This is our first cruise, and we were very disappointed. We travel quite a bit, and considering how expensive the trip was, it did not meet our expectations. I would not travel with Norwegian again.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
The embarkation process was very smooth. We got to the dock at about 9:00 AM, so there were very few people there and we made it on to the ship quickly. I thought there would be more of a welcome when we arrived, but nonetheless we were happy with the process.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The buffet was good, but very crowded! We ate at three specialty restaurants. Cagney's was terrible. La Cucina and Teppanyaki were very good. We also ate at the Manhattan Room two nights. The servers were friendly, but it took a very long time for our food to come out and they got two of our orders wrong.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
I thought the activities were okay, but the activities we most wanted to participate in cost additional money, which was upsetting considering how much we paid for the cruise.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
WT Geer was FANTASTIC! I heard Jersey Boys was excellent!
Children's Programs
5 out of 5
Splash Academy was a highlight! My kids enjoyed it!
Service and Staff
2 out of 5
The waiters were mostly very good. Our room steward was terrible. Left dirty cups and empty water bottles in our already cramped room. There were papers we did not receive that other cabins received as well.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
I thought the ship was clean and modern.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
We were told this room would be perfect for the four of us (my husband and I and two children, 12 and 8) but we were very crowded. There were no drawers for clothes, only shelves, which became an issue as the cruise went on. We had to keep things in our suitcases.
Ship tip
If it is too late to book on another cruise line, and you have to sail on the Bliss, be prepared to spend additional money. We felt "nickled and dimed." There were additional charges for everything, and we weren't prepared for it. We had the premium beverage package and still had to pay for water. If we wanted room service, we had to pay additional service charges. It was ridiculous.
This was the highlight of the trip. My only complaint is that we could not hear the ranger giving information from our room, even though we watched the glaciers from our balcony. That was very disappointing!
Disembarkation was not as smooth as embarkation. We had port valet service, which should have been the first off the ship, and even though people had color coded times, we were in line with everyone who wanted to get off the ship at that time. There was little organization.
Not sure what kind of fanfare you were hoping for during embarkation. They’re trying to get 4000+ people on a ship within a specific timeframe. That said, I’ve been in 17 cruises on various cruise lines including NCL and have always been welcomed aboard by a staff member. As for having to pay for water, you only have to pay if you’re looking for bottled water. There are several fountains on the Lido deck where you can get a glass or fill up a reusable bottle for free and the water has been filtered so much that it is probably more pure than anything you get from a single use bottle. Not to mention, more environmentally friendly. Most cruise lines also up-charge for specialty coffee drinks, their specialty restaurants and top shelf liquor. This isn’t specific to NCL. A little research before booking is needed when planning any vacation, not just a cruise. All of the items that cost extra are itemized on the cruise line web site, including the go-carts. I’m pretty sure that cruising is not for you.
I might have done a little more research before booking with NCL or any cruise line for my first cruise. Each cruise line is different, and shouldn't be lumped together with every other cruise line. You might have been better off trying Celebrity or RC as a first cruise, they're much more all-inclusive from what I heard.
Give cruising another chance--I agree with you about Norwegian. I thought it was crazy that even though I had the beverage pkg, I still had to pay for water and good coffee! Try Celebrity. Princess or Holland. They don't have all the kids things that Norwegian has, but they are way more service friendly!
It sounds like cruising may not be for you or your expectations were too high. Norwegian is a mainstream lower to mid-priced Cruise Line. Some things that may not appeal to everyone are not included in the base price - drinks other than coffee, juice, water, tea and lemonade; excursions; specialty dining; certain entertainment activities, etc. Many have a great time without purchasing anything other than the base fare. If you want a more all-inclusive experience, I would look at Oceania, Crystal, Symphony, Regent or Viking. Just be prepared to pay 3 - 5+ times what Norwegian charges for a similar itinerary.
We just came off the ship a couple weeks ago and it was the best ship we have been on..and wehave been on more than 40 cruises. I don't think cruising is for you.
Looking forward to my cruise in January. Some folks go with unrealistic expectations. I went to Disney World last month, spent 50% more than I would've on a cruise and was in line and on buses for hours each days. I'll take NCL all day long.
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