I am an experienced cruiser having sailed on many lines from budget to luxury. I've usually found NCL to be a good mainstream choice. No dress codes, flexible and numerous dining options, and good entertainment. And, usually, friendly service.

Most of that remains true. But this cruise was sterile. No warmth from the crew. Everything felt like it was robotic. The smiles you did get were forced. Everyone from the captain to the cruise director seemed to be reading from a script. Bored and burned out would be my general assessment.

The burned out aspect could be because there seems to be far fewer staff doing the work. Lines at bars were several deep (for $11 drinks) and trying to get service was frustrating and time consuming. From an entertainment perspective, the shows were high energy and enjoyable. But there is a void of activities during the day. What is available is usually held in the tiny atrium and is either at a price or to get you to buy something. The days of pool games and ice carvings and deck activities are gone. I think this is partly due to the design of the breakaway class ships. The pool (the one) is small with little area for people to gather. There is another pool that is hidden under the water slides but it is claustrophobic and sees little use. Read more