We just arrived back from the 12-day Mediterranean cruise from Istanbul, Turkey to Barcelona, Spain and I was very pleased with the overall experience. The port stops and excursions in Turkey, Greece, Croatia, and Italy were all so enjoyable and beautiful to see; I loved the colorful Hawaiian dcor of the ship; and from the very beginning the staff went out of their was to treat us kindly and with respect.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The food was good, but the wait in line for breakfast in the Garden Cafe buffet was the worst I have every encountered on a cruise. It should be renamed The Herd, because the crowd for the breakfast buffet was a story in itself. Almost every morning was virtually impossible to find a place to sit, and you would be lucky not to bump into someone maneuvering around for your food or table. The buffet is only on the starboard side of the ship, and it simply not large enough to accommodate 2,000+ guests.
Dinner time was a better experience. NCL has freestyle dining meaning you can eat dinner at the time of your convenience, at any available table. You dont have a set time and table reserved for you ahead of time, as most cruises. I ate dinner every night in either the Grand Pacific or Alizar main dining rooms between 5:30pm and 6pm, and was seated immediately, without any wait. But it started getting crowded after 7pm, with long lines.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Moscow Magic(illusion) and Duo Platschkov(jugglers and action comedy) were amazing and should not be missed. Second City improv comedy upstairs in the scenic Spinnaker lounge was enjoyable and quite good. The crew show Fountains was so funny, I couldnt stop laughing.
However, I didnt care much for the musical production shows, such as Showdown, or Shout. This is an area that is in need of much improvement.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Very helpful and always treated us kindly
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The size was about normal for cruises I have been on, 2,000+ passengers, but it seemed rather crowded. Looks very clean and in excellent condition.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had an oceanview room with a porthole, and the room was decent in size, comfortable, and well-kept. The shower actually had a sliding glass door, unlike a curtain as other cruises I have been on.
Pros: Itinerary (Turkey, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Spain), colorful dcor and design of ship, helpful staff
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