ncl-norwegiansea18

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Brandon Dickson
Email: brandon-d@usa.net
Age: 26
Occupation: Military
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: June 11, 2000
Itinerary: Texaribbean
Cabin: 2111
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService:
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 99
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark:
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 19 Dec 2000
Time: 14:10:37
Remote Name: kelsatxp2.kelly.af.mil
Remote User:

Comments

This was our second cruise. Last year we went on the Carnival Celebration out of New Orleans. We’re
from Texas and my wife doesn’t like to fly, so Houston was very convenient for us to get to. I’m going to
mention the Celebration in the review because that’s the only cruise we have to compare to.

THE SHIP The Carnival Celebration and Norwegian Sea are both about the same size at 47,262 and
42,000 tons respectively. I thought the décor on the Sea was a little classier. The Celebration was kinda
glitzy like a casino. I think that’s just Carnival’s style because they are the “Fun Ship”. The wear on the
ships were about the same but nothing disappointing for ships that are that old. I thought both were kept
very clean. The Sea did rock a lot more than the Celebration but it was probably due to the ocean
conditions. It wasn’t anything that was unbearable for us. The show lounge on the Sea was small
compared to the Celebration. The Celebration had a two story lounge for its shows while the Sea’s was
only one story.

THE ROOM The cabin was pretty small but there was amazingly more than enough storage space.
Believe me we brought a lot of luggage and had room for it all. The Sea’s cabins are all about the same
size no matter what deck you are on, except for the suites. So to pay for a higher deck you might as well
light a match to the several hundred dollars extra your gonna pay. We had an inside cabin too, unless
you really like to look at blue water I say it’s not worth the extra money either. Besides, we kinda liked it
pitch black during the day with the lights off. It was great for taking short naps. The shower was
extremely small but it was manageable.

THE SERVICE I thought the service was very good. We enjoyed our waiter and busboy better on
Carnival, but that’s just a matter of personalities. The only real complaint I had was that we were sat at a
table for four by ourselves! We were supposed to have some tablemates but they evidently messed up
the assignments and split a family up into to separate times and places. They corrected that but we
ended up by ourselves. One of the fun things of a cruise is getting to know your tablemates. Why were
we even seated with a family anyway? Carnival sat same-age couples together and we really had a
good time with our tablemates last year. Luckily we ended up meeting some new friends by the end of
the cruise. I hear that NCL is going to all open seating. There are a few benefits to that but I would
prefer to have a chance to get to know other people and the waiter/busboy. If NCL makes this change,
I’m afraid it may prevent us from sailing with them again.

THE SHOWS I thought the shows were excellent! Head and shoulders above the Celebration. The Jean
Ryan Co. compared to the Carnival dancers were like night and day. The Celebration’s dancers also did
other things during the day like bingo, hosting, and the kid’s programs. They probably could have used
that time for practice! The Jean Ryan Co. looked and performed like a professional dance company, not
just some patched together group of dancers. The comedian and magician/comedian were both good
and surprisingly Johnny Thunder was very good also. He was a great performer to be almost 70! The
Jean Ryan Co. performed Broadway, Grease, and Sea Legs Express. I thought Sea Legs Express was
the best followed by Grease.

THE FOOD The food on both NCL and Carnival was good. I’m not a real picky eater so other opinions
may differ. I thought the food was about the same on both cruises except the Celebration had a 24hr
Pizzeria that was great. The only way to get Pizza on the Sea was from 3-5PM in the Big Apple or
through room service. It wasn’t good pizza anyway. Lickety Splits is a must, they had different flavors of
Ice Cream everyday, but it’s only open for two hours. Le Bistro was very good. We ate there two nights
and had the chocolate fondu which was excellent. The atmosphere was more intimate, not all the loud
noise like in the main dining room. Overall the food in the dining rooms were good. One word of advice,
stay away from the Norwegian smoked salmon. I had it one night in the Le Bistro and it was very good,
but I had it in the dining room on the last night and I was sick as a dog the next morning/day. I was too
sick to drive and my wife had to drive us home from Houston. Luckily it happened on the last night,
otherwise it would have ruined part of the cruise. I’ve learned my lesson to stay away from anything that
is raw, especially on vacation.

THE PORTS We didn’t buy any shore excursions because there was nothing that really appealed to us.
We got some ideas from this site and decided to venture out on our own. CANCUN After a long ride on
the tender we walked down the strip to the Forum area and shopped. It’s a long walk (I’m guessing
about three miles) from where the tender drops you off (Fat Tuesdays) so I wouldn’t suggest it, but we
weren’t planning on going to the beach and we wanted to see the area. Cancun is very commercialized
and more of a party place than the other ports. It was ok but we liked the other ports better. COZUMEL
The ship docks at a brand new pier that’s right downtown. We were in Cozumel last year on our cruise
and did the Mayan Ruins of Tulum tour so this time we decided to do some snorkeling and shop. We
went to Chanknaab National Park. I had read about it on this site and other places too. We got there
about 9:00AM so we had no problem with finding beach loungers. We brought our own snorkeling
equipment from home so we didn’t have to rent any. The snorkeling was pretty good. The fish were a
little used to people and would swim right up to your mask. In order to get in the water you have to go
down some steps and onto some rocks. The snorkeling area drops off a few feet from the rocks, so this
isn’t a place to play in shallow water, although they did have a small area for that. If you want to snorkel
go here if you want to hang out at a typical “beach” go somewhere else. The park also had scuba
classes/rentals and you could take a guided shore dive. There was also an area to swim with the
dolphins. I’m not sure how much it was but it has to be cheaper than the ridiculous price of NCL’s
excursion. Later that day we shopped for souvenirs downtown. ROATAN This is were this site really
came in handy and saved us some money. After reading a previous review on this site we talk with
Susana (the ports/excursions director) and sought out Paul David. He was standing on the pier with all
the other locals selling their own tours. For $24 per person we got a taxi ride to Half Moon Bay and
lunch at his restaurant that is just across the street from the beach there. We saw several of the
snorkeling tours at the same place. The snorkeling was incredible! Better than Cozumel. About 150 yds
from the shore is a reef with all kinds of fish to see. If you can snorkel on your own then you can see the
same stuff as the tours, pay half as much, and get lunch. I believe the Tabayana Beach tour NCL offers
is $42 per person. Again we had our own snorkeling equipment so we saved there too. Roatan is
absolutely beautiful. I would love to go there again. There is extreme poverty, but the island and waters
are great.

Overall our cruise was great! We are definitely hooked on cruising. We think it’s just a great vacation to
get the bang for your buck.

Name: Cyndy Nickerson
Email: cyndynickerson@peoplepc.com
Age: 62
Occupation: Exec Assistant
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 12/17/00
Itinerary: Galveston/Cancun/Cozumel/Roatan
Cabin: 3166
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 100
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: ?
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall:
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 28 Dec 2000
Time: 23:22:47
Remote Name: 1cust101.tnt3.krk1.da.uu.net
Remote User:

Comments

Weather didn't cooperate much on this particular trip, and we had to reroute the original planned ports,
reversing their order. We went south to Roatan, seeking the sun, because it was too rough to go ashore at
Cancun. Too bad, Roatan was also getting heavy winds, so we could go ashore but most of the excursions
were cancelled (divers still could go scuba, but other activities were too affected by the wind). Cloudy & rainy
at Roatan, but we got a taxi and went to a beach area, looked through the shops, generally snooped around.
Could have been beautiful, if the sun was out - kind of depressing on a gray day. Lush vegetation tells you
that it does get its fair share of rain. Quite a poor area. They had just had their national election - one party.
Sounds like ours!

The Sea has been in service for a long time (since '88) and will be getting a multi-million $$ makeover this
next year, then sailing out of Miami to the eastern Carribbean. It did show its age, but was kept clean and the
stateroom was very quiet. Exercise facilities (or lack of) were kind of a pain - they only had a small area on
deck for aerobics classes, and the booming sound system and rain/wind made it not too appealing to join in.
The fitness center was small, but nicely maintained. It featured treadmills and nautilus-type equipment and
was used by lots of people. Note: you have to have athletic shoes to participate in the aerobics classes and to
use the gym equipment - which I didn't bring. Oh, well - I did do the abs-of-steel class, anyway.

We thought the food was great, well-presented and with lots of variety. The Bistro was fun, worth the extra
charge for a more elegant dining experience. Big Apple breakfast buffets had lots of fresh fruit, all sorts of
cereal, rolls, french toast, sausages, bacon, pancakes, and individually made to order omelettes. There's
always a place to go eat, at all times of the day - and most of the evening, too.

The ship was able to tie up at Cozumel, which looks quite fancy these days - it's grown a lot. We took a taxi to
Chankanab beach ($8 for 2 people) and spent the day. It's kind of a nature preserve/marine mammal
sanctuary (admission $10 per person). Gorgeous snorkeling - rent a good mask and fins for $5, and enjoy a
fantastic view of corals and a large variety of colorful fish. The park feels very safe and the diving area is
roped off so you don't accidentally stray out to sea. There's a clean changing room/shower area and
bathrooms near the beach, plus a decent bar/restaurant on the grounds. Good shopping in Cozumel, and
come prepared to bargain - people got amazing deals.

Weather kicked up again, so we couldn't go to Cancun... so headed on back to Houston, where it was raining
- good grief! Since I live in Seattle, this was just a bit much of the cloudy stuff, but overall, we thought the
cruise was fun, and certainly worth the money.

Name: John Paul Picklesimer
Email: jpick@eagnet.com
Age: 55
Occupation: Retired Teacher/Administrator
NumberOfCruises: 12
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 1-10-14
Itinerary: Key West-Bahamas-Private Island
Cabin: 3154 Inside Midship
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 93
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 95
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 89
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 100
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 100
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 93
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 16 Jan 2001
Time: 23:47:32
Remote Name: bg5-244.eagnet.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was our 12th cruise, first with NCL and first with the opean seating 'freestyle dining'. It was interesting.
We could go for this but it takes a while to get used to it. Pros..eat when you want to, but sometimes lines
form. Steaks cooked to perfection on the grill while you wait. Eat where you want, and with whom you want.
Cons: feel like a loner sometimes if your traveling with just your spouse. Waiters don't get to know you unless
you suggest sitting in the same area.

Ok nuff of the pros and cons...what we really liked...small ship, stable, clean, kind of classic, great casino and
staff, just can't say enough about the way they treat you...good drinks, great entertainment and a lot of R and
R.

Rooms tiny, shower is a joke, but you can get by if you know its coming..so read reviews. Key West great,
Nassau great, private island great..whole cruise great.

NCL invented the short cruise and they have improved it. Only negative side of cruise was lack of safe in
room..kind of had to be careful lugging your money and whatever with you.

Would we go again on NCL..yes, do we see freestyle coming to all lines..probably, saves money, insures that
all get tips, (so many duck the last night on traditional cruises and scam the waiters, [low class])

Saw the big Costa and Celebrity ships, wow...big and pretty, want to sail them.

Very relaxing cruise, can't say enough about staff, always happy, singing and cheerful. Good experience and
hope NCL is here for a long time.

Send email if you need other answers..

Nickel slots in Casino are a hoot...others kind of tight..but all seem to pay some...loosest of all cruises we
have been on.

The P's in South Georgia....waiting for the next cruise in April...later got to pack

Name: Cindy Lemons
Email: cinjim@compuvision.net
Age: 43
Occupation: housewife was computer programmer
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: Nov 26-Dec 3 2000
Itinerary: Cancun, Cozumel, Roatan
Cabin: 3015
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 75
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 70
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 70
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Jan 2001
Time: 09:58:52
Remote Name: use140.compuvision.net
Remote User:

Comments

This was our second cruise and the first 7 night one. We went with a group of people (48) from our town and
relatives. We all had a blast. The age range of our group was 30's to 80's. The people that instigated the
cruise went on the same one in Feb. 2000. They enjoyed it so much they told us and it just snowballed.

The cruise started out a little rocky in that we were delayed getting out of port because one of their busses
broke down that delivers people from the airport. We met at Coconut Willie's the top bar to see the port as we
went out, our travel agent and the Norwegian Sea had a private cocktail party for our group in Boomers
before dinner. Because of the delay leaving we didn't see the port, but had a great time at the party and
dinner.

They were able to get most of our group in the same area of the dining room. We had a table of 14 in a little
offshoot and we felt like it was our own private room. Our waiter was Nelson and busboy Dennis. They were
both so good and friendly. We ate in the dining room all but the last evening when we went to La Bistro. I felt
bad about not eating with Nelson and Dennis, but we wanted to check out the La Bistro. The food on board
everywhere was great, but this was divine!! The service was not as good but the food made up for it.

We also enjoyed Norman Lee the bartender around the pool. He was adorable. He knew what we wanted and
always had a smile.

I enjoyed the stretch classes they had every morning on deck. It was a wonderful way to start the day. I tried
the exercise room a couple of times. But they didn't seem to have enough treadmills or exercise bikes. They
did have a great fitness program, with mile walks around the deck, step classes and aerobics.

We stayed on board at Cancun. And I was very glad we did. My mom and her group went in and they didn't
enjoy it at all, while I had the pool and hot tub to myself.

In Cozumel we took one of the shore excursions that was a boat you could see the bottom of the ocean. It was
great!!! It was early in the morning and we had the rest of the day to shop. Unfortunately it started raining on
us as soon as we got off the boat. The shopping for jewelry was interesting a lot of people in our group
bought beautiful things. We met at Carlos and Charlies. That is a must if you like a party atmosphere.

The best excursion was in Roatan. We took the Tabyana Beach package. I should have done the snorkeling
with it but chickened out. Now I wish I would have. They had busses and taxis that took us on a ride to the
beach. The day was wonderful and the water divine. The ship provided a pleasant lunch and then we played
a little more in the water and took a bus back to the ship.

The two days at sea coming back were not the best, but only because of the weather, nothing the cruise line
did. It rained and then turned chilly. But there was enough on board to keep everyone happy. It was such a
pleasant experience the only bad part is that that was one of the last cruises out of Houston on that ship. We
are going again on a cruise from Galveston this year but it is on a different cruise line. I sure hope it is as fun
as this one.

I have been on Weight Watchers for a year and was skeptical about keeping with it on the cruise. I didn't have
to worry. Every meal had a light alternative that was wonderful, even breakfast. The only thing that bothered
me, and this is petty, is that they charged you for a bottle of water in your room and I had to specially request
it every day. But our room steward went out of his way the next to last day by crawling under the beds to get
my luggage out. That made up for the water.

The ship itself wasn't glamorous. The ceilings were low. But the crew made up for all of that. If you want a
week of pampering this is the ship to take. Oh, and the photographers on board are great. They are
everywhere, even in the ocean, but they are not intrusive. And the pictures they take are very professional.

Name: Colleen
Email: hosting@novahosting.com
Age: 35
Occupation: Self Employed
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 02-16-01
Itinerary: Miami / Bahamas / Great Stirrup Cay
Cabin: 2154 / Inside / Lowest of the Low
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 70
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 60
GoodForHoneymoon: 70
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 70
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 80
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Mar 2001
Time: 15:48:33
Remote Name: vienna227-108.dsl.gtei.net
Remote User:

Comments

This was the first cruise we've been on but the 3 day bahamarama out of Miami was a weekend
dreams are made of!

We were able to oversee the small details that were less than perfect.. our bed was two small singles
that joined together unevenly.. the mattresses were about 4" thick and very springy... but we were
having so much fun... it was easy to overlook after the first initial nap.. maybe a deluxe would be worth
the extra bit however and in the future I would try that.

The only other down point was when we were going through the required lifeboat and preserver drill..
we got their 5 minutes early and this was somewhat of a mistake.. although we were on the shady side
of the boat for this (thank goodness) it was very hot standing on the deck with our life preservers
fastened awaiting for all passengers to join us. Instead of beginning on time and letting the passengers
that had not arrived, take the drill at another time.. we found ourselves waiting 20 minutes for the drill
to be explained and another 20 minutes before we were excused to go back to our rooms. I would find
this could have been better accomplished with a mandatory ongoing review on deck that you MUST
participate in within a given few hours. There was a checkoff list will all passengers names.. and this
didn't seem like it would have been hard for them to accomplish .. an hour doesn't seem like much.. but
we had traveled by plane all day.. had began our day with only a few hours of sleep and were weary
travelers as were many that were on deck that day.

These first initial introduction to our trip had us a bit aprehensive as to how the rest of the trip would
be... would we feel trapped and confined with poor service and unthinking staff members? Thankfully
this was not the case.

We were hungry and immediately headed for the upper deck under the veranda where they were
serving a large buffet at the big apple and found ourselves a nice shady seat.. bahama mama drinks in
hand and newly refreshed as we watched the boat pull out of Miami.

In our three days on board we were treated to two very good Broadway shows...I've heard Norwegian
is renowned for this feature.. and was not disappointed with a nice comfortable (large couches with
servers to meet your wish for their specialty drinks) theatre.

There were usually three bands going in varied clubs throughout the ship in the evenings...dancing to
rock 'n roll, calypso and top 40 in the same night! Great clubs and the service was very good.

Although we spent little time in the casino it was surprisingly empty at the slots and tables.. giving you
the ability to enjoy gambling at leisure when walking through.

We took an afternoon dip in the jacuzzi and it was nice.. the entire upper deck has two pools.. kiddie
and regular.. two large jacuzzi's and PLENTY of lounge chairs for relaxing in the warm breezes even in
February.. it was a welcome change from the snowy week at home.

My husband and I are now in the process of planning our next cruise as soon as spring break in April..
the 16th - 22nd and are actually looking at this same ship as an option.. this about sums up our
satisfaction with the trip.

Name: Amy Anderson
Email: reney313@hotmail.com
Age: 28
Occupation: credit card manager/bar owner
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 1/22/2001
Itinerary: Miami,Key West,Great Stirrup Cay, Nassau
Cabin: 3015
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 88
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 100
FoodMidnightBuffets: 100
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff: 98
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 100
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 92
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 98
Casino: 100
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 97
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 98
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 96
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 10 Mar 2001
Time: 21:44:26
Remote Name: 12.23.133.6
Remote User:

Comments

I and 7 others had a wonderful time on board the SEA 1/22/01 sailing. This was a relatively new
itinerary for the staff as the SEA had been stationed in Houston for the Texaribbean for a while.

First: Embarkation at the port was very easy. This is my 3rd cruise and all have been from Miami which
is an easy port to get in and out of in my opinion. We dropped our bags off curbside and the porter
took them for us, I paid him 20.00 for 8 bags. Our room was just GUAR so we didn't have our room #
until we got there. He had a master list with our cabin numbers already and he filled them out on our
tags for us. We then went up to check-in area. In all my excitement, I put my purse on the x-ray
machine and walked through the metal detector with my coat on that had coins, lighter, keys, etc in the
pockets. Oops. I felt a little stupid. Anyway, after we walked through the screening, there were friendly,
smiling faces asking to see our filled out documents. Folks, please do this before you get to the port.
You have days to do it, so please do. Once they verified it was all done, we went to the desk, we were
there around 3:00 so everybody had pretty much already boarded and we didn't have to stand in a
line. We were on the ship within 15 minutes of dropping the car off.

The lifeboat drill was starting as we boarded, but we didn't end up going because we were trying to get
everybody together, find out where all the rooms were, etc before we realized it. Amazingly, I didn't see
them making everybody go like I've seen on other ships. We went to the top deck, they had moved the
farewell party into the show lounge because a cold front (lucky us) had moved in. The temp was
probably 50 degrees and windy as all get out. We didn't care, we waved to the other ships, and
toasted each other in sundresses and sandals and goosebumps.

That first night we went to dinner. We really enjoyed the freestyle aspect of it. It was very nice,
escpecially for a large group to not have to make sure everyone made it to dinner at a specific time.
Instead we played it by ear. We toured the ship, the cabin, the casino, etc until the majority decided
they were hungry. At that time we went to the Four Seasons dining area and were seated within one
minute and it was 6:45. I don't really remember what I had to eat. I'm pretty sure steak. It was as good
or better than I've encountered before. It definetely was warmer! Always order an appetizer, soup,
salad, entree, and desert if you know you can eat it. Keep in mind the appetizers are for an individual.
A few at our table ordered one appetizer to split and were disappointed when they saw the fried
mushrooms were 4 of them. They were able to get another order by simply asking the waiter. The
deserts are always wonderful and NCL didn't let me down there either. Afterwards, we went back to the
casino and lost some more money. Then we went to the Friendly Fued show which 2 in our group were
chosen to play. They won, I won't tell you the questions, ha ha. I don't think I can really do a play by
play from here on out for the night, but I'll highlite the rest of the time. We went to the disco that night
and had a blast. It was actually cheaper to buy shots in the souvenier glasses rather than without. We
had many. The running joke on the ship was the disco closed when our party left. The first day in Key
West was fun. We rented scooters I think it was around 40.00 a person. Finding a place to find AMEX
for the scooters was difficult, we pretty much had already seen all the places we wanted to go just by
walking looking for a scooter place. The Southernmost Point monument is a must see and photograph
when in Key West. There may be a scratch on it from a red scooter. Oops. Margaritaville will never be
the same. I wonder how many people they have to ask to leave at 2:30 in the afternoon for being loud,
obnoxious and rude. Wait....Why did Jimmy Buffett get kicked out of the Knicks game.... Well, pretty
much most of the people in Margaritaville were on our ship and we were teased the rest of the time.
They also went to what events our group went to. We tried to tell them they wouldn't be able to see us
get kicked out of a ship. The deck activities were planned and executed very well. Oh, back to Key
West, I did end up really laying the scooter down and having it drag me for a few hundred feet. (And I
was the one who owned one as a teenager-did daredevil stuff everyday and never wrecked.) Anyway,
my stories from here on out are based upon half my body being a road burn.

On board ship that night was formal night. I made it. Barely. Then I went and saw Grease. What a
fantastic job they did! I've seen Grease a few times by play and this is the best production. That night
the seas got pretty rough and I was amazed at how well the dancers kept their balance with the boat
rocking back and forth. There are some poles in the lounge that do hinder vision of the stage. Also, a
lot of the seating is on the side and there are props on the side of the stage that can block certain
areas. There is, however, plenty of seating if you arrive a few 5-10 mins. early. I got there 2 minutes
early and almost had a great seat. I was able to move my head back and forth to get out of the poles
way. They also do a photograph session afterwards so you can take pictures. There is bar service by
waiters in the lounge, but no smoking.

That night, after the show, the cruise director did announce that the captain had announced in his
dinner that we would be skipping Great Stirrup Cay due to the rough seas. At the dinner the captain
said we would go ahead and dock at Nassau and spend an extra day there. That was fine with me, but
then the cruise director let us know we were unable to do that as well. He told us that Port Authority
had called and advised that winds were expected to be too high to port in their dock. I found that odd
because Nassau is such a large port (I thought). Anyway, other service personnel on the ship told us
there were just simply too many ships going to Nassau that day and we wouldn't have any room to
port. That made more sense to me. Since this itinerary didn't have a day at sea, we were fine. They did
give the free rum runners. Do they do that every cruise and just make us feel like it was because we
skipped port. There not very strong drinks, but they're free. Might as well have as many as you can.

I found the drink prices to be very inexpensive. It was 3.00 a domestic bottle (Bud, Bud Lt, Miller Lt,
etc.) and 10.00 for a bucket of 4 which is 2.50 a bottle, and that is what I charge at my bar. Most
corporate restaurants are charging 2.75 to 3.00/bottle now. So, anyway, I was happy with the prices.
The specialty drinks ranged from 3.00-6.00 depending. The martini bar was higher. The reason is the
martini glasses are Huge, probably the size of 4 martinis. Really, they were I think 24 oz. Much more
than most bars serve. The specialty drinks with the logoed cups weren't a rip off either. I was very
pleased that they charged very fairly. I kept expecting something to be as much as I thought, but it was
always less. Even the pineapple drinks were cheap. So, way to go NCL on this one. We even spent
996.00 in liquor on the 4 days between 3 of us and it was all cheap. Going on....the staff was
absolutely wonderful on board. The deck guys were always there, cracking jokes and singing along.
You could tell they really enjoyed their jobs, or at least were great actors and I appreciate that.

The show that night was Sea Legs Express. Very good show, very phenomenal talent. It did seem to
get a little lengthy because there isn't too much different things they could put in their. They did have a
few things that surprised me. The ending was absolutely the greatest ending I have ever seen in my
life and it brought a tear and a tug of my heart. I will be sailing the Norway this year also, and be a loyal
NCL guest in part to do with the ending of this show.

The next day was Nassau. On all 3 cruises I've been, Nassau has been one port of call, so we went
staight to the areas we wanted to go. First, we rented scooters -again and against my adamantly
announcing I would not ride on a scooter. I rode and lived in fear I would not have a leg after this trip.
We went to the Queens Staircase which is a favorite area of mine. It is just neat. Let the guy/kid give
you the history lesson. They're pretty informative. We did overtip him. I thought I'd tip for the group and
give him a 10.00, the others all gave him 5.00 each so he got about 50.00 for 10 minutes of his time.
He did take a picture of all of us, and he offered to walk us to the fort and tell us about it--I wonder why.
We did go to the fort and then we headed to one end of Nassau I've only been at night, the end of
East(opposite of Cable Beach direction, I think that would be east) side Bay Street. Their were a few
neat piers there, but not much else. We fed the birds, jumped in the ocean and went to cable beach. I
went to the casino there and won. Yeah. Then we walked to the back, next door to the Marriott and
used their beach chairs for free. The only thinks that upsets me are their are always 4 people right
between the 2 resorts sailing t-shirts, cigars, braids. I expect it in the straw market, on the main strip,
and getting off the ship. But, I really resent it on the beach. I had a few choice words, they were back in
5 mins then my boyfriend nicely let them know we were interested and away they went and never
returned. Oh well. We talked them down on the sea doo rentals to 30.00 for 30 mins for all 8 of us to
ride around. It was a little windy so none of us wanted to do it for a long period of time. The beer there
is great -Kalik, pronounced Click, there is also Kalik Light. It is pricey at the resorts, 5.00/can. At the
cafes in the city it is around 2.00/bottle. Also, if you go to one of the bars on the beach, watch the
amount of change they bring you back. All 3 times they have tried to short me 5.00 the first round I
buy. Also, make them give you a receipt, they had to reprint them (?) Owning a bar makes me make
them be honest. After the beach time we went back to the city, I got to take a cab this time. Yeah.... It is
only about 3-5.00 per person by cab and the bellman at the resort will hail one for you. Also, there is a
city bus stop at the street and if I remember right it is like 50 cents or 75 cents to get you back. I may
be off there, it was a long time ago I took the bus from the resort to port.

Back to ship stuff: We never ate at the LeBistro and really didn't talk to anyone else who had. I didn't
see the point. The food in the dining rooms was great. The midnight buffets rivaled the dining room
food. It was tremendous and never have I seen a cruise ship put so much into these buffets. The steak
was awesome, the kabobs wonderful, etc. The Great American outdoor Cafe (whatever it was called)
was OK. It reminded me of a cafeteria buffet. I guess there was a pasta bar around the corner that I
never saw. A few in my party said that was really good.

I've been going for a while here, so I'll end. The just of what I'm trying to write is, if you've been scared
off going on this ship, don't be. I didn't see anything (by the way, it was very clean) that warranted what
others have written previously. Not to say they didn't have a good experience. The cabins are smaller
than some ships, but are comparable to others I've been on (Sovereign of the Seas). We were in a low
floor, inside cabin, got an incredible deal to go. What we didn't spend on the cruise, we spent on drinks
and getting there, but it was well worth it. We are planning a large group of people to cruise next year
as a promotion at the bar and will probably choose the SEA again if sailing the same itinerary.

Name: K. Garrett
Email: astahaus@home.com
Age: 40
Occupation: RN
NumberOfCruises: 08
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 3/12/01
Itinerary: BAHAMAS/KEY WEST
Cabin: 6022/promenade
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 99
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 95
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 17 Mar 2001
Time: 11:45:50
Remote Name: cc171036-a.union1.nj.home.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was the first cruise for my husband so we decided to try the short cruise in case he didn't like it. Some
things have certainly changed since my previous cruising, but mostly for the better. First of all let me say that
the embarkation/debarkation has been greatly streamlined. Our luggage was checked and was put on a truck
to be delivered to our cabin. We boarded the ship early and found our assigned room without a problem.
However our luggage was not delivered until we were out to sea, around seven o'clock. Luckily I had packed
summer shorts and shirts in a carry-on so we wouldn't have to suffer in our cold-weather outfits beyond the
airport. Other people weren't so lucky. As soon as we changed we went to have lunch. Since we were tired
and didn't want to fuss, we went to the big appple cafe. This was cafeteria style but the food was surprisingly
good. Later there was a barbecue at poolside where hamburgers, steaks and ribs could be had along with
salads...my husband loved it. In fact It was hard to convince him to wear slacks for the formal/informal dining
rooms. Actually aside from the wine service, the food was not exceptionally better. We heard that the Bistro
had alternative dining for a surcharge of ten dollars per meal but we never got around to making the rquired
reservations in time. All of the bar service was excellent, and the staff was universally patient and diligent in
their performing their duties. I think that the service charge added to our bill was certainly a good idea and it
relieves you of the problem of tipping individually. Of the ports of call I would have to say that two were fine
but one was a disappointment. Key West was great, with wonderful shops and pubs. The Private Island was
just a fun day at the beach and the staff really made it a worry-free day. But Nassau was a let down. The duty
free shopping was alright, but one of the main attractions, the Atlantis casino has started charging for access
since it has become so popular. They wanted a fee for walking in along with another for access to the
aquarium, and then they wanted to make even more on drinks and food which were outrageously overpriced.
We bought some duty-free liquor instead and returned to the ship. We had a better time at poolside than
those that explored Nassau! Aside from that the trip was a lot of fun and my husband insisted that we join
'Latitudes' which is the NCL cruise club. This obviously won't be our last cruise with Norwegian!

Name: Trisha Dittmer
Email: Kalgurl01@isot.com
Age: 32
Occupation: Court Unit Secretary
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 10-01-00
Itinerary: Tex-Mex Carib
Cabin: 4224
FoodDiningRoom: 88
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 84
FoodRoomService: 88
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 89
FoodLidoDeck: 86
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 89
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 94
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 89
DeckService: 86
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 83
PrivateIsland: 85
GoodForFamilies: 83
LoungeService: 87
TenderService: 83
GoodForSeniors: 89
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 87
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 89
OverallPortsofCall: 86
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 88
CruiseActivities: 89
Casino: 83
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 87
Stabilization:
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 89
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 18 Mar 2001
Time: 23:30:18
Remote Name: max-a66.tpe.isot.com
Remote User:

Comments

It was my first cruise and it was my honeymoon. We really enjoyed the service we received. The activities
director was really good and we enjoyed the way she made us feel at home. It was owsome the way she could
remember our names on the first day and through out the cruise. Everyone was so nice and friendly!

The only dislike we had was the Cancun visit. We did not get what we paid for. We were rushed, did not get to
enjoy the sites, and the tour we were on was not up to our standards, most of the things we wanted to do did
not open until after 12:00 noon, and we had to be back at the ship by 1:30, it was at least 1hr. 1/2 bus ride to
the site we visited. It left us no time to site see and view the island. I wanted to ask for a refund, but my
husband just said to forget it.

Overall the cruise was more than what we expected and we are already planning another cruise.

Trisha & Doug

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