Norway - April 28 '02

[Paul]

Looking forward to a week on this classic liner. Would welcome any helpful suggestions about enjoying this "classic" vessel. Hope to see some of Dorothy's friends on board as well. Say Hi...

Hi Guys! We've been on the Norway three times. Spring for a good cabin on the higher decks - promenade and above - the Fjord and Sun are our favorites. The cabins below the promenade are small, honeycombed, noisy, and too fasr away from everything. It is worth spending the extra.

[Tom]

The only helpful suggestion I can offer, based on our cruise on her last year, is perhaps to look for something else...

The single worst cruise of five we've taken. The ship is nothing like they advertise it - there's little to none of the glamour of the SS FRANCE, the food was about on a par with TGI Fridays, most of the passengers were pretty tacky, the crew is overworked and the ship is rundown. You'll recall that the Coast Guard pulled NORWAY's seaworthiness certificate last May because of NCL's failure to maintain her sprinkler system.

I do agree with 'Alan and Andy' - pay more for a bigger cabin: it's a nice place to hide from the endless announcements, "art" auctions, bingo/scratch card/casino special/t-shirt special/photo special hustles and one "special" night; homophobic entertainment where the lisping cruise director mc's the "wear your wife's lingerie" contest. It was utterly charming - I wanted to gag into my $6.95 weak-rum-drink-in-a-coconut.

Don't bother bringing your best outfits either - the effort is wasted on people whose idea of a great time is get...wasted. We saw an awful lot of chunks on the astroturf early in the morning before the crew had a chance to hose down the decks.

It's a shame: we booked it because we wanted to see the last great Atlantic liner. I'm sad to say there is very little of the original fittings left and it was clear to us NCL is milking the ship for every last penny before they scrap or sell her later this year. They were going to scrap or sell her last year, after her "farewell cruise" but, um, here she is again...

PS Unless you go with a group, the cruise director (on our cruise, a fairly obvious friend of Dorothy) wanted to do nothing for the five gay couples on board. No get together, no cocktails, no nada - unlike each and every other group and non-group cruise we've sailed - making me think other lines (in my case Cunard and Crystal) were interested in seeing me back on board and that NCL was not.

Do go and enjoy - you'll be on vacation. Just don't expect too much.

[Bruce]

It's funny how differently people react to the same ship. We went on the Norway Oct of 2000 and had a fabulous time. The ship was in excellent shape, the crew and staff friendly and helpful and there was a large gay contingent.
We are going again in April as we want to experience a real ocean liner again.
Just don't expect perfection and you'll have a great time. We have been on many cruises, both straight and gay, and none of them have been without some problems, as with any vacation.

[jon]

People either love or hate the Norway. I sailed on her a couple of years ago & was so disappointed. True there is little left of the "liner days" but the worst was bad plumbing(my the toilet in my cabin didn't work for 2 days) & after spending hours hunting down the hotel mgr I was moved to another cabin(this cruise was "sold out" as they said. The public rest room wer filthy & garbage stored on deck near the "Not so great outdoor restaurant". The smell from the garbage wafted down the indoor promenade all day & nite(it was may in the carib).

The dress for the cruise was jogging suits or jeans.

The food was awful & there isn't enough staff to handle the ship. Club International is nice & the forward dining room beautiful(but packed & noisy). The tendering is a problem so know you don't have much time in St Thomas or St Maarten after tendering is factored in.

I went as a single & met nice people - but I was happy to get off the ship after the cruise. I've nbeen on over 30 cruises& this was the worst. I see the fares are much less than what I paid - I can't imagine what its like now. Its too bad - I loved the FRANCE but she's gone!

My suggestion - if you want a cheap vacation go for it & don't expect much - otherwise book a transatlantic on QE2 or do a cruise on CElebrity with the specialty restaurants designed after the NORMANDIE, UNITED STATES & OLYMPIC oceanliners.