ncl-wind7

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Donna Jarriel
Email: drjarriel825@cs.com
Age: 46
Occupation: Corp. Comptroller
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 9/18/00
Itinerary: Vancouver to Hawaii Repositioning
Cabin: 6240
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 95
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors: 95
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 95
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram: 95
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 70
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 01 Oct 2000
Time: 20:37:33
Remote Name: spider-tq033.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

After reading all the negative comments regarding NCL and the Wind, we were a little apprehensive about
this cruise. We had booked it back in January, and that gave us plenty of time to read the horror stories
of toilets running over, the ship smelling like sewage, rude and indifferent staff, etc. However, having just
returned from our 11-day Vancouver to Hawaii repositioning cruise, I have to ask—did we sail on the
same ship as the other reviewers? The Norwegian Wind we sailed on was clean, elegant, and warm. The
staff was for the most part efficient, polite and enthusiastic.

Our first pleasant surprise came when we received our air arrangements—Jacksonville to Vancouver with
only a one-hour switch of planes in St. Louis, and Honolulu to Jacksonville with a short (almost too short)
half-hour change of planes in Atlanta. This dispelled the fears of odd hours and multi-city connections I
had imagined. Our only anxious moments occurred the night before our trip wondering if Tropical Storm
Gordon was going to cause of flight to be cancelled. He didn’t and we left Jacksonville on time and arrived
in Vancouver late morning. Upon arrival in Vancouver, we had to wait in very long lines to go through
customs, although this was certainly not NCL’s fault. After clearing customs and collecting our luggage we
quickly found the NCL representative who escorted us to the busses for the trip to the pier. When we
arrived at the ship, we were allowed to board the ship immediately, even though it was only a few minutes
after 1:00 and embarkation wasn’t supposed to start until 1:30. Embarkation was a breeze—no lines at
all! We didn’t have much time in Vancouver, and I’m sorry we didn’t plan on a pre-cruise stay there. We
have never been to Vancouver before, but the little we saw, we loved. We will definitely need to do an
Alaska cruise with a stay in Vancouver.

We entered the ship through a pleasant lobby and were met by a uniformed steward who asked us our
room number and then escorted us there. The room on Atlantic Deck #6 looked exactly as pictured in the
brochures and website. It was very comfortable for two people and I had no problem with storage for our
clothes (11 days worth) between the drawers and the closet. A few extra hangers would have been nice,
though. We loved the sitting area with the large window. One negative here—we had requested, and all
our documents indicated that we were to have a non-smoking room. The one we were assigned was
definitely smoking. The sign at the purser’s desk said the ship was full and there could be no room
changes, so we purchased some air freshener in port and this took care of the problem.

After finding our room, we took off to explore the ship. It was a good size—not a mega-liner, but certainly
plenty large. It was clean, well maintained, and nicely decorated (nothing gaudy or neon lit). We were
pleasantly surprised to find the welcome aboard lunch was not a buffet on deck, but a very nice open
seating luncheon in the dining rooms. This was a welcome respite after having traveled all the way across
the country that morning. After lunch we continued our exploration of the decks and public rooms, then
back to our stateroom where our luggage was already waiting on us. We had enough time to put away
our clothes when it was time to go back on deck to watch the ship leave Vancouver. Leaving the port at
sundown was really lovely and peaceful.

The average age on this cruise was older than most. There were a great number of seniors, although
most appeared to be active and healthy, as well as some honeymooners and middle-aged couples. There
were very few families with children or teens, or young singles. I guess the length of the cruise, as well as
the fact that it was after the traditional summer vacation months may have accounted for that. While there
was plenty of entertainment, it was geared toward an older crowd.

We had late seating for dinner in the Four Seasons dining room at a table for eight with very pleasant
table mates and good conversation each night. Our waiter, George was great—he was very anxious to
please and was quite apologetic if he didn’t think we were for some reason. The busboy Andrew was
funny, although he had a problem remembering things like who didn’t drink coffee, who preferred decaf,
etc. The food was generally very good—some items were better than others. Steaks in the main dining
room tended to be tough; seafood selections were usually very good. Soups were always
excellent—combined with the wonderful dinner rolls, you could make a meal out of that! For steaks, a
better choice was LeBistro, the alternative dining room. We ate there twice and had excellent meals both
times. The filet minion there was as good as any I’ve had on land. We only ate breakfast in the dining
room on the last day—the rest of the trip we preferred the buffet breakfast in the Sport’s Bar. They had
very good made-to-order omelets and waffles, as well as fresh baked pastries, and standard breakfast
fare.

Since we had late seating, most evenings our show was actually before dinner. The entertainment was
excellent. There was a comedian, a cabaret singer, a musician, etc., as well as three shows by the Jean
Ann Ryan Company. They were superb! This company of accomplished singers and dancers performed
Bob Fosse-type productions on a relatively small stage on a moving ship. No small task! We enjoyed all
the lounge performers, although after 11 days, we had heard all their numbers several times. We liked
the Observatory Lounge as a place to sit and relax, but preferred the piano player in the Coffee Bar for
entertainment. We spent a little time in the Casino, but tried to keep it to a minimum in order to limit our
losses. There were also the usual activities of Bingo, art auctions, etc. A nice addition on this trip was the
Hawaiian entertainers and activities on board the entire trip—the entertainers would perform daily on
deck and well as several evenings. The Cruise Director and his staff were great—friendly and funny,
without being condescending.

Our first port of call was Astoria, Oregon. The people there seemed very excited that a cruise ship was
there and there were “Welcome Norwegian Wind” signs everywhere. We did not take the tours there, but
instead just walked the town. There really isn’t much to Astoria, but it did allow us the opportunity to
purchase a few forgotten miscellaneous items at land prices, instead of on the ship. I think I would have
preferred to skip Astoria for an additional day in Hawaii.

The next five days were sea days. The first day was overcast and the seas were a little rough, which I
guess is to be expected in the North Pacific. We didn’t need to take any motion sickness medication, but I
understand some of the other passengers did. Overall, I thought the Wind was quite stable and handled
the sea conditions well. The weather for the remaining sea days was great—warm and calm. The decks
were full of people sunning and swimming, but we never had a problem finding an available lounge chair.
Since the weather was so good, we had deck side Bar-B-Q’s for lunch each day, which were surprising
good and varied.

After five sea days, it was good to reach land again. In Hawaii we visited in Hilo and Kona on the Big
Island, Maui, Kauai, and finally Oahu. Again, we choose not to take the ship’s excursions, but instead
rented a convertible and saw the islands on our own—after all we were still in the USA. We did use a
good guide book (Fodor’s) and the ships excursion descriptions before hand to plan out the things we
wanted to see since we had limited time in each port. We actually probably got more accomplished than
most of the people who took the excursions and saved a bundle over the cost of the excursions. We were
able to see Volcanoes National Park (more of it than with the tour), various waterfalls and parks, historical
sites, Waimea Canyon, the Arizona Memorial and much more. We did experience some rain in Hawaii and
particularly in Maui where it rained all day, so we didn’t make it to Haleakala or the beaches there. Instead
we browsed the shops in the village of Lahaina which turned out to be a very nice day.

I heard some complaints that debarkation was disorganized, but I did not experience that. We sat in a
lounge until our color luggage tag was called, then left the ship to find our luggage on the dock. We got a
porter to help us with the luggage and he asked which airline we were flying and escorted us and our
luggage to the proper bus, and made sure our luggage was put on the bus. I guess it could have been
confusing if you didn’t ask for help, but there were an adequate number of porters if you requested one.

Overall, this was a great vacation. It actually was like two vacations—first the cruise half, then the Hawaii
half. There were some negatives—the smoking stateroom I already mentioned, the photography staff
(they were not very good and one of the few bad attitudes we encountered), but we did not allow these to
ruin our cruise. I don’t know if our expectations were not as high as other people’s, or if we’re just not as
demanding, but we found the ship clean and comfortable and the food and service usually very good. I
hate to disappoint the NCL bashers, but I just didn’t see it.

Name: Michael McGuire
Email: rckadbary@aol.com
Age: 52
Occupation: Manager
NumberOfCruises: 6
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 10/7/2000
Itinerary: Hawaiian Islands/Fanning Island
Cabin: P1
FoodDiningRoom: 75
CruiseDirector: 70
CabinComfort: 55
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 60
CabinAmenities: 75
FoodLidoDeck: 60
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 25
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 75
FoodVariety: 60
DeckService: 50
ShoreExcValue: 60
GoodForHoneymoon: 25
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland: 90
GoodForFamilies: 75
LoungeService: 75
TenderService: 60
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 45
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 60
CruiseActivities: 50
Casino: 55
AirSeaProgram: 80
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 20
EmbarkDisembark: 40
DiscoNightclubs: 40
DeckSpace: 40
Stabilization: 50
ShopsOnBoard: 50
SpaceRatio: 60
OverallCruiseValue: 50
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 22 Oct 2000
Time: 20:45:00
Remote Name: spider-tn052.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

I would be surprised if the Norwegian Wind is not soon sold or decomissioned. Rust was visible on the
exterior of the hull, on our stateroom balcony, and on most painted surfaces. Carpets were very worn, and
in may cases, actually torn. Several public areas and halls smelled of mildew. Our stateroom had caulking
missing from wall joints. The ceiling creaked whenever the ship leaned, causing many sleepless nights. The
toilet stopped working several times daily. Maintenance was all but non-existent. Embarkation was very
unorganized, with large lines and no instructions on how to proceed. Upon entering our stateroom we found
a man's shirt hanging on a hook, a small bottle of vodka in one drawer, and chewing gum wrappers in
another drawer. The shower stall was full of mildew. The bottle of wine purchased by our travel agent was
never put on ice. Most of the crew showed no enthusiasm, and very seldom smiled. Waiters for the noon
buffet milled around talking to each other, ignoring the passengers. Before boarding the tenders to Fanning
Island the passengers were told to buy water(at $3.00 per bottle), and most did; only to find that the cruise
line had free ice water available on shore. The casino was suddenly closed on the last night, and no crew
members could tell us why. The duty free shops did stay open though. I have been on five other cruises,
and in comparison the Norwegian Wind was by far the worst. The Hawaiian Islands are beautiful, but find
another way to visit them. Please feel free to e-mail me with specific questions.

Name: R Sweeper
Email: techwriter@ivillage.com
Age: 32
Occupation: Programmer and Quality Assurance Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 10-09-00
Itinerary: 10 day Hawaii
Cabin: 8058/P1
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 95
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 96
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 99
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 75
PrivateIsland: 50
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 99
TenderService: 75
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 89
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 0
CruiseActivities: 50
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 10
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 10
DiscoNightclubs: 75
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 27 Oct 2000
Time: 15:40:17
Remote Name: z248n61.chx.com
Remote User:

Comments

Let me preface my review by saying I have been on two cruises, Carnival and now Norwegian. I would
say that while Carnival is equal to say a Super 8 on the seas, this Norwegian ship was like a Holiday
Inn. I decided to treat my mother to her dream of seeing the Hawaiian Islands and thought this was the
most cost effective way to go. I broke the review into areas for ease. We cruised to Honolulu, Kona,
Fanning Island, Hilo/Lahaina, Nawiliwili/Kauai, and Honolulu/Oahu. There were a total of 4 days at sea,
two after Kona, and two after Fanning Island.

*Overall impression* I thought the cruise was fine overall. There were definitely some things that need
changing when we pay as much as you do for a Penthouse Suite. The staff was quite attentive, deck
space was always available, and our cabin was always tidy. Our cabin steward was really nice and
quite attentive. He went out of his way for all the requests my mom made. She laughingly told him one
morning that she had to be the most demanding passenger and he told her that she was very
reasonable. All too often we observed passengers barking requests rather than speaking reasonably
and with the respect due another human being. I figure that even though someone is paid to clean up
after you doesn't give anyone carte blanche to treat them badly. The staff seemed very surprised to
hear the words 'thank you'...I think they hear them far too seldom. The cleanliness of the pools and
decks was nice. The always-available buffet areas were also diverse and their pizza was surprisingly
tasty. I am from Chicago, which is a pizza town! The cocktails also were quite tasty and not watered
down. Also the concierge is available for all suites and penthouses and did a fine job of answering
questions or making reservations. The staff needs to take time to explain certain processes more
quickly.

*Food* Food was fresh and special requests were handled equally as well. The menu varied for the 10
days but we did notice some repeats of items. They also try to do a continental mix of seasonings and
ingredients with haphazard results. One evening a steak was served with a mushroom and juniper
berry sauce. Juniper berries taste like evergreens. I am afraid that it must be an acquired taste but it
ruined an otherwise perfect meal. The breakfast buffets were just as good as ordering from the menu.
Someone was always waiting to pull out your chair, get water, or assist in carrying your plate to the
table. I am not a vegetarian but did eat some of the vegetarian selections and lots of the soups. All
were delicious. We also ate in the Bistro. There is a $5 per person gratuity request, which was
reasonable but not advertised as such unless you perused the menu outside the dining room. My
mom and I chose to eat at the 2 person tables rather than groups after watching the painful
expressions of those at large tables around us. The dining rooms always had available space and was
never full at the late seating. In our cabin, room service was always direct for breakfast. I even ordered
a sandwich and some sliced fruit around 2am while studying and it was delivered with no problem.

*Entertainment* The entertainment is standard and I was quite impressed by what they could do in
such a small amount of space. You should note that shows show late seating first and early seating
last. This is so that if you eat late you see the show first and those who eat early see the show later.
Regular cruisers may already know this but I didn't find out until I asked. The Hawaiian themed show
was also delightful. Just about any sight gives a clear view of the stage. The in room movie selection
was quite up to date, CNN came in when we were nearing Hawaii, and the ship shows round the clock
port information and shore excursion descriptions. Also aired were old movie classics and some Lucy
reruns

*Accommodations* The shower is the tiniest I have ever been in but at least the toilet flushed. Closet
room was ample and items we sent for pressing came back crisp and line free. Our refrigerator never
was cold. The air conditioning never quite worked well. It was either too cold or it would go off during
the night. I thought that perhaps the ship cycled them off or down during the wee hours. The veranda
was big enough for two to sit comfortably but there were spots of rust here and there. The bed was
comfortable but the sofa sleeper was uncomfortable except for perhaps a small child. My mother and I
requested twin beds but were put in a room with a queen size bed. Seems they thought because her
name was Jerry she was a man or something. I complained but nothing was done. We were right
under the dining rooms so we would here carts moving about right before and right after any meals
including midnight buffets that alternated between dining rooms. It was annoying but it didn't keep me
from sleeping. We also experienced creaking and some rolling especially when we left waters closest
to the US and re-entered them later. The days at sea went along smoothly. When you get into the
penthouse suite cabin, there were bottles of complimentary water (the first ones are free), a plate of
assorted canapés, a bowl of fruit, and champagne courtesy of the cruise line and our travel agent. My
mom requested the room be changed around with the chairs on the same wall as the television and
the couch moved opposite the TV. She wanted to lie down while watching any movies. Another of her
requests was with ice...she's a fanatic about it. The ice bucket was always stocked whenever we came
into the room. I often requested extra towels since I was out sunning and by the pool quite a bit and
there were always extra towels as requested. Complimentary robes for the length of the cruise were
provided but since they were brand new out of the package, they had a horrible smell that stunk up
the whole closet. We put them on the floor with our towels and they were returned soft and non-smelly.

*Excursions* We signed up for tours at every port. Our tour buses were comfortable and the drivers
knowledgeable. Be advised that the drivers don't get any tips from the prepaid price. We tipped them
a few dollars on each tour. I think $5 for two people is plenty. The tour guides were really
knowledgeable and gave great historical information about the land and its people as we ambled
along. Lots of walking was involved as well as going up and down some steep inclines. The tenders
used to get to shore for some excursions were dangerous and involved long waits. For instance, you
are requested to get tender tickets but the numbers on the tickets are called in the most disorderly
fashion possible and keep some very old people waiting in halls for over 45 minutes. Tickets were first
called for 1 to 300 while the tenders only hold 120 or 150 passengers. There is no use in getting the
tickets with numbers however those doing the gate coordination seemed to find this amusing, I thought
it was a travesty to keep that many people waiting. The same situation occurred during
disembarkation. I thought the excursions were a good value for the cost. I would take one of the
excursions offered in Maui by getting off the boat early and strolling around. Take care though, some
are timeshare presentations and they usually tell you up front. I was able to capture breathtaking
photos of the ocean, waterfalls, and canyon area. There are also mosquitoes in the Fern Grotto and
at the Gardens. When we docked to come back we took a cab to the Pearl Harbor area and boats.

*Disappointments* Sleeping arrangements and a large sign posted at the desk that the ship was full
when really it's a ruse to get rid of people. There was a couple two doors down that stormed from their
room and demanded another place to sleep the very next night because they couldn't take the noise
over their heads. A room was found for them right away and no one was moved into their room for at
least two days. Odors on some places of the ship like raw sewerage. The casino closed early on the
last night with no explanation despite it being in the daily bulletin of things to do. There were lots of
upset people waiting to drop their cash. The air and sea program is the pits. No the ship won't leave
without you but with such horrible arrangements you might think twice. They used Delta airlines
coming and going and it was the pits the entire way. Their on-time service was never on time. Thank
goodness when we had our connecting flight we came directly to Chicago from Salt Lake City on
United Airlines. They have comfort and leg room. The tender process needs to be revamped
immediately! The carpeting, couch, and other areas of the ship did contain stains. They should be
able to remove them on a ship of this stature. The crowd that was allowed to gather in the halls during
disembarkation. The cruise line won't be happy until some strokes out in the confined and crowded
space.

*Likes* The windows were kept clean. (We remember being unable to see out of them clearly on
Carnival the entire trip.) Even the sliding doors of the veranda were kept clean. Bathrooms in the
public areas were immaculate. The staff was pretty informative for the most part and pleasant. The
room was contained enough space for two for 10 days. Plenty of hot and cold water and the shower
pressure were fine. The dryer in the bathroom worked very well and was powerful. The store had a
good selection of items that I am glad I waited to buy. The prices came down measurably towards the
end of the cruise. The prices of the spa services came down immensely during the last days of the
cruise as well. Services that usually go for $40 - 60 alone could be purchased at 3 for $30. Big price
difference, wait towards the end of the trip for these treats. Being able to stay in the cabin until time to
leave.

*Special Note* Be prepared for spot checks of your purchases once you arrive back to American
shores. We were also informed by customs that the ship is considered foreign soil because it's not
registered to the US so any purchases made in the duty free shops are still counted and you may
need to be taxed if they are over a certain amount. Some people had to bring their billing statement
from the room. It may be wise to give everyone in the party signing privileges so that one person
doesn't end up paying tax because they are signing for all the purchases.

I would probably sail on NCL again but on a newer ship. The people of Hawaii are warm and nice no
matter where you go so I would also travel back there again.

Name: Diane Ruhoy
Email: druhoy@ptd.net
Age: 52
Occupation: Consultant
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 04/01/00
Itinerary: Western Carribean
Cabin: Suite
FoodDiningRoom: 60
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 65
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 60
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 65
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 60
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 90
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 65
EmbarkDisembark: 60
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 60
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 70
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 29 Oct 2000
Time: 13:13:00
Remote Name: 24.229.67.89
Remote User:

Comments

NEVER AGAIN! And, I say that having sailed on NCL on two prior occasions. I read a review earlier
where the reviewer stated that NCL was third in its category and obviously happy to stay there. If they
don't improve, they will soon wind up last!

Embarkation: A nightmare. We made our plane reservations on our own and took a cab to the pier.
That was fine. However, upon arriving there was total chaos. We were crowded into a warehouse with
about 300 people in line. Being a latitudes member, and a suite booker, I knew we (there were four of
us) were entitled to a separate, quick check-in. Noone seemed to know what I was talking about. After
standing on line for about 30 minutes, I left the group and searched out someone who could help us. I
finally found someone, who ushered us out of line and to the appropriate place for our check-in. I feld
sorry for those still on line in a hot, hot warehouse in Miami. Cabins: The cabins were the same as on
the Dream, which we were used to. However, the rooms were not cleaned to my stnadards -- on the
balcony outside the room the railings had not been washed down in months. They were dirty, grimey,
and unless I wanted to wash my hands very two mintues, I had to clean them myself. Cabin Steward:
Okay, but not the kind of service I expect. Came back once from excursions (feeling dirty and sweaty)
just want a shower. Lo and behold, no towels! Could not find our steward -- found one in another hall
who was accommodating. Then the kicker. Came back from another excursion, again ready for a
shower, and found the shower curtain soaking in the sink in bleach. YUK! For this, I am paying
premium prices? Our friends also experienced the 'no towels' scenario. Food: Dining Room -- not
good. One night, everyone at the table who had ordered the beef wellington had to send it back.
Tough and tasted disgusting. The rest of the food was mediocre at best. Nothing like we had
experienced three years ago on the 'dream'. Food: Pizza Room -- horrible. The food was okay. But, it
was all over the place. On the counter, on the floor, foods from two bowls mixed in each other. And,
sometimes, entire trays were empty (probably the decent food that was scoffed up right away!)
Annoynance: Came in early from Cancun -- about 4pm (it was very hot that day). Wanted a bite to eat.
NOTHING anywhere. I guess they expected you to eat on your own onshore. People were really
complaining. Of course, room service was available, but the menu is very limited. Good thing: The
cruise destinations were different than the average. Although Roatan and Belize are third world
counties, they are trying hard to get exposure. The tours were wonderful, especially the boatride,
lunch, and tour of the ruins.

There were other things that I won't go into here. Overall, just a bad experience with a cruise line that I
will never sail again. By the way, I did take the time to write a three page, typed letter, going into great
detail about my complaints. Even being a Latitudes member, all I got back was the standard letter
letting me know that my complaints were not of the norm. Basically, too bad, maybe you'll fare better
the next time you sail with us. YEA, RIGHT!

Name: Robert L. Williams
Email: poohbear48164@aol.com
Age: 51
Occupation: Industrial Clean-up Comapny Manager
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 10/19/00
Itinerary: Hawiian Islands - Fanning Island
Cabin: 1100
FoodDiningRoom: 50
CruiseDirector: 95
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 50
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 50
CabinQuietness: 75
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 75
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 95
PrivateIsland: 85
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 95
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 70
EmbarkDisembark: 80
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 75
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 75
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 03 Nov 2000
Time: 14:15:56
Remote Name: spider-th063.proxy.aol.com
Remote User:

Comments

We arrived at Pier 10 - 11, as directed in our documents, only to find that there was no ship. After
some searching, we found a security guard that informed us that the ship was at Pier 2. Embarkation
was fine. We were greeted and taken to our stateroom by a uniformed and friendly employee. The
stateroom was wonderful in regard to the size and closet space. The bathroom was wonderful with a
nice tub and shower and as we found out, wonderfully hot water all the time. The overall condition of
the stateroom was shabby. The furniture was heavily stained and worn. The carpeting and draperies
were long past time for cleaning. We had a non-smoking room but it smelled dank and musty. Room
freshener did not help. Our room steward, Frank, was wonderful. He was very friendly and efficient. I
do not blame the condition of the stateroom on him. Our toilet stopped working on several occasions
and at times the water out of the bathroom sink ran brown. The air conditioning was virtually
non-existant, especially at night.

We were privelidged to have the services of the Concierge, Pierre,
during the cruise. He was excellent, efficient and very personable. He and Frank and Le Bistro were
the bright spots during the cruise. We lasted only two meals in the Sun Terrace Dining Room. The
food was terrible. The service was not much better. The coffee on the entire ship was undrinkable. We
made a standing reservation in the alternative dining room, Le Bistro, for the remainder of the cruise.
Backhir and Victor were absolutely wonderful, as was the food. We did have a problem with one of our
tours in Kuai'i and NCL very generously gave us our money back when, in fact, we really were not
intitled to the entire refund as we did see a part of the tour. When we were pulling away from the pier
to go to the airport, I saw my luggage still sitting on the pier. It was not loaded on the bus. They did
deliver it on a later bus. I realize that the ship needs to be emptied so that it can be readied for the
next sailing. However, we arrived at the airport around 9:30 a.m. and the Agricultural Inspections at
the airport did not begin until 11:00 a.m. and then only had one inspection area per lobby. Talk about
a line up of people. Maybe Honolulu Airport and NCL should coordinate their schedules. I am glad that
we took the cruise of the Islands. We did have a good time. But before I would book another NCL
cruise, I would want to make sure that they got their act together or at least cleaned it up!

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