Totally Embarrassed and Huge Failure on Norwegian's Part from a True Norwegian Cruise Line Devotee !!

Norwegian Epic Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern

cathybowersox

Contributor Level: Second Mate

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 4

Helpful Votes: 135

Overall rating:

2.5 out of 5

Verified Review

7 Night Caribbean: Great Stirrup Cay & Dominican Republic (Port Canaveral Roundtrip)

Sail date: February 25, 2024

Ship: Norwegian Epic

Cabin type: Inside

Cabin number: 11146

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 8 months ago

Review summary

I took 9 friends who are devout RCL cruisers in order to introduce them to "My Norwegian" . Everything I raved about from previous cruises was non-existent on this one. This was the first time I have cruised NCL after Covid, please tell me this is not the new normal !!!! I will try one more NCL cruise and hope and pray that this was just a bad cruise. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me that this is the case. I was totally embarrassed by and even experienced a sense of grief for my previously wonderful Norwegian Cruise Lines

Embarkation

4 out of 5

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

1 out of 5

Purchased Specialty Dinners before sailing and was told there were no reservations to be made in any restaurant at any time on any day !!! NCL had to refund my money on disembarkation day. Main dining rooms took over 2 hours to eat a meal. When request was made to reserve a time for our party, was told that they didn't take reservations. Upon arrival at the Dining Room, FIRST QUESTION was "Do you have a reservation?"

Onboard Activities

2 out of 5

NO poolside service !!!! No Atrium Service. Everything was completely SELF SERVICE !!!! Complete let down

Entertainment

2 out of 5

Mediocre!!

Service and Staff

1 out of 5

First interaction with our Room Steward was his telling us what he would NOT be doing and only the hours in which he would be working!!!! In each cabin only 1 time per day, No turn down service, and not available after 6 pm.

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

2 out of 5

Telephone COVERED in Dust, nightstands dirty, tops of cupboards covered with so much dust and dirt you could write you name in it. Light at vanity never worked. Nothing like any Norwegian sailing we have ever experienced. Even when we sailed on the Epic previously!!!!!

Ship tip

Do NOT expect the level of service that Norwegian Cruise Line has been noted to offer! Enter with very low expectations and you are less likely to be disappointed.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Port Canaveral, Florida

3 out of 5

No excursion

Thumbs Up 0

Great Stirrup Cay (Cruise Line Private Island), Bahamas

3 out of 5

Very Nice, just be prepared to walk.

Thumbs Up 0

San Juan, Puerto Rico

4 out of 5

Did a guided tour. Great driver

Thumbs Up 0

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

5 out of 5

Wonderful Port !!!! Not nearly enough time !! Arrived 6:30 am Departed 2:00 pm

Thumbs Up 0

Amber Cove (Puerto Plata), Dominican Republic

4 out of 5

Took a private driving tour . Very Nice

Thumbs Up 0

Disembarkation

3 out of 5

10 Comments

Andrea34 8 months ago

I think it may be the new normal unfortunately. This is just based on the reviews I have been reading in this app. I sailed with NCL in the past and it was amazing but I hear it has really gone down hill. Unfortunately it seems NCL has become hit or miss and if this is true that makes me sad because they used to be top tier.

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1960cruiser 8 months ago

Looks like you didn't do any research or making reservations at all. I always make dinner reservations as early as possible and check different packages if I want to upgrade or, so it appears you ruined your cruise, not NCL, cause I've been on several cruises on NCL and had a great time. As for turn down service, I'm a big boy and I can turn down my own blankets. If you were having a special cruise with your group, you should have done more researching and doing pre boarding browsing, but you failed to do so, which looks to me, you spent more time writing this review, instead of making sure all loose ends were tied up so you had a great cruise.

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javawoody 8 months ago

It very well may be the new normal

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BnCTcruising 8 months ago

We also used to really like NCL, until we went on Royal. Just feel it’s a better customer experience.

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Dumfy75 8 months ago

To be fair if you were trying to book meals for a party of 10 once on the ship that isn’t easy! If you’ve cruised NCL before you’ll know that most people have speciality dining because of free at sea, some buy additional discounted speciality dining upgrades, and others buy on the ship. Reservations open 120 days prior to the cruise and this really is the way to go to get the bookings you want especially with a large party. I do think NCL need to allow you to cancel reservations via the app or your TV as some people can’t be bothered cancelling in person and just don’t turn up and there will be empty tables. If you go along to the restaurants reservation area they can usually find something for you.

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NavasotaCruiser 8 months ago

Thank you for sharing your cruise experience with us.

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HeavySeas 8 months ago

Thanks for sharing

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karlgrgurich 8 months ago

Sorry for your poor experience. I can understand your frustration. But yes. Once. a day cabin service is the standard. And there certainly seem to be cutbacks in a lot of places

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Jerrec 8 months ago

Sorry you didn’t have a good cruise, but it sounds like a lack of research. Speciality dining can be booked 120 days out, if you expect to get a reservation on board you will be disappointed. NCL, along with a number of cruise lines, has gone to once a day cabin cleaning. Again, it’s been widely discussed.

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Gwbigdog 8 months ago

Oops sorry 😞 thanks

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