Would like opinions and comments on Norwegian Curise Lines-Pro or Con.?

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AlwaysOverPack

I have cruised over 11 times. I gotta say I am in the middle of talks with NCL over our stateroom on our Oct06 cruise. It was infested with bedbugs and presented major problems during and after our trip. Our stateroom attendant said they had recently doubled the number of staterooms they are responsible for.

I have not gotten a great response and have disputed the cruise with my credit card company.

On another previous NCL cruise had a bad engine and we missed several ports with no compensation or refund of port charges.

So far I have been very disappointed in NCL.

I have had great experiences with Royal and Celebrity.

post script: Every traveler needs to know to check for bed bugs promptly wherever they are. A lesson I learned the hard way.

owenlax17

Most of the restaurants are free. The staterooms tend to be average, though on some of their newer ships they're getting a little bigger. Color-wise they tend to be particularly vibrant. All rooms are clean.

In terms of pros and cons...

Pros: Freestyle cruising is a HUGE pro. The ability to choose what you want to eat when you want to eat it is an idea that's quickly catching on in the industry, and what better way to experience it than with the company that started it all.

NCL's older ships tend to be a bit cramped and stuffy, though those that have undergone recent major retrofits tend to be up to scratch. If possible, book on a newer ship, which offer fantastic pools, great stateroom varieties and their new Garden Villas and Courtyard Suites which are RAVED about and sell out well in advance. Those are particularly good if you're travelling with a group of friends and such.

The food aboard NCL's newer ships tends to be quite good. Fellow passengers tend to be families though in the past Norwegian used to draw in a slightly older crowd. NCL has made great strides towards making their ships kid-friendly, and have to a large extent succeeded.

Their new ships tend to be quite large and offer a lot of entertainment options.

Cons: Their old ships are OLD and unless they've undergone a major refit recently, are best avoided as they do not compare to the rest of the fleet in terms of quality.

Freestyle dining is great, except for the fact that you may not get to eat where you want to eat when you want to eat. Look for LCD-screen monitors around the ship, which tell you the occupancy status of each restaurant. Also be aware that some restaurants may have a surcharge for dining.

If you're really into high-charged activity, NCL isn't for you. Only one of their new ships is really up to the "adventure at sea" standards the Royal Caribbean has set; containing a rock climbing wall and bowling alley. If giant trampolines, rock walls, golf courses and ice skating rinks are more your thing, go for Royal instead.

NCL is a family cruise line. In doing so, you lose a lot of the elegance and refinement that you would get with an older clientÃ¨le. Be aware this isn't going to be as luxurious or elegant as Celebrity, Cunard, Holland America Line or even Princess, which isn't itself really in the luxury market.

Overall though, from what I've experienced with cruising, you can't go wrong regardless of what you do. Go in with an open mind and you'll have a blast.

Cleo

I went on one Norwegian Cruise and found it boring of all things. The staterooms were alright, but it depends what level you're on because some of them are small. They were clean though and the maid we had was very nice and good at her job. However, the activities and food were mediocre at best. Also, the way that they managed and arranged the tours were disorganized and two of mine were actually canceled. I was young then, but if you have younger teens or children the activities for them weren't very good. However, I had been on a few different, better cruises so it wasn't my first or anything. So, if this is your first cruise you probably wouldn't be bored, so don't worry. :)

banana

Just make sure to double check that your state room is NOT underneath the jogging track or you will hear the joggers pounding on your head at 4am! And don't even think of complaining because you will be told that you are more than welcome to disembark and fly yourself home at the next port.

Most of the restaurants are free with a few of the "better ones" you pay a fee to get in. The staterooms are clean and nice for a cruise cabin. They are small, but all cruise ship cabins are small. Norwegian are a little more expensive then Carnival but also cater to you a little more than Carnival. They aren't so much party boats but do have all the entertainment like the others but not as much really late night parties going on. This is mainly due to Norwegian having a little more older guests on the average. But like all cruise lines and ships, they are always looking to serve you and make your cruise a very enjoyable one but with a few little extra touches that make you feel a little more served than like Carnival which is more "fun" orientated than service.

Ponca

NCL is not a cruise line at the top of it's class. The most appealing thing about the line is their freestyle dining that is awesome. However the ships are a bit tacky and cheaply finished. The staff are not very professional and the rooms are tiny.
That said they are the only cruise line I would, and I have, take for a Hawaii cruise. This is because they are the only cruise line operating a United Stated registered ship in Hawaii which means they can visit all of the Hawaii ports of call with out making a foreign stop.
In the past and in the present for all other cruise lines and their foreign registered ships they must waste 2 or 3 days at rough sea when you could be enjoying all of them in the Hawaiian
Islands.
That is the only reason I would cruise with them again.

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