YvonneA

Norwegian Cruise Line 7665 Corporate Center Drive Miami, Fl. 33126 March 6, 2006 We were passengers on the Norwegian Dream on Feb. 11, 2006. Much to our dismay our experience was less than expected. I would be very surprised to learn that you have not heard from many of your passengers concerning this particular cruise. We have been on other cruise lines and found our Norwegian Cruise on the Dream less than satisfactory. Unfortunately we have already booked another cruise with NCL. First let me tell you that in general the staff was friendly, courteous and attentive and similar to our past experiences. We found check in very efficient. The entertainment on board was excellent. We enjoyed the Mystery Dinner, dance lessons, lectures and your floor shows. The shore excursions were wonderful! Yet our total experience was less than satisfactory. To start, before leaving home, we tried to register for shore excursions that were offered. We were unable to do this online due to your program. When we telephoned you, we were informed that the shore excursions we wanted to register for were either cancelled or filled up. We were advised to put our names on a waiting list as soon as possible when we boarded the ship. When we checked in on board we were informed that all excursions were open and that none had been cancelled. (We were told that the cave tubing in Belise had been cancelled due to problems with the vendor. Because of this information that you provided, we did not pack appropriate clothing.) Transportation from the airport to the ship was disorganized. We checked in at the desk to wait for the bus and we were told to sit here next to the desk. We noticed that people who had arrived much latter than us, were lining up and getting onto buses before us. When we asked the lady at the desk if we should get in line her response was, If you like. I truly do believe that if we had not questioned the lady we would still be sitting next to your desk. Next, we were told to stand next to the wall and wait, which we did along with other guest. To our surprise, other people arriving later than we proceeded walk to the front of the line and to block the hallway and board the bus before us! The transportation workers did little to guide or control the crowd. Who was in charge? My husband finally went to the woman who seemed to be in charge and told her not to seat any more of the late arrivals ahead of us. I am sure that you have had many complaints about this; it certainly was the topic of conversation among several of the other passengers we met and needs someones attention. We found the food far below expectation. In fact, the food served at the hospital where I work is far better. We have had better meals at Dennys Restaurants than we had on your ship. When I have told my friends that you offered Flank Stake and macaroni and cheese, you were the object of much laughter. Every main dish that we were served was luke warm or cold. I never had a hot cup of coffee served in any dinning room. The choices offered were pitiful. During one dinner several guest had the sirloin steak. It looked like bad Swiss steak and the meat was tough. Not one guest at our table finished the meal. (We were seated with 3 other couples that we had not known previously.) The dessert was served scorched. My husband did send two meals back and ordered something else. One meal was a fish dinner that had no flavor or taste. The replacement dinners were not much better. The beef stroganoff barely had any meat in it, and the lobster that I had was so bad that I will never eat lobster again. I was surprised that a descent cut of steak was never offered. On previous cruises either fillet or strip steak was offered nightly. Service was adequate, but impersonal except for one waitress named Maria. SEE MORE BELOW