 |
 |
|
Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Judy Kleinberg
Email: jikleinberg@earthlink.net
Age: 50
Occupation: writer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 22 Feb 98
Itinerary: Eclipse: San Juan, Aruba, Curacao, etc.
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 75
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 99
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 07 Mar 1998
Time: 22:26:26
Remote Name: 153.37.182.144
Remote User:
Comments
The staff, from room steward to waiters to activity hosts, were exceedingly helpful and
cheerful and generally able to fulfill our needs, whatever and
whenever. The food was ample, nicely presented and not memorable. Good ice cream. If you
happen to be a cappuccino-lover, you'll be very
unhappy; it's almost impossible to find on board. I booked the cruise exclusively because
the total eclipse fell on my birthday. I was glad I did and
wasn't disappointed. In fact, the captain really came through on the only cloudy day to
find us a sunny spot for eclipse-watching. Fortunately, I was
booked on a tour that provided good lectures; the ship provided very little information on
the eclipse, though it was booked as an eclipse cruise. If
you're not wild about being surrounded by throngs of people, the ship is poorly equipped
for any sort of contemplative activity. If you want to sit
quietly and read, you either stay in your cabin, sit in an elevator lobby or perch on one
of the few hard plank benches on the Promenade Deck. The
pool deck is a mob scene, as is the dining room and all the lounges. Some quiet space
outside would be wonderful. The ship itself was not especially
noisy except when slowing down. There were modest swells, but the motion was easily
tolerated without drugs (as someone with lots of experience
of seasickness...). The cabin, for which we paid a premium, was very small, with narrow,
not very comfortable beds. Cabin TV is awful. The same 4 or
5 movies played day in and day out, all week, with lots of Norwegian promos on the other
channels.
Name: Glenn & Glenda Carr
Email: GMSCarr@aol.com
Age: 55
Occupation: retired teacher
NumberOfCruises: 15
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: May 2 98
Itinerary: Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 70
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 13 May 1998
Time: 02:47:40
Remote Name: 152.163.197.217
Remote User:
Comments
We just returned from the NCL Sea, it was one of the best cruises we have ever been on.
After being on the NCL Star in Nov for the Cruise from hell, this was the
cruise from heaven. I can not say enough nice things about the ship, the crew & most
of the ports. Since the ship was only 2/3 full, it was very private, no lines
anywhere. I do wish the food quality & preparation could be imjproved, but for the
past 5 or 6 years all the ships have served quanity instead of quality.
Presentation is nice.
Santa Dominga had little to offer and could be dropped in favor of other islands where you
could snorkle. Dominica was very pretty & had beautiful mountains,
waterfalls, & forests. (go with the Dive program by boat to snorkle) Barbados was
really pretty & the snorkling was great at the Folkstone Marine Park. We used
our own equipment. St. Kitts was a great island, very clean, beautiful beaches, we
snorkled on the carribean side, went to Pacific side beaches to sun. St
John-Trunk Bay was fantastic snorkling & the beach was nice. St. Thomas has it all,
shopping, snorkling, beaches. NCL has pu together a great selection of
islands. THe dive team people are helpful if you just want information as to where to go
if you have your own equipment.
The crew on NCL has always been wonderful even on the NCL Star when the ship was in such
poor condition. On the Sea, the ship was excellent condition &
beautifully decorated. Our room, 8208, on the top floor, A category, was nice but very
small compared to others in lower categories on the other ships. I would
do this cruise again. NCL needs to refplace all NCL Star customers with a cruise on the
SEA as they did for us. They have redeemed themselves with us, but why
do they continue to send the Star out when it continues to have problems each week,
causing more people to bad mouth NCL. My evaluation was never printed
on this section for the Star.
Entertainment on the ship was good but more is needed. Ballroom & disco are provided.
Country music is so popular everywhere, it would be nice to also have that option.
Name: Wayne & Kate Sargent
Email: sargent@thepentagon.com
Age: 43
Occupation: Contractor/Developer
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: July 11
Itinerary: Southern Carribean/Barbados
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 70
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 70
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 75
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Jul 1998
Time: 15:08:46
Remote Name: 152.163.205.61
Remote User:
Comments
Overall, it was great and we wanted to stow away for another week. Embarkation: was not
organized well, or maybe I should say pre-embarkation. NCL
should have had someone meeting the shuttles from the airport at the dock before boarding
begins to let you know what's next. It's hot, you're tired from
several hours, maybe overnight flights, you've got your carry-on luggage to lug around,
and you're dropped off without directions. Even a sign would have
been helpful to say, wait here for noon boarding, or something. Rooms: Don't feel cheated
if you have a lower deck window room verses an upper deck
window.
We had 2 cabins, 3059 & 7237, both outside, 7237 with a lifeboat view. From the
higher room 7237, the view was obstructed on the upper 2/3 of
the window by the boat and on the lower section by the jogging deck below, so practically
speaking it was only useful for light and seeing a 20-30 ft strip of
ocean or dock area below. We preferred the less expensive lower room at 3059. The extra 10
sf in the 7237 deluxe room wasn't a big deal, and the beds
in the deluxe room are perpendicular vs. parallel to each other as in 3059. In addition,
one of the beds in 7237 is in front of the window, but that window
has little value anyway.
Being closer to the water on the 3rd deck was a good deal if you want to watch the
flying fish or waves or just want a little closer view
of the scenery when coming into port. If you're on the upper decks, the jogging deck
obscures the view to the water below and you're just that much further
from the scenery on the port calls. If we have a choice again, we would pick an outside
forward cabin on the 3rd deck. I think if we were towards the front
we could have seen the fish and scenery a little better. The ride: The engine noise was
just a drone that your ears adjusted to or was drowned out by other
noises regardless of location, although we don't know how the 2nd deck compares.
Vibrations? I don't recall noticing anything uncomfortable, so again, it
was probably something our bodies adjusted to if it was there. Motion? No problem. I have
a tendency to get a little green around the gills on park rides and
small ocean fishing boats. A few times I thought I felt a little out of balance, but these
ships are so big that they just don't get moved around that much in
average weather and sea conditions.
Food: Dinners were pretty good. We had our high school senior and sophomore that are
used to hamburgers on the
run. They didn't like anything on the dinner menu, but the waiters are there to please, so
they got them hot dogs or whatever they wanted. It's definitely not
world class food, but it's pretty good, and the service makes it taste a little better if
you have a good attitude and aren't too critical. We thought they could
have offered more selection for the main course at dinner, and the rolls and breads
offered were varied, but not real fresh. Breakfast and lunch were well
done also, but again, the pastries were cold and stiff. The bakery must be in San Juan.
We're not a conspicuous extroverted family and thought we'd enjoy a
small table, so we visited the maitre d' when we got on board and asked for a small quiet
table. Room service was weak. A few teas were more like coffee,
they barely understood English, the wait was 20-30 minutes, and some items weren't
available from their menu. The pools aren't as big as the brochure
suggested and there never seemed to be enough lounge chairs on the sun deck. Sorry, but
the pool and sunning area is very similar to a crowded motel,
only this has a nice view. Don't be too discouraged though, just be persistent and you'll
find something, somewhere. You can get burned without sun-screen
in 20 minutes, easy. Snorkeling excursions off the large catamarans are a good deal, a
comfortable trip with cold drinks.
We were told to forget San Juan
and Santo Domingo except for the shops that are right off of the ship's dock. They're
right. They're too dirty or take too long to get anywhere you'd want to
be. If you want the third world cultural experience of these islands, watch it on TV.
Barbados has a good snorkeling catamaran trip and sufficient shopping at
dockside, forget taxis into town to shop. Dominica has the best snorkeling and a trip
around the island was ok too. St. Kitts (welcome back to real roads and
resorts after 4 run down or poorly developed stops) is a nice place for a taxi tour,
snorkeling, and beach-bumming, and all the shopping you need to do is
at the end of the dock also. St. Thomas and St. Johns have too many places to shop, nice
beaches and snorkeling, and too much traffic, almost like being
back home except for the white sand and clear blue water. Overall, it was great and we
wanted to stow away for another week.
Name: T. Averill
Email: dra92949@worldnet.att.net
Age: 49
Occupation: self- political consultant
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: Nov 9,'97
Itinerary: Exotic Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 92
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 92
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 93
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 96
CabinSteward: 93
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 96
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 93
TenderService: 93
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 93
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 88
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 97
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 93
Casino: 96
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 93
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 94
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Sep 1998
Time: 21:40:17
Remote Name: 12.69.36.220
Remote User:
Comments
This was our second cruise on the NCL Seaward and we went back because we had such a great
time the first time around. We were not disappointed on
our return visit although the ship now has more visible signs of wear and tear. I
recommend that they take it back for re-furbishing the carpets and decor
in the near future. That not withstanding, the cruise itself was trouble-free. We were
with a group of 6 friends plus ourselves ranging in age from 25 to
50-something. It was a first-time cruise for a couple of them and they were not
disappointed. The food was delicious and our wait staff were always ready
at hand to bring us additional requests. Since we seem to have a penchant for ordering
both a meat and a seafood entree they were most willing to keep
one hot while we devoured the first. They were also most gracious about taking the
interminable pictures of our group at nearly every dinner. As if the
dining room weren't enough, I cannot recommend too highly their alternative restaurant Le
Bistro. This is available on all NCL ships and is one of the
main reasons we choose them. The filet mignon was fork-tender, the escargots scrumptious,
and the ambience cozy and romantic. I don't advise taking
children there but couples, especially honeymooners, should certainly try it at least
once. We were on Promenade Deck in an outside cabin the first time
out but this last time we opted for a category A, superior deluxe oceanview stateroom. It
had a small sitting area which was nice but the best part was
having a tub to relax in after a tough day at the beach! Actually, the cabin was probably
the least best part of the trip, although not enough to turn us off.
It was just a bit worn and faded looking, but the bed was heavenly comfortable. Probably
one of our favorite spots on the ship was Oscar's which was a
really nice place to have a drink before dinner and enjoy the piano bar. In fact, they
encourage singing along and provide sheet music with lyrics and that
was one of most fun things I looked forward to every evening, leading the sing-along, to
my husband's great dismay. (I'm no Barbra Streisand but I try!)
We also loved the casino because it is so spacious and roomy that you don't trip all over
people and can usually get a seat at a table or a slot machine.
The blackjack dealers were very nice and helpful and after attending one of their lessons
they gave out $5 matchplay coupons with which I cleaned up
the house that night! They definitely created a monster cause now I can't wait to get back
to the gaming table. Somehow it's a lot more fun at sea than on
land. The poolside service was great - you never had to wait for a drink because a waiter
or waitress was always nearby with a fresh tray of pina coladas
or the drink special of the day. And there were plenty of deck chairs too which was great
so we could all sit together in our group. Incidentally, as a little
sidenote, when we cruised the Seaward the first time (which was our first cruise) we met a
couple on our first night at dinner, became fast friends, and
then cruised with them a year later on the Windward, and then this one back on the Sea.
This November we're all going together on the Norway and
have already booked the NCL Crown for May of '99. This will just let you know that you
meet the NICEST people on cruises and we have made these
friends for life. Anyway, the only complaint I would lodge is that at embarkation they
were supposed to have a special section set up for Latitudes
members but it was closed and we had to stand in line forever and then deal with a staff
person who could barely speak English and didn't seem to know
what he was doing. Our dinner reservations were messed up as we were all supposed to be
together at one table but instead we were assigned to
different dining rooms. We were able to straighten out the problem with the maitre 'd once
we were on board but it was something that should not have
happened since we had all been booked and cross-referenced for a year in advance. Over
all, we have been completely satisfied with NCL and our three
cruises. I will say that I am looking forward to going on the Windward again since it has
been expanded. We found the deck space to be a bit lacking
there but it was definitely the nicest cabin we've had so far. I would highly recommend
NCL to anyone looking for luxury and fun at a good price.
Name: John Steinke
Email: Calgon1@yahoo.com
Age: 48
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 01-30-95
Itinerary: Miami-Key West-Cancun-Cozumel
FoodDiningRoom: 92
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 97
FoodRoomService: 98
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 94
FoodLidoDeck: 87
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 82
FoodMidnightBuffets: 98
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 96
DeckService: 97
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 87
TenderService: 82
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 97
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 89
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 84
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities: 95
ShipCleanliness: 92
EmbarkDisembark: 96
DiscoNightclubs: 92
DeckSpace: 89
Stabilization: 92
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 19 Sep 1998
Time: 13:16:39
Remote Name: 169.152.121.68
Remote User:
Comments
All in all, an EXCELLENT cruise. Probably rather biased. This was our first.
Embarkation: Drove in to the Port of Miami. Arrived approximately 9:00 AM (not too excited
or anything, were we?). After doing a few circles in
downtown (I think) Miami, I finally managed to locate the port area without breaching male
honor by asking for directions. Actually, the route is
rather well marked. If you are in doubt, just look for the ships and keep heading in their
direction. You'll get there. Parked right across the street
(50') from the terminal. Did remember to keep out a cary on each and a couple good books
to pass the time until the boarding process began.
Because of the early arrival, we were the first to board, once things got moving
(whoopie!). Actually, it made for a very relaxed process.
Boarding: Did the usual pose for a photo on the gangway and at the entrance. The pianist
was a very nice touch of class. Already knew our cabin
number and had the floor diagrams to guide us there. Headed straight to the cabin (6304)
and dropped the bags. No problems there. Again
though (can't empathise this enough) take a carry on for each of you. Make sure you have
"essentials" (meds, toiletries, valuables, and a change
of clothes). Our main baggage was not delivered until after dinner, and would have been a
problem if we had not listened to other reviews.
Pre-Departure: Then went to the dining room to confirm our seating. Placed at a table for
ten with four other very nice couples. NCL appears to
make an effort to seat guests into similar age and ethnic groupings. They also managed to
distribute our table geographically. We were from
Michigan, another couple was from the Chicago area, the third from the south central west,
fourth from new england, and the fifth was from the
deep south. This made for really interesting conversations and we had a great time at
meals! More on the dining later. Had plenty of time to
wander the ship and track down where everything is located (another advantage of arriving
early). Managed to find the late lunch buffet up at the
Big Apple Cafe and replenished ourselves after all the walking, looking, touring,
swimming, sunbathing, hot-tubbing, etc.
Departure: Cast off on time and conducted the lifeboat drill as we were exiting the dock
area. Finished with everything before we cleared the first
channel markers, and were able to catch a nice view of the harbor pilot departing before
heading down to our first full dinner.
Dining Room: As stated earlier, we had an outstanding table arrangement and this added to
the wonderful quantity and quality of the food.
Absolutely excellent! Our waiter and his assistant were honestly attentive and presented
themselves and the dining staff in a very professional
manner. At our first seating, we were asked for our beverage preferences. Didn't think
this was so unusual until the waiter explained that he
wanted our preferences for every meal! i.e., For breakfast, did we prefer tea or coffee?
Leaded or decaf? Sugar or sweetner? Black, milk, cream,
or lightner? Favorite juices? Water? Tap or mineral? With or without ice? Our table was
just down the ramp from the entry and our waiter and his
assistant always kept a lookout for "their" guests. As a result, I was never
able to get to the table without my coffee waiting, freshly stirred and the
fresh cream still swirling!!! Believe me, I tried to sneak in, but they were just too darn
attentive. Yes, we were pampered. Isn't that what we cruise
for? You bet it is! The dining room menu was expansive and varried. I can honestly say
that we were never served a bad meal. One word of
advice, listen to your waiter. He/she does know their job, the menu, the abilities of the
various chefs and sous-chefs. The only problem we ever
had in the dining room was that we had main (early) seating and eventually had to leave so
the other half of the guests could be seated. Really
hated to leave that room. Many wonderful memories there!!!
Cruising: (That is what this whole thing is all about, isn't it?) Very smooth sail miami
to Key West. First night at sea and between the general
exhasution from the drive that morning, the excitement of setting sail, trying to "do
everything" the first afternoon, overeating that night, dancing
'till midnight, and gorging at the first midnight buffet, gentle rocking .... slept like a
rock!!! Go figure!
Key West: Always nice. Have visited before, so didn't take any of the NCL excursions.
Rented a moped on the dock and toured on our own.
Headed back to the ship early to get in some pool and hot tub time before the mob
returned. Then ... dinner!
Cancun: Loved it. Did do an excursion here. Anchored off shore and took a tender in to the
dock. Had about a 40 minute wait till out party boat
docked and we headed out for the private beach picnic. Tripple deck party barge. Pleasant
little cruise. Good band on board and a couple locals
dressed up as "pirates" posing with us for the ever present photographers.
Hokey? You bet! Did we join in? You bet! We were here to have fun.
Very nice beach and a great barbeque. plenty of food and lots of fun available. Rented the
jet ski and generally tried to terrorize the beaches. Had
a great time. Went swimming with a shark that was penned up by the beach. Well, OK. It was
only a nurse shark, but is was a shark and was fun.
For the barbeque, they dragged a small grouper out of the pen, cleaned it, and threw it on
the grill, still flopping! Talk about fresh!!! Later, cruised
over to a shopping district. Lots of good buys, if you are willing to shop around a
little. Don't be afraid to haggle over prices. On the way back to
the ship, we found out that there are (supposedly) 853 different ways to drink tequila. Oh
my head!!! Between the tequila and the choppy waters,
the transfer from the party barge to the ship was a little dicey, but we managed to
survive (somehow). Would not recomment for handicapped
guests.
Cozumel: Arrived in the late afternoon (same day as Cancun). Only had time to do the
tourista shopping thing. Well, could have hit a cantina for
dinner, but why? Excellent (known quality) dinner is awaiting on board. Hired a taxi and
made a run up the island to the shopping plaza. Wander
through the shops and compare. Don't overlook the kids doing the sidewalk art. Using spray
cans, hubcaps and a few stencils, these kids turn out
really good (primitive) paintings which make very good souviners.
Buffets: Excellent every night! Anything I say here will only be redundant. Basically, if
you go hungry, it's your own darned fault! Plenty of great
food, beautifully arranged and continuously served!
At Sea Day: A great 'unwinder" at the end of the cruise. Relax. Be pampered (some
more).
Shows: Very good. We had "Grease" for our cruise. Not as good as the original on
Broadway, but still an excellent show! The other shows,
commedians, trivia, bingo, newlywed, dance contests, etc., were basically good. No, not
"high entertainment", but we enjoyed them in the spirit
they were presented.
SuperCharge: Good program. Be careful. The drinks (especially) add up. As long as you are
careful, you'll be OK. We kept a running total every
night and checked it against the Purser's tally every other day (Tuesday and Thursday
nights).
One Last Hint: Tried to pull a quickie at check out time with the Purser's desk. Told them
that we didn't have enough to cover our onboard charges,
but volunteered to stay aboard and "do dishes". They didn't buy it. Darn!
Name: Stewart Callaahan
Email: vinocruz@erols.com
Age: 42
Occupation: Counselor
NumberOfCruises: 8
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 10/17/98
Itinerary: Southern Caribbean- Barbados
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 65
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 94
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 96
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 97
ShoreExcValue: 78
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 98
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 86
LoungeService: 98
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess: 80
ExerciseFacilities: 70
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 78
EntertainmentPoolside: 79
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 88
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 92
EmbarkDisembark: 94
DiscoNightclubs: 78
DeckSpace: 88
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 86
SpaceRatio: 88
OverallCruiseValue: 96
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Oct 1998
Time: 15:40:55
Remote Name: 207.172.79.224
Remote User:
Comments
Norwegian Sea 10/17/98-10/24/98 This was our 8th cruise and out third on NCL. Carol and
myself
are in our 40’s with two Children 7 and 10 who DO NOT CRUISE with us. This is out
time together.
Let me admit right off we are NCL fans, the review will be a bit bias. We were fortunate
to have
several days in San Juan before our Southern Caribbean cruise to Santo Domingo, Barbados,
Dominica, St. Kitts and St. Thomas. If you have a full day and have fully toured old San
Juan,
make a day of it by heading over to Ponce on the other side of the Island. . We were
fortunate
to have several days in San Juan before our Southern Caribbean cruise to Santo Domingo,
Barbados, Dominica, St. Kitts and St. Thomas.
If you have a full day and have fully toured old
San Juan, make a day of it by heading over to Ponce on the other side of the Island. You
will
enjoy yourself. A free trolley will take you anywhere you wish to go, but be sure to stop
and see
the art gallery. Art work is from all over the world and this is a real gem. Natural light
makes
viewing these pieces of art wonderful. My favorite painting hangs here, Flaming June. We
boarded
the Sea around 1:30pm. This was a return for us in that we were on the Sea in 1989. The
ship
appeared as we remembered her. She is in fine shape and the ship will do well when she
moves to
Houston in 1999. Carpets were being replaced throughout our 7 day cruise. Because over 65%
of
the passengers were British and was on a fortnight vacation, they would board and
disembark in
San Domingo on Sunday so getting on the ship was a breeze. Having a full sit down lunch on
the
first day is always a treat and we enjoyed our first meal on the ship.
The Sea has two large
dinning Rooms, the Seven Seas located aft and the Four Season in the midsection. She also
has
a lovely smaller dining room which anyone may use located up top. This dining is wonderful
but
will cost you and extra $5.00 tip WELL WORTH IT! We spent 3 evening here dining for over 2
hours each night. Our other meals were served in the Seven Seas which I would also
recommend.
I strongly suggest each morning to look at the evening meals and decide if you want to opt
for
the better dining (but more restricted choices of the La Bistro. Only one meal American
Night did
we feel was simply not up to standards in the main dining area. If you opt for La Bistro
either go
early of late (6:00pm- 11:00pm). The food is plentiful and well served. Each night is a
very late
buffet and this too was very good. Although we did not eat in the Big Apple ( cafeteria
style food
served when other dining rooms were closed) we were told it was not good. From what I saw
I
would agree. But I would never go on a cruise to eat Cafeteria food. Each to their own.
Our room
was a suite (8010) On the Sea rooms are SMALL so don’t think of it as a normal suite.
The one
software my wife enjoyed was the bathtub… Ok I enjoyed it too. A really nice room,
because
right next to it is a nice waiting area with full glass and chairs. We felt it was almost
part of our
room. The entertainment on NCL is always super. The Jean Ann Ryan dancers are always a cut
above most on ships. They put on a super show of Grease and two Broadway reviews. The
singer
was Paul _____ the singer you see on the old LOVE BOAT TV shows. He had a strong voice and
great stories. The Comedian was the mad Irishman George Smiles. The Brits on the ship
loved him
and standing ovations always followed his shows.
We thought he was ok, if you like folks who go
after the audience. Warning don’t sit in the front row. The two show rooms were nice.
Sister Sez
provided the upbeat music with Joy the Caribbean beat. She was great, joy was the less
then
typical steel band group. The staff was outstanding. Karen the cruise director was
unbelievable.
At first you would never guess she is the director; she doesn’t wear it all over. She
was friendly
and warm throughout. She must have changed clothes four times a day. She would start at
9:00am and end at 1:00am She was always on the dance floor. I know my tongue was hanging
out just watching her (my wife thinks it was hanging out for other reasons) Carolyn the
fitness
instructor really changed the way I stretch and take care of my back (can you say brace)
The
ports and what I recommend San Domingo don’t be turned off by the poverty. The people
are
friendly and not aggressive (they do beg)
Take a taxi to the Columbus lighthouse (see the
remains of Columbus) and to his son’s house. While you are the mansion , stop by and
see the
amber house…return to the ship. If you want Cuban Cigars by them here Barbados. Sign
up for
the Safari tour the first night on the ship- it always fills. You will have 5 and a half
hours of total
fun in these nice 4 wheel landrovers. You will also really see the Island! Dominican It is
a rain
forest- See it via taxi for about $20.00 a person St. Kitts A beautiful Island! Take a
taxi to Turtle
beach and see the monkeys..then have the same taxi take you to S. Frigate beach and spend
the day there. Cost 8 of the taxi 8 for the 2 chairs and umbrella St. Thomas Everyone
shops
here, but if you are in good shape take the Kayak tour of the mangroves.
A 3 hour tour that is
really nice. If will leave you the afternoon to shop. As you can tell Carol and I had a
super time.
We like NCL because they let you do what you want to. They don’t push selling things
or
gambling down your throat. The ships are a wonderful size where you can really meet the
same
people over and over again. We bet some wonderful folks. The British love to tell stories
and
there is not a better place to do that on then on a ship! Yes we will continue to drink
fine wines
and return to cruises each and every year God allows us; as always keeping NCL top of our
list
Stewart and Carol Callahan vinocruz@erols.com
Name: Michael Hurley
Email: michael_glen@yahoo.com
Age: 32
Occupation: Crew Controller
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: Sun, 06 Dec
Itinerary: Santo Domingo - Montego Bay - Cozumel - Houston
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 70
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 50
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 70
SpaceRatio: 40
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 15 Dec 1998
Time: 02:26:42
Remote Name: 207.238.241.195
Remote User:
Comments
This was my first cruise. I will tell you up front that price was what I was looking for,
and NCL delivered. This review is really only
going to apply to this 1 itinerary, as the Norweigan Sea was being repositioned from San
Juan to Houston.
My sailing companion and I boarded the ship in Santo Domingo on Sunday, although the ship
actually sailed the night before
from San Juan. Having booked this cruise less than 1 month prior to departure, we had no
cruise documents, other than a letter
from our travel agent saying to put us on board. We had no problem at all with reception,
and found our way to the <Atlantic
Deck>, number 3 with no problem.
Having read many of the reviews of the Norweigan Sea (or Seaward), I was prepared for a
smaller cabin. Boy, did I have a
surprise when the door to cabin 3002 was opened! I had never dreamed that 2 people (or 4
with quad occupancy) could share
that tiny room without becoming crazy! The stateroom was one of the first 3 in the bow of
the ship, on the outside, but lacking a
window. I never had a problem with claustrophobia, but no light in that tiny room (or
closet) was too much. After checking with
the purser's office after dinner, we were able to move 3 doors down to 3005 (outside WITH
a window) for no charge. Life was
better! The location was great, no noise, and a decent view of the waves breaking under
the bow below your window. Decks 3 and
higher have windows, deck 2 has portholes only. You won't have nearly as much light on
deck 2 <Biscayne Deck> because of
this.
The food overall was good. If you board with the expectation of a gourmet meal everytime
you sit down, you'll be disappointed.
However, if you plan on having some decent food without cooking or washing dishes (for up
to 1800 people), you'll be satisfied. I
heard other folks both praising and complaining, so I figure saying the food was good is
more than fair. The Le Bistro restaurant
on deck 10 is a classy place for dinner if you want to escape your dinnermates for a night
or two. At the stern of the ship is the
Big Apple Cafe for 24 hour food, buffet style. The chocolate-chip/macadamia nut cookies
there were some of the best ever!
Eating here was fun, and a great view.
Service in the dining rooms was hit and miss. Either you had an excellent waiter/busboy,
or a lousy combo! No mediocrity here!
Our combo for dinner (late seating) was excellent. After ordering dinner the first night,
our waiter knew my preferences, and
subsequently ordered for me the entire rest of the cruise! He would tell me what he was
going to bring me, and with very little
deletions, I abided by his choices. TRUST ME- trust your waiter's recommendations! My
friend didn't some nights, and came
away from dinner disappointed. Our busboy kept the water glass full, and the dirty
plates/silverware off the table quickly. Service
at breakfast and lunch (mainly open seatings) was so-so. The maitre d's weren't always
receptive to seating you where you
wanted; but if you stood your ground, you could have a table for 2 rather than filling up
the last 2 seats at the table for 6.
Shore excursions were varied enough for most folks, but in the case of Cozumel, not
necessary. Pay the taxi driver $1, and
anywhere within reason in town is yours. Better yet, walk.
NCL has a great fitness program aboard. There were usually 5-6 offerings per day that were
organized by the sports staff. Each
event you attended earned you 1 coupon. At the end of the cruise you redeemed 10 coupons
for a free T-shirt. In addition to this,
there is a sports facility on deck 10 with a super view.
The pool area was well laid out, and plently of chairs/towels for everyone. On the hot
sunny days, the staff would come by with
water mist bottles and give you a quick cool down spray. Nice touch.
Now for the complaints, few though they may be. The pool attendants love to push the
drinks, and hardly 15 minutes go by
without the call of <bar service> or <daily specials here> ringing in your
ear. Announcements on board seemed to be geared only
toward increasing NCL's coffers. You heard endlessly about the art auctions, bingo
jackpot, drink specials, and skeet shooting,
but NEVER any announcements about the activities (non $$ producing) that were taking
place.
The ship itself was in great shape. Everyday, you would see someong either painting,
cleaning, or replacing carpeting. (We later
found out that former president George Bush and the Houston press were coming aboard to
welcome the Norwegian Sea to it's
new home.) I assume this had a great effect on the condition of the ship.
In conclusion, it was a great first time cruise. NCL did most everything right, and very
little wrong. The ship itself is fine, if you
can stand the VERY small cabins. Passengers taking the Sea on the Texaribbean cruises
should have a tremendous
improvement over the Star, if the reviews are to be believed! The ship has plenty for all
age groups, older, middle age, and young
to enjoy.
If you're looking for a decent cruise, don't head for Miami or San Juan; head down to
Houston and the Sea!
Want to book your cruise at a great rate?
Click here.
Questions or comments? Mail to webmaster@cruiseopinion.com.
Copyright ©1996-2000 CruiseOpinion.com. Last modified: January 17, 2000.