Norwegian Encore Cruise Reviews - Reviews

Overall, I had a great time with my friends on the cruise but I will NEVER sail on NCL again. After all the years they have been in business they should have figured out how to move large groups of people efficiently.

We thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this cruise. I highly recommend it.

Good cruise with all adult couples and singles. Very little children or families. The staff seemed to enjoy 😊 us too. Everyone was relaxed and having fun!

We loved the Sea Days. Hated the disorganized Excursions and ZERO attempt to rectify their procedures. The pool deck was a joke, and you weren't allowed to move loungers into the central area. There is NO Spice/H20, so that was a BIG disappointment. Hoping when the ship goes into dry dock in the Fall, there will be 1 added. The "activities" both on the pool deck and in the atrium were really lame. It was difficult to find an outside area to tan that didn't have blasting music, or microphones, guiding guests to do the lame activities. Given that the median age on this cruise was at least 75, for those of us much younger, these activities were a complete waste of time. Also Cruise Director Tiara could take a few lessons from Cruise Director Jack Gow, who was on the Escape Oct/Nov 2022. Tiara read announcement like a flight attendant, and the few times I saw her in the Atrium I was not impressed at all. She needs to drop that fake persona. Tiara comes off as very inauthentic, which doesn't bode well with guests. Locking accessible bathrooms in public areas where bars and restaurants are still open is UNACCEPTABLE - and in spite of numerous requests made to guest services, both Maria (head of accessibility for excursions and ship facilities), and the head of Housekeeping, did NOTHING to address or RECTIFY the situations. The Ship design was okay, our itinerary pretty good, except for Costa Rica. NCL should have tendered guests into the port, rather than sticking the ship in an industrial yard 30+ minutes away. Handicapped Guests MUST get off the ship BEFORE EVERYONE else for excursions. SOMEONE who can command an audience's attention MUST be the person on stage directing EXCURSIONS - Signage showing Excursion names MUST be PLACED in the Theatre. NCL MUST review its accessibility POLICIES, UPDATE THEM and IMPLEMENT ANY CHANGES!!!

Really enjoyed this cruise, which was our 18th. Still wish they would enforce the chair hogs both on the pool deck and in the Observation Lounge. I wish people would realize that taking phone calls on speaker in the lounge or theater is very rude, but it happens all the time.

Was a great cruise itinerary. One complaint was that they ran out of regular coffee pods for our machine in our stateroom. We had to drink decaf almost the whole last week. Totally unacceptable! On our previous cruise they ran out of half and half for 3-4 days. Very upsetting as milk just doesn’t suffice! NCL needs to make sure that these kinds of items are in stock. People pay a lot of money for a cruise and these kinds of things are important.

Had a great time. Nice ship with a great crew. Food was better than usual.

We have taken family vacations for years at the last one we thought of a family cruise. We have many milestones to celebrate so we did it! We are glad we did! One perk of group extras was a vow renewal so we singed up for that and it was wonderful. The staff were great at makin us feel special, and we had a concierge to make reservations for us. We have been on several cruises but this Vow Renewal made this cruise truly stand out. Thanks NCL!

Overall we enjoyed the cruise. The Garden Cafe was great and I hate buffet lines but the Indian food was so good!

Group of 8 with teens and elderly folks, Great trip

We had just a great time on our very first Caribbean cruise. Spent the extra money on the Vibe and it was well worth it. Saw two of the comedy shows, thought Mike Head was the best too bad we missed his 18+ show. We ate mostly at the Garden Cafe which was great. The Teppenaki was okay. All the crew were great and very polite. The two times I visited Guest Services turned out very positive.

A fun, solid, overall cruise experience. Our group included young adults and mid 50's and we all had a lot of fun. Entertainment was a bit lacking on this ship, but the ports of call were fantastic!

Having sailed this ship and itinerary before, we knew what to expect and thoroughly enjoyed our vacation. We would recommend this to others.

As a somewhat frequent cruiser and solo traveler, I can confidently say that Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) offers an exceptional value proposition that caters well to my needs. While not the most luxurious cruise experience, NCL's "Free at Sea" promotions provide substantial savings, especially for those like myself who enjoy taking advantage of beverage packages, specialty dining, and shore excursion credits. One of the major draws for me is NCL's competitive solo traveler pricing, which eliminates the dreaded "single supplement" fees found on many other cruise lines. Their diverse array of itineraries also appeals to my sense of wanderlust, with the missed opportunity to visit their private island due to inclement weather being a disappointing exception on my recent voyage. For families or those on a budget, NCL's ships offer an attractive blend of amenities and entertainment at a reasonable cost. The "Free at Sea" deal, when available, can deliver significant value, particularly for those who plan to indulge in alcoholic beverages or take advantage of the specialty dining venues. However, I would be remiss not to address a few areas where NCL could elevate their offerings to better compete with more premium lines like Celebrity, Holland America, or Princess. Enhancing the main dining room menus with higher quality ingredients and more diverse options would undoubtedly improve the overall dining experience. Moreover, a renewed focus on staff training, emphasizing warm and attentive service, could go a long way in making guests feel truly welcome and valued. Finally, while NCL's entertainment options are plentiful, a refreshed rotation of high-caliber production shows would add an extra layer of excitement and variety for repeat cruisers like myself. In conclusion, while Norwegian Cruise Line may position itself as a more budget-friendly alternative, a few thoughtful enhancements could easily position them as a worthy contender in the premium cruise market. That said, their current offerings still provide an exceptional value, and I would not hesitate to sail with them again, especially when an enticing "Free at Sea" promotion becomes available.

My husband was hesitant to be "trapped on a boat" for a week, but he is a convert now. Even our impossible-to-impress children had a great time and are already asking when our next cruise will be.

Having cruised 2 other times with NCL and over 20 cruises on different cruise lines, we were disappointed. It seemed as if everything was "extra". We had the beverage package. My husband doesn't drink alcohol, but a bottle of sparking water was extra. We had to pay extra to get a decent wifi package. It was extra for the "priority" embarkation and disembarkation". We had paid for the gratuities beforehand, yet they continued to bill us $40.00 a day per cabin. They had an exclusive area called The Vibe Beach Club on the ship. You had to snag a pass at the port during embarkation. People still snuck in. The observation reckon 15 forward is beautiful and serene, until kids start running around and screaming. It should be an 16 and older area.

Spring break trip with 16 & 14 year old. 1st time cruising for hubby and kids. 4th cruise for me. Great ports and everyone enjoyed their time. We did not utilize the Teen Program. I will think twice about booking over Spring Break again. Too many unsupervised, disrespectful kids running around. Disappointing to see such a lack of manners and rude behavior from a lot of them.

Except for our flight getting to and our return flight home which was booked through Norwegian, we had an excellent time.

Ship was too big and overcrowded for the itinerary. Ship is not designed for the Caribbean. Food service mediocre. Nickel and dimed by NCL for all add-ons. Pricing quickly balloons to that of more premium lines with smaller ships and better service. Will not sail NCL again.

Overall had a nice time on our first cruise. Ate, drank and slept too much, but it was super fun!