Which cruise should I take?

[AspiringCindy]

I have ressies on 2 different cruises for next summer, and can't decide which to take! We are veteran cruisers, but have never taken a NCL cruise. We generally favor DCL and RCCL! It will be DH, myself and 3 daughters 6,13, & 14! Both cruises are the same exact price for the 5 of us...and in very similar accomodations! What do you think!?

 

[MareQ]

Not sure but we're going on NCL for the first time in about 3 weeks. I can get back to you when I get back and let you know how we liked it.

I have been on RCCL twice so I will be able to compare them a bit for you.

If you're looking for more opinions try www.cruisecritic.com

 

[AspiringCindy]

Not sure but we're going on NCL for the first time in about 3 weeks. I can get back to you when I get back and let you know how we liked it.

I have been on RCCL twice so I will be able to compare them a bit for you.

If you're looking for more opinions try www.cruisecritic.com

LOL...I've been living on Cruisecritic for the last 5 days!! I would LOVE to hear your opinion!! One of the things that worries me most of NCL, is the fact that the Dawn is freestyle. That could be good, but it could be very bad!!
Thanks! Hope you have a great time on your cruise!!

 

[Blueeyes101817]

ive only been on royal caribbean, but for the same price, i would go with the longer cruise...

 

[EthansMom]

I just cruised with NCL on the Norwegian Dawn this spring. Previously, DH and I had always cruised on RCCL. We loved the Dawn -- beautiful ship and crew were generally quite pleasant. Two things that really helped make the Dawn the right decision for that trip were that NCL was running a special with 3rd and 4th passengers free (just paid taxes/tips for the kids, otherwise their fare was free) and NCL's KidsCrew would take children at 2 years-old and in diapers (gave me a pager for DD's diaper changes). We LOVED their KidsCrew. However, DH and I both felt that the service and food were not as good as on RCCL.

On our previous RCCL trips (a few years back), we had found the food to be excellent and the service in the diningroom to be quite good. We loved the attention we received by having the same waitstaff at dinner every evening. On NCL, tips are automatically charged to your account and your cabin steward and waitstaff are tipped from a "tip pool". You can tip extra, if you wish, but most people probably don't do this and we really didn't experience much in the way of "outstanding" service on NCL. Also, because of the Freestyle Dining, you don't have the same waitstaff every evening and don't build the rapport with your waitstaff that we had had on RCCL trips.

We just booked at cruise for late summer next year. RCCL cost $1000 more than the NCL ship we were looking at and the difference was entirely in the cost of the kid's fares!!!! However, the RCCL ship had self-service laundry and the NCL ship did not, NCL charges extra for in-port child care and RCCL does not, and RCCL was offering free trip insurance. Those three things make up about $600 of the difference for us. So, we'll be checking out RCCL for the first time in a few years.

IMO, for a similar price, similar ship, similar accomodations, etc... I'd go for RCCL.

Edited to add: NCL Dawn does have self-service laundry, but the ship we were looking at for next summer (Spirit, I think?) did not.

 

[AspiringCindy]

IMO, for a similar price, similar ship, similar accomodations, etc... I'd go for RCCL.

.

Yeah...but what about 5 nights versus 7 nights?

 

[Ginamarie]

The Dawn is a beautiful ship. I've cruised NCL twice and was booked on the Dawn for this fall but we had to cancel because we needed the vacation money for something else. I like Freestyle, but dont think it works well with a large group (8 or more). For five people you shouldn't have a problem getting a table. Personally, Id almost always pick the longer cruise!

 

[tekmom]

We are booked on the Dawn next July. I really wanted to go to Bermuda again but I didn't want to do only a five day cruise, and like you, pay pretty much the same as the 7 day. We did a seven day 3 years ago to Bermuda on the Carnival Pride. It was fabulous! We were there for, I think, 4 1/2 days. I've never been to the Bahamas and even though Bermuda is only one day, the seven day would feel more like a vacation to me. The kids are going to be 10 and 15, so I think they'll really enjoy it. If the RC cruise to Bermuda, was longer, i would probably try it, but I'm getting excited about the Dawn and the quick cab ride to the port.

 

[AspiringCindy]

. If the RC cruise to Bermuda, was longer, i would probably try it, but I'm getting excited about the Dawn and the quick cab ride to the port.

Don't ya know it!!! Generally all our cruises entailed flying to Cape Canaveral or Miami! It will be great to take a car to NY port and begin our vacation right away!!
Which sailing will you be on 7/14, 7/21 or 7/28?

 

[need_a_Disney_fix]

Neither!!! Take a Disney cruise!! Its so worth the price....trust me. You get what you pay for.

 

[tekmom]

Don't ya know it!!! Generally all our cruises entailed flying to Cape Canaveral or Miami! It will be great to take a car to NY port and begin our vacation right away!!
Which sailing will you be on 7/14, 7/21 or 7/28?

I've booked the 14th-21st. The only thing I'm nervous about is that on our only other cruise, we had a balcony. This time I did oceanview, because I couldn't justify almost $1400 more for a mini suite. The regular balconies only sleep 3. I was a little nervous about freestyle, but we'll try some of the specialty restaurants and I think we'll be okay. Leaving so close from home also means that I can drop my doggies off at the boarders early that morning and be off the ship early enough to pick them up the following Saturday. I don't like to fly so this IS perfect!

 

[AspiringCindy]

Neither!!! Take a Disney cruise!! Its so worth the price....trust me. You get what you pay for.

We have been on both the Magic and the Wonder, but can't afford to do the European cruise next year!! Thus...RCL or NCL!!

Tonya, you are sooo right about dropping dogs off same day and picking them up as soon as you get home! This year we went to California for 13 days...and our boarding bill for our 2 dogs was $789!

Keep our cabin warm...we will be sailing the 7/21-7/28!

 

[tekmom]

Neither!!! Take a Disney cruise!! Its so worth the price....trust me. You get what you pay for.

We'd still have to drive to Florida...after 2 years in a row driving to WDW, I'm cutting DH some slack and giving him a trip that he won't have to drive on and I won't wake him and kids at the crack of dawn with "...must get to park 45 minutes before opening, GET UP!!!!!!.

 

[Laura]

My brother and his wife just took the Dawn to Bermuda and the Bahamas. They had a great time, and the ship is full of folks from the tri-state area, my brother said. Is there something about NCL's Freestyle that worries you? I've done it on the Norwegian Spirit to Alaska two years ago. We thought it was great. Eat anytime, anywhere, and you won't have to worry about getting crazy tablemates or late seating when you want early.

 

[AspiringCindy]

Is there something about NCL's Freestyle that worries you? I've done it on the Norwegian Star to Alaska two years ago. We thought it was great. Eat anytime, anywhere, and you won't have to worry about getting crazy tablemates or late seating when you want early.

I guess that I am just not familiar with it!! We've always enjoyed knowing we would see the same servers!! One thing that I like about freestyle is "deciding what time you want to eat...and being able to eat at different times each evening! I always hated running back to the ship in order to make our early seating after a day at the beach!!!

 

[tekmom]

My brother and his wife just took the Dawn to Bermuda and the Bahamas. They had a great time, and the ship is full of folks from the tri-state area, my brother said. Is there something about NCL's Freestyle that worries you? I've done it on the Norwegian Star to Alaska two years ago. We thought it was great. Eat anytime, anywhere, and you won't have to worry about getting crazy tablemates or late seating when you want early.

Thank God! Last time, we were at a this table with crazy people...oh wait, that was DH's family. Nevermind.

 

[disney4us2002]

We sailed on the Dawn a few years ago and LOVED it. Of course, we traded up to an aft penthouse suite and were completely spoiled!

Funny, you see freestyle as a drawback and dh & I see that as the only way to go. I would hate to be locked in to a dining time and then find I'm either not hungry or starving 2 hrs earlier.

We're considering cruising with our 3 boys next summer and we're leaning toward the Spirit because it's an 8-day cruise and basically the same cost as most 6 or 7 days. I also like the itinerary which includes Bermuda and the Virgin Islands.

 

[tekmom]

We sailed on the Dawn a few years ago and LOVED it. Of course, we traded up to an aft penthouse suite and were completely spoiled!

Funny, you see freestyle as a drawback and dh & I see that as the only way to go. I would hate to be locked in to a dining time and then find I'm either not hungry or starving 2 hrs earlier.

We're considering cruising with our 3 boys next summer and we're leaning toward the Spirit because it's an 8-day cruise and basically the same cost as most 6 or 7 days. I also like the itinerary which includes Bermuda and the Virgin Islands.

I think freestyle should be fine. The Spirit itinerary looks great! We decided on the Dawn because it's being sent to, I believe, Miami after next year. We wanted to try it before it's gone. Friends have sailed the Dawn and really enjoyed it.

 

[Laura]

I guess that I am just not familiar with it!! We've always enjoyed knowing we would see the same servers!! One thing that I like about freestyle is "deciding what time you want to eat...and being able to eat at different times each evening! I always hated running back to the ship in order to make our early seating after a day at the beach!!!

Well, it's like dining out in the real world, mostly. Some places take reservations, some take walk-ups. You'll find it familiar.

I've been on a very short "traditional" cruise where I had a set dining time every night. That was fine for a couple of days, but to have to do that all week is a bit more of a negative for me. And I only had to get myself ready, not a couple of kids, too!

 

[Beth76]

I'm a big fan of RCI, but I would take the longer cruise.