NCL board like DIS?

[jrabbit]

We did NCL once (Jade) in the Med out of Barcelona. Package included Air, Pre Cruise Hotel, Transfers and Cruise. Cost less than our AIR FARE to Europe a few years earlier!!!

What could go wrong. Well Nothing actually. But after that cruise we decided that DCL - even with the much higher entry cost was the cruise line for us. The entire experience with NCL was much less than what we experienced on DCL. I would have been happy to pay an extra $25 a couple of times to find a comfortable place to sit on the ship. Not in our room, not in the public spaces, but the seats in the casino were probably nice - they need people to keep those seats filled .... Main Dining - sucked. Food bad - and this was when DCL MDR food wasn't at it's best either, but DCL won hands down. Service in the MDR - horrible. Everyone was very busy scurrying here and there and actually nobody was getting anything done. 45 minutes to get a box of cereal at breakfast - after we had been there for over an hour (and yes the cereal was ordered at the beginning with all of the other food). So it became specialty dinning for the rest of the cruise at $25+ per person per night. Yep, doesn't add up to $6K - but it does add up quickly. Even with the pre paid excursions, my post cruise bill was much larger than on Disney. On DCL I am compelled by the experience to give additional gratuities. On NCL I wanted to remove all of the gratuities (but didn't).

And I do know that there are many here on the DIS that have had great experiences on NCL.

 

[KashasMom]

And since alcohol, specialty dining, internet, $300 OBC and shore excursion credits (which I won't use as we are going private), are included in the cruise fare, I anticipate this being the smallest end of the cruise bill we have ever had, by far!!!! Darn that mouse and all his nickel and dime charges all these years!

SO MUCH better value than FREE soda!!

 

[Pens Fan]

But you get hit with the gratuities for the drinks and dining packages. So they're not truly "free".

Actually I don't. We are in a suite and gratuities on the beverage and specialty dining packages are included in the suite cruise fare. But yes, if you aren't in a suite you have to pay the gratuities. As we always tip our servers / bar staff very generously it's a complete wash for us and a total non issue. I'd pay it on Disney and I'd pay it on NCL. But the drinks and specialty meals themselves are included in the cruise fare (assuming you choose those perks) and won't be charged to your on board account.

As I've said on other threads, different lines price things in different ways. Nothing is free - not on any cruise line. We have paid dearly for the "free" soda on Disney all these years!! At the end of the day all that matters to me is how much the entire cruise ends up costing - upfront pricing plus onboard spending. There isn't a doubt in my mind that our 2 upcoming NCL cruises will cost us thousands less than Disney. Will we like them as well? No clue, but I know I like the itineraries much, much better than any that Disney offers in those same areas and that savings will help us reach our goal of our son graduating from college debt free.

 

[KashasMom]

We did NCL once (Jade) in the Med out of Barcelona. Package included Air, Pre Cruise Hotel, Transfers and Cruise. Cost less than our AIR FARE to Europe a few years earlier!!!

What could go wrong. Well Nothing actually. But after that cruise we decided that DCL - even with the much higher entry cost was the cruise line for us. The entire experience with NCL was much less than what we experienced on DCL. I would have been happy to pay an extra $25 a couple of times to find a comfortable place to sit on the ship. Not in our room, not in the public spaces, but the seats in the casino were probably nice - they need people to keep those seats filled .... Main Dining - sucked. Food bad - and this was when DCL MDR food wasn't at it's best either, but DCL won hands down. Service in the MDR - horrible. Everyone was very busy scurrying here and there and actually nobody was getting anything done. 45 minutes to get a box of cereal at breakfast - after we had been there for over an hour (and yes the cereal was ordered at the beginning with all of the other food). So it became specialty dinning for the rest of the cruise at $25+ per person per night. Yep, doesn't add up to $6K - but it does add up quickly. Even with the pre paid excursions, my post cruise bill was much larger than on Disney. On DCL I am compelled by the experience to give additional gratuities. On NCL I wanted to remove all of the gratuities (but didn't).

And I do know that there are many here on the DIS that have had great experiences on NCL.

We did the Baltics on RCI last year. It was a 13 night with 1 sea day. We were so busy on and exhausted from our excursions that we could have been on a tug boat and we wouldn't have noticed! Our experience was great - probably our best cruise ever - at less than a third for what it would have cost on DCL for a shorter cruiser/lesser itinerary. I expect the same will happen on the Jade. It's a fantastic itinerary. We don't do MDR - waste of time for us - and will be too exhausted to care to see any shows, etc. The ship is just a place to sleep. We've just never had that WOW service that everyone talks about on DCL. Came close last year on our 5th(I think) Disney cruise. I would just never, ever spend the money for DCL in Europe (or any port intensive cruise). Everyone cruises for different reasons and different things are important to them on a cruise but Disney is working less and less for our family.

 

[Pens Fan]

We did the Baltics on RCI last year. It was a 13 night with 1 sea day. We were so busy on and exhausted from our excursions that we could have been on a tug boat and we wouldn't have noticed! Our experience was great - probably our best cruise ever - at less than a third for what it would have cost on DCL for a shorter cruiser/lesser itinerary. I expect the same will happen on the Jade. It's a fantastic itinerary. We don't do MDR - waste of time for us - and will be too exhausted to care to see any shows, etc. The ship is just a place to sleep. We've just never had that WOW service that everyone talks about on DCL. Came close last year on our 5th(I think) Disney cruise. I would just never, ever spend the money for DCL in Europe (or any port intensive cruise). Everyone cruises for different reasons and different things are important to them on a cruise but Disney is working less and less for our family.

Which Jade cruise are you doing? (sorry if you already mentioned it and I missed it). I really want to do the one that goes all the way up past the Arctic circle. It looks amazing. As I'm sure you know, the Jade is currently in dry dock being completely redone, so she should be beautiful for you!

 

[RedSox68]

If NCL nickle and dimes you....DCL Grant & Franklins you.

The one camparison that makes me laugh is when everyone says that soda is included on DCL and not on other ships. For a 7-night cruise on a less expensive cruise, I wouldn't pay for enough soda to make up for the $2,000 plus I am saving by not taking Disney. And many cruiselines like Carnival and NCL allow you to bring canned items onboard, just not bottled items like water. Sorry, but free soda and a split bath nowadays compared to their pricing is not enough of an incentive for me to spend that money. For us, since we have no little ones anymore and are sailing as an adult family, we have found other incentives and activities on other cruise lines just as fun and enticing. However, that being said, we are thrilled that we got to watch our daughter experience Disney cruises.

 

[RedSox68]

But you get hit with the gratuities for the drinks and dining packages. So they're not truly "free".

That was my argument with NCL last year when they "gave us" the drink package, and then turned around and charged us $138 for gratuities. Honestly, in a 7-night cruise we don't even drink that much, so for us it wasn't "free".

 

[Pens Fan]

That was my argument with NCL last year when they "gave us" the drink package, and the turned around and charged us $138 for gratuities. Honestly, in a 7-night cruise we don't even drink that much, so for us it wasn't "free".

I'm curious - when you booked your cruise, were there no other choices for "Free at Sea" perks other than the drink package? I know that now they offer at least four choices, and even a "no perk" option if you don't want any of them. I find that more than fair. If someone isn't going to drink enough to make paying the gratuity worth it, they can just pick a different perk, some of which don't add anything to the cruise fare.

I promise, I'm not picking on you or being critical of your choice. I'm just honestly curious. Did NCL at one one time force the beverage package on you and then add on the gratuities??? If so, well yeah, that does stink if you're not much of a drinker. Now me - that $138 for a week would be well worth it!!

 

[jrabbit]

...Everyone cruises for different reasons and different things are important to them on a cruise but Disney is working less and less for our family.

I think we are rapidly reaching that point as well.

 

[jrabbit]

...As I'm sure you know, the Jade is currently in dry dock being completely redone, so she should be beautiful for you!

So it probably won't look like it was designed to sail around Hawaii all of the time (aka Pride of Hawaii) . When we were on the Jade in 2011 in the Med the interior was 100% Polynesian. Was not bad, just out of place.

 

[keaster]

But you get hit with the gratuities for the drinks and dining packages. So they're not truly "free".

It's true that they are not free...but even with adding them in, our entire cruise is wayyy less cost for us than the DCL one.

We booked the 7 night DCL Magic August 2018 Northern Europe cruise on opening day. Cat. 5A balcony, three adults, one 15 year old...it was $10,317US or $13,725 CDN with today's exchange rate. Gratuities would another $252US or $335 for a total of $14,060 CDN. Also had to put down a $1,983 US deposit ($2,640 Canadian)

Decided on NCL. We get 9-nights, also in August 2018 and same ports (plus Berlin). Large balcony cabin. Booking included specialty dining for 2 adults, and the ultimate beverage package for 2 adults. Total price $7,375 Canadian with the specialty service charge included. We can also prepay the gratuities right now for $488CDN which brings the total to $7,863 CDN. And we only had to put down a $200 CDN deposit.

I love DCL, but a savings of almost $6,200 and two extra nights is a no brainer for me right now.

 

[RedSox68]

I'm curious - when you booked your cruise, were there no other choices for "Free at Sea" perks other than the drink package? I know that now they offer at least four choices, and even a "no perk" option if you don't want any of them. I find that more than fair. If someone isn't going to drink enough to make paying the gratuity worth it, they can just pick a different perk, some of which don't add anything to the cruise fare.

I promise, I'm not picking on you or being critical of your choice. I'm just honestly curious. Did NCL at one one time force the beverage package on you and then add on the gratuities??? If so, well yeah, that does stink if you're not much of a drinker. Now me - that $138 for a week would be well worth it!!

At that time, when we booked it in 2015, for Bermuda, they were only offering the choice of specialty dining or the drink package. We like our drinks of the day, but my argument was when it says "free", then it should be free and include everything for that package, including tax and gratuities. When we got free specialty dining on Princess and HAL, nothing was charged to us for those packages.

 

[RedSox68]

It's true that they are not free...but even with adding them in, our entire cruise is wayyy less cost for us than the DCL one.

We booked the 7 night DCL Magic August 2018 Northern Europe cruise on opening day. Cat. 5A balcony, three adults, one 15 year old...it was $10,317US or $13,725 CDN with today's exchange rate. Gratuities would another $252US or $335 for a total of $14,060 CDN. Also had to put down a $1,983 US deposit ($2,640 Canadian)

Decided on NCL. We get 9-nights, also in August 2018 and same ports (plus Berlin). Large balcony cabin. Booking included specialty dining for 2 adults, and the ultimate beverage package for 2 adults. Total price $7,375 Canadian with the specialty service charge included. We can also prepay the gratuities right now for $488CDN which brings the total to $7,863 CDN. And we only had to put down a $200 CDN deposit.

I love DCL, but a savings of almost $6,200 and two extra nights is a no brainer for me right now.

Been there -- booked the 12-night British Isles on Princess over Disney in 2015 and saved a solid $7,100 over what Disney wanted for same room type and itinerary. That paid for our airfare, excursions and extra nights in London and meals!

 

[Pens Fan]

At that time, when we booked it in 2015, for Bermuda, they were only offering the choice of specialty dining or the drink package. We like our drinks of the day, but my argument was when it says "free", then it should be free and include everything for that package, including tax and gratuities. When we got free specialty dining on Princess and HAL, nothing was charged to us for those packages.

Got it. Yeah, that would be a bummer if you weren't going to use either enough to justify paying the gratuities. It appears that they have improved that aspect now, by not only adding additional options for perks with no gratuities (internet, shore excursion credits, I've even seen the DSC as a perk) plus offering a no perk option.

But again, if you choose the dining / beverage perks and have to pay the gratuities up front, I just look at it as paying it ahead of time vs. on the ship to the individual servers. I'm still going to pay it, no matter which line we cruise with, it's just a matter of when. Now, what happens to that money when you pay it up front vs handing your server cash is a whole different discussion that I will leave to the "friendly" folks on CC. (See my original post # 3 .)

 

[Pens Fan]

So it probably won't look like it was designed to sail around Hawaii all of the time (aka Pride of Hawaii) . When we were on the Jade in 2011 in the Med the interior was 100% Polynesian. Was not bad, just out of place.

I certainly hope so. I've seen the photos and it appeared, well, "interesting looking". As you said, it made sense for Hawaii, but not exactly what you're looking for in Europe. There is a thread ongoing on CC, that is starting to have some pictures coming out.

 

[RedSox68]

Got it. Yeah, that would be a bummer if you weren't going to use either enough to justify paying the gratuities. It appears that they have improved that aspect now, by not only adding additional options for perks with no gratuities (internet, shore excursion credits, I've even seen the DSC as a perk) plus offering a no perk option.

But again, if you choose the dining / beverage perks and have to pay the gratuities up front, I just look at it as paying it ahead of time vs. on the ship to the individual servers. I'm still going to pay it, no matter which line we cruise with, it's just a matter of when. Now, what happens to that money when you pay it up front vs handing your server cash is a whole different discussion that I will leave to the "friendly" folks on CC. (See my original post # 3 .)

Of course that is on top of the daily gratuity they also charge your onboard account per person.

 

[Pens Fan]

Of course that is on top of the daily gratuity they also charge your onboard account per person.

Yep! Just like Disney, NCL's daily service charge (recommended gratuities on Disney) does't cover bar staff and specialty dining servers. Which I think is fair. Not everyone uses those services so why should they pay for them?

 

[cruiser21]

I pay gratuities on drinks on DCL. I'd be happy to get free drinks on DCL and just pay gratuities. I get free Palo and I pay gratuity when I eat there too.

 

[KashasMom]

Which Jade cruise are you doing? (sorry if you already mentioned it and I missed it). I really want to do the one that goes all the way up past the Arctic circle. It looks amazing. As I'm sure you know, the Jade is currently in dry dock being completely redone, so she should be beautiful for you!

Wow, I did not know that the Jade was in dry dock! That's just a bonus. We'll be just touching the Arctic Circle coming out of Iceland. We've gone way past it in Norway (land vacation). I chose this itinerary because it had some ports where we could do some cool "active" excursions since I like to keep my daughter happy. Also I heard Alesund is really beautiful so that's the one I really wanted to see in Norway.

This is our itinerary:

Sun July 1 - Hamburg, Germany (Board ship)
Mon July 2 – Sea Day
Tues July 3 – Alesund, Norway 8-5:00
Wed July 4 – Bergen, Norway 8-7:00
Thurs July 5 – Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland 8-5:00
Fri July 6 – Sea Day
Sat July 7 – Reykjavik, Iceland (Overnight)
Sun July 8 – Reykjavik, Iceland --4:00
Mon July 9 – Akureyri , Iceland 10-8:00
Tues July 10 – Sea Day
Wed July 11 – Torshavn, Faroe Islands 7-3:00
Thurs July 12 – Inverness (Invergordon), Scotland 8-5:00

 

[Pens Fan]

Wow, I did not know that the Jade was in dry dock! That's just a bonus. We'll be just touching the Arctic Circle coming out of Iceland. We've gone way past it in Norway (land vacation). I chose this itinerary because it had some ports where we could do some cool "active" excursions since I like to keep my daughter happy. Also I heard Alesund is really beautiful so that's the one I really wanted to see in Norway.

This is our itinerary:

Sun July 1 - Hamburg, Germany (Board ship)
Mon July 2 – Sea Day
Tues July 3 – Alesund, Norway 8-5:00
Wed July 4 – Bergen, Norway 8-7:00
Thurs July 5 – Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland 8-5:00
Fri July 6 – Sea Day
Sat July 7 – Reykjavik, Iceland (Overnight)
Sun July 8 – Reykjavik, Iceland --4:00
Mon July 9 – Akureyri , Iceland 10-8:00
Tues July 10 – Sea Day
Wed July 11 – Torshavn, Faroe Islands 7-3:00
Thurs July 12 – Inverness (Invergordon), Scotland 8-5:00

That looks amazing! We did the Norway / Iceland cruise on Disney a couple of years ago and fell in love with Iceland. I also would love to go to the Faroe Islands. Originally Disney's itinerary included that port, but they changed it to Kirkwall Scotland. We were disappointed at first, but it turned out that Kirkwall was amazing, only being surpassed in our opinion by Iceland. My husband has been to Hamburg many times and says it's beautiful. Go to the model train museum!!

The cruise we were looking at on the Jade stays in Norway, but goes past the Arctic Circle all the way up to the Northern Cape. Ahh........ so many places to go and so little time (and money). Now that my son is determined to spend every summer after this one doing internships, it makes it tough to find something we can all do together. Darn these ambitious, focussed kids!