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Left Sept 30th from NYC Pier 88 for cruise to Bermuda. Embarkation was relatively easy and quick. Cabin 8572 with an obstructed view was very nice; clean with no excessive wear except the mattresses, which were in need of replacement. Six large drawers plus a large closet with additional shelving inside and over the vanity area provided ample storage. Bathroom was among the nicest I have experienced, as it was divided into 3 sections by plexiglass sliding doors, allowing for privacy. The TV was really funny, a tiny old thing stuck in the corner on a shelf. NCL needs to spring for a few more movies and some newer "old reruns". It was a really bad selection; but I didn't go on a cruise to watch movies. Our room steward was wonderful and by far the best out of 18 previous cruises.
The ship shows signs of wear, however it is to be expected with this many people traversing the carpets and stairs daily. Everything was clean and well-maintained, including all rest-room facilities. As for the complaints about pool side chairs being scarce; that is partially correct. You had to do some walking forward and aft in order to find an empty chair. However there were chairs to be found, just not poolside.
My biggest disappointment was in the dining room menu. Having sailed on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, the menu was more comparable to Carnival. It was food and it was plentiful, but when the "regional speciality of the day" for dinner is a burrito w/ a pork sauce; do you call that "special"? Nothing on the menu was special after the lobster & snapper served on the first day. In fact the menu went downhill in my opinion. Of course, I feel this is a ploy in order to force those who prefer a more diverse menu to the "specialty restaurants". It worked and I did pay the extra to eat there. The food was excellent. Too bad they don't just give you a package option for cafeteria food, a buffet, or an upgrade to the specialty venues. The Market Cafe buffet was fine and I have no complaints at all. The poolside barbecue was excellent as well.
I'm not much of a drinker, but NCL has the best alcoholic beverage service hands down. They didn't skimp on the liquor and the drinks were reasonably priced. Kudos to NCL! Buying a liquor package on other lines doesn't seem to work well for most cruisers, as the complaints of poor service and skimping on the liquor is prevalent.
No real complaints except for the dining and exiting the ship on our return. We were told at the service desk the night before disembarking that we could remain in our cabin until our "selected" luggage tag color was called. Not so! The daily newsletter stated there would be no announcements in the cabins; watch the TV for information on leaving the ship. NOT! At 8:15 a rude announcement barked through the cabin to evacuate the cabins immediately!!!! Excuse me. It was get off the ship there is no one in line, come on down. Then it was STOP, we are backed up in customs. Then come on down. NOPE. Backed up again. Finally it was everyone off; the customs officials will only be in the area for a short time. Not a pleasant experience.
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