We just got back from 7 nights on the Encore. Overall, it was an amazing time and we truly enjoyed the experience. However, having now been on the Wish last June and the Encore this summer I think it's worth comparing a bit.
Cost:
NCL is lower cost than DCL for equivalent accommodations by a big margin. We did a 2-bed family suite in the Haven and it was $10K less than what an equivalent suite on the Wonder would have cost. Basically DCL is at least 1/3 more expensive. However, it's not entirely an apples to apples comparison. The Haven is truly awesome and Concierge on DCL doesn't hold a candle to that experience. It's just not even in the same universe. That being said, NCL does tend to nickel and dime you with specialty restaurants, "free" drink packages and other costs. DCL is a lot better about this.
Experience:
Overall, they were very different experiences. I definitely liked the vibe of the Wish better. I'm astonished I'm saying this but I felt like the Wish was more cohesive than the Encore. The public spaces on the Encore were very nice but it felt a bit like an upscale mall. The spaces on the Wish were definitely more grand and felt more resort like. The Haven portion of the Encore was incredible and we absolutely loved that part. The Concierge lounge on the Wish was quite nice, but again, not in the same universe.
Itineraries:
NCL has Glacier Bay. We got to see it up close and personal on an almost cloudless day. Glacier Bay makes the trip! However, aside from Glacier Bay I was incredibly disappointed with our stops in Victoria and "Ketchikan." Victoria is an awesome city and should have had more than 3 hours there. NCL doesn't port in Ketchikan but instead in Ward Cove which almost 30mins away by bus. Ward Cove is the site of an old pulp mill and sewage treatment plant. This stop honestly infuriated me.
Food:
I complained about the food on the Wish last summer. A number of people commented that overall they found DCL to be better than most cruise lines. After going on the Encore, I'm inclined to agree. The food was really mediocre and they weren't much pretending to go the extra mile with quality. I give a special shout out to American Diner to having the worst nachos I've ever seen. It was literally a bowl of stale tortillas chips with cold, grated cheddar cheese sparsely sprinkled on top. Even at the Haven restaurant, the offerings were boring and repetitive. They weren't bad but I expected a lot more.
Service:
I have to split this up as our service in the Haven was exceptional (except in the restaurant). Service elsewhere was ok. Service in the specialty restaurants was incredibly bad. We did two specialty nights and each time it took almost 30mins to get the first round of drinks and they got the orders wrong each time. The food orders were also wrong and the waitstaff seemed like they had very little experience. Contrast this with DCL where every person seems to know exactly what they are doing. I really disliked our head waiter on the Wish but I have to give him props for not messing up orders and getting food/drinks out fast. In hindsight, I'd take his abrasive attitude all day long because he actually got the job done. It was really frustrating to have the waitstaff constantly messing up and then giving you the fake smile and pleasantries.
Overall:
This one is hard. I like DCL better overall but I stand by my initial assessment that if you're going to Alaska you need to see Glacier Bay at least once. If we do Alaska again, I'd be hard pressed not to end up on DCL. The biggest drawback is cost and availability of rooms. The Breakaway class of NCL ships have a ton of family suites in the Haven. They are huge and amazing. DCL needs to do better in this regard. They also need to up their game on the concierge level amenities. My wife and I barely drink alcohol so the value of concierge is in the room.
Cost:
NCL is lower cost than DCL for equivalent accommodations by a big margin. We did a 2-bed family suite in the Haven and it was $10K less than what an equivalent suite on the Wonder would have cost. Basically DCL is at least 1/3 more expensive. However, it's not entirely an apples to apples comparison. The Haven is truly awesome and Concierge on DCL doesn't hold a candle to that experience. It's just not even in the same universe. That being said, NCL does tend to nickel and dime you with specialty restaurants, "free" drink packages and other costs. DCL is a lot better about this.
Experience:
Overall, they were very different experiences. I definitely liked the vibe of the Wish better. I'm astonished I'm saying this but I felt like the Wish was more cohesive than the Encore. The public spaces on the Encore were very nice but it felt a bit like an upscale mall. The spaces on the Wish were definitely more grand and felt more resort like. The Haven portion of the Encore was incredible and we absolutely loved that part. The Concierge lounge on the Wish was quite nice, but again, not in the same universe.
Itineraries:
NCL has Glacier Bay. We got to see it up close and personal on an almost cloudless day. Glacier Bay makes the trip! However, aside from Glacier Bay I was incredibly disappointed with our stops in Victoria and "Ketchikan." Victoria is an awesome city and should have had more than 3 hours there. NCL doesn't port in Ketchikan but instead in Ward Cove which almost 30mins away by bus. Ward Cove is the site of an old pulp mill and sewage treatment plant. This stop honestly infuriated me.
Food:
I complained about the food on the Wish last summer. A number of people commented that overall they found DCL to be better than most cruise lines. After going on the Encore, I'm inclined to agree. The food was really mediocre and they weren't much pretending to go the extra mile with quality. I give a special shout out to American Diner to having the worst nachos I've ever seen. It was literally a bowl of stale tortillas chips with cold, grated cheddar cheese sparsely sprinkled on top. Even at the Haven restaurant, the offerings were boring and repetitive. They weren't bad but I expected a lot more.
Service:
I have to split this up as our service in the Haven was exceptional (except in the restaurant). Service elsewhere was ok. Service in the specialty restaurants was incredibly bad. We did two specialty nights and each time it took almost 30mins to get the first round of drinks and they got the orders wrong each time. The food orders were also wrong and the waitstaff seemed like they had very little experience. Contrast this with DCL where every person seems to know exactly what they are doing. I really disliked our head waiter on the Wish but I have to give him props for not messing up orders and getting food/drinks out fast. In hindsight, I'd take his abrasive attitude all day long because he actually got the job done. It was really frustrating to have the waitstaff constantly messing up and then giving you the fake smile and pleasantries.
Overall:
This one is hard. I like DCL better overall but I stand by my initial assessment that if you're going to Alaska you need to see Glacier Bay at least once. If we do Alaska again, I'd be hard pressed not to end up on DCL. The biggest drawback is cost and availability of rooms. The Breakaway class of NCL ships have a ton of family suites in the Haven. They are huge and amazing. DCL needs to do better in this regard. They also need to up their game on the concierge level amenities. My wife and I barely drink alcohol so the value of concierge is in the room.
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