If you appreciate "Steerage" cuisine with an East Indian flare,....

Check in was a Nightmare!  We knew, going in, that Norwegian’s FOOD was rated as sub par in the Cruise industry. However we got to experience it first hand. Luke Warm Coffee & entrees & warm salads. How can ya mess up traditional “Hot & Sour Soup” , a “STANDARD” in the industry, the Norwegian Chef sure did. Of course the Chef was an East Indian and most dishes were rice, Bean or noodle based with only  "Hints" of poor quality meat here & there. Didn't see any Indians on the Cruise but quite a few Mexicans and we never had any Mexican food on a trip to the Mex/Riviera?  Stale Baguettes thru the 3rd day. Flat Soda in most every Bar. And in a spendy drink, that’s a Sin!  They included a Free Beverage Package promotion to entice us then charged us $249. Service Charge and then craftily understaffed on Waiters so you'd hopefully consume less unless you went to the understaffed Bar.  (Rip~Off!)  Does NCL realize that there are still folks who like to dress up for dinner? Why then would not you try to seat them in one section to preserve the Ambiance that they spent time Dressing for on those special nites?  Folks who make the extra effort to bring nice clothes and spend time getting dressed up should be "REWARDED" by being seated in a "Special Section" at the very least.  The Collared Shirt Requirement was not enforced in the restaurants  (Why the heck did we pack and lug around an extra bag of Dress Clothes?) Then there was the Cruise director’s Staff who apparently took his “lead” relative to not knowing how to wear a Jacket properly. Tacky!  Swag is for Boys, Class is for Men & the Cruise Staff certainly exemplified their Swagger. Fashion is what you Buy, but Style & Class is how you Wear it properly.  The Cruise Staff should take a lesson from the Officer's Dress. Finally, the DANCE music was terrible. There are actually people who still appreciate dancing on Cruises. And the measure of a DJ’s or Band’s ability, is reflected in how many are on the floor for their musical selections during the non~Prime times. A DJ's J~O~B #1 is to keep the dance floor full based on the patrons in the Room at different times.  The DJ did not know what a danceable BIG BAND music selection was because, he was playing music for his own satisfaction rather than ever taking note of which songs folks actually danced to & he was obviously not a dancer himself?! The Show Band played, apparently for their own satisfaction, in the Observation Lounge and their Jazz selections rarely encouraged folks to dance. People not only appreciate a band’s Sound but their Visual Appearance is just as important. Hangar 70’s music was okay, but their Stage Presence really needs work!  Their apparent lead chanteuse was any thing but that ,...with very poor projection and simply awful Attire.

Hector from the Cruise Staff taught a variety of LATIN Dances on YES,....a Cruise to the Mexican Riviera.   These excellent lessons were "Immediately Transferrable" and usable on the Ship's Club/Lounge Dance Floors.  However, they also had a "Pushy" TANGO instructor that was allowed considerably more teaching time than Hector.  This for a Dance style that was inappropriate for any of the Club/Lounges on the ship.  Maybe 1% of the Dancers on the ship wanted to Tango while the Vast Majority preferred and participated in those dance Styles Hector was Teaching.