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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: JAMES TRIPP
Email: jtt51646@aol.com
Age: 53
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 10/03/99
Itinerary: Texaribbean
Cabin: 4223
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector: 87
CabinComfort: 79
FoodRoomService: 89
CruiseStaff: 89
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 89
FoodMidnightBuffets: 79
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 88
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 89
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 89
BeautySalonStaff: 79
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 89
BeautySalon: 79
EntertainmentPoolside: 87
CruiseActivities: 88
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 82
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 82
ShopsOnBoard: 89
SpaceRatio: 79
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 Oct 1999
Time: 07:43:06
Remote Name: spider-wc082.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was the first cruise my husband and I had taken. After reading hundreds of cruise
reviews and searching the
Internet for hours, we selected NCL's Texaribbean cruise. It was a choice we will never
regret.
We departed from Houston, TX on Oct. 3 on the Norwegian Sea with the itinerary being:
Sunday - depart from
Houston at 4:00 p.m. Monday - at sea Tuesday - at sea Wednesday - Cancun Thursday -
Cozumel Friday - Roatan,
Honduras Saturday - at sea Sunday - arrive Houston at 8:00 a.m.
We arrived at the departure terminal at noon. The embarkation process was not as unnerving
as some cruise
reviews had said. The NCL staff was courteous and helpful in making the process as
painless as possible. After a
15 minute wait in line, we were given our boarding passes (and the advice that these were
the most important
documents on the entire cruise) along with our table assignment in the Four Seasons dining
room.
After approximately an hour in the waiting area, we were called to board the ship. Our
cabin was on the 4th level
(the Main Deck). Located on the Main Deck were the Crystal Court (a beautiful place where
several events were
scheduled), the Pursers Desk, the Shore Excursion Desk, the Seven Seas Dining Room, the
Four Seasons Dining
Room, along with many other facilities. Our cabin was just a few feet from all these
facilities making our location very
convenient.
After taking our carry-on luggage to our cabin, we read the Cruise News (a daily
newsletter left in your cabin by
your room steward) to see what the day's activities were going to be. Be sure to read
these every evening; they
contain lots of valuable information for the next day. The ship had staff members that
gave informative talks about
shore excursions, shopping, etc. If you don't want to take the time to attend these, most
of them are recorded and
played throughout the day on the ship's TV channel. There are announcements periodically
on the ship's intercom
that covers the day's events. The ship's personnel did an excellent job of keeping
everybody informed.
We soon discovered that one of the most crucial staff members was our room steward, Leon.
This was one of the
most accommodating, pleasant, warm gentlemen we have had the pleasure to meet. His daily
comment to us was
'It's my joy in life to make people happy'; and he did everything in his power to do
exactly that! Please be sure to tip
your room steward, waiter, and bus boy, especially if they do an exceptional service for
you.
We then went to the Big Apple Cafe for lunch. This was a cafeteria style buffet, but there
was an interesting array of
salads, fresh fruit, typical and not so typical cafeteria food. We then turned in our
forms at the Shore Excursion
Desk. This should be done as soon as possible after boarding the ship because shore
excursions book up quickly.
The first two days at sea were a little rough. We ran into rough seas with rain almost all
day Monday. BE SURE to
pack the Dramamine!!! Despite the rough ride and the lousy weather, we enjoyed exploring
the ship, taking in the
shows, and other activites.
Sunday evening we saw the Jean Ann Ryan Company's production called Broadway. The
entertainers were very
talented and the show very good. Be sure to arrive for the show at least 20-30 minutes
prior to showtime to get
good seats. There are many columns that could block your view, so the wait in line will be
worth getting a good seat.
Monday evening was the formal Captain's dinner. We had the opportunity to meet our table
companions - a
wonderful variety of interesting young and old couples. A retired couple (who were
experienced cruisers and gave
us valuable information) were the center of attention when we celebrated the wife's 80th
birthday. It was a little
cramped and noisy, but the food and dinner conversation was very entertaining. The service
was excellent!
The Captain announced Monday night that due to inclement weather and high swells, the ship
would not tender into
Cancun on Tuesday, but would dock in Cozumel for two days rather than one day. We weren't
the least
disappointed because we had read that Cancun was very commercialized. We had read many
reviews regarding
Cancun. Several reviews had stated that the snorkeling was not as good as Cozumel. Also,
the excursions to the
Mayan ruins, Chichen Itza and Tulum, were all-day trips with very little time at the
ruins.
Since we had done so much research prior to the cruise, we opted to take taxis, rent our
own snorkel equipment,
and venture out on our own. This was quite a bit cheaper than booking shore excursions
from the ship, although
the ship offered a good variety of shore excursions that we heard many people recommend.
The Dolphin Discovery
was the only shore excursion we booked from the ship. We highly recommend this excursion
for anyone - young
and old. It was a little expensive ($87 per person), but after being in the water for 45
minutes, touching, holding, and
having a dolphin kiss each of us, we decided it was worth every penny!!!
The beaches on Cozumel were a little crowded , so the snorkeling was not the best due to
the cloudy water, but the
beaches were nice.
After a full day on shore, we opted for a casual dinner at the Big Apple Cafe, played
Bingo, and saw a late night
comedy show starring Sam Griesbaum. This is a show you shouldn't miss. He was absolutely
hilarious!!!!
Thursday morning, we docked at Roatan, a small island off the coast of Honduras. We were
told the island was a
protected marine sanctuary. The first glimpse of the poverty was mildly distressing, but
the people were wonderful,
warm, and seemed genuinely glad to have us there. We had a lovely women who braided my
hair for $15
(approximately half the going price in Cozumel). She was extremely well versed and was
kind enough to interview
several taxi drivers that could speak fluent English. She found a young man, gave him
strict instructions regarding
our safety and enjoyment, and recommended a beach called Fantasy Island. We spent the
entire day on this
wonderful beach - immaculate, snow white beaches - accomodating waiters - the best
snorkeling!!!!! This was the
most peaceful, non-commercial, charming island we have ever visited. We are seriously
considering, in the future,
flying to Roatan for a week or two.
Thursday evening we saw the Jean Ann Ryan Company's rendition of Grease. My husband
enjoyed this show so
much, he wanted to see it again.
After the show, we opted for a late night dinner at the Le Bistro on the 10th level of the
ship. This dinner was a true
dining experience! The atmosphere was quiet and romantic with impeccable service!! The
chocolate fondue with
fresh fruit was one of the best desserts we had ever eaten.
Friday afternoon we went to the Liar's Club. This was a hilarous game show with some of
the ship's entertainers.
Don't miss the Not-So-Newlywed Game. This was fun also. Friday evening was another formal
dinner. While dining
on lobster, we were introduced to and entertained by the entire dining room/kitchen staff.
They put on a wonderful
show with singing, dancing, and a wonderful presentation of the dessert - baked Alaska.
Saturday the ship was at sea heading back to Houston. This day turned out to be another
rainy, stormy day
preventing any outside activities. During these two days on the ship, we ate, played
Bingo, ate, shopped, ate,
selected our photos from the ship's photographer, and ate again! Be sure to have your
picture taken by the ship's
photographers at every opportunity so you will have a nice selection to choose from at the
end of the cruise. We
were slightly disappointed with our pictures because we had not done this. The pictures
were expensive, but made
good memories. We suggest passing up the Bingo. It was expensive and we never did hear if
anyone won the Big
Jackpot. Throughout the week, we noticed there weren't many people in the Casino (unless
they showed up in the
wee hours). We heard several people comment on how they spent lots of money, but didn't
win anything; therefore,
we passed up the Casino.
We would recommend this cruise, especially to first time cruisers. We would highly
recommend cruising with NCL
and look forward to vacationing on one of their ships again. Their employees were very
courteous, helpful, and
most of them seemed to genuinely enjoy what they were doing. Despite the two days of rain,
we thoroughly enjoyed
this cruise, but any future cruises will be planned with less time being confined to the
ship and more time on shore.
Name: Kathy White
Email: kwhite@midkan.com
Age: 44
Occupation: CPA
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 10/17/99
Itinerary: Western Carribean
Cabin: 8204
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 80
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 80
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Oct 1999
Time: 16:35:23
Remote Name: 205.160.31.91
Remote User:
Comments
I am still glowing from our week on the Norwegian Sea. This cruise was a wonderful,
relaxing vacation (and we even
brought the kids and in-laws!).
Since we had seven people in our group, we drove to Houston in our Suburban and parked at
the port. The parking is
$49 for the week, and it is in a fenced area. We arrived about 12:30, and the line was
long. While we were standing in
line, someone asked if we were all American citizens. We have a Japanese exchange student
with us, so we were
whisked off to another line, and had to wait about two minutes before we checked in. After
that, they found out we were
Latitudes members, and they personally escorted us to the area where you go through the
metal detectors. We were on
the ship in less than 10 minutes after arriving at the port!
First, I’ll start with the cabin. Since it was low season, we paid the run-of-ship
rate and got a Category A cabin on the
Norway deck. We had plenty of room, plus a bathtub and a refrigerator in our room. We also
had an extra bed/couch
and plenty of room. The cabin was categorized as having an obstructed view, but we could
easily see over the lifeboat
outside our window. Our three children also got a Category A cabin, and the in-laws got a
Category C. For the price of
a run-of-ship cabin, I think we were very lucky to have such nice cabins. We booked them
directly with Norwegian, and
did not use a travel agent, so I think that helped. We also knew what cabins we had at the
time of booking. I have
booked run-of-ship rates before with Princess, and did not our cabin number until we
checked in on sailing day.
We had main seating for dinner, and a table for 12. The dining room was noisy and crowded,
but the service from our
waiter and busboy made it such a pleasant experience that we ate most all of our meals in
the dining room. The food
was good, but not exceptional. Some of the times it tasted warmed up rather than fresh
cooked, but it was what we
expected when they are serving 1,000+ people at the same time. If someone did not like the
food, our waiter brought
them something else. The service was excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed our waiter, Antonio
I, and our busboy, Antonio
II. You only had to tell them once what you liked to drink with your meal, with dessert,
etc. We did not know that when it
is open seating in the dining room, you can request to sit at the table of your regular
waiter. Antonio asked us to
request his table, so he was waiter for most every meal. He kept my 12 year old son
occupied with napkin folding! We
only ate at the Big Apple a couple of times, and never tried Le Bistro.
The ship did not stop at Cancun. We were getting ready to drop the anchor, and a squall
(as the captain called it) came
up and we went to Cozumel a day early. The weather in Cozumel was sunny, even though it is
only a few miles from
Cancun. There were a lot of people on board who were disappointed we did not stop at
Cancun. I had been there
before, so didn’t mind not stopping. We had a full 24 hours in Cozumel. We went
shopping (of course) and took a taxi to
a beach called Playa Del Sol ( I think). The beach was OK, nothing spectacular. The taxi
ride was unnerving. The roads
in Cozumel are very bad and just dodging the potholes is dangerous. When you get off the
ship and walk off the pier,
the main shopping is to your left. If you go about 3 blocks to your right, there is a
large Mexican grocery/department
store. It was wonderful! Even though everything is priced in pesos, they convert to
dollars when you check out. The
shopping is authentic, not tourist traps like the other stores. For example, you can buy a
large bottle of Mexican vanilla
for about $1.20 at the grocery store. At the tourist trap shops, the same amount of
vanilla is $5.95.
The next stop was Roatan. Our waiter, Antonio is from Roatan so we talked to him about
what to do. He recommended
Fantasy Island. We got a taxi at the pier and negotiated a round trip fare for seven
people. It was $10 per person,
payable at the time he brought us back to the ship. Fantasy Island was very nice. We
rented snorkeling equipment
there for $7 per person. On one side of the island you swim, and the other side is for
snorkeling. We saw tons of fish
that delighted the kids and my mother-in-law (it was her first time). We ate lunch there
at the restaurant, and it wasn’t
very good. Also, watch out the for sand fleas. We used OFF and didn’t have any
trouble, but another person at our
dining room table got lots of bites on her back and had to go to the ship’s doctor
for treatment. She was miserable! The
roads in Roatan were so much better than Cozumel. The poverty is depressing; it reminded
me of Jamaica. On the way
back to the ship, we had our taxi driver take us to a grocery store. It wasn’t nearly
as neat as the one in Cozumel, but it
was interesting. I would definitely recommend going to Fantasy Island, just remember the
bug spray!
Our two days at sea on the way home to Houston were so relaxing, and the perfect way to
end a perfect vacation. We
lounged around the pool, played bingo, and just did nothing. We went to three of the shows
on the ship. Grease was
spectacular. I have seen the Grease in London, and I think the one on the ship was just as
good. The magic show
probably would have been good if you had been in the first five rows; from the back of the
room, we couldn’t see a
thing. One of the things I will remember most about this trip is the friendliness of the
people. Not just the ship’s staff, but
the other passengers as well. Everyone you sat next to was friendly and outgoing. We met
some wonderful people.
I almost forgot our room stewardess. She did a great job. I have read other reviews where
they never saw their room
steward. We saw ours almost every time we opened the door! It seemed like she was always
out in the hallway. Her
husband was a security officer on the ship, and he was helping her in the mornings. She
even folded our clothes if we
left them out.
Yes, I would definitely go again. We hope to make this an annual event for our family. The
Norwegian staff does
everything it can to please you.
Name: Peter Garner
Email: ptgarner@prodigy.net
Age: 40
Occupation: Business Mgr
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 11-14-99
Itinerary: Texaribean
Cabin: 8034
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 50
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 75
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 65
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 100
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 40
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 100
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 100
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 18 Dec 1999
Time: 00:45:24
Remote Name: ltrkb104-14.splitrock.net
Remote User:
Comments
.My wife and 2 month old had a wonderful time. Cancun was a disaster however. The tender
ashore was a
life and death struggle due to high waves and once ashore it was so commercialized. You
had to wait an
average of 1 1/2 hours for your turn to go ahore and over 75 % of the people were fed up
with Cancun and
trying to get back on the ship within 4hrs. I know it is the first stop but most said they
wish they had stayed
on board. If you insist on going ashore. the shore excursions left way ahead of the
regular passengers but
most I talked with were disappointed with their tour. Not to worry Cozumel more than makes
up for Cancun.
The ship will dock and you are able to walk ashore and within a block of the best shopping
in this
hemisphere. (especially Jewelry). As with most stops carry plenty of smaller bills etc.
because the locals will
give you back pesos for change. I would highly recomment Chacanarb park for the beaches
and snorkling.
The people are friendly and town clean. Roatan is an empoverished unspoiled marvel. The
potholed dirt
streets on the 1 block walk to town are filled with pleasant yet persistent children
trying to sell seashells
and anything else they thing you might be interested in. the slum like conditions however
disturbed some
people. The dolphin discovery was fantastic. what an amazing friendly animal. Also the
snorkling here is
the best. To fully enjoy it you need to take a tour that will boat you to the barrier
reef. It is a primitive ,
unspoiled island not yet visited by every tourist. On the ship, I would highly recomment
the Le Bistro on the
10th floor.The big apple cafe on the 9th resembles your old school cafateria. The service
in the main
dining areas was nothing short of spectacular as was most of the personel on the ship .
They literally
seemed to be looking for some way to make you happy. The room accomodations were
comforatable if not
spectacular. The ship was being cleaned and maintenance done 24 hrs a day. Laundry service
was
available yet extremely expensive. Your money--credit cards can't be used on the ship. All
purchases
(amazingly including soft drinks) had to be put on you room tab. However save real cash
for your tips on
the last day. If you run short of cash you can draw casino chips on your room acct. This
is considerably
cheaper than the satellite charges for ATM cards. The depression at having to leave the
ship was almost
unbearable. Take plenty of pictures and bring back souveniers
Name: Graydon McKee
Email: gsmckee@bigfoot.com
Age: 29
Occupation: Claims Rep
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: October 10th 1999
Itinerary: Western Carribean
Cabin: 8015
FoodDiningRoom: 50
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 75
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 50
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets: 50
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 89
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon: 70
CasinoStaff: 75
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 70
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 75
EntertainmentLounges: 70
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 70
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 20
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 75
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 70
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 22 Dec 1999
Time: 12:25:12
Remote Name: user-2iveh1r.dialup.mindspring.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was our first cruise. We had looked at many different honeymoon options and always
heard great
things about cruising so we thought we would give it a try. I booked thru an agent about 9
months ahead.
About two weeks from the sail date, our agent called to tell us that there were problems.
She had received
the tickets but they were incorrect. My bride to be was set to fly from Baltimore but I
was set to fly from
Vancouver. The flight back was also not right. This time I was all right from Huston back
to Baltimore
however; my bride was set to fly from London to Huston; another mistake. After calling the
cruise line and
overnighting the tickets back and forth we finally got things worked out but only if we
took the 6:30 am flight
from Baltimore. Needless to say this we did. We arrived in Huston and had the usual delay
getting to the
ship but what do you expect for getting there so early in the day.
The cruise staff that met us at the airport
were friendly and helpful. We then had an hour ride from the airport to the dock. It was
quite amazing to
spend the trip driving thru oil fields and refineries and then to turn a corner and come
across a cruise ship
in the middle of nowhere. Boarding was fine and everyone was courteous. We had a few
hiccups up to this
point but the cruise got off to a decent start. We were hungry and were set up for the
late seating so we
stopped by the Big Apple Café to grab a bite to eat. This was a disappointment. I got a
beef stroganoff, the
meat was tough, and it resembled a Hungarian goulash more than a stroganoff. The food was
second rate
at best. As a side bar, we decided to try this Café again the next day while sitting
around the pool. Much to
my surprise, I found Hungarian goulash on the buffet. It was the same beef stroganoff I
had had the day
before just reheated and served again. While I am all for using your leftovers I would
have thought that
they would have at least waited a day or two to reserve the same thing. The Dinning Rooms
were not much
better. We sat in the Seven Seas Dining room at table 41.
Our Server was Federico. However much I was
disappointed with the food on this cruise, I cannot fault the service at all. Federico was
quick, efficient, and
funny. I have had dinner in quite a few top shelf restaurants all over the country and he
was right up there
with the best of them. If anything saved our cruise, it was Federico. While the food kept
getting worse and
worse, his service stayed impeccable. As for the excursions, they were fine. We were
unable to stop in
Cancun because of the rough seas but that gave us an extra night in Cozumal. This was a
delightful little
port. We ate dinner at a restaurant off the plaza. There were many shops, some had
bargains, and others
did not. My bride spotted a silver chain she liked and had seen one similar at home and
began to bargain
with the man for it. She speaks Spanish fluently so I just stood there as if I knew what
they were talking
about. After about 15 minutes, we politely excused ourselves. He would not come below $160
and she
knew she could get an identical one at home for $100. We did come across some real
bargains but I guess
you have to know what you are shopping for and make an informed decision. Cozumal was a
blast. I
definitely want to revisit that little town again. The next day we went to Chichen Itza.
That was a long trip but
worth it. I will defiantly want to visit there again. It was a 45-minute tender ride to
the mainland then a
three-hour bus trip to the site. We only spent about two hours there and then were back on
the bus for the
return trip. The guides were knowledgeable and offered a lot of good information. They
spoke about the
people and the sites as we drove thru the countryside. Our last stop was at Roatan. We
took the West End
Kayaking trip and had a lot of fun. We fell off the Kayak a few times and packed it in. On
our way back a
local stopped and told us what we were doing wrong but by then we had had enough. We spend
the day at
a bar the guides owned and talked with other members of the cruise. They took us
snorkeling but the water
was unusually rough and visibility was poor. My wife was disappointed; she has gone skin
diving here in the
past and wanted me to see some of the reefs but all I saw was sand. Roatan is definitely a
spot that you
want to visit before it becomes overrun with tourists. I will definitely try to get back
there some time soon.
Overall, this was a fun cruise. The Norwegian Sea is not a new ship and definitely shows
her age but we
had a good time. The best meal we had was ashore at Cozumal. The food onboard left a lot
to be desired.
On average the food at a TGI Fridays or Appleby's is better than what we had onboard.
Breakfast was the
best meal of the day and with all that you will be doing, I would not suggest skipping
that. I do not normally
eat breakfast but did this time. Stay away from the scrambled eggs though, there powdered.
We will cruise
again but probably another line. If I do sail Norwegian again it will not be this ship.
Norwegian cannot be
faulted for their service however they need to hire some better cooks.
Name: Steve Bullard
Email: uht_spb@shsu.edu
Age: 49
Occupation: Manager
NumberOfCruises: 13
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 12/19/99
Itinerary: caribbean
Cabin: 3047
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 50
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 70
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 78
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 60
FoodVariety: 89
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 80
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 70
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 70
WheelchairAccess: 50
ExerciseFacilities: 75
EntertShowLounge: 60
OverallPortsofCall: 65
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 70
Casino: 72
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 78
DiscoNightclubs: 75
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 78
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 14 Jan 2000
Time: 15:09:51
Remote Name: unxwc.shsu.edu
Remote User:
Comments
This cruise was over Christmas and had over 1600 passengers. Cabin: The size was a big surprise. This was my 14th
cruise and I have never seen a cabin this small. Hard to beleive the ship was built just 11 years ago. All the inside
cabins are the same size, you just pay to be on different decks (which does not matter a bit). I overheard the inside
cabins measured out at 110 square feet. I also looked into some of the outside cabins and they looked the same size
at the inside cabins, just with a window. The cleanliness of the cabin was fine but it was a bit run down. Such things as
broken tiles in the shower. and the built in drawer unit was junk. When you opened a drawer it would fall out and land
on your foot. We also found we really missed the small in room safes we have used on other ships. Our cabin steward
was exceptional and made our 'small' little cabin a pleasure to come back to.
Food; No problems here. The menus were very good. The cold soups at dinner were a hit. The Big Apple cafe food
was sort of just thrown up on the line. Our wake up call each morning was a knock on out cabin door, room service
with coffee and toast, a most pleasent way to wake up.
Service; Our dinner waiter was outstanding. We were a family of twelve at our table and he was perfect, never rushed
or stressed. Our wine stewardess was excellent. A nice touch for the meals when a glass or two remained in the bottle,
she would save the bottle for you for another meal.
Photographers; We spent a good bit on photos. Out of the three photographers, two were just click, click. Only one
took the time to look at you before he took you picture. He would adjust your cuff, check your hair, etc.. Guess who
took all the photos we purchased!
Pool area; Even though it was always packed we could always find lounge chairs. One shortcoming. With 300+
children on the cruise the pools were very busy. Many small kids running around and diving into the pools, jumping
into the hot tubs, eating (dripping) into the hot tubs, etc. NCL had dozens of cocktail waiters constantly walking around
the pools to sell drinks, but not one single pool attendent. I don't mean a lifeguard, just someone to keep an eye on
the situation.
Shore tours; Sunday, the day of sailing, my wife was the second person in line when the tour desk opened for the first
time on the cruise. At opening time the clerk came out and hung a sign saying such & such tours were sold out. It was
the tours we wished to go on and had been looking forward to since reading about them in the info that came with the
tickets. Very irritating!
Ports; We skipped Cancun due to rough water, yea sure. Saying the water was rough was a joke. I have read on past
reviews the skip Cancun very often. Now the collect port tax for all the ports ($125), where is the refund of this tax
when they don't go to the port. Think about it; 1600 passengers at say $20 each adds us to $32,000 in the ships
pocket. Do you see any incentive to skip a port. Golfers beware. The nice info you are sent is not always true. Several
passengers came with their clubs only to be told that golf is not available in the winter due to it becoming dark so
early. Roatan was wonderful. Very very poor, but the people were kind and helpful. For my children it was touching,
they had never seen such poverty. But for those of you born to shop, can't do it here.
Shows; The show room productions were sub high school. Exception was a ballet couple who were excellent dancers.
Wheelchairs; Skip this ship. My daughter had a broken leg. She used a wheelchair so as not to become exhaused
traveling around the ship. Some of the elevators do not go to all the floors. The stern elevators are really small and
have trouble even getting one wheelchair in. One night after dinner in Le Bristo on deck 10 we left to find both
elevators broken. We had to carry my daughter & the wheelchair down the stairs to get to another deck with access to
different elevators. Suggest if you are in a wheelchair you shop for a newer ship.
Decor; Ships like Holland America have beautiful million dollar art on their ships. The NCL Sea only had a mix mash of
for sale art all over the ship. Everything had a price tag on it. Very tacky. As this was a Christmas cruise several big
gingerbread houses were displayed in the lobby and dining rooms. By the end of the week they had been picked
clean of the candy an cookies and looked like garbage. But this did not seem to bother any of the staff. We were
shocked at how bad the looked yet no ships staff bothered to remove them.
Overview: If you are a first time cruiser this cruise would be fine for you. You save a lot of money by not flying to
Florida. Even with the shortcomings, for the price it is a very pleasant cruise. The service from staff does a lot to bring
this ship up.
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