ncl-norwegiansea8

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Tom Greenawalt
Email: tstreet@airmail.net
Age: 36
Occupation: Teacher
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-NorwegianSea
SailingDate: 08-01-99
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 7017
FoodDiningRoom: 82
CruiseDirector: 88
CabinComfort: 78
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 88
FoodLidoDeck: 70
DiningRoomService: 84
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 88
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 92
FoodVariety: 81
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 88
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 94
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 50
CruiseActivities: 82
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 50
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 79
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 Aug 1999
Time: 21:32:00
Remote Name: bart.airmail.net
Remote User:

Comments

As a Houston resident, leaving from a home port was very desirable.
The Norwegian Sea travels to Cancun and Cozumel, MX and Roatan, Honduras. The ports of call were very good.
This being my fifth cruise, I had certain expectations. The other four were all on
Carnival(Carnivale,Tropicale,Festivale, and Celebration)Each were exceptional. I had the same expectations on
NCL, especially considering their industry reputation. Unfortunately I would have a hard time outright recommending
the Norwegian Sea.

The food was good in the dining room. In the Big Apple Cafe the taste of the food was
good(lunch only), but the conditions were awful. The serving line was terribly disorganized and DIRTY. The seating
area was cramp and unkept. Across the wall of windows were a mass of dead or dying plants. Late night buffets were
fair, but did not meet the level of variety and quality of Carnival.Poolside was also unkept; as an early riser I was
shocked to see stale beers and drinks from the previous night. Also, dirty ash trays and soiled towels could be
found. Additionally, very little poolside monitoring took place. Although signs clearly stated to use at your own risk,
parents were not required to supervise their children. While my girlfriend and I reported that chidren had overrun the
adult pool, the women at the pursers desk informed us that they had to respect the right of those guests to enjoy
their vacation as they saw fit.

Our concerns were dismissed somewhat rudely. A second and more forceful complaint
proved successful; the cruise director appointed a staff member to monitor the adult pool area. Public areas were
well kept, however, those same areas located near passenger cabins were not. Our cabin steward was merely
adequate. The dining room waiter was too forceful, but the busboy was exceptional. Despite a couple of
uncomfortable situations with the staff, overall, the friendliness of the crew was phenomenal.The Broadway Shows
were great; the 'Caberat Lounge,' was not condusive to shows of this type...limited visions and no stadium type
seating. Piano Bar entertainment was AWFUL,AWFUL,AWFUL!!! The lone showman, Derek Lewis, provided a very
limited selections of music, but worse was his high and mighty attitude(Teachers don't deal with big attitudes well!)
Another plus for the Norwegian Sea was its'band; incredible talent...WOW! Poolside entertainment was great, if you
like a band that only does about 5 tunes. As a sun-lover, this was old on day 2. Poolside waiters were
fantastic...exceptionally friendly and enthusiastic. The water spritzes were also a nice touch. Also a positive were the
photography staff; unlike Carnival they only appeared at very select events. Carnival photographers would join you
in the restrrom if they thought they could sell a picture. I hope I have conveyed a balance picture for those who read
this. Did my girlfriend and I enjoy the cruise? Yes, despite any shortcomings. Will we do NCL again? Possibly, but
with some extreme reservations. In conclusion, NCL, the Norwegian Sea failed in nearly all the little things. A a
veteran cruiser, the little things tend to stick out. I will recommend to those who question the enjoyment of cruising,
go for it...they are truly relaxing. Bon Voyage!

Name: Lucy Johnson
Email: lucy.johnson@alconlabs.com
Age: 41
Occupation: Computer Programmer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 7/25/99
Itinerary: Cancun-Cozumel-Honduras
Cabin: 6005
FoodDiningRoom: 92
CruiseDirector: 92
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 92
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 82
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 92
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 16 Aug 1999
Time: 10:53:18
Remote Name: ns1.alconhq.com
Remote User:

Comments

Introduction-This was my first cruise and I went with my 13 and 15-year-old daughters. We also cruised with my
mother, father, two brothers, sister-in-law, 6-year-old niece and 1 ½ year-old niece. Needless to say, it was a real
family bonding experience.

Embarkation-Since we live in Ft. Worth, TX, the FlyAweigh program was included free for myself and one daughter
and cost $79 for the other daughter (the 3rd member of the cabin). There were really no big problems with the
embarkation other than spending a lot of time sitting and waiting. One minor snag – Norwegian did not get our air
and cruise tickets to us until the Tuesday before the cruise on Sunday. That was cutting it pretty close.

Our flight left at 9:15am and arrived in Houston at 10:15. We went and got our bags and then stood in a 'Norwegian'
line to catch a bus to the port – we got on the bus around 11:00. We got to the port about noon and whipped
through the line in 15 minutes – we were told only one person in each cabin needed to stand in the check-in line.
Since they didn’t let us non-past-cruisers (Latitudes members) on before 1:00, I went back and sat with the girls. A
line formed at about 12:30 to get on board, but they all just stood in that line until about 12:50 when they started
letting people on. We just sat until 1:15 and got right on.

It’s a long, steep, hot walk to the ship – they’ll also take your picture right before you start your long walk. If you’ve
got lots of carry-on luggage, you might want to bring some kind of luggage cart.

Cabin: We got on the ship on Deck 4 and found our own way to our cabin, Deck 6, cabin 6005 (B-cabin) – all the
cabins were unlocked with 2 keys in each room. Due to a mistake by our travel agent, we were not in the cabin we’d
originally booked – long story but they deleted our group by mistake and when they figured out their mistake,
someone had gotten our A cabin on the 8th deck. So, we had three full-size adults in a 140-square-foot cabin with a
roll-away bed stuck in there all day. Our steward, Oswald (who was wonderful, by the way), made our beds every
night while we were at the early seating dinner. So, about 7:00pm, we had three beds crammed in the room with
about 1 foot of walking space. We always just folded up the rollaway bed until my youngest was ready to actually get
in bed – 10:00pm. But it was crowded.

My daughters are messy but Oswald picked up the room 2-3 times/day. We did notice after a few days that the girls
were missing clothes. We finally figured out that Oswald was depositing all the clothes he found on the floor in the
bottom of one of the closets. You should have seen the pile of clothes we pulled out of there.

We had checked 4 bags – one for each girl, one suitcase and one garment bag for me. The youngest got her bag
around 4:30. The oldest did not get her bag until about 5 till 6:00, as she was walking down the hall to go to dinner in
a very tight pair of her sister’s pants. She had NOT brought pants in her carry-on bag and there are no shorts
allowed in the dining room after 6:00pm. My bags didn’t come until around 7:30 or 8:00 but I was already wearing
pants. Moral to the story: pack enough clothes in your carry-on bag to at least get you through dinner.

Since our room was on the promenade deck, our view out the window was of the deck, then the ocean. While it was
nice just to walk out of the cabin and walk out on the deck, the view wasn’t that great. Most of the time it was
interrupted by walkers and joggers and we always felt we had to close our curtains to dress, even though the
windows were blacked out – you’d have to stick you nose up to a window to see inside – I didn’t catch anybody doing
that. Anyway, I would prefer a regular ocean-view window than a promenade deck window.

Finally, drawer storage was tight for 3 people. Closet storage was fine. Also, the bathroom is VERY small with a tiny
shower. Don’t plan on putting much up on the sink area, although there is a nice storage shelf under the sink.

Clothing-We had brought nice clothes for the two formal nights, pants and some dresses for the other nights. I had
no problem dressing for dinner. However, many reviews I’d read said to not bring many t-shirts since you’d just buy
them everywhere anyway. Well, buying them on the ship cost between $10-$20 per t-shirt – pretty pricey. We bought
a few cheap t-shirts in Cozumel ($6.50 each), but I found that even with a few purchased t-shirts, I did not bring
enough casual clothes – it was really hot outside and shore excursions were hot, so I ended up changing casual
clothes 2-3 times/day. Also, the Sports deck (a ½ basketball court) has tons of soot droppings from the ship
smokestack– if you sit down or lean anywhere around the court, you’ll get black soot on your clothes. And, if you
play basketball, you’ll be covered in soot since the ball picks it up. Finally, there’s no self-laundry on the ship so
unless you want to pay lots of money to clean your clothes, you’re stuck with them.

Passengers-Since this was a Basketball-themed cruise, there were many children on the ship. Probably had to do
with summer vacation also. I don’t have exact numbers but we were told the cruise was sold out. There did seem to
be thousands of 9-12-year-old boys. Not as many girls. Also, I saw lots of un-attended 9-12 year old kids. We even
went to one of the show (the grand finale) and saw two 10-year-old boys on the opposite side of the room bouncing
beach balls against the wall. How in the world can parents let their children disrupt activities this way? I was pretty
amazed.

Children/Teen Programs I had my two teenagers, one brother brought his 6-year-old and the other brother brought
his 20-month-old. There were no activities for children under 3 and babysitting was $8/hour with a minimum of 4
hours. We helped babysit the toddler but my sister-in-law said that if she cruised again, she’d wait until her daughter
was 3. The programs for the 6-12-year-olds were very good – they took the children (on at-sea days) from about
9-11:30, 2:30-4:30 and from 7:30-10. The kids had a great time. I did hear one guy complain that he was on the
same deck as the Children’s room (Deck 3) and that the kids ran screaming up and down the halls, day and night.
Something to think about when choosing a cabin.

As for the teen activities, there weren’t many – they would meet about 3 times/day and do some activity that typically
lasted no more than an hour. My 15-year-old decided the activities were 'lame', so she and I became pretty constant
companions – we did a wine tasting (fun) and an art auction (boring) and some shows. The 13-year-old enjoyed the
get-togethers more, but they still were not that frequent. All in all, I was not impressed with the teen program.

Service-We enjoyed our waiter (Lloyd), busboy (Patrick), room steward (Oswald). Almost all the servers seemed to
be Jamaican – Lloyd said it’s 0because English is the native language in Jamaica so Jamaicans are able to adapt
pretty quickly to mostly American passengers. They were all friendly and I wish I’d talked to Lloyd about shore
excursions and hair braiding and just in general asked his advice before we went on shore. I’d heard the service
crew members typically makes $50/month and this fact was confirmed on the ship. They literally live off the tips you
give them. Also, we were told (and saw) that waiters and room stewards typically work 12-16 hour days, with their
only breaks coming on shore days – even then they might only get an extra couple of hours off. So, if you enjoy your
servers, tip them – they work so hard. I ended up tipping everyone the recommended amount per person – this
ended up being pretty expensive with 3 of us - $180 for the waiter, busboy, maitre ‘de and room steward and then I
gave the wine steward an additional $15. So a total of $195 for 3 people.

Food- There were two dinning rooms: the Seven Seas and Four Seasons with main or late seating. We were
assigned main seating in the Seven Seas at a wonderful table next to a window. Of the two dining room, I liked the
Seven Seas the best – great views and it seemed very open – it was noisier though at times. The food was good but
the appetizer portions were very small – order cheese sticks and you get two of them, very nicely showcased with a
red-yellow sauce. I solved the problem of tiny appetizers by ordering at least two different ones with each meal. That
way, I got variety without eating tons of food. The main courses were adequate – some meat dishes were dry. The
desserts were fine too – I’m not much of a desert person, but I really loved the Baked Alaska. Also, the waiters do a
show on two nights – one with a 'Flaming Babbaloo' (a cream cake) and the other on the 2nd formal night with the
'Baked Alaska'. It’s quite a production, so bring your camera.

We ate in the dining room for most of our meals, except breakfast which we ate in the Big Apple café. We also got a
few late-night snacks at the Big Apple (pizza, hot dogs, onion rings – all the nutritional stuff). The Big Apple café can
be crowded at main eating times but if you go to the always go to the left line (port side), it’s always less crowded.

On Thursday night, we ate at Le Bistro, which is quiet and very nice. The food is quite good there and it has more of
an “intimate restaurant” atmosphere than the dining rooms. It costs $5 per person to eat there.

Activities/Shows- We went to the 'Grease' show which was fun. The actors have good voices and are an enthusiastic
bunch. My 15-year-old went to 'Sea Legs' and enjoyed it – she found the male dancers very entertaining to watch.
The comedian/magician was funny and did some great tricks. The final show was a combination of all the dancers,
the comedian and their new singer (a lady who looks and sings much like Bette Midler). Also, several crew members
came and sang (or attempted to) in the closing number.

We played Bingo the first day at sea and spent $28 each to play 4 games with 3 bingo cards per game. The prizes
ranged from about $150 to $300 and there were about 100 people there. It was slow and boring and we didn’t win
anything. I’d much rather spend my money on Blackjack in the casino – it’s more fun with better odds.

I love to gamble, so I spent a lot of time in the casino. They had about 5 blackjack tables (most $5 minimum,
sometimes a couple were $10 minimum), one Let It Ride table, one Caribbean Stud table, one Roulette table and
one Craps table. There were about 130 slot machines. I didn’t do much on the slot machines, but I did OK on the
tables.

My daughter and I went to the Tuesday Live Art Auction and stayed for about an hour (of the hour and a half). They
probably brought out 25 pictures while we were there, most with quite expensive minimum bids – anywhere from $90
to $450. If no one bid on a piece, they simply took it away and brought up another piece. While we were there,
people bid on about a quarter of the pieces brought out. Most pieces were not originals – they were signed
lithographs (nice poster) or serigraphs (nicer poster). We were also told that if you saw something you liked and did
NOT bid on it, you wouldn’t see it again in another live auction. What they didn’t tell us is that everything that wasn’t
bid on would show up later in Silent Auctions and basically, firesales. I went to the Silent Auction on Wed. and got a
nice original abstract piece for $180. On Thursday, I bought an even nicer abstract of a vase of flowers done in
palette knife with fabric added for depth. It cost $160. My sister-in-law bought a nice lithograph for her kitchen for
$140 which I know had an opening bid of $350 at the auction. So, don’t buy at the live auctions – wait for the silent
auctions and sales. However, you might want to attend a live auction to get quite an education on the artists and
their works.

Shore Leave and Excursions-We read other reviews and planned on doing a ship shore excursion on Cancun, but
doing our own thing in Cozumel and Roatan. We had mixed luck with both types of excursions.

Cancun-We took the $49/person shore excursion to Xcaret. It took 30 minutes to 'tender' to shore. Then we got on a
bus to the “water park” which took about 1 hour and 15 minutes. We got to Xcaret around 3 and were told to be back
at the buses at 6:30. The park was OK – the underground river is nice and cool but it’s about a 30-minute trip to get
all the way down the river and the current doesn’t just carry you there – you have to work a little. We ate first so we
didn’t go down the river until about 4:15 – by that time, I was literally soaked in my shorts and t-shirt – the
temperature was about 93 and humidity was probably close to 100%. So, the river was wonderful. I refused to get
back in to my sweaty clothes, so I wore a towel and a bathing suit the rest of the day – all the way back to the ship.
We got back to the ship at 8:30. We were so wiped out by the time we got there that we didn’t even shop at the
market by the shore. Altogether, we spent about 4 hours getting to shore and back and about 3 ½ hours at the park
– the park wasn’t that fun and was not worth $49 plus 4 hours travelling time.

Cozumel- At Cozumel, the ship docked at the downtown terminal and passengers walked down a long pier to the
shore. We got out around 9am and took a taxi ($8) to Chankanaab, where it cost us $7 per person. We walked
straight through to the beach and snorkeling area. We rented snorkeling equipment for $5 each, laid our stuff in the
plastic lounge chairs and went out to the water. There were lots of fish, a sunken ship and a platform out in the
water. You could swim out to the platform, sun a little, swim back in, rest in the lounge chair, swim some more, etc.
We also saw Carnival’s Sensation ship at the International pier and later their Ecstasy ship at the same pier.

We decided to head back to the ship for lunch around noon. We ate there and then took a taxi ($4) to a shop called
“Los Cinco Soles” which we heard was the best shop around – it was OK but it is at the end of all the shops, so you
get to walk back past every shop in downtown. We found some great prices at the Forum shop ($6.50 for selected
t-shirts, shorts, bathing suit covers) and got a free shopping bag with our over $25 purchase. But, the walk back was
hot and shop owners pestered us to come in at every shop on the way.

I also have another shopping tip on getting hair braided – don’t do it at Cancun or Cozumel – do it at Roatan – it’s
much cheaper there and they do a better job. We had my youngest’s done at Cozumel for the un-godly price of
$2/braid (she had 15 braids done). I didn’t bargain – I should have and I should have waited for Roatan where we
had the oldest’s hair for $10 for 15 braids.

Roatan- We had read a ship review where the guy said he went to a place called Anthony’s Key, saw the dolphins,
swam on shore and had the best time of his life – all for the cost of a taxi ride ($10/person for drop-off and pick-up).
So, that’s what our group of 10 decided to do. We were recommended to use a van driver named Margo. We found
Margo, who told us that Anthony’s Key was private and that we would not be able to swim there or see the dolphins.
She suggested a place called Fantasy Island ($15/person). We decided we wanted to see Anthony’s Key, so Margo
said she’d take us there first and then we’d go on to Fantasy Island for $20/person. We accepted and went to the
Key first. When we got there, they had a small museum, a dophin show area and some boats that went to the
PRIVATE Anthony’s Key island. So, our taxi driver was right. We did decide to pay an extra $5/person to see the
museum and a short dolphin show. This turned out to be a mistake since we wasted 2 hours there with an OK
museum and an OK dolphin show. We left around 12:30.

Our driver had told us about a good restaurant so we asked her to take us there. We got there around 1:00. Our
driver then told us she really hadn’t planned on spending all day with us at a rate of $20/person – usually she
charged $300 for an all-day use of the van and we were only paying $160 (8 at $20 with no charge for the two
children). So, it boiled down to her wanting $30/person with us stuck way on the other end of the island. We agreed
to pay the extra money but were not happy about it – we felt ripped-off by the surprise increase. The restaurant was
good – copious amounts of wonderful seafood for about $20/plate but it took forever to get the food to us and we
were there until 2:00. Next, on to Fantasy Island: a resort consisting of a peaceful lagoon and a wonderful snorkeling
area. However, we had about 45 minutes there. We then went back to the ship (got there around 3:30) where I left
my oldest to get her hair braided and I went to the room to shower and change. I was too pooped to shop which I
later regretted since there I didn’t know the market was right outside the exit from the pier. My dad got some nice
wood pieces for good prices. If we had it all to do over, we’d have gone straight to Fantasy Island and would have
gotten picked up around 2:30. It would have been $15/person with great snorkeling, places to eat and beach chairs
by a pretty lagoon.

By the way, the highly touted Tabyana shore excursion was cancelled because of rain – however, it wasn’t cancelled
until after the passengers stepped off their 30-minutes buses to pouring rain. On the trip back to the ship, some
buses got washed out on the hilly road and some passengers ended up walking most of the way back to the ship.
Yes, their money was refunded, but they were a very grumpy bunch. Also, most of the waiters had their shore leave
cancelled because of the rain. They weren’t too happy either.

Disembarkation-We were the second group off and left the ship around 9:45 - mostly because we chose to wait in
the lobby, starting at about 9:00, until the line thinned down before we got into it. We were on a bus by 10:00 bound
for the airport and got there around 11:00. We then checked our bags at the door and proceeded to sit in the airport
waiting for our 1:24 flight back to Dallas.

Overall-Cruising is a nice form of vacationing. I came back relaxed and I didn’t gain weight (not so much because I
worked out but because I took the stairs everywhere and swam/snorkeled at each port). I enjoyed the food, the
gambling and Cozumel. I thought time in ports was too short and I didn’t like doing 3 ports in 3 days – we were wiped
out by the 3rd day. I don’t think that cruising is the ONLY way to vacation, but I did find it a nice alternative to the
traditional vacation. We’ve already booked a cruise on Carnival at Christmas, so we’re willing to try it again!

Name: Betty Brooks-Shades
Email: bettybob@gulftel.com
Age: 52
Occupation: Medical Assistant
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: August 8, 1999
Itinerary: Houston, Cancun, Cozumel, Roatan
Cabin: 2225 Outside
FoodDiningRoom: 94
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 79
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 00
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess: 80
ExerciseFacilities: 75
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 75
MedicalFacilities: 00
ShipCleanliness: 75
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 70
SpaceRatio: 65
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 18 Aug 1999
Time: 17:35:43
Remote Name: 178ppp3.gulftel.com
Remote User:

Comments

Embarkation was a breeze. Not too many people, and we were quickly given our room assignments, dining
assignments, etc.

Cabin was small, and bathroom was no larger than in an RV. However, if you hugged the wall, you could actually
take a shower. Hair blower furnished in the bathroom was a joke - but it saved me from having to pack mine. There is
plenty of closet and drawer space, and our cabin had plenty of hangers although I had brought my own.

Dining - we dined in the Seven Seas early seating and found out my tablemates knew the same people in Oregon
that I did. We had a window seat and watched dolphins follow the ship. Our waiter, Roy, was incredible. However, it
took 7 days for them to remember that I wanted iced tea with my meal - not water, not coffee, just iced tea. Food for
the most part was very good,and the lobster dinner on Saturday night hit the spot. I especially enjoyed the few times
it was open seating so that we could get to meet different people and perspectives on various ports.

Entertainment - since this was the 50-60's cruise we had the Platters, Shirley Alston Reeves (Shirelles) and Larry
Earl and the Chance (a group that filled in for Lesley Gore, a no-show). Excellent entertainment although I did have
a confrontation with the lead singer to the Platters earlier in the day when he demanded I give him my ashtray. I told
him he had two arms and two legs and to get his own. That night I found out who he was and since we had front row
seats, I think he realized what he had done. (Although at the Houston Airport he had a major hissy fit trying to get a
flight to Vegas). Had two karaoke nights and boy was there excellent talent.

Cancun - decided to stay aboard as both my brother and I were not feeling well. Those who went said the tenders
were very uncomfortable.

Cozumel - My favorite place. Go to Chanaknaab Park. For $8 for a taxi for up to 4 people, and a $7 entrance fee,
you can snorkel (rent equipment right there), see dolphins, enjoy biological gardens, and have showers and lockers.
I wouldn't waste my money on any other tours as this is by far the best place to go. Six of us then went to town for
shopping (taxi fare $16; $3 a piece). We did major power shopping and don't be afraid to walk away - you can get
things much cheaper than the price they originally tell you. Take the bicycle ride back to the boat (just for tips) - 2
can ride on the bike and it beats walking after a long day of swimming and shopping.

Roatan - we signed up for the Dolphin Adventure located at Anthony's Key Resort. For $75 a piece, this is a rip-off.
You spend 15 minutes in the water with the dolphin, then they try to get you to purchase a $28 video of your
"adventure". But take your own bug repellant as some areas are plagued by biting flies, no-see-ums, and mosquitos.
Our taxi ride back to the ship was a harrowing experience. Our driver spoke no English - my high school Spanish was
of no help, and I swear he was qualifying for the Indy 500 whizzing around curves, sliding, etc. This was a white
knuckle ride.

Casinos - many of the dealers are from Hungary and Romania. They have the best personality, and I swear they
have counted up the cards before they ever deal. Friendly, helpful, and I came back with more money than I went
with!

Debarkation - a total nightmare! You have to be out of your rooms at 8:30 am so breakfast is at 6am. They huddle
you into one of the lounges where you wait, and wait for your color to be called. Finding your bags once you leave
the ship is a lesson in patience. It is well worth the few dollars to have a porter help you with your bags.

Air/Sea program - whoever the idiot is that schedules the flights to and from Houston should be forced to walk across
the Sahara Desert without any water. A 5 hour wait in the Houston terminal only to be told that all planes have been
double booked. This needs to be addressed.

Additional Comments - In the evenings it was difficult for adults to use the pool and hot tubs as the teeny-boppers
and young adults who were usually drunk took control. I never saw anyone enforce the "adults must be present with
children under 16 rule", and the nasty, foul language that was allowed on deck was a definite turn-off. Since the
midnight buffets are usually at Poolside they need to do something about this. Children were allowed to play in the
elevators and even after complaining nothing was done. Their security needs to be stepped up.

All in all was a nice week.

Name: Carol Loynachan
Email: sdlfarms@lucasco.net
Age: 40
Occupation: medical technician
NumberOfCruises: 8
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: August 15, 1999
Itinerary: Texaribbean
Cabin: #3148
FoodDiningRoom: 79
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 75
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 75
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 75
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Sep 1999
Time: 19:30:37
Remote Name: 165.90.237.98
Remote User:

Comments

My husband(45), myself(40), my sister(37)and my 2 teenage daughters(14 and 17)just returned from our
Norwegian Sea cruise. While we all had a very fun week, this cruise was disappointing in some ways. We have
previously cruised Carnival and RCI. The best thing about the Sea was her crew--they were all very friendly and
cheerful. Cruise staff was the most outgoing, friendly bunch of any cruise I've been on. The food(and I'm not picky
as long as I don't have to fix it)was OK; it just didn't seem that there were many outstanding dishes. The entrees
were generally pretty good, appetizers OK; desserts rather disappointing(they seemed to look better than they
tasted). The chocoholic buffet was the same--looked good, but nothing outstanding. The Big Apple Buffet food
was the same, Ok if you were really hungry. Had some good macadamia nut cookies and pizza. We ate in Le
Bistro one night, and it was a very nice atmosphere(so much quieter than the dining rooms)and the food was
good. I would have to say the service in the dining room(Seven Seas)was very good. Breakfast in the dining room
was good. We had two of the small inside cabins, and although they are terribly small, we got along OK--there was
enough storage space, and everything worked like it was supposed to. Shower is so small if you drop something,
you'll probably have to get out to pick it up. Never ran out of hot water though. Our room steward did a fantastic
job, and was very friendly, we enjoyed visiting with him. The entertainment was good; enjoyed the production
shows(especially Grease). Try to get there early to get a good seat, otherwise, you won't be able to see very well.
I loved the singer, Karen Saunders, and comedian Sam Griesbaum was very good, as well. I don't feel there is as
much entertainment to choose from as on either Carnival or RCI's ships(evening hours). Embarkation and
debarkation were both handled pretty well, had no problems with either one. The ports--Cancun--the weather was
bad, ruined our Isla Mujeres sail excursion. Cozumel--the day started out cloudy, rainy looking, but cleared off
about noon--since some of us weren't feeling well that day, all we did was shop there. Roatan--went with most of
the rest of the ship to Tabyana beach(the Dive In tour)and did get in some really good snorkeling there. Be
warned, the lunch included in the Tabyana beach package is pretty bad(at least ours was). Roatan is a beautiful
island. All in all, I think you'll have a fun week on the Norwegian Sea, just don't expect fantastic food. Oh, and
another thing, ladies if you are taking all sleeveless dresses be prepared to shiver in the evening as the air
conditioning seemed to be cranked up on super high at all times(which can be a very good thing when you come
back from one of your tours extremely overheated!!!)

Name: Larry Auer
Email: lha@lanl.gov
Age: 57
Occupation: astrophysicist
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 8 August 1999
Itinerary: Western Carribean ("Texarribean")
Cabin: 4113
FoodDiningRoom: 92
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 92
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 92
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 97
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 93
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 87
WheelchairAccess: 92
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 87
CruiseActivities: 93
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 83
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 94
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Sep 1999
Time: 12:51:45
Remote Name: ts-usr-72.lanl.gov
Remote User:

Comments

BACKGROUND. This cruise on the Norwegian Sea was MEANT TO BE! We had the following pushes to get us
going: (1) We first saw a television show which featured NCL and sounded like real fun. (2) Then in a bookstore
we saw and purchased 'the Unofficial Guide to Cruises' which continued making it sound good. (3) Sunset
magazine had a stunning advertisement for NCL featuring an irresistible picture of the 'Chocoholics Buffet'. (4) We
discovered NCL has a tour of the Western Carribean leaving from Houston, which is especially convenient for us,
who live in NM, and going to the Yucatan, whose Mayan heritage has been a major interest of ours. (5) On the
web we saw that the 8 August sailing was a Rock and Roll Theme Cruise. We are absolutely addicted to 'good old
R&R'. (6) 8 August 1999 is the 20th anniversary of the car crash which left me permanently disabled, and in a
wheelchair. I am, however, 'ambulatory' and game. What better way to 'celebrate survival' than to go snorkeling on
a spectacular R&R theme cruise! (7) The agent said the handicapped accessible cabin was available. We were
committed!

Everything about the cruise worked out perfectly. Even though August is part of the Hurricane Season, the
weather was ideal! Blue skies every day! No rain! Because we swam rather than shopped, we were never either
hot or bitten by mosquitos.

There is a great deal of MISINFORMATION on the web about the Norwegian Sea especially with respect to the
adequacy of the access for handicapped travellers. I am mobility impaired. I can, however, go short distances
(less than 100 feet) using canes, and go up a few stairs. At home I use a power wheelchair, which gives me total
independence, but is not permitted on the vessel. On the cruise my wife pushed me around in my manual
wheelchair, and, I found, having an able-bodied companion was essential. Note: there are adequate elevators,
door sills are ramped, people are more than happy to hold doors, and the cabin bathroom was wonderful, with a
fold-down shower seat, and easy access. We had a handicapped accessible cabin, 4113, which we will book
again. It is one-and-a-half times the size of the other cabins, has very comfortable beds and is on the Main Deck
(#4) conveniently close to the dining rooms and Purser's Desk. The ride was REMARKABLY SMOOTH. If one is
severely disabled, one should not expect a miracle. It will not be any easier on the Norwegian Sea than it is on dry
land--but only a very little bit harder!

SHIP. The Norwegian Sea is not glitzy. It is spotlessly clean, and well maintained. Service is impeccable. There is
always fresh ice in the rooms, which we think are straightened at least three times a day. Everything that actually
affects your comfort, from an extra towel at midnight, to getting food after swimming, is done with the greatest
grace and ease. Even though shorts are forbidden at supper, dress is casual and even on 'formal nights' just
'coat & tie' suffices. If you are the type who spends the extra money to go to very fancy motels, the Norwegian Sea
is not for you, but if you feel proud of yourself for finding the pleasant, comfortable, no-brand-name motel for half
the price, you will like the Sea as much as we did.

PLANNING. If you are reading this, you are like me a web surfer. We really had two vacations: first, reading web
postings and books on the western Caribbean, and second, BEING THERE. Because I move with difficulty, we
prefer to do things at our own pace, and on our own. Our pre-trip planning was worth the effort. Although nearly
everyone else went on the ship excursions, we 'did it ourselves'. I strongly recommend "Fodor's Cancun, Cozumel,
Yucatan Peninsula' which gives useful information on things like the sights, transportation, distances, etc. The
recommendations of other travellers were also critical and I hope I will be able to add even more useful information
here. The one stop where we did not do exactly what had been planned was the only 'off-day' we had, and we
heard from people we met on the beach that they had been to the other place the day before and 'it was
fantastic!'. Taxis, with cabbies who speak English and accept US dollars, are available at the docks to take you
anywhere, at comparatively reasonable rates

A number of the reviews commented negatively about the cost of drinks. My wife and I do not drink hard liquor but
we do like a glass of wine. We solved this problem by bringing two bottles of our own wine in our luggage. The
NCL brochure outlaws bringing 'liquor' on board, but by definition 'liquor' is a 'distilled alcoholic beverage' and
wine is therefore OK. They do charge $10 corkage fee, which we skipped by not drinking at dinner, and found it
spectacularly pleasant to sit on the deck after supper drinking a glass of GOOD WINE. (Note, from the wine
tasting I attended, with the exception of the Champagne, all the ship's wines are expensive and marginal in taste.)

CANCUN. This is the first stop, and one has to go ashore via a tender, which was somewhat inconvenient but
quite possible given the help of the staff. We had absolutely no interest in going to a 'tourist trap', so we took a
taxi to Puerto Juarez for $9, and there got the ferry for Isla Mujeres for $2.50 apiece. The ride is fun and even
more amusingly we met a woman from a town in New Jersey next to the one I was raised in. She spends summers
on the Isla, and helped us find a shop on Av. Rueda Medina near the ferry where we rented a golf cart for $11/hr.
Isla Mujeres is a wonderful rustic island, only about five miles long. There is essentially no traffic and the golf cart
makes the ride feel like something out of DisneyWorld, with waves crashing on the beach, flowering vines and
even a Sea Tortoise Farm. There is a loop road that goes all the way around the island. Be sure to do the round
trip as the eastern side is even prettier than the western side. At the very end of the island there is a neat Mayan
ruin which unfortunately has been damaged by recent hurricanes. Our circuit took exactly two hours, and rather
than swimming we decided to return early to the Sea and treat ourself to a meal at Le Bistro.

And it was a treat! We had seen the Chef's cooking demonstration the day before, and we knew what we were in
for. Grav Lox, Cheese Onion Soup, Caesar Salad prepared at our table, Steak Diane cooked perfectly, and
Crepes. We were dressed casually, but the service and food were so spectacular we really should have been
dressed formally to properly honor the event. (Note, I am an absolute fanatic about getting my beef RARE and I
had no trouble getting the meat done to my satisfaction.)

COZUMEL. Here is where we learned the danger of not 'sticking to the plan'. We had intended to go to Chakanab
Nature Park and snorkel, but our cabbie talked us into going to Playa Palancar which 'was a little further but didn't
have an entrance fee.' The beach was in fact beautiful but the coral reef was so far out that the small current
exhausted my wife before she got beyond the sandy part, and she felt in danger of being swept away. As we
recovered on the beach, we spoke to a couple of students from Texas who confirmed for us how much they
enjoyed snorkeling at Chakanab the day before. To complete his 'excellent service', :)~ , the cabbie, who had
promised to pick us up at 2PM, never showed up, and we were left with the problem of finding out how to call a
cab. The restaurant staff made it relatively easy, and we returned to the ship, knowing what we will do next time.

ROATAN proved that cabbies can be great. We met Larry Webster on the dock and asked him to take us to West
End Beach, which I had read was great. He quoted us an excellent price, and we were off. On the way there he
said he worked at the 'Fantasy Island' resort and that the snorkeling was great there also. We asked him how
much it would be to go to both, and the $50 was too good to turn down. He stayed with us the entire time, pushing
my wheelchair across the sand, and was so wonderful that we tipped him accordingly. (You can reach him on the
Internet via his brother-in-law, a realtor, at carson@globalnet.hn. His English is excellent, and we STRONGLY
RECOMMEND HIM.) What we saw made up for our previous problems. West End is a small inlet, and when I swam
out to the mouth, the view was spectacular, a rainbow of colored corals and sponges, but no fish. We then went to
Fantasy Island which was equally spectacular but completely different. There was only brown brain coral, but no
aquarium ever has this many fish. We saw dozens of different kinds all within 50 feet of the dock.

SHIPBOARD ACTIVITIES. The chief activity is, of course, eating, and we found the food GREAT. Living in the
Southwest, we feel ourselves 'fish deprived' and the Norwegian Sea was the cure we needed. Pounds and Pounds
of beautiful fish!! Yeah!! We never had the slightest inclination to eat on shore given how good the food was on
board. (Which probably contributed to the absence of any 'Traveler's Disease' problems for us.)

This was a 50's & 60's rock and roll cruise, and the performances by the Platters, Marvelettes, Larry Chance, and
Shirley Alston Reeves were great. They were one time thrills but the production of 'Grease' is a regular feature
which must not be missed. (The scenery with its '55 Chevy, and 'Welcome Back Class of 59' banner was clearly
created with me in mind.) The swimming pool, with freshly pumped filtered sea water, was one of the major source
of entertainment on board. It's a big pool, and I was pleased to find that no one else wanted to SWIM (as opposed
to FLOAT) and I could happily do laps. We were never bored as we believe simply relaxing is entertaining enough
when on-vacation. The sessions on Cooking and Wine Tasting were both fun in themselves and a great
opportunity to meet the other passengers.

And speaking of passengers, I have to compliment the Matre'D for his choice of our table mates. Even though we
were very different, our 'differences were complimentary'. There was more than the pleasure of food at the meals.

THOUGHTS FOR THE FUTURE. We were more than pleased with the cruise. We did not try to go to the Mayan
ruins, first, because of the season, and, second, because the shore leaves do not permit enough time to get to
Chichen Itza or Tulum and study what is there properly. We have friends in Mexico and the next time we go we will
try to get off the ship in Cancun, meet up with them and drive to the ruins, party in the local dens-of-iniquity,
spend the night on shore, and then get back on-board in Cozumel.

Name: Larry Shapiro
Email: lshapiro@home.com
Age: 54
Occupation: School Psychologist
NumberOfCruises: 11
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: August 22, 1999
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 8237
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 70
CabinComfort: 70
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 55
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 65
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 75
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 50
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 65
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 55
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 35
EmbarkDisembark: 60
DiscoNightclubs: 20
DeckSpace: 70
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 65
OverallCruiseValue: 70
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Sep 1999
Time: 20:23:58
Remote Name: proxy1-external.avnl1.nj.home.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was our 11th cruise and the 5th on which we brought our adult daughters (24&21). We enjoy traveling as a
family, even though we must, for financial reasons, share a room. We chose this cruise for price and the fact that
we had never sailed on NCL. We have been to the Caribbean many times before, so the ports were not so
important. Being a critical person by nature, and an experienced cruiser, I will be painfully honest in this cruise
review.

The flight from New Jersey was well-scheduled and was uneventful. After dragging (5 bags and 5 carry-on) our
bags to the bus we were off to a 50-minute ride to the dock. We waited on a very long line to check-in (1 hour 15
Min.). They did serve orange drink that tasted like watered down orange juice. After the mandatory picture and a
very long walk to the ship, we were shown to our cabin. Let me say that I was expecting to be cramped with 4
people, we had done this many times on past cruses and were able to manage with everyone’s cooperation. This
time was different. We were sold a cabin with 2 beds and one wall bed that folded down. Most quads have two
fold-down beds. Our cabin was equipped with a rollaway cot that remained in the room all day and was opened at
night. That first night was a nightmare. There was no room to even walk to the bathroom when the bed was
opened. The cabin was VERY small, even by ships standards. To the credit of NCL they gave us another room for
our daughters. They did want to charge $200 for an outside and $100 for an inside cabin. (note: there was the
usual sign that advised that the ship was full and cabin changes could not be considered). To make a long story
short, with some persuading by wife, the charge was waived.

Dinning Room Food/Service After boarding, we were surprised to discover that there was a sit-down lunch being
served in the dinning room. Most ships that we have been on only serve a buffet lunch on the day that you sail.
Throughout the week, the overall service was excellent, but the food was just average. My daughter couldn’t eat
her lobster, as it was chewy and had a “funny” taste (she never returns anything for fear of embarrassment). All of
the cream soups used the same base, tom which they just added broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus etc. We love
croissants, but we were all unable to eat even one for the entire trip. Instead of being light and flaky, they were
hard (crisp) and greasy. I won’t dwell on the food or talk about each dish. It was marginally acceptable but not in
any way outstanding, it lacked imagination and pizzazz. .

Big Apple Café The buffets at the Big Apple Café (breakfast, Lunch and Pizza Bar) were POOR. The food was
almost on par with a college cafeteria but not as good. Minimal selection, long lines, very bad traffic flow. The
eating area was crowded and poorly designed. We ate NO meals there.

Midnight Buffets DON”T bother staying up. Seriously, if you like chocolate go the chocoholics buffet. Even the
Grand Buffet was nothing much. If you have never been on a cruise, you may want to take pictures. If you have a
picture of another buffet, save you film, it’s all the same, only less. The only difference with this Grand Buffet was
that it had less variety than most and the tables were set up to enhance maximum confusion. People were going in
every direction, what a mess.

The Ship The Ship shows its age. The carpets were so stained, that we thought they were an op-art experiment.
There were rust stains all over the deck. In the cabin we found stains on the furniture and on the blankets. There
is no excuses for such poor upkeep. We were also very surprised at the size of the gym (3 tread mills for 1,700
people. Excerise class had to be held on deck (in 100-degree temperatures).

Entertainment Entertainment was very good. The resident company entertainers did 3 shows that were all very
professional and enjoyable. The Comedian (Sam Griesbaum) and Magician were both very good. The singer
Karen Saunders, was great. My daughter reported that the DJ sucked. He played old music, which usually cleared
the dance floor. The liars club was a real hoot. It bothered us that every performer had something to sell (CD or
video). We have never encountered so much commercialism on a cruise.

Gambling We don’t gamble much, just slots. We threw away $30 and called it a week. We did play Bingo a number
of times. It was very expensive $29/$39. The super jackpot on the last day was $3, 600, which sounds good, but if
you consider the number of people who fed the pot all week, you should ask where is the rest of the money. I think
that NCL makes more than they give away.

Cruise Director/Cruise Staff: The Cruise Director Shannon’s voice and demeanor was very annoying. Her staff
members were a little less annoying.

Ports/Excursions The ports, as I mentioned before, are not very important to us, these, however, were the pits. If
you like beaches, I guess they are OK, but I can go to the Jersey Shore for a beach. We missed Cancun due the
Hurricane Brett. We spent 2 days in Cozumel. We took a cab to Chankanaab (check other reviews ). On Roatan
we had a Dolphin encounter. It was overpriced but very nice.

That’s it… We have been on better lines (Celebrity, Cunard, Holland America). First time cruisers will feel more
positive about this ship. The price was right and it was not a bad vacation. I realize that many of my criticisms can
be over looked, some are not so easy to forgive. Will I go on this ship again? NO… Will I go on NCL? Maybe… All
ships on a specific cruise line have the same food and very similar activities. I like to try other cruise lines, so that I
can compare the product and vary my experience.

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