Note - this page contains multiple reviews.

Name: Tim Methenitis
Email: timm@flowwise.com
Age: 46
Occupation: Director of Product Support
NumberOfCruises: 4
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 9/19 - 10/4 1998
Itinerary: Panama Canal
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService: 85
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 20
FoodMidnightBuffets: 75
CabinSteward: 75
ShoreExcVariety: 70
FoodVariety: 80
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 50
GoodForHoneymoon: 20
CasinoStaff: 75
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 50
LoungeService: 75
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff: 90
EntertainmentLounges: 70
WheelchairAccess: 75
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 60
OverallPortsofCall: 50
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 65
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 50
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 75
DiscoNightclubs: 60
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 90
SpaceRatio: 90
OverallCruiseValue: 80
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 08 Oct 1998
Time: 19:24:24
Remote Name: 206.14.182.245
Remote User:

Comments

This 15-day cruise was the end of the year trip for the Wind on the West Coast through the Panama Canal, returning from a summer of Alaska
cruises. After reading many reviews prior to the trip, I thought it would be useful to write a paragraph on each of the categories I have been asked
to grade - so please note, this review is lengthy.

Food-Dining Room: My wife and travelling partners chose the late seating. We have done so on all of our cruises to date and find it is the most
convenient to ensure no rushing if a particular shore excursion runs long. Also, for those days at sea where there is a floorshow, late seating folks
are asked to view the first show. I feel this is great, as the acts are fresh and more likely to put on a better show. We were assigned the Terrace
Room for main meals. The ship has several smaller dining rooms unlike most other cruise ships, which have a very large single dining room. This
added an air of intimacy and was quite enjoyable. All in all, the dining room food was quite good. Presentation was always excellent though quality
suffered from time to time depending on the meal especially towards the end of the cruise. They ran out of some food items such as orange juice
the last 2 days at sea.

Several nights we decided to eat at an alternative restaurant called Le' Bistro. They carried a different menu than the main room and service was
much more personalized. A maximum of around 40 people could sit there at one time. Gratuities were suggested in this room of $5 for each
passenger, as the waiters in this room were not included in the gratuity program as typical at the end of the cruise.

Food-Room Service: We had most of our breakfasts served in our room and for the most part, the service was prompt and courteous. You can
either order via an order form the night before prearranging a time for your food to be delivered. Or, you can just pick up the phone anytime of
day to place an order. We had one dinner served in our room and you had the same choice as you would have had in the dining room. That meal
was served reasonably hot.

Food-Lido Deck: The Wind doesn't have Lido deck per say. They have 2 non-dining room venues; one called the Sports Bar, which is completely
aft overlooking a pool. They serve a continental breakfast, burgers, hotdogs, pizza, salad and dessert for lunch, and then a place called the Pizza
Gallery, (I think). The same type food is served here. The Sports Bar is obviously set up with sport memorabilia and has a bar, which serves hard
alcohol plus bottled beer as well as on tap. 8 TV screens are mounted on the wall behind the bar all shows some sporting event. While we were
there it was the baseball playoffs.

Food-Midnight Buffets: We attended 3 of these buffets and though they were indeed good and fun, believe the food served was the previous
day's leftovers.

Food-Variety: Seemed to be a good selection and when we had a day in port, the meal was usually set as a theme. This is to say when we were in
Panama; we had traditional Central American fare.

Good For Honeymoon: Not really too sure what to say here. We were quite surprised at the number of elderly people on this cruise. My rough
guess would be less than 5% of the passengers were our age. The only honeymooners on this cruise were over 60.

Good For Families: Did see a few families and maybe a maximum of 20 kids under 12. They were pretty much entertained by the staff and were
kept from getting underfoot with the exception of the Olympics event. They entered as a team and competed against like adults.

Good For Seniors: As mentioned above, this cruise was most senior citizens. Programs available were not necessarily designed with just seniors in
mind.

Wheelchair Access: Appeared to be good with the exception of when we anchored at the Grand Caymans. All other ports of call we were at a pier
and the gangway was sufficient for wheelchairs. At the Grand Cayman's we had tender service and I have no idea how they got anyone down the
gangplank and onto the tenders.

Overall Ports of Call: We visited Puerto Viarta, Acapulco, Manzanillo, Costa Rica, Columbia and the Caymans and secured shore excursions at each
port. Other than possibly Manzanillo, Costa Rica and the Caymans, I would never return. All other ports very run down, dirty and not particularly
interesting. Of particular distaste were the street vendors, especially in Columbia where they were very, very aggressive. Quality of the tours varied
with the best being in Costa Rica where we toured from one coast through the center of the country and ending up at a coffee plantation. The tour
guide here was the most professional and knowledgeable of all stops. Also somewhat disappointing was the fact we never spent much longer than
12 hours in port and in most cases less than 6 hours. It would have been fun to have more time to explore on your own and experience the
nightlife.

Cruise Activities: Activity seemed to be sufficient. Somewhat disappointing was the quality of the entertainment with a few exceptions. Cruises taken
before had quality production shows and on this cruise we only had 3. Other nights had goofy comedians, magic acts, etc.

Medical Facilities: N/A

Shops On Board: Did our share of shopping and contributed to the success of these stores.

Cruise Director: This guy was definitely in his own world. Certainly accommodating but he certainly took advantage of a captive audience. His first
name was Johnny, so you can image the introduction (Hereeeeee's Johnny!) each evening as it referred to another Johnny on a show you may
remember - The Tonight Show?

Cruise Staff: Our concierge was helpful when needed. Otherwise, N/A

Dining Room Service: Definitely a highlight of the trip. Kenroy was our waiter and he was from Jamaica. We had a brand new bus boy, Pablo from
Honduras whom after he got over his fear of asking for something as simple as another piece of bread or to refill our ice tea, was simply a delight.

Cabin Steward: Big disappointment here. He did an efficient job of keeping the room clean and tidy, but other than that we never heard from him
or saw him. No extra effort and several times we had to ask to have our water and champagne glasses replaced.

Deck Service: Very good. On past cruises we thought they were sometimes quite obtrusive asking if you wanted a drink replaced. These guys were
almost invisible until you needed them.

Casino Staff: Very friendly and the blackjack players were good at taking your money.

Lounge Service: Not much to say. Did a good job.

Beauty Salon Staff: My wife went in one time to get a broken nail fixed. Apparently they did a good job and were pleasant?

Exercise Facilities: Did not use, but appeared to be a complete facility.

Beauty Salon: My wife did get one massage, which was described, as wonderful.

Casino: Adequate

Ship Cleanliness: Ship was very clean. Teak handrails had fresh varnish on them with the exception of our suite. They had not been refinished for
some time and the salt had eaten through the varnish and removed the stain. Big job for someone to redo.

Deck Space: There was sufficient deck space for everyone wanting to be up there. No shortage of lounge chairs or space at the bars.

Space Ratio: this ship was lengthened last winter and they added a few new public areas so it was never really very crowded. The only issues was
the main entertainment room, the Stardust Lounge was not increased in size. This resulted in insufficient space for the entire passenger group to
be seated at the same time. This only was an issue during a single presentation such as for shore excursions, bingo and the disembarking
presentation. All-important presentations were taped and could be viewed on the TV in your room.

Cabin Comfort: We had a P1 suite with a balcony on the Norway deck. Bed, chairs, etc were adequate. With the balcony, I am convinced this is the
only way to cruise. Great views for coming into and leaving port and fun sitting on the balcony furniture underway just watching the water go by.

Cabin Amenities: The suite was equipped with refrigerator, TV, phone and everything we needed.

Cabin Quietness: This probably was the biggest disappointment of the cruise. As mentioned above, we had a P1 suite, which was the nicest quality
cabin with the exception of the owner's suites. The problem was that the group of suites in the area we were at on the port side were under the
galley servicing the Terrace restaurant. 24 hours per day, pots and pans were crashing above us, carts were moved around and in general just
making one heck of a lot of noise. We did complain to our steward, the maitre -de of the restaurant, hotel manager and all to no avail. At a
minimum, they should inform customers of this problem and offer these suites at a reduced rate for the inconvenience.

Shore Exc. Variety: See my comments above. In general, there were limited choices for the shore excursions; time in port was too short to really
experience each spot and the quality of the tours varied.

I have used the Air/Sea program in the past and in general have not had too much of a problem. I made my own arrangements for a previous
cruise and that went much smoother. However, on this cruise, the air/sea deal was really the only effective way to go since we were departing from
one city (LA) and returning from another (Miami). To make flights on your own would have required 2 one way flights, which were cost prohibitive.
Our experience on this cruise was ok. The trip to LA was uneventful since we live in the SF bay area, but the return from Miami was a total
nightmare. They originally booked us on a return flight leaving Miami at 7:30PM. With a connection in Chicago, we would have arrived in SF at
1:30AM the following day. The ship docked at 6am and we were off the ship by 10. Booked another flight for 3pm at an additional cost for
changing of $75, but felt it was better than arriving home so late. The cruise line should do a better job of securing those flights. The disembark
was delayed for some reason but in general went smoothly until we were ready to board the bus for the airport. The transfer from the ship to the
airport was a complete nightmare as well. Essentially there were too many people waiting to get on too few buses. I will avoid the air/sea program
at all costs in the future.

All of us board were quite nervous about hurricanes, specifically Georges which was moving up the Gulf of Mexico about the time we were heading
south from Baha. However, it moved inland before we went through the canal and as a result at super weather. We had 2 days at sea which were
somewhat rocky due to quite large ground swells hitting the ship broadside. This made for some interesting walking down hallways and dancing.
However, it did lull you to sleep at night. The stabilizers otherwise did a great job of keep the ship smooth.

All and all, the cruise was an event of a lifetime. The purpose was to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary with our best friends who were
married 2 weeks after us. Other than the noise above our stateroom, I would recommend this cruise line and specifically the ship to anyone. If you
are my age, just beware that you may be faced with quite a few elderly folks who do enjoy their meals. Make sure you are not standing still in front
of them when the doors to the dining rooms open up!

Name: Heather Robinson
Email: hr256206@wcupa.edu
Age: 20
Occupation: student
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: Saturday August 8, 1998
Itinerary: Alaska
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 80
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 85
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 78
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 80
FoodMidnightBuffets: 95
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 70
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 82
ShoreExcValue: 75
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 78
LoungeService: 85
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff: 70
EntertainmentLounges: 75
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 80
EntertShowLounge: 86
OverallPortsofCall: 75
BeautySalon: 70
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino: 95
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 70
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Nov 1998
Time: 19:42:50
Remote Name: 144.26.32.137
Remote User:

Comments

I am 20 years old and have never before now gone on a cruise. NCL was a lot more than I
expected. Before going on the cruise i was told that I would not meet anybody my own age and
that all of the activities were directed towards either senior citizens or families with small kids. I
went on the cruise with my dad, sister, and grandparents. It was an an- niversary gift for my
grandparents. All of us including my sister who is 18 found people our own age and some of which
we still keep in contact with SO although i am not an expert on cruises i did find this one to have
a diverse amount of people on it. Entertainment- As far as entertainment and nightlife go i believe
that it could have been better. It seems that just when we started feeling good and dancing the
bar, casino, and disco's all closed so we were left with nothing to do after 2:00am that was a
definite disappointment. And \ I guess that's what it means whenthey say it geared more towards
senior citizens and small kids. Even though I was disappointed at how early it closed I did have a
good time when we were drinking and dancing. So overall, I had a very pleasant experience
aboard the ship. It was a worth while experience and everyone I talked to seemed to have
enjoyed themselves. From there i will take memories of good times and good people.

Name: Bernard W. Mogil
Email: comfy1617@juno.com
Age: 68
Occupation: retired
NumberOfCruises: 16
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: October 25, '98
Itinerary: Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Cancun, private island
FoodDiningRoom: 81
CruiseDirector: 75
CabinComfort: 90
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 95
CabinAmenities: 90
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 85
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 85
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff: 87
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 85
LoungeService: 85
TenderService:
GoodForSeniors: 85
BeautySalonStaff: 85
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 80
ExerciseFacilities: 90
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall:
BeautySalon: 85
EntertainmentPoolside: 75
CruiseActivities: 70
Casino: 75
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 90
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 80
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 04 Nov 1998
Time: 17:04:35
Remote Name: 12.70.77.47
Remote User:

Comments

This sea trip was our 16th, so we know a little bit about cruising and what to expect. Having
cruised with NCL before we are members of their alumni club, Latitudes. This made the boarding
procedure very easy for us as we did not have to wait in any lines after checking in, but where
immediately shown on board. This was well before one o’clock so the staterooms were not yet
available, nor was the usual pre-sailing lunch. The ship’s personnel showed us up to the Sports
Bar, where there was a substantial buffet for anyone who felt hungry at that time. When one
o’clock came we had access to our stateroom. It was suite and aside from the beds and usual
built-in furniture there were two easy chairs, a love seat and a coffee table. There was a small
refrigerator (which came complete with a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine), and an
electronic safe in one of the closets. The room had a floor to ceiling window.

While not spacious
it was very comfortable. There was a bowl of fruit on the coffee table. Mid week we got a plate
of assorted cheeses and crackers, and the day after that a plate of petite fours. As our luggage
had not yet been delivered we went to the dining room that we had been assigned. There are
three dining rooms - The Four Seasons which is in the center of the ship (the stability of this
location would be very good for cruisers with queasy stomachs), The Terraces (which was our
room) located on the same deck but toward the ship’s rear, and the Sun Terraces two decks up
and also to the rear. I don’t know if it is the practice on other NCL ships, but the Wind and it’s
sister ship the Dream serve full sit down, order from menu pre-sailing lunches. We have not
encountered this on any of the other ships that we have sailed on. Usually it is a paper napkin,
bare table buffet. Not here. Full table linen and silverware, etc.

Overall the food selection for the
trip was very good but the food itself was only good, nothing exceptional. We never were served
a breakfast that was anything but luke warm to warm. If you are a lover of Nova (smoked
salmon) you will think that you died and went to heaven. The ship served tons of it and it was
very good. Entertainment was excellent. The entertainers were very talented and really put out a
great deal of effort. There were two comedians on this cruise and they were great. One night the
presentation was the Broadway musical George M.

We thought that there was not a lot to do
during the days at sea. Aside from Bingo and the art auction, there weren’t very many craft
activities or staff lead games, etc. The art auction is a royal pain in the you know where. It goes
on for five days, takes up a lot of public area space, is loud and obtrusive and we could have
done very nicely without after a maximum of two days.

This cruise was during a time period when
kids are in school. There were however about ten to fifteen almost teen agers - teen agers and
they were well taken care of by the staff. While most of the passengers were older, there were
about fourteen honeymooners on board. The ship was well maintained and spotless. The staff
were always very pleasant and helpful. Aside from some minor complaints (note food above and
art auction) this was a very pleasant trip. By the way, we never went to any of the ports that
were on the itinerary as Hurricane Mitch got there first.

Name: Christina
Email: quisptina@hotmail.com
Age: 35
Occupation: secretary
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: October 11, 1998
Itinerary: Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Cancun, Freeport
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector:
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck: 90
DiningRoomService: 85
CabinQuietness: 85
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 99
ShoreExcVariety:
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService: 95
ShoreExcValue:
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies:
LoungeService: 95
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge:
OverallPortsofCall: 85
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs: 85
DeckSpace: 95
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 15 Nov 1998
Time: 10:14:51
Remote Name: 4.17.66.37
Remote User:

Comments

On October 11, 1998, my husband and I cruised on Norwegian Cruise Line's ship The Wind for a
weeklong cruise to the Western Carribbean. Ports included: Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Cancun and
Freeport (due to problems with the tender on Great Stirrup Cay, we ended up in Freeport
instead).

We only booked about 6 weeks prior to the trip. We paid $1398 (which included cruise, taxes and
port charges for two). One catch for the special rate was that we weren't guaranteed a
particular room category. It's called booking by Run of Ship. You are guaranteed a cabin
somewhere, but NCL will tell you where you are. I didn't care where it was as long as it wasn't
between the janitor's closet and boiler room. Since our cabin on the NCL Seaward was teeny tiny,
I figured that nothing could be smaller. We were pleasantly surprised by when told our cabin was
8244 (midship, view partially obstucted by lifeboats). Our room was bigger than the one on the
Seaward. We arranged our own airfare and arrived at Miami airport at 9:30 am.

This was our second time cruising on NCL. On our first cruise, after we checked our baggage at
the airport, that was the last we saw of it until we got into our cabin. However, in Miami, when
we were greeted by the NCL representative they gave us instructions to pick up our luggage and
bring it to another location at the airport to wait until 11 am to board the bus. Since we needed
transfers to the ship, we paid $10 per person for the transfer on the NCL bus. The next time we
don't have transfers in Miami, I will take a taxi (cost would have been about the same I heard),
and we would have gotten to the pier much quicker instead of waiting at the airport). The buses
arrived at 11:45/noon and we had to once again carry our luggage to the bus.

On our first cruise we joined NCL's free frequent cruiser's program, Latitudes, which has special
privileges, like a special check-in desk etc. At the pier, the Latitudes line was much longer than
the regular check-in. We did, however, get priority boarding on the ship. We were in our room by
1 pm. I was disappointed that the special Latitudes party was not until the end of the ship. I
would have liked it earlier on the cruise.

There is a sign saying that passengers are subject to search when you first board the ship but
I've never seen it done. We took liquor on board in our carry-on. Some of my fellow passengers
could have easily paid for another entire cruise with the money they spent on their bar bill at the
end of the week. The Wind didn't have any x-ray machines.

The Food Once you get on board, food is being served. Either buffet style on the Sports Deck, or
in the dining rooms (with waiter service). Food was great the entire cruise...no real problems. Our
waiter was a little overworked (at the end of the cruise-on tip night-he said they were short a
waiter). Our water glasses were constantly running out and service was a little slow.

I do not have gourmet tastes. I am happy with a burger and fries. But I did try some new things
like escargot and caviar. I also do not like most soups and there was soup on the dinner menu
everynight. They usually also had a chilled soup, like cream of berries, so to me it was like
drinking a milkshake with a spoon. If you do not care for any of the entrees served a particular
night, grilled chicken breast and baked potatoes were always available. They also had a "spa
cuisine" portion of the menu, which were healthy selections - low fat, low calories. I can't
comment on those because I didn't try any!!!

Entertainment We got our fill of the singing and dancing shows on our first cruise. We did,
however, go to the two comedienne shows they had plus the one variety show and enjoyed it.
The seats in the Stardust lounge are uncomfortable. Grab a seat on one of the sofas instead.

Amenities to our Room (#8244) a programmable safe hairdryer (not very powerful though) one
large bed and sofa with fold-out bed (for single) small clothesline in shower (for bathing suits)
adjustable height shower head Panasonic tv set (13 inch?) Sony Telephone ($5.95 per minute to
call USA from it) vanity/desk area with two AC/DC plugs and two sockets for international voltage

The Ports Grand Cayman - The port in Grand Cayman is not deep enough for cruise ships so
passengers must be tendered in on smaller boats. It was sort of chaotic and time consuming to
get to the tender to take us to the island. Once there, the shops are only a few steps away from
the dock. We spent the day walking around the shops and spending the rest of the day onboard.
Boy was I surprised to see a worker in the lifeboat next to our window!! Good thing I wasn't
naked! The toilet in the room stopped working, someone on the floor had clogged the line. It was
fixed within a few hours. After we got back to the ship, I thought I lost my room key, so I went
to the reception desk and got another. The person working the desk did not ask for any kind of
identification, it seemed lacking in security. I probably could have gotten anyone's room key if I
wanted to. Money saving tip: mail your postcards from this island - Caymanian stamps are
cheaper than Mexican stamps and have a nice picture of Diana Princess of Wales on them. (You
will probably save about a whole quarter per postcard by doing this by doing this! woo-hoo!! but
it will take about two weeks for the postcards to reach their destination!) The reception desk will
sell you postage stamps--they will mail them for you too. Don't forget that you must have the
proper stamp for whatever country you are in and they be mailed from that country.

Cozumel - The ship docks right into town where shopping is within walking distance. We noticed
that the Carnival ships that day had to be docked in a secondary pier a few miles from town. We
rented a moped for $25 and spent the day driving around the island and going to different
beaches (and bars). Got stopped by Mexican police on a deserted road for not wearing helmets
and going too fast. How can you go too fast on a moped? :) He was going to give us a ticket but
when we said we were on NCL Wind and leaving that day, he said it would be a problem because
if he gave us a ticket we would have to go to court the next day to pay the fine. Instead he just
gave us a verbal warning. Phew. Going to a Mexican jail would definitely have put a damper on
the trip! I was saddened to see some homeless dogs, especially a female dog with puppies on a
deserted road looking for food.

Cancun - Another port where you must be tendered in. I was surprised that NCL allowed street
vendors on the tender to sell their wares to the passengers. The tender drops you off at Fat
Tuesday's beach bar. We spent a week in Cancun last year so we knew our way around. We
were able to exchange a dollar bill for 10 pesos at Fat Tuesdays. The public bus costs 4 pesos
per person. We caught a bus headed toward the mall Plaza Caracol and also Forums by the Sea
(within walking distance of each other). I can't stand dealing with the agressive Mexican vendors
"downtown" so we skipped that. We ended up seeing Loco Por Mary (There's Something About
Mary) at the nice movie theatre at the Forum, (it was only $2). It was in English with Spanish
subtitles. Yep, you got that right, we went to Cancun to go to the movies!

Freeport - this was a subsitute stop because the tender for NCL's Private island, Great Stirrup
Cay, was being repaired. Had to take a taxi to get anywhere. The pier is in the boonies. Did some
shopping at the International Bazaar - taxi ride is $3 each way.

Some Little Things that NCL could do better: As we were waiting to board the tender to go back
to the boat, the workers should have announced "get your boarding passes out and ready to
show." We had to wait and wait while others rummaged to get their passes out.

Let ME have Thomas the Polish busboy at my table!! He was a cutie!! I'd give him a good tip too!
hehe

A few nights there was Karaoke in the Observatory Lounge. The way the tv monitors were
positioned, the singers would have to have their back to the audience in order to read the words.
(Maybe they positioned the monitors that way on purpose!!)

I heard some complaints from the people whose cabins were on the same deck as the Stardust
lounge. Anytime a show was on, you couldn't cut through the lounge to get to the rest of the
deck (which included the casino, shops, and lounges). So they would have to take the elevator
(or stairs) down one deck, cross over and go back up.

Other info: NCL Dream is the sister ship to the Wind - identical

The Wind didn't x-ray any purchases brought on-board from the islands. At Grand Cayman, it was
impossible to buy liquor and hand-carry it back with you.

Don't bring any beach towels - NCL will supply all the beach towels you will need - even ones
that you can borrow and bring into port.

Itinerary/Suggested Dinner Dress: Sunday - arrival - Casual Monday - at sea - Formal Tuesday -
Grand Cayman - Country Wednesday - Cozumel - Carribbean Thursday - Cancun - 50's and 60's
Friday - at sea - Formal Saturday - Freeport (usually NCL's Private Island - Great Stirrup Cay) -
Casual

I wore dresses each night for dinner. On casual nights, my husband generally wore nice golf shirts
with Dockers (and sneakers). On Country night, a lot of people wore jeans to dinner. I would
guess that only about 10% of the men wore tuxedos on Formal night and most women did not
wear long gowns. On formal night, most people dressed like they were going to a nice weddding,
nice dresses and suits.

My website with a few pictures of the ship and scanned drink menu (with prices) can be found at
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/7678/wind.html

Name: Maureen Windle
Email: mawindle@email.unc.edu
Age: 40
Occupation: Psychologist
NumberOfCruises: 2
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 11-22-98
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 80
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 95
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 95
FoodLidoDeck:
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 90
FoodMidnightBuffets: 80
CabinSteward: 95
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 95
DeckService:
ShoreExcValue: 85
GoodForHoneymoon: 90
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 85
GoodForSeniors:
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges:
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 95
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 90
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino:
AirSeaProgram: 79
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 95
EmbarkDisembark: 85
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 85
Stabilization: 90
ShopsOnBoard: 75
SpaceRatio: 95
OverallCruiseValue: 90
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Nov 1998
Time: 14:49:22
Remote Name: 152.2.204.27
Remote User:

Comments

I cruised Thanksgiving week with a total party of 29 family members ranging in age from 11 months to 75 years old. Everyone had a great time which
says a lot for NCL. On our particular cruise there were over 350 children on board which made for a wonderfully diverse crowd. Let me say a few
words about the food, which I did not find to be as wonderful as I had hoped. While there was a great deal of variety, I generally found things to be
just a little overdone. I realize, though, that my expectations are high having grown up in NYC. We did eat one meal at Le Bistro which was the best
meal I consumed all week. Our waiter, Antonio, and Assistant Waiter, Rokib, worked incredibly hard and provided wonderful service. Our cabin was
more spacious than I expected, which was a delight.

We were in a Deluxe Outside Stateroom with a Partially Obstructed View, I believe it was a
Category F cabin. I paid close attention to the layout of the ship when picking my cabin and was able to select a cabin with basically no obstruction to
the view. The sitting area in the cabin could accomodate 4 people reasonably comfortably which was quite a pleasant surprise. Our room steward,
Herman, was fantastic and the epitome of NCL's slogan 'They are in your room when you are out, and out when you are in'. The entertainment in the
Stardust Lounge was wonderful, both the musicals and the comedy. I heard many comments from others that this was some of the best cruise
entertainment they had ever seen. We thoroughly enjoyed the ports of call. My husband and I are really into snorkeling and beach activities so that is
how we spent our time in Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Great Stirrup Cay (NCL's private island). The snorkeling was fantastic in all three places and we
saw a wonderful variety of fish and corals.

I very much wanted to see Mayans ruins and chose to do the Excursion to Chichen Itza while we were in
Cancun. While the day was incredibly long--11 hours from the time we met in the lounge to the time we arrived back on the ship, with only 2 hours at
the ruins--it was still worth it. This was the only NCL excursion I did so I cannot comment on any of the others. All in all this cruise provided the
opportunity to reconnect with family that is now spread out among many states. There were enough different kinds of activities that there seemed to be
something for everyone. I would cruise with NCL again.

Name: David S. Rae
Email: Steel@wans.net
Age: 53
Occupation: Retired
NumberOfCruises: 9
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 11-22-98
Itinerary: Cayman, Cozumel, Cancun, Priv Is
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 98
CabinComfort: 98
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 98
CabinAmenities: 98
FoodLidoDeck: 93
DiningRoomService: 99
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets:
CabinSteward: 98
ShoreExcVariety: 95
FoodVariety: 98
DeckService: 98
ShoreExcValue: 90
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 98
PrivateIsland: 98
GoodForFamilies: 100
LoungeService: 98
TenderService: 98
GoodForSeniors: 98
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 98
WheelchairAccess: 98
ExerciseFacilities: 96
EntertShowLounge: 98
OverallPortsofCall: 98
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 98
CruiseActivities: 98
Casino: 96
AirSeaProgram: 98
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness:
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace:
Stabilization: 98
ShopsOnBoard:
SpaceRatio:
OverallCruiseValue: 98
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 30 Nov 1998
Time: 14:49:48
Remote Name: 216.75.17.186
Remote User:

Comments

This trip was a second try for our group, which had been on the Cruise From Hell on the Norwegian Star, last Thanksgiving. That trip had been a
disaster, and I stated then that NCL had a lot of making up to do, and gave that cruise very low marks. This cruise made up everything that went wrong
on the Star. The ship is well maintained, and the section that was added makes the ship seem completely different. We were on this cruise several
years ago, and could readily see the difference stretching the ship made. This trip was made by my parents, in their 80's, my older sister, my younger
sister my younger brother and his two daughters, ages 13 and 10, and my wife and I, and our two kids, ages 18 and 15. We let NCL handle all travel
arrangements, and they worked out well, except I think they could handle your baggage a bit better, taking it to your room, once you check your
luggage in. Instead you have to collect all your luggage when you get off the plane, take it to the bus, then collect it when you get to the ship.
Embarkation went very smoothly, we were in our cabin within ten minutes of arriving at the ship, then the compulsory tour around the ship. They had a
luncheon for those who wanted it, but we passed.

I did locate all the places I looked for, and was amazed at how different the ship was from the last
time I was on it. The dining room was really nice and the most changed item I noticed on the ship. We were sitting against the windows on the port side
of the ship, a spectacular view that all family members commented on. The service in the dining room was unbelieveably good. The cabin was small for
four people, but except for sleeping we were rarely there. The shower was very small, in fact, claustrophobic. And the way they clean up after you is
amazing, it was always clean. The kids had a ball, and except for my son charging too many strawberry drinks, they loved being able to charge to the
room. The food was very tasty, and I didn't agree with those who complain about the soup beginning to get old by cruises end. Although, I will say that
I don't eat cold soup.

I thought that the food was all that could be expected from a kitchen that was serving at least 2,000 people. The entertainment
on the ship had a little of everything, so if you didn't like a show, just wait, and something else will come along that you will like. Disembarkation is the
one area that needs work. A better system of allowing people off the ship and a better way of getting on buses to the airport, would certainly be
appreciated. It worked, but just barely. Overall, NCL made me a believer that they would make us forget the Cruise From Hell, although I would tell
anyone thinking about cruising Australia, to not take the Norgewian Star. However, NCL has changed my mind.

Name: Bob WIlls
Email: rawills@aol.com
Age: 44
Occupation: Medical Technologist
NumberOfCruises: 5
TravelAgent: No
Ship: NCL-Windward
SailingDate: 11-22-98
Itinerary: Western Caribbean
FoodDiningRoom: 85
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService: 90
CruiseStaff: 90
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 90
ShoreExcValue: 80
GoodForHoneymoon: 80
CasinoStaff: 80
PrivateIsland: 95
GoodForFamilies: 80
LoungeService: 80
TenderService: 90
GoodForSeniors: 80
BeautySalonStaff: 80
EntertainmentLounges: 90
WheelchairAccess: 80
ExerciseFacilities: 85
EntertShowLounge: 90
OverallPortsofCall: 80
BeautySalon: 80
EntertainmentPoolside: 80
CruiseActivities: 90
Casino: 80
AirSeaProgram: 70
MedicalFacilities: 80
ShipCleanliness: 80
EmbarkDisembark: 90
DiscoNightclubs: 80
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 95
ShopsOnBoard: 85
SpaceRatio: 80
OverallCruiseValue: 95
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 11 Dec 1998
Time: 22:35:11
Remote Name: 205.188.196.31
Remote User:

Comments

This was our 3rd Thanksgiving week cruise and by far our best. We had been booked on a cruise out of Houston before that ship
was moved to Austrailia, so the only real down side of the entire trip was the air flight to and from Miami on Thanksgiving week,it
really took a long time. First, we did not know that a direct flight is not a nonstop flight, and since we were traveling from San
Francisco, we were routed from San Francisco to Los Angeles, then to Tampa Bay and finally Ft. Lauderdale and a 45 minute
bus trip to Miami. We did not need to change planes, but it was a rather long set of flights. Also, there seemed to be a real
problem with Delta Airlines and our seat assignments, we were told we had seats and yet on the return trip we ended up without
any seats and willingly, were bumped to later flights. So, if I was to do it all over again, I would check out the price per person for
a nonstop airflight and cruise only package and see if the saved time would be worth the extra cost. I was quite impressed with
the way Norwegian Cruise used busses and tenders, there were always enough and we had little waiting time for them. This was
also true for the tours we took. Since we arrived on the Saturday before left, we were given a room at the Miami Airport Hilton that
was very nice, but food was quite expensive. Once we got to the ship we were quickly moved onto the ship, I bought my first
drink and had an excellent cruise! Since there were 20 people in our group, ages from 15 to 65, we all had different experiences.
There were many family groups on board, also about 300 children, so I was amazed how well everyone was spread out. The ship
has been stretched and remodeled and it is top notch. There seemed to be very good insulation in the ship as it was by far the
quietest ship I have sailed on. Since we had never been to this part of the world, we took tours at each stop. Grand Caymen
Island was our first stop. We got a local boat for a trip to Sting Ray City. If you can swim, this is a must see since it is one of the
only places in the world you can swim with sting rays. They are like large puppies and swim all around you and hundreds of other
people standing or swimming on a sandbar, there is no land at Sting Ray City. You really have to see it to believe it. We then
sailed to Cozumel and signed up for a Dive In Trip an the ship. This is an excellent program that Norwegian Cruise Line has to
offer. The staff are all certified dive instructors and safety is foremost. We went to the Columbia Reef and it was an excellent trip.
The snorkeling was very good and the dive boat in excellent shape with plenty of refreshments and equipment. A dive instructor
was with us the entire time and did a great job of showing us the various wildlife on the reef. The next day we were off by bus to
Chitzen Itza, this again was a great trip, though it would be good to go back and spend more time there, 2 hours was not
enough. The private island was excellent. The snorkeling was among the best of the trip and if you bring your own snorkeling
equipment free. They even moved lunch to the island for us. I would not hesitate to recommend this trip to my friends, I only
would stay longer in Miami to make the long trip from the west coast worthwhile. Also, I don't know how much of our smooth
quiet sailing was due to the excellent weather we had, but it was by far the smoothest cruise I've been on.

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