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Norwegian Cruise Line

MS Norwegian Sea

Your Rating:
Reviewed by:Cal E.
# previous cruises: 4
Date of Trip: July 15, 2001
Itinerary: Canada/New England

We booked this cruise late (2 months before the sailing date). We couldn't pass up the great rate (less than $600 pp for the week, including insurance) and the terrific itinerary (Halifax, Bar Harbor, Boston, Martha's Vineyard, and Newport).

Overall, the cruise was a good value for the money. However, we don't think we would sail with NCL again because we did not find it to be outstanding in terms of service and we did not enjoy free style dining.

Although the ship was sold out, the public areas were quite comfortable. The ship was built in the 80s and it is worn. There were some areas that needed a good cleaning (i.e., handrails on the pool deck).

I never had a problem getting a lounge chair. There was also table seating pool side, which was especially nice when we chose to eat at the pool side BBQ (for lunch) or the Big Apple Cafe.

There are 2 pools and a hot tub on this ship. The pools were often filled with children. However, since it was quite cool in New England, I had no desire to go into the pool.

The casino seemed to offer a wide variety of gambling opportunities. I played Blackjack a couple of times, but had no luck. Fortunately, the minimum bet was only $5 so I didn't lose too much money.

The Norwegian Sea has free style dining. This type of dining definitely has its pros and cons. Overall, we like traditional dining better. I believe the service is better and I enjoy having table mates for dinner.

The food in the dining room was generally pretty good. There were enough choices to satisfy every palate. I found the beef entries to be quite good, but was disappointed with the lobster (thermidor - a bit overcooked, small portion). We only ate in the Seven Seas dining room and at the Big Apple Cafe (buffet). I didn't care for the food at the Big Apple Cafe.

The dining room service varied, although it was generally good. We only had one meal where the service was poor. If you find a server you are pleased with, I advise you to make a reservation in his/her section for future meals.

Our room steward was very efficient. We didn't make any requests of him, but I am sure he would have complied.

The cabins aboard this ship are VERY small, but functional. There is plenty of storage. The shower is quite small. My husband is 6'2" and just had enough headroom.

The bathrooms were well stocked. Shampoo, shower gel, moisturizer, shower caps, facial soap and deodorant soap were provided. There is also a hair dryer, but I chose to use my own.

We found the entertainment to be better than average. There were 2 comedians, 1 magician (very funny), and a singer, as well as a performance group (Las Vegas type shows/revues). Get to the shows early so you can get a good seat.

We did not book any excursions with the cruise line. It has been our experience that you can do them cheaper on your own.

Halifax - we got a map and covered most of the city by foot. There are some big hills, so this is not for everyone. If you are interested in the military, try to get to the Citadel at 11. You can get a guided tour and see the noon firing followed by a bagpipes and drum concert. We weren't overly impressed with the Maritime Museum. We didn't go to Peggy's Cove, but some passengers told us it was disappointing. If you want to have a guided tour, there is a gray line trolley available. It is located near the Maritime Museum. They have a variety of tours and the prices seemed pretty reasonable. You can visit their website for more information: http://www.atlantictours.com/

Bar Harbor: We found this to be the best port. The ship anchors here. Try to get your tender ticket early so you can make the most of your time here. The daily newspaper said tender tickets weren't available until noon, but the staff started giving them out at 11. Again we arranged for our own tour. We found a bus tour at the Chamber of Commerce building which is right near the tender. We used Oli's Trolley. http://www.acadiaislandtours.com/ The tour guide was excellent. We took the 2.5 hr tour. Cadillac Mountain is a must see.

Boston: We had been here before, so we just took the trolley throughout the city. This is a good way to see the major sites and learn about the city's history. On a previous visit, we took a duck tour, which is great fun.

Martha's Vineyard: We arranged for our own tour. It was ok, but, in my opinion, there isn't all that much to see. You might be better off spending the day at the beach. We did get to Gay Head Cliffs which is a very pretty sight.

Newport: We didn't do much here. There is a lot of shopping available. You can also tour some of the mansions and see the church where JFK and Jackie were married.

My husband and I are in our early 30s. We don't have children. There were a lot of families with young children on the ship, as well as older couples. There was also a large group from WA on the trip.