Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: David Heston
Email: wh@freese.com
Age: 26
Occupation: Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 11
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 12/28/98
Itinerary: Southern Carribean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 88
CabinComfort: 88
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 94
CabinAmenities: 88
FoodLidoDeck: 86
DiningRoomService: 92
CabinQuietness: 94
FoodMidnightBuffets: 88
CabinSteward: 91
ShoreExcVariety: 96
FoodVariety: 94
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 98
CasinoStaff: 98
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 96
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 94
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 96
OverallPortsofCall: 88
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 94
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 92
AirSeaProgram: 94
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 98
EmbarkDisembark: 98
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 92
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 98
OverallCruiseValue: 94
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 14 Jan 1999
Time: 10:29:36
Remote Name: 204.96.100.177
Remote User:

Comments

We chose the Norwegian Sea for our Honeymoon cruise because of the Southern Caribbean itinerary with few
days at sea. My wife was cruising for the first time and felt that island ports of call would offer more entertaining
activities than those available on the ship while at sea. I am a veteran of 10+ cruises and limited our choices to
NCL due to previous cruising experiences on the Norway, Windward and Sunward. In addition, I have cruised on
the Premier Cruise Lines and now retired S.S. Emerald Seas.

We chose the Air/Sea package since we were departing from Syracuse, NY in late December. The cruise line
package guaranteed that additional flights and accommodations would be available if weather delayed our flight.
Our trip to San Juan was long, but uneventful and we were greeted at the gate by an NCL representative. Our
travel agent recommended that we wait to put our cruise cabin tags on our luggage until we claimed our bags in
San Juan, prior to releasing them to NCL. However, we were escorted directly to a bus headed for the ship. Worry
set in about seeing our bags again, but since the flight was an NCL charter and the Sea was the only NCL ship
in port the luggage made it ok. The names were checked with the cabin list and the bags arrived prior to sailing.

Embarkation through the Latitudes members line was very quick and I had the route to our cabin memorized. Our
trip was prior to the scheduled drydock overhaul for the Sea and there was some noticeable wear throughout the
ship, especially carpets in certain areas. Otherwise the ship was beautiful. We haven't been on a megaship with
the large atrium's and glass elevators, but I like to know that I am on a ship. One of the classics is the Norway.

As stated before, we chose this cruise for the itinerary. The first stop was Santo Domingo and if future sailings
bring us there again we will stay onboard and relax. We took a shore excursion to a Christopher Columbus
monument and to the downtown shopping district. The monument was fine, but the downtown area was very run
down, and garbage/sewage filled the streets. We felt unsafe as we walked to shops suggested by the NCL
shopping talk and were approached by locals numerous times. A local boy latched onto us and guided us to
shops for his commission, he did navigate the area well. Santo Domingo needs a tremendous influx of capital to
become a tourist destination, and I am sure that recent hurricanes did not help their situation.

The day was spent playing games pool side, learning how to play casino games and just relaxing. In addition,
we explored the entire ship while learning our way around.

We spent the day at Barbados on a catamaran, sailing and snorkeling. The reef was located close to a private
beach and it did not have a wide variety of fish. The dominate creature was the black spiny urchin. In the future we
would take an island excursion to investigate the area. Since the catamaran was an all day trip, we felt like we
really didn't get to see Barbados.

Dominica is a beautiful natural paradise. We went on the Emerald Pool tour that included numerous stops along
the route to hear the guide speak about the land and its people. The trip included a short hike to a waterfall and
native dance recital. Again, this is a very poor island, and recommend that you do not leave the port area on foot.

Antigua was a more modern island, with the ship docking a bustling business district. We toured the remains of
a British fort, Nelson's Dockyard, and returned to the business district to shop. There were many shops to
purchase reasonably priced casual clothing and jewelry. We recommend, however, that if you are making large
purchases, wait until you get to St. Thomas. The custom allowances are larger for purchases made in the USVI.

St. Thomas was the final stop and we chose to go the St. John's on the ‘Wild Thing'. It is a high-speed motor
powered trimaran, with an emphasis on high-speed. We boarded directly from the Sea and headed towards St.
Johns. The bay has a slight chop, 4 ft, and we were headed into the wind. Once we hit open water they turned the
throttle loose and cranked the music. Every person on that boat was soaked from the water breaking over the
bow and sides while jumping the waves. That was not in the excursion description. All of our clothes, towels and
camera were drenched, place all valuables in a plastic bag. The breaking saltwater burned at our contact lenses
and we weren't the same all day. However, once we got to the reef we put the ride behind us. The reef was larger
than the area at Barbados, but the number of fish was still disappointing. My wife and I are relatively strong
swimmers, but we were tired after 1+ hours of snorkeling in the tide affected area. The trip back to the ship was
spent under towels trying to remain dry. We did some minor shopping at the mall near the dock, and prices
seemed similar to Antigua.

Food and service are one of the main reasons to cruise and NCL does a good job. We attended a Honeymoon
Reception with drinks and snacks. It allowed a few of the cruise staff to learn our faces and greet us several
times a day. Our room steward did a fine job, no towel animals, but she learned our schedule quickly and we
rarely ran into her. Our dining room waiter was great. He always had a dinner recommendation and he hit the
mark every time. Our busboy seemed a little nervous, and on several occasions we ran out of drinks, etc. In their
defense, a table of four next us showed up to dinner at least 20-30 minutes late each evening. The staff had to
hustle to get their salads while the remaining tables were finishing the entrees. We prefer hearty, solid meals
over gourmet dining and we thought the food was well prepared. However, the desserts left a lot to be desired.
Most were very light, a lot of whipped cream, and often lacked inspiration and flavor. We would have loved a good
solid cheesecake or a thick chocolate cake. We only made it to a couple of midnight buffets, but they were
relatively disappointing. The Chocolate buffet was very disappointing, with many of the same deserts we had
been served previously. The M&M's were an example of the lack of imagination showed by the chef's.

We enjoyed the ship's onboard entertainment, while not Broadway quality, the acts were always performed with
enthusiasm. Other people onboard were always friendly and fun which made the wait for the shows quite
entertaining.

As always the week passed by too quickly and we needed a vacation to recover. While NCL did a fine job and we
will always have fond memories of our honeymoon, we plan on trying different cruise lines and itineraries in the
future. We are really looking for the cruise line with an outstanding dessert menu.

We highly recommend this line for Honeymooners. We received several conveniences and gifts not afforded
other guests; private cocktail reception, tour of the ship's bridge, hors d'oeuvres left in our room (compliment of
the captain), a complimentary $100 bar tab and special attention by cruise staff while on deck working hard to
make our cruise extra-special. We are confident that we would not have been pampered the way we were by NCL
had we just booked a hotel somewhere for a week-long honeymoon.

Name: Helen Harris
Email: cruzfool@aol.com
Age: 38
Occupation: Cruise Consultant
NumberOfCruises: 11
TravelAgent: Yes
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 1/17/99
Itinerary: Texaribbean - Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 75
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 99
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon: 99
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 99
LoungeService: 99
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 75
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 65
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 50
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 99
EmbarkDisembark: 99
DiscoNightclubs: 90
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 95
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Feb 1999
Time: 19:58:14
Remote Name: 205.188.192.173
Remote User:

Comments

Review of Norwegian Sea, Sailing from Houston, TX January 17, 1999

By Helen Harris, age 37, traveling with female friend age 45. 11th Cruise, 3rd time with NCL, second time out of
Houston, first one was on Star in June 97.

Overall summary You cannot put a price on convenience, and for those of us living in Houston, or South Texas,
this has to be the perfect cruise. No flights, good weather, great itinerary, and lots of fun. We picked this ship for
all of those reasons, and because we had such a great time on the Star. If you must, go, see do, on the newest
glitziest ship, you might not find this cruise to be for you. But if you enjoy a medium sized ship, days at sea, and
beachy type islands, youıll probably like this cruise.

Getting there We drove to the port of Houston, an industrial area, quite similar to the port area in Los Angeles.
Not a particularly pleasant point of embarkation, and somewhat isolated for out of town arrivals, but of little
consequence to those lucky to live in Houston arriving by car and you can leave your house at 12:30, be having
lunch on board by 1p.m, and on deck in your swimsuit by 1:30 ! Most people arriving by plane to either
Intercontinental or Hobby airports will probably arrive via the bus transfers offered by NCL, or by rental car if
adventurous. Itıs not hard to get to the Barbours Cut terminal, and there are a couple of economic hotels in
close by LaPorte. More details upon request.

Embarkation/Debarkation The small temporary terminal building handles just this one ship, and upon our arrival
at noon was fairly bustling. Latitudes members board first at 12:30, others wait for general boarding around 1
p.m. Lines were pretty heavy at certain moments, but soon shorten depending mostly on bus arrivals. If traveling
independently, luggage is handled swiftly by the ample and friendly Texan Seacaps (give them $1 per bag). A
long gently sloping ramp takes you to the ship where you enter into the Crystal Court on Deck 4. Youıre are
directed to your cabin by a crewmember. Our luggage arrived within the hour. Debarkation was handled in similar
efficient manner, starting at 8:30 a.m, by colored baggage tags that you picked up depending on your flight
departure. Picking up your baggage in the big warehouse side of the facility was easy, and so was the customs
clearance. On board ship, I was surprised that there was not the normal throng of passengers choking every
aisle and stairwell this time. Course, it was fairly early, and some were still eating breakfast at 8:30 !

Cabin We had a Category B, Deluxe, oceanview stateroom (6217) on the Promenade deck. Fairly roomy,
approx. 150 SF. 2 lower beds that convert, although we did not. After youıve unpacked, ask your steward to
'loose' your suitcase for you for the week, it will give you extra room to maneuver. Storage was ample, 2 full
length hanging wardrobes with top shelf, 1 shorter hanging area, 4 deep boxy type drawers, 2 wider skinny
drawers, vanity with chair, mirror, outlets, square table in corner between L-shaped beds. The beds were fairly
narrow, and a bit contoured after years of use, the mattresses could stand to be replaced. Being on promenade
deck, we had a nice sized window, but with the normal problem of mostly having to keep the curtains drawn so
that casual observers do not get a peek show. However, it was still nice to be able to tell if it was daylight outside,
so that we didnıt oversleep in the mornings (as we had to be up for the 7 a.m. fitness walks -more tickets!!). The
bathroom, while very small, had enough room for one person to take care of all necessary functions, with good
undersink storage, and a hairdryer. No room safes in any categories other than A and above. Little noise from
cabins on either side, or hallway noise. I think that cabins on decks 6, 7, 8, are the best location for access to all
activities. Personal favorite cabins spotted are Star deck 7202, 7203, 7226, 7227, 7228 and same cabins on
other side and above on Norway deck 8.

Dining Service On this sailing we had about 1300 passengers on board, and crew to pax. ratio was very good.
Breakfast and lunch open seating often causes problems in the dining room, but for us, we had more than ample
service. The 2 restaurants, Seven Seas and Four Seasons are both utilized and you can pick from either one for
lunch or breakfast. For dinner, assigned dining rooms (by cabin location) are fixed. Casual dining in the Big
Apple cafe was again prompt and efficient, with the waiters rotating from dining room to cafe for different meal
service (which is why I think itıs important to tip your server well at weeks end, because no matter where you
choose to eat, someone has waited on you !!)

Bar Service Although not big drinkers, we did imbibe a little, and never had a problem getting service from one of
the many bar waiters either poolside, in the restaurant, Bistro, or while seated at one of the many bars. NCL also
offers a rather nice touch out on deck with their 'spritzing service' ! Just ask one of the nice guys or girls to spray
you with their water bottle on their rounds. Remember folks, the waiters you see in the lounges into the wee
hours of the night, are the same ones that have been waiting on you all day out by the pool. Donıt let anyone
convince you that working on board a ship is easy !

Food We ate 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 5 dinners in the main restaurants, 1 breakfast and 1 lunch in the big
apple cafe, and 2 dinners in the Bistro. All were good. Lobster tails are back on the last formal night !! I was
spoiled by the executive chef, Tony, on 2 occasions when my special request to have Indian chicken curry was
granted. Donıt be afraid to ask for something special if nothing on the menu strikes your fancy (in advance, and
with a nice tip for the MaitreıD works well). Each night their was a good selection of either fish, chicken, beef, and
pasta. I wasnıt that impressed with the deserts, but my busboysı willingness to serve me cappuccino more than
made up for that for me. The bistro is a nice alternative, quite, relaxed place for dinner. A $5 p.p. gratuity is
suggested, the menu doesnıt change either. The Caesar salad and chocolate fondue were especially delicious,
but interesting for iced tea lovers, donıt ask for a glass here as none is served ! Lunch in the big apple was
salads, burgers, cold cuts, plus 3 or 4 hot dishes, stew, fish, chicken, pizza, etc. A nice variety of different
beverages, milk, orange, cranberry, pineapple juice, plus punch are all complimentary at lunch.

Public Areas All were well maintained, spotless, and fairly spacious. The main show lounge, cabaret, doesnıt
really have the great systems and bells and whistles of the newer mega ships, but was fairly decent for the 3
production shows shown, including the unique show, grease - a welcome relief for frequent cruisers like myself
whoıve seen each cruise lines version of the 'songs of Broadway'. The shops contained a good selection of
sundries, gifts items, duty free goods, and my personal favorite, a fossil products shop. The casino was a good
size, and amply outfitted with table games and slots to suit the ships size. The fitness center, located on sun
deck, forward, had a good selection of equipment, 3 stairsteppers, stationery bikes, nautilus type machines, and
free weights. We didnıt encounter a wait for any of the machines on our trip. The aerobics and fitness classes
etc. were all held on a covered area on deck. I would have preferred an enclosed area like the one on the Star
and other ships. The sauna and massage rooms were located by the fitness center also. The pursers desk,
shore excursion and dive-in desk were all located together in the Crystal Court on deck 4. A strange thing worth
mentioning for those of you who, like me, like to get safety deposit boxes for your valuables, most days they are
closed from noon-4 p.m., so on your port day in Cancun, make sure youıve gone and retrieved your money that
morning, before they close for the afternoon

Activities/Entertainment With 3 1/2 days at sea, the cruise line is challenged to come up with enough activities to
please everyone. This was one of the fullest Iıve seen so far. There always seemed to be something going on
somewhere, and the cruise staff and others kept very busy, especially the sports afloat coordinator. I particularly
liked the fact that on a couple of evenings they scheduled the late dinner show, prior to dinner, rather than after.
This meant that on those nights there wasnıt that pre-dinner lull in activity that happens so often. As mentioned
earlier, I enjoyed the show grease, but ducked out of the other 2 production shows. However, by all accounts, the
resident Jean Ann Ryan company does a good job. Bingo was available daily, as was some kind of deck activity
on a couple of evenings, with the cruise staff dressed in the appropriate garb for the night, Mexican deck party,
50ıs & 60ıs, sock hop etc. Be sure to take along your gear if you can spare the room in your suitcase. There
were 2 comedians, one of which combined magic with his show. They reappeared several times during the
cruise. Also, we were fortunate to have the Chocolate Goddess of Funk, (her term) Ms. Jane L. Powell on board.
If you get chance to see Jane in action on any cruise she is a star performer and a lot of fun. One small pet
peeve for me on this sailing was the over abundant use of the ship-wide loud speakers for announcements of the
activities. The art auction, the run down of activities by the cruise director, bingo, etc. etc. Way too many
announcements, as all the information is contained in the daily cruise news. I donıt know if the cruise director
chooses (or not) themselves to do these announcements, but they are very intrusive, especially while your
sleeping in or taking an afternoon nap. We took part in the sports afloat program everyday, and NCL gives you a
ticket for each activity you participate in. We did enough to get 2 shirts each at the end of our cruise. Some
people thought we were mad to take part in the Wacky Olympics, but each of our team members got 2 tickets
each - the only activity all week where you get 2 tickets !!

Ports/Shore Excursions, etc. Cancun Iıd never been to Cancun before, and had never had any desire to go, now
I know why ! We anchored off the north end of the island, and were tendered in, a 45 minute ride. Tendering
started at 12:30 and we made it on the 3 oıclock tender, without having to wait in the lounge for our tender
number to be called. We arrived at a beach area and bar, Fat Tuesdays, and took a taxi for a 1 hour tour of the
island, essentially down one side and back to the downtown area, and back to be dropped off at the Rain Forest
Cafe or forum shops area. The ride cost $15 which was fairly good value, despite the fact that thereıs nothing to
see except, hotel after hotel, after American restaurant, and shopping malls. A cab just to the forum shops would
be about $5. We then shopped in the flea market and forum shops, before returning to take the last tender back
to the ship at 9:30 p.m. Ships excursions included going by ferry to Xcaret for the afternoon evening show, horse
back riding, a Cancun overview tour, and an underwater boat trip. Shopping in Cancun seemed expensive to us ,
especially as we live in Houston. Iım sure if you are from the Northern US and donıt get much exposure to cheap
Mexican products, their prices may not seem high at all. Cozumel One of my favorite places to visit, Cozumel has
itıs very own personality. We docked at the pier close to downtown (as opposed to the International pier by La
Cieba hotel), just across the road from the post office and a five minute walk to the start of the town of San
Miguel. There are many choices of places to go here, several excellent beaches including Chankanaab Park and
San Francisco beach. The shopping here is mainly silver jewelry, blankets, liquor, but also some decent
gold/gem shops along front street. We shopped for a little while, then after dropping our purchases of at the
ship, took a cab to Playa Azul beach. The ride was $4, and we thoroughly enjoyed the beach there. There are
restrooms, a shower, and a nice restaurant. Cabs were available for the ride back so you shouldnıt worry about
being stranded. For the rather long walk along the pier, there are guys who for just tips, will take you on their
bicycle powered carts to the ship. We rode in style that way and it was fun. The Norwegian Wind docks along
side the Sea in cozumel, and it was neat to compare the 2 ships, especially as I hadnıt seen the Wind since the
recent stretch. We had fun looking for her stretch marks as we sailed away into the sunset......Other excursions
offered in cozumel are swimming with the dolphins at Chankanaab, horseback riding, snorkeling, diving, jeep
tour, Mexican folklore, or mermaid explorer tour. Roatan This was my second time to Roatan, the first being back
in June 97 on the Star. For those people not accustomed to traveling to 3rd world countries, Roatan is an
interesting experience. It would appear that although the hurricane of last year left them relatively unscathed, the
influence of the cruise industry has left itıs mark. Many houses now have new windows and doors, they have a
new bridge downtown in Coxen Hole, and little market type booths are set up on the pier for souvenir items. As
we had done our own thing by going to the Paya Bay resort last time, we decided to take the ships excursion to
Tabyana beach. The 45 minute drive on mostly unpaved pot holed roads is fairly scenic and very rough (take
motion sickness pills if youıre prone). Once we got to the beach area, the water etc. is absolutely beautiful. Our
tour left the ship at 10 a.m, and they had pretty much continuous bus service back to the ship from 2 oıclock on.
We had a nice long day at the beach, which included the catered hamburgers, hot dogs, fish etc, from the ship,
and beverages were available for an extra charge. There is a small souvenir shop, bathrooms, showers, lounge
chairs, volleyball court, and lots of shade. I recommend spraying with insect repellent any part of your body you
donıt want to get bitten, especially if you are walking around on the beach. The 'no see ums' can leave their
mark otherwise ! Other tours offered on Roatan is the dolphin encounter, very limited participation and extremely
popular, East End island tour, also popular but not as limited. If you want to do your own thing in Roatan, I still
recommend Paya Bay resort for the day, or take a cab to the West End or West Bay - this is the long sweeping
bay of which Tabyana Beach resort is a part. The taxi driver will probably just park for your stay so that he can
take you back to the ship. You might pay about $40 for the ride, but as that can be for up to 4 of you, I would not
pay $38 again for the Tabyana Beach excursion, but they push it in such a way, youıre fooled into believing itıs
the only place to go to the beach. For example, the cruise director says, donıt ask a taxi driver to take you to
Tabyana beach, heıll take you allergist, because once you get there only the ships passengers can get in, they
will issue wristbands. All of this is true, except, they fail to mention that they just occupy one little sliver of the
whole beach, the rest of which is open to anyone - just call it West Bay beaches. There are plenty of restaurants
along the beach for lunch too. If anyone needs additional info. on Paya Bay, Iıll be happy to oblige. I donıt have
any stake in the property, it is just too lovely to not mention !! Some people also rented cars or took taxi tours
and took off on their own. We asked our van driver to stop at the supermarket on our way back into town so that
we could buy some Honduran beer (Port Royal), the gocery store took American money, as did all the vendors
on the pier. About buying alcohol at any of the ports, they will take it from you at the gangway and deliver it to
your cabin on Saturday. They are really clamping down on liquor purchased of the ship for consumption on the
ship. Even items bought on-board in the duty free shop, cannot be taken with you , but will be delivered to your
cabin on Saturday. The dive-in activities seemed to have excellent participation, so if youıre a diver or just love
to snorkel, this would be a great cruise for you. I brought home as much literature as I could carry and will be
happy to respond to particular questions. Hereıs hoping that you have as good of a time as we did ! Bon Voyage
- Cruzfool aka Helen

Name: Stephen C Johnson
Email: stevesan@earthlink.net
Age: 63
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 1/17/99
Itinerary: Houston-Cancun-Cozumel-Roatan-Houston
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 100
CabinComfort: 75
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 100
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 50
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 100
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 75
ShoreExcValue: 100
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino: 70
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 65
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 65
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Feb 1999
Time: 12:09:56
Remote Name: 153.36.204.146
Remote User:

Comments

NCL’s seven day Texaribbean Cruise aboard the Norwegian Sea was our first cruise. This is a round trip journey
beginning in Houston, Texas, with ports of call at Cancun, Cozumel and Roatan. The ship is clean and well
maintained, apparently having undergone some refurbishing prior to its recent transfer to Houston. The staff is
universally courteous, and seems sincerely devoted to ensuring that their guests experience a great vacation.
Since NCL has a thorough web site where one can gain facts and data about NCL’s ships, I will try to convey only
my impressions and opinion of the trip. This was a first cruise experience for both my wife and me. Truthfully, I
am a bit ashamed for having previously referred to this as a practice cruise. Our first cruise was to be this
coming May on HAL’s Grand Capitals of Europe Cruise aboard the Rotterdam VI. Realizing that we might better
enjoy the European trip if we had experienced at least one cruise beforehand, I booked us on the Texaribbean. If
I had known what a marvelous experience our trip on NCL’s Sea would be, I would never have been so derisive in
my pre-cruise comments.

This was a wonderful vacation, enhanced by the crew, the daily activities and the shore
excursions, which are plentiful and reasonably priced. The Sea offers twenty-two shore excursions and six
snorkel and scuba trips at the three ports. I signed up for snorkel trips at each stop, and thoroughly enjoyed
them all. The Sea’s Dive-In staff of four instructors are all technically well qualified and abundantly endowed with
people skills. Beginners are provided thorough instruction. Two of the dives I participated in featured marine life.
The instructor/guides constantly stressed the delicate balance and beauty of the reefs and fish, as well as
emphasizing recognition and characteristics of the many varieties of underwater life. The instructors were
unfailingly patient and friendly, never condescending. All necessary equipment is provided, however, I advise
bringing your own mask and snorkel for maximum comfort. The snorkel trips begin with Manchones Reef at
Cancun. This requires a tender trip to shore, then transfer to a catamaran boat out to the reef, which was only a
few hundred yards from where our ship was anchored! Unfortunately, diving directly from the ship was not an
alternative.

Cozumel offered two snorkel trips. one a boat dive on Columbia Reef, the other a shorter trip to Dzul
Ha Beach. There is a scuba dive at Cozumel, also. The Dzul Ha trip is perfect for beginners, and has an
abundance of tropical fish and coral only steps from the shore. Both snorkeling and scuba diving are available
from Tabyana Beach at Roatan. Unlike snorkeling, scuba divers must be certified prior to sailing. The Dive-In
staff advises that the dive/snorkel trips usually sell out early, so it is necessary to sign up first thing. The same is
true for some shore excursions; however, normally all of the dives, and most of the tours, can be fully refunded
with twenty-four hours notice. I must note that to sign up for dives and shore trips, one needs to que up in long
lines. This is very annoying and anxiety provoking. No one wants to spend their first night at sea standing in line.
I don’t know if this is endemic to other cruise lines, but it should be totally unnecessary.

Nearly all cruise ships
have closed circuit television. It wouldn’t be a great technological leap to offer interactive TV from passenger
cabins to sign up for shore excursions, as well as the on board activities that require subscription. Regardless of
age, it is wise to have adequate medical coverage. One passenger was seriously injured in a moped accident in
Cozumel and had to be life flighted to Houston. The air lift alone cost $14,000. Another passenger was left
behind in a decompression chamber in Roatan for air embolism treatment. NCL offers a passenger protection
plan which includes both trip cancellation and limited medical coverage. The cost was approximately four percent
of the brochure ticket price, a smart investment. A brief review of the Sea’s physical amenities begins with our
cabin. We were located on the promenade deck, in what is described as a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom. The
cabins are small, but adequate for two adults. There are two settees, one along the outside bulkhead, the other
at a right angle along an inside wall. These convert into single beds by lifting the back rest straight up, thus
exposing the pillows and about an additional six inches of width. I looked into a cabin designated for a third
person. It has a fold down bunk bed above the inside settee. This cabin appeared to be about the same size,
maybe slightly larger, than the others. OK for a small child, but not another adult. The cabin bathroom is tiny and
difficult to maneuver in. The cabin has a large picture window, which on this deck, provides a good view. The
joggers were not a distraction, but there was a persistent vibration noise in the cabins not evident in public
areas. Surprisingly, the noise did not affect our sleep.

The pool deck is quite large, containing two spas and two
swimming pools. One is smaller in size providing a good wading pool for tikes. It’s impossible to take a nap here
due to attendants pushing drinks and unsolicitedly spraying water. The ice cream parlor resides on the pool
deck, but is virtually useless. It is seldom open and frequently out of ice cream. The aft end of the pool deck
houses the Big Apple Cafe. Food quality here is a cut or two above chain cafeterias. Seating is comfortable and
the cafe is open round the clock for coffee and pastries, excellent for early risers and night owls. The two dining
rooms are on deck four, one amidships, the other aft. We dined in the aft Seven Seas. The room is well lighted
and pleasant in appearance, although the tables are close together, providing a tight fit. The wait staff is
excellent, but there is often an extended time lag between courses, probably due to the kitchen schedule. I
wasn’t in a hurry, so it didn’t bother me, but some passengers seemed to be annoyed.

The seafood was good,
but there was a tendency to overcook the meat entrees. The dining room food quality would have earned a
higher rating except for this failing. Fortunately, the menu offered a number of choices and I quickly learned to
avoid the beef and lamb. The chef who overcooked the rack of lamb would have been strung up from the
yardarm, if we had a yardarm. On two occasions the dining room lights were lowered and the wait staff formed a
procession, parading and dancing to Caribbean music. A marvelous show which rivaled the show room’s
productions. Main seating is 6:00PM, late is at 8:30PM. There are two formal nights, but this seems to be a less
formal cruise than most. There were tuxes and formal gowns in evidence, however, business suits and cocktail
dresses were more common. Of course, portrait photographers were ever present, although not overly obtrusive.
They actually produced some very nice pictures. An extravagant midnight chocoholic buffet was offered second
night out. I, unfortunately, overpartook, but it was fun anyway. We enjoyed the main dining room enough that we
didn’t sample Le Bistro. Both our waiter and bus boy were attentive and worked hard to serve. For those who are
undecided, I recommend requesting a table for four, or even six. The meals are a festive occasion, and having
company enhances the experience. In fact, I intend to change my request from a table for two on the Rotterdam.
The Sea has two show rooms. The main room is the Cabaret Lounge. The slightly smaller room is called the
Stardust lounge. Both are on deck five at opposite ends of the ship.

The shows offered are no threat to
Broadway, but they are diverse, and the performers youthful and energetic. Unfortunately, the Cabaret Lounge
is a disaster. Chairs and lounges are squeezed together making seating and maneuvering extremely
uncomfortable. Sight lines are awful and often totally obstructed by posts. The stage is much too small for the
shows presented, and the sound system antiquated. This room is beyond fixing. It needs to be wrecked out and
rebuilt. This is a shame; the performers deserve better. The Stardust Lounge is much more comfortable and
better suited to dances and the other activities scheduled there such as bingo. There are two or three dance
sets offered each evening, but the ball room style dance band Rama III is awful. They are consistently off beat
and off tune, often simultaneously. A high school band would be an improvement. The other western and
mariachi groups were much better. This cruise taught me at least one valuable lesson: Have an off ship activity
planned for port days! There are continuous and varied on board activities during sea days, but the ship is
absolutely dead in port. Not only the casino, but all the shops are closed, and most of the passengers and crew
are ashore. Be prepared for this. If you don’t want to take an organized tour, at least get off the ship and take a
taxi tour or walk around the local communities. Otherwise, you’ll go mad with boredom. I’ll conclude by saying we
fully enjoyed our first cruise. The Sea and its crew were delightful. My criticisms are minor when taken in total
context of the wonderful time we had. As a result of this experience, we are eagerly anticipating our next cruise,
and we would not hesitate to book NCL’s Norwegian Sea again.

Name: Tom & Ann Wolfe
Email: wolfea@wcresa.k12.mi.us
Age: 52
Occupation: LAN Administrator
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 2/14/99
Itinerary: Texaribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 99
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 100
ShoreExcValue: 100
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 90
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 65
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 100
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 100
EmbarkDisembark: 100
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 99
ShopsOnBoard: 100
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Feb 1999
Time: 10:50:11
Remote Name: 204.39.191.195
Remote User:

Comments

We had an excellent experience on this new itinerary for the Norwegian Sea. We chose this itinerary because we
wanted more days at sea to spend relaxing by the pool. We got to all three of the sites planned - Cancun,
Cozumel, and Roatan Honduras. Based on other reviews I read before we left, we were worried we would not see
all the stops. Our flight from Detroit to Houston was uneventful and we arrived at the ship before 1:00 p.m. As
Latitudes members, we were entitled to early check in but didn't need it - we were on the ship and in our cabin by
1:15 p.m. The cabins are small, but we didn't spend that time there anyway. There was a delay getting our
luggage and leaving Houston, but it didn't bother us! This was our 4th cruise, one with Holland America, one with
Celebrity and one previously on the NCL Leeward. This ship had the most food!!! It was non-stop - from the
morning buffet food was constantly available - hot, fresh, and convenient. We have few complaints - the tender
ride into Cancun is about 40 minutes and very bumpy - several people got sick, especially those that left Cancun
after dark. The weather cooperated for the entire week - over 80 degrees every day! Since this was February,
we were concerned it might be cool. We did not travel with children, but lots of families were aboard. There
seemed to be a lot of boys ages 6-8 who did not take part in the children's activities - they were at the pool and
unsupervised most of the time. The first day at sea, children monopolized the hot tubs, but the cruise staff finally
convinced them to do something else. For the number of days at sea, we were disappointed that there were not
more things happening poolside -we did not see the cruise director or his staff during the day at the pool except
for the Sports Afloat activities in early morning and maybe two poolside things - Olympics and ice carving. A
calypso band played every day for a couple of hours but their repertoire was about 5 songs - they did them very
well but it might have been nice to have a little diversity during the day. Evening entertainment was great! The
shows were outstanding. The singer, Jane L Powell, was super!!! Don't miss her if you have a chance to hear
her. One afternoon, we went to the Liars Club - another "don't miss" - Two of the Cruise Director staff and a
couple of on-board comedians made this a fun activity!!! The quality of food is very good and there is lots of it -
including pizza, ice cream, burgers and fries available every afternoon. The ship is beautiful - there is a two story
entry with glass and waterfalls! It is a big ship so we never felt crowded - even poolside there were plenty of deck
chairs and towels. Two pools besides the two hot tubs also helped with crowd levels. I haven't been on a cruise I
didn't enjoy, but this one was superb - we'd do it again!

Name: Mike Barkley
Email: mjbarkl@inreach.com
Age: 53
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 2/17/99
Itinerary: Houston/Cancun/Cozumel/Roatan/Houston
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 1
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff:
CabinAmenities: 1
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 1
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService:
TenderService: 1
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess: 1
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 40
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities:
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 1
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 60
EmbarkDisembark: 20
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 1
ShopsOnBoard: 50
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 60
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 28 Feb 1999
Time: 20:03:36
Remote Name: 208.251.191.18
Remote User:

Comments

In looking over the reviews on this site, I believe this is the only one that addresses handicap issues for the
Norwegian Sea. Basically, if you are in a wheelchair, you must have an attendant with you or else you cannot get
around, even within your own cabin. It is also in their required disability agreement you must sign to get on the
ship. I give the Sea a one on the zero to 100 scoring for wheelchair access.

Giving credit where it is due, Norwegian Sea has been altered extensively to make it more handicap accessible.
The problem we had was that I do not think they consulted all the right people in making their modifications, and
thus left a number of barriers in stupid places where, for the same cost, they could have eliminated them. Kinda
like the difference you get in having the household handyman do things instead of hiring a pro.

We had an air/sea package, and then found out at the buses that they were not wheelchair accessible even
though they knew my wife (with multiple sclerosis) could not handle the stairs on the bus. We took a cab, which
runs $60-$80 depending on how many wrong turns they take - cabby finally started listening to me since I had
my AAA maps with me. Most cabbies do not seem to know where the Houston Cruise Terminal is, since it is out
east at Morgans Point or La Porte in the middle of a huge container yard. BTW, The Cruise Terminal wharf is
apparently built for containers instead of cruise ships, so it is mismatched with the normal bulk loading hatch at
the #1 deck, forcing a 3 deck push up the ramp to the 4th deck. No, NCL did not offer to reimburse the cab fare.
We can afford it, but can they? Some ADA risk here, NCL, regardless of what you might think - you knew months
in advance J needed it..

After rounding the west end of Roatan and heading north towards Yucatan, we encountered 9-foot seas with
swells at about 30-40 degrees off the starboard bow, which are no big deal. But the Sea behaved somewhat
surprisingly. We had a handicap cabin in the 3rd row of cabins from the bow on the Main (4th) Deck. It felt like we
were making a 20-30 foot whiplash corkscrew arc in our cabin, although aft of amidships and aft it was much
easier to take. At times we were, and everything in the cabin was airborn. Many, many passengers and some of
the crew were sick as dogs. I could not afford to be sick because I was caring for my wife who was. The crew had
barf bags strategically placed on stairwells and such places, and later the medical officer at the pursers counter
handing out nausea pills. I had been concerned from the time we left Cancun heading south about the significant
bow movement in 3-foot seas. When I took the bridge tour Wednesday afternoon I noted weather reports
hanging on a clipboard predicting 8 to 15 foot seas for the Western Caribbean by late Thursday so the ships
officers knew of the misery coming but did nothing to prepare the passengers. Opening up a lounge amidships
or aft overnight would have been courteous for those of us who could not take the bow-end whiplash effect. Next
time I want weather report access.

Basically, the handicap cabin itself was set up in such a way that my wife, who is able to get out of bed at home
and wall-walk to the bathroom or wheel to the bathroom was unable to do so without assistance on the Sea,
either walking or in the wheelchair. Not good. A big zero in handicap planning. The beds are too low for her to
get out of them, there are no handholds in the cabin itself, and there is a 2 inch steep- lip incline into the
bathroom. Even if she could get out of bed and into the chair, she could not get from there into the bathroom. At
home she can wall-walk back and forth, but with seas pitching the cabin if they ran over 3 feet, she could not
keep from falling. Curing 2 out of 3 of these problems would do it: raise the bed, eliminate the lip, or install the
same kind of grab rails in the cabin that are in every passageway.

The cabin could not be cooled below 70-degrees F, even after assistance by the a/c crew. With her multiple
sclerosis, J needs 65 or else winds up feeling whacked and unable to go ashore or do much of anything else.
Before booking the cruise I made sure the cabin had its own air conditioning control. Who would have thought it
could not get the temperature below 70. I am very angry about this.

By day #2 on the Sea, we had requested a second mattress. It did not really provide enough lift to make it
possible for her to get out of bed, or at least when the seas approached 3-feet or more, but it did make it much
more uncomfortable to sleep on, so the third night I stuffed the 2 extra pillows (we had brought her own, and her
sleeping wedge, which is partly why it looked like I was moving a mountain of luggage through Houston
Intercontinental .... :-) Whew!) under the middle of her mattress to try and level it out. OK, but not great. 6-inches
more elevation on her bunk would have been great. Offset, of course, is the concern any line would have about
increased injury from being tossed out of the bunk, which tossing was common Thursday night (they had to shut
down the fountain after it flooded the lobby because of the rough treatment from the 9-foot seas, for instance,
and they spent the rest of the week trying to dry the carpet). Guess I will have to bring sheets of plywood on
future cruises?

The Sea held the lifeboat drill before the deadline for boarding, so since we were wandering around Houston with
our non-English speaking cabby after J could not navigate the stairs on the bus NCL sent for us, we were
delayed in arriving at the port until after the drill was nearly over. But in reading the signs and instructions here
and there, I noted that the handicap cabins are on Deck #4 (Main) while lifeboat boarding is on #6 (Promenade)
and in case of a lifeboat emergency we were instructed not to use the elevators. I think this thinking gave rise to
that time-honored tradition: The Captain, Wheelchair Users, and Their Attendants went down with the ship.

Other handicap issues with the Sea: Horrendous 3-page contractual waivers required to sign up for the cruise.
OK To Sail letter required from attending physician - ever try and get 3 HMO doctors to issue such a thing. Not
possible. Turns out NCL did not care anyway provided she signed a waiver, which we found out after weeks of
grief and anxiety when they told us to show up in Houston anyway. Requirement that wheelchair users bring their
own chair which may not be more than 22-1/2 inches wide (is standard 26 inches), and prohibits electric chairs
and scooters Requirement that disabled persons bring an attendant with full medical skills Sill heights at the fire-
or water- doors varied throughout the ship. Some were easily navigated, others required me to leverage her over
them. Why there was a difference was not obvious. Only accessible restroom outside of the cabin was in the aft
stairstack on the 9th floor. That stack elevator is the size of a linen closet. Only way we could use it was to
remove the chair feet, and then back in quickly with an abrupt, last minute right-turn (like parallel parking) since
the door closed really fast - if someone else had to exit first the doors would close too quickly so we had to wait
for the next one. The other elevator to the 9th deck was in the bow stairstack, which was large enough, but the
doors from that to the pool deck, and thence to the aft stack or Big Apple Cafe could not be negotiated alone by
a chair user - they were too big and clunky to hold open, and the ramps were too steep and did not match the
thresholds cleanly - it was tough enough for the two of us to navigate together, and required at least 3 hands, 2
for the chair and one for the door. The crew was always quite helpful, of course. While waiting to get off the ship,
J needed that bathroom, but some able-bodied idiot was locked in it for about 20 minutes until a whole bunch of
us threatened to kick the door in. Mebbe it needs a sign like: If you can walk, please use the two restrooms to
your right. Only access for chair to the top deck was through the Observatory Lounge (a puzzling name since the
drapes were always closed), which had even worse ramp/door problems - somebody kept kicking the ramps
aside so they would not match the full door width - I have to go out and move them back over before we could do
the 3-handed exit. We enjoyed going on top deck after dark, moving up to the bow behind the windscreen, and
watching the stars and shooting stars.... The shower curtain was about 5 inches too narrow and 1-1/2 inches too
short. Bathing disabled people tends to get water all over the place, and those missing inches meant we needed
to build dikes with all the towels, especially when seas approached 3-feet or more.. A lipped shelf somewhere
near the sink and in the shower for shampoos, etc., would have been nice. Reaching for things on the floor often
puts disabled people on the floor, especially with the cabin pitching all over the place. We would have paid big
money for an air cleaner to have been in the cabin - I tried to buy one in Houston but the cab driver took 2 wrong
turns in getting to the ship, thus using up all the shopping time. A high-backed easy chair somewhere on ship
would have been nice , J wanted to sit somewhere and relax and could not do it for the entire week. At Cozumel
the Norwegian Wind came in and berthed across the pier from the Sea, which filled the Sea with diesel exhaust
fumes all afternoon and made J really sick (but see that big waiver she had to sign....) Wheelchairs and lighters
do not work well together. Advance notice that certain ports of call would not be accessible to us would have
been courteous. And if Houston is going to continue to attract cruise lines they had better construct docks with
roll-on roll-off freight (deck #1) access. I do not think Houston is ADA-exempt. Rolling J up and down that 3-deck
ramp was do-able, but when the crew tried to roll a friend of mine (with ALS) up it, the ships wheelchair broke -
they told him he could not bring his own... I would have paid big bucks to have had an air-conditioned mini-van
cab or some such waiting for us at both Cozumel and Roatan to do some driving tours of the area with regular
returns to the ship to handle Js needs. You might wonder why book NCL if we could afford better? Good
question. It was our first cruise so I did not know any better, but it was also a chorus cruise so the promoter
chose the boat, we did not. The so-called ice cream parlor closed at 3:00 p.m. daily, and only had 3 flavors
although it seemed to have 3 crew members sitting around waiting for customers. Ice cream and sherbet are one
of the safe foods for J with here multiple sclerosis-related swallowing problems, so she suffered for this. On the
other hand, a big thank you to that gentle giant Norman Dixon, our waiter, who took special care to ensure that
her food was prepared with her allergies in mind, even sending plates back on his own and suggesting
non-menu choices when necessary. All luggage to be handled by luggage crew had to be in the corridor by 2:00
a.m. Lucky we did not have to try and get the wheelchair past any of it by the time the crew removed it or else we
have been in big trouble.... I had to bring Js sleeping and medical stuff with us which is again why I was moving
this mountain of luggage around the ship Sunday morning. I tip heavy, so the porters were happy. This one was
for the chorus promoter: we took one look at the dinner seating he chose for us, and opted for one near the door
where it was easy to access, not in anybodys way, and not embarrassing for J. As a result, I was cut out of the
word-of-mouth loop on the choral info, and missed the first session and the quartetting signups. He knew we
were there, he knew the problems, but just did not bother letting me know, and it took me 3 days to figure out
who he was..

Most of the stuff on this list, except for the elevators, lifeboats, and maybe the air conditioning and sills, is little
stuff, easy to fix, except that people without the problems would not necessarily think of it. ADA engineering has
progressed to an art, and it helps when people hire professionals to do the surveys and planning. The person
who mentioned that disabled cabins are double-sized for the same price is quite correct, and for that we are
indeed grateful.

The crew on the Sea pampered us like long lost family, and if you are ambulatory and free of breathing
problems, its a delightful cruise.

--Mike Barkley, 161 N. Sheridan Ave. #1, Manteca, CA 95336 (H) 209/823-4817 mjbarkl@inreach.com - MS is
not Microsoft.

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