ncl-wind9

Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Craig Albrechtson
Email: cra1@execpc.com
Age: 33
Occupation: Facilities Floater
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 1/6/01
Itinerary: Western Carribean
Cabin: 5133
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 80
CabinAmenities: 80
FoodLidoDeck: 82
DiningRoomService: 100
CabinQuietness: 88
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 86
DeckService: 84
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 81
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 89
TenderService: 92
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 86
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 70
DiscoNightclubs: 95
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 92
SpaceRatio: 92
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 15 Jan 2001
Time: 17:44:23
Remote Name: chifw4001.arthurandersen.com
Remote User:

Comments

In preparing for my cruise I read several reviews of this ship. A number of them were not very good. So I was a
little nervous. I heard stories of clogged toilets and non functioning engines. I still had a very good time
besides a few problems. I was on the westeren carribean cruise which included Grand Cayman, Rotan,
Belieze and Cozumel.

The bad. The ship indeed has maintainence problems. One engine was not being run as fast as the other
one. Probably the one they had problems with in november. We had to leave Cozumel 2 hrs early to make
flights for a large group of passangers. We still arrived at least an hr late in Miami. The water in our bathroom
was Yellow a couple of times for a short while and our toilet stopped working for a short time. We informed the
desk and the problem was fixed. On Wed night a computer error resulted in the Air conditioning and
ventelation going out for about 2-3 hours. During 2nd seating dinner. They canceled dinner and declared
open bar for several hours and set up a outdoor buffet. Sadly it rained and they moved it indoors. I am happy
to report that the Norwegian Wind will be in Drydock for Maintaince and repairs for 3 Weeks Starting Jun 15th.
I heard that the engines will be replaced. Hopefully the other problems that other reviews had mentioned will
be solved as well. Embarkation went smoothly but disembarkation was nothing short of udder Chaos. The
busses were not labled and the 3 people who were running the show seemed clueless. They had no idea
which bus was going where or what to do. Do youself a favor if you cruise NCL, just take a Taxi.

The Good The NCL Kids Club is a godsend for anyone with children. My brother has a 6 and 8 year old and
they loved the activities. The ship looked pretty good. The Crew were very nice especially Mikena (misspelling
Sorry!) our Waiter at 2nd seating dinner in the Sun Terrace. He was excellent. I liked the fact that there were
3 smaller dining rooms instead of one huge one. It gave a more intimate feel instead of the cafateria feel with
large dining rooms. I liked all of the ports of call we made. My mom and sister and brother in law really enjoyed
the Snorkling in Rotan and Belieze. I also liked the internet cafe which let me keep in touch with the world. Our
cabin steward was also quite good considering it was me, my brother and his two boys in one small cabin.

Neither good nor bad but just strange The golf practice area on deck 12 was nice had mostly left handed
clubs. By the end of the cruise all of the remaining right handed clubs had dissappeared.

Overall I give it and OK rating. I think once they take care of the maintaince problems they should do much
better.

Name: Sandra McCormick
Email: sandramc1@aol.com
Age: 41
Occupation: Conversion Analyst
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 01/06/2001
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: H
FoodDiningRoom: 89
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 89
FoodLidoDeck: 85
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 89
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 90
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 89
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 85
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Jan 2001
Time: 15:40:04
Remote Name: efg1.mids.com
Remote User:

Comments

I would like to say that my family and I just had one of our best vacations aboard the Norwegian Wind. We
sailed the Western Caribbean Itinerary and even though we do not dive or snorkel, we had a great time.

This was my husband’s and my 3rd cruise and my children’s first. We got to the pier about 11:30 a.m. They
now have a brand new terminal that is laid out wonderfully. Being a Latitudes member, if the ship is not ready
for boarding, they have a special room for you. Once we boarded, we were escorted to our stateroom. I was
very pleased with the size and layout. Because all four of us were going to be in one cabin, we realized
through prior reviews that we would need to book an inside cabin, as these were the only cabins with upper
berths. This worked out great. We had a queen-sized bed and the two upper berths. There was also a small
sofa and table, along with a desk/vanity. There was a two-door closet with plenty of shelves for our clothes.
Our suitcases fit under the bed nicely. The bathroom was small, but manageable, with three shelves for
toiletries and two shelves under the sink for the rest.

I really enjoyed the ship. Our cabin was on deck 9, so we very rarely went down. Our dining room was the four
seasons, very close to our room. During the day, a window table is not to be missed. I tried out the other
dining rooms during lunch and breakfast. I think the terraces might have been the best view in the evening
overlooking the pool in the back. I hung out at the sports bar a bit to follow the playoffs. I liked the pool in the
rear of the ship instead of topside. My husband enjoyed reading on the deck below at the rear of the ship.
The casino was good to us on the slots. We ended up playing on their money, and my daughter came home a
winner. The lounge where the shows were put on was very nice. One of my favorite spots was just outside our
cabin at the front of the ship on deck 9. There you could have a great view and there were benches to sit on.
My son’s favorite spot was the Internet Café so he could talk to his girlfriend.

The food was very good. We all enjoyed all of our meals. Our waiter often offered to get us extra entrees, but
we were always too full. He was so great. The chocoholics buffet just keeps getting better and better. Besides
lunch and breakfast in the dinning rooms, we did the buffet a few times also. The food was also good. The
pizza was good, too. The ice cream selection during the afternoon was a bit of a disappointment. It was much
better on the Norway, which also offered cones instead of just a dish of ice cream.

The ports of call where as follows: Grand Caymans, we just went ashore to browse. No one was really
interested in swimming with the stingrays. Roatan, my children went on a tour that included a dolphin show
and a trip to a bird sanctuary. They had a great time. Belize, this was our favorite. We booked the shore
excursion that went to Altun Ha. The first part was a trip down the Old Belize River. We saw some wildlife and
got some great pictures. Next stop was lunch. Chicken, red beans and rice, potato salad and a soft drink.
Very good. Then we boarded a bus to drive to Altun Ha. This was really incredible. One of the structures that
was still intact was 5 stories high. We were allowed to climb to the top of this. What an adventure. Cozumel,
great shopping. I bought souvenirs for next to nothing. Onyx wind chimes, Chess sets, coasters, not to
mention had woven blankets and Kalua.

The shows were great. We had a great comic. In addition, the juggler was also very funny. The prerequisite
lounge act was ok, but that is not really my thing. The shows put on by the Jean Ann Ryan company never
miss. I think our cruise director was a failed comedian. He was so funny. I would certainly go out of my way to
book a cruise that he was on. The liars club had to be on of the highlights of the cruise.

We had perfect weather. The only time it rained was a night. That leads me to one of the negatives of the
cruise. The air conditioning went out one evening just as the second seating was being served. When they
could not correct it immediately, the informed us that we could have as much appetizers and salad as we
wanted, but dinner could not be served. They opened the bar to the entire ship and moved up the Caribbean
night buffet to 10:00. Just as we were about to start the buffet, the sky opened up. We were told that this was
just a brief shower, but after 5 minutes in a downpour, I had had enough. I called it a night. My daughter told
me that they did move the buffet inside, but had to cancel the open bar as too many people were taking
advantage of it. A couple of other thing that I noted from previous reviews I also found to be true. The toilets
do sometime stop working. If you wait for a while, they usually resume on there own. We never called anyone.
On our way down to deck 4, we did notice a smell of sewage. I’m not sure exactly which decks that occurred
on, but it was definitely happening.

Disembarkation was great. You can now stay in your stateroom until your color tag is called. You do bottle
neck a little on deck 7 by the exit. In their new terminal they have revolving baggage belts for your luggage.
The cruise we were on was the last cruise before the Wind changes to Freestyle Cruising. Most of the crew I
spoke with were going home and did not know where they would be reassigned to on their return.

Just a side note: For the best airfare, my daughter and I flew into Ft. Lauderdale and my husband and son to
Miami. I rented a car at Ft. Lauderdale and drove to pick up the boys in Miami. We dropped off the rental right
at the dock for no extra charge. This was cheaper than purchasing transportation from the cruise line. The
same on the return.

Name: David Loewy
Email: Tdl4138@aol.com
Age: 46
Occupation: management
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 2/24/01
Itinerary: Caymans,Roatan,Belize,Cozumel
Cabin: Oceanview #5045
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 85
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 100
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 95
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 100
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 100
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors: 100
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 05 Mar 2001
Time: 22:32:35
Remote Name: omega.stu.adelphia.net
Remote User:

Comments

After reading all the negative comments on this ship (after I had booked the trip), I was afraid I was
going to be on the ship from hell. The first day out of Miami my wife and I spent getting familiar with the
ship and basically...looking for the problems we had read so much about. Things just didn't add up.
Our first dinner on board, in the Four Seasons dining room was superb. Food quality...service...it was
great. The other passengers seemed to be enjoying the evening as much as we were... How strange.
After some of the comments I had read, how could this be happening? The next morning, I made a
point to talk to people and ask them how they liked the ship and cruise so far. The first full day
onboard was all at sea heading to the Caymans. Everyone my wife and I spoke with was quite satisfied
and excited to be on the cruise.

Now, one point to mention in all fairness. I also spoke to some of the crew and they all explained that a
large part of the crew had been 'changed' about 3 weeks ago. They also stated that more crew
members had been added to the ship and each one said that the crews quarters were a little crowded.
The new policy of open dining, without set seating time was adding work for the staff. As a passenger, I
really like the relaxed atmosphere, especially when dining. A cruise is supposed to be a vacation...and
time to relax.

By the way, our steward, Eugenio Fernandez, is fabulous. The service and professionalism was great.
We never asked twice for anything.

The Caymans were nice, about what we expected. Shopping is somewhat expensive and we spent
most of our time snorkling just north of the tender docks. Some of the best snorkling on the island is a
short walk from where the tenders dock. That's not just my opinion as it was suggested we go there
from 2 dive shops. Back at the ship that evening, we dined at the Terraces dining room. Again, no
complaints at all. It was our only 'formal' evening, and if I did have a complaint it would be that the staff
did not enforce the formal dress code If I had to get dressed up..everyone else should have also. It
didn't feel right sitting at dinner in evening dress and at the next table is a jerk in faded
jeans....although few in number, I think the staff should have sent them to the poolside BBQ or
SportsBar and Grill. Just my personal thought.

The next day we were in Roatan. Quite honestly, the comments I read earlier were pretty accurate. Its
a poor 'third world' country. But the whole idea of taking the cruise is to see and do things that are
different. If we had wanted the glitz and glamour we would have stayed in Florida. I cannot say enough
nice things about the Dolphin Encounter we went to in Roatan. It is absolutely fabulous. This is a must
do excursion if you ever go to Roatan. That night, back on the Wind, I made my first mistake on the
cruise. We had dinner at the Italian dining room above the Terrace dining room. I think it is called The
Trattoria (probably miss spelled).It was superb. Food, service, evrything was excellent. We went back
there the following 2 nights. The desserts are unreal. It'll take weeks to work off what I gained.

The next stop was Belize. Not much to say here. We didn't do any excurisions and its my
understanding you have to get away from Belize City to appreciate Belize. I wouldn't argue the point. Its
fairly built up...quite poor..non-existent shopping..nothing to really see or do. Back on board the ship
we spoke to some passengers that were really irate about an excursion they had taken to see some
ruins. Apparently a bus had broken down and they had run late getting to the ruins. Once there, it
started raining. Since they were running late they were rushed back on to the bus and taken back to
Belize City so that they wouldn't miss the ship. One lady was very upset...and blaming the cruise ship
for everything that had gone wrong. I can sympathize with her, but a bus breaking down and a
torrential rain is not the Cruise line's fault. There's an old saying.. ....happens. It is my understanding
that the Cruise Line's simply act as agents for the excurions. Once you purchase a ticket and leave the
ship their responsibility ends. I still can't figure out why anyone would book a cruise and then want to
spend a day looking at ruins in the first place. Oh well.

The next day we docked at Cozumel. Everything that Roatan and Belize are not..Cozumel is. Neat
markets and stores to shop at...great scenery and snorkling.Its just a fun place. We took the Atlantis
Submarine excursion. Its a real submarine that goes down approximately 100 feet and tours a
beautifull reef. This is truly a class operation and I would highly reccommend taking this excursion.
That afternoon, we hired a taxi fora private touroftheisland. it cost us $40. andwaswell worth it. The far
side of the island is a 'state preserve' totally unspoiled and very pictureseque. No hotels or resorts.
The complete tour took about 2 hours and was money well spent.

That night, if I'm not mistaken, was the Chocoholic Buffet. If you have a sweet tooth, this isn't a
buffet...in the normal sense...its an event. I have never seen all the desserts one could imagine all
available at the same time, in the same room. From cakes to ice cream to chocolate dipped
strawberries. It was simply fabulous. Gained a few pounds that night as well. The quality of everything I
sampled was terrific. Don't miss this for anything. Even if you hate chocolate... go and see the
presentation.

Another point that needs to be mentioned is the early evening BBQ by the pool. We decided to eat
super casual one evening. From what I had read,my expectations were for hotdogs and hamburgers.
What we got was sirloin steak, shish Ka-bobs, lamb, a great assortment of vegetables and salads...
and the usual superb service.

In summary, I think the Norwegian Wind did have some major problems in the past. Obviously, the
change and increase of personell was done for a reason. As to what other changes were done, I have
no idea. If I'm not mistaken the Captain was also only with the ship for the last month. By the way, our
toilet worked great...didn't hear about any plumbing problems from anyone. The entertainment we saw
on board every evening was first rate. The comedians and magician were great. Were the prior
complaints justified...I really can't say. Some people wouldn't be pleased under any circumstances and
wouldn't be happy unless they could find fault with something.It is my opinion that when Star Cruise
Lines took over Norwegian they inherited some problems. It may have taken until the beginning of
February 2001 to straighten them out. As an example, the whole Spa staff, the complete operation is
all new. I met the new manager, a gal from South Africa named Jennifer and she had been with the
ship for only the last 3 weeks. I think our cruise on the Wind was an exceptional value and well worth
the money spent. I would reccomend it to anyone. And yes, I wouldn't hesitate to book another cruise
on NCL. Just about everyone I spoke with had as nice a cruise as we did.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to e-mail me. I'll be more than happy to help out if i can.

D.Loewy Tdl4138@aol.com

Name: Pat Woods
Email: pat@wdsdsgn.com
Age: 48
Occupation: Technical Writer
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: March 2, 2001
Itinerary: Exotic Western Caribbean
Cabin: 7056
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 70
CabinComfort: 75
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 70
FoodLidoDeck: 89
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 85
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 95
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff: 95
EntertainmentLounges: 95
WheelchairAccess: 60
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon: 95
EntertainmentPoolside: 85
CruiseActivities: 80
Casino: 75
AirSeaProgram: 60
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 60
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 75
ShopsOnBoard: 60
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 20 Mar 2001
Time: 15:07:15
Remote Name: pepe.merck.com
Remote User:

Comments

Our cruise was great fun and a very good value for the price. We made a few mistakes that we won't make
again (will explain later), but in general, we will be traveling with NCL again.

We took the ship's shore excursions in each port we visited. The seas were high and it was extremely windy
the day that we arrived in Cayman, so the ship couldn't tender us into port. We sailed on to our next stop
Roatan. Roatan is not developed, but the natural beauty of the water and the friendliness of the people there
make it a very enjoyable stop. We did the Dolphin Encounter which a truly fabulous, if brief, time touching and
playing with the dolphins in a natural setting. We were finished our encounter by noon and we ventured off by
cab to Half Moon Cay, a beautiful small resort with a small reef, thatched roofs, great local beer and excellent
service. We whiled away lazy afternoon snorkeling, swimming and gathering magnificent conch shells. Our
daughters got their hair braided by a talented local woman. A gorgeous day. Belize was another stop short on
development but long on charm. My daughter and I went horseback riding at the Banana Bank Lodge and my
husband and other daughter went scuba diving at Blackbird Cay. Both groups had a glorious time. The
horseback riding was nothing short of spectacular. The ride included fording streams, galloping over a
savanna as well as meandering down jungle paths. A delicious lunch was served family style after the ride
and canoeing, touring the grounds, and meeting the animals kept there rounded out our day.. Cozumel was
fun too. We went out on a snorkeling excursion on the catamaran, Fury. The ship is clean, well cared for and
very comfortable. The crew was charming and seemed to be having as good a time with us as we were with
them. After we got back there was plenty of time to explore Cozumel and all of its shops.

The ship board entertainment ranged from good to great. There is a troupe of top notch dancers and a
gymnast(?) that perform on several nights. Two comics and a magic act made up the rest of the main stage
acts. The comics were good, and though I usually HATE magic acts, the magician was very funny and very
good. The real stars however were the lounge acts. We spent several nights listening to Off Center in the
Observation Lounge. They do songs from the fifties though the early eighties and do them well. Good dance
tunes, ballads, the works. The comics do a couple of appearances in the lounge too and seem more
comfortable there. Men of Culture provided the pool deck entertainment, a really energetic and accomplished
band playing the expected Caribbean sound, with flair.

On a less positive note, there is no teen center at all and the kid's center look positively depressing. They
held a 'get together' for the teens in the disco on the first night, but no one from the ship's staff ever showed
up, and no other events ever appeared in the newsletter, so we saw a bit more of our two teens than
originally planned.

The Wind has converted over to the Free Style Dining. This is a great innovation. Instead of the same table
and people and waiter each day, you have a choice of several dining rooms, dress codes and menus. We ate
at both the Italian and French restaurants as well as the two main dining room and had a great experience
each time. I miss the tablemates, but the freedom to eat what we pleased, when we pleased was very relaxing.
PS. Unless you really like to dress, leave the tux home. It is not necessary on the ship.

The ship itself is weird. The plumbing is very, very delicate. Unlike other contributors to this ship's reviews, we
didn't experience any odd smells, but by Friday, the fixtures were sluggish and many sinks and toilets in the
public areas had do not use signs on them. You have to walk through some rooms to get to another, and
there seems to be little logic to the layout. They have attack elevators! I am sporting a large black and blue
mark on my arm from where the doors closed hard, and unexpectedly. Our stateroom was entirely too small
for the four of us, no matter what the brochure or travel agent might tell you and the windows on the
promenade deck are worthless unless you like to be on display for whoever walks by.

The land and sea package was atrocious. First, all our arrangements were made for two people, even though
the package clearly listed four people. Then, we were routed through Atlanta, even though we booked in
plenty of time to get a direct flight and the transfers at the airport took and hour and a half for a twenty minute
drive. The Fountainbleu is lovely, but aging, and our room overlooked the air conditioning system. The
transfers from the hotel to the boat were even worse. The bus was an hour late, took us on an unscheduled
tour of Miami and we didn't get on board until 10 minutes before the lifeboat drill. Annoying!!

Don't bother to order anything to be delivered to the room. I ordered the room decorated for my husband's
and daughter's birthday, and half of what was promised didn't show up until the next day and all of the
presents that I ordered (hats, shirts, etc.) were not available and no substitute was offered. The one item that
was available - the ship album - I had to pick up at the shop, and the vendor was none too friendly about it.

I would go NCL again, but the Wind wouldn't be my first choice for ships to choose unless that was the only
way to get to those glorious destinations.

Name: Andy C
Email: carran@sympatico.ca
Age: 48
Occupation: Engineer
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: Mar 10, 2001
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
Cabin: 8260 / outside + balcony
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 70
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService: 80
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 85
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 95
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 90
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 90
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 85
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 23 Mar 2001
Time: 11:49:41
Remote Name: ecargje4.nortelnetworks.com
Remote User:

Comments

This was our second cruise, the first was on NCL's Norway in 2000. Part of this review is to reflect on pros
and cons of Freestyle, which was implemented on the Wind just a few weeks before. The bugs were
clearly still being worked out, and the crew seems to be almost entirely new since the ship's January
drydock period. We sensed that the crew was less than fully integrated and less than fully happy.

Meals worked well after the first night (when there was a line to wait for tables). Waiter staff were more
discrete than in the old assigned regime, but they opened up when we invited them to chat. A large
proportion of dining and bar staff was Romanian, and we sensed many of them were quite disgruntled
(though they didn't take it out on the passengers). One told us she had had to pay an agency $1100 to
secure the job, the agency told her she'd make $2000/month, but in practice it is $600. She claimed tips
have gone down since Freestyle. (Freestyle takes care of tips by adding $10 per person per day to your
room account. If you want the amount to be different, you can adjust at the front desk. We slipped a
couple of small bills to our favourite waiters and room steward - they didn't say no!)

The food standard was very good, though not quite up to what I remember from the Norway. Menus
seemed to be less exotic. There are two main restaurants with identical menus (Four Seasons and
Terraces) plus another full service restaurant (The Trattoria, Italian themed - used to be called Sun
Terrace). The Bistro (extra charge $10 per person) remains. The menus in the Four Seasons and
Terraces have a theme each night, it seemed odd that one night was Italian since the Trattoria has Italian
all the time. Buffet meals are available in the Sports Bar and the top deck; sometimes an excellent
barbeque was set up here.

There was only one (optional) formal night. We dressed up for it, but it was a long way to carry a suit for
just one evening. Two opportunities would have made it more worthwhile. Overall, we found the freedom to
select meal times, meal companions and meal venue was an excellent addition.

Visiting Roatan and Belize was fascinating. Not for those who want to shop, but a more genuine view of
Caribbean life. We enjoyed the combined sail/snorkel trip in Roatan and the wildlife tour of Belize
River/Belize Zoo - all animals at the zoo are local species. The Belize guide was a huge ambassador for
his country, very proud. Going ashore in Belize and Grand Cayman was by tender. At Belize, the ship
anchored a long way out and there was a strong wind and a heavy chop. This was probably a day when it
was a close call whether the port visit would even happen: getting everyone back was a challenge, people
were moaning about the long wait for tenders, and some folks were very green on the trip to the ship.
Cozumel and Grand Cayman are built up and touristy, so there's a good spectrum in the four port visits.

We were glad to have one of the few staterooms with balcony. With over 2000 people on board a
nominally 1700-passenger ship, deck space and loungers were at a premium. The Wind has nothing like
Norway's huge top deck expanse. Our stateroom came with concierge service, but this particular guy was
worse than useless. The only thing we asked of him was to arrange some excursions, which he screwed
up: he booked us on two excursions simultaneously, both of which appeared on the room bill. Sorting that
out took us more than an hour from one desk to another. The concierge seemed little interested in getting
to know his charges. (Last year, Norway's concierge offered first-tender service, special galley tour, etc.)

The fitness program was good, though fewer activities were offered than on Norway. Norway's team
offered a shore walk at every port, Wind's was only at Cozumel. Aerobics classes from one of the
instructors were at a pretty tough level - discouraging for people that may have wanted to just give it a try.

Overall, we were very pleased with our cruise. Like many other reviewers, we used this as a
multi-generation rendezvous: we had our 15 year old son with us, and my mother and a companion came
from England. It's a very effective way of meeting up, each generation can find suitable activities. Anything
to get away from eastern Canada's winter can't be bad, but what made this cruise special was the
off-beaten-track ports and the increased flexibility of Freestyle dining.

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