Compared to another cruise line that supposedly caters to kids, NCL is a dismal failure. In succession:
Horrible embarkation experience.
Extremely small stateroom with unprotected mattress and ill fitting sheets. Small shower.
Food was lukewarm and ordinary. Wait staff was excellent, as were the bartenders and liquor.
Except for The Choir of Man (excellent), the entertainment was terrible.
Excursions were paid shopping experiences.
Pool was a disaster.
Other than the wait staff, ship staff seemed to be sullen and unhappy.
Ship itself was poorly designed...choppy, poor transitioning, terrible elevators, poor air circulation. (Cigarette smoke from the open casino area permeated onto the rest of that deck as well as the deck below.)
Many other impediments to a pleasant experience that are too numerous to mention.
Embarkation
1 out of 5
Horrible experience. Packed in terminal like cattle. Chaos reinged supreme.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
All dining experiences were subpar...wait staff were excellent, but the food was almost always cold and ordinary. The 3 star rating is only because of the drink package, which was excellent.
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
Pool was small and poorly designed. All chairs were "reserved" by 7:30 AM. Pool was so packed by noon that it was impossible to weave one's way into the water. Hot tub was like a subway car at rush hour. Bands were blaring and bland.
Entertainment
1 out of 5
Walked out on one show after the "Comedian(?)" berated a family and told them to "get that kid out of here".
Service and Staff
1 out of 5
Except for the wait staff, very few crew members could speak English, so it became difficult to receive assistance. Staff seemed indifferent and sullen.
Ship Quality
2 out of 5
Impossible to find trash cans. Ship design and layout was choppy. Transition from one area to another was difficult.
Cabin / Stateroom
1 out of 5
I believe that NCL made a mistake and assigned us to a phone booth instead of a stateroom. If standing, it was impossible for another person to pass. Mattress had no pad, and both the bottom and top sheets were too small. Shower was so small that it became difficult to turn around.
Color coded system was great. Was off the ship in very little time. Flagged down a stevedore for our luggage and he zipped us throug Customs and to our ride in no time.
Wow, this is the ship I’m going on…..but we are booked in for a balcony club suite….I figured the pools would be crowded, as normal on most ships they are. Appreciate your review though…..hopefully by March it’s better
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