We have only been on 4 cruises (1 with NCL; 3 Princess) and loved them all. I'm looking to book a cruise in January and I'm considering 2 ships NCL Pearl and Princess' Crown - both are newer ships.
I maight consider another ship if you have a suggestion.
good Morning Nanfal,
Not sure where you are wanting to cruise to, but if it is the newest ships your looking for you could check out Celebrity's Soltice and Equinox both are launching, I believe in the fall. I know the top deck has grass and you can go lawn bowling ! Pictures of the ships on their web.
The Solstice launches in November this year. Equinox doesn't launch until summer 2009.
Nanfal,
Welcome to Cruise Chat. There are many new exciting ships, and many older ones too. Perhaps talking with a cruise oriented Travel Agent would help you decide. They can match you up to the cruise line and ship that best matches your lifestyle.
Welcome to Cruise Chat, Nanfal!! Don't limit your cruise experiences to just the newer vessels. Older ships provide some incredible memories. They might not have as many amenities but they make up for it in character. It is amazing to cruise on a ship like the Carnival Holiday. She's not new but the crew lovingly cares for her like she's a newborn. I look forward to new ships but I never forget the memories that the olders ships have provided me.
Thanks for your suggestions - this is helpful.
Our previous cruises have all been on somewhat older ships - that's why we were considering a newer and somewhat larger ship.
I've talked to 2 travel agents and both essentially said "it really is your preference". Having not been on a lot of ships, I can't say I really have a preference.
We are open to either the eastern or western Caribbean but are probably leaning toward eastern.
I guess my problem is I don't know how to make the selection. Food, service, and evening entertainment are probably most important to us. We don't need a lot of added things on the ship like ice skating, golf, climbing walls, etc.
If you can recommend a ship or a travel agent (or any info on the 2 I'm considering), I'd appreciate it -
Nanfal
Since you have been on both cruise lines and enjoyed them, you already know what to expect in the line of entertainment, service, and food. Both the NCL Pearl and Princess Crown came out in 2006. The Crown is slightly larger. Each has their own unique feature. The Crown the Movie under the Stars, and the Pearl the Bliss lounge with bowling alley. Look at the intinerary for both, and the times spent in port. Think about what you liked most about each brand when you were on them. If price is a factor then you will consider that. You can find a cruise oriented Travel Agent in your area by looking here
I guess my problem is I don't know how to make the selection. Food, service, and evening entertainment are probably most important to us. We don't need a lot of added things on the ship like ice skating, golf, climbing walls, etc.
If you can recommend a ship or a travel agent (or any info on the 2 I'm considering), I'd appreciate it -
Nan
Making recommendations on food is hard for anyone since it is so subjective. There are fans and detractors for all the cruiselines. With that said, between the two ships, I'd have to lean toward the Crown Princess with your list of most important things. Even though Pearl gets very good reviews I'm not a fan of the freestyle concept when it comes to the food and service aspects. Things like premium cuts of beef are only offered in specialty resteraunts on NCL but available in primary dining rooms on PCL. Service I find is usually better when you do traditional dining and your wait staff gets to know you, your likes and dislikes, what type of rolls and drinks you prefer, that sort of thing. I just think perhaps PCL is a cut above NCL in overall quality in many areas. If I were to go NCL, the Pearl or Gem would be my choice of ships. If you like freestyle, that changes things. Since the two lines are so different, really apples and oranges, it's hard to advise without knowing if you're a big fan of freestyle cruising or a more traditional cruise experience. I don't think either choice would be a poor one.
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