Posts Tagged ‘NCL’

Where’s the Beef? It’s On Eight Norwegian Cruise Line Ships.

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

Churascaria NCLNorwegian Cruise Line is enhancing dining options for guests by introducing its signature Brazilian-style steakhouse on board additional ships in its fleet.

Moderno Churrascaria first debuted on board the line’s newest ship, Norwegian Epic, and was the first dining concept of its kind at sea. Because of positive guest feedback and popular demand, Norwegian is now offering this unique dining experience on eight Freestyle Cruising ships. The company is also introducing the ability for guests to pre-book dining reservations for specialty restaurants fleet-wide.

Moderno Churrascaria offers guests a whole new experience in dining at sea. This Brazilian “Churrascaria” or steakhouse, boasts a delicious salad bar filled with appetizers, gourmet vegetables, soups, salads and more. The experience is not only delicious, it is also interactive.

As guests dine on a feast of salad bar selections, they are greeted by passadors who serve generous amounts of various beef, lamb, pork, chicken and Brazilian sausage tableside. For a cover charge of $20 per person, guests can enjoy a salad bar, filled with an array of gourmet options, as well as an unlimited amount of the mouth-watering meats.

Moderno Churrascaria is currently available on board Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Pearl. Norwegian Gem will be outfitted with this unique restaurant in late February, followed by Norwegian Jewel in March and Norwegian Star in April of 2012.

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Posted in Cruise News, cruise travel, cruises | 1 Comment »

Vancouver: New Port Guide

Sunday, November 6th, 2011

Canada Place - Vancouver, BC, Canada With almost two-thirds of a million residents, Vancouver is the third largest city in Canada. It is also home to the largest port in western Canada, with two bustling cruise terminals: Ballentyne Cruise Terminal and Canada Place Cruise Terminal. Roundly considered one of the world’s most livable cities, Vancouver is truly one of the most naturally cosmopolitan cities you will ever visit. Influenced by Asian, Irish, Portuguese, Greek, Indian and more recently Latin American immigrants, Vancouver is defined by this magnificent cultural quilt.

Vancouver’s undeniable natural beauty make it a very desirable tourist destination, but it is also one of the most prominent embarkation ports for Alaska cruises for all major cruise lines. Only 3 hours away from Seattle and with a major airport serving international flights, Vancouver is a wonderful place to begin and end your cruise vacation. As one of the only cruise ports that you can snow ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon, Vancouver can offer very diverse experiences. So whether you hop-on a tour bus or take the SkyTrain to all parts of the city, you won’t run out of things to do.

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Posted in Alaska, cruises, Port Guide | No Comments »

NCL to Offer Nickelodeon Programming Year ‘Round on Norwegian Gem

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

Norwegian Cruise Line will add year ’round Nickelodeon programming to a third ship with Norwegian Gem joining Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Epic in February 2012.

Nickelodeon on NCL!

“Families are flocking to these ships for the unique experience available to them through Nickelodeon,” NCL’s CEO Kevin Sheehan said.  “Based on this success, we wanted to give more families the opportunity to experience sailing with their favorite Nickelodeon characters, so we are pleased to roll out this programming on Norwegian Gem.”

Each Norwegian Gem cruise will feature a Nickelodeon-themed show in the main theater; Nick Live!, where families can participate in interactive games and activities poolside; Breakfast with the Characters, where Sponge Bob Square Pants, Dora the Explorer and other Nick favorites join families in the main dining room for breakfast; and other fun, family-oriented activities.

Nick LIVE - Get Slimed on NCL!

“Nickelodeon’s entertainment programs on Norwegian have resonated with families around the world,” said Pam Kaufman, chief marketing officer, Nickelodeon Networks Group.  “We look forward to expanding the program and offering even more kids and families the opportunity to experience Nickelodeon alongside all the wonderful amenities on Norwegian’s amazing cruise ships.”

The addition of Nickelodeon programming on Norwegian Gem is the latest salvo in the family cruise wars, as lines vie for an even bigger piece of the lucrative family cruise pie. In direct competition with Nick on NCL, Royal Caribbean offers The Dreamworks Experience, featuring Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and other favorites on a growing number of ships, and long-time family cruise leader Disney Cruise Line continues to present formidable competition with the new offerings aboard the Disney Dream and the upcoming Disney Fantasy.

Sailing from New York, Norwegian Gem offers 7 night Bahamas and Florida cruises. The Nickelodeon-themed programming will be offered on each sailing beginning with the February 19, 2012 departure.

Meet on Cruise Members: Have you sailed with Nick on NCL or one of the family cruise programs on another cruise line? Tell us about your experience in the comment section below!

For even more Travel News & Views, check out Simon’s Blog at SimonTravels.net or follow Simon on Twitter @SimonTravels.

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NCL Announces New Ship Names

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
NCL Breakaway Cruise Ship

NCL Breakaway

If you’re a fan of Norwegian Cruise Lines, get ready to sail on the Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway.

Chosen from over 230,000 entries to the line’s ship naming contest co-sponsored with USAToday, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway will enter NCL’s Freestyle Cruising fleet in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Two lucky cruisers, Kimberly Powell of Lafayette, Louisiana and Dennis Hultman of Vienna, Virginia who were first to submit the winning names, will each receive a prize pack that includes a trip for two to the Norwegian Breakaway inaugural in April, 2013.

Until Tuesday’s name announcement, NCL referred to the pair of 143,5oo ton ships using the code name Project Breakaway. Each of the 4,000 passenger ships will offer a wide range of staterooms, including the popular Studios for solo travelers that first debuted on Norwegian Epic and The Haven, NCL’s private suite complex dedicated to luxury cruisers.

For even more Travel News & Views, check out Simon’s Blog at SimonTravels.net or follow Simon on Twitter @SimonTravels.

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Posted in cruise industry, Cruise News, cruise travel | 1 Comment »

Tour of Norwegian Epic

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

The Norwegian Epic is the biggest, newest and most extravagant ship in the NCL fleet – and we were fortunate enough to get a tour. We were invited on this tour as Twitter friends/followers of @NCLfreestyle. I and a few others were a part of this Twitter meet up – a Tweetup, if you will. I’d like to thank @NCLfreestyle for the this Twour of the TwEpic (OK, I’ll stop now.)

With a passenger capacity north of 4,000 and crew of over 1,600, the first thing you might expect me to say is “this ship is big” and it is, but strangely it does not feel that way. The flow from one room to the next, somehow, makes the ship feel more intimate than huge. Expert design and excellent space management has allowed Epic to accommodate many different types of travelers, from the Kids Zone, which features Playstation, Wii, movies, light-up dance floor…, to the adults only Posh Beach Club, which features no kids.

Epic also is able to accommodate families, as well as, the single traveler. The Studio Suites were about the size you would expect for a single occupancy cabin, but again, the design and space management made a small space comfortable. A nice bonus to the Studio Suites is the private lounge area, which each of the suites open up to. This allows those passengers a space to spread out a bit and also a sense of community as Studio Suite inhabitants.

There is no shortage of restaurant and entertainment choices on Epic either. There are eleven complimentary (included) restaurants and nine specialty (extra pay) restaurant options. Among the specialty restaurants are three new to NCL options: Moderno Churrascaria (a Brazilian style steakhouse), The Noodle Bar, and the Spiegel Tent (an entertainment dining experience featuring Cirque Dreams.) The entertainment options aren’t limited to dining, as the Blue Man Group (see video) headlines and will make the occasional plain clothes appearance at Fat Cats, the jazz club. There are also the comedians at Headliners, the comedy troupe The Second City, celebrity impersonators at Legends in Concert, and the dueling piano bar Howl at the Moon. If you are into making your own entertainment there are also over 15 bars and lounges, including the swanky nightclub Bliss and the Svedka Ice Bar, which is the only Ice Bar at sea today. The Ice Bar offers, dare I say, a cool experience. At 17 °F and chairs fashioned out of ice blocks, at the very least it is a different experience and a must do.

All the entertainment, dining, and room options are wonderful, but I would be remiss if I did not mention my two favorite things about Epic, which taps into the kid and the adult in me: the water slides and the Fitness Center and Spa. I won’t embarrass myself by talking about how I wanted to go head first down each of the water slides, but I will tell you about the exercise room and Spa. I’ve donated (let’s face it if you pay membership dues to a gym and don’t go… it’s a donation) to more than one gym that would be envious of the Fitness Center aboard Epic. This fitness center boasts a long line of stationary bikes, treadmills, stair climbers, elliptical all facing the large floor to ceiling picture windows facing the ocean. The weight room is impressive also, but let’s gets to the spa already. The spa is huge with large in-floor hot tubs, heated tile loungers that face out the back of the ship and saunas that offer a fourth wall that doubles as a picture window to the sea – breathe taking! As a passenger on Epic, my only concern would be spending too much time in the spa.

The tour of NCL’s Epic was truly enjoyable and could only have been enhanced by forgetting to escort us off of the ship.

For a different perspective on the same tour check out the blog from my tour-mate Jewel and the blog by my tour-mate Susset

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Posted in cruise travel, cruises, Ship review, Social Media | 5 Comments »

Cruise Companion

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010

Seeking a cruise companion – SWF, early 50’s, active, can be independent or do some things together. No smokers or snorers please.

It can be hard to be a “single”, especially if you want to go on a cruise. Options are limited and be prepared to pay a premium. However, not all premiums are created equal. On most ships, if you want to go on a cruise as a single passenger, you can absolutely do that, but you have to pay for you and your imaginary friend as well. Is this because cruise lines charge extra for imagination? No, it’s because their ships were built for you to have a companion, whether you have one or not. The way the cruise lines see it, if the room was built for two, the cost of the room is for two.

Things have changed a bit for single occupancy passengers in the last year with the maiden voyages of Norwegian’s Epic and P&O’s Azura. These new ships where built keeping in mind those cruising without a cabin companion. Epic, for example, was built with 128 single studio staterooms, which share a lounge area. This lounge area was designed, I imagine, with the idea in mind that the single cruiser is traveling solo, but doesn’t necessarily want to be alone. This also goes to address one of the main reasons that ships are not traditionally built with the single cruiser in mind: the theory is that two will spend more than one. This seems obvious on the surface (thanks Mr. Smarty-pants, I can add too), but what they mean by this is that people that have a companion will spend more together than twice any single passenger.  Let’s face it, misery likes company, but so does fun.

If cruise ships are built for at least two people per stateroom, how do these new ships make peace with their accountants, if they are not maximizing profits with these single cabins? One way is by – yes, charging a premium, but again not all premiums are made equal. The Epic’s studio staterooms are about 80% the size of their regular staterooms. Because of this they can fit five studios where only four regular staterooms fit before. So if they charge approximately 20% more for a studio, than one of two passengers would pay in a regular stateroom, they are able to break even. This kind of out-of-the-box thinking is what has allowed these two cruise lines to meet the need of the single passenger without the deterrent of paying double just because they are a “single”.

It takes courage and an adventurous spirit to go on a cruise by yourself. Most people are built to stay within their comfort zone, which includes vacationing with someone they know. So I think it is safe to say, going on a cruise alone is not for everybody. However, with the new offerings from Azura and Epic, cruising solo is easier to swallow because it removes the one thing that most people don’t want - to share a cabin with a stranger.  Thankfully, for these solo passengers, Azura and Epic are giving travelers options. Now SWF can seek a cruise companion to share a drink, a meal, a conversation, an excursion, or anything else without having to share a room.

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Is Your Vacation Dollar Safe?

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

Many residents, industries and planned vacations (not to mention oil soaked wildlife that is lucky if it gets a dish soap bath) lie in the wake of the Gulf Oil Spill disaster. The way that the tourism industry has reacted to the spill runs the gambit: from closing their eyes, with a nothing to see here attitude, to getting out in front and showing webcam evidence that there is nothing to see here… yet. Some hotels in Florida have not only uploaded live feeds to show their beaches tar-ball free, but have even adjusted their cancellation policy to accommodate worried prospective guests.  Ability to adapt to circumstances is what separates surviving industries and businesses from those that experience death by emaciation. So what has the cruise industry done to show its flexibility to meet and alleviate its customer’s fears… remember above when I mentioned industries closing their eyes?

While my frustration festers with this oil spill and the cruise lines inaction, I decided to investigate accommodations of cancellation fees for cruises, like the ones made by the aforementioned hotels. What I found is that not only were there no accommodations being made, but cancellation policies, across the board, border on unfair. (I also discovered that finding information on cruise websites is not easy, but that is a discussion for a different blog post.)

If you were to book an inside cabin on a 7 day Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard Norwegian Epic in mid September your cruise fare would be $679 and your deposit amount would be $250 (37% or total fare, in this case) per person. You might ask: “Why are you mentioning the deposit fee?” Well, because according to NCL’s Cancellation Policy: “Cancellation fees will begin immediately once money has been applied to the reservation.” This policy also states that if you cancel 75-30 days before your cruise, your cancellation fee is your deposit.  Ouch!

Now I don’t mean to pick on NCL because Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has the same policy and Carnival is only $50 less, but the point is the same: In a time when there is uncertainty and perceived inconveniences for cruise passengers, either effectively communicate that the ports of call and shipping lanes are unaffected or relax the cancellation policy in a show of good faith.

The truth is, however, the cruise lines, such as the above mentioned, as well as, Princess, Disney, Costa… will not change their policy. Instead they will continue to advise their customers to purchase travel insurance to cover the costs of any cancellation that comes about because of unforeseen circumstances. While I echo this advice, I will add that it is important for anyone purchasing a cruise to know their cruise line of choice’s cancellation policy and know their travel insurance options before they purchase.

Cruising continues to be one of the best value propositions available as a vacation option. The variety of things to do, see, eat and drink on a cruise is relatively unmatched for your vacation dollar, but it is still your dollar. Protecting your investment with vacation insurance is a good step, but the best step you can take is getting informed.

Here at MeetOnCruise.com, we are trying to help by offering not just a forum with a long semi-comprehensible thread, but a community of travel experts, cruise enthusiast and future ship mates that you can interact with and hopefully answer questions you might have. We’ve recently added a Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) section to each cruise line (including the above mentioned, as well as, P&O, Holland America, MSC, Celebrity and more to come) in the Cruise Guide section of the website. This FAQ section will hopefully begin and add to the conversation in this community and help you, the cruiser become better informed. Let us know what you think about this new section and if there are some other questions you feel should be a part of the FAQs. Let us know and we will research the answer and consider for inclusion in this section.

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Epic Overshadowed by King James

Friday, July 9th, 2010

In a week when Norwegian Cruise Line brought home to Miami their newest, biggest, most innovative, most ballyhooed ship in their fleet, Norwegian Epic, they were upstaged a day later by an acquisition made by Carnival CEO, Micky Arison. This acquisition though does not float, except in slow motion, but stole headlines none the less. LeBron James is now a member of the Miami Heat. You think the people of Cleveland are upset? What about the good folks at NCL? All the drama leading up to their new baby’s arrival and it doesn’t even get the front page. The anticipation of a basketball player making a decision took those headlines and the actual decision will not share the headlines anytime soon in Miami.

In an entrance that was not as traffic stopping as Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, Epic created its share on Macarthur Causeway, the road/bridge that connects Downtown Miami and South Beach, and runs parallel to the Port of Miami. As Epic made its turn in the port to get into proper docking position, it, for a  few brief minutes, blocked out of view the American Airlines Arena, where the Miami Heat play. Looking back on it, it was an unfortunate visual metaphor for NCL’s plans of grabbing headlines with a triumphant entrance.

Don’t misunderstand, Epic, Miami is very happy that you are here. You bring the Magic City 4,100 passengers and 1,700 crew members weekly to stay in her hotels, eat in her restaurants and shop in her stores. You are big, you are exciting and you are beautiful (well at least on the inside). I was there to watch you come in to port and you definitely created a buzz among those lucky enough to watch you dock. So, NCL, don’t feel sorry for yourself and don’t get an inferiority complex. Yes, Mr. Arison has stolen your thunder, but look on the bright side… at least you’re not Cleveland.

I’ve posted posted some pictures of Norwegian Epic coming into port. Unfortunately, I learned that if you forget the battery for your camera, it won’t take pictures at all. Luckily Blackberry had the foresight to add a camera to their phones. Enjoy.

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Cruise Chiefs to Agents: Always Be Closing!

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

In a discussion that ranged from jovial to adversarial, the executives of the largest Cruise Lines had a simple message to travel agents:  “Close more sales!“.  At Travel Weekly‘s Cruise World and Home Based Agent conference, each of the Cruise Line chiefs gave their views on the industry, it’s future and took questions from travel agents.  Interestingly, no one from Carnival Cruise Line was on the panel (reason cited was a meeting conflict).  We’re not into conspiracy theories, but it is odd.

First, the jovial part of the discussion.  The industry has recovered nicely from the recession.  Pricing, profitability and number of passengers are all going up.  Royal Caribbean‘s Adam Goldstein summed it up nicely, “vacations are still very important to people.  People want their time off.”.

All of the executives were optimistic about future growth, citing Europe as “a serious cruise market”, and Asia, the Middle East and South America as fast growing emerging markets.  NCL‘s Kevin Sheehan, a former economist, pointed out that 14-18% growth in any industry is “phenomenal”.

Regarding new ships, don’t expect more Oasis and Epic size ships.  Also don’t expect smaller than 1200 passenger size ships.  Sheehan cited the Carnival Dream as a nice size ship that will be more of the model for future ships.  MSC Cruises‘ Richard Sasso pointed out while not many new ships are expected in the near future, expect about 26 new ships after 2013.  Ever the salesman, Sasso reminded agents that 80% of folks in the US have not tried cruising…and “its up to the agent to close the sale”.

Next the discussion turned adversarial when the topic of commissions was brought up.  “NCF:  What is it and why do I not get paid commission on it?” asked an audience member.  NCF is the portion of the total cruise fare that is not commissionable to travel agents.  Reluctantly, Sasso took on the question, sort of…”This industry has paid the highest commissions…we’ve invested a lot of money in products, training.”  He cited that some costs are beyond Cruise Line’s control and reminded agents that “we’re your best partner” and they should focus on selling more cruises.  Travel Weekly has a nice video of this dialogue here.

Overall, the meeting was upbeat and most agents seemed to buy the Cruise execs’ message.  Then the conversation was diverted to an industry that is used to being the punching bag, the airline industry, and the execs did not pull any punches.  Addressing a concern about cruise lines going the way of airlines, the execs agreed that there is no chance the cruise experience becomes a commodity like the airline experience. “Ships are way bigger, better from 30 years ago.  If you take someone who has never cruised and take them on a ship, their jaw drops.  We have a long way to go before becoming a commodity.” said Sasso.

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Posted in cruise industry, cruise travel | 4 Comments »

The Best and Worst Cruise Airports in North America

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

JD Power just released the results of its 2010 North America Airport Satisfaction study.  There were some interesting insights in there:

  • Most travelers just want basic efficiency over the latest technology.  Getting through check-in and security quickly and finding a comfortable seat was more important than Wi-Fi access, television, etc.
  • The better the airport in terms of providing good basic services, the more money travelers spent at the airport
  • Overall smaller and medium sized airports did better than larger airports

BTW, how did Detroit become the best large airport?!  More to the point though, for those of us who consistently take cruises, a reliable and comfortable airport is hugely important to the overall cruise experience. Reliablity is tops mostly because if you can’t get to your cruise on time, well, you will not go on your cruise.  Also, for many cruise travelers the airport is the first part of the trip, setting the tone for the rest of the vacation.

So based on the results of the survey, here are the best and worst airports in cities with a cruise port:

Among the best:

Tampa (TPA)

Above average:

Baltimore Washington (BWI)

Jacksonville (JAX)

Palm Beach (PBI)

About average:

San Francisco (SFO)

Fort Lauderdale (FLL)

San Diego (SAN)

Seattle (SEA)

Vancouver (YVR)

Lower than average (aka: among the worst):

Miami (MIA)

NYC (JFK)

LA (LAX)

NYC (LGA)

Washington Dulles (IAD)

City governments and cruise lines need to pay attention to this.  My guess is we’ll start seeing cruises migrate from below average airport cities to better airports.  One recent example is Norwegian’s move to base the Norwegian Star in Tampa for the first time.

As new cruise passengers are increasingly coming from cities not close to a cruise port, airports have become more crucial for both cruise passengers and cruise lines.  Below average airports would be wise to start making changes, before cruise lines take their business elsewhere.  Are you listening MIA?

Faraz

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