When searching for a cruise, this one showed up in an email with a price that couldn't be passed up. The cruise experience, along with the visits to places we might not otherwise see, was a big positive. The accommodations, public spaces, entertainment, and excursions were all good. The tour operators contracted by Norwegian were excellent, with knowledgeable and friendly guides who offered insightful commentaries about their homes. We were sad when the two weeks ended, but have already booked another cruise with Norwegian.

The bad was a collection of minor incidents and annoyances that didn't ruin the trip but did make some experiences less than they could have been. The big issue was the service in the dining room. We ate dinner in the Grand Pacific dining room most nights (one night in the Alizar dining room was enough; too crowded and too noisy). The menu was OK, with a standard offering that didn't change (a steak, spaghetti, and a couple of other dishes). The changing menu offered some dishes that were interesting but others weren't anything that we couldn't get in one of the nicer restaurants at home. For the most part, all of the dishes were tasty, well-prepared, and a decent serving portion. However, the service was only adequate. Had we had that level of service in a regular restaurant, it would have been difficult to leave even a 10% tip. We were seated and given menus, someone asked us what we wanted to drink (usually water and/or iced tea), drinks were served and our order was taken. Once our food was served, there was little interaction with the waiters. If we were lucky, we had our drinks refilled but that was rare. Then our plates were cleared, we were given dessert menus, served desert, and that was pretty much it. There was no checking to see if the food was OK (one meal was too salty for my wife and when she commented to the waitress about it, there was no offer to make up for it). All in all, there was not much interaction with the wait staff.

It was disconcerting to not be allowed to bring bottled water onto the ship, only to find out that it was available for sale at exorbitant prices. Yes, one could get water from the drink dispensers, but there was also a sign (largely ignored) that said, "Please do not fill water bottles here." There were other instances where it felt like Norwegian was working hard to part guests from their money with little value given. Read more