Ermalee
you will be pleasantly surprised at the friendliness of the journey's staff.
they were probably the happiest i have ever seen. It more than measured up
to our prior cruises on the zenith
sheree
"Ermalee" wrote in message
news:WOKdnaczPPiNY3jbnZ2dnUVZ_vqpnZ2d@comcast.com...
> Peg Caldwell-Ott wrote:
>
>>>Hi Peggy,
>>>Sounds like you had a fabulous time on your one nighter. At least you
>>>didn't have to spend a minute deciding what to do in any ports. LOL
>>>I was wondering how you would compare the NCL product with the much-loved
>>>Celebrity line. We have enjoyed both, as I am sure you have.
>>>But somehow, I think we lean towards the Celebrity ones.
>>>
>>>Nice review. Thanks.
>>>
>>>Ermalee
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Ermalee,
>>
>> Glad you liked the review! It really was a great time, and such a
>> wonderful way to end the summer!! Made that tedious and long first
>> week of school seem far more bearable too!
>>
>> Yes, in some respects we miss sailing with Celebrity and will most
>> likely go back to them at some point--certainly to try the Solstice
>> and Equinox-- at some point--- and definitely to return to our
>> wonderful Millennium and Summit. But, we have certainly found a "new"
>> home with NCL and are really enjoying it thoroughly. Let's see if I
>> can make some comparisons that answer your question better--hopefully
>> without rambling too much!!
>>
>> Ambiance:
>> We love the sophisticated air of a Celebrity trip, but it just got a
>> little old after 14 voyages! Initially, it was lots of fun to pull
>> out all the fancy formal wear like my folks used to do--and we enjoyed
>> dressing up. But, we have found that it is a lot more relaxing not to
>> have to put on the really fancy stuff unless we want to. We were
>> pleasantly surprised to find that people do change for dinner on NCL
>> vessels, and certainly you still see some really fancy formal clothes
>> on formal nights--but there is a nice mix of less dressy outfits, and
>> Derek is far more comfortable without having to put on his white
>> dinner jacket or tux. Plus, the dry cleaning bills when we came back
>> from a Celebrity trip were really getting out of hand--we topped $400
>> at one point!! We still pull out the formal stuff for Christmas Eve
>> and New Year's Eve, but otherwise prefer to dress nicely for the
>> evenings--just not over done with our NCL wardrobe!!
>>
>> Food:
>> Celebrity's food took a real nose dive after the RCI take over, and
>> was beginning to come back up as of our last voyage with them on the
>> Zenith in the summers of 2004 and 2005. But, those multi-course three
>> hour dinners were just too much for my Aunt (she will not sail
>> anything but Freestyle now), and became somewhat wearing on us too.
>> Plus, having to be sure to be in the right spot at just the right
>> time, exactly the same, every evening got old too. We like having the
>> flexibility to make reservations at other times and for a different
>> variety of restaurants on the NCL ships--especially after shore
>> excursions. We have found that the specialty restarants on NCL are
>> really well worth the little bit of extra expense, and we really like
>> all the variety. Even the food in the main dining rooms on NCL is
>> really very good (new menus as of last summer--2006) and we like not
>> having to spend the entire evening at the dinner table.
>>
>> Treatment of Special Guests:
>> This is where there is a world of difference between the two lines,
>> and it is an important consideration for us--although most others
>> would probably not even consider it a factor. There is no doubt that
>> we simply wore out our welcome on Celebrity!!!!!!!! Eight years of
>> visiting the ships each week each summer were great fun, and we were
>> happy to do what we could and what we did for our crew and officer
>> friends. But all of that changed with September 11, and a number of
>> our friends were very angry that we were no longer able to be of as
>> much assistance to them--they just did not understand that it was not
>> us who changed--it was the security at the PST!! One Captain in
>> particular was VERY upset with us--and he turned out to be the Master
>> of the vessel for those last two voyages (summer 2004 and 2005). He
>> was exceptionally rude to us in a variety of ways that were totally
>> inappropriate (especially on our last Celebrity voyage in the summer
>> of 2005 on the Zenith), and made it quite clear that he did not want
>> us back as passengers unless we were able to continue helping with
>> weekly shore services work (which we could not do owing to the changes
>> in security at the PST). It was all very unhappy. Even if we were to
>> sail with other old friends, I doubt they would be particularly happy
>> to see us. They only treat the passengers who book the top suites and
>> concierge class well these days--something we cannot afford for the
>> time being.
>> Our new friends on NCL are delighted to get to know us for
>> who we are--not what we can do for them!! Each and everyone of them is
>> as friendly and charming as can be, and we love being included in the
>> extra parties and events that make us feel special--even though we
>> don't book the top suites. They are just as welcoming as can be and
>> now that they know what we like, they go out of their way to be
>> helpful and accommodating in any way that they can. It sounds silly,
>> but just the little evening treats each night have a way of making us
>> feel very welcome and recognized. They are also very willing to be in
>> touch with us beyond the ships, which is delightful. We have
>> entertained any number of them here at home, and really enjoy keeping
>> in touch by e-mail when time and news dictate it. Basically, the Greeks
>> dropped us like a piece of dead wood
>> once we were of no use to them (from their point of view)--the only
>> time they are in touch now is to ask for Greek coffee to be mailed to
>> them in St. Thomas. Most don't even share a Holiday or Easter greeting
>> any more. The Scandanavians could care less what we bring, they
>> genuinely seem to like us for us, and they make no pretense about be
>> friendly just to get what they want. It is a much happier--and
>> certainly a whole lot friendlier and relaxed--arrangement, which we
>> really adore!!
>>
>> Itineraries/Ships
>> As beautiful as the Century and Millennium class vessels are, we
>> really miss our sweet Horizon and Zenith. We knew they would leave
>> the fleet once they were deemed "small" and "old", but they were such
>> wonderful vessels!! I would have no problem getting on the Galaxy
>> again--she's a beauty--and certainly the Millennium and the Summit,
>> both of which are very dear to us for the friends we knew on them
>> (most of whom have now retired). It would be fun to try the Infinity
>> too. The Constellation does not appeal--which we learned very quickly
>> from a ship visit last September. It will be interesting to sample
>> the new giants too--eventually.
>> What we love most about the NCL ships is that they sail out of
>> our front door--almost literally! We booked the Dawn for New Year's
>> 03/04 (our first voyage on NCL beyond my one trip on the Sunward with
>> my parents back in 1971) mostly on the basis that it was sailing out
>> of NYC year round--and we certainly wanted to support that idea!! Yes,
>> there are other NYC ships, especially in the summer, but we don't like
>> anything over 100,000 GRT (at least not yet) and we are not Carnival
>> fans. I adore the Norwegian Spirit now--in some ways even more than
>> the Dawn--but I wouldn't fly to New Orleans just to get back on her
>> for this coming holdiay--more fun to try the Gem for the first time
>> anyway!! Personally, given the choice of a ship sailiing some fabulous
>> itinerary out of Fort Lauderdale or Miami, and a NYC ship going
>> nowhere--I'll take the NYC ship!!
>> Looking back, it's funny to think that some of our most memorable
>> and incredible voyages were on those funny little Premier/Dolphin
>> vessels!!!!!!! So special--we really miss them!!
>>
>> I am sure that Derek can think of other points of comparison, but
>> those are certainly the ones at the top of my list!!
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Peg
>
> Great job in pin pointing the best and the worst (if there is a worst,
> LOL). It's so nice that you have been able to adapt to the ones at your
> doorstep and enjoy every moment of your time on NCL.
> I also miss those smaller Celebrity ships, Horizon and Zenith. I think
> the friendliest staff ever was on the Horizon. Our last trip on the
> Zenith was last October, and the food was quite wonderful. We had looked
> forward to sailing on her one more time, but alas, she has been replaced
> on the Bermuda run. We will be on the Azamara in three weeks and I hope
> she measures up to our time last year on the Zenith.
>
> Thanks, Peg.
>
> Ermalee
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