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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Kate Lemons
Email: kflemons@hotmail.com
Age: 36
Occupation: Teacher
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 4/15/00
Itinerary: Eastern Carribean
Cabin: N121/Deluxe Inside
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 85
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 75
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 75
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 Apr 2000
Time: 17:15:51
Remote Name: tsc-131.cape.com
Remote User:
Comments
After reading a number of reviews on this web page, we were totally confused as to what to expect on the
Norway. People either seemed to love it or hate it. After taking the cruise, I can see that for experienced
cruisers, this ship might seem less than perfect, but for us first-time cruisers, it was great.
Yes, the Norway is older, but its age really only adds to its elegance overall. The only place we felt the age
was an issue was in our stateroom. While the carpeting was new and it didn't really look old, most of the
fixtures (vanity, bureaus, etc.) were a bit battered. However, all was quite clean and very roomy for an inside
cabin. The public areas were really nice -- plenty of room to move around even though we had a full cruise of
over 2,000 people. We never felt crowded, except at the Captain's reception on the first formal night. But they
were giving away free champagne to half of the guests at a time, so of course it was full.
We really loved the touches that came from it having once been a trans-Atlantic ship. The Club International,
the former first-class lounge, was gorgeous. It was one of the roomiest areas on the ship for sitting and
sipping a drink, and the formal teas they held there were incredible. Those are some of our favorite memories.
We also enjoyed the free dance lessons and the dinners were, overall, really good. I agree with some of the
previous reviewers that the Great Outdoor Restaurant was not very good. It was hot and stuffy and always
over-crowded. Also, we took a previous reviewer's advice and avoided the pool on the back of the ship near
the restaurant as it was always too crowded and even messy and dirty at times with left-overs from meals. The
pool mid-ship on the Sun deck was much nicer, and you could stretch out on the top deck for sun, and go
down one deck for swimming with much more space.
The staff was great. They took incredible care of us. Our cabin steward was perfect -- he took care of
everything without ever getting in our way. Our only complaint, which I hear is true for all cruises, was the
excessive number of photographs they took of us to try to get us to spend more money. When getting into the
dining room was delayed one night so we could stand in line and have our picture taken with two of the
showgirls, we just about lost it. But other than that, the staff did their job and let us enjoy ourselves.
The excursions were varied, and according to some other people who went on good ones, could be quite fun.
The only major excursion we went on was snorkeling off of St. Martin, and the seas were too choppy and the
snorkeling was awful once we got there. The excursions were also quite pricy, but I guess when you are a
captive audience, you have to expect that.
We went into this cruise knowing that we got an incredible bargain, and therefore didn't expect perfection or
total elegance. In fact, we got much more elegance and pleasure than we expected. It was a beautiful boat
that we were struck by every time we took a tender away from or back to it when in port. While it doesn't have
a huge atrium or fancy window-filled lounge or theater it did have an elegance and relaxation we just don't get
in our daily lives. We would definitely recommend this ship as long as you go into the cruise realizing that it's
not the newest ship on the ocean, but it still may be one of the classiest.
Name: Kevin Pitt
Email: Pittty@excite.com
Age: 25
Occupation: registered nurse
NumberOfCruises: 0
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 3/15/00
Itinerary: eastern carribean
Cabin: N
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 70
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 85
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 10
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 75
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 May 2000
Time: 14:03:15
Remote Name: usr59-dialup56.mix1.willowsprings.cw.net
Remote User:
Comments
My trip aboard the S.S. Norway could have been the best vacation that I have ever taken. It was also possibly
one of the worst but I'll get to that later.
I was pleasantly surprised by almost everything that happened during a very relaxing 7 days at sea. The food
overall was very good. However the Great Outdoor Restaurant was overcrowded and the service quite slow.
To find an open table at mealtime was impossible, and often lines of 10 people took 10 minutes or more, there
is no reason for this at a buffet style serving line. The food and service in the dinning roooms was far better.
Our service was the best I have ever experienced and I had the opportunity to sample dishes such as caviar
and escargot. The portions were ample and there was always the opportunity to ask for seconds. Room
service was rapid 25 minutes for a lite meal. I did not try the midnight buffets because after the late seating
dinner I was just too full to eat again.
Entertainment and activities were sufficient. I spent many nights in the piano bar listening to a wonderfull
musician and entertainer named Daniel Oliver. This guy made my trip, each night I went there and spent time
with new found friends drinking very well made cocktails and going over the events of the day. I did not get too
involved in the day time activities aboard ship as I spent most of my time relaxing and reading. One warning
about the activities, I went to the internet cafe and spent 14.00 to send an email, only to find out that their
connection had certain limitations and that I would not even be able to send the message that I had written. A
good suggestion would be to ask people that have used it for their advice before wasting 75 cents a minute.
The islands were nice and the excursions decent but be carefull. One excursion on St. Maartin charged 40$ to
take you to orient beach for the day. We did the same thing for a 10$ taxi ride. In my opinion there were more
than enough choices of excursions I could do the same cruise again because there were many excursions that
sounded good. The private island snorkeling was great, crystal clear water and lots of fish made it wonderfull
although you have to be willing to go a little bit further from shore than most of the out of shape scared of
Jaws group whom apparently didn't see the need to go further than 100 yards from the beach.
The staff on the ship was with only one exception just great. I did not see the disgruntled employees described
in other reviews and our cabin steward did a good job without bothering us. The staff were very friendly and
never appeared bothered or upset.
I said that with only one exception this cruise was the best trip I have ever taken. My only complaint is that their
policy of cruise employees not getting physically involved with guests is not enforced. My companion was a
female friend but not a girlfriend or romantic interest. She was hit on by more than a few of the crew and she
ended up sleeping with one of the international hosts 5 out of the 7 nights. Thus I ended up spending the
cruise alone which was OK because the other passengers were friendly but overall it got lonely. When I
brought up the fact that this was supposedly against the rules she explained that it didn't matter very much
because these jobs weren't hard to find and if they fired him he didn't care anyway. All I can say is that those
families bringing daughters 18 yrs. or over, be carefull because if you end up becomming a grandparent don't
expect to get child support out of someone that isn't even a U.S. citizen.
Overall I can't wait to go on another cruise and the only reason I would not go on the Norway is that I would
like to try another ship. The price for this cruise was very affordable and for a first time cruiser I would
reccomend it. And to those people that can't stop finding things to complain about, lighten up life is too short.
Name: Richard Johnson
Email: dickingv@yahoo.com
Age: 60
Occupation: Company President
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 5-13-00
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: sko56
FoodDiningRoom: 70
CruiseDirector: 88
CabinComfort: 75
FoodRoomService: 79
CruiseStaff: 70
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 40
FoodMidnightBuffets: 60
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland: 88
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 86
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 82
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 65
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 70
AirSeaProgram: 75
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs: 88
DeckSpace: 70
Stabilization: 70
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 82
OverallCruiseValue: 75
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 24 May 2000
Time: 11:27:10
Remote Name: 161.las-vegas-01-02rs.nv.dial-access.att.net
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise so we looked forward to our Eastern Caribbean cruise on the Norway. We were
greatly influenced by a cruise review from a couple from Boston who traveled with a large number of friends
and loved the cruise. We read every review we could find pertaining to the Norway and felt we understood
both the good and bad aspects of the ship.
With great anticipation we boarded a Continental Airlines flight from Las Vegas to begin our vacation. We
chose an air sea program that flew us into Miami on Friday where we stayed overnight at a Radisson Mart
Hotel near the airport. Our flight was crowded but uneventful. When we arrived at the gate we were met by an
NCL agent who was friendly and courteous was not of a lot of assistance because her English was very poor
and most of the people in our group could not understand what she was saying. She led us though the airport
to baggage claim where we hired a porter to take our luggage to the bus. Hiring the porter was a good idea;
those who did not looked like they wished they had by the time we reached the bus. Our luggage was loaded
and off we went to the Radisson Mart Hotel. Our room was large and clean, well suited for a good nights sleep
before our cruise the next day. We had a cocktail in the lounge before dinner and found the wine selection by
the glass to be very poor quality and very limited. We were very disappointed because the hotel did not have
a nice restaurant. The restaurant was food served buffet style that was average at best.
Day One
We arose to a beautiful warm cloudless day in Miami. After breakfast we waited in the lobby for the busses to
load the luggage that we had left outside our door the night before. We had a carry on bag that we took on
the bus. The trip from the Hotel to the dock was unusual to say the least. The bus driver trying to increase his
tips provided a narrative tour of Miami, only his English was so poor that we spent the entire trip trying to
understand what he said. In the end the only words that I understood was when he pointed out of the right
side of the bus and said Orange Bowl.
We arrived at the dock with many busses unloading passengers and complete confusion. If our luggage had
been placed in the bus we were assigned life would had been simpler, but our luggage was loaded in two
busses so when we got off the bus we found one bag but had to find the second bus to identify the other two
bags. As the bus driver unloaded bags people were tipping the driver, the porters from the ship were yelling
wrong man, wrong man, tip me, tip me, $1.00 a bag; what a mess. We finally found our bags got them to the
porter and headed for check in. One of the nice things about flying in the night before the cruise was NCL
handled your check in process at the hotel the night before. This was a great help as we walked though
check in, avoided the picture taking line, and went directly aboard ship. We had read prior reviews so we
were somewhat prepared for the poor elevator service, although the degree of poor elevator service was a
shock. We had to walk half the length of deck with our carry on luggage and get an elevator near the
Windward Dinning Room to get up to sky deck cabin SK056.
Well for those of you that have never cruised before when you get to your cabin you will be in for a shock, we
had a junior suite. We understand by cruise standards that we had a fairly large cabin. By my standards it
looked like a miniaturized room at Motel 6 with big towels. Our room had lovely floor to ceiling windows
however, looking at the ocean from about eleven levels up. The reason I used the term levels is that a level
on a ship seems much shorter than a story of a building. I felt like we were maybe three stories above that
water for all you land lovers out there. The floor to ceiling widows was very nice but would have been even
nicer if they had been cleaned. Ours looked like they had not been cleaned since 1980 when sky deck was
added to the ship, to dirty to even take a photo from our window, what a shame. We learned our last morning
on the ship that they just squirt a water hose at the windows once a week, no cleaning fluid, not squeegeed,
not cleaned.
After settling into our cabin we went to sign up for the spa for the week and to sign up for a massage the next
day to get our vacation off to a relaxing start. We took time to activate our on board credit account and sign
up for the tours that we wanted. Because we ran around the ship signing up for all the tours we wanted etc,
we missed open seating for lunch, so we ate a buffet at the great outdoors restaurant. We are from Las
Vegas so we know good buffets. If a hotel in Las Vegas served a buffet like that they would be out of
business overnight. The roast beef was particularly bad, what is so hard about buying tender beef.
We went to the bar to get an attitude adjustment and found the sports bar and bartenders to be really great.
The cocktails throughout the cruise seemed a little expense and mixed on the light side but everybody has to
make a profit, right?
We decided to go find our table in the Leeward dining room late seating. We had ordered a table for the two
of us and found it in the back of the room right under a very noisy air duct. We tried to get our table changed
but were unsuccessful, as the better tables on the baloney had been assigned to people on lower decks for
some reason. We were told that the better tables are usually reserved for suite holders and penthouse
guests but that did not happen for some reason. We gave up and ate in Le Bistro. We ate at Le Bistro a lot
on our cruise and found the food good but not outstanding. More about the food tomorrow, but keep in mind
that our comments our based upon living in Las Vegas that has restaurants as good as any found in the
country, and we have eaten at the finer restaurants in Boston, New Orleans, and Los Angeles, etc. If you are
not a big dine out person at expensive restaurants you will fine the food just fine.
After an after dinner exploration tour of the ship and a glass of wine or two we decided to call it a night.
Day Two
We woke up the first morning aboard ship to a calm sea. We had ordered room service and left an order on
our stateroom door before going to bed. Breakfast was prompt and good except for the toast. Now let me tell
you about the toast every morning. They toast the bread dry in massive amounts. By the time it is served in is
like a brick, good for bread crumbs but that’s all. No amount of butter will make the brick soft.
Our breakfast discussion revolved around two topics. The first topic was the lack of sound proofing in the
rooms. We could hear every sound and conversation from the stateroom next door, not good NCL, you didn’t
win any awards with me for that problem. The second problem was that the toilet would not flush. A phone call
corrected that problem within ten minutes.
After breakfast we proceeded to the spa where my wife and I both had signed up for a massage. The
massage turned out to be way overpriced for the value received, and was more of the fluff and rub variety
than the deep tissue type. My suggestion to future travelers is forget the spa it is overpriced with an emphasis
on selling oils and lotions at sharply marked up prices. The rest of the day was spent roaming the ship and
sunbathing till dinner.
This will be my last comment regarding the food. We had one meal the beef Wellington that was outstanding.
The Scotch broth soup one-day was also top notch. The rest of the menu in the main dinning room ranged
from acceptable to poor. The chicken at Le Bistro was good. Chicken in the main dinning room was poor. The
worst meal was the duck, we could not even cut it with a knife, and it was horrible. The lobster bisque was
pretty bad, how hard is it to make good bisque? The chef added imitation crab to the bisque it was terrible.
Many dishes started out well but somehow missed in the end due to poor quality meat or a sauce that didn’t
work with the dish. I think the French chef went to a four month cooking school in France but didn’t attend
class the last month. Enough said about the food.
We made a bad mistake eating at Le Bistro the first night on the ship. Unknown to us that is when they hand
out tickets for the various shows on board the ship for the week. So we tried to go to a show after dinner and
didn’t have a ticket to get in. Not able to see a show we tried the casino before bedtime. Didn’t see many
jackpots paid during our cruise, probably a good bet would be to stay out of the casino.
We ended our day by returning to our stateroom to again find that our toilet was not flushing. It took an hour
for the plumber to arrive to fix it.
Day Three
We awoke to another nice sunny day at sea. Our day began with our toilet again refusing to flush. Two-phone
call and two hours later the problem was again fixed. We were not causing the problem with two much paper,
it just would not flush, the plumber said it was the air activation unit. Our day was spent, napping, sunbathing,
touring the ship etc.
At lunch we met a couple that gave us some very good advice that helped us on this cruise. We were very
upset because nothing seemed to be going right. The couple we sat with at lunch had been on twenty-three
cruises. They said that 20 of the 23 cruises they had taken fell below their expectations. They said you just
have to go with the flow and make it the best vacation you can no matter what happens. They said that if you
follow their advice, in the end you could say that you had a nice vacation. So for the rest of our vacation we
began to go with the flow.
We met some wonderful people on this cruise, a couple from Minnesota on the cruise because their daughter
was married on St Thomas during the cruise. We also met a couple from England and another from Australia.
We enjoyed meeting another couple he lives on St. Martin, she in Chicago. He hates Chicago and she finds
St. Maarten to far from a mall. So they get together and travel one month a year. So far they say the marriage
works just fine. We also met a few folks that we could not get far enough away from, so folks just go with the
flow. We did not go to all the shows but the ones we did attend ranged from very good to average. I don’t feel
I am much of a show critic and individual taste varies so my advice is seeing the shows that interest you and
have fun.
We ended day three calling the plumber because our toilet didn’t work.
Day Four
We again woke to a beautiful sunny day. We slept well on our cruise and enjoyed the slight rocking motion for
the most part. We had read an evaluation by another couple that described the experience like being rocked
to sleep in your mother’s arms. My description is slightly different. If your mother was going through drug
detoxification and had the shakes and was rocking you to sleep that would better describe the experience.
We boarded our tender for our trip to the island of St. Maarten and the Under Two Flags Tour. I feel so bad
for the people on the island. They have been ravaged by a number of hurricanes and are still trying to
recover. I understand that a few hotels on the island that cater to the rich and famous are world class. The
island I saw had many run down houses with seven cars in the yard, one still running. The French side of the
island is slightly better because it has been battered by fewer hurricanes. The best way I can describe the
island is a Mexican boarder town surrounded by water. I didn’t hear much about the other tours from
passengers. Our ship had a large delegation of New Yorkers. These folks wore the big gold chains Rolex
watches and diamond rings with more carrots than bugs bunny ever saw in his lifetime. They descended on
the island to buy more Rolex watches, diamond rings, and loose diamonds. I guess they understood what
they were purchasing but I would not have had a clue since I am not jewelry literate. Based on the talk in the
dining room that night, the Norway must have been sitting a foot deeper in the water due to the weight of the
haul.
We returned to our cabin from our trip on the island to find our toilet was again not working.
Day Five
We woke up to a cloudy day off the coast of St. John. By the time the plumber arrived again to fix our toilet we
were in St. Thomas an hour later. My wife had fallen in St. Maarten the previous day and was suffering from
muscle spasms in her lower back. We decided not to go to St. Thomas so she could get a deep tissue
massage at the spa and rest her back. We went down to the spa and much to our amazement all the
massage therapists were ashore in St. Thomas. So we ended up spending the day aboard ship which turned
out to be a wonderful day. With ninety percent of the people ashore we had the run of the ship with access to
everything no lines, no waiting endlessly for elevators. We sat and talked to the bartender in the sports bar
for over two hours. We had a wonderful relaxing day aboard ship.
We did not spend any time in our cabin because our toilet was not working. About six cabins away from us two
cabins had been flooded out with sewage during the night. While the people were ashore maintenance
worked all day replacing carpet, removing everything from the staterooms, cleaning etc. Remembering what
we had been told earlier in the week, I suggested that I go down to the flooded staterooms and tell the
occupants to go with the flow. My wife thought that it was not a good idea, I probably would never be heard
from again.
Just before supper we were told that our toilet was again working. I never thought that I could get excited over
a working toilet, but we were overjoyed. I flushed it four times just to hear that wonderful sucking sound.
We had a fun evening. The comic in the lounge was not foul mouthed, his jokes were clean, funny, and
creative, and one of the best shows I have seen. Our spirits had risen to an all time high. We returned to our
cabin for the evening to find our toilet was not working. I called and the plumber arrived and said he was
tracing the problem. An hour later he had removed half the bulkhead sections in the hallway. Two hour later I
told him I was getting really tired, he said that he was almost done and replaced the sucking sound device
behind our toilet. Just like magic our toilet worked for the rest of the cruise.
Day Six
We woke up to a partly cloudy day. The ship had a lot more rock and roll, I think the captain had increased
his speed to get us to the private island for six hours of sun and fun on day seven but more about that
tomorrow. We spent time on the sun deck, visited the spa, shopped in the duty free shops. Now that we could
find our way around the ship we explored all the accessible areas. After a number of rum and cokes I asked if
I could see the on board jail and morgue but wisely the crew told me that access was denied. Since I couldn’t
visit the morgue I decided that a visit the concierge was long overdue. I had placed seven phone calls to him
and he had not provided any assistance. So with a large amount of rum still circulating though my body I set
off to meet him face to face. I soon understood why he had not been able to assist me. He was surrounded at
his desk by a host of any passengers screaming and yelling and shaking their fists. The most irate couple
said they had been told they would have a cabin with an outdoor sitting area and a view. They said they were
so far below deck that they could hear the water running past their cabin. They described their stateroom as
a tomb with a toilet. I was tempted to tell them to go with the flow but thought better of it. After hearing all
those real problems I decided not to contact the poor concierge again.
Day Seven
We woke to a beautiful warm sunny day. Thank you cruise opinions for making my day. I had read one
comment sheet that said get your tender tickets early for the private island because the people on the first
tender get all the good beach chairs. Good advice, I went to the lounge at 9:30 AM to get early tender tickets
because my wife’s back was better and we looked forward to the beach. We got the first tender and had two
beach chairs with an umbrella in the very front row. The beach although not world class was simply wonderful.
The water was great, the lunch was great, and the day was great. I did feel sorry for the NCL crew. While we
were eating a nice buffet they were relegated to hot dogs on the crew barbecue. I hope they didn’t limit each
crewmember to two hot dogs because the sea gulls were dive bombing the grill and stealing the hotdogs right
off the hot fire. Personally, I would have felt better about how NCL treats the employees if they had eaten the
same lunch as the passengers had.
One other topic that needs to be discussed, there is a very fine line between excellent customer service and
extracting every last dime from every last passenger every day. I feel that NCL is probably three feet over the
line. The examples are two numerous to mention here but I will cover a few. Because we got early tender to
the beach our two chairs and umbrella were free. The poor people who came after the first tender had to
purchase a chair to sit in at $5.00 a chair. Come on NCL provide free seats for gosh sakes. Having a picture
taken on formal nights or with the captain is well with reason, but probably twenty photo sessions over the
cruise at $20.00 a picture give me a break. Keep in mind that everything tends to be overpriced, spa,
massages, cocktails, etc., and if you want a cocktail at the beach the price is $2.00 higher than one at the bar
on board ship.
Homeward Bound
Someone wakened us on the deck above dragging something across the deck at 4:30 AM. We had our final
breakfast. All the waiters and busboys and done their utmost to charm the passengers the night before
dancing through the dining room with baked Alaska and singing a chorus of we are the world. All the tips had
been dispensed, hands shaken. Now it was morning and it seemed like a real chore for them to serve
breakfast, oh well probably human nature.
The departure procedure was orderly, the luggage took a while to locate but overall it was acceptable. The
flight home to Las Vegas was very crowded, no empty seats. The flight was an hour late departing Miami. The
airline issued duplicate seats to five passengers; none of them could speak English. The airline had to bring
on board a Spanish-speaking agent to straighten things out. As soon as he would leave the aircraft the
fighting would start again. Finally we thought everything had been settled but then the airline told five standby
passengers already seated they had to get off. Then it turned into a war. So much for flying in the
deregulated market place. The plane left Miami an hour late. When we got to Las Vegas we went out and had
a great steak dinner at one of our finer restaurants.
Would we cruise with NCL again? Yes I think we would but we would certainly change some things. The cruise
was kind of like an abusive relationship the worse it got the more you wanted to stay in the relationship it the
hope it would get better. My wife said I went on vacation sane and came home needing counseling and a
center for abused cruisers. Just remember go with the flow!
Name: Sandra McCormick
Email: sandramc1@aol.com
Age: 40
Occupation: Conversion Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 05/06/2000
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: N128/I
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 89
FoodVariety: 92
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 70
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess: 69
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 65
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 07 Jun 2000
Time: 21:22:23
Remote Name: spider-wb063.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was a spur of the moment booking. I received a brochure in my mailbox at work from our travel agent
listing 2 for 1 on NCL cruises. My husband and I had been the Sunward II 10 years ago for a 4-day cruise
and had such a great time that we always said we would cruise again. Guess what, 10 years later and we
still had not followed up. So it was with great excitement that we booked this cruise. We did not splurge on
this cruise as we are waiting to do so for our 25th anniversary. We booked an inside category L and were
upgrade to an inside category I. We booked our own air, so we decided to fly in the night before and stayed
at the Holiday Inn Port of Miami. The taxi ride was about $18.00 plus tip. We then took a taxi to the Port of
Miami in the morning for about $6.00 plus tip. When we researched prior reviews and the NCL
documentation, it stated that Latitudes members could board an hour early. So we got to the pier at 10:45
a.m., and what a mob scene. They did not follow their standard policy, but let everyone start boarding at
11:30 a.m. It took us about an hour to get through the line, and this was the Latitudes line. Oh, well, we were
on vacation, and the ship was not leaving without us. Once we boarded, we went straight to our inside cabin,
N128. Compared to the size of the cabin we had before, this was great. I had a vanity with lighted mirror that
I used every day. We had a closet plus another open area to hang clothes. We didn’t need both of them,
but put our luggage that would not fit under the bed in the space. Also, we had a dresser with 4 large
drawers. The bathroom had a full mirrored cabinet with 2 shelves. Our room had one double bed that was
very comfortable. Next it was on to explore the ship. They were serving lunch in the dining rooms, but we
opted for a snack at the Great Outdoor Restaurant. The Sport’s Illustrated Bar was great. I loved the
Promenade Deck. On either side of the ship, you could walk along this deck and look out the windows. The
pool areas were great. We hung out at the enclosed pool deck while the ship sailed out of Miami. Many of
the reviews have slammed the food served. I will give you my impression. All of the dinners and lunches that
were served in the dining room had very good food. I am not talking gourmet food, but it would rival most of
the restaurants that you would go out to for a special occasion. We had dinner at Le Bistro one night. My
only complaint is that they were out of filet and had to substitute a sirloin steak. Other than that, I would
recommend that you try it out at least one of the nights. The $10.00 gratuity is well worth it. The buffets were
good, not great, but remember, this is a buffet. The cookies at the buffet were some of the best I’ve ever
had. The chocoholic buffet was a little bit of a disappointment, some of the deserts were outstanding, but a
few were very bland. We had ice cream almost every day at Sven’s Ice Cream Parlor. They always had
either of my two favorites, butter pecan or mint chip. We really enjoyed hanging out by the main pool. The
crowd was fun and they had music and activities there. We were on vacation to relax, and this was the
cruise for it. We saw the three shows held in the theater and thought they were great. We went to one
comedy show, but passed on the other two shows. The Caribbean night party was great, don’t miss this one.
We played the slots a bit and the last night I won a small jackpot of $125.00. My husband signed up on the
Internet, I thought this was a little pricey, but he enjoyed it. Of the three ports of call, St. Maarten was the
only one we did not do any formal excursion. We shopped a little, and were later sorry we did not buy liquor
there. We ended up not buying any after seeing the great prices in St. Maarten. If we ever went there again,
we would take a taxi to the French side. We took the combo tour of St. John’s and St. Thomas. It was really
great. For a first timer, there is no other way. We did some shopping after the tour before returning to the
ship. On the private Island, we waited in line for tender tickets and were on the first tender. I highly
recommend this if you want to have your choice of beach chairs with umbrellas. They also have some
hammocks. We snorkeled that day, and were so glad not to miss this. One hint: if you want to take
underwater pictures, buy the camera before you leave home. They cost $20.00 on the ship. The barbecue
that was served on the beach was very good that day. Our room steward, waiter and busboy were great.
Our service in all of these areas lived up to our expectations. Our room was always clean, with fresh towel
and ice in the morning and evening. Our busboy remembered who liked coffee, ice tea, etc. Our waiter was
a real ham with the flaming deserts, doing a limbo with it before serving. Don’t forget your camera at dinner
for the special nights. I did find true a comment I had read in a prior review, the morning of departure, the
waiter and busboy do not have time for you any more. The service is a little more rushed, but when you
consider that they have to turn around and start fresh with a new group, in a couple of hours, it is a little
more understandable. We did need to have two items washed. They did a wonderful job and the price was
very reasonable. The shirt and slacks were returned cleaned and pressed for $6.50. The SS Norway is an
older ship and everything does not look brand new, but you cannot deny she is a beautiful ship. We have
some pictures of her and even those do not do her justice. It is so different from the current cruise ships out
there, that I think it would be unfair to compare it to any of them. For those people who need to have
everything look as if it where made today, book a cruise on another ship. Even though our cruise was full
(there was a sign at the pursers desk that said they could not accommodate any cabin changes because
they were sold out) we never felt the crowd except at the Great Outdoor Restaurant. For the money we
spent on this cruise, I feel we got more than we paid for. In fact, we enjoyed the Norwegian way so much; we
have booked a cruise on the Norwegian Wind for January. If you would like to view some of our vacation
photos, please join us at http://members3.clubphoto.com/john226337/.
Name: Carl Kamulski
Email: ARTarea51@aol.com
Age: 58
Occupation: College Professor/Sculptor
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: May 13, 2000
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: F050
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 60
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 89
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 60
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 50
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: n/a
MedicalFacilities: n/a
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 09 Jun 2000
Time: 10:49:51
Remote Name: spider-wj082.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
My wife and I took our first cruise on the Norway. The ship is older but retains some of what some might call
"the elegant tradition." The ship shows many signs of it's age, some pealing paint, worn floors, old furniture
and smelly carpets in some areas; it also shows signs of a former grandeur. It is very spacious.....including
our balcony suite on the Fiord Deck which had a balcony, sitting room, bedroom and medium size bathroom
with shower and tub. The view was obstucted but fine for our great bargain price!
We ate in the Leeward Dining Room for most meals at a table for eight and met some really great people!
The food was generally very good to excellent and our waiter and busboy were great! The maite'd was
mediocre! Our room steward was wonderful; he was always there, changing towels, bringing fruit and flower
baskets and generally making our cruise great!
Food on the International Deck was great to poor depending on the day! Some lunches were very nice,
others were nothing more than sandwiches, fruit and coffee! Some were roast beef, chicken and full
dinners....we never knew what to expect! Breakfast was light but nice. I was very disappointed in the cruise
activities: the staff seemed only interested in our wallets. They overcharged for bingo, raffles and other
events. Example: Bingo, (3 games,) cost $38.00 each day..... The casino was large and nice: staff was great
and friendly, odds seemed poor!
The ports were great except St. Maarten which was very depressed. The NCL private Island with ar-B-Que
was fantastic, and St. John and St. Thomas were great!
Disembarkation was a nightmare: it took us more than 3 hours after we left our room to get off the ship! Very
unorganized!!
We really loved the cruise despite the several disappointments and would cruise the Norway again. We
loved cruising so much that we booked an 11 night Alaskan cruise on the Sky Princess for August of this
year! Great Cruising!
Name: Mike Minter
Email: mminter007@aol.com
Age: 44
Occupation: Vice President-General Manager
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 5/6/2000
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbian
Cabin: A108 Cat K
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 88
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 87
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 98
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 99
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 82
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 96
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 17 Jun 2000
Time: 00:55:24
Remote Name: 56ppp88.csd.net
Remote User:
Comments
This was the second cruise my wife and I have gone on, the first was aboard the Carnival Paradise. We
were the 3rd cruise on the Paradise, and it was VERY new. You can't compare the ships apples to apples.
The Norway does not have all the bells and whistles that the Paradise had, but the Paradise did not have
the grace and history of the Norway. The only thing that the Paradise had on this ship was being smoke
free. Neither of us smoke, and this ship seemed like a floating ash tray at times. I think they need better
defined smoking sections, like in a raft 200 yards behind the stern. Beyond that one thing though, no
complaints. We had great weather all week, fairly calm seas and an overall great time. The ship does roll a
bit, as do all, but unless you looked at the horizon most of the time, you couldn't tell. After only two cruises
we have become pro's at avoiding the hype and hustle for spending more money. We realized the talks
about the shore excursions were nothing more than the cruise director earning his spiffs from the island
merchants to buy at specific locations. Quite frankly, we were out to relax, eat well and get a tan. Not satisfy
our Tanzinite, Rolex, Diamonds International, and other watch, jewelry, and liquor needs. We instead spent
our money on gifts for the kids, nice meals on the islands, taxi rides and a few shore excursions.
First of all, don't believe the bad things you hear about this very beautiful ocean liner. The Norway might not
have certification from NASA, but what it does have is charm, grace and history. Yes the elevators are slow,
thats why there are 6 or 7 stair towers, heaven forbid a little workout for those who are able. For those not, I
do see your point on waiting for them. The tenders were run very well, and we never had a problem going to
shore or coming back. Our cabin was an interior one on the Atlantic Deck, in the middle of the ship. Very
nice, clean and comfortable. We had a great cabin steward, and tipped him accordingly. There was nothing
quite like going on the very top at night by the funnels and feeling the breeze, and looking out at the water.
This ship was made for the romantic.
The food in the dining room was very good, as was the waiter and busboy. We sat with two retired couples
from Florida, both of whom also had a great trip. The food at the Great Outdoor Rest. was fair, but no
different than the faire on Carnivals open buffet. The entertainment was top notch, and the casino VERY
tight! (Suprise) The Captain was always visable and very informative. I have been contacted twice since our
return. One about future cruises and another a letter of thanks. That is twice more than Carnival did.
This is not a ship if your looking to keep the kids busy or you are a still tormented party animal. It is for the
person who appreciates a very good time, on a very special ship, and wants to soak in a week of total
relaxation. I would sail the Norway again in a heartbeat, and after the first day, didn't even miss the 10 story
atrium on the Paradise. The pools are nicer on the Norway, the hot tub more accessible, the decks more
open, and the price very affordable.
Norwegian has a great concern for repeat business. We will sail with them again. At no point did I ever feel
that I was not appreciated, even on the "Get the heck off the ship, we have 2000 more coming aboard in two
hours" cattle call. Getting off the ship was as easy as getting on, a one up on Carnival also. Please let me
say though, that we enjoyed Carnival also, I would rate our pleasure about the same.
Name: D Rountree
Email: rountred@ks.freei.net
Age: 35
Occupation: Aviator
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 10/JUN/00
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: I001
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 88
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 70
BeautySalonStaff: 89
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess: 70
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 91
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 99
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 26 Jun 2000
Time: 15:00:16
Remote Name: 21-20.leavenworth.army.mil
Remote User:
Comments
This was without a doubt the best vacation of my life! My wife and I were very impressed with the Norway
and found her to be a beauty of a ship and the best value to the Caribbean. First the staff on the ship,
without a doubt, would go above and beyond the call of duty to make everything as perfect as possible, I
forgot to bring my bow tie and they opened a closed shop and checked one out to me at no cost. Our
waiter, Hong from Korea, was outstanding along with the rest of the staff in the dinning room, the food was
great considering they are serving over 2000 people. The room was always clean and serviced without ever
being intrusive, thanks Victor. I have read where some people do not like the Norway or who have had a bad
experience, I did not have this and would book this ship again except next year she will be going to a 5 day
and 2 day cruise, I prefer 7 days or longer. For anyone wanting a beautiful classy ship with wonderful port of
calls I recommend this vacation, please note that we do travel, in total to 34 countries and frequent Europe
once to twice a year so we do have some experience. On the ports of call I recommend doing your shopping
at St. Martin, the prices are about 1/3 lower, and go to Orient Beach, the rest of the island reflects badly on
the Netherlands and France on how they maintain it. Orient Beach is a clothing optional beach but do not
worry I have seen more nudity in a public park in Europe than on the beach. St. Thomas and St. John are
beautifully maintained islands with the best beaches on the trip but the prices are higher. My wife also loved
the ship as we came to affectionately call it the USS Stairmaster, because of this I would not recommend it to
people who have difficulty in walking stairs since you will have a long wait for an elevator. Of the 200 or so
people that my wife and I talked with I would say that over 95% were completely satisfied, the other 5%
would complain no matter where they were staying or going. Getting on and off the ship was effortless, but
do note this is a ship with a 35 foot draft which means it anchors and you take smaller tenders to the heart
of the islands. All entertainment from the comedian, Sing Sing Sing, to Guys and Dolls was outstanding. In
short unless you are an otherwise miserable person you will enjoy this cruise and can easily overlook any
flaws this grand dame of a ship might have.
Name: shelley cook
Email: cshell@fuse.net
Age: 45
Occupation: fashion sales executive
NumberOfCruises: 10
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: june 17, 2000
Itinerary: eastern caribbean
Cabin: cat c--norway deck 077
FoodDiningRoom: 65
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 60
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 75
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 50
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 60
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall:
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs: 50
DeckSpace: 60
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 70
SpaceRatio: 50
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Jun 2000
Time: 14:33:55
Remote Name: eta-216-68-169-247.fuse.net
Remote User:
Comments
I returned to the S/S Norway after a nine month hiatus for my liver's sake. I must say that her presence was
more dramatic than even the megaships in port. She is such a beauty. The grand old lady had a large cabin
waiting for 2 of us, with a a very funuky original SS France vanity and dresser and a surprise--a deep
slope-back bathtub! I suspect it could accomodate handicapped passengers. I think some of the inside
cabins could actually fit in the space between our beds, where we kept our table and chairs. We had two
portholes for a decent view of the sea. Keep in mind that there are many configurations on all decks; the
Norway deck probably has 10 different categories available (I lost count of the colors on the diagram).It pays
to research this with NCL--they can give dimensions,etc. Ask questions!
We preferred the Windward dining room, prime tables are under the original central ceiling; other areas can
be very noisy and a bit close. Passenger count was high with quads and triples booked to capacity--for too
many for my comfort (2300 vs 1900 my last cruise). That made for complications--tendering (the Norway
does not enter ports)slower elevators, congested public areas and a lack of space at both of the pools.
The food quality must have suffered due to the high count, I think, since it was a far cry from what we
enjoyed in Sept. We always ate in Le Bistro each night--worth the additional gratuity for made-to- order
meals with impeccable service. The maitre d' was very accomdating. The chef tried to pull one over by
serving bernaise sauce; with no tarragon on board it was a culinary faux pas I could not forgive. But he
gladly replaced our grainy cheese fondure with one of the proper texture and we dipped to our tummies'
delight. Fish was the best choice; meats were very iffy on tenderness, as well as the vegetables (one day
crisp-tender, the next rock-hard). The salmon was always an option when we had to return our meals to the
kitchen in favor of another choice. Most of the sauces were outstanding. Desserts lacked imagination, but
the dark chocolate fondue was a winner. The onion soup was substandard and it was impossible to get a
caesar salad that had any character beyond mayonnaise. Most of the salads were qite poor due the
dressings. I would love to have the recipe for Le Bistro's goat cheese timbale...
We dressed in gowns every night; this passenger assortment was a bit on the shabby/casual side, which we
tried to ignore, but instead amused ourselves playing fashion police privately. There's a great disadvantage
to cruising as an adult on the Norway in summer--kids all over, running amok in the lounges(reported to
security more than once), choking the disco, controlling the DJ's selections kept me from dancing to my
usual 3-4 AM. It was barely tolerable to even go to the disco. They need to ID the underage teens and send
them off so adults can exercise (pun intended) their rights to dance!
There were very mixed ages aboard, lots of rude, loud people. I refuse to return unless school is in session.
I love to party, but not with 15 year olds. Most of the little ones were well-behaved with parents in
attendance.
Much of the ship's staff was very congenial and efficient. Our room steward and many bartenders had little
personality, but they delivered on requests for more hangers, bath gels, a smidge more liquor in mixed
drinks, etc. The prices were the same as Sept, and drink specials are a decent buy if you're flexible about
what you drink. There were lots of activities; alas, bingo on the Norway just seemed out of place compared
to High Tea, but guess which was better attended? We opted for the Roman Spa pkg for the week--a great
deal at $55, paid dearly for massages that soothed our bodies and souls. I was at first disappointed with the
expensive treatment package recommended for me, but the manager compensated me with a different
complimentary massage the next day and I was reduced to putty by a capable masseuse and a
hydrotherapy bath that made me look and feel like a cloud. The steam room and salt float pool helped me
detox and refresh every day, wearing the fluffy terry robes and slippers provided while in the spa. My
roommate had her hair done in a lovely coif at a reasonable price for a pre-washed up-do.
The master of the ship, Jan Otteson, was gracious and warm, greeting his guests at his champagne
reception, acting as though he didn't have to do this every week; it never seemed like it was a taskfor him.
After nine years of doing so I was impressed with his friendliness and demeanor. The senior staff officers we
met were congenial and very conversant. I actually learned something new I did not know--that the carpet
design colors change when going forward to aft to help diminish the confusion of halls and turns that can
turn you around easily when changing decks. So many people were confused because they didn't read the
diagrams by the elevator bays--it was a bit hilarious sometimes, but more unnerving with the common
sense-impaired stumbling about like maze mice.
I was most dismayed at the final stop, NCL's private island paradise [sic]. It was destroyed by a hurricane
last year, so we spent the day at sea instead. I think they shouldn't have bothered to restore it. It was far too
small for our 2300 plus some ship's staff taking a well-deserved break. It reminded me of the first public pool
in town--a tiny beach crammed with chairs, rafts and umbrellas; more than a thousand bodies floating like
the aftermath of the Titanic. Yhe food was atrocious, unless you wanted to eat the cursory hot dogs and
hamburgers they served every day in the mayhem buffet on the ship's International deck. We gave up on
the cold grissly ribs with 2 unchewable bits of meat and a slathering of sauce, and chose instead to imbibe
in yummy frozen pina coladas that turned warm too soon, but found that with enough liquor floated on them
we could tolerate the place since the beach band was excellent. Finally, a chance to dance, albeit in coarse
shelly sand! We packed onto the tender with kabillions of others and headed to the spa to detox one last
time.
There was no elegant tea time that day, so we ordered some mediocre room service food to get us through
to dinner. How can they serve a grilled cheese sandwich without any butter? It was a toasted white bread
double decker with unmelted American cheese food. ARGH. It was the the final day, the last of a week on a
favored ship, so we shrugged it off and got some ham and cheese instead--not too bad. We reminisced
about the fabulous comedy shows and entertainment in the North Cape Lounge, all the week's fun, and
began to feel sad that we were leaving the next morning. We wondered what the cost would be for a liver
transplant... We paid a not-so-obscene $55 for a bottle of Veuve Cliquot champage and celebrated one
more time, stashing our memories away until Dec 16, when we sail on the S/S Norway again. Sorry, cabin
N077 is already booked...
Name: Rita Atkins
Email: jratkins@prodigy.net
Age: 45
Occupation: WebDesign
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: June 17, 2000
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: S025-Cat. P3, P071-Cat. E
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 100
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 100
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Jun 2000
Time: 12:13:11
Remote Name: nsvla010-1052.splitrock.net
Remote User:
Comments
We have just returned from a very needed vacation on the NCL Norway and found it to be the perfect way to
relax and enjoy being with our children.
Bus Transfers, Embarkation and Disembarkation We arrived at the Ft. Lauderdale airport and were met by
an NCL representative who directed us through several other reps to the busses for the cruise terminal. Our
bags were loaded into a large truck and transported separately. Some people complained that they had to
take their luggage a long way to the truck, but, aw shucks, sometimes you have to work a little bit before
something fun. Since our plane didn't arrive until 12:30 pm on embarkation day, we didn't arrive at the
cruise terminal until agout 3:30 pm that day. The bus trip there was pleasant. There were very few in line to
embark since it was later in the day. We breezed through check-in (especially for the Suite since they have
an express line for Suite holders). We were met at the entrance to the ship by very colorful yet scantily clad
female performers. This may be a boost for 50 year old men, but not great for a our sons. The cruise
personnel escorted us to the cabin on the pool deck first to leave our carry ons and then to the suite on the
Sun deck. I had heard so many horror stories about the Norway, especially those about being told to just
find your own cabin, that I was pleasantly surprised by this. It may have a lot to do with coming onboard at a
slower time. Take my advice, don't be the first in line unless you want to feel like cattle moving through the
pen. Later is better. Disembarkation was fairly easy. We were asked to vacate our rooms by 8:30 am and
wait in the public areas until our flight time was called over the intercom. We brought cards and played while
waiting in the Sports Illustrated Cafe for ours to be called. Luggage is grouped in areas by color coded tags
given to you the last night. Porters are available for luggage if needed. Busses for transfers are lined up
and waiting for passengert to the airports. Over all it was a very smooth disembarkation.
Cabins Since we were a family of five, we booked two rooms, a 'Suite Guarantee' (assigned S025, Cat.P3
much to our delight two weeks before sailing) and P071 Cat. E, a cabin for three on the Pool Deck. We had
not anticipated much from the the Pool Deck room and were pleasantly surprised that the room was very
clean, spacious, had adequate closet space for three, two 4 drawer chests, a large bathroom with a full tub,
Glass coctail table, two upholstered chairs and a mini refrigerator for snacks. The cabin steward for this
room was excellent, always having the room immaculate. This says a lot since it was the room for our messy
teenagers. We tipped him an extra $20 on embarkation day for this reason. The suite was quite 'SWEET' as
my teenagers would say. We arrived to a bottle of Champagne chilling, bottled water (both regular and
fizzy)and large platter of fresh fruit that was (until the 5th day of the cruise) refreshed daily for the fruit we
had eaten. On most nights hors d'ouerves were delivered to the room compliments of different heads of
staff. The funniest moment was when our 9 year old son grabbed one thinking it was a cookie with chocolate
sprinkles when it was actually caviar on toast. What a surprise! The room was absolutely heavenly. It was a
little smaller than I had anticipated, but still very roomy. The room had a small foyer with a very small
console table with a beautiful fresh orchid. On the other side of the foyer were two 24 inch wide closets, one
with an electronic safe at the bottom and the other with drawers at the bottom. There was a curtain that
could be drawn across this area to make it a small dressing area. The room also included a small
refrigerator, shelf for Ice Bucket and glasses, large desk/Vanity with a mirror with hollywood lights and a
small sofa with glass cocktail table. The bed, even though it was a king size, was a little uncomfortable due
to the hard ridge between the two twins that were pushed together. These rooms really need to have a
permanent king size bed. The bedspread wa a little worn looking, but wasn't any more so than some hotels
we have stayed in. The bathroom was very modern with a full marble enclosed tub, large marble vanity/sink
area, and ample storage on the wall for our toiletries. The balcony was absolutely wonderful. We spent
several evenings just sitting there watching the stars (even made a wish on a falling star!) and lightening
shows from far-away storms. I don't think we will ever be satisfied on a cruise without one again. Even
though they are not totally private, it does ensure you a seaside deck chair and table with a great view.
Youth Programs The Teen program was a real bust for our teenagers (14 and 17) as they complained the
first night about no one being at the teen meeting in the disco. It turned out great for us since we were able
to spend some great quality time with them playing games (large variety provided in the Library), along with
some nice mother/daughter, father/son activities like the excersise room, basketball shoot-outs, cooking
demonstrations, pool time etc. It gave us some time with them that may not have happened at home due to
modern busy schedules. Our 9 year old thoroughly enjoyed the children's program and begged to go to
'Trolland' whenever it was open. We were surprised to find that it is only open from 9:30am-12noon, 2-4pm,
and 8-10pm and in port some of these times were cancelled. Large group babysitting (Midnight Madness)
was provided from 10pm-1am at a cost of $4.00 per hour for one child. I think additional children were
discounted, but don't know how much. He always begged to sign up for 'Midnight Madness' even when we
couldn't bear the thought of staying up until 1am! The Children's counselors were friendly, loving and really
kept a good balance of providing fun stuff and still maintaining control of the children.
The Dining Room and Food We were assigned to the Windward Dining Room and thoroughly enjoyed the
beauty of the high ceiling with sparkly 'stars' at night. The domed ceiling is fitted with tiny flickering lights to
simulate a starry night. The service was impecable. Our waiter (Eric Palmer) and busboy (Dean Smith) were
always watching for us on open seating times and would motion for the Maitre d' to bring us to them,
rescuing us from unfamiliar waiterstaff. They were so attentive to every need. With Eric's careful guidance
our 9 year old son even learned to order off the menu from appetizer to dessert all by himself each meal.
Dean always had our glasses full of water, hot bread on the table, and always remembered at each meal
who liked coffee, cappuccino (very good cappuccino by the way!) and hot chocolate with dessert. They
really make a great team. They get a 100 score on my review. Since we were a group of five seated at a
table for six with an empty place at the table, we knew they would be short a tip for one person on that
cruise. Since the Maitre d' could have put us at a larger table and made a complete table with another
family, we cut the tip for the Maitre d' in half and covered the 6th person tip for Eric and Dean. I don't know if
that is customary, but seemed fair for the service they provided. Having been on a Celebrity cruise
previously, we found the food on this cruise was beter than just good but not the excellence we had on
Celebrity. The food was still above average in regard to menu variety and type of food, but the preparation
and presentation was lacking at times. It just didn't have the full professional 'edge' at times that Celebrity's
food did. It was still MUCH better than we would have had at home! The Midnight Buffets were very good
although they didn't have a full buffet every night. Some nights there were 'snacks' either in the Sports
Illustrated Cafe, Cafe Internationale, or other public areas at various times. The food on the buffet was
generally very good with good presentations. Don't miss the Chocoholic buffet!
Entertinment, Shore Excursions and Ports The variety acts in the North Cape Lounge were all excellent
(comedian, ventriloquist, jugglers, etc.) as well as the Guy's and Dolls Broadway play in the Saga theatre.
We felt that the dance troupe's first show ('Sing, Sing, Sing') was pretty risque and vulgar due to some of
the thong type constumes and dance maneuvers. The band music and vocals were great, just too much
skin exposed in the wrong places on the dancers. We especially enjoyed the live music provided in the
Sports Illustrated Cafe that consisted of a caribbean style trio and an awesome 'oldies but goodies' style
duo (Tanner and Michaels). It was a very enjoyable place for us and our teenagers to hang out and dance
at night. My husband and teenagers took one of the shore excursions, 'Sailing the Virgins' and thoroughly
enjoyed it. A word of caution though, we didn't get seasick at all on the Norway, but all three were GREEN
with it on the sailboat. Take some Dramamine II or Bonine if you do a small boat excursion. The snorkeling
on this excursion and at the Private Island were excellent from their reports. We brought our own snorkels
and masks (no discount on 'Sailing the Virgins', but only $10 for flippers only vs. $25 for full gear on the
private island) since I couldn't stand to see them putting stuff in their mouths that other people had been
slurping on also. Call me a clean freak, but we ARE all healthy! The snorkels and masks we brought were
better quality than theirs anyway (self draining snorkels, masks that fit and sealed well, etc) They were only
$25. per set at Costco (only $10. after the $15. rental savings from the private island) and we get to keep
them, unlike rentals that you have to turn in. NCL provides inflatable vests on their private island at no
charge for anyone snorkeling there. St. Maarten was not the nicest place to shop. Pretty dirty and run down.
We had to run a gauntlet of people wanting to braid my daughter's hair, take us on their taxi, etc. It was
quite uncomfortable being swarmed by the residents immediately after getting off the tender. If they could
set up booths or areas for the residents to stand, giving people a path through to the shops, it might keep a
little more control over the situation. Their Private Island was nice. However, be on one of the first few
tenders over that day or you won't get a chair with an umbrella. The buffet was very good for a beachside
barbecue. More tables are needed for the meals though. Quite a nice day.
Final Thoughts Would I do the Norway again? In a heartbeat!!! We all loved it. While this ship may not be a
glitzy ship of the millennium, it has a lovely classic style, character and ambiance that the newer ships don't
have.
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