day, be happy, and love one another... This cruise is not for you, is it..

 

Try to understand that being concerned and voiceing those concerns does not make me a bad guy or an unhappy person... Many of us are concerned and hope that ncl will read our concerns and make improvements... A well run clean ship with good food service is important to a cruise and this is a cruise... not a fantasy... We dream fantasies and pay for cruises...

[mbisson]

Oh well, it's your cruise so just go ahead an continue your path to enlightenment. The POAmerica didn't just sink yesterday, so you probably have had time to rebook a different cruise and didn't.

 

BTW-I think going on any cruise with an attitude that is so completely negative will result in a negative cruise. You seem to disagree, but that's fine.

 

In the mean time, I'll update my ignore list. ByeBye

[cruisecrasy]

Seems to me that some folks are getting a bit 'testy' regarding any even slight bad mouthing of POA - gee saying stuff like 'with your attitude you won't have a good time' - how silly...! This is a swap ideas and information format isn't it so all are wlecome to post without being 'lambasted' by short tempered people who may even be a bit biased. We should all go with a positive attitude but after sailing with HAL, RCI, Carvival etc I also have certain expectations of NCL and if not met no positive attitude will help and I am paying extra $ to sail POA as well! This POA 'thing' is simple - they rushed a refit and the ship into service with higher port fees (stay 2 nites in Maui & gee-higher costs) with a mainly inexperienced crew under US labor laws which translates into higher costs also - seems to me a recipe for, if not disaster, a fiasco at the least and this has proven to be true no matter who is viewing these reviews and great ports & scenery will not make up for it either. Unless they can get better service and food - and good luck with cruise fares practically frozen (see the complaints already about high cost of cabins on this itinerary and wages, fuel - well u get the picture and it ain't pretty) -- this will not succeed! One cruiseline has already gone under and NCLAmerica might follow. Time will tell. In the meantime lets all plse read, share ideas and lay off the picky - picky stuff - people are very concerned and while some can be a bit harsh and overly critical - after all they are laying out lots of $ and want value for same so when not forthcoming they get angry..can't say I blame them! Thanks to CruiseCritic for letting us all 'vent'!!

[mbisson]

Sorry cruisecrasy

 

Guess I'm just not into negative reviews about cruises that the author hasn't taken yet. But I honestly don't think I've been the testy one at all.

 

All I am saying, is give it a chance.

 

-Monte

[cruisecrasy]

Hi Mbisson - wasn't particularily referring to u but it is curious u choose to deny that is was u who was 'testy'...I agree - give it a chance but don't 'stick your head in the sand' might get your a-- kicked right? Happy cruisin'!

[mbisson]

So can someone tell me why they would take a cruise that they don't want to take? I thought cruising was a good thing, a joyous thing, but now I find it's not. If I were that concerned about a cruise, I never would've booked it to begin with. And if I booked the POAmerica prior to sinking and rescheduling of the Aloha and were concerned about it I would've cancelled. If it were too late to cancel I would've made the best of it and had as good a time as I could. But I certainly wouldn't be going on board with the preconceived notion that I was going to have a bad time.

 

But that's just me

 

-Monte

[gardencat]

So can someone tell me why they would take a cruise that they don't want to take?

I can't get inside traveler39's head (if that is the person you are referring to) but ,I would guess, it is because the cruise is paid for, and at a point where they couldn't get out without a big financial loss.

 

Why did they not cancel when PO America sank?... Could it be cause NCL assured them the PO Aloha would be great and they beleived NCL?

 

Why didn't they cancel in the meantime while they still had a chance?... Could it be because they hadn't heard too many negative reviews yet and the few people who did come on the board and post warning comments, about the transitional/trainning Sky cruises, got ridiculed and booed off the board, by ardent NCL supports who refused to believe any thing bad about NCL?

 

At this point they have their vacation money sunk in a cruise to Hawaii. Just about everyone agrees Hawaii is great so I guess maybe they have decided to go and try to enjoy Hawaii at least. That doesn't mean that they are happy, about what sounds like it is going to be service and food far below what they feel they have paid for.

 

Like I said ,I'm not traveler39, but that is probably what I would be thinking at this point.

[isujim]

Hi all:

 

I'm the original poster.........I am really looking for anyone that thinks NCL is special and what makes it special??:D I guess what I have been reading is special in some regards.......

 

it has certainly made for some interesting reading...............

 

Jim

[gardencat]

Well isujim you certainly did generate some discussion with that question.:eek:

 

I guess a really broad question can lead to all kinds of interpretation. Maybe you should have asked 'what did you like about NCL?' or somesuch. Still I don't mind some give and take on the board. I don't think everyone has to agree with me for me to be happy. (Good thing in my case huh?)

Did your group decide on a cruise yet?

[isujim]

gardencat:

 

No decision yet...........the NCL cruise we are looking at is a finalist, if for no other reason the dates we are looking at is a perfect fit for the Easter vacation break.......I directed our group to this thread so they could read all the replies and I'm not sure it has helped! LOL!

 

My thought if the food is even average, they have beer and whiskey, great itinerary (which NCL does) and we have our group.......we don't need much more do we??:D

 

We have decided to wait until September 1 to make a final decision to make sure all Princess, and RC itineraries are released and to check all NCL scheduled itineraries as well.........it will also give us a chance for the next 6 weeks to read up on NCL, review these boards and threads and hopefully make a wise decision.

 

Definetly in the running though.

 

Jim

[gardencat]

isujim

 

Thanks for your response.

I'm no big NCL fan but to be fair I think the POA is probably their biggest problem right now so it's probably not fair to judge all their ships based on the reports coming out right now on that one.

I think it is wise to wait to decide if you can. It will give time to read more Spirit reviews and also to get a feeling for NCL management's mindset, by watching how they handle the POA problems.