3.5 stars. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is one of the largest cruise lines in the world in terms of number of cruise ships and passengers. Its ships sail to the Caribbean, North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. My husband and I have been customers of NCL a few times, including Hawaii in 2012, the Southern Caribbean in 2019, and Central America/etcetera in 2026. Overall, we have found that the employees are generally friendly and timely but that they make more mistakes than some other cruise lines' employees. We consider Norwegian to be in the "middle" in quality, higher than Carnival but lower than Celebrity. Our rooms were mostly in good condition, and the restaurants had mostly tasty foods. We did not like when NCL headquarters gave us only a 19% refund for a shore excursion that the tour operator shortened by many hours. In the future, we will instead sail with NCL's higher-quality competitors. read more

Our intergenerational family (ages 5 to 82) had an overall decent experience on the Norwegian Bliss in April, and the crew was fantastic. My feedback below is specific to signage at the buffet. On the morning of the last full day of the cruise, I noticed a sign at the buffet that read, "Tonight at the Buffet: Oriental Dinner." I mentioned to a team member that the term oriental is outdated and considered offensive, and suggested that they change the wording to "Asian cuisine" or "Asian buffet." The team member thanked me for letting her know, and said she will convey this feedback to a manager. At lunch, the sign was replaced with "Tonight at the buffet: Oriental Dinner - Whole Roasted Suckling Pig." I shared the same feedback to another team member, who also said she would share it with her manager. At dinner, the sign had not changed. To me, this was a relatively simple print job. I was very disappointed that the management at Norwegian chose to ignore this feedback, which perpetuated a word that has historically ostracized Asians and Asian Americans by characterizing them as foreign and exotic. In 2016, President Obama signed a bill that eliminated the terms "negro" and "oriental" from federal laws. Kat Chow also wrote a piece on NPR with additional context on the harmfulness of this term. I shared my experience on the Norwegian survey, including the 2016 federal law, and received the following response: Norwegian Cruise Line prides itself on being a diverse company. Our family of crew and guests is comprised of people of diverse cultural background, religious beliefs, sexual orientation and race. This is demonstrated by the demographic makeup of our corporation and does not, whatsoever, promote or approve of any discriminatory acts. Your observations were carefully noted and we assure you that we have not received similar complaints. However, you can be certain that a copy of your letter was also shared with our Fleet Operations department so they may be aware of your impressions and for internal review with the team onboard. To me, what Norwegian failed to understand is that it is in a position to eliminate language that is outdated, offensive, and fetishizes Asian cultures, and its leadership chose not to. That makes me wonder, what does it gain by continuing to use the language? Are more people more willing to return to a cruise that offers an "oriental" buffet instead of an Asian buffet? Thousands of people saw the sign that morning, including young children, and tens of thousands more have seen it on previous voyages of the Bliss, and still more will see the word on future voyages. Words matter, and Norwegian has a very public platform. My hope is for Norwegian to educate itself, as a company that "prides itself on a diverse company," on the impact of the language it chooses to use. read more

It sounds like you're preparing a formal complaint or review about your cruise experience. Here is a polished, professional rewrite that keeps your facts but improves clarity, tone, and impact. Revised Version (Professional Review / Complaint) I recently sailed on a 12-day Caribbean cruise aboard The Jewel. Because I have ongoing back issues, I decided to begin the cruise with acupuncture treatment, a service I had used successfully on prior cruises. Boarding was smooth, especially since we had upgraded accommodations. The cabin was excellent, and both the butler and room attendant provided outstanding service. My acupuncture session was performed by an Indian gentleman who began by asking to examine my tongue to diagnose my health. This was a new approach for me, but I was willing to proceed in hopes of relieving my back pain. After I explained my condition, he placed numerous needles across my back and connected them to a TENS device that delivered electrical impulses through the needles. The treatment lasted nearly an hour and was followed by stretching and massage performed by him. At the conclusion, he recommended five additional treatments. I agreed to continue but planned to evaluate how I felt after the first session. Later that evening, I returned to my room and attended dinner. However, the following day I developed significant back pain accompanied by a burning sensation. I attempted ice and rest without relief and eventually visited the ship's doctor. The doctor indicated the symptoms appeared nerve-related and suggested that I go to a hospital in Cartagena for an MRI. I declined at that time and was given muscle relaxers and Tylenol for pain management. Unfortunately, I spent the remainder of the cruise largely confined to bed due to ongoing pain, forcing us to cancel all planned excursions. Since returning home, I have remained under medical care for what has been diagnosed as nerve damage, which is currently being treated with injections in hopes of correcting the problem. Based on this experience, I strongly advise caution when considering acupuncture services on cruise ships. read more

I came here to attend the annual global sales conference meeting and was super excited to dig more into the company and brand. The CEO is friendly and very hands on and there is many new and exciting innovations and features coming to this company. Parking is easy to find and all facilities are spacious and clean. read more

Norwegian Cruise Line - Global Sales conference! - Travel Services Near Me - Miami, Florida

One of the best cruise liners I've vacationed with. I love the free style vibe, and laid back atmosphere. If you don't want get depressed up for dinner, then don't! Casual attire is acceptable on NCL. Restaurants on board are fantastic, price for cruise packages are unbeatable and friendly faces all around! So much to do and see while sailing on NCL. read more

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Black Friday 2025 Cruise Promotion available with all of the Basic Inclusions, but currently with the addition of Gratuities included. That was enough for me to book a cruise that I had been looking at for 2026. Looking forward to sailing with Norwegian NCL. Reminder shareholders owning a minimum of 100 shares of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. at time of sailing can qualify for an onboard credit. Offer valid for any vacation on Norwegian Cruise Line®, Oceania Cruises® or Regent Seven Seas Cruises®, excluding charter sailings. The share price is very accessible at $18.25. $250 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 15 Days or More. $100 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 7 to 14 Days. $50 Onboard Credit per Stateroom on Sailings of 6 Days or Less Also check Cruise First where you can purchase Credits for future Cruises at 50% off often at $300 or $500 values, need to purchase before reserving a cruise. see NCL website for details. read more

Norwegian Cruise Line - Cruise first purchase Credits at 50% for future sailings $500 $300 see website for current details - Travel Services Near Me - Miami, Florida

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I've been on four Norwegian cruises and experienced amazing hospitality, delicious poolside cocktails, great restaurants, and well laid out ships. Compared to Carnival, the buffet/main dining food is much better, tho Carnival provides more fun overall. I'd love for Norwegian to allow drinks in the pool. Norwegian is pretty hygienic. The 'washy washy happy happy' hand cleaning crew outside the buffet are literally heroes without capes. (Carnival may cost less but viruses make lame souvenirs.) The Gem, Pearl, and Jade are similarly laid out and easy to navigate. Rooms are typical cruise cabin size, balconies offer more space plus slider doors that don't slam shut (like they do on Carnival). I absolutely loved the Mojito bar and Brazilian steakhouse on the Gem! read more

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Outstanding Service - Erica on Norwegian Bliss I don't normally take the time to write reviews, but in this case, it is absolutely necessary. My cruise on the Norwegian Bliss started off extremely rough. I was frustrated, disappointed, and honestly not having a good time at all. That completely changed the moment I met Erica at the service center. Erica single-handedly transformed my entire experience. From the very first interaction, she was kind, patient, professional, empathetic, and incredibly attentive. She didn't just "do her job" -- she genuinely cared. She listened carefully, understood every concern I had, and handled each issue with confidence and grace. She went above and beyond to resolve everything I needed, and she did it with a calm, reassuring presence that immediately put me at ease. Her attitude was warm, respectful, and uplifting. She has that rare ability to make you feel heard, valued, and important -- even in a busy, high-pressure environment. You could tell she takes pride in what she does. She represents Norwegian Cruise Line at the highest level. And beyond her professionalism, she carries herself with such positivity and poise. She truly lights up the room -- beautiful inside and out -- and her energy is contagious. She put a smile not only on my face, but on the faces of everyone around her. Erica is an absolute asset to the Norwegian Bliss. Employees like her are the reason guests come back. She deserves recognition from upper management, she deserves advancement, and she absolutely deserves a raise. Talent, dedication, and heart like that should never go unnoticed. Thank you, Erica, for turning my cruise around and reminding me what exceptional service looks like. You made a lasting impression, and I am incredibly grateful. read more

Norwegian Cruise Line - Erika is the best - Travel Services Near Me - Miami, Florida

The cruise entertainment was terrible, the complimentary food was sub par, the fellow who made up my room wouldn't leave the next day itinerary on the door , would open the door to give it to me , once caught me in a compromising situation. The cruise director was amateurish. Cruise in Norwegian Sun. Few amenities. Would avoid if possible read more

We recently sailed with Norwegian Cruise Line, and this was easily one of the worst handled situations I've experienced with any travel company. During embarkation in New York, our luggage was dropped into the Hudson River. Not misplaced--dropped into the river. The damage was extensive, including clothing, personal items, leather goods, and baby-related supplies. Accidents can happen. What matters is how they're handled--and this is where everything fell apart. There was no urgency, no meaningful assistance, and no accountability from Guest Services. We were left to deal with the situation ourselves. At one point, we were reassured that recovered baby items had been cleaned and were safe to use. After relying on that guidance, our child developed a rash. This was reported onboard to a Guest Services Supervisor, yet we were later told there was "no record" of it. That alone should concern anyone traveling with family. Beyond this, the overall experience showed consistent operational issues--poor communication, lack of responsiveness, and a general sense that guest concerns were not taken seriously. After the cruise, we submitted a detailed claim with full documentation. Norwegian acknowledged the incident, but their resolution was to offer a 10% discount on a future cruise fare. That is not compensation. It requires spending more money with the same company and does not come close to addressing thousands of dollars in documented damage or the impact on our trip. At the end of the day, this wasn't just a bad experience--it was a failure in accountability. When something goes wrong at this level, you expect the company to step up and make it right. That did not happen here. read more

My husband and I went on Norwegian Cruise Line for our honeymoon and it was a HUGE mistake. I should have known right from the beginning that things were going to be bad. The line to get onto the ship went several blocks down the street when the indoor intake center went basically unused. Once onboard the Norwegian Pearl, the toilet in our room overflowed every day. Because of this, the front desk staff and I were on a first name basis. I have a hard time recommending a ship where your bathroom floor has sewage on it! The food may have been all you can eat but the quality was mediocre at best. Highlights were turkey night followed by ham night. The excursions were horrible and included being dropped off at a pawn shop for 30 minutes. The only bright spot was the entertainment. The comedian, acrobatic show, and musical acts were fairly good. Go on a newer and bigger ship. read more

Went on the Epic at the beginning of March with the family to the eastern Caribbean. Was great. One of the favorites was not only the food at speciality restaurants but Karaoke with PK he was great read more

Norwegian Cruise Line - PK karaoke - Travel Services Near Me - Miami, Florida

Norwegian Cruise Line has great specialty restaurants like Cagneys (steakhouse) Italian, French, Food Republic and so many more restaurants along with an all one can eat buffet. Garden Cafe has a daily change dinner menu: Roast Turkey with all the fixings, BBQ ribs, Roast Pork Loin, etc. Their breakfast would satisfy the pickiest eater in your crowd. Made to order omelets, yogurt, pancakes, cereal, brioche French toast, etc. The diet starts tomorrow lol. Cruises are fun as is the food one will experience with travel. read more

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I'm loyal to NCL. The fares are a bit more expensive than other ships, but they have a nicer, more laid back feel than the other "party line" boats. Theirs always a nice selection of food, from the free dining, to the decent buffet, to nice specialty dining. The boat we were on had a really good Asian restaurant for the speciality dining (we got a free meal voucher for being returning guests), and the food was fantastic! There were a lot of fun activities for our day at sea too! Plenty to do on our floating hotel! read more

My friend and I became gravely ill on the Norwegian Epic cruise. Never heard from anyone, and can't believe we were the only 2 people out of 4000 that were ill. We were both hospitalized for over a week once home. Never go on NCL again. Actually, done cruising altogether due this horrendous experience. Would have loved to hear from NCL. We did hear from the Communicable Disease Department, tho. read more

Long story short COVID era cruise was cancelled. I was offered a 25% additional future cruise credit. COVID went on for years longer than anticipated and I just wanted my ~$17,500 original cost back. I was told they could not consider without a current cruise being booked (STUPID policy) but I did it anyway. They didn't respond after additional requests for credit so I cancelled the cruise they required I book. They then said because I cancelled within 60 days they would not consider or refund the paid amount. I have been contacting them regularly for over 4 years. We cruise twice a year in higher class cabins but will not with NCL ever again unless this is fixed asap. A credit would be fine, but their 'policies' and greed to this point is completely unacceptable. read more

I recently sailed on the Norwegian Breakaway out of New York on March 6 and had a very concerning experience with the casino tracking system. During my trip, I accumulated over 13,000-14,000 casino points by mid-week and spent 10k plus gambling onboard (at that point). I personally checked my points at the time, so I know the activity was being tracked. However, after returning home and waiting several weeks, I received no casino offers or follow-up. When I contacted Norwegian Cruise Line, I was told that their system shows I had no casino play at all, which is completely inaccurate. I have since called multiple times and was told the issue would be investigated, but I have not received any updates or resolution. For a company of this size, this is extremely disappointing. Casino tracking is a core part of the guest experience, and when it fails, customers are left without the benefits they earned through significant spend. I am requesting a full audit of my casino activity from this sailing and a proper resolution. Until then, I would strongly caution others to carefully monitor their casino tracking while onboard. I hope Norwegian addresses this issue promptly and restores confidence in their system read more

NICKEL AND DIME you to death. EVERYTHING IS AN ADD ON!! drinks, food, transfers wifi, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc AND do NOT let them book your flights, their travel department can't even get you to the right airport, schedule you the very Worst times and not even together! I guess I will stick with MSC in future. read more

So, just got back off of the Getaway. Here'sy review. Please remember, the only other cruise line I've been on is Carnival so that's what I'll be comparing it to... Likes: 1. Restaurant options were great, even if we hadn't had a specialty dining. 2. Rooms were roomy. 3. Not as many kids as previously traveled Cruise line. 4. More rules were followed (ie: no kids in some hot tubs), 5. easy to navigate ( maps on every floor east to read) 6. We paid for the thermal spa and it ended up being great! No kids, no packed hot tub. 7. Their private island was nice! Easy access and good food! 8. Photos were great! They did a really good job.(Other than forgetting to send us our welcome photo) Dislikes : 1. Although we had the FAS+, we couldn't even get buzzed because the liquor was short poured and filled with high fructose corn syrup syrups. (Not fruit juice) So we felt sick from that before the buzz 2. When we called ahead we were given misinformation a lot! 3. One of our excursions was cancelled and we werent told. We noticed it not on our app. They said they left us a message and a note and we didn't get either one. (We looked everywhere when we got back to the room to make sure we didn't miss it) 4. The app.. I like the app better at the previous cruise line because it was more user friendly and easy to read. 5. Shows were hard to get into unless you were really early. Show areas were small. There aren't many options of shows either. 6. The buffet wasn't very good. Again, liked the other cruise line better. 7. Kids that were there were on the casino floor late at night. 8. We did not receive our welcome photo with our lanyards and frame, nor did we get to choose one. Only received outo 12 we paid for. In conclusion, even though there were just as many positives as negatives, the negatives outweighs the positive because of how inconvenient they were. Will we cruise with Norwegian again? Maybe, if it's a different boat and a good price, but there are many things we would do differently! read more

I had a concerning experience with the medical unit on my recent Norwegian Cruise Line trip that I feel needs to be shared. During my visit to the onboard medical unit, I hit my head while being repositioned, with staff present in the room. At the time, I was not feeling well and did report what happened. I left the medical unit still feeling unwell and returned the following day visibly unsteady. After returning home, I was evaluated by a medical provider and told I had a concussion. I requested my onboard medical records and was surprised to see that there was no documentation of a head injury or the incident. When I brought this to NCL's attention, I was informed that no head injury was reported or observed, and they denied responsibility based on the absence of documentation. From my perspective, this raises serious concerns about how incidents are documented and handled onboard. I trusted that what happened would be properly recorded and escalated, and only learned otherwise after reviewing my records myself. I attempted to resolve this directly with the company through multiple communications, but my concerns were ultimately dismissed. I am sharing this so others are aware and can make informed decisions. I hope NCL takes a closer look at their medical documentation practices moving forward. read more

I was supposed to celebrate my honeymoon, but a major snowstorm canceled my flight. I contacted Norwegian Cruise Line the moment I learned the news. I spent a good portion of the morning of my wedding day hoping they would show some flexibility in a situation completely outside my control. Instead, I was repeatedly told that because I hadn't purchased their insurance, "there is nothing we can do." No credit. No meaningful refund. No willingness to help. The only money returned was for prepaid gratuities and unused add‑ons--less than a quarter of what I paid. Even a request for a future cruise voucher was denied for the same reason: no insurance. It's disappointing to see a company prioritize rigid policy over basic customer care and sympathy. I lost my entire trip and a significant amount of money, and the cruise line offered nothing in return. A company of this size, one that claims to value its guests, should have policies that account for real‑world events like severe weather, not scripted responses and zero willingness to help. If you're considering booking with them, just understand: if anything goes wrong--even something completely unavoidable--you're on your own and out thousands of dollars. read more

Caution: Misleading Promotions and Inflexible Policies I am writing this to warn fellow travelers to be extremely cautious regarding the promotions and discounts offered by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). My experience has revealed a lack of transparency and a "policy-first, customer-last" approach that has made vacation planning a headache. The Timeline of Issues: - Initial Booking (March 1, 2026): I booked a cruise via an NCL sales representative (by calling their official number 1-866-234-7350). I was offered a $150 discount for "early booking." To process this, they split the charges on my card: one for $150 to activate the credit and another for the remaining balance. - The Hidden Terms: My reservation was well within the "fully refundable" window (before the April 24 deadline). However, when I called to cancel on March 27, I was informed for the first time that the $150 "coupon" portion was non-refundable. The original agent never disclosed this significant catch. - The Application Struggle (April 8): I attempted to apply that credit to a new trip for the week of May 24, 2026. I was told the credit was ineligible because the voyage was "too soon." Remarkably, they said it would be valid for a trip just one week later (May 31), but refused to bridge the seven-day gap to accommodate my existing plans with friends. - The Escalation: I spoke with a supervisor who spent a significant amount of time searching for the original call recordings to verify if the non-refundable terms were ever disclosed to me. They could not provide evidence that I was informed, yet still refused to offer any compensation or a manual override. And they also rejected my request to get my portion $150 back. My Takeaway: - Lack of Disclosure: Agents may offer "discounts" without explaining that they permanently lock away a portion of your money, even if you cancel within the official refundable window. - Zero Flexibility: The difference between an "eligible" and "ineligible" trip was a mere seven days, yet NCL showed no willingness to value a customer over a rigid, arbitrary date. - Cold Customer Service: Every interaction felt like being read a rulebook. There was no sense of "customer care" or effort to make up for their agent's failure to disclose terms. If you are looking for a company that values relationship-building and transparency, look elsewhere. Be very careful with any "deals" they offer over the phone--they come with hidden strings that even their supervisors won't untangle. read more

Week cruise on the Encore. We stayed in a club balcony. Definitely recommend that over a regular balcony. Room was good size and bathroom was upgrade with a long shower and 4 jets. Water savers ruin everything shower was slow drip on the rain shower, Room attendant did a great job handling our daily things. This is my first cruise with Norwegian. Overall dining options were plenty but yet the same. Negative, no place to just pick up a snack if it's late night. They charge flat fee for room service. 4.95 breakfast and 9.99 thereafter. Starbucks coffee shop and water are not included in this beverage package. Tender to Great Stirrup Cay ran from 10am-1pm. Never seen a slower roll out of tendering. I stayed on the ship. Best specialty restaurant was Cagney Steak House. Bon voyage to any cruisers!! read more

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Lost Our Entire Cruise Due to Airline Cancellation - Norwegian Offered No Real Help We booked a Norwegian Jewel cruise (sailing March 15, 2026 from Miami) for two adults. We arrived at our local airport for the first leg of our flights, which was on time. While there, we received notice that our connecting flight was canceled. We immediately spent hours on the phone with Norwegian (from the airport, late into the night) trying to find a way to make the sailing. Their only suggestion was to fly us into Cartagena, Colombia (a later port) several days after the cruise began so we could try to catch up. This would have meant missing embarkation in Miami and the first several days of the trip, including Grand Cayman. We refused what felt like an unreasonable option, and were told this meant we forfeited any refund or compensation. We ended up missing the entire cruise and received zero refund, zero credit, and zero assistance. Norwegian's position was essentially "you're on your own if you miss the ship," even when an airline cancellation prevented us from boarding. Warning to others: Fly into your embarkation port at least one day early. Do not trust Norwegian Cruise Line to have their act together with last-minute flight arrangements or flexible solutions. Strongly consider buying travel insurance that specifically covers missed connections and trip interruption. Norwegian's policy for missed embarkation is very strict and offers little flexibility, even in cases caused by airline disruptions. "Catch the ship later" options are often impractical and can come with the risk of losing everything if you decline. Very disappointed in Norwegian Cruise Line. They took our money but provided no meaningful support when things went wrong through no fault of our own. Other travelers should be aware of this risk before booking. read more

They practice the bait and switch where they charge you for a package and then they eliminate a portion of it and demand you buy ANOTHER package for even more money just to cover one day. They refuse to honor the contract originally made. When a cruise is book a year in advance your original contract should be honored. They managed to screw over hundreds of passengers and refuse to even provide a discount for that one day they removed. This is called a breach of contract and I believe ANYONE who got screwed with their More at Sea package should join in on a class action law suit. read more

I just returned from the summer of 99 cruise out of Miami from April 17 to April 21. This was my first experience on Norwegian in many years and I have to tell you it was very disappointing. It seems like we are nickeled and dimed for every little expense on the ship and I haven't had that same experience on other cruise lines that I've traveled with the last few years. First of all the Wi-Fi charge is absolutely insane. Secondly, to be charged a $20 service fee per person per day after the absurd amount of money I paid for the cruise tickets is also highway robbery. I purchased the drink package and was told that 20% gratuity was added to that and I even continue to tip bartenders in cash if I thought that they were doing a great job. Typically I also tip the suite attendant at the end of the trip as well and I feel like that should be optional not mandatory based on the service you receive. When we first arrived in our room, there was a half drunken bottle of wine in the refrigerator and a drawer full of new clothes from the prior cruise passengers. Lastly, I would say the buffet food was subpar at best and really no comparison to other cruise ships I've recently traveled on, like virgin. The experience I had with Norwegian will definitely influence whether or not I ever do a summer of 99 Cruise again, hope you guys improve. read more

Extremely Disappointing Experience on Norwegian Sun 13-Day Asia Cruise - Will Not Sail NCL Again We recently completed a 13-day Asia cruise aboard Norwegian Sun departing from Singapore. Unfortunately, the experience was deeply disappointing and has led us to permanently stop sailing with Norwegian Cruise Line. The most significant issue occurred the night before our scheduled two-day stop in Phu My, Vietnam (serving Ho Chi Minh City). At approximately 9:00 PM, the captain announced that the port authority would not accommodate our ship for the planned stay. There was no weather event, no emergency, and no apparent external disruption only a statement that the port "could not accommodate" us. This decision prevented us from visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the excursions we had been most excited to experience. When we approached Guest Services and the senior officers present to ask basic questions such as whether the ship would be rerouted to another Vietnamese port, what alternative port arrangements were being made, and what shore excursion options would be available we received no meaningful answers or information. This lack of clarity from the senior leadership team responsible for navigation and passenger safety was concerning. We also attempted to contact our independently booked tour operator (through GetYourGuide) to cancel the next day's excursion and request a refund, so they would not wait unnecessarily at the port. Because we were at sea and had not purchased NCL's expensive Wi-Fi package, we asked to use or extend the complimentary 30-minute Wi-Fi offered to every passenger. We were told the free session had "expired" (despite never being used) and were denied any complimentary or paid Wi-Fi access even for the legitimate purpose of resolving a major itinerary disruption caused by the cruise line. No alternative communication assistance was offered. Throughout the cruise, there was no gesture of goodwill for missing two full days in port no complimentary specialty dining, beverage credit, onboard credit, future cruise voucher, or even a simple apology. This complete lack of recognition or compensation for a significant disruption reinforced our perception that Norwegian Cruise Line places little value on passenger experience or loyalty. As a direct result, we made the decision not to spend any additional money onboard. We removed all daily gratuities, canceled remaining specialty dining reservations and NCL excursions, declined all casino, bingo, retail, and bar purchases (including the overpriced beverage packages), and booked independent tours instead. We estimate this choice saved us approximately $2,400 compared to our original spending plans. Other service issues further diminished the experience: - Mediocre food quality and outdated ship condition (vessel appears to be a hand-me-down from other fleets with visible wear and inconsistent maintenance) - Staff unwillingness to prepare blended cocktails clearly listed on menus (despite visible blenders) - Room not serviced during extended "make up room" periods As seasoned travelers who have visited 53 countries, completed more than 25 cruises, and reached all seven continents including an expedition-style landing in Antarctica we have high expectations for service, safety, and value. Norwegian Sun fell far short in every category. We will never sail with Norwegian Cruise Line again and have already returned to Royal Caribbean, a brand that consistently invests in newer ships, better food, superior entertainment, and genuine customer care. We will share our honest experience with our large travel blog and social media following, family, friends, travel communities, review platforms, and complaint boards in the hope of helping other travelers make more informed decisions. read more

1. "More At Sea" Beverage Package - 7/25 On day1 , my husband wanted to purchase the MAS drink package. However, I cannot consume alcohol due to medical reasons. Staff advised me to provide medical documentation for review. I immediately contacted my pharmacy (as doctors were closed for the weekend) and sent the necessary documentation to both Guest Services and the bar manager. Proof attached. The bar manager initially approved us to purchase only one MAS package. Despite this, my onboard account continued being charged for drinks. When we asked Guest Services around 4pm, they blamed a "system error." Less than 30 minutes later, the bar manager called our stateroom to say the package was being revoked until a ship doctor reviewed my medications and I provided an additional note from my personal physician. I explained that I would need an in-person visit for that, which couldn't happen until after the cruise. She told us to wait for a team review, but to this day (our last onboard), no one has followed up. 2. "Deal or No Deal" Prize Redemption - 8/2 @ 1:00pm We purchased 6 tickets and played the "Deal or No Deal" game. After the show, staff told us to visit Guest Services to redeem our prize. There, we were directed to the casino, which rejected us. Back at Guest Services, staff checked again and asked us to wait. At this point it was 2:25pm, and we had a 2:30pm activity reservation. I asked about the deadline and was told we could redeem before "tomorrow night." That evening, we returned -- only to be told we missed the deadline and redemption was only valid during the 3:30pm bingo session. When we pushed the issue, a supervisor told us we could still redeem the prize, but after another long wait, no solution was offered. We were told to try again at the casino the next morning -- which would be closed since we'd be in Canada. We were passed from one department to another with no accountability or clarity. 3. Stateroom Confusion - Room #12689 Upon arrival, we found someone else's excursion tickets and personal documents in our room, under the names Cehanovich Margaret and Wagner Charleen. We reported this to a staff member on our floor, who told us that Room #12689 was assigned to a family of four and not to us -- implying a double booking. We immediately went to Guest Services to report this. The staff looked confused, offered no explanation, and simply asked us to return the other guests' documents. We returned to our room, but throughout the entire cruise, we kept receiving their luggage tags, mail, and letters -- including as recently as today (Day 9). This raises serious privacy and security concerns. read more

PROS: We had naturalists presenting informative & fascinating programs about the animals, geology, biodiversity, history of exploration, ecology and adaption of ocean animals of Antarctica. Lodsome, our Steward took good care of us. He made all of the repairs to 9190, from fixing the TV, sink drain, air conditioner, noisy door, and getting repaired all the things that kept falling off the walls... Alvino and some of the staff in Aqua and the Versailles got our meal orders correct. We enjoyed the ports in Argentina, Chile, and the Falkland Islands. The excursions were expensive, but we did get to do what we expected. We did enjoy some of the performances, White Magic, the acrobats, The Buenos Aires tango performer, and even then not so newlywed game. Elizabeth and her staff were perky. CONS: We took the Norwegian Star to Antarctica. we purchased the cruise on October 6 and the following day the price dropped $1000 per person. We reached out to NCL and our travel agent to adjust and we were told that nothing could be done. We were directed to speak to Manny Kampanakis, General Manager, once we board & he will take care of us. He was not willing to compensate us in any way. Manny even commented to hundreds of people, waiting for tenders to get back on the ship, "thank you for waiting. Not that you had any choice." We purchased an Antarctica cruise. Once we got on the ship, we saw a different itinerary. We felt that we were scammed. We did not get what we paid for. We lost a day in Antarctica and time at most ports. Yes, our contract says that they could change the itinerary and this does happen with challenging weather. However, the weather was excellent, and NCL appears to be abusing this provision. There were lines that were the length of the ship, with cruisers waiting hours to get tender tickets, and then again to get off the ship. The Wi-Fi was $550 per person and did not work most of the time. The price was eventually reduced after complaints. There was always a line in the Internet, Cafe with people complaining that they were unable to access. Cruise next harassed us daily with papers & phone calls. They tried to get us to spend money towards 8 future cruises. They marked their phone messages urgent and we were unable to erase them or stop them midway. Port information nor maps were provided in advance. Decorations & meals did not represent the ports we visited. The quality of the food was disappointing. Although we were in the ocean, there was no fresh seafood, it was frozen and microwaved. In the dining rooms, most of the food we were served was prepared in advance and microwaved. Milk & eggs were powdered. The towels are small and thin, no robes nor slippers and the toiletries are watered down cleaning products. We bring our own robes, slippers, shampoos, conditioners, and even bars of soap. Cabin 9190 was pretty banged up and the door was taped together. Things kept falling off the walls and our room attendant kept requesting repairs. There is no turn down service, our steward was responsible for 34 rooms. The sign on the Stardust theater told people not to come in after the show starts. However, there was a steady stream of people, continuously walking in loudly, stumbling in the dark, and interrupting performers. The fitness center is the hottest room on the ship. There was no cool air nor fans. Super Bowl Sunday was without the Super Bowl. The television is filled with a cruise next station, a ship shopping station, an excursion station. read more

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We had booked an Kuza Beach excursion that included zip line and kyacking in a lagoon (per picture). The zip line was canceled and we were not given enough time to reschedule ( received on day of embankment with lots of other pw, I did not see it until 24 hours later and then it was too late to cancel. the beach was beautiful but we are not beach lizards and like more active trips. we were asking for a partial refund or credit towards another zip line. We were denied. read more

Terrible customer service, rude, act like you are annoying them when you call and they have a take it or leave it attitude. Tabitha, a supervisor very rude, does not care about your particular issue regarding disabled needs nor did she even remotely try to find a solution, just tried to up sell me to a much higher priced cabin which is out of the question. After being a loyal customer for many, many years could not be more disappointed in this level of customer service. Have had some wonderful cruises with them but they have changed tremendously and it is not good.. read more

Wifey and I have now been on 18 cruises after our latest cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line. This was our very first time cruising with NCL. I've always wanted to try cruising with them because I wanted to experience the NCL way. Well, this first experience with NCL was not a good one. I was tempted to only give them 1 star, but I gave them 2 stars because of the fantastic itinerary we had with them. 5 stars for the itinerary alone which started in Singapore and had stops in Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, and Taiwan!! Truly a 5+ Stars itinerary!!!! Why don't I like NCL? As I mentioned earlier, we've now been on a total of 18 cruises. So we've been used to everything going smoothly from start to finish based on our experiences with other cruise lines. I cannot help compare this NCL experience to the other cruise lines. Even before the cruise started, there were issues. We tried several times to get ahold of a person on the phone to answer our questions, but could not get in contact with a live person until the fourth phone call. When we finally did, the employee did not even know the answers to our questions. Sheesh!! Embarkation in Singapore for NCL was a hassle. They were so slow and inefficient. RCCL was at the port at the same time as NCL. The passengers for RCCL got through their embarkation about two to three hours quicker than we did. Disembarkation was worst. Once we got off the ship, it was such a hassle. There were hardly any NCL representatives around to answer passengers questions. Very unprofessional. So many folks were lost and confused with the process. Never experienced such an awful embarkation and disembarkation ever before. I'll do a separate review for the Norwegian Sky ship we sailed on. Would we ever sail with Norwegian Cruise Lines again? Maybe. There were plenty of passengers signing up for future cruises with them. So they do have many repeat customers. Chances are they will have other itineraries that we just cannot resist. So, we would give them another chance. read more

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I am incredibly disappointed with my experience with Norwegian Cruise Line, especially considering that this was for my wedding--a once-in-a-lifetime event that deserved far better treatment. From the very beginning, the planning process was frustrating and disorganized. It was nearly impossible to get in contact with anyone in the events department, and communication was consistently lacking. I didn't even know who my coordinator was until the day of the wedding, and even then, there was little to no support. For the $200 we paid for a photographer, not a single wedding photo was included. We were told that "prints were not included, " but at no point was it ever communicated that digital photos were also excluded. We later found out that accessing our photos would cost nearly an additional $1,000. That lack of transparency is unacceptable. As a result, I am left with only 48 photos from my wedding reception, which is absolutely heartbreaking. Despite Norwegian being fully aware that we were hosting a wedding reception onboard--with approximately 60 guests across 32 cabins and spending thousands of dollars--not once were we offered any kind of celebratory amenity. Something as simple as chocolate-covered strawberries or a glass of champagne would have gone a long way. Instead, we received the same towel animals as every other guest, which felt incredibly impersonal. The onboard experience itself was equally disappointing. Wait times for nearly everything were excessive. The go-kart track closing at 9 PM on a sailing day makes no sense and severely limits guests' ability to enjoy one of the ship's main attractions. At the Galaxy Pavilion, we were charged $9 per game for experiences that included broken equipment--completely unacceptable and a complete ripoff. Dining was another letdown. The main dining room and buffet were both lackluster and underwhelming. While specialty dining was decent, it came at an additional cost for many in our group--and even then, the experience was inconsistent. Some guests in our party had up to three specialty dining reservations included, while others had only one or none at all. There was no clear explanation for this discrepancy, which made coordinating group dinners extremely frustrating. When we attempted to resolve these issues--such as fixing specialty dining for our guests--we were dismissed by guest relations and told it "wasn't their responsibility, " and that we needed to handle it with reservations back on land. That level of service is unacceptable, especially during a major event like a wedding. This was my first time sailing with Norwegian Cruise Line, and I regret choosing them for such an important occasion. It was between Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, and in hindsight, I should have trusted my instincts. Despite the size of our group and the amount of money we invested, we were treated like just another number rather than valued clients celebrating a milestone. Overall, this experience was deeply disappointing and not at all what we envisioned for our wedding. I would not recommend Norwegian Cruise Line for any special event. Sincerely, A very disappointed bride and groom. (Carolina & Joseph) read more

Norwegian did it again. Wonderful vacation, food options, service, ports, and great company! Parking is a breeze with the parking garage right next door to the terminal. It's $22 a day and from start to finish we paid $154 for parking. Plenty of spaces to park in especially if you go higher up in the parking garage. Elevators aren't air conditioned though only down side. When you come on down to the luggage area, you're able to drop your luggage with a porter (don't forget to tip! These guys and gals work super hard!). From there you enter into the building and follow the signs up to the cruise check in. Be prepared they do scan your bags like they do in TSA, but they're much nicer than TSA. Once through security you check in to receive your badge and take a photo. Next is the gangway to the ship and photos! From there we were directed to our mustard station and then set free to explore, eat, and drink! Rooms weren't ready until closer to three. We were delayed due to medical issues for someone and left closer to six. Drinks on board were exquisite and most were under the $15 price for the "free at sea" promotion. Don't forget to try a bushwhacker if you like chocolately drinks! From top to bottom, the Encore is a beautiful ship that is well maintained and exquisitely decorated. The room was still spacious enough to have 4 people within and fit 4 people on balcony! Plenty of dining options to choose from and anything we were quoted for timing for dinner was longer than it was in reality! We'd be told it'd be 40 minutes until a seat opened up, but go to the bar and all of a sudden you'd be called! Service was on point for the most part (some nights were better than others). The racetrack and water slides were a blast! The racetrack while cruising was soooo cool! Would 10/10 recommend the Encore to anyone looking for an exquisite cruise! Choir of men was so much better than I thought it was going to be we ended up seeing it twice. The DJ was great but having only one DJ on board seems to limit the events held. However, the club at night was fun and great to hang out at. Going to the Local after the club was a blast to order finger foods to soak up all the alcohol. Overall it is a wonderful trip which I would highly recommend to anyone to try out! read more

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Horrible! Horrible food, everything is a fee, seating is only for looks and very uncomfortable, excursions are so bad! Have fun trying to get into one of the very few entertainment options. Suuuuper boring ship with trash food! read more

My wife and I are experienced cruisers and have cruised with NCL, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Celebrity and Holland America. We like Princess the most but have cruised NCL in the past and considered it "average". We recently we cruised the NCL Gem out of Miami to see the Panama Canal in early March 2024. While NCL was still "average" and on par with the other previously mentioned cruise lines, the following incidents were concerning: 1. Embarkation/disembarkation-the worst experience of any cruise line to date. Lines so long they extended outside the port into a busy street. Other than the porters, not a single NCL staff member to help anybody. After 1-2 hours standing in the hot sun without the line moving, several elderly guests passed out, hit their heads and were bleeding. Luckily, several guests were MD's/nurses and triaged those injured while other guests contacted the paramedics without any help or guidance from NCL. Getting off the ship was the same chaotic mess with no leadership from staff or management. Wow...... 2. The cocktails were the most water-downed/diluted I have ever had.......anywhere. 3. We had a 10th floor balcony midship just off the elevators. 1 1/2 days prior to entering the Panama Canal, NCL parked a monstrous piece of window washing equipment in front of our balcony, significantly obscuring our view. It was not removed until the day after we left the Panama Canal. We complained several times, but were generally dismissed and told to contact corporate after the cruise did. Once home and after many emails, we received a pro-rated refund for several thousand dollars for the several days we could not enjoy our balcony. However, SHAME on NCL for not disclosing prior to booking that "Panama Canal policy dictates certain ship equipment needs to be stored midship and not aft. I allege that action was negligent at best and deceptive at worst. 4. There was generally no management walking the decks and keeping the rank and file employees in-check. Because of this, the service was lacking and it felt like NCL and/or the Captain couldn't be bothered to lead their employees and ensure the guests were well cared for. I do not recommend NCL moving forward and don't see myself cruising with them again unless an itinerary pops up that other lines do not offer. read more

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Service. Layout. Reservations. Their app. They need about twice the staff and better training. I've been on 6 cruise ships. The Aqua is my first NCL. It is 6th out of 6. read more

Took the Alaskan cruise on the Norwegian Jewel and really had a great time. Booking the cruise I'd recommend a travel agent to avoid all of the issues that others seem to complain about, let someone else handle the headaches of booking and making sure everything is right. That's what we did and had no issues other than having flights coming back that had us sitting in the Vancouver airport for 14 plus hours. That was a bit rediculous. The ship was on the smaller side. We felt some waves early on but as the cruise went about it become less so, I assume becuase we had land on both sides of us to reduce wave and wind. The food was good. There was a few days that we didn't try the Buffett as it was more geared towards certain demographics and what we saw didn't look appealing. O'Shehans is the one restaurant / bar that's open 24 hours, spent many a morning there for breakfast at 0500. The menu was always the same, but changes and additions could be made without question and they'd bring it. That was nice. The crew in that area got used to my and my spouse or even me and my mother showing up in the evenings or early mornings and already knew our normal orders. That was pretty cool. The Spinnaker lounge was fun. Very large, the width of the ship and at the front on deck 14. Bar opened early, but what I like in the morning is that it was quiet and not many there, plus I had the added value of seeing the coastline and all the beautiful scenery from the comfort of being inside. The Alaskan cruise was great, the only issue was it was constantly cool outside so sitting poolside or up front of the boat on deck 15 was chilly, not really conducive to sitting outside and basking in the sun and watching the scenery. Tho this isn't the cruise lines fault, tho outdoor heaters would be nice to allow this, considering it was permissible with safety guidelines. Breakfast at the buffet was a treat. Bacon every day. There was one gentleman than was always there at the entry singing songs as we walked in. He was a hoot. The options here didn't change much int he morning. They did have a section with Indian fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Alwasy had pizza and items to make tacos and nachos. The rest changed daily. Never had a seafood night tho. Watched many Alaska cruise videos on NCL and they raved about seafood night with local fare loaded on while at the dock, but we never had that. The night time entertainment was, shall I say, not very good. The singing and dancing was very subpar. We saw a few shows and was not impressed, most of the audience that we could hear were making jokes about it. At one point it seemed like a Chip n Dales show. Although the comedian they had one night was funny, we enjoyed him. Dining was open, there wasn't a schedule like I've heard about on other cruises. The more formal restaurants were just show up and seat. Although the pay to eat restaurants you needed reservations. The bars were all friendly. Food was good. Ship was remodeled recently and looked well. The room we had was an outer room with a window, one of the larger square windows and not a tiny little porthole, it was nice. Cleaning crew was exceptionally friendly, I saw them every morning and the greeted us and asked if we needed anything special done. Now, the ports of call, they were all a bit ghetto. Norwegian seems to have their own docks and they are further ways than the other cruise lines. Some had a bit of a walk in Alaska, others had free bus rides to town. Exiting they always had the times posted when we would leave. I'll say ont he Norwegian Jewel, there is not grand entrance that you come into when you board the ship, you enter into he deck 4 where the staff and less expensive state rooms are at. I can't complain about the cruise itself. It was a joy. If I had to mention any negative, it would be two things. 1. the Wifi is absolutely HORRIBLE!! I can't state that enough. Even the WiFi that claims to allow streaming of videos is as bad as a dial up modem. It's not worth the enormous cost. 2. The charging of items. We had a credit applied to the account when we set sail, we charged a $20 item that was less than our credit, but the minute we added it, they debited our card $100!! We owed nothing yet they charged us for nothing. We had to fight with them on board about that. Outisde of the horrible wifi and the charging for nothing, it was a great experience. read more

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On the Norwegian Encore, played blackjack with the King's Bounty side bet in their casino. Rules were printed in two places largely on the table. The side bet pays 1000:1 for two kings of spades versus the dealer's blackjack. I bet $15 (maximum bet of $100 is allowed), hit the long shot, and they only paid me $5,000. The Pit Boss said it was "their policy." No reasonable person would ever know that, especially with all the rules and payouts printed twice on the table. Very unjust and intentionally misleading. read more

This is a hard review for me to write. I have been cruising with NCL since 2015, and I have never had anything but a perfect experience until now. I realize that my recent cruise (18-29 July 2025) is in a post-COVID-19 world and that inflation is a fact, but this recent cruise (for a balcony room) with taxes and fees included (as well as trip insurance) cost my husband and me $13k. This was known, discussed, and agreed to up front... this is not my complaint. My complaints are as follows: I chose this cruise due to the ports of call. I have never had an issue with tenders on any other ship. On our day in Dublin, Ireland we were delayed for over 3 hours due to (as they told us on the ship) "mechanical issues with the tender vessels"... Well, that's problematic for two reasons: 1. We missed half of our day ashore in Dublin and therefore the lion's share of the excursion we had booked ashore with a local vendor (which NCL recused themselves of any responsibility of since we didn't book through them... I don't book through the ship due to excessive costs, and choose, instead, to pay local tour guides, and always have); and 2. Those tender vessels are literally our lifeboats. So, if they were telling us the truth aboard the ship on that day, they were telling us that there were actual mechanical issues with our lifeboats... which inspires zero confidence. HOWEVER, NCL took it a bridge too far when I requested compensation for the time/money lost on the excursion that day by saying (in an email to me yesterday 8/5/25) that it was not a mechanical failure as we aboard the ship were told multiple times that day, but a failure of the Dublin Port Authorities to properly let us ashore. I therefore have to assume that either NCL lied to us aboard the ship or I'm being lied to now. Either way (and there's nothing I can do about the time lost, of course) my faith in the company has vanished due to this experience, but that's not the end of it; It used to be that the food in the main dining areas was of high quality... meaning that if we decided to eat in the main dining rooms (included in our ticket price) we could expect a quality meal... this is no longer the case. The dinners in the main dining rooms are on par with the standard buffet now. Example: My husband ordered the brisket for dinner one night. It came out smothered in a plate full of sauce. The sauce tasted like it was straight out of a cheap "brown sauce" packet, and the meat was tantamount to shoe leather. My husband didn't eat, and eventually we went to the Irish pub on board and he had wings to tide him over for the night. The upgraded dining areas were good (Cagney's especially), but the meats offered at the Moderno Churrascaria have taken a serious quality hit (they used to be high end). Quite frankly, the food at the buffets used to be better as well. I remember being able to go up and see a salad bar full of fresh looking veg, a carving station available at lunch, and so on, but those days must be long gone as well as even the buffet food was bland and lackluster at best. Lastly, some praise: The staff aboard the ship taking care of food service, bartending, and especially our rooms were amazing! Our room attendant, Mandy was perfect, and I'm glad that the ship has taken care of the staff by putting higher regulations on their daily hours worked. Mandy always saw to our clean linens, towels, and general room cleanliness daily... I do miss turn down service, but it is not a deal breaker for me. What IS a deal breaker is the lack of quality in the food aboard the ship and the incompetence with which we were treated on the day we waited in line for over 3 hours to tender ashore in Dublin. I am beyond frustrated with how they handled the situation, how we were treated afterwards, and the flippant way we have been treated since bringing this matter to the company's attention. I will be posting this review in as many places online as I can. I used to jump to recommend NCL to any and all friends/family looking to cruise, but those days are over until I see/know that there has been a REMARKABLE improvement in their quality aboard their ships and care of their passengers. read more