I had sailed a total of 16 times previously, all on the major mainstream cruise lines, but I had never tried NCL before. Based on some of the reviews I had read, I was leery about trying out the line. I am thrilled to say that I was extremely happy with the decision we made to give NCL a shot. We were travelling as a group of seven, and had three cabins total, including two cabins that were adjoining. We had three children in our group, ages 8, 12, and 14. We had the three kids in the adjoining cabin, by themselves, and it worked our perfectly. They had their own space, yet we were able to keep tabs on them, through the adjoining doorway.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food, especially in the Garden Café Buffet. I would rate this buffet as the best I have experienced on any ship in regards to the quality and variety of the food offered. We also tried several of the specialty restaurants, with Cagney's being the consensus favorite of the group. We also enjoyed a couple of meals in O'Sheehan's, and really enjoyed the laid back atmosphere. There were a few instances where service levels were inconsistent, especially in the MDR's. One night would be great, and another would be slow and disorganized.

I was very impressed with the quality of the crew. Everyone was friendly, and eager to help. I was also impressed by NCL's little touches that add to the experience, like having cold towels and fresh baked cookies available pier side, as passengers returned to the ship from the day's excursions. Read more