I took a chartered cruise on Norwegian (Oct. 23- 30, 2016) and while I found the ship to be large with many convenient little places to stop/sit/enjoy which equated to options but not exactly what was needed for the large group expected or the activities planned for this trip. It was my first time cruising with Norwegian so I'm doing my best to be fair in separating the problems that the trip sponsor would be responsible for and my opinion of the ship and amenities. I am an experienced cruiser (previously with Carnival and Royal Caribbean) and here is my feedback on Norwegian based on other cruise experiences:

Food: I loved the variety of the buffet food on the upper deck (particularly breakfast which was always fresh and well stocked thus not a lot of waiting. Even the omelet line flowed quickly). However, the food in the complimentary restaurants was mundane. Pretty much the same stuff night after night and I was not happy that lobster and prime rib were not offered on the "included" menu as with other cruises. Those items were always offered on the pay side of the menu. Service in the Taste and Savor was slow and inconsistent. One bright spot was a server (Nadia) who was ultra-responsive and bubbly and made one night very pleasurable. Otherwise, it was not uncommon to wait for food for 40-45 minutes.

Staff: 90% of the staff was not friendly or inviting. They operate in the "let me just do my job" mode which is a stark contrast to what I experienced on both other cruise lines that I have used. While they diligently went about their work, very few even smiled except when trying to "sell" something. The greeters at the restaurants as well as the guest services staff were almost curt in their demeanor which was quite off-putting. Read more