Norwegian's various activity choices and freestyle dining make it an easy pick for us. We are just under platinum members and this was roughly our 8th cruise on NCL. We have been on other cruise lines, but prefer this one the best because we don't like kids (on vacation) and we love food.

We can do whatever we want, whenever we want. We tend to be kind of anti-social so for us to NOT to be forced to have to sit with strangers and make fake small talk is a plus. We also like to take naps and do things on a whim, so the fact that we can go and eat wherever we want or change reservations or just show up... makes all the difference. The food in the various restaurants are definitely a draw, as I've been on all major cruise lines before, and they have the best quality food that is available around my schedule. We got the drink package and the food package (it's our go-to choices when they have the freestyle offers) and were very happy with both and worth the cost for taxes and tips. We love the options of the specialty restaurants because every night feels like date night, and even though the food in the regular places is really good, these feel just a little bit more special. We are a bit cheap when it comes to drinking, so the drink package makes us feel like we are splurging. The variety of bars and the different drinks were fun to try, again without having to feel like we were spending a lot of money or having to feel guilty for paying money for a drink we didn't like.

I was a little upset with the small amounts of food in the appetizer section of one the pay restaurants. At the french place, I got three small scallops on a plate... which were more of an amuse bouche more than an appetizer and almost looked comical because it was just so small and sad looking, even though it was delicious. Although, in the end, there was more than enough food to satiate any appetite, it still felt like I was getting a tiny amount when I (technically) paid more for it. Plus, the choice of only two appetizers feels limited (with the meal plan you can choose two apps, a main, and a dessert). Again, its more than enough food, but I like options and sometimes get overwhelmed. I would have been perfectly happy with 3 scallops if I could have tried other things (like the soups are amazing and worth every penny at the French restaurant but...so are the other apps). The only other upsetting 'food' thing is that it's a Pepsi ship (bleh!) and the coffee is never consistent. Technically not a big deal, other ships that feature coke products and better coffee are becoming more alluring. Read more