ncl-norwegiansea17

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Lucinda Saxon
Email: Lucinda_Saxon@hotmail.com
Age: 26
Occupation: Legislative Employee
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 10-29-00
Itinerary: Cancun, Cosumel, and Roatan
Cabin: 3205
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector: 79
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 89
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 69
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 69
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 75
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Nov 2000
Time: 18:35:58
Remote Name: 204.65.61.163
Remote User:

Comments

My husband and I were traveling with another couple, and we were all really looking forward to our first
cruise, although none of us knew really what to expect. The embarking process was very easy, we
arrived about 2:30pm and were on board by 3:30pm. We were arriving just in time to go through the
life boat drill, which was painless and worth our time, just in case. Our luggage arrived in spurts, but all
before dinner.

The dining room was nice, and we had the most wonderful waiter, Nelson, and busboy, Felix. My water
glass never got half empty and I never wanted for food. Nelson encouraged us all to try many items on
the menu and teased us if we didn’t. He was fantastic and really enhanced our trip. Don’t miss the
dancing the wait staff does on Friday night - it is not to be missed!! The food itself, was decent,
especially considering how many people are being served. Breakfast and lunch in the dining room
were good, especially breakfast.

We ate one meal at Le Bistro and wanted to go back, but we had such a good time with our table
mates in the dining room, we couldn’t miss out on their company. The food at Le Bistro was
exceptional, although the wine steward was quite rude to us when we didn’t order wine.

We tried the Big Apple Café only once - we were less than impressed, so we didn’t go back.

Room service was a nice treat - we ordered coffee and juice into the room every morning. We used
our morning room services as our wake up call - they call you just before they bring it to you - a great
way to start the day.

The four of us traveling together had all been to Cancun previously, so we decided to take the Ship’s
Shore Excursion, Xcaret at Night. What a waste of my time and money. After being on the tender for
40 minutes, we were immediately directed on to a bus for a 70 minute ride to the park. We were only
allowed 2 hours of free time then were forced to attend shows, the only show we enjoyed was the last
one. We were the last tender back to the ship and the ride was really rough. There were several on
the tender that were sick. I wish we had skipped this port altogether.

Cosumel was a nice treat after Cancun. We decided to go out and find adventure on our own - as we
were getting off the ship, we met a man that would take us to three snorkeling spots for $25 per
person (the ship didn’t charge less than $36 for a snorkeling tour), and it would include beer, water,
cokes and all our snorkeling equipment. We hopped in his boat, right off the pier, and did some great
snorkeling for about 3 hours. He dropped us off where he picked us up, we had time to change our
clothes on the ship and walk into town where we had a few drinks, some needed chips and salsa and
we shopped! It was a wonderful day.

Our day in Roatan made the day in Cosumel seem dreary. As we made our way off the boat, we met a
taxi driver named Kirby Bodden who was beyond fantastic! He took us to Half Moon Bay to lay in the
sun and snorkel. We paid $10 per person, round trip. (This is the price we were told to pay, from
reading other reviews on this website. Apparently not everyone reads this website, because we met
some people that afternoon that paid $20 per person round trip.) We had a wonderful time in Roatan,
the snorkeling was incredible - it wasn’t too crowded and the drinks were cheap. When Kirby picked us
back up he drove us all around the island, told us all about the economy and people there. He even
took us back to his house - he rents out rooms for $100 per week. It is right on the beach and really
primitive, but beautiful - my husband are planning to go back and stay there for 3 or 4 days next fall.
His place is called Judy’s Fantasea. We still got back in time for a little shopping out by the ship. There
are little booths right outside the pier that reminded me of a flea market, it was quite fun bargaining
with everyone. One funny thing we saw - a school bus from my hometown!! I am from a TINY town in
Texas - maybe 800 people - and my hometown had sold Roatan one of our old school busses - talk
about a small world! This port is incredible and a must see. It is lush, green and more wonderful than I
imagined.

Our days at sea were nice, the ship had various activities throughout the day - not many that we
participated in - unless you count napping and reading by the pool a group activity - but everyone
participating seemed to have a good time & I enjoyed watching. Don’t miss the Not So Newlywed
Game, the Elvis Contest or the Men’s Best Leg contest - hilarious. There were always chairs and
clean towels available by the pool. There was a band that played off and on throughout the day, they
were not bad. The waiters really pushed the drinks, continually telling us that we were on vacation, so
why not? The best drink deal seemed to be a bucket of beer (4) for $10.

We went to Boomers, the dance club one evening, but didn’t stay long. We did hear that they had
people dancing until 3 and 4 in the morning most nights. We went to Gatsby’s one evening and heard
some great old show tunes on piano. Being from Texas, the country night was entertaining. The shows
were fun, we saw a comedian one night, Jean Ann Ryan’s Broadway Review, Grease, and Sea Legs
Express. The Jean Ann Ryan Company was good, although we couldn’t get over the men dancer’s
halter tops in the Sea Legs Express show - I don’t care how great a man’s body is - he shouldn’t wear
a halter top. Oh - Johnny Thunder from the Drifters was there, too - he was really good. Make sure
you get to the shows early - they fill up fast and if you wait too long, you might have to sit behind an
annoying column.

I read several reviews of people complaining about the ships condition - it is true, the ship is older
(and the decor a little out of date), but I saw it being painted, polished, washed down and worked on
everyday. I knew the cabins were going to be small, but I didn’t realize how small. There is a lot of
storage and we didn’t have any problems there. I had also read reviews about the showers being
small - that is true as well. We were traveling with a friend that is 6'9, and teased him the entire trip
about not fitting into the shower. Our room steward, Noel, was great - he was rarely seen, but did a
great job - he iced down the bottled water we brought every day and night.

All in all, we had a nice trip and I am sad to see this cruise leave Houston. Also, thank you to everyone
who had submitted reviews - you helped make our trip memorable!

Name: C F Cross
Email: cyrdr@idt.net
Age: 51
Occupation: Custom Home Sales
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 10/15/2000
Itinerary: Texaribean
Cabin: 7004
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 50
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 50
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Nov 2000
Time: 20:01:26
Remote Name: ip54.houston14.tx.pub-ip.psi.net
Remote User:

Comments

If I had paid full price for this cruise I would be upset. In this day of electronics, embarkation should have
gone a lot smoother. We not only had to stand in line for 45 minutes, we had to wait until we were on ship
to set up an onship charge account. This involved another 45 minutes standing in line. I really do not like
the idea of being forced to wait in line so I can give someone my money. Both Disney and the
Commodore Enchanted Isle did a much better job.

You would think that upgrading from a category M to a category C would make a big difference. Not on
this ship. The bathrooms are the same size for both (tiny) and there just is not that much difference in the
cabin dimensions. To shower, apply soap to the walls and spin. The bedding was so bad I had to get
another matress. The Enchanted Isle had a tub and full sized bathroom with bidet (that actually worked)
and the Disney Magic had separate bath and toilet rooms. Both the EI and DM had larger rooms and
better beds. The Sea should have a safe deposit box in the room.

Cabin steward was great. He got the tip the Maitre'D did not.

The dining experience was mixed. The food had great possibilities and often lived up to expectations. At
other times, there was much to be desired. Serving staff was OK but they could take lessons from the EI.
We saw the Maitre 'D at table twice. The second to last night of the cruise he deshelled our lobster tail
but apparently was not aware that when lobster meat is a mushy paste, it is not any good. He appeared
the last night (surprise, surprise) in time to receive a $1 tip.

We ate at the buffet for most breakfasts and lunches. The dining experience reminded us of a high
school cafeteria. Who ever designed the buffet line needs to find other employment. Both Disney and
Commodore were much better.

The casino was very good except for the dealers at Caribbean Stud who did not know how to play the
game. Read NCL's gaming guide before playing. We did not read it until debarkation. Too late. EI has a
very small casino and, of course, Disney has none.

The ship's store was pretty good. Prices were reasonable. I wish that they would carry a few more items
for men.

It was a real irritation when the only passageway forward from midship on Deck 5 (?) is obstructed by 300
people trying to look at the pictures taken by the ship's photographer. In addition, the purchasing counter
was a table set up in the passageway which added to the confusion.

Excursions and options were very good. Because of weather, we skipped Cancun and went on to
Cozumel. If you go to Cozumel, don't miss Pancho's Backyard. Great food. We enjoyed our activities in
both Roatan and Cozumel.

We enjoyed the shows which were superior to both Disney and Commodore. We also spent too much
money on Bingo. Oh well. The exercise room was first class and there were a lot of shipboard activities to
keep you entertained if that is what you need.

Our first cruise was on the Enchanted Isle (with kids) and our second was on the Disney Magic (without
kids). This cruise was enjoyable but in my opinion ranks well below the others.

Name: Scott Prince
Email: sprince@hotmail.com
Age: 30
Occupation: Programmer
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 10/29/2000
Itinerary: Cancun, Cozumel, and Roatan
Cabin: 2009
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 87
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 93
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 87
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 75
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 89
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 14 Nov 2000
Time: 22:13:35
Remote Name: cs2764-18.houston.rr.com
Remote User:

Comments

This is the 2nd cruise that my wife and I have been on. Although we thought it was a great deal for the
money, our 1st cruise on the Royal Caribbean’s Viking Serenade was a small step above this cruise. That
being said, we both had a wonderful time on this cruise. We traveled with another couple, and we all
managed to find activities that were tailored to our interests. If you do travel with a group, we highly
recommend taking walkie talkies to keep track of one another (we did and it worked out great).

First and foremost, eating is the activity that dominated every day on the cruise.

We dined in the main dining room (Four Seasons) every day for at least one meal. The service was very
good and the menu variety offered something for all of us. I personally loved the Steak Diane and
Lobster Tail. On several evenings our waiters and busboys provided dining entertainment as they
danced through the dining room.

The Big Apple Café provided the lunch and breakfast buffet style. My wife and I enjoyed breakfast at the
Café (especially the waffle and omelet stations), but the inside dining for lunch was average at best. This
is a good place to stop for late afternoon snacking, but not a meal.

We went to the Le Bistro Restaurant on one evening of our cruise. The service was great and the food
was excellent. Everyone taking this cruise should try this restaurant at least once. Just remember, while
the food is inclusive on the cruise, tips are extra in this dining room (suggested minimum $5/person).

As a side note, don’t miss out on the sushi offered several evenings in Oscars Lounge and the Big Apple
Café. Also, the midnight buffets provide an incredible display of the artistic and culinary talents of the
onboard chefs. The chocolate buffet was really good!!

All four of us took part in the daily fitness activities led by Bob the onboard fitness guru/director. He was
great. We started almost everyday with the 1-mile walk and yogish stretching. This was very relaxing and
helped us get going in the morning. For each exercise activity, Bob will give you a sports a-float ticket.
Once you get 12 tickets you get a free shirt!!!

As for the ports of call, my wife and I ranked them in the following order: Cozumel, Roaton, and Cancun.

Cancun is the first port of call and probably the least impressive. It was very commercialized, and the
shopping was pricey.

Cozumel was far better for shopping and provides for numerous exciting excursions. We took the
excursion to the Tulum ruins and Xel-ha. The ruins are magnificent against the beautiful ocean backdrop.
Watch out for the iguanas! Xel-ha has a good variety of water activities. We took advantage of the
snorkeling. Xel-ha provides a more controlled snorkeling environment that seems to be good for
beginners.

Roaton is a beautiful, yet very primitive island. We did not take an official excursion here. Instead we
opted to take Paul David’s offer of snorkeling and lobster lunch at Salt and Pepper (Half Moon Bay) for
$24/person, including transportation. The snorkeling was excellent here (beware of the sand fleas, bring
insect repellent). Shopping is cheap, and you will find lots of great buys on woodcrafts.

On a final note, here are some quick observations of the ship. Our cabin was small, but that seems to be
the norm on most cruises. The décor was a bit old, but everything was well maintained. There was
constantly a crew cleaning and painting different areas of the ship. For those who feel lucky, the
blackjack was lots of fun (I think I broke even). We are extremely disappointed to see NCL leave Houston.
We have definitely recommended this cruise to family and friends. My wife and I love cruising so much
that we will probably only consider future cruises with a minimum itinerary of 7 days (plenty of time to relax
and forget the stress of work).

Name: Joe Fix
Email: joefix@yahoo.com
Age: 29
Occupation: Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 0
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 12/03/00
Itinerary: Cancun, Cozumel, Roatan
Cabin: 6216/B
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 69
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 70
CabinQuietness: 70
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 88
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 65
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 65
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino: 70
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 75
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 72
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Dec 2000
Time: 17:07:59
Remote Name: thomp145.logixcom.net
Remote User:

Comments

This was the first cruise that my wife and I had ever taken. She was slightly disappointed with the decor
and condition of the ship - it was about what I had expected: the ship was built in 1988, and basically,
they haven't updated any of the interiors since it was built. The ship was clean, and they kept it clean
throughout the entire cruise (except for the public restrooms, which my wife said were very dirty).
Nothing was outrageously out of date, but many comments were made about the bedspreads. We
travelled with three other couples, and this is definitely the way to go. Probably 85% of the passengers
were over 60, and that is not an exaggeration. The activities were geared towards an ageless
passenger, which was nice. Our group participated in a lot of the athletic competitions onboard, and
most had some sort of twist in them to make sure that a younger person would not easily dominate an
older person.

Embarkation: Since we live in Houston, we drove down to the port and arrived at about 1:00pm. It only
took us about a half hour to get on the boat, which I felt was a reasonable time. Check-in was very
smooth, and we went straight to our rooms where we dropped off our stuff and went exploring. We went
to the casino where we established our onboard credit - we were given the form with our tickets, so
having it filled out and ready was a bonus. A long line formed right after we got our credit established
because a bunch of people showed up that didn't have their forms filled out. I have to say now that the
only reason anything did not run smoothly was the fault of bone-headed passengers, not NCL. NCL was
very organized, and had everything set up very well. However, every once in a while, certain passengers
would buck the system and try to do things their own way, which was usually the wrong way. Anyway, we
received our bags at our room before 6:00pm, as did all of our travel companions.

Cabin: We had a room on the 6th deck, and from what we could tell, there were only about 30 rooms on
the ship that were larger than the ones we were in. We had an unobstructed window looking out to the
sea. The rooms were decent in size - the two beds pushed together to form a queen size bed. A 12-inch
television that picked up ESPN, CNN, a movie channel, and lots of NCL channels was in every room.
There were a few times when all 8 of our party went to one of the rooms to order room service and play
cards, and it was not uncomfortable. The closet space and luggage storage space was more than
adequate. The bathroom was small, as expected, and the shower was adequate. I had read reviews on
this site that said that the shower was too small to use, but we did not have any problems. The water
pressure was good, but the temperature fluctuated from hot to really hot quite a bit. I caught grief from
my wife who I foolishly told not to bring her hair dryer since, 'They have one in each room'. While they
did have a hair dryer in each room, they could have saved the money and effort and provided us with
one additional electrical outlet. It was worthless - didn't blow hardly at all. There was only one electrical
outlet (not counting the razor outlet up at the light in the bathroom), so curlers and a blow dryer could
not be used at the same time. The seas were pretty rough for the first few days, and it was rocky in our
room. I had read that people couldn't feel the ship moving at all, but they didn't go on our cruise - it was
bad enough for me to wonder how all the senior citizens aboard could walk around without danger of
falling.

Dining: We ate our first meal Sunday night in the Seven Seas dining room after being denied at the
Four Seasons. This was the first cruise that utilized 'Freestyle Dining', and it was obvious that the crew
was inexperienced with it. We were told on that first night that we needed a reservation to eat at the
Four Seasons, but found out later in the week that the staff member was wrong who told us that. The
Seven Seas is apparently directly over the engine room, and on the first night as we were navigating
through the ship channel, the vibrations were so bad that silverware and glassware were rattling off the
nearby empty table. It was not a good dining experience for that reason, although the food was decent.
The service was okay, but again, the waiters didn't seem to know what to do with the freestyle dining.
We ate at the Four Seasons the other nights, and the food and service were much better. The Big
Apple Cafe is a big loser, as was mentioned in other reviews. I went through the buffet line at lunch on
Monday, and got to the end and looked down at my empty plate - nothing looked appetizing at all. I kept
thinking that something good was going to be further down the buffet, but I was mistaken. The Big Apple
Cafe was decent for a breakfast buffet - we ate mostly from the waffle bar out on the pool deck. The
midnight buffets at the Big Apple were okay - we ate fajitas, tacos... all mediocre quality. Le Bistro was
the best dining by far - we ate there twice, and went just for dessert once. The matrie'd was incredible -
he really knew how to take care of people. You could tell that he was used to serving people in the
'non-freestyle' manner. He earned an excellent tip with excellent service. I like my steaks cooked medium
well, but everyone on the ship seems to think that medium well means well done. Just a warning - most
everyone at our table had to order one step down from the way they usually ordered steak. The
chocolate buffet was okay - we went right after pigging out at Le Bistro, so we weren't really up for it.
The sushi bars were awesome - we ate sushi almost every night that it was available. I thought the
drinks were a little excessive in price ($5-$6 for mixed drinks, bucket of 4 beers for $10), but I guess that
is to be expected.

Entertainment: The entertainment was hot and cold. The comedian Fred Klett was hilarious, and we
tried not to miss any of his shows. I would be surprised if Peter Sasso (comedian/juggler) was invited
back. He was a horrible juggler and a horrible comedian - his 'humor' seemed to be derived from
berating audience members, which got old fast. Martin Lewis was a comedian/magician who was very
pleasant and entertaining. Johnny Thunder was an average lounge singer - nothing to write home
about. We only went to one 'broadway-style' show, Grease, and we walked out in the middle of it. The
sets were okay, and the singers were okay, but their wireless microphones kept cutting out, and the
music accompanyment sometimes stopped short, leaving the singers to ad lib - which they didn't do well.
It was painful.

Nightclubs: The disco (Boomers) was fun to attend after midnight (that's when all of the teenagers were
forced to leave) - we requested all kinds of songs and danced until late into the morning. The NCL band
aboard played awesome Big Band music in the lounge, and the dance floor was large enough for a
decent-sized crowd to participate.

Activities: The sports staff was energetic and organized, but didn't know the rules to a lot of basic sports.
The 3-point basketball shooting competition ended up being shots from three random 'points' that the
staff member selected, which all happened to be well within the actual 3-point line.

Ports of Call:

Cancun: Hands down, the worst of the three. I had read that this port could have been left off, and I
completely agree. Our tender ship took 40-45 minutes to tender in 4-5 foot swells. On the way out, we
were stuck in the bottom (the dungeon), which was annoying since most of the older folks sat up top and
took forever to get off the boat, leaving us downstairs for an additional 20 minutes after we docked. We
took the Jungle Tour (not affiliated with NCL) and chose the 2-man speedboat option. It was a load of
fun driving the boats, but the snorkeling was not great. The shops were so incredibly commercial that it
was like we weren't even in Mexico. The prices were not great in the shops/restaurants either.

Cozumel: Second best port. The fact that we actually got to dock automatically made this 10 times better
than Cancun. We just shopped at Cozumel, following (for some unknown reason) the 'NCL-approved'
shopping map provided by the on-ship consultant, Kieron. Kieron comes across as a very sleazy person
who appears to be on the take with all of the shops that he promotes. Lots of people seemed to fall all
over themselves trying to talk to him, and maybe that's why he has such a high opinion of himself. I was
not impressed - rather, I was annoyed. 99% of the shops he recommended were jewelry shops. We did
not go to Mexico to purchase jewelry, and were disappointed that shops with more interesting selections
were not recommended or suggested. We had a much better time once we went one street over from
the main seawall shops into a market square that was more like we had expected. We were tempted to
try a local taco stand, but decided against it. It was very handy to dump stuff off at the boat and go back
out.

Roatan: Hands down, the best of the three. I had read that this port was beautiful, and it did not
disappoint. I had also heard that the shopping at Roatan was the worst of the three ports, but this was
definitely not the case. The two Mexican stops had tourist trinkets and other junk. Roatan had tons of
handcarved mahogany items (boxes, walking sticks, bowls, chairs, etc.). I was impressed with the local
craftsmanship and the quality of the items available. Negotiation was fairly painless. I had read
comments about the poverty, but I've been to Jamaica, and this was not as bad. We went to Paul
David's place (read other reviews), and since it had been storming for the previous four days, the bay
was all churned up and choppy. Ironically, it was clear as glass right next to our boat (on the other side
of the island), which apparently is the opposite of normal. Even with the choppy bay, the snorkeling was
very impressive - we saw a 2-foot long barracuda and a 1-foot long eel along with lots of colorful fish
and coral. The lobster and fish lunch at Paul David's was decent - the lobster was very dry. Paul David
was very inviting and pleasant, although his partner was a little shady. We went back early to drop off
our snorkel gear and shop.

Casino: I'm not much of a gambler, but it was very irritating for me to see the blackjack dealers make so
many card-handling errors. I've been to Vegas several times, and have never seen a dealer drop a card
or flip a card over accidentally once. There were several instances of this at the blackjack tables on this
ship. Maybe that doesn't bother other people, but for some reason it really bothered me. The staff was
not great in the casino - one of the barmaids picked up a half-full beer belonging to a friend of mine.
When he notified the pit boss, she summoned the barmaid, who proceeded to hand him a ticket to order
another beer. They seemed to be disbelieving when he asked to get another beer for free. All in all, the
casino was not a pleasant experience.

Debarkation: We were the last group to get off the boat, and we were off at 11:00am. It was very
smooth, and we got to wait in our stateroom watching television and playing dominoes. I had heard that
other cruise lines made passengers clear out of their rooms at 8:30am and wait in public areas with all
of their luggage, and was glad that NCL handled it the way they did.

Overall: A decent vacation. I would not recommend going in December, as we did. The weather is too hit
and miss, and it was very cold and overcast for the first few days. The water was very choppy, although
no one got sick (I took Dramamine for the first two days). For my money, I would rather go to an
all-inclusive resort for seven days than spend four days on a boat. The ports of call were supposed to
be the highlight, and Cancun was the lowlight. Seven days in Roatan would have been a better
vacation. It was an interesting experience, but I probably won't cruise again for a long while.

Name: Janelle Conlin
Email: janelle.conlin@att.net
Age: 28
Occupation: State Health Department
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 12/03/00
Itinerary: Texarribean
Cabin: 6047
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 84
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 89
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 92
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 94
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 94
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 65
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 91
EntertainmentLounges: 92
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 89
EntertShowLounge: 92
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon: 89
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 92
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 87
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Dec 2000
Time: 22:41:18
Remote Name: 1cust79.tnt2.cheyenne.wy.da.uu.net
Remote User:

Comments

Embarkation was quick and easy. We arrived at the pier at 10:30, checked in as Latitudes members at
11:00, and were allowed on the ship by 11:30. We traveled in a group of 4; myself, my husband and my
parents. We shared a stateroom; like other reviews mentioned, the room was small but adequate for the
four of us. The upper bunks are actually quite comfortable. The shower is very tiny...but we all
managed. Our cabin steward, Leon, was very good. There is not an electrical outlet in the bathroom
(except one for shavers only), and there is only one outlet on the makeup table in the cabin...so bring
an electrical power strip (to give you more outlets if you use multiple appliances). We brought an
organizer to hand on the back of the bathroom door (with multiple pockets), which worked well. There
was plenty of storage and closet space in the cabin. The ship is older, but clean and well maintained.
We did not encounter large crowds in any of the rooms. The casino could use more $5 BlackJack
tables. There are lots of lounges and rooms in the ship, but no good place for reading (no good
lighting). The deck downstairs from the Big Apple Cafe was our favorite place to sit...not a lot of people.
There is a fitness center with men and women's showers and locker rooms. There is a golf driving net
on Deck 10. One complaint we had is that most rooms on the ship allow smoking (only the dining rooms,
the Cabaret Lounge and half of the Stardust are non-smoking). The shows were excellent; our favorite
was Grease. The comedian and magician are worth seeing, as well. The ship has plenty of activities to
keep you busy; Bingo was a favorite for my Mom. Who Wants to Be a Millionare and Wheel of Fortune
were fun. The food was excellent!!! The beef was always tender. It was impossible to be hungry on this
ship. We usually ate breakfast in the Big Apple Cafe, and lunch and dinners in the Seven Seas dining
room. One complaint: with Freestyle Cruising, the baked Alaskan dessert does not come out on parade
anymore (which was the fun part!). Places to eat on the ship: Seven Seas dining room (the larger of the
two), Four Seasons dining room, Big Apple Cafe, Pasta Bar, and Le Bistro (and of course, 24 hour room
service). One note on Le Bistro: they now charge $10 per person to eat there, and reservations are
required. The food was so good in the dining room, that we were never tempted to eat at Le Bistro. The
mixed drinks (like Pina Colada's) are $6, beer is $3 and soft drinks are $1.50. A 15% gratuity is added
to all orders. The best deal is a bucket of beer (four bottles) for $10. The bottled water in the cabin is $3
(which we bought, since the water on the ship did not taste good). My mom and I both had appointments
at the Spa; we never had any problem with finding times. We would recommend the Hair
Conditioning/Neck Massage, Pedicure and Reflexology Massage treatments! We were the guinea pigs
for Freestyle Cruising for the Sea; our sailing was the first.

We liked not having assigned times to eat
meals, and being able to eat anywhere we wanted. However, the service has suffered. We often had to
wait for dring refills, etc. The wait staff appear overwhelmed and have too many tables (plus, some
tables are eating dinner, others dessert, etc). This was the first week, so we cut them some slack.
Hopefully the service will improve with experience. Resort Attire is acceptable; there is no longer
mandatory Formal nights. However, on the optional Formal night, most people dressed up. Now, on to
the ports of call. We were able to dock at Cancun, but we did not even get off the ship. We have heard
that Cancun is very commercialized, so we opted not to go. Tenders are required to get to shore, but
they only had 2 tenders that day; and it took all the way until 3:30 when general boarding began, since
people on shore excursions went first. Cozumel was nice. My mom and dad went horseback riding (a
shore excursion) and enjoyed it. My husband and I were going to do the Dive-In excursion Columbia
Reef Snorkeling, but it was cancelled due to bad conditions. We went to Chankanaab Park and
absolutely loved it! It was a $8 cab ride each way, $10 entrance fee and $5 to rent snorkling equipment.
There is a beach, snorkeling, dolphins and sea lions, etc. The snorkeling is right off the beach and
would be good for beginners.

The staff will bring you drinks on the beach. It was not overly crowded.
Don't miss the Archeological Park there; it has some ruins. There is shopping at Cozumel, of couse. The
store keepers are on the streets trying to lure you into their shops. As other reviews have stated,
Roatan is the best port. My mom brought coloring books, crayons and fishing line for the children, and
boy did they like it! (She ran out very quickly). The island is poor, the people are very nice. My mom
took the East End Discovery Tour and really liked it. My husband, my dad and myself went sea kayaking
and snorkeling (shore excursion). The water was a little choppy, so we had to work harder (I was sore
for 2 days!). The snorkeling takes place about 1/4 mile off shore (a boat took us out)...the water was
choppy, but the coral reef is amazing! (It is the second largest coral reef in the world). We saw many
fish, coral, an eel and lobsters! My husband and I have snorkeled before, so we were OK, but it was my
dad's first time. The water was too rough for a beginner. Overall, we loved this cruise! We had a great
time, and the cruised ended too soon. It is a shame that the Sea is pulling out of Houston at the end of
this month.

Name: Rich Siegelman
Email: navychop@juno.com
Age: 47
Occupation: Network Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 12/10/2000
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 2165 inside
FoodDiningRoom: 98
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 92
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 99
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 100
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 99
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 89
EntertShowLounge: 97
OverallPortsofCall: 88
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 100
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 97
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 98
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 98
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 100
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 18 Dec 2000
Time: 18:08:36
Remote Name: cs9353-63.austin.rr.com
Remote User:

Comments

Embark- piece of cake, as Latitude members we boarded in 5 minutes after parking less than a block
away for $49 for the week.

Cabin- small at first, but grew on us, plenty of storage space, no safe. Lower deck 2, inside, quiet and
smooth ride, very little vibration or noise. Great steward, always had the room tidy, ice, etc.

Food- best we've had on RCCL, NCL, and previous Celebrity cruises. Service was GREAT. Our cruise
was freestyle, pick when you want to eat, which dining room, which waiter, table size, etc. New concept to
us but we found the crew had more time- no rushed service, everyone smiling, even good headwaiters
for a change.

Shows- very good comedian, singer, magician comic, and Dance crew. Smaller showroom with some
pillars in the way, get in 20 minutes early to get a non obstructed seat. No bar service during show,
ORDER UP ahead of time. Enjoyed the 'If I were not Upon the Sea' show we had not seen since
Grandeur of the Seas.

Pool- always space, no problems, band playing a lot of the time, fun activities.

Fitness program- better than ever, lots of activities at beginner to advance levels even during time in
port. We earned 3 shirts.

Lido food- We didn't figure out the complaints, much bigger than on the Wind, more variety. Great
cooked on deck burgers, dogs, and even steaks. If you don't like to wait for dining room service, which
we do, It is a good alternative.

Pasta restaurant- Very good. Tablecloths, waiter service, perfectly cooked pasta and good sauces,
good appetizers, soups, salads, etc. We went the first night, then went to the show, then went to the 4
Seasons restaurant for dinner after the show.

Bistro- good. I wasn't feeling well that night and went back to the room but the other 3 enjoyed it.

Ports- We always enjoy shopping in Cozumel. Cancun- two trips before already. We took a bus about 2
miles past the tourist shopping to Plaza Cancun in central Cancun. Much better prices- that's where the
locals shop. Picked up a bite to eat in the local supermarket there too- great cooking. Roatan- took a
cab to Fantasy Island, and the west end to a restaurant for a lobster lunch. If you stay away from the
tours, there are some good reasonable restaurants. Not really our type of port, but plenty of others
enjoyed the snorkling, boating, and SCUBA.

Stabile ship. She is in better shape than we anticipated from the reviews. Had some decent sized seas a
couple of days due to a fast moving cold front, the stabilizers did a great job.

We went with a first time couple, they enjoyed it and are ready to go again.

It appeared the freestyle cruising is here to stay. No parading the Baked Alaska, a lot of people miss the
Capt welcome aboard party. You are now free to work your dinner schedule around the shows, dinner
went from ? 5:00 pm till midnight with last entrance to the main dining room at 10:30 pm, not bad. The
waiters are more relaxed they don't have a schedule to keep, just serve as people sit down, no rush to
get you out before the next seating.

Overall- we loved the food and the ship. Although the ship was built in 1988, we'll be sad to see it leave
Houston since we are only a three hour drive away. Excellent cruise and value. Food was improved over
our last NCL cruise and is comparable with RCCL and Celebrity.

Would we do it again- IN A HEARTBEAT, we were ready to stay on another week.

Back to NCL NorwegianSea