Any NCL Past Cruisers?

[Conkozan]

I posted this on the cruise board as well, but thought someone here may have input that does not read there (since people tend to read there when they are planning a DCL cruise only)

I would really like to cruise this summer, I can hear the sea calling me back.

I priced out a Magic 7 night for hubby, teen and myself for August 5th
Balcony Cabin $6,575.35
Air $750 (estimate)
Hotel for night before $120 (estimate)
Transfers $150 (estimate)
Total $7595.35 just to start.

I found that one of the Disney Specialists does other cruises as well and has a group rate on the NCL Spirit sailing 8 nights August 5th from NYC. We can drive to NYC!

Balcony Cabin $4206.62
Parking $180
Total $4386.62 just to start

As much as I love DCL, 3208.73 is a lot of money. We can sail DCL again during the offseason when prices are lower (as I justify this in my own head) and when the teen isn't with us (he is bored on DCL-that age thing) and we would like to see Tortola and Bermuda (which the Spirit goes to and we have never been to)

So.........has anyone sailed NCL? Have any comments? warnings? praises?

Connie

 

[Just2554]

I sailed on the NCL Dawn out of NYC in June and I loved every minute of it. The ship was beautiful and there was so much to do and see while on it. The service and the staff were excellent and I very much enjoyed the freestyle dining. It was nice going to dinner whenever and wherever I wanted, depending on what I was in the mood for. It was nice having the alternate restaurants as well. Even though you had to pay to go in them, they were quieter and had beautiful theming.

I would definitely recommend NCL. I liked it MUCH better than both Carnival and Royal Caribbean. The prices were better, the service was better, and I just had an overall better time.

The best part of my trip by far was this: I ate dinner one night sitting right next to a REAL Van Gogh painting. The Dawn had a French restaurant which contains four real paintings...a Van Gogh, a Monet, a Renoir, and a Mattise. They were truly beautiful!

I'm not sure what the intinery is for the NCL Spirit, but I recommend the Dawn and NCL highly!

 

[Laura]

I took an Alaskan cruise on the Norwegian Spirit. It's a terrific, well-maintained ship. We had a fabulous time on our cruise, and I would happily sail on NCL again, and on the Spirit. I have not been on DCL (and not likely to, mostly due to the the high fares and limited itineraries), so I can't give you a compare-and-contrast review.

What I do know is that Norwegian's "Freestyle" cruising is very laid-back. You choose when you eat, with whom and where. For dinner, you can choose from two main dining rooms on the Spirit or one of the "alternative" restaurants (which mostly have an extra fee, like Palo on Disney). You don't have to dress up in formal wear if you don't want to (which was great for Alaska, we didn't have to pack extra clothes when we were already bringing bulkier items like jeans and sweatshirts). The downside is that sometimes you have to wait for a table. We only did once, though, even though the ship was full. It was like a ten- or fifteen-minute wait.

www.cruisecritic.com is a great site, with forums where you can ask just about any question you want (like a DIS for cruising)!

P.S. By the way, you didn't mention if you had younger kids (younger than the teen, anyway), but the children's pool area on the Spirit looked awesome! And there's a great video arcade on the Spirit, too.

 

[escape]

I sailed on the Norwegian Dream a few years ago in Northern Europe. While I thought the ship was just okay, I certainly liked the itinerary. I also loved the freestyle dining, being able to eat whenever I want instead of being on a fixed time. Will I ever sail with NCL again? Sure, if the itinerary is right.

If you are like me, you'll have a good time no matter what ship you are on....as long as you're cruising.

 

[RUDisney]

We sailed the Norwegian Sky out of Miami a few years back. We have nothing but wonderful things to say about NCL! I loved the freestyle cruising experience. Heck, it's your vacation, why be limited by a schedule?

We almost sailed on the Jewel out of NYC next month. I found a 10-day southern caribbean, outside cabin for the 4 of us for $2,200. (Balconies weren't available.) Yes, I typed that right, $2,200. My DH "didn't know" if he wanted me to book that and it only kept creeping higher and higher as it got closer, so we're taking a shorter trip in March to universal studios.

Next time, I'm not asking for his thoughts... I'm just going to book when I know I have found a great deal! You'll love an NCL cruise!

 

[Mjasp]

I personally have never been on NCL "yet", but we know people who have sailed NCL out of NY and do the Southern Caribbean in the winter, they absolutely love it. So with no negatives yet, I would say that is pretty good and I would go for it.

Heck, I am going on Costa in a couple of weeks, and I only know one person who sailed Costa. Just do it, try something new.

 

[zippeedee]

We're booked on the Spirit on 6/23, to St. Thomas, Tortola and Bermuda. I had NO say in this one, except "sure, I'll go!" so I'm happy to hear good things about NCL. There are 10 of us sneaking aboard to surprise my best friends parents for their 50th anniversary. They know their sons have given them the cruise, they just don't know they're going to have lots of company!