This was our first cruise and although the staff on the ship were great. I would not do this again. We went to get away and relax which is difficult to do when you feel you are being herded Some places it felt like you were just being packed in and with covid you have to decide how packed in with other people you want to be. This type of vacation was not for us as the trip off the ship and home stressed us out along with others on the bus
Embarkation
2 out of 5
We paid extra for priority boarding and was told by NCL staff it was all the same and no priority
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Some were better than others Service was outstanding
Onboard Activities
1 out of 5
Could not get near the tiny pool. You had to on the pool deck by 8 to stick your towels on chairs at at sea days to have a place to sit
Entertainment
2 out of 5
Most shows were sold out on the first day so did not get to attend. Other guests said the theaters had lots of empty seats so not sure what that was about
Children's Programs
No children
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All staff were outstanding
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Cabin was perfect. Lots of storage. Balcony outstanding views. Had coffee on it every morning. Outstanding
Ship tip
Book everything you can prior to boarding. Watch out for the extra add ons that are supposed to help you. They don’t. Research and talk to other cruisers as there is a lot to know for first time cruisers and the cruise line takes it for granted you know these things like how do I turn on the lights in my cabin
Just trying to tender over was a nightmare. Our group was supposed to go at ten. We reached the island at 1230. It was hot packed and walked forever to get a seat. The buffet was horrible and super crowded. We stayed an hour and went back to the ship
As if it could get any worse. Again we paid 180.00 extra for priority boarding and disembarkation. We were told because we were being shuttled to the airport that we were in the last group off so again we sat in a crowded area from 0830 to 1115 waiting to get off the ship. We then waited another hour to get on a crowded bus. The NCL staff had no clue as to what they were doing and not enough busses. People were cutting lines and fighting with each other as it was extremely hot and and long waits.
Sorry your introduction to cruising was positive. Cruising isn’t for everyone. If you decide to try again, wait until the crews have been back for a year or two. Try a different cruise line and go with an experienced cruiser.
Getting information before booking is crucial for first-time cruisers. It's not the same as an all-inclusive island resort. As far as everything having been already booked, we had to book the shows and restaurants, even the MDRs, on the NCL app weeks before boarding. That, of course, was before pandemic.
Sorry you didn't like cruising. There are definitely some negatives as you mentioned. Since others on that same cruise gave good reviews despite the same experiencing the same negatives, I would say to try another type of vacation. Cruises are not for everyone and nothing wrong with that. Crowded busses are probably going to be a common denominator with any vacation involving public transportation though.
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