We decided to try this brand new ship design that NCL is so excited about, but we found the novel design to be less satisfactory overall than a more traditional layout. On the other hand, the Haven provides a premium experience on the ship that made the cruise enjoyable. I loved the food at the Haven restaurant and ate there most of the time. The food was also good in the specialty restaurants, but I would not have spent the money there but for the fact that our package included four nights in those restaurants. Otherwise, the cost for the ala carte menu is far too high to consider, since we could eat in the Haven restaurant. The golf system was not working properly, and the Drop was also out of commission for most of the cruise. We would recommend only booking this ship if you can get in the Haven.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Everything went very smoothly, and this was probably because we were booked in the Haven.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
We were disappointed by dinner in the main dining room, but the food in the Haven restaurant was excellent.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
The fitness center was good, but the main pool area was quite small and very crowded. Fortunately, the pool and the hot tubs were great in the Haven area. Booking our stateroom in the Haven was the right choice and made the cruise pleasant overall.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
The main theater is far too small for the size of this ship. The seats are also very tight together and with very limited leg room and no tables for drinks. The volume for the performances was so loud we had to use earplugs for every show, and we have never experienced that problem before on other cruises we have taken. Some of the lectures and most of the comedy shows were located in other venues that were way to small, had pillars that blocked views, and sometimes offered only standing room. On the other hand, the quality of the performers and comedians was quite good. It's a shame that the audio and space problems interfered with our enjoyment of the shows and lectures.
Children's Programs
No kids.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The service provided by staff was outstanding and matched our best experiences on premium lines. Staff went out their way to be helpful and friendly and often remembered our names.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
The common areas were clean and well-maintained. We felt that the design had serious limitations, particularly in the small theater and some of the club venues. The main pool area was congested, small, and loud with poor views to the ocean. There was more outside deck area, which was attractive, but there was no jogging track for easy exercise away from the gym. The shopping experience was good overall with a nice variety of shops and items.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
We really enjoyed our suite, particularly the enormous walk-in closet, which was the nicest we have very seen even on larger suites. The living room was huge with an excellent TV. The bed was comfortable and had excellent reading lights. The couch was nice and large but the seat was too stiff to be comfortable. We were disappointed that there was no desk/dressing table; but we were able to use the dining table for our needs. The lighting in the bathroom was too dim for shaving and applying makeup. The shower was excellent--the best we have seen on any cruise. The soundproofing was excellent with doors that were four inches thick.
Ship tip
The best way to enjoy this ship is to book a suite in the Haven. That made all the difference.
Was on her Thanksgiving week, not in the Haven. Had fantastic time. If you stayed in the Haven, then you don’t have the proper knowledge base to judge the experience of a non-Haven cabin.
I’ve seen several comments about poor design of the newest ships on a few cruise lines. It sounds like they have tried to add more venues, which eliminates an open flow and feels cramped and overcrowded. Hopefully they will make changes to future designs.
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