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Cheryl

Age: 36 to 45
Number of Cruises: 2nd Cruise
Ship: Norwegian Sky
Sailing Date: January 23, 2000
Itinerary: Eastern Caribbean

I was part of the GGC ("Great Group Cruise") consisting of 432 people who met on the internet and planned this cruise together.  We were from 29 US states, 3 Canadian provinces and England, and the other thing we had in common was that we loved to cruise.  I will, however, disregard the "group" aspects/activities for the purposes of this review.

Embarkation: We arrived at about noon and did not expect to begin to board until 1 having been advised that only Lattitudes (past passenger) members would be allowed boarding at 12:30.  We were maybe 30th in line.  We registered and were on board by 12:20.  A pleasant surprise.  NCL provided water  & orange juice at the front of the line for those waiting.  Check-in was very efficient. 

Once past the on-board photo op we boarded the ship and took an elevator to our deck where we were issued our "sign and sail" cards (with misspelled names, despite corrections issues to NCL by our travel agent and ourselves!).  We quickly found our cabin (outside with balcony on Fjord deck) which was decorated w/bon voyage theme as per pre-cruise order (but the cake which was included did not show up until the next day---not a problem as we never ate it anyway.)

Cabin: Very small, but we expected it having seen a video by one of our group beforehand.  Biggest disadvantage was lack of storage space.  All else was "cozy".  Champagne courtesy of NCL was chilled; no bar set-up was provided, but water (Evian) was provided free of charge.  Good storage under the bed for your suitcases, though, which is a good thing as we could not unpack completely due to lack of drawers.  A safe is provided as is a hair dryer and robes. 

This cabin is what was previously (and optimistically) described as an S1 "suite".  Bathroom was fine (shower only) and included "amenities" such as shampoo, lotion, etc.  A small 13" TV had CNN, ESPN, bow cam shot, movies and "on board" station which later ran tapes of port talks by the cruise director.  Good hanging space with "non-theft" hangers.  Mini-loveseat and small table in sitting area.  Two chairs and small table on the balcony.  Table was too small to safely accommodate breakfast tray which one time resulted in broken dishes.

Room Service: Only ordered breakfast (continental only available).  It was always on time and as ordered.  Tips for this are extra.  We gave $1-2 per serving.  There is 24 hour room service via a limited menu (which, by the way, is the only chance you get for pepperoni pizza for those interested)

Cabin Steward: Our was excellent and we almost never saw him.  Communicated via notes left on bed, but he always got it right.  We gave him a big tip at the end as his was the best service we encountered on board.  No towel animals or anything, but we didn't need that.  We were just happy for his quick, efficient, thorough service. (Example:  he kept that bottle of champagne chilled for 4 days before we finally opened it!)

The Ship:  Beautiful.  Not glitzy.  Lots of wood, marble and brushed steel.  However, floral arrangements are artificial, a sign of the "cheapness" to come.  Library was very nice.  Observation lounge has swing music and dance hosts (but lots of movement there up front during rough seas).  Not open very late.

Buffet:  We headed for the embarkation buffet (by the way, they do offer seating in the dining room for embarkation lunch but we chose to forego this).  Buffet was not good.  Baked beans, hot dogs and very old looking burgers.  Frozen type fried chicken.  A disappointment to be sure.  We only visited the buffet a couple more times and were disappointed at both breakfast and lunch.  There is no dinner buffet.  There are sandwiches and cookies in the late afternoon and ice cream from 2-4 ONLY.  Otherwise, you're out of luck.  Another stingy side of NCL revealed.  Worst example:  on the morning of disembarkation, we couldn't find the little half-and-half cups for coffee.  The busboy told us "no half-and-half on disembarkation day; only on EMbarkation day"!!!  We got dried creamer packets instead.  Cheap, cheap, cheap.

Other Food Service:  We found dining room food and service disappointing. Our table of 12 (pre-arranged group) disbanded after the first night due to bad service and a very cold table in the dining room (i.e., a/c way too high in that area).  Our second table (for 7) wasn't much better.  They ran out of items, wouldn't always give you additional entrees or seconds (such as on final formal night where lobster was limited to one tail per person and no steak or filet was available). 

The non-drinkers in our group had a very hard time getting served iced tea, for instance.  Sommelier service was better.  However, we discovered Le Bistro (alternative dining on deck 12) and reserved for 3 nights there.  Excellent!!  But same menu nightly.   However, it was worth it as the food is cooked to order and wonderful.  $5 per person gratuity suggested and we tipped more.  The mushroom soup in a bread bowl and the chocolate mousse and filet w/bernaise stand out.  Caesar salad is also available though not on the menu.  Also, Ciao Chow we heard was good but only ate there during the day when it serves as the ship's pizzeria (very good pizza). 

For the early risers, Ciao Chow has coffee and fresh cinnamon buns starting at 6 am.  Unfortunately, dinner was always a hassle.  You had to fight for everything except in Le Bistro.  Be forewarned:  reservations in Le Bistro are hard to come by.  Book early.  Also, there is no poolside grill on this ship for burgers/etc. 

MIdnight buffets were forgettable...including the much-touted Chocaholic Buffet.  Everything looked great but had no taste.  Breads were uniformly good throughout the cruise but desserts were bland/all tasted alike.  Steaks were done as ordered but had no flavor and were tough. 

Bar Service: Good to very good.  Always remember that the "drink of the day" is more expensive and served in souvenir glasses.  We got "free rum punch" one afternoon but noone could detect the rum!  Service by the pool was plentiful and prompt. 

Shore Excursions: Did not participate in any.  Went our own way.  Weather on our trip was bad except for about 2 1/2 days so a lot of people didn't get to do what they had planned.  I can recommend taking the ferry to St. John and finding a beach of your choosing for snorkeling, etc.  Check the various websites for numerous experiences/tips on this.  I'd tell you where we went, but I wouldn't want to spoil the secret!  Stops on this cruise (Eastern Caribbean, the ship alternates Western and Eastern) were Nassau (rained out so didn't go ashore), San Juan (beautiful---we hired a private guide beforehand who I will recommend:  Jorge (George) Lopez at letgeodo@coqui.com or phone # 787-791-5479 or website at puertorico-tours.com)  He is wonderful and took us to the rainforest and lunch afterwards.  Very knowledgeable and personable.  He'll take good care of you.  Next stop was St. Thomas.  Final stop was Great Stirrup Cay (NCL private island) but weather prevented us from tendering ashore so we drove aimlessly from noon Sat to 2 am Sun when we docked 4 hours early back in Miami

Internet Cafe/Coffee Bar:  Fun, but expensive at 75 cents per min w/5 min minimum (used it to check weather ahead and stocks).  Coffee selection was good but it costs extra, of course.

Staff: Seemed a little "brow beaten" which is understandable given the instances we saw of supervisors screaming and swearing at staff in the presence of guests.  Very unfortunate.  Made all concerned uncomfortable.  This may explain why many staff did not even make eye contact with passengers.  Not a fun group overall.  Also, we got a lot of "no's" or "we can't do that's" which was a surprise to us after the accommodating nature of Princess Cruises.

Entertainment:  Excellent.  "Hey, Mr. Producer" show is outstanding.  Almost Broadway quality.  Oher shows OK, too.  Jane L. Powell is terrific.  Don't miss her.  Mark in the Windjammer lounge/piano bar is great as well.  Band by the pool was also very good.  In fact, the entertainment everywhere was first class.  NCL shines here.  Don't miss 70's night in Checkers Cabaret.  Dancing there went on to 2 or 3 am every night.

Stability:  Ship was pretty smooth except for one night when we hit big swells.  Lots of up and down bow to stern movement.  Made a few people queasy.  I just took extra Bonine and within an hour or two was OK.  Some said they didn't think the ship rode as well as some they were on but, for the most part, no complaints here.

Spa: Expensive.  Good massages.  Mediocre manicure.  Yes, it's Steiner and, yes, they try to sell you their products.  Degree of pushiness varies person to person. Salon/spa facilites are very nice and the girls are quite personable so the "hard sell" goes down easier.  Book massages ASAP.

Sports/Gym:  Well equipped.  Not too busy.  Most I spoke with were happy.  Everything is new so in good condition.  You get the usual t-shirt, etc. for participating in X number of activities.

Casino:  Lots of blackjack tables, 1 craps table, Caribbean Stud + Let It Ride and 187 slots.  Plenty of chances to spend your money.  You can charge cash to your room account with no fee (unlike Princess).  Fun dealers for the most part.  Casino usually closes around 2 but it depends upon the crowd.  Not a lot of big winners on our cruise.  Cocktail service is acceptable.  If you're a high roller, they'll rate you and comp your cruise bar bill (we're talking $100 a hand at blackjack)

Shops: Good shopping.  Lots of selection. Bought jewelry from Colombian Emeralds on board but had some hassle charging it to separate credit card and not charging it to the cabin.  Another example of ship inefficiency is calling down to the jewelry store the ship's operator said they didn't have a phone (!).  Hung up and called back and next operator gave us the number.  Then the clerk was "busy" till we said it was regarding a credit card (he needed the expiration date) and, suddenly, he was free....hmmmm....

Disembarkation: Very smooth.  They call luggage tag color which are assigned by departure flight times.  We had a 1:30 flight and we're off by 10:30 am.  No hassles (except for the half-and-half incident at breakfast!) 

Overall: We had a wonderful time due to the group we were cruising with BUT I wouldn't sail NCL again given the choices of cruise lines available.  They are cutting too many corners, I think.  The ship is great, though.  It's a shame someone else isn't sailing it.  I can't totally condemn it but think there's a better experience out there.  For us, it was the group and the terrific price we got.  If you don't have too many expectations it would be fine but if you've sailed before and had a good experience you might be disappointed.

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