I would never choose Norweigen again. I am not sure if this is just the way things are now but we chose it for the destinations, activities and large balcony suite. I chose to tip all staff with cash and very well I might add. Usually 20 or 50 to each one. We chose to waive the gratuity fees as it was an option. The front desk updated out account as such. I was still charged roughly $1100 for gratuities. It would be better if all costs were more upfront. What was assumed and prepaid for all inclusive with pre purchased unlimited packages 7k ended up costing close to 13k after we were off the ship and still missed out on dining due to availability.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Fast and efficient. Room wasn't ready. Staff seemed rushed and stressed.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
Crowded like it was oversold if that is possible. Lots of seating availability though. Good views from the bow dining areas on 16 and 15.
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
Go carts fun but always booked no availability. The water slides were very cool but the Kamikazi was always down only the tube slide was open.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Footloose and Elements.
Children's Programs
1 out of 5
Staff were rude to my teen for not being signed up by his parents. He chose not to go back.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
I would never rate them low due to how hard they work. They all seemed under paid and over worked. They really trued to look happy. It was obvious there was not going to be a stellar service experience. The IT person was awesome. He was under attack for wifi issues by everyone. The line took 1hr to get wifi sorted. (We had a package but needed it sorted out to access) without wifi you cannot see your cruise itinerary or communicate with anyone onnor off the ship.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Very nice. If i was to ever book this ship again I would upgrade to the Haven though. The 1 pool deck is a terrible over crowded mess with no room in either pool. It was so crowded we didn't notice the second small pool until we were on the stairs to the slides. Lots of great walking on deck 8. Needs more seating though. It would be great to relax towards the aft.
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
Decent. The bridge is directly above with 3 cameras above our balcony. Not an issue huge in size just no sun shade at all. We spent alot of time there due to the crowds on the 2 pool decks.
Ship tip
Upgrade to Havem. Better food and more selection. Book diners asap. We missed out on ours. Book everything you can in advance . Get all costs up front. Book directly with criuse line. Alot got lost between booking agency and the ship. Expedia was terrible and Norwegian will not assist you unless you are booked through them.
Finally great service. So refreshing to meet everyone in port to our cab drivers who actually were the ones to get us all set with a beach and snorkling a tour and drinks for so little cost it was so nice.
Horrible experience. They kept calling for more decks to unload but it was jammed with people wheel chairs scooters everyone trying or being forced off at the same time. Stay in your room or on a deck for as long as you can to avoid this. The elevators were off loding into the line. Us guests were trying to accomodate each other as the staff had no idea what to do. Elderly were givingbup and sitting down on chairs in anynopen area they could.
I can empathize! What most passengers don't realize when booking dining & drink pkgs thru NCL is that they already include your gratuities for specialty restaurants (regardless if you manage to get a reservation or order all courses) & every drink server you encounter (up to the allotted amount & extra depending on how much over the premium). So unless you eat in the MDR , complimentary restaurants or buffet every day, you've been forced to tip a base of 20 percent minimum already. I tend to extend my gratitude via cash envelope to my cabin stewards & other staff that tend to be overlooked but who went out of their way to make our cruise experience a better one & not entrust the cruise co to divvy up fairly a "pooled" tipping jar. Bottom line: Cruise lines should not rely on having passengers supplement their crew's wages.
Welcome to the new standard for cruising after Covid. It’s almost always best to book directly with the Cruise Line or local travel agent rather than an online agency. It’s best to leave the standard gratuities and type additional amounts, if you choose, to those that go above and beyond what is expected.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
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