ncl-norway8

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Thomas Milano
Email: tmilano@n-jcenter.com
Age: 72
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 13
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 9/11/99
Itinerary: Easterr Caribbean
Cabin: Sk 024
FoodDiningRoom: 78
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 100
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 78
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 86
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 75
BeautySalonStaff: 75
EntertainmentLounges: 82
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 75
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 75
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 75
OverallCruiseValue: 75
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Sep 1999
Time: 13:22:16
Remote Name: nspm2c-15.n-jcenter.com
Remote User:

Comments

My wife and I made our first cruise 3 ½ years ago aboard Celebritys, Zenith . We became addicted and have become
avid cruisers.. We have made 13 cruises since then, 7 in the last 13 months. If we had made our first cruise aboard
the Norway, I know we would never have cruised again.

It is much easier and pleasurable to write a glowing, positive, favorable critique of a cruise experience, but sometimes
you have to do the unpleasant and uncomfortable task of telling it as it is. I think the best way for us to relate our
experience is to tell you what we enjoyed and the things we found unfavorable.

We were eagerly looking forward to our cruise aboard the Norway. Our agent said the only way to cruise aboard the
Norway was to book one of the suites. We booked SK 024, on the Sky deck, and our friends the Berteles were in SK
026. The stateroom was the best we have had on any of our cruises, with a couple of exceptions. It was over three
hundred square feet. The wall facing the ocean was made entirely of glass, from floor to ceiling. It was a breathtaking
view, especially in the morning when we opened the curtains and the suns rays filled the room. The bathroom was
double the space of a normal bathroom. It had a marble tub and a good shower, a hair dryer and all the little goodies
our wives like. It was very comfortable. We had a good steward. We never saw him, but everything was taken care of.
That's the way it should be.

The Exceptions. We did not have a remote for the TV. When I called and told them we didn't have a remote they said I
should go down to the purser and I could sign for one. When I went to the purser and asked for a remote he said they
didn't have any. I asked him how come they didn't have any, he said the people take them. I said am I supposed to get
up from bed and walk across the suite each time I want to change a channel. After a number of in-adequate answers
he said he would see if he could hunt one up. After two days a remote was delivered to our room and our friends
room. When we were disembarking, our cabin Stewart reminded me to turn in the remote or they would charge my
account $60. We thought that was pretty shabby.

The cabin was very noisy. You could hear the mumble of conversation on both sides of us and there was a lot of
creaking and groaning going on during the night. We could hear the TV in the other cabins. Also they did not have a
switch to turn on to hear the Public Address announcements. We were anxious to hear the captains reporting on
hurricane Floyd. When I could discern that an announcement was being made, which wasn't easy, I would run to the
door and open it so I could listen. One time I ran to the door in my skivvies and as I opened the door I was greeted by
some people in the hallway. Rather embarrassing.

Elevators: The elevators were impossible. Some of the elevators did not go down through all the floors or go up
through all the floors. Each elevator was a surprise. You had no idea if or when it was coming. And the when it came,
(Elevators 1&2) it barely had enough room for four couples. The system is so antiquated that even those who sailed
the Norway before were having trouble coping with the situation. It was only because I read a cruise review of the
Norway in Cruise Opinion that we were able to resolve the elevator problem to some degree.

Windward Dining Room: We were assigned a table of four in the Windward Dining Room. When one of the waiters
walked us to our table it was like a maze, hardly an isle, just table and chairs. The food was very mediocre. It was like
eating in a diner. The waiter and the busboy were out of sync and a number of times one thought the other had done
what he was supposed to do. The atmosphere was stifling. It was so noisy that it was hard to have a conversation. I
had read about the Norways alternative dining in Le Bistro. When we left the dining room I called the Le Bistro and
made reservations for the following night. We had dinner in the Le Bistro for the remainder of the cruise.

Entertainment and Showroom: The two productions shows were sensational. It would be very hard indeed to find a
more talented group of dancers and singers. Most shows have two featured singers, this group had three male singers
and two female and all of them very good. The highlight of the show for Mary & I was when the dancers, fully
unexpected, broke into the River Dance. It was breath-taking. But one very disappointing aspect was the show room
itself. This is the only showroom that we have been in that we didn't have a drink holder or table to set our drink on. If
you ordered a drink, you had to hold it until you finished it, then put it under your chair. Not very elegant.

Another annoying and non-sensesical practice we experienced, is not being allowed in the showroom till 10 minutes
before show time, when there was nothing going on in the showroom. It didn't make any sense and the crew we talked
to about this, agreed with us. It just seemed thins were not as organized as they should have been.

One final thing about the showroom. Every cruise we have been one has a full band to provide the music for the show.
On the Norway they have a piano player and a drummer that accompany canned music. Evidently they do this
because of the limited space, but it is such much nicer to have a full band accompany the singers and the chorus line.

North-Cape Lounge: Another entertainer that deserves our accolades was the comedian-ventriloquist Ziegfield. He
excelled as both a comedian and a ventriloquist. He was terrific and he brought the house down. We could have
listened to him for another hour. The appearance of his dummy, and the way he manipulated her was really fantastic.
But once again the room itself detracted from the performance. The tables and chairs are all pressed close together,
so that there aren't many walking isles in the room, if any. When you ordered a drink they served it to uou in small
plastic cups. Not very appealing. When you went to this room for any dance sessions, if you sat down, when you tried
to get up for a dance, you couldn't get through the maze of tables and chairs. It just seems like they have crammed in
too many tables and chairs to try accommodate the extra passengers they now carry.

High Tea: We have always enjoyed high tea. My wife enjoyed selecting the tea she would have that day and then the
pleasure of making a selections from the assortment of Napoleons, Egg Claire, Cream Puffs, Cheese cakes, assorted
cakes and etc.

That's not the way it is on the Norway. The waiter served us tea from a regular teapot and what was in that teapot was
what you were going to get. There was not selection of various teas, and the pastry was a laugh. The waiters brought
around the pastry tray which consisted of two pastries, that really shouldn't be called pastries, they were that pathetic.
The two different finger sandwiches that were served were equally pathetic. The only thing that came to my mind was
that instead of this being called high tea, it should have been called low tea. Although this is one of major enjoyments
when we cruise, we never went again for the remainder of the cruise.

International Lounge: We had heard a lot about the International Lounge. The fact that it had changed little since the
glory days of the S.S. France and what a elegant wonderful place it was to dance. We did not find it that way. The
PortoFino Trio, featuring the drummer as vocalist was mediocre at best. We and the couple with us enjoy dancing. We
spent a lot of time in this room. We went there before dinner and after dinner and sometimes after the show. When the
vocalist, (drummer) sang, it sounded if he was growling. He had a deep, guttural voice that did not relate to the mood
of the people in this room. Never once did we see these musicians relate to the audience. It seemed they couldn't wait
to take there break.

I know I might make some traditionalist made, but the room did not impress us. In most lounges they use lighting to
create a proper atmosphere for different times of the day. In this room the lighting never varied. It was bright when you
walked in and it stayed that way. The area where the band played was not defined in any way. They just set the
instruments on the floor against a blank wall. We thought the International Lounge was going to be one of the
highlights of our cruise, but it wasn't. It was very disappointing. Very rarely was it even half filled.

As far as the overall dress of the ship: We have always enjoyed formal night. With our society in general becoming
more casual, its especially nice to see men and women dressed for formal night, even if it is just a suit and tie. On both
formal nights, there was more casual dress then on any cruise we have taken, including Carnival. Even in Le Bistro, I
felt out of place wearing a jacket and tie. This is not what we expected aboard the former S.S. France.

I could describe many other things that weren't very appealing but I think you have a pretty good idea of our
impression of the Norway experience. I'm afraid some readers will think that because of what I have written, that we are
very negative people. But the fact is, both my wife and I are very positive and look for the best in all our experiences. I
have tried to write this review in a very honest and forthright way. Most of the people we talked to aboard the ship were
very disappointed as we were.

We have become avid cruisers because we enjoy being able to have a room in a five star hotel that travels. We look
forward to excellent dining, an enjoyable show and being catered to and pampered. We have never had these
conditions fulfilled as fully as when we are on a cruise. Unfortunately this was not the case with the Norway. I'm afraid
the former elegant, great lady of the Sea, the S.S. France has become a tired old lady. Everything about this cruise
was very mediocre.

Name: Casey King
Email: Casey_King@Vapower.com
Age: 53
Occupation: Administrative Asst.
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: October 16, 1998
Itinerary: Barcelona - Miami
Cabin: Can't recall
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff:
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 75
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Sep 1999
Time: 12:56:30
Remote Name: eagle.vapower.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was my very first cruise and I did not know what to expect. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised. This beautiful ship,
this grand dame of the sea, what an experience - one I will never forget! When I first saw her in Barcelona I was
absolutely speechless - she is sooo big and beautiful and I was going across the Atlantic on her, what an adventure
I had in store.. Our cabin was on B deck and was very spacious with two twin beds and a window. The bathroom was
big with plenty of towles and soaps. The closets were large and everything fit just perfectly. After we got settled we
went to the Great Outdoor Restaurant and had a bite of lunch and just relaxed, it was very nice. We left Barcelona
around 7:00 p.m. that evening and it was truely a sight to behold - I will always have that picture etched in my
memory. Our first stop was Magala, Spain which was nice but my favorite stop was Madera, Portugal. The people
were so friendly and appreciative and the island was picture perfect. We made our way into the Atlantic and spent
like what seemed a month at sea but in all actuality it was 4 or 5 days. Beautiful sunrise and sunsets and only once
in all that time did I notice a little bit of a roll side to side. Once I became used to the slight roll it went away and no
problems with rough seas. We ate in the Leeward Dining Room for the evening meal and the food was wonderful,
not gormet but very, very good with a nice variety and beautiful presentation. The wait staff was good but a bit on
the slow side, but what the heck is the hurry, where were ge going we couldn't get off the ship!!!!! The
entertainment was good, this was a Big Band Cruise and since my Father was with me and he is a musician we went
to the concerts. I really enjoyed the Club International, we went to a string concert there one afternoon and it was
just splended. The mucic was so soothing and the surroundings were just perfect - I closed my eyes once and with
the beautiful music and surroundings it was like I was pushed back in time when the SS France was at her peak. We
finally hit land, St. Thomas. In all honesty this place did not show me much. When we arrived it was hot, humid and
raining cats and dogs but I REALLY wanted to ride the tender into the dock so we did. We looked around a bit,
shopped and had some lunch then headed back to our ship. We made it just in time because as soon as we got
back on board the sky opened up again and it rained!!! Oh well.. We left St.Thomas in a rain storm but you would
never have known it, she rode sound and sturdy no rocking on this lady - it was like floating on a mill pond. The only
way you would know it was raining and rough seas was if you would look out your window. She's a smooth ship! The
last day at sea to Miami I saw my first ship and a bird, I was thrilled because all the way across the Atlantic we didn't
see anything but lotts of water. It was very windy the last day out but the sun was wonderful and it gave me the
opportunity to get some good footage of the high seas. The next morning we entered Miami and our trip was over. I
was glad to get home but I still think back on how much I enjoyed my trip, the super nice people I met and the
wonderful food we had. Yes, I would sail on SS Norway tomorrow if I could. The trip was super, the ship was a dream
but the filght from New York to Barcelona was a flight from hell. NCL made the air reservations on TWA - my Mom
always told me to say something nice - the nice thing, we didn't get our feet wet when we crossed the Atlantic!!!
Cramped seats, hateful attendants, cold food - need I say more? I hope I have an opportunity to sail on her again,
she is a fine ship!

Name: George
Email: ReefCats@aol.com
Age: 40
Occupation: Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 9/25/99
Itinerary: St.John-St.Thomas-St. Maarten
Cabin: I040
FoodDiningRoom: 79
CruiseDirector: 49
CabinComfort: 79
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 69
CabinAmenities: 69
FoodLidoDeck: 72
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 72
CabinSteward: 89
ShoreExcVariety: 78
FoodVariety: 74
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 65
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 88
CruiseActivities: 15
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 87
EmbarkDisembark: 69
DiscoNightclubs: 74
DeckSpace: 79
Stabilization: 88
ShopsOnBoard: 25
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 65
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Oct 1999
Time: 19:03:56
Remote Name: spider-wo032.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

Having recently returned from 7 days on the SS Norway I offer the following data and tips...

First the good news, the (Windward) dining room service was exceptional and the food is plentiful. The presentation
was exquisite. The quality of food however ranged from mediocre to very good. While the waiter seemed to struggle
with English, he never the less carried out most requests without resistance or error. The busboy was exceedingly
adroit at his job and possessed a pleasing personality as well. The entire dining staff worked well as a team and
collaborated commendably. Breakfasts in the dining rooms were actually quite good, the service was once again
exceptional. The menu selections, while limited, were quite good.

The Midnight buffets seemed to be more concentrated on aesthetics then on palatable selections. While the food
looked fabulous it was hardly appetizing. The buffet lunches and breakfasts in the Great Outdoor Restaurant were
adequate, yet predictable.

The activities aboard the Norway are too few and far between. The days at sea offer little in the way of
entertainment. Offerings include Bingo (which is indeed expensive to play, for jackpots that are not too significantly
high), Dance lessons and the casino. Norwegian seems to count sales pitches on island vendors as activities. They
sound more like an infomercials then useful tourist information. Another annoying purported “activity” is the art
auctions. If we wanted to go shopping we’d certainly pursue that through other avenues then on a cruise ship.In fact
the prices at the auction were no bargain either.We go on a cruises to get away from this sort of besetment.
Previous cruises we’ve been on offered such a multitude of activities that we couldn’t get to them all. The cruise
staff needs to get considerably more productive and imaginative.

The sports bar listed in the brochure is hardly that, they don't even get network coverage for Sunday NFL games
which upset a great many passengers. While they do get ESPN they restrict that to off hours when they are not
pitching "Art" or giving dance lessons.This could have been a Cruise hot spot if it was really indeed a sports bar.

NCL has a ridiculous policy about their liqueur. While they sell it on board at their duty free store and even
advertise it on the ship's television station as a supply you may have forgotten, they won't let you take any you
bought to your room. In fact they expect you to turn in any you buy on island excursions at the pier for them to hold
for you until the end of the cruise. This ludicrous policy also aggravated innumerable passengers. The option of
having a drink in one’s cabin is a liberty that I have always enjoyed on cruises. With the drink prices NCL charges
they are not likely to diminish profits by any considerable margin by employing this regulation in fact they are more
likely to lose repeat passengers as a result of this. TIP: BRING ENOUGH LIQUEUR ABOARD IN YOUR LUGGAGE IN
PLASTIC BOTTLES TO HOLD YOU OVER UNTIL YOU GET TO THE FIRST ISLAND WHERE YOU CAN "SNEAK"
MORE ABOARD.

While I did not see an overabundance of children on board, my guess is they would be bored out of their mind on
this ship.

The overall condition of the ship was good, especially considering its age. Its sheer size makes navigation obtuse in
the first few days. The air conditioning in many of the public areas were severely inadequate. We were hard
pressed to enjoy any of the shows in the Saga Theatre because it was so warm in there. The dining rooms are to
warm as well, especially on the formal nights. The Norway staff was for the most part very courteous and attentive.
They could stand to upgrade the elevators and put paper towels in the restrooms, hand dryers don’t cut it on formal
nights.

Our cabin was quite small but no worse then expected. The room steward, while we never did see him did a first
class job. His intuition on when to service the cabin was remarkable.

St. John’s was a very beautiful island, the vistas were fabulous and the beaches pristine and unspoiled.
Unfortunately however the over priced excursion we took was for the most part, a rip-off. The lunch that came with
the $50.00 package consisted of a cellophane wrapped chicken salad sandwich, a bag of chips and a cookie.
Hardly worthy of the blessings of the celebrated Norwegian line.

St. Thomas downtown looked dirty and felonious. The island itself from what we could see was resplendent

St Maarten was the best stop over and the Golden Eagle Catamaran excursion was outstanding. Since they
cancelled our Bahamian stop because of hurricane damage to the island they could have stayed here another day.
Incidently, no verbal apology, alternate activities or compensation was offered as a result of the deletion of this
stop.

Overall a fair cruise at a fair price but I would certainly pursue alternate lines for our next cruise. Norwegian really
need to address these displeasing elements in this competetive Cruise world.

Name: PAULA MORAN CUSIN
Email: moran@norshield.com
Age: 30
Occupation: COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: Sept 4/99
Itinerary: EASTERN CARIBEAN
Cabin: B264
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 65
FoodRoomService: 70
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 65
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 75
CabinQuietness: 60
FoodMidnightBuffets: 70
CabinSteward: 70
ShoreExcVariety: 65
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 65
GoodForHoneymoon: 65
CasinoStaff: 75
PrivateIsland: 60
GoodForFamilies: 65
LoungeService: 70
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors: 70
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 65
WheelchairAccess: 70
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 65
OverallPortsofCall: 75
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 70
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 70
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 75
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs: 70
DeckSpace: 75
Stabilization: 60
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 75
OverallCruiseValue: 65
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Oct 1999
Time: 07:54:07
Remote Name: 204.19.218.75
Remote User:

Comments

My husband and I took this cruise to get married and spend our honeynmoon on.

The problems started the minute we boarded, they said our cabin would not be ready in time for us to change into
our wedding attire. We finally did manage to get our room 20 minutes before the ceremony was to start.

We felt there were so few activities on board. The bingo was not cheap if you were interested in playing, it seemed
that the staff was always pushing for you to take part in these activities because there was always a fee involved.

We kept on saying to ourselves, it cannot get worse, this cruise can only get better but no matter how many times
we told ourselves we were just plain bored to death.

Our table was all honeymoon couples, one couple never returned throughout the week for dinner cause they were
shocked at the quality of the food, very mediocre.

Our waiter never addressed us personally, he seemed totally uninterested in making the cruise memorable for
anyone at our table.

We tried "Le Bistro" which was fabulous, the service in there was better than a five start restaurant but of course
you had to pay a fee of $5 pp. We didn't mind because it was well worth it. I was always told that the service was like
that in the dining rooms.

I was told the Pursers desk was the central communication for the cruise. Anytime we had a question they never
had an answer, in fact one day my husband had sun stroke so I went and asked for Tylenol, the guy threw it across
the counter at me.

The islands were nice but the Great Stirrup Cay did not impress us at all.

I would never recommend the Norway after what we experienced and I would be hesistant to try any other NCL
cruise as their attitude towards their passengers leaves a lot to be desired.

Name: Paul & Judy Nock
Email: pwnock@gate.net
Age: 57
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 9
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 10/2/99
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: A016
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 70
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 75
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 18 Oct 1999
Time: 19:02:07
Remote Name: tsbrk2-196.gate.net
Remote User:

Comments

We were part of a group of 52 people that went together on the cruise. Some comments will be a consensus of the
group and will be so identified. The consensus was that it was a very good cruise, the overall food quality was quite
good, the service was excellent and the entertainment was very good. Since we were part of a large group and we
live on the West coast of Florida about 60 miles North of Tampa, NCL sent a bus for us. The trip to Miami was
uneventful with a stop for lunch. We were met at the dock by the NCL porters who took our luggage and delivered it
to our cabins very quickly. Check in was very quick and efficient and we were on board within 15-20 minutes after
arrival. We were seated at 5 tables of eight and 2 tables of six in the Windward dining room. All the tables were
together and all seating arrangements were as requested. All meals but one were of very good quality and the
service was excellent. Both our waiter and busboy were friendly and efficient. The only subpar meal was on a night
that a couple bingo players at our table were late and our order was at the end of the line.

When your waiter tells
you to be on time for meals, pay attention. Previous comments about the Windward dining room being crowded and
noisy are correct, but that did not detract too much from the overall dining experience. The outdoor restaurant was
acceptable for buffet food. The cheeseburgers were better than some restaurants, the shrimp salad was good and
there was a large selection of salads and fruit. My wife and I ate at LeBistro one night. The food was very good, the
service was outstanding (there were very few people there the night we went, it had been closed for maintenance
the first part of the cruise) and my wife got to satisfy her craving for caviar and champagne. The only room service
we used was the last night to get 2 sodas while we were packing and they arrived within 5 minutes. The
entertainment was overall very good. The singers and dancers were at least as good and sometimes better than on
other cruises we have taken. A young lady ventriloquist was very, very good and her use of some audience
members was hilarious. There was a sign at the purser’s desk that their private island had been hit hard by one of
the hurricanes and was not ready for use, so we got a day at sea instead. We heard that NCL tried to get into
Nassau, but were turned down there as well.

Our cabin was small. but adequate. We were seldom there, so the lack
of a remote for the small TV was not a problem. You could get a remote for a $50 deposit and had to turn it in at the
end of the cruise. It seems they could supply remotes for free, but evidently some people walk off with them and this
is NCLs way of controlling loss. One of our group had a problem with the toilet backing up in their cabin. The toilet
was replaced, but that did not solve the problem. Don’t know if the problem would have been resolved or not
because a passenger became ill. The captain took the ship to San Salvador so he could be taken ashore and flown
to Miami. So, the couple with the problem was moved into that cabin. The captain later announced the patient was
doing fine in Miami. The cruise staff we had any contact with were friendly and helpful. Some of the jokes were awful
and stale, but that’s to be expected. Disembarkation was smooth and the bus ride home was fine. Everyone had a
good time and enjoyed the cruise. We would sail on the Norway again. .

Name: Borden & Monica Hildenbrand
Email: boards@emporium.on.ca
Age: 64 - 60
Occupation: Retired and Professional
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: Oct. 8 - 15
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: V164 Inside
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess: 80
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Oct 1999
Time: 11:50:55
Remote Name: pm3-01.emporium.on.ca
Remote User:

Comments

This was our sixth cruise and second on NCL. The Norway was our choice because of the itinerary and we wanted to
see the ship having heard and read so much about her history. Our TA arranged our air package for us. The transfer
to the ship went well and entire embarkation process went very well and quick. However debarkation went a little
different and the transfers got messed up and we ended up paying again for our transfers, which we will take up with
our TA. Our cabin was very well laid and we had a double bed, with a full bath (shower and tub). We had lots of room
for our clothes and the suitcases fit under the bed. It was very quiet a night, we hardly heard any sounds at all. We were
midship on the Viking deck (164). The cabin steward was very efficient and the beds were always made up very quickly
and everything set in order soon after we left the cabin for breakfast, or in the evening it was made ready for sleep. We
were very close to the Windward Dining Room (table 29), on deck down which was very convenient. The room is very
beautiful and tables fairly close to one another and the it is very noisey. We were very pleased with the food. They had
a good variety and a good presentation by our waiter and busboy. They did an excellent job in serving us, with never a
incident.

We had an excellent table. The two other couples and ourselves clicked right away and we enjoyed each
others company the entire trip. They even bankrolled my wife, who works as a blackjack dealer, to teach them how to
play the game, however the ship got the money and they had the enjoyment of playing together. We went to only one
late night buffet and it was very good. We also had lunch in the Great Outdoor Restaurant several times and enjoyed
the food very much. The food was good wherever it was served. We walked most of the time, mostly for the exercise,
the elevators were small and service was slow. The shows were excellent and very enjoyable. The North Cape Lounge
is a little crowded, but we still enjoyed all the entertainment presented there. There was always room around the pool
and lounges were always available. One thing we missed was a place to sit at night and just relax. You had to go to one
of the lounges and of course there was always something going on. We enjoyed walking the decks and visiting the
various shops. They were very well stocked and not too expensive.

We enjoyed the ice cream shop in the afternoon.
We were disappointed in St. Maarten, it has gone so commercial. We saw it a number of years ago when it was quite
different. One thing was okay we found some .99 cent good old Labatt's Blue. It rained the day we were tendered into
St. Thomas, but that didn't slow down by wife. She always likes shopping there and never fails to leave without
purchasing some jewellery and perfume. We had the effects of Hurrican Irene for the last 3 days and did not get onto
Great Stirrup Cay because of poor weather conditions. We did stop only to leave some things for the people living on
the island. We also were four hours late getting into port, but we were leaving late for our return flight to Detroit, so it
didn't cause us a problem. I'm sure it did others though. We enjoyed the cruise and would recommend NCL to anyone.
You have to travel on the Norway at least once if really enjoy cruising. We were with some people that this was their
third time and other couple the second time. Borden and Monica 1999

Name: Doug Anderson
Email: 1doug1@gte.net
Age: 35
Occupation: Firefighter/Paramedic
NumberOfCruises: 16
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Norway
SailingDate: 09/24/99
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: Ocean View
FoodDiningRoom: 60
CruiseDirector: 50
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 70
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 1
FoodMidnightBuffets: 70
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 1
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 0
GoodForFamilies: 70
LoungeService: 99
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess: 85
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 1
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities: 1
ShipCleanliness: 70
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 50
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Nov 1999
Time: 02:25:46
Remote Name: 1cust243.tnt2.phoenix.az.da.uu.net
Remote User:

Comments

My wife and I took the Norway Cruise as our honeymoon. We were placed in a room that had two lower beds that could
not be placed together. After requesting a change in cabins, we were charged an additional $100 + for an alternate
cabin. The cabin was very large and comfortable, unfortunately it also was right beside the all night disco.

The majority of the staff were downright rude and quite unfriendly. The exception was the staff in the Sports Bar who
proved to be a delight and quite entertaining.

The food was OK - nothing great. My wife and one other person at our dinner table became quite ill - with a bacteria
caused by a food borne illness and missed two days of the cruise. The Medical Facility on board was quite gracious in
curing these illness - as well as charging over a $100 for the service.

The activites seemed lacking. For the first time in all my years cruising, I actually became bored while on the Ship. For a
7 day cruise, there were only two days in a port. Five days on a cruise ship with not a lot of activity can become quite
tiring.

I would definetly say this was the worst Cruise that I have ever been on. Unfortunately, it was my wife's first 7 day cruise
and it did not leave a very good impression.

I would not recommend this cruise at all.

Back to NCL Norway