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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Glen Grafwallner
Email: glentally@yahoo.com
Age: 45
Occupation: Manager
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-NorwegianSky
SailingDate: 02/06/00
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: 9225
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 10
CabinComfort: 70
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 70
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 70
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland: 100
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 70
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 50
Casino: 70
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 80
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 100
Stabilization: 100
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 Feb 2000
Time: 18:54:24
Remote Name: spider-wg054.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:
Comments
Norwegian Sky Review 2/6/2000 Embarkation Eastern Caribbean Glen Grafwallner
A little background first: Myself and wife's 3rd cruise and our children's 2nd Fantasy 1983, Destiny 1999 and
Sky 2000
We were with a family group of 16, which was part of group of 493 total. It was organized through a Milwaukee
radio station. We left a day early and flew out of Milwaukee on three different private Miami Air 727's. Upon
arrival in Fort Lauderdale, 2/3rd's of the group went to Fort Lauderdale's Horse Track for the day and the rest
of us took buses to Sheraton Suite's Hotel in Fort Lauderdale where everyone spent the night. Because of our
large group representatives from NCL came and pre registered everyone in our group. This was a
tremendous advantage.
On Sunday we took buses to Miami and because we were pre registered we were sent to a different area than
anyone else and I was on the ship in 10 minutes!!!!! While I was checking out our stateroom you could see the
others passengers lined up waiting to get their picture taken. This is not unique to any ship. Why can't they
have 2 or 3 areas to take that picture and speed up the process. As you enter the ship most people are
greeted by employees with white gloves waiting to take you to your stateroom. The gentleman that helped us
took almost all of our carry on luggage and led us to a desk on our floor, which held everyone's Stateroom key
card.
The Stateroom: After hearing so many comments about the room I was dying to see it for myself. There is
plenty of closet space and hangers. Yes there are only 3 drawers and another non-drawer area. It was
enough for my wife and I. Natalie said the drawers were not deep and high enough for jeans and shirts. They
were the correct size for underwear etc. Suitcases (even the largest ones) fit under the bed so you can use a
suitcase for a drawer if you like to bring a lot of clothes. I loved the shower. Circular in design with a wrap
around curtain. If you are real large it could be cumbersome but I would imagine you have similar problems
with airline seats etc. There is plenty of room on both sides of the sink for toiletries. A hair dryer is supplied
along with the typical soap, shampoo, condition and lotion. It was replaced as needed. The closet doors can
be in the way of the bathroom and cabin doors when certain ones are both open at the same time but not
really an issue. One of our closet drawers was sticking and really needed to be adjusted but I never called.
The bed is two twins secured together. A very firm mattress that previous cruisers have complained about. I
actually preferred it and slept like a rock. Yes, the lampshades are in a terrible place. The only place you can
sit up is in between both of them and then there is no light to read by. I hit my head and laughed because I
knew it was coming. The little love seat was used only as a catch all for used clothes etc. I never sat on it. The
vanity area was real small compared to the Destiny. I was always struggling to find places to put my stuff
without taking up precious space. When you add the ice bucket, a bottle of champagne, sparkling water, Evian
and two bottles of wine an already small area becomes half full. Bottled Evian water was replaced as needed
at no charge. The ice buckets were small so I asked for an additional one after the first day. A small table is in
front of the loveseat and I suggest telling your room steward to take away the fruit basket right away unless
you want that kind of thing. There is so much fruit around they could really skip it. I really should have done
the same with the wine and sparkling water. They just sat there the whole cruise. There is a medium sized
television with very few channels. At times certain outside channels never came in but it wasn't an issue. Music
was through a few of the television channels and very limited. They all sounded the same, similar to elevator
music. The balcony was large and well worth it. Two small chairs and a table were fine. For those who never
experienced a balcony it offers so many opportunities such as eating meals or drinking cocktails, leaving and
entering ports, sunsets or just going out there day and night to realize how fortunate you are being out in the
middle of nowhere with no worries.
The Ship Itself: Being brand new there was little wrong with its appearance. The atrium was attractive but not
impressive. The elevators in all areas were fine. I thought the layout of the ship was excellent. Some spots
from front to back was the observation deck, a quiet bar with plenty of tables and views. The pool area was
excellent. Four actual hot tubs (all right warm) (consistantily in use) with fresh water. Two large pools (salt
water) that had a lot use from everyone. Plenty of chairs and chaises and places to lay out. Some of the
chaises had foam pads, which made laying on them comfortable. The band played a nice mixture and not too
much repetition. A convenient bar near the pool area was ok. A basketball/volleyball ball court was neat and
niced sized. Working your way back was a sports bar that I never went to but it had "Happy Hour" specials.
(two for one tap beers) Churchill's Bar was for cigar smoking and we went there often to enjoy a cigar. They
claim the air is constantly being exchanged but I wasn't too impressed by that. Next to the cigar bar was the
martini bar, which used the same piano player for entertainment. Never went there, just walked through it. A
coffee bar was seldom used and next to it was the Internet station. At most were 1 to 2 people besides the 1
staff member. I heard it was pricey and I overheard someone complaining about the connections. The Atrium
Bar was out in the open and didn't have much appeal to me. Gatsby's Bar featured wine. That was probably
the best place to relax in a secluded area. At the back of the ship was a large area that had plenty of tables
and a small bar. I found myself going back there in the morning and evening. It wasn't so windy and was very
peaceful watching the wake of the ship.
The Dining Options: We ate in the Four Seasons Restaurant late seating. Our waiter Renaldo and busboy
Charles did a very good job. The first night was a little slow but after that their service was fine. The wine
steward had his good and bad days. It seemed liked they spread him kind of thin. I thought the food overall
was good. Some better than others but certainly not a disappointment. The soups were awesome. Lobster and
pumpkin, which was recommended by an earlier cruiser, was tremendous. Most of the appetizers were very
good. Polling the group I was with we all had the same opinion. Some items were better than others but
everyone walked away pleased. Desserts were average but good. Asking for two entrees poses problems for
your waiter but the one time I asked I got it. Asking for two lobster tails probably would have been impossible
so I didn't go there! I would order a cold and a hot appetizer, which was no problem. The bread was delicious.
It would vary from night to night and they offer hearty rolls vs. sliced bread. Dining alternatives are Le Bistro,
which we tried on the first formal night. It wasn't crowded but you need to make reservations. You tip the
recommended $5 per person and it was well worth it. The menu stays the same all through the cruise. Main
entrees were filet mignon, salmon and chicken and shrimp. Once again the soups, wild mushroom in a
sourdough bowl or French onion were great. A word of warning is that reservations are hard to come by later
in the cruise as everyone looks for and hears about the different options. Chia Chow is another alternative
dining option. They advertise it as Chinese/ Italian but the only Italian option was a pizza variety. The Chinese
was good according to the people who went. We never got there but thought about it. I can say this much the
atmosphere in the Le Bistro far exceeds what the other restaurant has. Chia Chow is the pizza bar during the
day so it's hard to turn something like that into fine dining by changing the menu.
Breakfast, Lunch, Room Service etc.: I enjoyed breakfast and lunch in the dining rooms the best. Personalized
service was nice and made to order items were fresh and hot. If you come with a group larger than two you
could ask for a table for your group only. (you might have to wait a minute )It was nice because sometimes you
don't want to sit with strangers. Steam tables for breakfast and lunch were your typical boring selections.
There was an omelet and waffle station that I saw but never tried. I heard from others it was good. There was
different meat carved at lunch. I was warned about the hamburgers and they were right. I honestly wonder
what seasoning and meat they put in it. It was terrible! The pizza bar was good. The selections varied from day
to day. The ice cream bar was good but long lines because they were only open for a few hours. Room
service was fast and efficient. Although we didn't try it you could order whatever was on the dining menu but
only during the time the dining room was serving. I never did the midnight chocolate buffet or any other. On a
scale of 1 to 10 I would rate the food a 7. You just need to find what appeals to you and concentrate on those
items.
Ports of Call: Nassau: If you never have been there it is ok to experience. They say they are fixing it up but it
still looks the same as 1983. We got off the ship because the kids were never there but I would stay on board
the next time. Paradise Island I heard costs like $25 to use their beach facilities. You're only there for 5 hours
max so I wouldn't bother.
San Juan: We took the free trolley to El Morro Fort. It's a National Park with a $2 admission charge.
Awesome!! Everyone marveled at its design etc. This is NOT the fort that you see from the pier. I asked a local
and she said both are nice but her favorite is El Morro. Old San Juan is neat in that the streets are narrow and
architecture is interesting. We are going back to this same port next year and I plan to take in some of the
plazas that are talked about but we were with a group of 8 and it was hard to do anything except browse the
shops.
Saint Thomas: Of course this was the favorite of this trip. We elected to go to Coki Beach for snorkeling and
laying out on the beach. We loved it. A $5 cab ride (with others) took us to the beach. The driver made a point
to ask us when we wanted to be picked up. There were plenty of cabs and open-air type trucks available to
get back though. We walked out on the beach and were politely asked by "Ringo" if we needed a chaise. For
$5 all day I took two. Snorkeling equipment was available as was a changing room and bathroom. "Strawberry"
introduced herself as she walked around with samples of strawberry daiquiris. They were awesome!! We
enjoyed those and other snacks. All the people on the beach or road were real friendly. Snorkeling was
average compared to my one other time snorkeling, which were the Grand Caymans, which was excellent.
There was a huge fish swimming around that everyone had fun with. Dog food, bread etc. helped bring them
close and they would swarm. When I say average I mean there weren't a lot of types but there was plenty of
fish. I also didn't venture out where others went. I heard the farther/deeper you go the more you see. Overall I
would recommend Coki Beach to anyone. Others in our group went to Magens Beach, which they enjoyed. No
snorkeling but beautiful. We didn't want to waste a lot of time trying to get to St. Johns although they say it is
worth it. We ran out of time but next year we are going to take the tram up to the top and take in the view and
lunch. There is only so much time at the popular ports and it goes so quick. A lot of jewelry shops are in town
which is a $2.50 cab ride away.
Great Stirrup Cay: NCL's private island was very nice. The weather really dictates if you get to go there. A lot
of the past cruises were not able to tender to the island. We were fortunate with little or no seas. They start
passing out tender tickets early. Go down earlier than they tell you to because the lobby/atrium starts filling up
quick and they pass them out earlier than what is listed in the daily announcements. Yes, you can wait till
everyone is off the ship but I don't recommend it because the lounge chairs and umbrellas fill up fast. There
was plenty but as they fill up you are farther and farther away from the bathrooms, food and beverages. I got
off on tender #8 and over half the beach was full. The lunch was from 12 noon to about 2 and was good. I
actually liked the fresh hamburgers on the beach. There were a lot of salads and fruits along with chicken and
hot dogs. Hindsight now tells me to tell you, as you get off have someone stay there with your stuff. All the
chairs and umbrellas are to the left. Have someone in your group go and get a few unused ones and bring
them down to the right of the tender pier or further back by the food, bathrooms and some palm trees. There
was people laying in hammocks that I would have loved to experience.
Finally the End: Our entire group of 16 enjoyed the Sky very much. Everyone had something that they loved
or disliked but we all came away with a wonderful vacation that we would all recommend to anyone else. I don't
mind answering specific questions if you have any and you can reach me at glentally@yahoo.com Happy
Cruising!!!!!
Name: Bill Hall
Email: whh-nj@home
Age: 35-40
Occupation: RN
NumberOfCruises: 12
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-NorwegianSky
SailingDate: Jan, 2000
Itinerary: Nassau/San Juan/St Thomas
Cabin: 4302
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 88
CabinComfort: 93
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 81
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 88
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 89
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 84
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 88
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 88
WheelchairAccess: 100
ExerciseFacilities: 100
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 88
CruiseActivities: 89
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 88
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Mar 2000
Time: 20:14:03
Remote Name: cg961957-a.adubn1.nj.home.com
Remote User:
Comments
Price: At $1200/per person/inside cabin was perfectly acceptable; however, don't plan on packing a
steamer trunk because storage is sparse.
Aesthetics: Ship was beautiful, but would expect this is a new vessel such as the Sky.
Service: Poor. Not what I've experienced on other cruise lines. Waite staff in restaurants seemed
disinterested. They appeared, more or less, to be going through the motions. Don't dare delight yourself
in the thought of seconds at dinner for the pricier menu items (lobster/steak) or a manual count must be
taken in the galley per our waiter. Forget the delight of vino at dinner. Wine stewards seemed to be
nonexistent and when available they seemed to appear right around dessert time. If you are fortunate
enough for the wine steward to get to you before ordering your meal, dare not ask for a glass of your
favorite cabernet as opposed to a bottle, else you get a nasty glance. Quality of food was quite
pedestrian. It served to provide sustenance and only that. The patio buffet fare was quite mundane. It
was an endless parade of hamburgers, hot dogs and 101 ways to disguise pasta. I found it particularly
curious that a cup of 'joe' was free 24 hrs a day at the outside patio (self serve) as opposed to the
charge for the same cup of 'joe'at the trendy coffee bar/internet access hub. Cabin steward was good.
Bar service was particularly problematic. A night at the Checker's lounge landed me a bill of $158.00 for
one drink. I questioned the bar tender after glancing at my receipt (as everything is charged to your
onboard account) and he informed me that is was a keying error. He apparently had keyed in a quantity
of 51 drinks. The error was corrected. Be forewarned, check any and all receipts charged to your
onboard account for accuracy. Perhaps the most frightening 'on board charge experience' was the night I
tried to access my room with my onboard card and it failed to work. Further inspection of the card
revealed that it belonged to another passenger. Apparently, in the fevered rush of the bar staff, they had
returned myself as well as another passenger the wrong cards. A quick jaunt to the pursers desk
remedied the situation. I feel the ship was absent of the appropriate support personnel to deal with the
volume of passengers.
Entertainment: Average cruise song and dance acts.
Exceptional Points: Let's face it: This was a vacation! Any vacation that offers me the opportunity to stray
from the norm is great. A vacation is as good as you make it and is enhanced by the people you’re
vacationing with. The passengers, as well as personal friends who were onboard, all conspired to make
this a fun vacation. Could I ask for anything more? Overall, I enjoyed myself, albeit the
sometimes-fragmented problems of the service staff. Would I go again? Sure. Would I have inflated
expectations? No. That's okay however. I enjoy vacations for the mere fact that they are just that,
vacations. You are given the opportunity to forget about the ordinary for 7 days. Good times are created
by the person and this person created a good time for himself.
Name: Glenn O'Neill
Email: iriemon@tconl.com
Age: 52
Occupation: Management
NumberOfCruises: 11
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-NorwegianSky
SailingDate: 03/12/00
Itinerary: Western caribbean
Cabin: 0235
FoodDiningRoom: 70
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 60
FoodRoomService: 70
CruiseStaff: 75
CabinAmenities: 60
FoodLidoDeck: 65
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 70
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 65
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 60
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 60
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 70
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 21 Mar 2000
Time: 15:38:08
Remote Name: cedca01.fdcsg.1dc.com
Remote User:
Comments
This was our 11th cruise, the second one on NCL. Our first cruise was on the Norway and we enjoyed it
tremendously which is why we picked them again, however things have changed quite a bit over the past
5 years since we cruised on NCL. Embarkation was the first disaster that you will run into on the cruise.
Luckly we were members of the lattitudes club (previous cruisers) so we got to go in a special line and it
only took us an hour to get through I am not sure how long you have to wait if you are in the regular line.
At this point you still don't have your key to the room. Thinking it was in our room as it has been on some
other cruise lines we proceeded to our room which was locked. We found out we had to go down the hall
and get the key. We had paid for a room in category AA (there were only 2 categories above this)
Although there were only two of us, we enjoy the room and at times will entertain in the room. Well, not in
this room, two people could not pass in the room at the same time. I know cruise rooms are not that big,
but for a mini suite, this was mini! In addition, there are only 3 drawers in the room that are only about 3
inches high, and no shelves. We had to store a number of items in our suitcases under the bed. Not very
convenient. There is also only 1 outlet in the entire room including the bathroom. The balcony was nice,
two chairs and a table and a nice size. Another nice touch they had was there was a refrigerator and also
a basket of fresh fruit. Our room steward Antonio was wonderful, we could not have asked for a better
one. The rooms are also very quite we never heard our neighbors. The pool deck area was very nice,
there were two levels as usual, but a nice touch was they had plexiglass partitions to block the wind. We
never had any problem finding a place to lay in the sun. The biggest disappointment was the food. Do
not expect any elaborate buffets or fancy carved food or for that matter any variation in what is offered at
the buffet. By the end of the week we were so sick of the same thing for breakfast and lunch we couldn't
stand to look at it. Some how I expected more than hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch on a cruise! Yes,
other ships offer them, but they also offer a lot more to choose from. The food in the dining room was just
OK compared to other ships. They do have two alternate dining rooms that you need reservations for
and you will need to pay $5 per person gratuity. It was not so much paying the $5 as the service was
wonderful as it was that this is the type of food that is served on other cruise ships in their dining room. If
you are going on the ship for food, which most people do, this is not ship to be on. As usual their
entertainment was great. It was great when we were on it the last time and is still the best that I have ever
seen at sea. Excursions were good, we only went on 1 since we had been to all these ports before, so we
went on our own. Do wish more ships would take the hint from HAL and let you sign up before you get on
board instead of spending half a day in line. The regular people were very nice and usually had a smile
the officers on the other hand were very stand offish and it was almost an effort for them to answer you.
One day I asked for a bandaid and thought I was asking for this person's first born or that I would have to
give them mine in exchange. The exception to this would be the cruise director and his group. They were
a great bunch of people and worked hard to make people happy. For a new ship (built in 1999)it is not
very easy to get around. When I looked on the map as to where our room was I though it would be great
since we were on the 10th deck midship. Well, there is one staircase in the front and one in the back, and
not all the decks go through from front to back. there is no grand center section as you find on most new
ships. We saw a lot of staircases and elevators that were marked for crew only. As I put on the comment
sheet, I will not be cruising with NCL again, there are too many other ships out there with better service
and food. If you list out all the negatives and positives the negatives out weigh the positives. It is a
shame, they use to be so good. On debarkation, there were a number of people who were less than
thrilled with NCL. For the first time cruisers they felt it was fine, but there was nothing to compare it to.
There were more people who said they would not do it again.
Name: Mitch Loftus
Email: mitchloft@aol.com
Age: 48
Occupation: IT Manager
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-NorwegianSky
SailingDate: 03/19/00
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean
Cabin: 7110/F
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 70
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 92
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 96
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 70
CabinSteward: 96
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 60
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 60
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 96
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon: 90
EntertainmentPoolside: 50
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 97
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 92
SpaceRatio: 94
OverallCruiseValue: 88
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Mar 2000
Time: 15:00:05
Remote Name: node-d8e9aa5a.powerinter.net
Remote User:
Comments
First, I should state that this was our first cruise. Our daughter and son-in-law went on a cruise 6 years
ago (Carnival) and we were not induced to take a cruise ourselves based on the video they brought
back. In fact, it pretty much turned us off entirely. WAY too trite and boisterous. However, a little more
balanced information from the web and a ‘last call' price for this cruise enticed us to try it. That, and we
were both pretty well fried from work and badly needed to get away. This opinion is therefore based on
ONE cruise experience, tempered with experience from several land based vacations and conversations
we had with other passengers aboard ship who HAD been on several cruises with other lines.
Our cruise started a little rough. Our flights on AirTRAN were terrible, and we arrived in Fort Lauderdale
late. There was no NCL representative in the baggage claim area. Nor did one respond to a page. I had
to call the NCL reservations office, who had to get a supervisor, who then contacted the personnel at
the airport. I finally found one in a different terminal. After we found her, the airport NCL rep was very
pleasant and quickly arranged our transfer. It was a little scarey thinking about having to hail a cab from
Fort Lauderdale to Miami, but NCL handled things courteously and quickly once a rep was located.
There was only one other couple on the bus to Miami.
Embarkation was about what I expected: waiting in one line to wait in another. Complimentary beverages
were provided, but not announced. If you didn't know they were there, and weren't close enough to see
the table, you were left to wonder where all those other people got beverages. Check in really didn't
take too long - it just seemed that way. Maybe 45 minutes or so. We didn't touch our bags after they
were loaded on the bus. I had a quick conversation with the baggage handler at the pier that involved a
dead president, and our bags were waiting outside our stateroom when we got there. Debarkation about
the same. Up too damn early and too much milling about. I read here that this is very typical, and I
haven't yet figured out a way they could have handled it. Except to start a couple hours later, maybe.
Finding the stateroom was a matter of look around and ask. We were NOT escorted to our room. The
room/credit cards were in a wooden rack near the elevator. Please find your own, then find your room.
Luckily, I had familiarized myself with the layout of the ship by looking at the deck plans on the web site.
It wasn't really a problem. Older folks, or those easily lost might have had a bit of trouble, but there were
maps by the elevators and NCL personnel everywhere. Our cabin (inside forward) was pretty nice, I
guess. Our dinner companions allowed as how these were the smallest cabins they had ever been in.
You certainly couldn't hold a party in there, but there was room enough to change clothes. I don't know
how in the world they thought the optional third person was going to manage. The little couch made into
a bed, but if that were done there wouldn't have been room to move. Everything was in good order and
clean. The cabin included a TV, a phone, a (220V) blow dryer, a small refrigerator and a safe. The
closet was ample for 2 people (NOT 3), but there were only 3 small drawers. The beds had been shoved
together as I had requested at booking. The bath was a molded module with everything within easy arms
reach. Very easy. Even if you have short arms. Don't plan on getting two people into the bathroom or
shower at the same time unless one of them is anorexic.
There was a lunch buffet under way as we embarked, but exactly where it was, and how long it would be
in operation, wasn't made too clear. We went there immediately since AirTRAN had not fed us. We had
no sooner sat down and had a mouthful of food, when they announced the lifeboat drill. We didn't make
it to our assigned station until the drill was over. But, they counted us anyway since we had actually
shown up. I suppose if our flight had been on time, we would have had more time to get settled in before
the drill.
Without taking time to write a complete paragraph on each of the rated categories, I will make the
following assessment: The personnel we had contact with (or didn't, in the case of our room steward)
were all excellent. Service was courteous, prompt and usually correct. Our dining room waiter and bus
boy were exemplary. Our room was always clean and tidy, the beds turned down and ‘minted' at night
and the bathroom always clean and dry. We actually only SAW our room steward a couple of times. We
happened to return to our cabin a couple of times at odd intervals to drop off a bag or change clothes.
My wife remarked on how clean the bathrooms on the ship always were – particularly since she never
actually saw anyone cleaning them. Must have been elves. The entire ship was always spotless. The
problems and shortcomings seemed to be the fault of NCL management. And mostly seemed to be
concerned with cost cutting. I will cite a few examples:
The ‘ice cream parlor' was only open for two (count ‘em -- it's easy) hours each day. The frozen custard
machines were NOT accessible and didn't work anyway. Repairs were ongoing. You could, however, get
ice cream for dessert after dinner if you wished.
The portions of meat at dinner were meager. One evening I requested my pork chop grilled PLAIN. It
was about 3 ounces. The filet mignons another night MIGHT have been 4 ounces. I doubt it.
Popcorn and nachos – 1 location, only available from 6:00 pm until 10:00 pm.
Afternoon ‘snack' – same thing every day - sliced up sub sandwiches of different sorts with one other
little something for variety.
If you didn't care to eat at your assigned main dining room in the evening, you had two other choices.
Chinese food or the Bistro. Reservations needed and menu limited. NO buffet or café open.
No soda pop included. $1.50 per can plus automatic 15% ‘gratuity'.
No children's programming on TV. VERY limited selection. Really just ONE movie channel, CNN and
ESPN. The other 4 were ships info or music only.
Room service (we heard from our dinner companions) was pathetic. You could only request from a
VERY limited selection. And ‘no' was the answer to special requests.
Only two additional tenders were lowered at the ‘private island'. It took about 2 ½ hours to get the first
crush of passengers ferried over.
Quality of meat was not up to my expectations. I have been fed MUCH better beef at an Outback
Steakhouse. And better salad. And better potatoes. The last evening, I was served tomatoes that were
about half green.
Enough carping. I should point out that the dance company in the main theater performed three different
shows in 7 days. Each very well done. The troupe included a pair that danced ballet on a moving deck
as well as, or better than, anyone I have seen anywhere. A Russian gymnast also performed at star
quality under difficult conditions. Did I mention that we had 25-35 knot winds most of the trip, and the
seas were a little ‘heavy'. We reportedly had 10 foot swells one night. The captain had put out the ‘IF
THIS SHIP IS ROCKIN', DON'T COME KNOCKIN' sign. The stabilizers were deployed, but there was still
quite a lot of motion. We heard there were many cases of seasickness. The only real problem we found
with the entertainment was the band that played by the pool. CONSTANT reggae/calypso. VERY loud.
SAME thing over and over. Even when there were just playing a tape, it was the SAME THING. And
VERY LOUD. It was difficult to converse poolside due to the volume of the band.
A word about air quality. All the dining areas aboard ship are NON-SMOKING. The port side cabins are
NON-SMOKING. The theater is NON-SMOKING. A large portion of the lounges are designated (with table
signs) as NON-SMOKING. We were not bothered much by smoke, except on occasion. The disco and
casino were pretty bad when crowded. And, of course anytime there was a cigar within 1000' we had to
get upwind.
I could write more criticisms, but I think it's time to get to the bottom line. WAS IT WORTH IT?
Considering the price we paid (well under half of brochure price) we say yes, it was. WOULD WE
CRUISE THIS LINE AGAIN? Probably. However, considering what we heard from other passengers (and
read HERE), we might very well try a different line to see if they really are better, like so many of our
fellow passengers claimed they are.
Name: Rich Bornemeier
Email: richb@nebook.com
Age: 49
Occupation: Database Supervisor
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-NorwegianSky
SailingDate: 4/26/00
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 8229/C
FoodDiningRoom: 94
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 94
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 97
CabinQuietness: 92
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 96
ShoreExcVariety: 91
FoodVariety: 94
DeckService: 92
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 96
CasinoStaff: 86
PrivateIsland: 93
GoodForFamilies: 92
LoungeService: 91
TenderService: 86
GoodForSeniors: 94
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 89
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 96
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 88
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 91
CruiseActivities: 92
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 96
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 92
DeckSpace: 92
Stabilization: 94
ShopsOnBoard: 84
SpaceRatio: 94
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Apr 2000
Time: 12:42:46
Remote Name: 198.247.221.187
Remote User:
Comments
This was the first cruse for my wife and myself. We had a wonderful time! I believe almost all aspects of
the cruse exceeded our expectations. Our cruise was booked through South Beach Cruises, with a
wonderful consultant (Darren Bain) who guided us through the booking process in a most professional
manor and then went through extra steps to get us upgraded to an outside cabin. The Norwegian Sky is
a beautiful new ship, clean and elegantly appointed. The choices for activities, entertainment, food and
lounges seemed limitless. Our dining room service was most impressive. The food was excellent and our
waiter and busboy kept everything flowing seamlessly. We ate almost all of our breakfasts in the
Outdoor Cafe on Deck 11. It was buffet style, and quite adequate. The view was beautiful. We moved
around the ship for lunch, trying everything from seafood to pizza. So many choices! The entertainment
on the Sky is top notch. From the comedian (Rich Purpura) to the singer (Jane L. Powell) to the Jean
Ann Ryan dance company. Everything was extremely well done, energetic and flawless. Something
different every night and not to be missed. Even though our ship was completely booked, we never felt
crowded or rushed. We could always find a quiet place to talk, read or relax. Our stateroom was cozy,
not to small, and nicely appointed. Our room steward kept everything in order, we hardly knew he was
around.
The ports of call were all somewhat different. Seven Mile Beach in George Town, Grand Caymans in
beautiful. White, fine sand and beautiful aqua waters. The people are mostly very friendly. Ocho Rios,
Jamaica is not as friendly. We did enjoy our "reggae party sail" excursion, but the natives are a little to
persistant and pushy. Shopping here can be a hassle. Nassau is a beautiful island but we didn't get to
see enough. We took a driving tour and then shopped. The last stop was at NCL's private island, Great
Stirrup Cay. Even though we had to wait quite a while to tender to the island because of high seas, it
was really worth it. It is a pretty island paradise with many activities and places to walk, swim and relax.
The ship provided food and music while we were there. It was a very nice day!
Our only negatives on this trip were an indifferent waiter for dinner in Le Bistro and the wait for the
tender to get to the private island. Very minor problems. The ship's staff from top to bottom is very
professional. We will definitely cruise with NCL again and book through South Beach Cruises.
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