ncl-norway16

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Bill Griggs
Email: bill@rockin50s.com
Age: 59
Occupation: music researcher/writer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: February 24, 2001
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: O-040
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector: 70
CabinComfort: 70
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 82
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 89
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 92
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 89
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 92
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 92
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 89
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 69
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 91
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Mar 2001
Time: 02:22:54
Remote Name: 205.dallas-18rh15rt-tx.dial-access.att.net
Remote User:

Comments

At the turn of the century into 2001, there were only two REAL majestic ocean liners left in the world,
Cunard’s QE2 and the Norwegian’s Norway. As the Norway is also the largest ocean liner ever built at
1040 feet, I did not need any other reason to book my Caribbean cruise on her.

I’m a music researcher and writer and habitually totally research ANYTHING I’m ready to embark on
before actually doing it. Thus, I read all the letters posted here and elsewhere and researched
everything I could about the Norway, her ports of call, and so on. I must say this from the start; many of
the negative things mentioned more than a couple of times in these letters simply didn’t prove true for
me.

We had booked our own flights and the taxi from Miami International Airport to the Port Of Miami was
$18.00. We had a scare when a car in the lane to our right suddenly drifted into our lane. Our taxi
driver hit the gas and found a space to squeeze into to our left. Then we noticed the lady in that car to
our right - with the phone stuck in her ear (One of my pet peeves, I might add.)

The most hectic time for the entire cruise was at the beginning. Embarkation had us standing in long
lines (2000 passengers trying to get on board) but once we got past the check-in desk and the
customary photos, we walked a long gangplank to the ship and the cruise begun.

We were met on board by a pleasant staff, then a man walked us to our cabin. He remarked that he
wasn’t explaining where we were going and how we got there as we’d be exploring the ship later and
would learn. He advised us to simply read the ship’s deck layout located by the elevators each time we
were on a different deck. How right he was!

The ports-of-call weren’t as important to me as the ship itself. I spent that first evening and the next
day while we were at sea, simply exploring every nook and cranny. Our cabin was on the Olympic
deck, three from the top, and the deck that had a jogging track where you could jog (or walk)
completely around the ship. Can’t do that on any other deck.

Another thing about the decks. We were informed that you could smoke on the starboard (right) side
of the ship, whether the deck was enclosed or open, and a no-smoking policy was in effect on the port
(left) side. I found almost everyone adhered to this so we smokers could smoke and those that didn’t
had their relief also.

Speaking of smoking, the biggest problem we had when we embarked was discovering we had been
assigned to a non-smoking cabin. We went to the information counter and were told that there was
nothing they could do as the ship was full but they would try and see what they could do ‘by noon
tomorrow’. I learned that at this information counter, the staff there was trained in giving excuses
instead of providing solutions. After complaining four times that day, each time an hour apart, we were
told that ashtrays had been sent to the cabin and it was okay to smoke in there. (My apologies to the
next people in that cabin.)

Another problem encountered quickly was the accents of the staff. The ship employs people from 46
different countries and some could barely speak understandable English. You learned to simply avoid
them and go to someone else. The great majority of the staff was friendly and courteous.

If you aren’t taking part in an activity, or going ashore, you’ll find that you’ll probably spend most of
your free time on the International deck. The Great Outdoor Restaurant in aft, the Sports Bar, and
many of the shops are on this deck, and if you go all the way forward on the starboard side, you run
into the ice cream shop. Only open from 2-4 p.m. daily, you learn to get there by 1:30 so to be served
quickly. I found some of the nicest staff here every day, and that ice cream is delicious!

One ‘problem’ seen at this site in letter after letter was about the slow or non-working elevators.
Hmmm. Absolutely no such problem after the first day. During embarkation, the porters fill the
elevators with luggage, go to the proper deck, and ‘lock’ the elevator there until delivery is completed.
During the cruise, we found the elevators quick and seldom had to wait more than 30-45 seconds for
one. However, we did take the stairs a lot, it’s very good exercise! I actually came back a few pounds
lighter when the cruise was over. Most people say they gain from all the food.

We were assigned to the Leeward Dining Room on the upper level (table 319). This is smaller than the
Windward Dining Room but we found it more cozy as we’re not the ‘formal’ type. The waiter, David, and
the busboy were extremely good at what they did. As I’m a ‘meat and potatoes’ guy from Texas, I can’t
comment on most of the gourmet food. I quickly learned that I could order a steak, or anything else
they had, anytime I wanted and didn’t have to stick to the menu offerings. Very seldom, however, did I
see anything being returned to the kitchen for something else from any of the tables around me.

We had a table for eight with four assigned. Table #320 had six people including the parents of the two
girls sitting at ours. We spoke to the waiter and the next day, surprise, table 319 had been replaced by
a table for ten and 320 went empty the rest of the cruise. Saw several empty tables at our late dining. I
thought they said the ship was booked full!

The only disappointment for me in the dining room was asking for a shrimp cocktail and being told they
had none on board. Funny, for $28.00, room service had it on their menu and could have delivered it!

Our first port was St. Maarten. We decided to shop and explore so didn’t book any special excursion.
The city is old and poor, and as soon as we got off the ship, we ran into a barrage of people offering
their services, everything from taxi rides and sightseeing tours to braiding hair. This never let up all the
time we spent there.

I don’t remember the name of the shop, but when you get off the tender and walk straight ahead for a
block to St. Maarten's main street, it’s located to the left about half way up the first block on the right
side. Their prices seemed very low, especially the tee shirt souvenirs at 4/$10.00. I made my
purchases and when given my change, was handed a counterfeit $10.00 bill. I immediately asked for
them to replace it and they did with no problem. They knew what it was. (When I got back on board, I
explained what had happened and the girl at the information counter kept repeating: ‘We could have
changed your money into smaller bills right here on the ship’. I said it wasn’t the Norway’s fault but I felt
the passengers should be advised to watch out for something like this. She repeated it again. As I said
earlier, they are trained, it seems, to make excuses instead of solving problems.)

It was very hot on St. Maarten and we walked a lot, so we stopped at an outside café for some Cokes.
There was a loud and boisterous group of seven at the table next to us and you couldn’t help but
overhear what they were saying. They were cruising on the Explorer Of The Seas, a very large cruise
ship, but not as large as the Norway. Over and over, I heard them bragging they were on the largest
ship afloat. I tend to put my mouth where it doesn’t belong sometimes so I interrupted and said I
overheard what was being said.

‘Is that your ship over there at the pier’, I asked, ‘The big white one?’ They replied that it was. I then
looked at the man who was talking loudest and said, ‘See that ship anchored way out there at sea?
That’s our ship, the Norway. She’s anchored out there because she’s so large she can’t even come
into port’. None of that group said another word!

Because of her size, you must use tenders to go to and from port (other than Miami). Yes, you need a
tender ticket to get off, but I found no problem with this either. Each evening you receive a four-page
flyer telling you what is going on the next day and where to pick up your tender tickets. You go and get
them early, then do whatever you want until called. The PA system on the ship worked very well and if
you are in your cabin, put the television to their channel and hear their announcements as well.

Whichever island you are visiting, I’d advise NOT to take the last tender back. It is always overcrowded
with many standees for the 15-20 minute trip depending on where you are. And if you are the last ones
on, you will be on the top deck, out in the broiling sun. (I used sunblock 45 and still got red.)

We opted for St. Thomas instead of St. John and enjoyed walking around that city as well. St. Thomas
is much more ‘Americanized’ except for cars driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road. As this is the U.S.
Virgin Islands, much more purchased here can be brought back duty free so we did most of our
shopping here. The prices, vs those in the States, are soooooo much lower!

I decided not to go ashore for the private island as so many had said how crowded it was. Instead, I
explored more of the ship. It IS nice to walk around a fairly deserted ship and go where you want. If you
want to visit the bridge, you can only do this when the ship is anchored at a port and only 30 people
allowed to tour each time.

I’m a professional musician and both of my parents were also, so I was listening closely to the music
produced on the Norway. The shows we saw on board were pretty darn good, especially ‘Sing Sing
Sing’. The band was adequate (heard some bad notes from time to time) but overall, very entertaining.
You forget you’re on a ship. At other occasions (Captain’s champagne toast, etc), the band was pretty
good. A combo used for the amateur program (for passengers) sounded pretty amateurish
themselves, however, it’s a vacation. As another letter writer said, simply ‘go with the flow’. My only
complaints with the music was that nothing pertained to the 1950s, my era, and that of most people on
board.

Yes, all the windows were dirty. Yes, the drinks on board seemed to be overpriced (Even a Coke was
$1.50.). An announced $3.50 drink special turned out to be ‘call drinks from the bar only’. Yes, the
disco was overcrowded. No, the complaints about the Great Outdoor Restaurant seemed to be
unfounded. Remember what this is, an outdoor restaurant located aft on the International deck,
overlooking the fantail and swimming pool below. I don’t think this was meant for a meal. I went there
regularly for breakfast (very good, sometimes the eggs or sausage was cold), sometimes for a quick
lunch (lots to choose from) and never for dinner. For that, go to the assigned dining room or La Bistro.
Yes, the Great Outdoor Restaurant was usually fairly crowded and most tables were in use, but if you
made any friends on board, find one and sit with them. No problem. Yes, the food lines sometimes
moved slow but not because of too many people. It was because too many people either couldn’t read
or didn’t bother, and went in the ‘out’ and moved against the flow.

Disembarking was quite easy. You were asked to wait for your 'segment’, a choice of four. First off
were those having early (before noon) plane connections. Next were those having early afternoon
connections, then those with late connections, last were those driving or actually living in the Miami
area. Again, we simply waited in our cabin listening to the announcements on television. The time
came, we left, went through customs, and walked ashore. Our cruise was over!

Bill Griggs - Lubbock 'Home Of Buddy Holly' Texas

Name: Jim
Email: jhartiii@aol.com
Age: 49
Occupation: Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 15
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 2/24/01
Itinerary: Eastern Carribean
Cabin: N149 / B
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 75
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Mar 2001
Time: 06:12:31
Remote Name: ss06.ny.us.ibm.com
Remote User:

Comments

I read many reviews about the Norway before I booked and before embarkation. I was slightly skeptical
that I had made the right choice. I suspect many of the negative reviews come from seniors who are
not able to walk the stairs, because the elevators are indeed slow. I didn't set foot in an elevator (I
believe that kept me from gaining extra pounds). Overall, the cruise far exceeded my expectations. I
thought the organization from embarkation to deembarkation was amazing. The food was first rate in
the dining room (I didn't feel the need to try the bistro, although the menu looked very good and the
words I heard from those on board who tried it said the food there was excellent). We had a terrific
waiter and busboy for dinner - they made the cruise for us. I thought there was plenty of room on
board despite the full ship. I was amazed at the selection of food - especially vegatarian and light
entrees. Our cabin was kept very clean and the facilities worked without a problem. I think the Norway
is very well maintained for her age, it's too bad the ship will be sent to Asia in Sept. I would sail with
NCL again in a second - we were made to feel comfortable, there was plenty to do, the tender service
worked fine and we had a great time.

Name: DougMacPherson
Email: DougMacP@aol.com
Age: 45
Occupation: Attorney (but a nice one)
NumberOfCruises: 13
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 3/10/01
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: S017
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 91
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 93
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 92
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 92
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors: 70
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess: 65
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 88
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 97
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 75
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 99
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 97
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 94
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Mar 2001
Time: 15:13:51
Remote Name: gtec168-m.isomedia.com
Remote User:

Comments

THE NORWAY 3/3/01 to 3/10/01 Eastern Caribbean By: DougMacP@aol.com

When you sail on a legend, especially one that is 41-years-old (that’s about 123 in people years) you can’t
expect it to be new and shiny. On the shady side of the bell shaped curve, The Norway prepares for an exit to
the Asia market and Star Cruises. Like a Broadway performer getting on in years, if you analyze her in the
harsh light of day, you see the wrinkles, despite the nips and tucks. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t put on a
good show. She does. She still has a magnificent voice, and stage presence that is unrivaled by the newer,
flashier generation of ships she helped create.

Pre Stay: Having read some rather negative remarks about the Miami Marriot, I booked at the Hyatt Regency
Miami. Attached to the Convention Center it is a completely unremarkable hotel, in need of a coat of paint
here and there. Well, actually everywhere. It was a touch shabby compared to other Hyatt Regency’s I’ve
stayed at, although it was perfectly suitable for the purposes of arriving in town a day early so you don’t miss
the boat.

Embarkation & Fellow Passengers: I checked out of the hotel at 12:00pm, and after a short taxi ride, was on
board and in the room by 12:30pm. It could not have gone better. When they say check-in starts at 1:00pm
don’t believe them. Every cruise I’ve ever been on starts boarding an hour early, unless the ship was delayed
in arriving. The embarkation process gives me the opportunity to check out some of my fellow passengers.
What I had read in some of the Cruise Boards on-line was true, there are a significant number of college
students on Spring Break. I resolved myself to the fact for this segment of cruisers the hormone level would
be high, and the alcohol consumption stratospheric. This was confirmed in the Muster (lifeboat) drill at
3:45pm. With eyes already glazed over and reeking of beer or the drink of the day they used the time wisely
to find out what cabins the others were staying in. I guess our colleges are teaching some life skills after all.
The other passengers are a little bit of everything, with the possible exception of the elderly with poor mobility;
this would not be a good ship for them with its small almost non-functioning elevators. Not only are all the
cabins booked this cruise, but all the berths (triples and quads) are as well. The old girl will be playing to a
standing room only crowd in the twilight of her career.

The Room: S017 on the top passenger deck is a balcony “penthouse” category stateroom that was added in
the re-fit of 1990. If anything, this stateroom should be in fairly good shape being “newish” to the ship. I was
not pleased to discover the vinyl mat on the bed that says “for baggage only” was in better shape then the
bedspread it was designed to protect. There were a number of curious stains on the walls, a couple of lose
seams in the carpet, an extremely uncomfortable sofa (pitched forward at an alarming angle), but they are
only minor distractions. Like vintage hotels, you appreciate the atmosphere and history (even in the new
section), and it doesn’t seem to matter if things are less then perfect or thoroughly modern. The bathroom
with a full size tub was well maintained and clean, the duvet/comforter (after the turn down at night) was of a
good quality, the pillows were cushy and a small functional balcony contained a table, two chairs and a chaise
lounge. The room also had plenty of closet and drawer space. Cherry, the room stewardess was unflappably
pleasant and upbeat.

The Ship {Positive} The Norway can’t overwhelm her audience with towering atriums, revolving stages and ice
skating rinks. She doesn’t have them. What she has are fabulous promenade decks, some incredibly inviting
lounges with comfortable furniture, a sense of dignity and a soul. The standout lounge on the ship is Club
International, as all who have read any review of The Norway know, it was The France’s former first class
smoking lounge. In my opinion it may be one of the best rooms at sea with it’s soaring ceiling and two-tiered
seating. The two promenades on the International deck are unrivaled. I wish they would do this on new ships,
but it would take away precious space. The Norway makes good use to these ficus lined boulevards that
house all of the shops and three of the lounges. To stand at one end of the promenade and look to the far
end is an impressive, even dramatic sight. Of all the ships I’ve ever been on, never has navigating the length
of the ship been so enjoyable. They are a showstopper.

{Negative} With the upcoming transfer to Star, it appears they are deferring maintenance in some areas.
There is another theory on that, which I’ll cover later. The Astroturf on her outdoor top deck areas is stained
and buckling in all areas. I hate Astroturf on ships anyway, but this stuff is a disgrace. She is called the SS
Stairmaster for a reason. Her elevators are small, slow and seem to have a mind of their own when it comes
to getting you to the proper floor. Because she was built as a two-class liner all the staircases and elevators
don’t go to all the floors. For me, it is part of the charm, for many a nightmare. More of an annoyance, was
trying to figure out why if they have space in the lifeboats for everyone, why not have lounge chairs for all the
passengers? While this cruise was completely sold out, how much would a few hundred more deck chairs
cost? They certainly have the open deck space for them. The constant stream of people wandering in search
of an open lounge chair during the peak sunning times began to resemble a biblical epic on the first two sea
days.

The Food: Buffet’s The Great outdoor café on the International deck can best be described as an
afterthought to accommodate the trend in buffet dining. They make good use of the available space in four
main lines and several separate specialty positions. The seating is very limited, however if you’re the friendly
sort, joining other passengers at their table is easy enough. You can also take your tray to the indoor
promenades where there are several tables near the café. The food itself is perfectly acceptable.

Windward Dining Room: An amazingly beautiful room. We sat under the dome at the bottom of the stairs.
Because of the density of the ship, the room is crammed with tables, which is not conducive to normal
conversation. On the comment card I rated the food good, and that about sums it up. The first night I had
lamb kabobs, which turned out to be ground lamb, and was not particularly tasty. After that I simply asked the
waiter if an item was good or not, and he never steered me wrong. What surprised me was that soups and
salads were very good. In a mass-market ship I didn’t expect that. The food presentation was unimaginative,
but I wasn’t paying for, or expecting nouvelle cuisine. Overall I was extremely pleased by our waiter and
assistant waiter. The service was prompt, polite and appropriate, other then the waiters tendency to deliver a
little monologue each night at the end of the meal, which frankly none of us could really understand due to
the sound dynamics of the room and his heavy Island accent.

Le Bistro: A group of us did the alternative restaurant after leaving St. Thomas. With a $10 cover charge per
person, the food was somewhat better than the dining rooms. This is not a classy room by any stretch of the
imagination, and is sandwiched between the rear pool area and the North Cape Lounge, but it does have
more personalized service. Our waiter had a very interesting way of acknowledging any request, his line was
“and why not?” For sixteen people, every drink order, or grind of pepper brought “and why not?” Frankly, by
the time the main course arrived I thought the line was a way over the top, “and why not?”

The Ports: I have two choices here, honesty or making stuff up about two ports I’ve been to before. I’ll take
honesty. I didn’t get off the ship. I meant too, but it never quite happened. Having the pool to a few new
friends and myself was too inviting in the end to sally forth on to the tenders. I do have a few observations
however. The NCL port guides are actually very informative and list a decent variety of choices unlike many
other cruise lines. That impressed me. NCL offers a fairly varied and extensive list of excursions, which most
of the people I talked to enjoyed. The rest of the comments about the ports have to do with the tendering
operation.

St. Maarten: The Norway has only been carrying one of her tenders for quite some time, relying on the 2nd
tender being provided at the ports. Her other tender is kept at the private island where it assists the Norway
and other NCL ships. While that is akin to a performer not being unable to use her own songs, due to
copyright issues in some venues, as long as the tenders are available at the two ports things should be okay.
The Captain announced from the Bridge that due to an “illegal strike” on shore a 2nd tender would not be
used. From reading the Internet Boards some excuse as to why a 2nd tender is not being used at St. Maarten
is happening often of late. Perhaps next weeks excuse will be “the dog ate it.” The time to tender off all the
passengers wishing to go ashore had doubled. Whether this is the result of bad contracts with tender
providers on the Island I can’t say. It does seem to me, the odds of such failures occurring with such regularity
should be lower. Because of her deep draft, The Norway must rely on its tenders, take those out of the
equation and you disrupt flow or rhythm of the performance. Like a manager who skimps on a show’s
production qualities (stage hands, sets, etc.) because their hand is in the till, NCL is damaging the reputation
of The Norway. After an hour or so the Captain announces the “strike” has been settled and eventually the
other shore tender arrives. Still, three hours before they went to “open tenders” (which means no required
boarding card) was a very, very long time.

St. Thomas: The tendering operation was flawless and complete in a little over one hour. As I prepared to go
ashore after they made the “open tender” announcement, something caught my attention. With the Explorer
of the Seas, The Grand Princess, Costa Atlantica, The Westerdam, Disney Magic, and the Norway all in port,
that meant there would be about 12,000 + people all trying to use the same shops and beaches. It was later
confirmed that Megan’s Bay was absolutely packed. Since I wasn’t in the market for gemstones or other Island
trinkets, what was I missing? I could get everything I needed on the ship anyway.

Private Island: Really I almost made it off the ship this time, but it didn’t happen. Once again having the ship
to myself was too powerful. At the private island they used three tenders and the process was quick.
Everyone seemed to enjoy either the beach or walking the trails and the barbecue lunch.

Entertainment: I popped in for parts of a few shows. Standard cruise ship fare. As I’ve said in previous
reviews, if you want to see a good production show go to Las Vegas or Atlantic City. The performers on the
Norway are talented enough, in a second tier sort of way, and the choreography would work with the ship
rolling 15 degrees in either direction. When it comes to production shows I’m a tough house, so take those
comments for what they are worth. Nor can I give you an honest assessment of the comedians on board,
since I give them a wide berth. Very wide.

What was truly amazing about The Norway was the quality of her other Bands, and Lounge acts. They were
some of the best I’ve ever heard at sea. This is not a ship that goes to sleep at 11:00pm, the entertainment
continued into the wee hours, especially in the disco. I generally don’t name, names of performers but special
recognition should go to Ms. Elvy Rose’s cabaret act. A high-energy performer with a strong voice, fabulous
stage presence she had the audience eating out of the palm of her hand. I’m not quite sure why The Norway
doesn’t have her do additional shows other than a short segment in the farewell variety show. They are
wasting an opportunity and a talent.

Cruise Staff: I found the cruise staff to be less saccharine then on most ships. Not overly perky they do their
job of hosting organized activities (Bingo, Trivia games of all sorts, that sort of thing) appropriately.

The Future: This is my 3rd time aboard her after a 16-year respite, and I know it will be my last. The transfer
to Star has raised many questions among Norway fans. The Asia market it not particularly big on old nostalgic
ships, and the rest of Star Cruises fleet is modern. Is there a place for her there? NCL has been fairly tight
lipped about anything other than the ship is being transferred. Some think that this is their graceful way of
removing her from view then retiring her. Another theory is she is to be converted to a gambling ship on short
junkets. Since Star Cruises has not released itineraries for her in the future, even more sinister theories are
floating (pun intended) about. I heard one man say he wouldn’t be surprised if she meets with an (wink, wink,)
unfortunate accident similar to Premier’s Sea Breeze, or the Sun Vista (Celebrity’s old Meridian). Scuttling or
accidental fire aside, the reality of life is nothing lasts forever, and as the saying goes all ships evidentially
end up at the bottom or the breakers (for scrap). At least they’re letting her go out of the North American
market a star.

Disembarkation: The Norway has no set policy that all guests must be out of their rooms at an ungodly early
hour. That was a refreshing change. You do get the hint when at about 9:45am or so the service personnel
start trouping in to bring the welcoming fruit basket, and complimentary (cheap) champagne for the next
occupants of the room. Even then they don’t throw you over the side, but you start to feel like a voyeur of
someone else’s cruise experience and realize it’s time to go. However, by then the wait to get off isn’t terribly
long. This resulted in one of the best disembarkation I’ve had in my 13 cruises.

And In The End: Some say she is basking in her former glory. I disagree, although I do admit her best days
are behind her. The Norway has a song to sing and a story to tell. She delivers her product with good food,
good entertainment, and comfortable accommodations at a very reasonable price. She set the standard for
the cruise market in the early 80’s and the tonnage has been going up ever since. She is even spawning a
new generation of fans in the twilight of her career. Many of the college students are falling in love with the
concept of cruising from the comments I heard. It is bittersweet that their cruising future should be shaped by
a ship slipping into the past. Like a great singer, she takes you to a different level during her performance.
You transcend the everyday routine, and become more relaxed, more humane, and more in touch with the
fact that there is more to life than the nine to five grind. In the final analysis, The Norway exceeded my
expectations, and she delivered a solid, perhaps even great performance despite her age. So, as the curtain
fell on my trip I took a long look at her knowing it would be my last. Brava.

Name: Alan Vann
Email: alanvann@prodigy.net
Age: 46
Occupation: Purchasing Manager
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 03/03/2001
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: F-060 & F-062
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 65
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 78
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService:
TenderService: 70
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 85
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness:
EmbarkDisembark:
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 88
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Mar 2001
Time: 11:40:42
Remote Name: 204.181.104.206
Remote User:

Comments

As a preface to further comments, be assured that NCL does a fine job putting together a very enjoyable
cruise. Further, the S.S. Norway is a truly wonderful ship. The Club Internationale is the original First Class
Smoking Room and is both elegant and user-friendly. (High Tea in the afternoons.) The enclosed
promenade on International Deck is wide with large glass windows. The very top deck is huge, with more
space than I could imagine anyone requiring. Something is always going on in a lounge somewhere. The
tiered stern decks (rare on ships any more) are comfortable, open and relaxing. Cruising on her was an
experience that we would heartily recommend to anyone, first-timer or folks who are on cruise number 15.
The Norway will move to Asia in September 2001, and if you are thinking of a vacation before then, I would
urge considering her. Now, as to details:

We were a family of four, on our fifth cruise, traveling in two of the Penthouse Grade 2 suites. These are
large rooms with balconies overlooking the tiered stern decks. The rooms are very nice with plenty of
storage. There is a chair and love seat for sitting by the windows. The view was outstanding and permitted
us to enjoy the outdoor entertainment without joining the mob down on deck. (If you like the mob, it lets
you figure out when they are starting!) Our penthouses were side by side but did not connect. However,
the setup of the balconies made it easy to cross between them outside. Two room issues were: (1) the air
conditioning could not keep up with full sun on the wall of glass to the balcony. I recommend that you pull
all the curtains before leaving the cabin, especially if you are to be gone all day.) and (2) noise from the
cabins on either side was more than one would expect for a high-priced room. Mostly the TV sound
carried strongly through the wall.

We ate our evening meal in the upstairs part of the Leeward Dining Room. Food was good, varying from
equal to a good local restaurant to really top-flight dining depending upon the dish and the day. We were
never disappointed with dinner. However, lunch in the Leeward Room on the day of debarkation was
extremely poor. We suspect the meat in one dish had spoiled. (We did not bring this to the attention of the
waiter, as we should have done.) We ate lunch at The Great Outdoor Restaurant on the stern decks
every day thereafter when aboard ship because of this and because lunches in the indoor restaurants
were just too much food.

Service in the dining room for dinner was excellent. The wine stewardess appeared a bit hostile when it
became clear that we would not be ordering drinks for dinner. The maitre d' handled that small problem
very nicely and I found him very competent, quick to adjust the operation whenever needed. He ran an
excellent dining room, provided personal service to an unexpected degree, and truly earned the tip given.

Evidently one is supposed to have the services of a concierge when in a suite or penthouse. We were told
one would meet us at the airport. We had to find her. Once found she gave inexact directions to the porter
about where to meet the bus and then she vanished. Our porter sorted out where we needed to be. I
called the concierge on board twice. Once I was told how to handle an issue myself. The second time I was
also told how to handle it myself, but the directions given were incorrect. As I expect a concierge to handle
matters that they advertise that they handle for you, not tell me where to go to stand in a line, I never
bothered the concierge again. NCL needs to do serious work on this program or else just give up on it.
The "Cruise Staff" is rated low because of this experience.

The youth program is well and conscientiously run. On board ship you have to know to go to the playroom
to get the schedules for all the age groups. It was not readily apparent that one should go to the children's
playroom (International Deck, forward, starboard side) to learn about programs for teen-agers, but we
sorted it eventually.

You may read elsewhere that if you book a suite or penthouse you are given priority for the tendering
process. This is not true - no priority is given. (The one thing that the concierge did manage to
communicate!) Tendering is necessary as the ship draws so much water that she cannot dock in most
ports. Tendering, however, is a slow process when moving 2,000 people to shore 450 at a time. It doesn't
help when the local tender company has labor trouble and starts 1 1/2 hours late. Do not count upon early
starts on any day unless you book a tour with the ship. Despite the delayed starts, we found there was
quite a bit of time available on shore if you choose a relaxed pace with a limited list of things to do, as we
prefer. St. Thomas was so unbelievably crowded that next time we will probably book a St. John's shore
excursion and return to the ship afterwards rather than try Charlotte Amalie again.

The Cruise Director is rated very low as he changed two of the theme nights from what was published in
the final documents we received. As my wife had made outfits to match the themes, we were quite
annoyed with the unannounced change. When I asked the Cruise Director about the change he was
dismissive of me and the issue. The entertainment was quite good on board and we thoroughly enjoyed
the programs. But the particular individual in charge was, shall we say, less than impressive.

We sailed 4 times previously, last with Princess. NCL is less formal (I gathered this was a plus for many)
but also not quite as polished. The cruise director and concierge situations would tell one that. For the
most part, the differences are a few little things only. If onboard golf, rock climbing, central atriums, 4
swimming pools and 9 restaurant choices are imperatives, the Norway would not be for you. If classic and
unique settings and experiences are desired, the SS Norway will deliver.

Name: Janet D'Agostino
Email: jad52@hotmail.com
Age: 48
Occupation: Marketing Director
NumberOfCruises: 100+
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 3/31/01
Itinerary: Eastern Carib
Cabin: A136
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: n/a
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 75
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 65
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 100
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 85
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 09 Apr 2001
Time: 13:33:55
Remote Name: yuds-pc14.dining.yale.edu
Remote User:

Comments

I sailed on the Norway almost to the exact date 20 years ago. Then she was newly refit and had a
certain sparkle overall. She's a bit older now but still sparkles. My friends and I sailed the Norway
purposely because we'll never have the opportunity to do so again. Staff & crew alike talk about the sale
to Star Cruise Lines and the September departure of the ship to Asia. Its very sad. The old France will
be gone from her familiar shores and all of us who have known her as either the France or the Norway
will miss her and remember her fondly.

To say anything negative about the Norway today seems to defeat the purpose, doesn't it? My biggest
complaint would be regarding tendering, which is a nightmare. It was hideous 20 years ago when I
experienced it on this ship and absolutely nothing changed this time around. But that's not going to be a
problem anymore, is it? Hopefully NCL's tendering policy for its newer ships, when necessary, works
better than the system on The Norway. One can only hope so.

The food was quite excellent, especially in the dining room. Buffets were great, lots of variety of hot &
cold foods, and snacks were also available throughout the afternoon, including pizza, ice cream, and
fresh fruits. The crew couldn't have been more helpful, courteous, and efficient. Dan, our Leeward
Dining room waiter, and Basil, our busboy, were always smiling, always served our food hot or cold
(depending on what was appropriate), always filled our water glasses with cool, iced, water, made sure
we had lots of very delicious breads, and made great suggestions for entrees, usually beef, however.
I'm a vegetarian so chose veggie meals, much to Dan's dismay. He served them with a gracious smile, at
any rate.

Although I'd heard horrible stories about the cabin we ended up with, A136, it was just fine. An outside
upper/lower with a huge bathroom, my roomie & I had plenty of room and the space challenge kept us
neat & obligatorily organized! Not much vibration until Thursday night when the captain put the pedal to
the metal, as the saying goes, trying to get us to the private island on time. Still though it wasn' much of
a problem, and I like to feel the ship moving a bit, otherwise ya might as well be staying at some
landlocked hotel!

Entertainment in the showrooms was fine. Great efforts made by all. Better in the lounges, with classical
music, big band sounds, and the best Salsa band to hit the high seas - Mungya- I think, or something
like that. Great beat, personable & talented musicians, wonderful dance moves ...superb entertainment!

I'll be sad to see the ship disappear over the horizon off towards the Pacific. A grand old lady deserves
better than to be turned into a big casino for high rollers. Gambling junkets is what we heard on board.
What a shame.

Cruising has changed. Cruise lines are trying to please all the people all the time, it seems. There's
nothing left of the elegance, charm, captivation, seductiveness, of a ship at sea. The Norway is definitely
past its prime, and maybe that's a good thing at this point. Her passengers, at least on this cruise, were
those who cared nothing about formal nights, had never heard of high tea (on a ship of over 2000
passengers, only 60 or so attended afternoon formal tea in the Club Internationale, and passers by
pointed, laughed, and gawked at those who chose to attend this event), spent most of their time gaping
at screens in the Sport's Bar (which used to be called Checkers, a lovely, dimly lit, nightclub), pushed,
shoved, & swore their way through the lines to get on the tender, and generally behaved like they were
at a rodeo. Internet auctioning of cruise cabins, cruise only wholesalers, and cruise lines who need to
grab every cent they can from anyone who has a nickle to spend at sea have changed cruising forever.

Cruise lines are trying to please too many markets. Rock climbing walls? Ice skating rinks? Golf
courses? Yes, I guess it is time for The Norway to sail into the sunset for a well-deserved, hard-earned
rest. One can only hope that the transition and next reincarnation is graceful. She'll still be at sea under
any circumstances, and what could possibly be better than the salty wind at the stern and the
endlessness of the ocean at the bow...

Back to NCL Norway