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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Stewart Cohen
Email: unkey@webtv.net
Age: 42
Occupation: legal assistant
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Leeward
SailingDate: 6/14/99
Itinerary: At Sea/Cozumel/Key West
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 22 Jun 1999
Time: 22:21:25
Remote Name: proxy-525.public.rwc.webtv.net
Remote User:
Comments
This was my second cruise on the Leeward, the first being in December '97. The reason I
decided to
return was due to my going to Florida for a family function on June 12 and wishing to stay
on til Father's
Day. The one week cruises were more money than the winter season, so I had to resort to a
4 day cruise
and NCL gives the best deals for singles who do not wish to bunk with strangers.
I had read about some unpleasant experiences with the Leeward, but I figured that it was
good enough
last time and would hope for a similar experience. What I landed up getting was a cruise
with the most
laughs I have ever had on a ship. In other words, I had a blast. The Leeward was not a
party boat but
there were enough activities to make it one if you so chosed without intruding on those
who did not want
that. The one exception being that the ship is limited to one small pool which was taken
over for games,
etc. But even a huge ship like the Grand Princess had limited pool space and one seemed to
always be
monopolized by the Dive In program students.
I took the 4 day itinerary which was supposed to be a day at sea, Cancun, Key West.
However, the
Captain decided the afternoon before to take the ship to Cozumel instead, due to 5 foot
swells and rain.
Cancun requires the ship to anchor and use tender service. Cozumel has a dock right in the
main town of
San Miguel (another plus for NCL, as Carnival used the International Pier which is 3 miles
out of town).
This seems to happen a lot and the staff is fully prepared. Even the televsion port
shopping adds were
changed quickly to the Cozumel stores, although the port lecture video continued to be for
Cancun.
Check-in and boarding went smoothly. I am a Latitudes Club member (the NCL return
passenger
program), so I had a separate check-in desk and was escorted immediately onto the ship and
this was at
noon. My cabin was already made up but they did provide a welcome service in the Sports
Bar for those
who boarded early but had to wait for their cabins to be ready. I was on Deck 6 in the aft
section in a
category F stateroom (outside obstructed view). It was about 16'X 8' and was more than
adequate for a
single (next door in the same size cabin was a family of 4). The cabin had 3 closets, a
bureau, 2 chairs
and a table, tv set, refrigerator, twin beds which made a very ample queen size, and a not
so terrible
obstructed view, since the lifeboat outside did not completely block the window. The
bathroom had plenty
of shelf space and the shower was small but not impossible. My luggage arrived before the
ship left port
and I was all unpacked in no time. I didn't meet my steward until quite later on but I
requested the twin
beds be put together and he even explained to me the best way to have the beds placed to
avoid bumping
into furniture. It was all done by the time I returned after dinner. I never really had a
bad cabin steward but
each cruise they seem to get better and better.
The ship itself doesn't show half the wear and tear people complained about, although
there was some.
The elevator did not stop on the way up on my deck (but the exercise didn't hurt). When I
mentioned this
to the reception area the clerk seemed surprised, but I can't believe that she hadn't
already known. Some
of the carpet was quite stained but I did see a worker with a rug shampooer, so this must
have been the
remnant of some accident. I would imagine with the ship leaving NCL in October, no major
replacements
like elevators and carpets will be made. But elevator rides and carpets are not the reason
I cruise, and like
I said I had a blast, and here are the reasons
Reason #1: The passengers, customers, or whatever you call us stoways was the best mix of
people I
have ever come across on a cruise and most everyone seemed to be having a great time. This
can be the
most crucial factor on a cruise. The age range was quite wide as well as the demographics.
And we all got
along just fine.
Reason #2: The cruise director, Rich Clesen and his staff were a lot of fun and for once I
had a cruise
director who didn't look or act like he came out of game show host school. He was genuine,
had a great
sense of humor and kept the people smiling.
Reason #3: The entertainment was much better than the last time I cruised on this ship. I
must make
special mention of the 2 comedians, Hank McGauley & Rich Purpura. As I said, I never
did so much
laughing on a cruise and these guys kept the spirit going.
Reason #4: Le Bistro. I did not eat dinner once in the dining room. I had such a pleasant
experience ther
on the last cruise, that I decided to eat there every night, and the service and food were
excellent. When
you read my ratings above for dining room service and food, it is based on Le Bistro and
not the dining
room. Dining there truly added a touch of luxury to a mass marketed vessel. This is an
open seating dining
room, so you can make your reservation for anytime between 6pm-11pm. The menu is limited
but makes
up in quality. The $5. recommended gratuity is well worth it. So why be at the mercy of
the maitre d' in the
dining rooms to get a good table. They are all good in Le Bistro.
On the subject of food, I found the dining room to be very good for breakfast(including
excellent coffee)
and fair for lunch. The attitude of some of the waiters during open seating is down right
rude at times. The
sports bar lunches weren't very good with one exception. This must be a new fad for NCL
but they actually
have an oriental soup station where you pick out wontons, noodles, shrimp, mushrooms, etc.
and the chef
places it all in a pot with broth and heats up your own made to order oriental soup.
Although it is not the
first thing you think of having out on deck in 88 degree weather, it still was quite good
and got you off the
line for overdone burgers and ho-hum pizza. The midight buffet on the first night had
excellent smoked
salmon, herring and shrimp (which you had to peel yourself...so much for luxury cruising).
The Leeward is a beautiful vessel and it is a shame that NCL is taking her out of service.
I guess the
almighty dollar dictates what will make them a profit and this ship probably didn't fit
into their scheme,
which is a shame. It should never have been mass-markted for teen cruises and the likes.
Someone with
vision could have made this into a more intimate and upscale cruise vessel, which is not
NCL's domain,
although with the purchase of the Marco Polo they may be getting there. There may be
another motive for
retiring her, such as a faulty engine, but it is a shame to see her leave the NCL fleet.
I'm very glad to have sailed this lovely lady twice and perhaps she will shine even more
in her next life,
whatever that may be.
Name: Jennie C Morehead
Email: morehead@apex.net
Age: 29
Occupation: Safety Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Leeward
SailingDate: December 7, 1998
Itinerary: Mexico-4 day - Cozumel, Cancun
FoodDiningRoom: 99
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 99
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 99
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 99
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 99
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService:
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 50
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 75
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 15 Jul 1999
Time: 16:12:25
Remote Name: cf.apex.net
Remote User:
Comments
My husband and I were first time cruisers on this excursion and had been given plenty of
advice about what to expect.
However, nothing prepared us for the experience when we arrived at the ship. We were met
at the airport by our guide
named Bob (older gentleman with snow white hair). I tell you his name because he and only
about three others on the ship
were helpful to us. We arrived by bus to the Leeward and our luggage was taken at that
time to the ship while we went to
the ticket counter to be checked in. As we entered the boarding room, a very rude woman in
an NCL uniform shoved a
paper in our hands and told us to fill it out. When I asked her what it was she rolled her
eyes and told me to 'just read the
form and find out'. We were so excited that at the time I did not become frustrated. Then,
I read the form. Our port of call
had been changed to the Bahamas instead of Mexico. Now, I have to preface my next comments
with the experience of my
friends who are avid cruisers. I was warned not to go to Freeport or Nassau unless I
wanted to see a third world island and
be bombarded with individuals that would not leave you alone when you left the ship. And
that is precisely where we were
going instead of to Mexico. As a safety engineer, my first reaction was to ask what was
wrong with the ship. We were told
that one of the engines were being upgraded and that we could not physically get to Mexico
and back in the 4-day window
with one engine. We were also told that the engine upgrade had just started our week. We
were devestated because we did
not want to go to the Bahamas and had saved for nearly a year to go to Mexico. So, we
asked for a refund or when the next
cruise was going out to Mexico. Astonishingly,NCL had a ship docked next to the Leeward
that was going out that day to
Mexico and the roster was no where near full. We offered to pay the difference to move to
that ship and were told 'no'. We
then asked for a refund and were told 'no' and that our luggage was conveniently already
on board and would be hard to find
before the ship left port and that they could not guarantee that we could get it back that
day. It was then that my husband
lost his temper, something that does not happen very often. He asked for the manager of
the operation and we were told to
'get in line behind all the other pi--ed people'. The only reason that we went was because
we needed to get away and we
met another couple in line and became instant 'I can't believe this is happening friends!'
We later found out that the engine
had been down during the previous weeks cruise and they did not tell anyone then either.
We also befriended a couple of
staff and were told that the reason they would not let us off the Leeward onto the other
ship was because they were only
half full and if they let anyone off they could not go without losing more money than
already being lost. The positives of the
cruise: Our cabin attendant was absolutely the best! Dan became ill (not because of the
cruise) and we needed some
laundry done on a moments notice right before we disembarked. She did not have to help
because we were already docked
in Florida. But she did and I appreciate it very much. Our service in the dining room was
wonderful We were at table #24
and had Sheriff as our waiter. He made the whole trip worthwhile with his service, jokes
and smile. Would I take an NCL
cruise again? No. Would I recommend NCL? No. Why? Not because we changed port of call
(because I realize they have
the right to do that) but because they lied about it and did not prepare the staff to deal
with a boat of angry passengers.
Name: Billy Wood Jr.
Email: billy.wood@mindspring.com
Age: 29
Occupation: Vice-President Ins. Company
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Leeward
SailingDate: July 16th
Itinerary: Miami-Key West-Great Stirrup Cay Bahamas-Miami
Cabin: 6104
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 99
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 89
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 97
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 82
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 199
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 96
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 97
TenderService: 99
GoodForSeniors: 99
BeautySalonStaff: 99
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 88
OverallPortsofCall: 99
BeautySalon: 99
EntertainmentPoolside: 97
CruiseActivities: 98
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 20 Jul 1999
Time: 16:03:29
Remote Name: 208.248.107.157
Remote User:
Comments
Thrilling! I had read some negative comments about this ship and found none of them to be
true. It just shows the
inexperience of some cruisers. The Leeward is a true lady of a ship. I love cruising, and
do consider myself a
connoisseur of such on Cruise Ships, and do recommend this ship. As a Latitude Member
(which simply means
you have sailed NCL before) I found embarkation the smoothest ever. They treated us like
royalty and escorted
us on the ship early (11:30am). This is unheard of elsewhere. Once there, expecting a
smaller look than the usual
"big ships" we have been on- I was not at all disappointed. Once on there you
feel that size does not matter. Sure
there is not the big atrium and gorgeous spacious dining room (both of which if you have
never experienced you
must- it really adds to your cruise) we were still satisfied. It gets back to knowing what
to expect- we did not expect
that- thus were not disappointed at all. The Captain was the friendliest we have ever
sailed with and he and the
crew made a great effort to make your NCL Cruise the experience they advertise. The comedy
was great and
shows ok. We are not that much of a fan of Broadway shows thus was not overly impressed.
Although Pirates of
the Penziance was much better than Copa. It had humor and a GREAT show ending with all the
ship
representatives coming on stage to say their good-byes. Key West was fantastic- I suggest
renting a moped and
seeing the island at your own leisure. It was a blast. Very Americanized but a Caribbean
feel. Highly
recommended. We had been to the private Island of Great Stirrup Cay, but again thoroughly
enjoyed it. To my
wife and I it is one of the better private islands. See the town in Key West and Snorkel
at the private island.
Disembarkment was also as smooth as we have ever had and we think that shows the expertise
of NCL in this
area. Food was good but not the best we have ever had. Cruise Director and staff
fantastic. Teresa in the Sports
department gets an A++. Participate, that is what makes cruising fun. I have heard rumors
that NCL will return
Leeward to who they leased her from in October. I would truly recommend sailing on this
lady of a ship before that
happens or with whomever she is sold to. Great small class ship. Good job-NCL.
Name: Mike Smail
Email: s215162@msc.net
Age: 41
Occupation: Disabled
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Leeward
SailingDate: 7-9-99
Itinerary: Bahamas-Stirup Cay
Cabin: 5005-D, Promenade Deck
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 70
DiningRoomService: 60
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 80
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Jul 1999
Time: 12:49:32
Remote Name: port19.msc.net
Remote User:
Comments
This is how vacations are meant to be, fantastic. My wife and I waited 17 years for this
and it was worth the wait.
Our trip was all inclusive through the cruise line. We were up at 3:30 to catch a 6:00
flight out of Kansas City. I
found out that for $35 each you can get a flight deviation that allows you to fly down the
night before. I strongly
recommend this so you're not so tired.
Embarkation was a piece of cake but make sure you have all of your papers filled out
before you get there. After
boarding and getting two drinks put in our hands, then they hand you your bill, we headed
for the buffet since we
hadn't ate since the night before. What a disappointment! Hamburgers, hotdogs, and fries,
and no place to sit
since this was held at the sports bar.
The going away party at the pool was good but make sure you go early so you can get a deck
chair in the shade.
Then we made our way to the Stardust Lounge for bingo. This is where most of the major
entertainment is held. I
won $83. Then we went to our cabin to get ready for supper. I had spent a little extra to
get on the Promenade
Deck. It was great except we actually had people put their noses against our glass to see
in!
We had main seating for meals. I strongly recommend this again because it works out great
for everything else
going on. We set with my sister and brother-in-law and two sisters who were fantastic! We
even exchanged
addresses to stay in touch. Our waiter and bus-boy were new and lousy. We had to keep
asking for water, rolls,
and anything you asked for he didn't know. He just kept telling us he was doing this for
his kids and we were
suppose to mark a 10 on the comment card and leave a big tip. This is one time that I
marked a 6 and left half the
expected tip and I usually tip at least 20%. Instead I gave his extra tip to the cabin
steward. He did an outstanding
job.
The ship was very romantic and could be as private or as busy as you wanted. There were
very little young kids
but the teenagers were still going strong into the morning hours. The Big Red Boat was
parked next to us in port
and it was a dead ship by 12:00.
Pros: Stirup Cay, their private island, was fantastic. They wouldn't let me snorkel
because of my heart and I
wanted to at least try. Cabin steward, cruise director, and crew were fantastic except the
dining room staff. I
recommend Paradise Island, and TWA did a great job with on time flights.
Cons: The first night they shut down the elevators so they could move luggage, a lot of
steps for someone with a
disability. If you have any sort of disability I would by-pass Crystal Cay and the Nassau
tour. Alot of razor wire and
ghettos. Watch out for the taxis. The five hour wait to leave the Miami airport was silly
but they don't know any way
out of it. I also wouldn't recommend this cruise for really young children, under 8 maybe.
Finally: This was an excellent 3 day cruise. The dining room staff was the only downside
and it may of been
different with a different crew. We came home and by the next day had already been to the
travel agent to start
planning next year's cruise. I would recommend the Leeward to anyone, especially
honeymooners. However our
next cruise is going to be on Carnival's Imagination in July 2000, but the only reason is
to see differents ports and
see the bigger ships. The Leeward is small but grand.
If anyone wants me to go into more details on any aspect of our cruise please contact me
at s215162@msc.net.
Thanks for bearing with me and I hope it helps.
Name: Rick Smith
Email: h3c@my-deja.com
Age: 33
Occupation: Systems Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Leeward
SailingDate: July 23, 1999
Itinerary: 3-Day Bahamas
Cabin: 6031 Cat G (I think)
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector: 81
CabinComfort: 89
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 82
CabinAmenities: 84
FoodLidoDeck: 89
DiningRoomService: 82
CabinQuietness: 89
FoodMidnightBuffets: 89
CabinSteward: 72
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 91
DeckService: 89
ShoreExcValue: 88
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 86
PrivateIsland: 92
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 89
TenderService: 94
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 88
EntertainmentLounges: 94
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 78
EntertShowLounge: 88
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 92
CruiseActivities: 92
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 78
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 88
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 92
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 28 Jul 1999
Time: 10:52:30
Remote Name: 170.53.38.35
Remote User:
Comments
NCL Leeward Review - July 23, 1999 - 3-Day Bahamas
My Previous cruise experience includes HAL (Volendam - '79 - NYC-Bermuda) and Princess
(Star Princess - '91 -
Eastern Carribean). My general thoughts on these 2 cruises is that HAL has great service
and great food, but is
more subdued. Princess had OK food and service, but more activities.
My wife (31) and I (33) usually go on a vacation around the time of our anniverary. This
time, we decided to go on
a weekend cruise as a celebration of our 10 years of marriage. We have 2 young boys and
left them in the
capable hands of grandparents. We chose the NCL Leeward and were not disappointed. We had
done quite a bit
of research before by reading reviews and books. I think we knew what to expect and were
very happy. We were
also blessed with good weather and calm seas. One person told us not to cruise out of
Miami in June because of
the wetness of the weather during that time of year. We were glad that we arranged for a
July cruise.
We found the Leward in better shape than we had anticipated. You could tell that in
several areas that some work
was needed, but there weren't any places where the rug was worn thin to the threads. We
found the ship VERY
easy to get around in. We took the steps most of the time, but we found the elevators very
fast once you got on
one.
Air Travel - We did our own because we wanted to control our times and we could get it
cheaper. Fixed Taxi rate
from Miami airport to the ship was $18.00 per car load.
Embarkation - Very smoothe. We arrived around 11:15am and got our boarding passes within
minutes. This is
because we took the time to fill out those forms BEFORE we got there. We waited in line
behind a group of
Brazilian school students. My first thought was that I was going to be seeing these kids
everywhere - but I didn't. I
saw them around occasionally and they were well behaved. They started boarding at 12:30pm.
We were greeted
upon entering the main lobby by a purser staff member who handed us off to a white-gloved
uniformed staff
member. He did not know exactly where our cabin was located and took another minute or two
to find it. This is
surprising because the Leeward is such a small ship compared to others nowadays.
Miami Departure - The Lifeboat drill was hot and a bit longer than I remember. Our
departure from Miami was
delayed because about 75 people had plane difficulties in St Louis. We departed at 6pm
instead of 4pm. I guess
NCL will wait for folks as long as it does not impact the schedule too much.
Maitre'D - We saw him to change our seating. He was very accomodating. BTW, there were a
number of tables for
2 available on this ship.
SPA/Beauty - We made appointments for some massages. We went there right away to get the
times that we
wanted. We made arrangements for some treatments that neither of us had experienced. I had
the Seaweed wrap
and my wife had the Top-to-Toe. It was relaxing and felt good, but I probably will not do
it again. We'll just stick to
the basic massage. Still, it was fun and the staff was pleasant.
Cabin Steward - LAME - He did not make himself avalable around the cabins until it was TIP
time. Too bad for him.
This was perhaps the biggest disappointment of the trip, but we were there to have fun. We
didn't even know his
name. The others at our dining room table had very good room stewards from their
descriptions.
Waiter/Busboy - These guys were OK, but I've had better service on other lines. It wasn't
terrible, but I definitely
noticed a higher level of service on TIP night.
Entertainment - If you have anything else to do on the formal night, I would recommend
skipping the COPA show.
It is a stupid storyline and I do not believe anyone really enjoyed it. I also believe the
the production group does
not like it either. Pirates of Penzance was MUCH better. This isn't a 'Can't Miss' show,
but it was so much better
than COPA. The comedians on board were pretty funny though. Stan Sykes in the Tradewinds
Lounge was as
good as the other reviews that I have read. The Disco DJ really ruined things for 70's and
80's night though by
playing the new 'Dance Mix' version of the songs from these eras which really turned a lot
of the people off. No
comment on the Cigar Bar - never went there. The poolside entertainment was a Calypso Band
that performed
well. They played many favorites and were not too loud. The Cruise Director (John - I
think) was alright. He didn't
make or break the cruise.
Shore Excursions - We did the Dolphin Encounter on Saturday afternoon. It was a lot of
fun. We would do this
again with our kids on another cruise. The boat that was to take us to the excursion was
over 30 minutes late in
departing. The NCL rep coordinating this excursion was NOWHERE in sight. On this
excursion, we spoke with
some folks from the Disney Cruise who were having a good time as well, but they could not
book this excursion
through the Magic. The TV had a brief instruction of how to snorkel which was well done.
Paradise Island (Atlantis) - We stopped here for a couple of hours on our way back from
the Dolphin Encounter. It
is very impressive. I didn't get a chance to see much of the aquarium, but the pools
looked like a lot of fun. We
snuck in right under their noses by going all the way through the Casino and towards the
towers before heading
outside. They did have some staff members who looked at us, but did not stop us from
continuing on to the pool. I
think the charge was $30/person to use the facilities if you are not a guest of Atlantis.
I guess since our mouths
weren't open in aw, we looked like we were there before. Another tip is to NOT use the
towel from your ship until
you are ready to leave. The towels at Atlantis are blue-green striped with a white
background. I spent some time in
the Casino there and ended up by about $35 at the roulette table.
Nassau - We did some shopping at the straw market. we found some great little gifts there.
We also went to the
gift shop of the 'Pirates of Nassau' museum and bought several items there as well. We did
not get a chance to
check out the museum(Adm $12) there though. The museum was back a street from the main
drag. There were a
couple of locals standing on the sidewalk who looked suspicious to me. We avoided them.
There were still there
when we returned and I declined their invitation to come over and chat with them. I really
saw no purpose for them
standing on the sidewalk there - especailly for that length of time.
Port of Nassau - With all of the ships n Nassau on Saturday, the Disney Magic was the best
looking and the
Premier Oceanic (The Big Red Boat) was the least attractive. The Leeward was very
distinctive with its stern
shaped so differently as compared with the others. I do not know if the ships are assigned
certain spots at the
port, but the Leeard and the Carnival Ecstacy were the furthest out on the pier. This
really didn't bother us much
as it helped us burn some more of those calories.
Private Island - I did very little and got very relaxed. Available activities included
snorkeling, sailing, Hammocks,
float rental, volleyball, wacky olympics, mini-straw market shopping, and line dancing. I
spent about 90 minutes
snorkeling. Since I am not an avid snorkeler, I will not pass judgement on this topic
other than to say I had fun.
The Tender service was very efficient and ran every half hour. I did not hear any
complaints about the service. It
even ran water down the ramp as people boarded to rinse the feet clean of sand and debris;
it was a little slippery
though. We could see Royal Carribbean's Coco Cay right next to our island (Great Stirrup
Cay). It looked like they
had parasailing on that island.
Dining Room Food - Good Selection and good quality - not the best I've ever had, but
certainly nothing to
complain about. Breakfast food was OK. - I think powdered eggs are used in most of the
items though. I usually
had the steak or prime rib for dinner and pancakes for breakfast. I am not one for fancy
cuisine, and I was able to
find selections for my picky appetite. If you are into gourmet food that you can't get
back home very often (or even
pronounce), it was available.
Alternative Dining - The 'Le Bistro' dining room was not high on our priority list
especially after reviewing the menu.
Too many fancy dishes for my tastes. However, we spoke with a couple who dined there and
were quite happy
with the food and service. The suggested gratuity there was $5/person.
Sports Bar food - Good Junk Food - Nachos, Tacos, Burgers, Pizza, and some salad like
items were available and
were decent. A line always formed at the begining of each meal/snack time, but thinned out
about 30 minutes later
from my observations. We never ate breakfast here.
Buffet Food - Always a long line for the buffet until about 12:30am. We did not have any
problem getting enough
food at the buffet. The Chocoholic Buffet was the best one though. I believe that Ice
Cream was avalable every
night of the buffet. The buffets also featured the traditional ice scultures and creative
food froms such as a lobster
made of bread and melon carvings.
Casino - No $5 BlackJack Tables - so I didn't play it. They had $10 Black Jack tables. I
played roulette at $5 a pop
though. Staff was pleasant and informative of the rules if anyone had a question.
Pool - I used the pool on the afternoon of boarding. The water was wet. I did not take
advantage of the hot tubs,
but I don't think that they were much warmer than the pool (which was warm salt water
anyway).
Bars - Good Service from all bar staff. The mixed drinks were not too strong and not too
weak. I drank mainly
Bacardi Select and Diet Coke which cost about $5 a drink.
Booze - We packed a 10 pack of Bacardi Limon mini-bottles in our suitcase which saved us
money in the long run.
We were able to conceal this by drinking in our rooms or using the souvenier glasses for
our drinks when we went
out on deck. We never brought this to the dining room or to the theatre/lounge. The
onboard newsletter
referenced personal booze by asking that you keep it in your stateroom.
Room - We had an obstructed view cabin with a sitting area and refrigerator (Cabin 6031).
The room seemed
well-maintained and quiet. Our location was excellent. Near the aft and close to stairs
and elevators.
TV/Movies - The TV featured ESPN and CNN as the cable cahannels. There were a channel
which contained talks
on debarkation, excursions, port information, as well as videos of other ships of NCL.
Another channel was a
rolling message board with highlighted activities of the day. Another channel was a
forward facing camera
featuring the bow. The Movies during our cruise included A Bug's Life, Saving Private
Ryan, You've Got Mail, and
2 others. The remote control was not the most intuitive to figure out.
Sports/Fitness - We did not participate in this activity, but the facilies for weight
training and aerobic exercise was
limited. No jogging on board except on the treadmills. I noticed some basketball being
played before we departed,
but it was too hot for me.
Photography - We were pleased with the photos of us that were taken. The staff was
pleasant and not too
obnoxious. We purchased some pictures that turned out very well. They really weren't all
that pushy with the
pictues as thy have been on other cruise lines.
Debarkation - We went down and got our tags from a bin (color-coded) and placed them on
our luggage for
pickup by 1am on the last night. We were in the first group off (about 9am), but we were
told that everyone would
be off the ship by 9:45am. We left our cabin at 8:30am when we were required to be out. We
handed our forms to
the officials at the end of the ramp. They were randomly stopping people on the way out
and checking bags for
agricultural products. Overall, this process went very smoothe.
Observations: There were at least 5 groups on board of 30 or more. We never felt
overwhelmed by their
prescence. The children on the cruise were well behaved. The Staff in charge of the
children must have done a
great job. The staff was definitely making a greater effort on TIP night than throughout
the entire cruise. This was
NOT my imagination either; others noticed this as well. The crew seemed to really enjoy
working on the Leeward.
The crew members who check boarding passes were great to chat with. We came in during a
slow period and had
some fun with them.
Rumors: Some crew members had heard rumors of extending the Lease on the Leeward, but I
kinda doubt that.
The Lattitudes Rep stated that there is no ship scheduled for NYC-Bermuda for next summer.
And another crew
member said that she is going to dry-dock later this year.
Comment Cards: We were NEVER asked to mark excellent (like I hear with RCCL) for the
cruise comment card
surveys. We were asked to fill them out and turn them in. They had drawings based on who
turned in comment
cards on debarkation morning. We generally gave GOOD or VERY GOOD as the rating with an
occasional FAIR
and EXCELLENT.
Conclusion: We were very pleased with the NCL Leeward and would sail it again. I have to
give credit also to the
folks who have contributed reviews before me and answered my questions. These people
helped to set our
expectations appropriately and made our voyage more enjoyable. Although I will consider
NCL again for future
sailings, I anticipate that my next cruise will be with my kids on Disney.
I hope that this review has been informative for you. If you have any questions, please
e-mail me.
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