Not our best trip

Item: Norwegian Encore
Rating: 3
Author: kgindy

Norwegian Encore Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern

kgindy

Contributor Level: Deck Hand

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 52

Overall rating:

3 out of 5

Verified Review

7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip)

Sail date: December 22, 2019

Ship: Norwegian Encore

Cabin type: Suite

Cabin number: 12804

Traveled as: Large Group

Reviewed: 4 years ago

Review summary

Nice ship. The staff needs some time to figure it out. The pool, children play areas need better supervision

Embarkation

5 out of 5

One of the easiest .

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

1 out of 5

Too many people, poor staff. Tried the first morning reservations were available to get a table for 10. By 8:15 none were available. We were on the ship before noon and could not get tables for 10 before 830. Hard with a two year old and a five year old. Agent told us special services would help our group of 10 but they declined after cancelation day claiming we needed 12 people. The waiters in all dinning areas were hard to find and most did not know the menu or how to provide service. Our young one wanted a peanut butter sandwich but we usually received p and j. Ask for skim milk for cereal and you were lucky to get it by the end of the meal. Ask for coffee at dinner, with a drink package and it usually came after desert. A second cup was out of the question. Generally service was very very slow and spotty. Ran out of vanilla soft serve two days before the trip was over. Pool staff for the kids were unpredictable. Our 5 year old was put out of the kids pool for throwing a nerf ball to a older cousin. Elsewhere older people were throwing regular footballs. How can a small child hurt anyone with a foam nerf ball? Getting on the ship before noon on embarkation day we found all the go cart rides,escape rooms, lazier games booked and unavailable . They can not be booked off the ship. Our room steward was great. He had several years of expierence. The ship is very pretty.

Onboard Activities

2 out of 5

The slides were good when open and working. The carts and laser tag were sold out before most people were on board. Some kids had reservation after reservation. The ship should put some limit on until most people board the ship. We kept trying the entire cruise and go one tag session during dinner on the sixth night. It was fun but too hard to get. Pool space was in short supply. Big signs about blocking out seats all day but nothing done. Saw a few arguments an afternoons on see day . Waiters away from the pool area would be nice.

Entertainment

3 out of 5

a second child friendly show would have been good.

Children's Programs

2 out of 5

Not enough staff our 5 year old and others could not get in on sea days even though registered. When admitted the. Kids liked the program.

Service and Staff

2 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5