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Note - this page contains multiple reviews.
Name: Carol Kamal
Email: rncbythc@silcom.com
Age: 40
Occupation: Registered nurse
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 3/07/99
Itinerary: Texaribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 93
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 88
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 88
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 92
CabinSteward: 93
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 97
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 82
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 93
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 88
Casino: 93
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 70
DeckSpace: 88
Stabilization: 70
ShopsOnBoard: 93
SpaceRatio: 88
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 Mar 1999
Time: 19:12:16
Remote Name: 207.71.224.253
Remote User:
Comments
This was my first cruise in over ten years, and the first time ever for my husband. We
were so excited to go on our
‘dream’ vacation. We opted to utilized NCL’s air sea program because the
rate was a great deal from L.A. to
Houston. Price was a big factor in choosing this cruise line. The Port of Houston is a 50
minute ride from the
airport. This was handled efficiently and comfortably by bus. Embarkation was surprisingly
smooth as the ship was
booked to capacity. We didn’t realize it was spring break when we planned our trip.
Repeat cruisers who are
Latitude members have a separate section for paperwork processing prior to embarkation. As
this line finished, us
newcomers were taken into that section and processed through quickly. We were greeted by a
ship staff person
and escorted to our cabin.
We knew it would be small but were still surprised to see how small. The cabin was
compact but had plenty of storage space, clothes hangers, and drawers for our ambitious
wardrobes. The window
was great because I kept a constant vigilance for the infamous ‘Caribbean blue’
water the entire trip. We got 2 of
our suitcases in a relatively short time. I kept haunting the porter for the third as I
was concerned it got lost in the
shuffle. He was very kind and patient with me, as he was hustling thousands of pounds of
baggage. The all
important garment bag did arrive about 20 minutes before dinner. The middle of the night
airport run (LAX), and
then excitement of the trip left us rather exhausted so after a quick exploration of the
ship, we tried to sleep. The
settling in noises, baggage hustle, and constant announcements over the loudspeakers made
sleep impossible.
We opted for cocktails on deck and braved the cold windy weather. The weather turned out
to be the most
important factor of this cruise.
We had deliberately chosen an itinerary with several days at sea so we could enjoy
the scene on deck, wining and dining, and time to relax. The first day at sea was windy
and cold. A cold front had
moved in and proceeded to dog us for the next 36 hours. I was a bit seasick during the
night so it was a restless,
sleepless night again. We woke to brown water (still) and huge swells. We braved a trip up
to the deck to see
several green passengers weathering the storm. The cold fresh air was a relief. Since we
were not sunning and
listening to ‘Calypso’ as planned, we grasped our cruise news and proceeded to
do everything we could the first 24
hours; bingo, art auction, shows, lectures, meals, shopping, and every event listed that
appealed to us. I felt like I
had done so much the first day, I wondered what the rest of the week would hold. The
passengers were all friendly
and interested to get to know one another. Over 40% of the passengers were from Texas.
This proved to be an
interesting American sub-cultural experience.
This too factored into our overall impression of our dream vacation.
Our table mates were a mix of ages and personalities. We were seated in the Seven Seas
dining room. It is the
larger of the two dining rooms and very noisy. The food was much better than I expected
and the variety was so
impressive. The desserts at dinner were rather mundane so we usually skipped it and got to
the show early for a
good seat. NCL has an optional dining, or ‘fine dining’ in their Bistro
Restaurant upstairs. This was a wonderful find.
The food was superior, the service impeccable and the noise level nil. We went there only
two nights. This is a
feature I will look for in planning other cruises. I was surprised to see the country boys
show up in polo shirts and
swig beer from bottles during our fine dining experience. We thought the wine steward was
wonderful. We attended
midnight buffets but usually only looked and barely nibbled. We had late seating for
dining and were generally not
interested in food so soon after dinner. The exception of course was the Chocoholic
Buffet. Wow! The shows
onboard I thought were just great. The first night the dancers were doing their thing with
precise timing and grace
while we were all hanging onto our seats as the ship rock and rolled. The productions were
well done and very
entertaining. We saw ‘Songs of Broadway’, ‘Grease’, and ‘Sea
Legs’. Jane L. Powell and her band was a highlight
we unfortunately discovered our last night. We did get a CD so we can enjoy her
scattin’ Jazz for years to come.
What a dynamic performer.
The deck band ‘Calypso’ had a repertoire of 10 Bob Marley and UB 40 songs
which
they played incessantly. One of the comedians was very funny and had us in stitches. I
literally hurt from laughing
so hard, after (another) huge meal. The other was a comedian-magician from Texas who
thought it was funny
putting cigarettes up his nose. Everyone else seemed to think so too. We walked out after
5 minutes of similar
crude magic acts. Our ports of call were Cancun, Cozumel, and Roatan. We were unable to go
to Cancun because
of the weather. They need to tender you over, and the seas were too rough for smaller
craft. My husband and I
were both delighted as this afforded us an overnight in Cozumel. I had gone to the Ports
of Call lecture, and was
armed with all of the necessary maps and game plans. We docked at the downtown pier and
joined the throng of
tourists on the main drag.
What a cacophony and visual extravaganza!! We did the requisite shops but were
unable to buy anything because it was too much sensory input. We opted for margaritas at a
place called
‘Pancho’s Backyard’. What a beautiful setting. Then we hit the plazas and
imbibed while getting our hair braided.
The college kids were in full force and it was a festive and wild partying atmosphere. The
unexpected overnight
stay in Cozumel was a delight. My husband bonded with a waitress at a bar while I was
getting the new hair do. She
directed him to (Joe’s) a club with live music off the main thoroughfare. We got
there to some jammin’ sounds from
an 8 piece Cuban band. What a find! We danced until way too late and ran into many of our
ship attendants. It was
fun to see familiar faces so we danced with the men and women who were serving us two
hours previously.
My
husband’s waitress friend and her boyfriend showed up later in the evening, forcing
us to celebrate all over again.
We ended up having a taxi driver find us food at 2:30 a.m. I have no idea the name of the
place we ate, where, or
even what it was. No one spoke English, and the place was very busy. It was a nice break
from the tourist scene
and the mystery tortilla thing was excellent. Our planned day shore excursion for Cozumel
was a three hour snorkel
trip. For $35.00 each, we were driven to this little tourist place and learned to snorkel
with a hundred other people.
Not a good value. We had our own equipment and are experienced.. The water was very
refreshing, especially
after the previous night’s quantity of margaritas. With equipment in hand, we then
headed for Chakanuub State
Beach via taxi, on our own. What a dream place. It was just lovely. We met several other
people from the 6-7 other
ships in port. It was fun to compare experiences and ship critiques.
The coral and variety of fish were amazing. The
water was unbelievably clear and that blue, blue color I had been so desperately seeking.
Roatan was our second
and last port. This bay island is located off the coast of Honduras. It was such a
contrast to Cozumel. Roatan is
hilly, verdant and so untouched. The locals greeted our ship (the only ship) with dancing
and music. We had
signed up for the adventure kayaking tour. Two guys from Chicago head this business up and
we had a really fun
time. The west bay beaches were over the other side of the island so we got to sightsee
out our blue bus window
en route. The kayaking was much harder than I expected. We were going against the wind and
current. It felt good
to move muscles after several days of excesses. We had lunch after our boating, Spam? It
was rather painful after
the bountiful harvest on board the ship.
We hit a few little shops/kiosks and then headed for the beach to snorkel.
Roatan boasts the second largest reef in the world. We did see some great coral and reef
life but both thought the
snorkeling was better in Cozumel. After talking to other passengers, perhaps it was our
particular location on the
island. The day flew by and we got whisked away, back to the ship. In a moment of buying
furor, I got a few last
minute articles on the dock as the gangway was threatening to close. Use bug spray in
Roatan, it is the souvenir
that keeps on giving. I cried as the ship pulled away from Roatan. I didn’t want to
leave. The place is so beautiful,
serene and untouched. We could have easily stayed for a week. I don’t know if we will
ever get back there as it is
an out of the way, thus expensive trip for west coast travelers. Everyone I spoke to was
enchanted by the island. I
didn’t happen to catch anyone else on deck bawling as we watched the sunset, and
beloved Roatan recede. So
now it was Friday, and we were headed back into a cold front and, oh goodie, Houston.
My husband planned his
seaweed wrap and full body massage when his kayaking muscles were loudly protesting.. He
came back a noodle
with grand stories. I got to lay on the deck, snoozing and reading my junk food novel,
while listening to the now
grueling Marley repertoire and sipping pina colada’s. So this is what cruising is all
about! I opted to omit my 45spf
sunscreen as we didn’t expect to see sun the rest of the trip. I got the requisite
burn for the formal farewell dinner
that night. Odd doing farewell stuff and then having another full day at sea. Already I
was lamenting the lack of
Roatan in my life and now I am saying farewell and not going anywhere. I think the final
night on board would have
been more appropriate. The dinner was lovely and the lobster cooked to perfection.
We were 1800 people on that
ship- how do they do it? The last day the weather was rough, windy and cold again. We hit
every meal, and event,
and I got to finish my book in a little hideaway I am not telling about. The true last
night we discovered the almighty
Jane L. Powell and basically avoided the Texas Hoe-down at all costs. My husband gambled
for a few hours and
came out ten dollars ahead. In our family, we call that a win. Our dream vacation was that
we expected and more.
The ports, entertainment, and dining and service were just superb. I wasn’t prepared
for the ‘Texa’ part of the
Texaribbean tour and would not recommend it to peers for that reason. It was fun the first
four days, but all those
days on a rocking ship with the song 'All My Ex’s Live in Texas’ running through
my head was too much for this gal.
I will definitely try NCL again, an itinerary with more ports, and from San Juan?
Name: Gord Pope
Email: gordpope@home.com
Age: 54
Occupation: Computer nerd
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: March 14/99
Itinerary: Cancun,Cozumel,Roatan
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 75
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 78
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety: 75
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 100
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 100
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 100
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 26 Mar 1999
Time: 23:34:51
Remote Name: cr941681-a.nvcr1.bc.wave.home.com
Remote User:
Comments
Norwegian Sea March 14->21
THE GOOD: Entertainment, service, staff, crew all excellent. Food good. Weather good.
Overall sea/air package
good. A great fun week.
THE BAD: The drinks were noticeably under powered. Especially the slushy kind.
THE UGLY: Nothing really, except maybe Cancun which is a big, crowded tourist trap.
US: Gord and Carol Pope, early 50's, 6th cruise, second time on Texaribean, third NCL
cruise.
DETAILS:
March 13 Our 9:00am flight out of Vancouver turned out to be the 9:30am flight out of
Vancouver. Turns out the
flight was oversold by 14 people. We were routed via Calgary and had to clear US customs
there. Calgary airport is
the worst signed airport I have ever been in. We walked to the wrong baggage claim before
we learned that we
needed to go to the US destinations room. There, in a room to fit 12, 50 of us waited to
claim our bags so we could
go through customs. The flight to Houston was uneventful and we arrived just after 6pm.
The NCL staff were on
hand and took us to our bus. Same hotel as last year, the Crown Plaza. Check in was quite
efficient and we went to
the Galleria for dinner. Big, nearby, upscale, shopping center for those non Houstonites.
March 14 We did a walkabout and shop in the morning returning to the hotel at 12:45. Buses
arrived at 1:45. After
the usual hassle with bags when the bus parked in the wrong place and the bellhops had to
hump the bags
through the garden, we were moving by 2pm. We think all of our bags are on board. I kept
my pull along with me in
the bus. At the port, we went straight to the line, trusting our bags would follow us. The
line was quite long and very
still. After about 5 min of stagnation, an NCL guy came by looking for Non US citizens and
Latitudes members, both
of which we qualify for. He took us to a much shorter line where we were processed after a
15 min wait. Time is now
about 3:00pm. We then got on board and before we could get a drink, the lifeboat drill
started at 3:30. That took till
4:00. Finally, I got my first drink. We met our friends from the last cruise in their
cabin for drinks. Actually, we met
them in their estate. They had cabin 8001 and it was very very nice. Their bed was about
the size of our cabin and
they had a bow facing and side facing window. At 5:00 we joined the Treasure Tours group
party to try again to
reduce their profit by consuming lots of drinks. Treasure Tours is our Travel Agent for
this and I can't say enough
about their high degree of organization and service. Everything went excellent thanks to
them. After 5 margaritas
and one glass of champagne, we break up to tour the ship and check out our bags. And guess
what, they all
arrived and were in our room. We had a nice table (27) in the Seven Seas dining room for
the late sitting. Saw the
first of three great shows by the dance troupe and then off to bed after just looking at
the midnight buffet.
March 15 Cloudy today and cool 'til noon. I should have brought a sweatshirt. Lecture
today on Coral reefs. Kind of
dry and un animated. 12:00, time for my second bloody Mary. Pool deck is very nice now
that the sun is out. Very
smooth sailing. 'OMEGA' is the calypso band playing at the far end of the deck. Very
versatile with a great female
singer. Captains gala was the usual kind of event and we tried to snarf as much of his
champagne as we could.
Had the Beef Wellington for dinner which was great. Jane L. Powell was the evening
entertainment and she was
fantastic! Do not miss this show! Late drink in the observation lounge and to bed at 1:30.
A note about cigars and smoking on board. On the Norwegian Star, the ship doing the run
last year, they had a
cigar bar on ½ of a wraparound bar on the top deck. A great place to sit and enjoy a
drink. Except, the entire bar
and out into the hall simply reeked of stale cigar smoke. As far as we were concerned the
place was unusable. On
the Sea, there is a bar called Gatzby's on the 10th deck which is relatively small and is
meant to be the cigar bar.
While still smelling of cigar smoke, the air conditioning is much better than the Sea and
the smell does not carry out
to the Observation lounge just outside the door. Being a non smoker, I would be in favour
of a totally non smoking
ship. Cigars and cigarettes appeared on the pool deck and in the Stardust lounge. Being
downwind of them, we
find the smoke somewhat offensive. End of editorial.
March 16 I should mention the cabin. Probably the smallest cabin we've ever cruised in.
Lots of storage area but
an adventure in choreography for two people are dressing together. When we were getting
changed, turned out
we were both trying to get into the same tee shirt. When I opened the bathroom door, I
bunted my wife into the
closet. Very quiet. We had an inside cabin in one of the cross hallways so there was no
traffic noise. I slept the
sleep of the alcohol enhanced.
We had breakfast this morning in the Big Apple café. A nice location, always with plenty
of food but often lined up.
After breakfast we attended the shore excursion talk. Sort of reminded me of a game show
complete with pavlovian
responses from the audience. The talk took about 1 hour and focussed mostly on where to
shop.
We had booked a snorkel tour with the Dive In program to Monchones reef in Cancun. We met
in the lounge for a
briefing and then headed for the tender. We got an early one because of the tour. 45 min.
to the dock at Fat
Tuesdays. There, we found out that the boat which was to talk us to the reef was broken.
No tour. We walked to
the Info booth on the dock where someone was able to arrange a snorkel trip for $25 each
and included
equipment. Boat tour cost $46, later refunded, and offered beer and wine on the return
trip. Sure enough, a small
boat named Family Day showed up manned by Beno and Oscar. They took us out to the reef
between Isle de
Mejures and the mainland. We snorkeled for about 1 hour and saw lots of fish. However, it
was like snorkeling
uphill because of the strong current. Made it difficult to go against it or remain in one
place. Still a good snorkel
though. We heard later that they may charge only $20 if you have your own gear. Now comes
the problem of
snorkeling in Cancun. At the end of it, your are stuck on the beach carrying wet clothes,
towel and snorkel gear.
We eventually tendered back to the ship to drop things off. Round trip 1 hr. 30 min. There
is NO place to sore your
gear on shore while you look around. We took the bus to old town/down town, cost $1. Head
right outside of Fat
Tuesdays. Of course, downtown is not marked as such so ask someone on the bus to tell you
when you get there.
They are very used to tourists. Not much to see, some flea markets where they hassle you
big time. Typical
Mexican fare. We got tipped to a very nice restaurant, Aribba Mexico, which had good food,
Mariachi dancers and
a bunch of fun waiters. Took the bus back to Fat Tuesdays after dinner. What we didn't
know was that there was a
booze cruise leaving from the same dock as our tender. Fat Tuesday's was packed with 20+
year olds, made 12+
due to alcohol poisoning. Spring Break week. We had to fight our way through about 400
people waiting to go
boozing. Then we had to convince the guard at the gate that we weren't trying to jump the
line and that we really
needed to get to the dock to catch the tender to the cruise ship. ! hour later, we were
back on board. The cruise
would loose nothing if it missed Cancun.
March 17 Up at 5:10 am, meet at 6am for our trip to Chitzen Itsa. ($77). Onto the ferry at
Cozumel to go to Playa
Del Carman. Then onto a bus for a 3 hour trip. After a bathroom break at a souvenir store,
we made Chitzen Itza at
11:00 am and were given our tickets and on tour by 11:20. A very fascinating place, worthy
of several days and a
good guide. Unfortunately, we had to be back on the bus at 1:00. A whole hour and ½ we
got to spend on sight.
Bus back to Playa del Carman and then immediately onto the ferry back to the ship. Back on
board at 5pm. 11
hours for the trip. Because we wanted to see Chitzen Itza, we did it knowing we'd only see
a small part of it. In spite
of the commentary of the guide and the free beer and coke on the bus, it's a lot of travel
for the time on site. No
time to even set foot in Cozumel. Do this trip only if you feel an hour and a half amidst
some spectacular Mayan
ruins is worth it. We had been to Cozumel twice and had no burning need to see anything
else there although we
had enjoyed it both times.
Doug Anderson was the Magician Comedian in the evening and was as good as last year.
Oscar's bar is a good
staging area for the shows.
March 18 Finally, Roatan. We were on the Tabyana Beach Dive In tour ($48). If you have
your own gear, go with
the Shore Excursion group to the same place. It cost $38 and everything is identical. Dive
In and Shore excursions
are run separately on board. The Dive In offers, for the extra $10, the gear, instruction
and an inflatable life vest.
Same place same tour other than that. We were signed up before we new this. We disembarked
and got on a bus,
one of a bunch. The bus took us to the Tabyana Beach resort. Very nice place with
excellent snorkeling. Bus ride
about 40 min. Shade on the beach and a lounge chair is something you want to stake out
early. It was very hot in
the sun. Lunch was provided, a dry hamburger. There was a good band that played and a bar.
A very pleasant
place with some of the best snorkeling I've seen. We bused back at 3:00 and had a bit of
time to look in the stalls
lining the dock. The kids selling shells were very cute but we didn't see any real
shopping bargains. The nearby
town, is very primitive and I would have liked to look around. No time. Another couple on
board grabbed a taxi at
the gate. Driver couldn't speak English but one of the dock kids could so they made room
for him and they went
first to Halfmoon bay for snorkeling, gear rented there, and then on to Fantasy Island.
Had a real good day. $60 for
the cab and $10 for the kid. So if you do this, don't be surprised to pick up an extra kid
to do the translation.
The Grease show in the evening was fantastic!
A note about the tours: THEY FILL UP VERY EARLY. Lots of disappointed people. You can
snorkel and dive at
each of the three stops by getting off of the boat and arranging with one of the local
types. If you can be certain on
getting back to the ship on time and you don't mind a bit of adventure/risk, you can
probably do your own thing in
each port and save some money.
Another note: THERE ARE NO CAR RENTALS AT THE HOUSTON DOCK. Closest is Hobby Airport.
March 19 Sea day, weather sunny. Good day to catch up on things. Close up magic show with
Doug Anderson was
great. The Liars Club show is a must see. Liquor is available on board duty free. However,
you don't get it until
they deliver it to your room Saturday afternoon. Bummer. I bought some rum in Honduras and
brought it onboard in
our snorkel bag. It went through a metal detector but nobody said anything. No evidence of
any searching for
booze at any time. Bring your own in a carry on and then you can have a real drink.
March 20 We learned that you got the best drinks if you ordered from the bar and watched
them make the drinks.
Then you seemed to get a fair bit of booze put in. However, many of the drinks seemed to
have little or no alcohol
in them. Several people mentioned this. Personally, I think this is a major rip off
because we are paying a good
dollar for drinks. Anyone else experience this while cruising? I should point out, I'm not
really much of a drinker but I
hate feeling cheated.
The wind up finale was great featuring Jane Powell again. There was a nice touch when they
brought a bunch of
the crew up on stage at the end. These were people that you didn't get to see most of the
time.
March 21 The last day. Being Non US citizens, we were meant to go to the Stardust Lounge
at 6:15 am to clear
immigration. We arrived at 6:28, just as they said 'Please line up'. Those who had arrived
early were already sitting
down and ended up at the back of the line. It took a total of 38 minutes for us to get our
passports and clear
immigration. By then, the line was out the door. I still think the best bet here is to
arrive late when there are few
people left. Probably if you arrived at 7:30 you'd be out by 7:45. Disembarking was
amazingly easy. Those with
early flights were asked to get red tags for their luggage and they were let off first. No
one controls what tags you
take. We took yellow, the second group called. We then went up and read by the pool. When
we were called, it was
like the ship was already empty. There was no line up jamming the gangway to get off. In
the baggage area, the
bags were grouped by color. There were hardly any yellow ones so we had no trouble finding
ours, then out the
door and on the bus to the airport for our 2:00 flight. Very smooth.
Gord and Carol Pope Gordpope@home.com
Name: Carolyn Morrow
Email: jmorrow@whitemtns.com
Age: 60+
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 03-07-99
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 70
CruiseDirector: 50
CabinComfort: 50
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 60
CabinAmenities: 60
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 65
CabinQuietness: 30
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 70
FoodVariety: 60
DeckService: 50
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 30
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 30
BeautySalonStaff: 70
EntertainmentLounges: 50
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 75
OverallPortsofCall: 50
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 50
CruiseActivities: 60
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 60
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 70
EmbarkDisembark: 30
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 60
Stabilization:
ShopsOnBoard: 50
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 40
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Apr 1999
Time: 17:56:19
Remote Name: wmm-dyn99.whitemtns.com
Remote User:
Comments
Itinerary - we did not even visit the scheduled stop of Cancun, Mexico. The Captain
explained that there were heavy seas. I
took a photo of Cancun as we cruised by, and the seas appear calm, with no white caps and
sunny skies...of course I do not
know the seas, but it was a disappointment not visiting this port. None of us received a
refund for the port taxes we paid.
• Pursers - the times they were most cordial was when I was buying something (stamps,
postcards, etc.) I noticed a lottery
booth near the pursers station. No hours were posted on this booth, and I saw no one
around this area on the various times
I was near. I asked the purser about this booth, and was told in no uncertain terms to
read the Cruise News. All the
information was purported to be included within this publication. Well, excuse me for not
reading every little detail!
• Cruise News - It was not always that accurate, anyway. I was interested in the
Sports Afloat program, the 7:00 a.m.
scheduled morning Fitness Walk being included in that program. On several occasions deck
personnel were hosing the
deck at this time, the deck was slippery - parts of the deck were closed, and at times
making an entire trip around the ship
impossible. We were forced to make "horseshoe loops"and despite the protests of
the Sports Coordinator, the deck
personnel responded that their orders took precedence over any scheduled events. We were
even sprayed (apparently on
purpose) a few times, and those of us who were older did not find this amusing.
• Inch of Gold - a part of the Gift Shop that was also scheduled in the Cruise News.
It seemed to be busy at the times I
passed, so I consulted the Cruise News to learn the hours when it opened, so I could be
there first in line. I went at the
appointed time only to find a table of watches instead of necklaces and bracelets that I
wanted. Upon inquiry, I was told that
the manager had changed his mind, and that I could go inside and order what I wanted. I
did this, and was told my order
would be ready in two hours. I went back in two hours and the Inch of Gold display was
then where the watches had been -
and the worker had not even started - so I again had to wait in line to even speak to him,
and he found the order and began
working on it. It took no more than five minutes, and the work was done so fast and
sloppily, I had to go back again to have
him repair two of the links he had neglected to close all of the way. I may have lost the
jewelry, otherwise.
• Scheduled Events - several were "canceled at the request of management"
and never rescheduled. One was a cooking
demonstration that my husband and I were interested in. I noticed that the events not
canceled were those where selling a
product was involved.
• Service - On several occasions, we ordered drinks that never arrived. The normal
cost was between $4.50 and $6.50.
Toward the end of the cruise I noticed that those persons always getting their orders
promptly were tipping the waiters in
addition to the charge of the drink. We understood that tips were to be given at the end
of the cruise (which we did) and this
seemed to be subtle extortion.
• Wine at the table - My husband ordered a small bottle of wine prior to one dinner,
and the steward began to pour wine for
everyone. There was not enough for the entire table, and we had not intended to provide
for them. It was an extremely
embarrassing moment, and of course we did not make the mistake of ordering wine at the
main dining table again. Our most
memorable ship meal was in Le Bistro.
• Service in the main dining room - Bread and butter was placed on the table with
approximately one serving for each
person. It was necessary to request additional bread and butter at each meal.
• Courtesy - as one example, my husband and I found a place on the back of the ship
overlooking the basketball area, and
had enjoyed watching the sun set from this vantage point. One of these pleasant evenings
about 5:30 p.m. we were
interrupted by one of your crew members telling us to leave - they had to "hose the
deck" again. Why could this work not
have been done at a time when dinner was being served, or at night when people would not
have been likely to want to sit
there? I don't blame the deck personnel - they were following the orders they had been
given. On one occasion I happened
to witness one of the "bosses" berate a hapless employee, and I could see in the
eyes of the employee bewilderment and
panic. Then the "boss" turned to discover passengers and a complete Jeckyl/Hyde
transformation occurred. The "boss"
became again the smiling entertainer, but I could not bear to smile back at him again.
• The last day - it was not something one would want to remember. We had to set the
alarm to get up at 5:00 a.m. because
we were told we HAD to be at our tables in the main dining room promptly at 6:00 a.m. We
complied, thinking we could go
back to our rooms to wait until the posted time of 8:30 a.m. to vacate the cabin. The
water had been shut off to our cabin
when we returned, so there was not much of an alternative but to go to the main lounge.
(There were constant messages on
the loudspeaker warning us to stay in the main lounge and not to go to another place) We
were also told to fill out our
comment cards, and that a drawing would be held from those deposited. This drawing never
happened, or if it did, no one
knew about it. We sat and sat and sat with nothing to do - we were treated more like
cattle than passengers. We sat in the
lounge from 7:00 a.m. until finally at 10:15 a.m. there was a call for "passengers
with red tags." Fortunately we were included
in that first group. The bus from the ship's port to the airport left at 11:01 a.m. We did
not arrive in Phoenix until after
midnight and stayed overnight there before our trip back home.
The best things about the trip were the excursions, the sports director, and the line
dancing instructors. I wrote these
comments directly to NCL, but have received no acknowledgement.
Name: Edward G. Baptista, MD
Email: edgumb@swbell.net
Age: 29
Occupation: Physician
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 4/25/99
Itinerary: Texaribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon: 85
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 May 1999
Time: 12:20:48
Remote Name: ppp-207-193-227-122.hstntx.swbell.net
Remote User:
Comments
>>Introduction<< This is my first cruise and I went with my girlfriend. We
extensively researched cruises and chose this one
both for its itinerary and location (we live in Houston). Much of the information I found
useful came from this cruise review
site so I felt obligated to contribute to the database. If you are like me, number ratings
really don’t mean much so I’ll try to
describe the important aspects of the ship below.
>>Embarkation<< Driving to the cruise terminal was easy as there were many
signs leading to it. There is parking available
for those who want to leave their car ($7-8 per day), but I had a friend drop us off. You
are allowed 200 lbs. of luggage per
person according to NCL’s guide but they don’t weigh your luggage so if you want
to pack your whole house, I suppose you
can. At the terminal driveway, someone can take your check-in luggage from your car (tip
$1-2 per bag). We arrived as the
last passengers from the previous cruise were leaving (around 11:00 am). No long lines for
check-in at this time and
everything went smoothly. Next we waited to board. If you are a Lattitudes member you can
board at 12:30 PM and general
boarding began at 1:00 PM. If I had to do it over again, I probably wouldn’t come
until 1:00 PM as the lines to check-in are
gone by then and you can still be one of the first to board. While waiting to board, many
people chose to stand in a line for
over an hour as if the ship would leave them if they didn’t get on immediately. This
turned out to be useless because once it
was 1:00pm and they allowed general boarding, it didn’t take long for everyone to get
on, including those of us who waited
comfortably on the chairs. Take this time to just sit and relax. We found our room easily
and freshened up and then went to
the 1:30 PM lunch in the Seven Seas dining room. At 3:30 PM we had the lifeboat drill
which also serves as an icebreaker.
The ship leaves port at 4:00 PM according to the schedule, but actually, our ship
didn’t leave until 7:00 PM. We were on the
poolside decks celebrating the beginning of our journey. Your check-in luggage will arrive
at your cabin sometime in the
afternoon (ours at 5:00 PM) but there’s already plenty to do in the meantime.
>>What to Pack<< These are the theme nights for our 7-day cruise: Sunday
– Casual Monday – Formal Tuesday –
Texaribbean/casual Wednesday – Caribbean/casual Thursday – 50s/60s night or
casual Friday – Formal Saturday –
Country/western
During the day, wear whatever you like. On all nights, no shorts are allowed after 6:00 PM
in any dining areas or lounges,
although I did see some people break this rule. On formal nights, about 1/3 of the men
wore tuxedos; the rest wore dark
suits or military dress blues. The women wore evening gowns. The theme nights are
self-explanatory, but participation was
low. Only about ¼ of the folks dressed for the specific theme nights, probably because
most didn’t know they would have
these theme nights.
>>The Passengers<< Being on a cruise from Houston, I expected to see a lot of
Texans on board. Surprisingly, I saw much
more people from out of state. Our assigned dining mates were from Michigan and most of
the other couples we met were
from out of state. The average age of the passengers seemed to be more in the middle-aged
to seniors. Being in our mid- to
late twenties, my girlfriend and I felt like a couple of young kids around this group. We
didn’t really mind as we didn’t have to
suffer through throngs of rowdy children or teenaged spring breakers. But because of the
older set, I felt like most of the on
board entertainment centered on the tastes of the older set. No matter, with the cruise
news in hand, there was plenty to do
for all age groups.
>>Room<< We stayed in an inside stateroom on the 3rd deck. All rooms,
regardless of level are about the same size – small
(except for the suites). When choosing a cabin, I didn’t care if I had a window or
not. Also, I didn’t see an advantage in
staying in the upper decks 6-8 compared to 2-4. Access to activities is the same and there
are plenty of elevators for those
who don’t like to use stairs. For those who like to minimize boat rocking (which
doesn’t really bother me) you may want a
lower cabin in the middle of the ship. The room is comfortable enough, but most people
don’t plan on being in there long.
Other than for sleeping and showering, I didn’t see the room much. Even though I
over-packed, I had enough closet space.
The bathrooms are tight but the water is hot, almost too hot! I myself am thin, but I
still felt cramped in the shower. I wonder
how many of the other passengers managed to fit in the shower? There is a phone, a TV with
a couple of channels (CNN,
ESPN, in house channels), hairdryer, and a constant supply of ice provided by the steward
in every room. I recommend
bringing your own shampoo/conditioner rather than using the supplied ones and don’t
forget your toothpaste/toothbrush.
I have to comment about the announcements made via loudspeakers that previous passengers
have mentioned in their
reviews. They did not bother me at all. In fact, most were very helpful. As for the
volume, they may have toned it down from
past cruises because I didn’t find it excessively loud as previous reviewers have
complained. The speakers are located in
the hallways (and in the rooms, but they only used the ones in the rooms once – prior
to the lifeboat drill) and the
announcements are also broadcast simultaneously on the television in house channel –
so the volume can be controlled by
you. My girlfriend likes to take a lot of naps and she had no problem sleeping. I myself
slept very well at nights without
interruptions. I found my room to be very quiet with good thermostat controls to please
both the arctic lovers and equator
loungers.
>>Service<< This is where Norwegian shines. Our cabin steward was incredible,
he always knew when to make our room in
the morning and turn our bed at night without intruding. A fresh supply of towels was
always waiting; a nice touch since I
often took 2 showers a day. The maitre d, waiter, and busboy were always pleasant and
accommodating. Even special
requests not normally found on the menu were often fulfilled. I have to say that I’ve
never had such great service in any
hotel or restaurant.
>>Tips<< Tips for drinks (15%) are automatically added when you purchase them.
The recommended tips for the rest of the
service crew are as follows:
Cabin Steward - $3.00 per person per day Maitre d’ - $1.50 per person per day Waiter
- $3.00 per person per day Busboy -
$1.50 per person per day
These tips are given personally at the end of the week, usually at the Saturday night
dinner or in the case of the cabin
steward, on Saturday night when he turns your bed. Most people are so pleased with the
service that you will want to give
them at least the recommended amount, and probably more.
>>Food<< I’m usually a picky eater and I’ll just say that the food
was terrific, always made just the way I requested. There
are two main dining areas (Seven Seas and Four Seasons) with either main or late seating.
We chose the late seating
because we wanted to have plenty of time before dinner to relax and get ready after the
day’s excursions. In addition, food is
available almost throughout the day at the Big Apple Café (cafeteria style), or by the
poolside. I also recommend dining at
least once at Le Bistro, a quiet, more romantic setting. The recommended tipping there is
$5 per person per meal. There
are no reservations on this particular ship for Le Bistro, but waits can be long on some
nights. Other NCL ships also have Le
Bistro but require reservations. Also, there is a nightly midnight buffet somewhere on the
ship, 24-hour room service and
poolside snacks. Don’t miss the Chocolate midnight buffet (one night only on our
cruise). With so many choices, you’ll never
go hungry. They say the average person gains 6-7 lbs. during a 7-day cruise, but luckily I
didn’t gain any weight. I can’t say
the same for many of the other passengers who ate just because food was available, not
because they were actually
hungry. Warning: Eat moderately.
>>Drinks<< I don’t usually drink but my girlfriend will have an
occasional drink. She thought that they were okay, nothing
spectacular. As I mentioned earlier, tips are automatically included. There are plenty of
bars on this ship and drinks can be
ordered quickly and easily from almost anywhere. It seemed that whenever I turned around a
waiter was asking me if I
wanted a drink. Anything purchased on the ship (drinks or other items) are placed on your
room account so you don’t have
to worry about carrying around cash. The bill shows up at the end of the week. Free drinks
include tea, coffee, milk, and a
wide assortment of juices. We packed a 12-pack of Coke on board, as soft drinks are
costly. You can buy alcoholic
beverages off the ship along the way, but you are not allowed to drink them on board. They
will take these drinks upon
return to the ship at each port and return them to you on the last night.
>>Fitness Facilities<< We worked out in the fitness room 5 days out of the 7,
probably another reason why I didn’t gain any
weight (and I ate 2-3 desserts everyday!). The fitness room is small, but no waiting
lines. They have 3 stairmasters, 3
treadmills, 3 exercise cycles, machine weights and a good set of dumbbells. Also available
are a jogging path on the
promenade deck, a basketball halfcourt, 2 jacuzzi’s, daily organized fitness
workouts, 4 ping pong tables, a golf driving net,
massages, one wading pool, and one swimming pool. Of course there are plenty of
opportunities to swim on the beaches
during excursions as well.
>>Activities/Shows<< You can do as much or as little as possible. With several
days at sea, you will have ample opportunity
to do a little of everything. I don’t want to go over all the activities –
you’ll get a daily newsletter delineating those. I’ll just
comment on a few favorites and not so favorites. A definite must-see is Jane L. Powell.
She is a very talented singer and
frankly I don’t know what she’s doing on a cruise ship, but since she’s
there, take advantage and catch her on the 2 nights
she sings. The broadway shows Grease and Sea Legs are okay. The broadway shows were
provided by the Jean Ann Ryan
company, and except for a couple of their Donny & Marie style singers, were pretty
good. There is music for all tastes
available daily and nightly. I counted three piano bars and dancing music ranging from big
band to disco at various lounges.
Poolside, we enjoyed a calypso band named Joy who was pretty good and provided a fun
atmosphere. Another band Cobalt
Blue, who played in several indoor functions, was mediocre at best. Doug Anderson is a
magician/comedian who I thought
was both funny and amazing. The dance classes were fun too. I even managed to lose some
money at the casino and play a
few games at the arcade. Overall, there are enough activities to please most people. I did
overhear some people complain
that there wasn’t a movie theater on the ship. I thought that was rather silly, to be
on this great cruise ship and all you want
to do is watch a movie. Reading the daily cruise news (brought to your stateroom every
evening) is the best way to keep
track of what’s happening.
>>Ports of Call<< Cancun, Cozumel, and Roatan (Honduras) are the ports of
call. There are two types of passengers, the
kind who seek the safe haven of the ship’s planned tours (at a premium of course) and
the kind who adventurously do their
own thing at each port. Even if you don’t know any Spanish, I would recommend doing
your own exploring. Not only will it
allow you greater freedom and make your time at each place more enjoyable, it will also be
much cheaper. Read below and
I’ll give you some examples. By the way, each port was wonderful and we were blessed
with perfect weather. Also, the mighty
U.S. Dollar is welcomed at all three destinations, so shop away! But don’t forget
your sunscreen!
>>Cancun<< The ship anchors away from the shore because Cancun’s ports
are not deep enough to accommodate such a
large ship. Small tenders (ferryboats) bring passengers back and forth to the north end of
Cancun Island (a 45-minute ride
each way) which is a hassle. The ship arrived at 1:00 PM and we were on the first tender
to depart at 2:00 PM. Once on
Cancun, there are miles of beaches, restaurants, tourists, hotels, and annoying merchants
asking for ‘one Mexican second’
of your time. Since it’s a hassle to get to and from the ship, we decided not to do
the beach here (too much trouble to get
back on the ship to change after swimming). We took a taxi ($8 total) to Puerto Juarez and
then a 15-min express boat
($2.50 / person) to La Isla Mujeres. A friend of mine who just spent a week in Cancun told
me that this little island was the
best part of his trip. He was right. There we rented a motor scooter for 3 hours ($20) and
explored the entire 5-mile by ½
mile island. Simply beautiful. You can also rent golf carts or cars if you don’t want
the risk of riding mopeds. Traffic there,
however, was very light and the roads are paved so I didn’t have any worries. Then we
went back to the island’s main city
and did some shopping/browsing. We hated to leave, but eventually we backtracked to the
ship which meant another 15-min
express boat ($2.50/person) and taxi ride (another $8) and finally the tender back to the
ship at 9 PM. The ship left Cancun
at 10 PM.
>>Cozumel<< We ported at Cozumel around 6:00 am (no tenders needed!!!).
Cozumel is world famous for having great
snorkeling and diving so this is what we planned. We brought our own snorkeling gear. The
ship offers several tours here
for snorkeling but after having talked to several passengers who had taken them in the
past, we decided to go on our own. I
had brought a couple of snorkeling guides to Cozumel which recommended the following
places to snorkel: #1 Chankanab,
#2 Airplane Flats, #3 Paraiso Reef South, #4 Colombia Shallows. We left the ship at 9:00
am, took a cab ($7) to Chankanab
resort ($7 / person to get in) and saw the most incredible white sand beaches, clearest
waters, and even a botanical garden
with some Mayan ruins. They have showers and lockers there as well. On the beach, you can
rent gear at the dive shop and
they have several bars and restaurants too. We came for one reason so we walked to the
water’s edge, descended some
concrete stairs, and we were in the sea. The bottom immediately adjacent to the beaches is
ten feet deep so you don’t have
to go far to see things. We snorkeled in a large protected area and were surrounded by
schools of fish, ranging from grunts,
snappers, butterfly, squirrelfish, and others. Simply amazing!!! All the fish were tame
and seemed to be used to being
around people. Of course there was a beautiful assortment of coral and other sea
creatures. We snorkeled for several
hours, then relaxed on the beach before heading back. We took a taxi ($7) back to the ship
where we showered and ate a
late lunch. Then we explored the shops of San Miguel the main city of Cozumel. The ship
ports adjacent to the heart of the
city, which makes for easy access. A fun thing to do is use a ‘bike taxi’ on the
long pier back to the ship instead of walking.
These locals will take you back and forth on a specially built bicycle for just tip money.
Finally, around 4:00 PM we returned
to the ship and we headed for Roatan at 5:00 PM.
At the end of the day, we again spoke with some passengers who took one of the ship’s
snorkeling tours at Cozumel that
day to compare notes. For about $40 per person NCL took these people to an area north of
San Miguel. One of these
tourers excitedly told us about the one ‘really neat butterfly fish’ he saw (I
had seen school’s of fish, not just one) while
others told us they didn’t see any fish but were met with a few jellyfish (ouch!). I
felt redeemed for having done my homework
and going on our own tour.
>>Roatan, Honduras<< This island is exclusive to NCL, being the only line that
ports here according to their brochure. We
ported there at around 9:00 am (again, no need for tenders!). Prior to coming here, the
ship really tries to sell you one of
their tours – especially the Tabyana beach tour or the dive tour, which includes
Tabyana beach. They will tell you that
Roatan is primitive and untouched (this is true); and if you don’t do one of their
tours, they lead you to believe that you’ll be
stranded at the pier with nothing to do but go back on the ship. Not true! They’ll
even tell you that half the ship will be doing
the Tabyana beach tour to make you feel left out if you don’t sign up.
Again, we did our homework and had spoken to several passengers who had been here before
and had done the tours
before. They unanimously told us that the tours were not worth it, and that they had
planned to do their own exploring this
time around. For example, the Tabyana Beach tour includes round trip bus ride and a lunch
(dry burgers from the ship) at
the exclusive Tabyana Beach resort - only available to passengers who pay the $38 per
person fee. What they fail to tell
you is that Tabyana occupies only a small portion of that whole beach which is called the
West End Beach. The rest (and
most) of the beach is open to anyone, for free. A round trip cab ride there for four
people costs $40 ($10 per person) and
there are plenty of restaurants there offering better cuisine. The dive tour is
essentially Tabyana beach with snorkeling gear
rented to you for a total of $48 per person.
A note about the taxis: The accepted practice on this island is to ask the price first, be
dropped off at the destination, and
arrange for a return time (the driver may either wait, or just come back at that time) to
bring you back to the ship. Once you
are returned to the ship, then you pay the previously arranged fee. This way, you know you
won’t get stranded since cabs
can be hard to find at certain locations.
On our excursion, we took a taxi ($40 for 4 people round trip) to Anthony’s Key
(recommended by a crewmember), a great
place for diving and snorkeling, or just relaxing on the beach. No admission cost. There
we took a 1-minute shuttle boat
(free) to a small island where they had the dolphin excursion and a secluded beach. This
is where it gets funny. While we
were there, the NCL’s dolphin tour (around $40 per person) arrived to the same place
to watch the dolphins (a neat show).
Then the tour people had a few minutes to stay at the beach and do some swimming. The
funny thing was many of the tour
people wanted to stay at this gorgeous beach longer, but the tour guides forced them to
leave in order to continue the rest
of the ‘fun’ tour they signed up for (while we smiled and waved at them
goodbye). One of them, who recognized us from the
ship, asked us why we weren’t being forced to leave, and we kindly told him that we
weren’t part of the tour, even though we
still got to see the dolphins. Another redeeming moment. We continued to snorkel and saw
some of the most beautiful coral
– definitely a must see. I’ve seen many books with pictures of how snorkeling or
diving would be, and they always show how
clear and blue the waters are and how beautiful the sea life would be. In the back of my
mind I always thought, oh those
pictures are touched up to make them nicer. I’ll tell you, those pictures do not do
justice to just how beautiful these beaches
and waters are. I hated to leave, but the inevitable time to return to the ship came and
the ship left at about 5:00 PM. One
note about Roatan, this is the only island where you’ll need to put on some bug
spray.
>>Disembarkation<< The sad part of the trip. You pack your non-carryon luggage
and leave it outside your stateroom on
the night prior to returning to Houston. Don’t forget to keep the clothing
you’ll use on Sunday morning. We arrived at the
port at 6:00 am and the first passengers were allowed to leave at around 8:00-8:30 am. You
are grouped according to flight
times out of the city and the last group to leave (us) were those who didn’t have a
flight to catch. We left the ship at 11:00
am and found our luggage easily and basically walked through customs – completely
hassle free.
>>Overall<< An excellent vacation. The best service I’ve ever had from
any restaurant, hotel, or other vacations. Incredible
snorkeling opportunities for all levels exist. I would definitely use NCL again and do the
Texaribbean cruise again. Next time,
I’ll pack less….
Enjoy!
Name: Mark Fleming
Email: fleming@ionet.net
Age: 46
Occupation: Physical Therapist
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Seaward
SailingDate: 05/16/99
Itinerary: Texarribean(Cancun, Cozumel & Roatan, Honduras)
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 78
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 78
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 92
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 90
LoungeService: 88
TenderService: 88
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 80
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 82
OverallPortsofCall: 82
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 May 1999
Time: 18:37:35
Remote Name: enidnas4-20.ionet.net
Remote User:
Comments
Background Info:
In hopes of making this review more useful, I will attempt to convey our level of
expectation and past travel
experience in order that readers may consider our opinions more objectively. Our group
consisted of my wife and I,
our six children,(ages 17 to 26) and my wife's 82 yr. old father. We are an upper,
middle-class family with prior travel
to most large US cities, Europe, Mexico and the Bahamas. We generally stay in midrange
hotels, ie; Marriotts,
Hyatts, Sheratons, etc.
Prior to booking this cruise, my wife and I read numerous reviews of the Norwegian Sea.
While the majority of these
were positive, there were at least two which presented a less than desirable image of NCL
in general and the
Norwegian Sea in particular. Another was extremely critical of the ship, the service and
the itinerary. In spite of the
negatives, we choose to go ahead and book this cruise; our decision based primarily on
price and departure city (It
was much easier for us to travel to Houston than Miama or San Juan).
The Cruise:
Booking the Norwegian Sea/Texarribean Cruise turned out to be one of our all-time best
travel decisions. NCL not
only met our expectations, they exceeded most. All members of our group, in spite of the
varied ages, thoroughly
enjoyed our week on the Norwegian Sea. There were a few negatives, but very few. The cabin
showers are small,
the drink prices somewhat high (mixed drinks $4.50 to $6.50, beer $2.50, botttled water
$2.50, $6.50 for
non-alcohalic fruit drinks) and there was a charge for coffee and juice in public areas
other than the dining rooms.
The Cabaret Lounge, where the larger production shows were staged, is poorly designed
(Plan to arrive there very
early in order to obtain a good seat). Our only other complaints were minor ones such as
slow room service, 1 or 2
events starting earlier than scheduled, and fewer outdoor areas than some ships (although
the ones available are
very nice).
The food is very good, especially in the main dining rooms. No, it is not 5-star gourmet,
but show me a land-based
restaurant anywhere that can provide round-the-clock food for 1500 people and with this
much style. Variety is
good, including entrees such as Red Snapper, Grilled Salmon, Beef Wellington, T-bone
Steak, Lobster, Roast Rack
of Lamb, Prime Rib, Duck, Trout and numerous chicken and pasta dishes. Each dinner offered
at least 6 entrees, 3
soups, 2 to 3 salads, 4 appetizers, & several desserts. Several coffees were readily
available, as well. The dining
room service was truly outstanding. Our waiter and busboy, Juan and Roy spoiled us at
every meal. Food in the
Lido-type dining area (The Big Apple) was not as good, but did offer good variety
including acceptable burgers,
sandwiches, pizza, shish-kabob, etc. Also, it was open most days from 6:00 AM to 1:00 AM
the next morning so
there was always something available. Unfortunately, we did not try the Sea's alternative
fine-dining facility, Le
Bistro. We just couldn't seem to justify not eating in the main dining room. The midnight
buffets were very good,
especially on 'Chocaholic' night, 'Carribean' night and 'Texarribean' night.
Entertainment was varied and quite good. The Jean Ann Ryan Dance Company performed 3 shows
during the
week, 'Salute to Broadway' (my favorite), 'Grease' and 'Sea Legs Review'. I found the
other acts very entertaining,
especially Doug Anderson, Comedian/Magician. Other highlights were 'The Liars Club', The
Miss Carmen Miranda
Contest, and the Friday night 'Carribean Party' on deck.
Ports of Call:
While we enjoyed Cancun and Cozumel, Roatan was the best stop by far. Located in the Bay
Islands of Honduras, it
is largely unspoiled and not as 'touristy' as other parts of the Carribean. At present,
the Norwegian Sea is the only
cruise ship making port in Roatan and passengers receive a warm welcome from the locals.
The beaches are
beautiful and the snorkling/scuba great thanks to the large coral reefs. If you only plan
to do beach
activities/snorkling one time on this trip, save it for Roatan. We shunned the organized
ship excursions and ventured
out on our own at each port. This worked out really well and I will be happy to provide
additional pointers to anyone
interested.
Summation:
A great cruise experience! We would not hesitate to go again. This ship and itinerary
seems to have broad-based
appeal. By the end of our cruise, young and old alike expressed a reluctance to leave the
"Sea".
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