ncl-wind6

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Chris Beckett
Email: becketc@ix.netcom.com
Age: 55
Occupation: Senior Administrative Specialist
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: March 25, 2000
Itinerary: Cayman Island, Roaton, Honduras, Belize City, Beli
Cabin: 5247, Category B
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 70
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 65
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 70
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 75
EmbarkDisembark: 65
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 50
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 50
OverallCruiseValue: 70
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Apr 2000
Time: 00:17:29
Remote Name: bsg-ma-cache2.icg.net
Remote User:

Comments

Well, the bad times began long before we boarded the ship. Upon arrival at Miami airport, we were shuffled
back and forth from one place to another by the Norwegian Cruiseline staff. We (myself and several other
members of my family) spent at least two hours waiting to be bussed to the Port Authority. When we finally
arrived at the Port Authority, we felt like cattle being herded through a maze (hurry up and wait!). Once we
arrived at the counter, service was indeed prompt and courteous ... but then it was back to the waiting game;
another two hours before we could board our ship. Once we managed to get by the photographer outside the
building we moved right along!

Departure was scheduled for 4 p.m. but we did not actually depart until after six. (We were told a flight was
delayed).

The (so called) fire drill was a farce; absolutely no organization by the crew!

I did not receive my luggage until 10 p.m.; had to borrow clothes for dinner! The purser's staff did not seem to
care much about this and were not helpful at all.

On more than one occasion during the week the toilets were not functioning (scary!).

Elevators were a constant source of frustration throughout the week - too small for the amount of folks on
board (always waiting!).

A PERSONAL OBSERVATION: When you stretch a ship, shouldn't the public areas/facilities also be
expanded? They did not accommodate the amount of people on board ... constant lines, too much waiting for
everything!

The Sport's Bar was out of coffee at 6:15 a.m. (only 13 people sitting in the area .. was it last night's coffee?

Our waitstaff in the dining room were outstanding! They were very attentive and good natured.

The staff in the salon were quite friendly and professional in their capacities. The shops on board were also
managed well.

I only visited two of the four islands we docked at. I found this time on board (while most people were on
shore) to be very relaxing. The areas around the pool especially, but also the ship in general, was not
mobbed and the staff were more attentive.

Roatan presented beautiful beaches and enjoyable people; the market at the dock was wonderful to see. The
hand-crafted wares were interesting and the price was terrific!

Cozumel was nice (quite hot!). The literature from on board was useful for establishing what shops to see. We
must have walked almost two miles (pleasant despite the heat) before we were ready to return to the ship but
the horse-drawn carriage ride back was great!

The bad times did not end when we headed home. After arriving at the airport we discovered the cruise line
had canceled our reservations on US Air (there had been the threat of a strike by the Flight Attendants). This
would have been o.k. but no one told us and there were no alternative arrangements made.

It turned out o.k. thanks to the ticket agent and her supervisor. They bent over backwards to get us on
another flight which brought us home earlier than the original flight would have.

In summary, I will never book another cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line nor would I recommend them to
anyone. I love to cruise and will continue to do so but with Holland America, Princess or Celebrity only.

Thanks for letting me vent; I guess once I got started I couldn't stop ... sorry!

Name: Sharon Ellison
Email: sharon_ellison@Amway.com
Age: 46
Occupation: Lab Technician
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 4/1/00
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: Carib. Deck ??
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 70
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 70
CabinAmenities: 70
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 80
CabinQuietness: 70
FoodMidnightBuffets: 70
CabinSteward: 80
ShoreExcVariety: 80
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 70
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService:
TenderService: 70
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 70
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 70
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 70
CruiseActivities: 70
Casino: 70
AirSeaProgram: 70
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 60
EmbarkDisembark: 60
DiscoNightclubs: 70
DeckSpace: 70
Stabilization: 70
ShopsOnBoard: 70
SpaceRatio: 70
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 12 May 2000
Time: 10:17:12
Remote Name: ftpuser.amway.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was our second cruise with NCL -we had been on a western caribbean cruise before on the Starward. We
have also been on an Eastern Caribbean cruise with Royal Caribbean. This was the first cruise we have been
on as a family -my husband, myself and two boys ages 11 & 13. We chose this line because of the itinerary-
not the line and we pretty much knew what to expect. NCL I think is more of a value line cruise - I think you get
a good deal for the money, but if you are looking for luxury and pampering, you should go for Royal. As far as
comfort, we had a cabin on the inside with a double bed and two pull-out bunks. We had a small couch, a desk
and a small TV. The room was not large, but it was pretty comfortable. Got a little hectic in the mornings when
we were all trying to get ready at the same time. The room was pretty clean, but not spotless. We did have a
little difficulty with the toilet which was fixed immediately, but reoccurred throughout the trip. Nothing horrible,
just mildly irritating.

The food was good-not great. Our service was excellent and we did enjoy the variety. We
only made 2 of the buffets - they were good-not great, too. The chocolate buffet was fun for the boys. The
breakfast buffet was handy, but it was the same each day. A little variety would have been better. For lunch
there were more choices and plenty of food - we did eat at the main dining room one lunch and it was very
good. I thought the pool areas were a little crowded, but we found that the best place on the ship was on deck
7 in the back. It was shaded and quiet and you could easily go upstairs for a dip in the back pool whenever
you wanted. The kids programs were okay - not great. Our 11 year old was not too interested in them. They
seemed a little too out of control. The 13 year old went to the mixer and discos a few times, but they seemed a
little too old (16 &17 year olds). The most fun he has was when he found friends on his own and got together
with them. The ports of call were great.

The first day we lost power coming into Grand Cayman and we were
late. I had arranged an excursion on my own and had to phone to cancel because of the delay. I was
frustrated that the crew would not offer any assistance and have contacted the cruise line to see what could
be done about some kind of a refund. I think it cost me about $60 for a mechanical error on the ship. We had
fun anyway - definitely take an excursion on your own - it is a much better deal. We loved Roatan, too. We
took a taxi on our own to Half Moon Beach. It was a very nice spot- not much of a 'beach' area, but good
snorkeling. In Belize we took the tour of Lamanai - I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone. It is the
one shore excursion I think that would be the best value through NCL. The boys loved the boat ride and we
loved the ruins! Our guide was very informative and did a wonderful job answering questions and telling us
about his country. My only complaint (and I guess it is a complaint about shore excursions in general) is that
we had to wait 20 minutes for a couple that could not get to our bus on time. As a result, our time in the ruins
was shortened. It was still a worthwhile trip, but I think it should be more of a responsibility on the passengers
to get themselves where they need to be on time!

Maybe an early/late shore excursion schedule would be
better. Cozumel was a lot of fun. We took a cab to Chankanaab and spent the day snorkeling. The water was
a little rough, but crystal clear. The fish are amazing there and don't miss the botanical gardens. The only
incident was when my son was stung by one of the thousand thumnail juvenile jellyfish common in those
waters. The lifeguards were very accomadating and we did get some Calamine which seemed to help. The
shopping was great -next time I would buy more! Excellent prices and lots of variety. All in all this was a fun
cruise. I may go again, but I think I will just fly down to the Caribbean and arrange trips on my own. My biggest
complaint is there is too little time in each port. Also I would recommend doing a little research in advance and
taking shore excursions on your own. We saved over $300 by doing this and many times got a better tour and
certainly more personalized service. If you are going on a cruise to be pampered and surrounded by luxury,
this is not the line you want to take. If you are going for ports of call and value I would go through NCL. All in
all I would rate this a B or B+.

Name: Andrew Forrest
Email: alf@ic24.net
Age: 36
Occupation: Chartered Building Surveyor
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 7 May 2000
Itinerary: Sawyer Glacier, Alaska
Cabin: 6230
FoodDiningRoom: 70
CruiseDirector: 88
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService: 75
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 72
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 98
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 82
PrivateIsland: 00
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 00
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff: 80
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 90
ExerciseFacilities: 77
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 75
EntertainmentPoolside: 88
CruiseActivities: 92
Casino: 88
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities: 80
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 88
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 92
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 14 Jun 2000
Time: 17:45:52
Remote Name: 195.44.215.215
Remote User:

Comments

This was our first cruise, and although we were very excited at the prospect of the cruise we were also a bit
apprehensive having read a few horror stories about NCL and the ‘Wind’ (unfortunately after we had
booked). However, embarkation was pretty quick, possibly something to do with the fact that we had been
transferred to the Bannatyne Pier some four hours before the ship was due to depart. We went straight to
our outside stateroom on the Atlantic deck - room 6230, and unpacked.

Our cabin was generous enough in size with a small sitting area, two chairs and a table, picture window,
plenty of storage space and a small but wholly useable toilet/shower room……generally it was just like it
looked in the brochure.

We thought that the cabin facilities were good. Air conditioning (not that it was really needed!) and ship's t.v.
which ran continuous bridge cam action (looking forward from the bridge), together with a constantly
updated moving map display of our exact position, speed and distance travelled.

At night there was no audible engine noise or vibration, no noise from bars or other decks, in fact all we
could really hear was the gentle (but distracting) whirr of the A/C unit over the sitting area. - unfortunately
we could not switch it off. Having said that, there was some early morning noise from the promenade joggers
even although the sign we read prohibited jogging before 8am. No discernable noise from adjacent cabins,
like toilets flushing etc although the cabin doors do slam shut and at times you can hear them all up and
down the corridor. Minor things. We were more than comfortable in our cabin.

We were allocated dinner on the late sitting, as requested, in the Four Seasons Restaurant sharing our
table with 3 other couples. The menu always looked great, but the food was always disappointing and the
portions were generally small. This was a general trait in all of the eating places we tried on the ship, but
more about that later. Entertainment on board the ship was, without a doubt, first class. Throughout the
cruise we had a total of three productions by the Jean Ann Ryan Company and we thought they were most
professionally produced. The sound and lighting effects and the action were really as good as one could get
(in my humble opinion).

We had read that it was advisable to book the excursions early. Our shore excursion tickets were left in our
cabin. This was good because we had seen that the two tours we wanted to go on were fully booked and we
were not sure whether we had been successful or not in getting tickets. Anyway, it's expensive, but we are
booked on the Mendenhall Glacier helicopter flight at Juneau on Friday ($185 each) and on a river trip to
see the famous Chilcatt Eagle preserve in Haines on Thursday afternoon - hopefully we would see plenty
wildlife – this, together with the glaciers, was the real reason we had travelled to Alaska.

A big plus throughout this cruise was the absence of music or other excessive noise on deck. We had
almost undisturbed tranquility on the open sea. At times no wind and mirror seas – we were very lucky with
the weather.

Our itinerary was the Sawyer Glacier and it is absolutely stunning. We had the best imaginable weather for
this trip. In the sunshine you could really see the pale blue of the floating 'mini bergs' against the calm green
sea. However due to the amount of ice floating in the water the Captain decided he could not take the ship
too close to the face of the glacier so long lenses were a must to get any sort of decent photograph. We
also had a running commentary by an onboard Naturalist up on the Bridge. A neat 360° rotation turned us
facing back up the fjord and as the sun sank behind the fjords we headed back to the mouth of the Arm. We
were slightly disappointed that we had not been able to get ‘right up to’ the glaciers – as we know is possible
in Glacier Bay.

Our first land call was Skagway. We found plenty of interesting things to do which are possibly outwiththe
scope of this cruise review. If anyone wants to e-mail me I can provide further information. However we
elected not to take a shore excursion there for we had booked on one in Haines where the ship would be
sailing later same day. Disaster. Departure from Skagway was delayed. 5pm became 5.30pm. The captain
announced we had some sort of problem with the engines and that it would take 15mins to sort. At 6.20pm
we finally set sail for Haines. Not to worry, we were reassured over the tannoy that the shore excursions
were being held to coincide with our late arrival. It is a short sail to Haines, about an hour or so, however just
as we pulled alongside the dock we were advised that ours was one of a number of shore excursions to be
cancelled because the tour guides reckoned it was becoming too dark to run the tours safely. Oh dear - we
had really been looking forward to that river adventure and the chance to see some wildlife. Instead we, and
several hundred others, had to wander around in Haines until ship's departure at 11pm - and there really
isn't a great deal to do there. In fact, the cruise director Lynette had been the one to advise us earlier that
you really had to get out in Haines to experience the wilderness and see wildlife as there was little to do
otherwise. Needless to say our monies were refunded but we felt the Line should have offered more in
compensation to all those people that had missed out on the chance to get into the wilderness for real. After
the ship left at 11pm went to the Stardust Lounge where there was a comedy act - Ritchie Minervinie - who I
found mildly amusing. Some people thought he was hilarious. Hmmm.

We went to the early show, this time 'Smokey Joe's Café'. Again, technically very good and entertaining,
superb choreography from this accomplished troupe. The show finished at 8.15pm and we went for dinner
at 8.30 seating. After dinner we had an early night, although I did venture outside momentarily to check for
the Northern lights…..but no luck!

Juneau and Ketchikan are also on the itinerary – we were disappointed in Juneau but clearly didn’t have
time to explore it fully. It was, however, the place of our memorable helicopter flight. We found Ketchikan
much more interesting.

Before dinner on the last evening we had the third of our Stardust lounge shows, this time the JAR Company
performed the Sea Legs Circus at Sea, which was a musical exploration of circuses worldwide. Needless to
say, brilliant once again. (We would compare it to some of the better shows we’ve seen in the UK) Some
most inventive costumery and lighting effects, brilliant gymnastic displays from Lance Ringwald (a former US
gymnastic team member - quite how he managed to do so many backflips on stage was bewildering). At the
end of the show we were treated to a Norwegian Wind farewell starring some of the crew!

We turned in quite early for we had to have suitcases packed and ready for uplift from outside our rooms
later in the evening. Also we would be docking in Vancouver at 7am and so breakfast was early to allow for
debarkation procedures.

We berthed at 6.45am, had breakfast, and then had to sit around until11am waiting for our turn to leave the
ship. Once again it was a beautifully hot day with clear skies so we sat on deck. Eventually, at 11am, it was
our turn. We got off the ship fairly quickly and through customs etc without a hitch, however, as we were
going to a downtown hotel where we would be staying until Friday we had to get a taxi - along with around
80 other people! Also, the two other big ships, Volendam and SunPrincess had come in (at Canada Place)
immediately behind us and so taxis were a bit thin on the ground. When we eventually got a taxi we had
been waiting in the queue for nearly 1½ hours.

General.I'd read selected other reviewer’s comments about the ship being 'dirty' and certainly cannot say
that we found this to be the case. The ship, and certainly our cabin, was spotless, always well tended by
Juan the steward with clean towels morning and afternoon, and the sink and shower washed down every
day. Ok, the toilet - which is clean and new looking -is a bit on the small side, but then I'm 6'1¾".

Also, we read comments that carpets are stained etc etc. We doubt the validity of that assertion, areas that
do at first glance appear to be stained eg corridors, lift lobbies, are in fact due to the nap of the carpet and
the manner in which it has hoovered up. There may well be stains but we expect you'd have to be crawling
around on your knees to find them. I suppose the harder you look for such faults the more you'll find, but
this applies to anything. The ship was big enough for us and with it’s full compliment of people (Quite where
the 600+ crew hid we don’t know!!) never appeared overcrowded. Perhaps though that was partly due to
the weather – which was always good, just not tropical enough to encourage sardine packing of
sunworshippers. Drinks prices on the ship, as one might expect, are high but I suppose that’s where they
make their money. Just keep a careful tally of everything you sign (although our credit checked out
accurately at the end of the cruise).

We felt the facilities were good on board. Stardust Lounge is nice but I can appreciate it possibly doesn’t
have the ‘grandeur’ of the larger theatres on the bigger ships. In a strange sort of way I felt it was a bit
‘dated’ looking, however it had all the best lighting and sound systems etc. Then again, you don’t go
cruising to sit in a theater – or do you?

We eventually got fed up getting our photographs taken by the ship’s photographers who appear in many
guises as you are getting on and off the boat etc.

Without doubt, the biggest disappointment for us was the food which, well, was average at best. We ate in a
few places in downtown Vancouver towards the end of our holiday and really realized what we had been
missing. We'd read someone else's critique on the food before we left and we share their opinion. The
menus were certainly well prepared, always interesting - we would look at the menu and say 'Mmmm',
however when the food arrived it was always a let down. On one occasion our whole table received soup
which was decidedly tepid, also I had 'crunchy' coated mushrooms which were distinctly chewy. Hot and Sour
duck soup was like a watery version of the regular chicken soup I make at home, without the bulk of the
meat. I could go on and on and may be considered harsh given that the ship's chefs are preparing 3000
meals a day and more or less working around the clock – but so are the chefs on other Lines where we
have compared notes to other friends who have been delighted with the cuisine. I honestly expected to go
and put on weight but, if anything, lost it.

All things said and done we would cruise again but with a different cruise line. Alaska, well, what we saw was
‘scratching’ at the surface but we have many, many memories and we met some lovely people. We would go
back sometime however it’s a long way from Scotland so we’ll probably have to make do with the National
Geographic Channel for the meantime. Cruising is maybe the best way to get a feel for the wilderness – the
ports of call were nice but expensive. Also, we were slightly disappointed that the ship didn’t meander in and
out of the small islands of the Inside Passage as much as the ‘dotted’ line on out map suggested, but we
accept there were probably good maritime reasons for doing so – at least, all the other ships seemed to be
doing the same. It’s just that for long spells the ship is a considerable distance from land….

To sum up, the inside passage of Alaska is beautiful but you need to be lucky with the weather to see the
scenery at it’s best from a ship. We were exceptionally lucky. If you’re a photographer take some long
lenses and either a tripod or fast film. You will see some wildlife – there were plenty whales, eagles and we
saw a brown bear – but all from a distance. If its ‘ in your face’ wildlife that you want, be prepared to spend
some money on the wildlife shore excursions (and still take your long camera lenses).

If anyone wants any further thoughts or has any specific questions on this cruise itinerary I’d be pleased to
respond – I also have some photos available for e-mailing although I plan to put them on my web site soon.

Name: Steve Taraborelli
Email: tara18@earthlink.net
Age: 45
Occupation: E-Business Manager
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: June 12, 2000
Itinerary: Alaska-Inside Passage
Cabin: 8071/Presidential Suite
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 85
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 28 Jun 2000
Time: 13:38:25
Remote Name: lobuje.sun.com
Remote User:

Comments

The overall Alaska cruise was excellent. The Embark process was uncrowed and smooth. We were promptly
guided to our cabins by a courteous steward. The ship was clean, no odors and well maintained. We took
our three boys (15,13 and 9) and the youngest one enjoyed the Kids Club activities. He actually looked
forward to them. The teenagers did not partake in any organized NCL activities because they just enjoyed
the thrill of cruising the first time. The food service was excellent. Winston, our lunch and dinner waiter was
attentive, patient and took the time to dote on our 9 year old. The food preparation was carefully prepared,
diverse and offered in adequate portions. You will NOT starve on this cruise. Some dishes were not as
expected but when a kitchen has to serve 1000 people, I would expect not perfect food preparation. The
breakfast food offered in the Sports Bar was excellent, considering that fact that it was just basic food group
offerings. The onboard activities were good but I expoected a few more organized activites. The Art Auctions
were fun to attend and the auctioneer was excellent. The casino was ample in size and the staff overall were
cordial. I did sit down at one Black Jack table while the dealer was shuffling and I asked the dealer when
does the casino get crowded. He replied by saying; 'I wouldn't know'. I am used to taking on rude Vegas
dealers but doing so on a ship doesn't leave me with an option of going to another casino. The room
steward Romeo, was excellent. He probed us kindly by asking us when we usually vacate our suites and in
our absence, the suites were neatly cleaned from top to bottom. He got an extra tip because he had to clean
the teenagers suite twice a day. The port-of-call were alright. Juneau, Skagway and Ketchekan were
interesting but Haines is rather 'drab'. The shore excusions are a must when visiting Haines because Haines
has nothing to offer the person who wants to just walk around. The disembarking process went rather
smooth and it was efficient. Overall, it was worth the money.

Back to NCL Windward