In general, on-board activities: Have you noticed a decrease
On our last NCL cruise in March this year (2009), I was told by one of the lecturers that NCL was reducing the number of onboard activities shortly after that cruise was completed (lectures, photography, dance lessons, trivia contests, etc.). Previously we had been told that NCL was increasing their offerings through the program called NCL University (NCLU) which was in turn, part of Freestyle 2.0. From our experience, the courses in NCLU were mainly geared toward drinking courses at the various bars along with some towel folding courses where you could buy a video to take home and make towel monkeys for your grandkids when they visit.
Not to sound too cynical but we were hoping for more informative course offerings especially on sea days. We have had some very interesting classes on our 12 cruises in the past.
As for my question: Have those of you who are familiar with NCL in the past seen an appreciable decrease in the number of class offerings on recent (past 6 months) cruises?
We will be on a Canada/New England cruise this fall and if the weather is not great for outdoor activities, we hope that the options for indoor activities will be favorable.
As always, I appreciate all comments from the large sea of knowledge out there.
I wish this wasn't the case but it seemed to us on our Spirit cruise last Dec there were less activities but also the ones they offered were not attended all that well. It could have been the passenger demographics I don't know. Maybe it was a group that enjoyed on board activites. Regardless I would like to see more, not less. Of course we stayed busy, but we still would have preferred a few more things. As for the lecture type of things, there were almost none. Again, it could have been the cruise itself.
Just pulling up a day or so I can't imagine anyone having touble staying busy, but just think about wine tasting and martini tasting being almost back to back, carry me back to my cabin PLEASE!!!
I have a feeling our situation had to do with those who were cruising and where we were cruising from.
Thanks for the feedback. I am hoping that our 10-day Canada/New England cruise will have the opportunity for some good classes/lectures. I do believe that this is one area that NCL should not skimp on. Having all of those options available is what makes for an interesting cruise and goes along with the Freestyle marketing scheme of being able to do what you want to do.
We have had some very interesting and well attended classes in the past. I do agree with Nita about the drinking back-tp-back. I don't know how some people do just one. I went to the Martini class just to watch one time. The participants had five (5) martini's within the time of one hour. I couldn't finish just one in an hour. I'll stick with the Coca-Cola.
Thanks for the feedback. I am hoping that our 10-day Canada/New England cruise will have the opportunity for some good classes/lectures. I do believe that this is one area that NCL should not skimp on. Having all of those options available is what makes for an interesting cruise and goes along with the Freestyle marketing scheme of being able to do what you want to do.
We have had some very interesting and well attended classes in the past. I do agree with Nita about the drinking back-tp-back. I don't know how some people do just one. I went to the Martini class just to watch one time. The participants had five (5) martini's within the time of one hour. I couldn't finish just one in an hour. I'll stick with the Coca-Cola.
Jim, apparently you can share the martini clinic. My daughter and I didn't know it at the time and both signed up. You are right, one or two would be plenty. We did the clinic, had a great time, found out how quickly strangers can become your best friends after 2 or 3 and how easy it is to sleep through your dinner reservations.
Nita,
I did not know that you could share the "clinics" either. In the one that I watched, I don't recall anyone sharing. It is a good idea. One of the other classes that I noticed was a Tequila-tasting class in the Mexican restaurant. I gave up drinking this particular drink many years ago and have not had a taste of it since. It is hard for me to imagine that the different brands can taste much different than the others. I guess after you have had the first one, they all taste the same.
Nita,
I did not know that you could share the "clinics" either. In the one that I watched, I don't recall anyone sharing. It is a good idea. One of the other classes that I noticed was a Tequila-tasting class in the Mexican restaurant. I gave up drinking this particular drink many years ago and have not had a taste of it since. It is hard for me to imagine that the different brands can taste much different than the others. I guess after you have had the first one, they all taste the same.
and to the Tequila drinkers out there: good for you, like Jim, I gave them up many years ago..Now, as for the Martini clinic, 2 years ago they allowed sharing and I have read since, they still do, but we haven't experienced this ourselves. has anyone tried it in the past year?
Nita,
I did not know that you could share the "clinics" either. In the one that I watched, I don't recall anyone sharing. It is a good idea. One of the other classes that I noticed was a Tequila-tasting class in the Mexican restaurant. I gave up drinking this particular drink many years ago and have not had a taste of it since. It is hard for me to imagine that the different brands can taste much different than the others. I guess after you have had the first one, they all taste the same.
and to the Tequila drinkers out there: good for you, like Jim, I gave them up many years ago..Now, as for the Martini clinic, 2 years ago they allowed sharing and I have read since, they still do, but we haven't experienced this ourselves. has anyone tried it in the past year?
Nita
People where sharing this past week on the Dawn and every one of the perhaps 20 martini clinics I have been to.
I am planning on going to my first martini tasting with my mom and sister next month on the Spirit. We thought it would be fun and heard a lot of good reviews. What is like? None of us are big drinkers, should we plan on sharing?
__________________
Norwegian Star May 2005 (Alaska)
Norwegian Wind September 2006 (Hawaii)
Norwegian Pearl October 2007 (Caribbean, back to back cruises)
Norwegian Dream October 2008 (Bermuda)
Norwegian Spirit September 2009 (Bermuda)
Caribbean Princess May 2010 (Caribbean)
Recently returned on the Majesty from Phila. to Canadian Provinces. You heard correctly. Activities you mentioned were non-existant. Only ones given were money-making. I thougt it was only true of this particular ship.Take some reading materials and personally bone-up on the ports . You will not be enriched if this is their new policy.
I just hope that what I and others experienced was an exception and not a trend.What you had on your cruise ,I also had on my former NCL cruises.I shall see soon, since we are sailing on the Gem in Nov.
Recently returned on the Majesty from Phila. to Canadian Provinces. You heard correctly. Activities you mentioned were non-existant. Only ones given were money-making. I thougt it was only true of this particular ship.Take some reading materials and personally bone-up on the ports . You will not be enriched if this is their new policy.
Are you saying there were no card (Bridge) games offered, no trivia, no make believe TV game shows, no mystery theatre?
I do agree some of the activities have been cut back on, mainly do to lack of attendance, but absolutely none, wow, that is a surprise!!!
Those activities were offered, but I was mainly refering to the day when the ship was at sea.I am not sure about bridge, but the others were after 5pm. No dance classes, no arts and crafts,no enrichment,unlike other NCL ships.
Connect with Facebook
In general, on-board activities: Have you noticed a decrease
Linear Mode
