I was looking for a sunny, fun vacation for myself and my 2 kids (ages 11/7). The experience can best be described as the "discount mall of cruising."

We were left behind on an excursion - an absolute trauma for the kids as the bus that left us behind in a small town in Mexico had our passports, money and life saving medicines, etc. on board. After working with the local police to get us back to the port, I (very tearfully) told the senior ship officer what happened who told me 'excursions are not their responsibility.' Zero compassion or interest in our safety. Only after insisting on a refund for the horrid experience was I able to get a refund. The officer's boredom with my very scary experience was surprising and made the ordeal worse.

There are hidden costs everywhere (e.g. video games are $5 per game) and the goal of the entire cruise is to syphon money, avoid interaction and ensure that passengers create their own experiences on board. I won't ever (ever) spend my vacation budget on Norwegian again. Read more