Will more BIG CUTS RUIN your cruise with Norwegian (NCL)?

Norwegian Cruise Line has just made some more BIG cuts that will impact cruises across the fleet. Have they gone too far and how will this affect your cruise experience? I'll run down everything that you need to know to help you decide what this means for your next cruise.
🎬 Watch next: How I AVOID Embarkation Day Lineups for my NCL Cruises
• How I AVOID Embarkatio...
🔔 Subscribe for more tips just like this: kzbin.info...
LINKS & RESOURCES
===============================
BIG PRICE and SERVICE CHANGES Coming to NCL Cruises in 2023
• BIG PRICE and SERVICE ...
Source clips: (fair use)
• Norwegian Viva I Beetl...
• EMBARK with NCL: The E...
SOCIAL
===============================
📸 - Instagram / cruisewithgrant
☕ - Buy me a coffee www.buymeacoffee.com/cruisewi...
#NCL #Norwegiancruiseline #cruise #cruiseship #Cruisenorwegian

[@CruisewithGrant]

🎬 Watch next: How I AVOID Embarkation Day Lineups for my NCL Cruises kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZStY4GNd7mdhKc

[@ecas13]

Get the drink package, then instead of asking for cream for your coffee, ask for a shot of Baileys and a shot of Jameson. Irish coffee, nice and creamy. Excellent way to finish your dinner 😅

[@marystrawberry972]

Wow! Individually all these changes don't seem like much, but all together it's kind of a bombshell!

[@willynorris1739]

Thx for the update. It feels a bit like death by a thousand cuts right now….

[@chriscoward8305]

This will make us look to other cruise lines. Thanks for the update Grant

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Chris 👋 Thanks for the comment. Sure hope that NCL is listening, there are lots of folks who are feeling the same about many of these changes. Hope that you're having a great day!

[@ohdiverdoc]

Here's a wild and crazy thought; maybe a company shouldn't pay a CEO many millions when they are losing billions. The Board was irresponsible to investors and loyal customers by wasting millions on Del Rio's mediocre leadership when the line was shut down and then trying to recover. Real leadership would have meant taking little or no salary in these difficult times. Plenty of responsible business people sacrificed for their businesses. I'm betting he could have survived on savings, investments and selling some stock.

[@keeperzero]

I'm not surprised by this at all on my last cruise with NCL all the salad dressing was watered down I mean come on NCL give me a break

[@andrescordova87.]

People just have to fill an insulated tumbler with cream when they are at the buffet and keep it at the fridge and take it to the restaurant with them, and replenish the tumbler to prevent the cream to go bad.

[@killerb5726]

First time on NCL this weekend coming up. I usually cruise Carnival so I’m still presuming this is still a step up. Having not had these things before, I guess I can’t miss what I’ve never had. Your videos overall have been very helpful as I like to be as prepared as possible when going on trips. Thank you!

[@CK-cz6ml]

Let me know what you think. I enjoyed Royal Caribbean but looking at NCL.

[@killerb5726]

@@CK-cz6ml Will do

[@DonnaH123]

I hope you have a wonderful time on your NCL cruise!! It has been our choice cruise line for a while. We noticed something was off on our cruise in November of 2022. When we cruised again in April of this year, we said we felt like we were on a (sorry) Carnival cruise. Our next 2 cruises we have booked are not on NCL which I'm sad to say. We hoped it was just a one-time, not-so-great trip, but it sounds like NCL has dropped the ball.

[@vickiavery2732]

I’m going on my first NCL in November. Like you said I won’t know what I will be missing. We’re going on the Bliss. We are big Carnival cruisers.

[@smithysmith3854]

I have enough salmon on land was happy try the other seafoods on the gem in June

[@lauranglover521]

This definitely makes me pause before booking them again!

[@orangetreevillaman]

Grant thanks for your input once again. It does seem like these cuts are going to damage NCL in the long term - dont they realise that The Food and the entertainment is why a lot of people book with them ( enough said as all the comments that have been added reflect this)

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi orangetreevillaman 👋 You're most welcome, want to share so there are no surprises. My fingers are crossed that calmer heads will prevail and some of these more extreme changes will get backtracked. Hope that you're enjoy the day! Be well!

[@CruiseLife22]

We will book Norwegian Prima, these cutbacks are minor tweaks in the grand scheme of things.

[@rosieerickson7080]

Honestly, the most upsetting of all is not being able to have cream with my coffee in the dining venues. Coffeemate is just awful. I will probably take a small container with me and go to the buffetto get cream before I go to the dining room.

[@allan-ye5ty]

I am not a big coffee drinker but I also do not understand why they would replace cream with Coffee-Mate. Do they not know that cream comes in little containers as well if they are worried about waste

[@jeffreylevin9616]

Yes. These things effect my perception of NCL. Going on my first cruise ever on The Escape July 23. Already second guessing my choice. If Princess has newer ships in the Spring or Summer I might have chosen them. NCL seems to be really sneaky. Wonder why how you became the NCL Expert.

[@firecracker3911]

100% agree with you. The entertainment was subpar. Not sure we will go back.

[@colehamtap]

I still miss Blue Man Group and Legends in Concert on the Epic... Losing Priscilla too is too much!

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Luke 👋 I agree with you, Priscilla was one of my favourites. I'm certainly listening to the soundtrack during my walks; but I hope that they also find an equally beloved show to add back to their lineup.

[@rickarnold2336]

As a sapphire-level cruiser, I have done a lot of NCL cruises. I cruise other lines as well but most of my cruises have been on NCL. We are booked on a 21 day cruise this fall. I was really looking forward to Kinky Boots. I will be evaluating whether we want to continue cruising NCL based upon this cruise. We had a bad cruise on HAL and have not booked them since; hopefully, NCL won't also become a cruise line to avoid. Hopefully, NCL's balance sheets will look better and they can return to their old ways.

[@justusukomah9831]

Great video Grant, as always. I will say that it is concerning to hear about the Broadway shows. I feel like those are one of their main competitive advantages and while I know the shows are expensive to maintain it is a tough sell to talk about needing to cut costs when it is costing the customer more to go on the cruise despite the reduction in services. Hopefully, Ncl will announce something to soften these blows. I am not sure if I'll be canceling my trip in Feb, but I will be giving them a call to see if six will still be on the ship by my sail date as it is one of the main reasons I chose to do the bliss again.

[@reginacruz2900]

Wish I could cancel mine without losing 25% of what I paid!! I think we are getting ripped off with only one production for an 11-day cruise. When I booked, I thought there were three.

[@justusukomah9831]

@reginacruz2900 that sucks. It may be possible to switch to a different ship/Destination with a better selection (assuming your situation allows for that). Alternatively, I would call ncl and at least bring it to their attention that there were certain things advertised as part of the cruise when you purchased that are no longer available, it's not a perfect solution but in my experience when I calmly bring my concerns up the staff will try their best to be accommodating however they can

[@therealunclep]

Grant, maybe my detailed review can answer the question in the title of your video. I can pretty much answer that with a big YES. I watched a lot of your videos before my trip. My experience was not what you seem to have on your NCL cruises. For me it's one and done! Please allow me to add my feedback from my recent Mediterranean cruise from June 22-July 2. Maybe my comments can help someone thinking about booking this ship. It was just me. I booked an inside cabin and paid x2. My pros: Cabin steward, and other "working people", ports (I had 7 in 10 days). That's it for pros. My cabin steward was way too good for a ship like this. I told him that. Hopefully he looks for a better cruise line and ship to work on. My cons: The food in general was horrible. I live in Las Vegas. The cheapest buffet here in town would be better than the one on the ship. It was a joke. Food quality was nonexistent. I didn't expect much from a buffet but I couldn't believe how bad things tasted. The couldn't even make an omelette without burning it. Maybe if they were making it correctly in a pan instead of on a crepe iron it might have been better. Just the overall selection and especially the food quality was subpar. The dining room food wasn't much better. Very hit or miss. I would have the same thing on a different night and it would taste differently. I really enjoy eating in the dining room but never knew if what I ordered would be good or not. To be honest, I was embarassed for them. This was not the quality type of food you would find in the dining room on a cruise ship. Things would come out cold, salty and taste like they were prepared way before you ordered them. Most the the staff were really nice. But even the servers would tell me they would get complaints on things tasting too salty. What I also didn't appreciate is that they wouldn't even enforce their own dress code in the more formal of the two dining rooms. I was was told to take off my baseball hat in the less casual dining room but people could wear shorts and beach attire in the more formal. I had three nights of specialty dining. I did two in Le Bistro and one in Cagney's. Le Bistro was excellent. Some of the best escargot I have ever had. Two wonderful meals there. GREAT service all around. I had the same waiter two night. He would call me by name and seemed to really care about my dining experience. My interactions with the manager were also good. They treated me like a king. My night in Cagney's was not so good. My filet was perfect but my earlier courses were not so good. A crab cake with so much salt you could hardly eat it and lobster bisque soup that as another passenger put it, "tomato soup with a tiny piece of lobster." The service was just ok. That's my dining experience on the Epic. It really pissed me off that I constantly received voice mails marketing to me. Come on now. I'm on vacation and I can't avoid being spammed by the cruise ship I've paid to be on? There were a lot of things that were just marketing to get you to cruise again. So many places on the ship (events) just getting you to spend more money. The ship itself needs to be retired. Lots and lots of peeling paint all over the place, rust etc... The deck plans and overall layout of this ship is strange, but I knew that going in. It had the itinerary I wanted so I booked it. They changed one of my excursions and never even emailed me. I asked two different people at the excursion desk and both were totally rude. I heard about some other people who's excursions were completly cancelled and they were not informed until they got on the ship. My overall experience on this ship was not good. I would never sail on NCL again. Poor food quality, constant marketing for future cruises, art, jewelry and anything they could make more money on. Try fixing up your ship or retiring it. Do something. Try buying some decent/good quality food instead of the nasty stuff you are currently purchasing. Sorry for the long review, but if it can help anyone else, it was worth my time to write it.

[@elizabethhouse2910]

The huge cuts in the entertainment offerings is very upsetting. I'm glad I got to see the Burt Bacharach tribute show on the Star recently, but Velvet will be gone by the time I board the Jewel at the end of September. I just don't typically care for the magicians and comedians. I was drawn to NCL by the Broadway type shows, and I wish NCL had at least given us an idea of what shows they will be adding. Like you, I also love salmon, as a matter of fact it's really the only fish I like, so I'm sad that isn't on the menu any more. Thanks for your updates on all things NCL.

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Elizabeth 👋 I agree on all accounts. I've always really looked forward to the great shows on NCL, particularly the broadway musicals if I'm on a larger ship. The substitutes so far aren't very impressive, lots of lounge-type singers and on my last cruise a multi-instrumentalist; just not the same calibre. I really hope that they stay true to their promise of new and innovative entertainment, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. Hope that you're having a great day! Thanks for your support!

[@mphilde]

The royalties for the these shows have become really expensive. I am super disappointed that it is not continuing but I can also understand where they’re at especially in the lower seasons because it is not just wages for the performers, but also just to there producers to allow the show to occur

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Mphilde 👋 I agree that's probably the culprit here for many of the shows. I'm still secretly hoping that they're going to be able to find a roster of other musicals that may be a better balance in terms of cost for them. The musicals were certainly one of the big draws for me for NCL's larger ships. Thanks for your comment! I hope that you're having a super day!

[@sherickoos]

NOOOOO!!!! I was really hoping to see Six on my 2024 Bliss cruise. I am super sad. It is my first cruise and I feel like kind of robbed. . . I'm not going to lie. I keep questioning if I chose the right cruisline to go on my first cruise with.

[@lennysails7823]

I was NCL all the way. I am Saphire with them. The prices have gone up more than 3x before pandemic. They are out pricing themselves and other lines are getting us very LOYALncl guests to try them, Celebrity gives you so much more bang for your buck. The changes are too much and the prices to high. I love the staff and I feel at home with NCL but…I’m staring to love another cruise line as well. They need to reevaluate.

[@dancooper41]

Time to start sailing with other lines. Virgin Voyages keeps adding more features, not taking them away.

[@annholstrom539]

Hi Grant. Thank you for the updates. I have my fingers crossed that the Broadway productions being cut are just a matter of contracts expiring. I am definitely loyal to NCL but the continued cutbacks may have me shopping elsewhere. I enjoy their fleet, free at sea promos and like the food for the most part. We were on the Prima in late April and we too were very disappointed with the lack of cream for our coffees. We had splurged on the Premium + beverage package so we ended up ordering the Starbucks Cafe Latte at no additional charge. Saved us. Lol

[@SoloonaCruise]

I think NCL is making the wrong chooses with scrapping even more big entertainment/ musicals. The luxury part is not there they are a 'resort' line in my opinion.

[@marystrawberry972]

I agree, the shows are the #1 draw to the different ships for me. If there aren't great shows, then I'm not excited to go.

[@JMyers-lg7eq]

I just took an NCL cruise last week and asked this question. I was told that the contracts for those show where not renewed but they are in production of 6 new show currently tessti g at their center in Florida. Hopefully, they are out by ,y next cruise.

[@marvinmoss2216]

Recently sailed on the Breakaway. It was one of the most disappointing cruises we have ever taken. Crew was overworked and seemed completely overwhelmed. Great crew, but obvious that moral was low.

[@ilenehorowitz3060]

We were recently on the Sky. Yes salmon was always a default choice. The default fish was breaded flounder. Not too good

[@kathleenklutch7203]

My husband is Diamond and I'm platinum,have only sailed NCL.I have started looking at other options because of the shows .As far as cream for my coffee that is going to be a deal breaker.

[@glennwebster6344]

No cream for the coffee. Even McDonald’s gives you that. Also no salmon is a problem for me. Going on Viva in October, so I will have to see what I get there!

[@jeffreylevin9616]

Haven't seen any new content in a while. I subscribed a little while ago. So I take it your the NCL specialist like Matt from Royal Caribbean Blog is well you know. I just went three weeks ago on my first ever cruise on The Escape. No Six show, but I did enjoy Choir of Man. I watched some video by someone somewhere that was mentioning why they add this nominal fee when you get a beer by the Waves Bar at the pool. I didn't see this anywhere else. I think it's the tax for some reason. Did you ever notice this ? Was just wondering. Well keep up the good work.

[@mkatal8329]

No salmon seems like a really big deal, especially on an Alaska cruise.

[@TheMrduanesmith]

Hi Grant I just pulled the trigger on solo cruising! I’ll be cruising Escape 10/29/23-11/05 got an amazing deal on balcony stateroom with free at sea goodies! I’ll let you know how it goes. Love your channel! ❤

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Duane 👋 Hooray, you're doing it!! That's coming up soon, you must be getting excited! Sounds like you got a steal! Please do let me know how you enjoyed! Can't wait to hear!

[@vincentsantoiemma5501]

I deeply hate these cuts Norwegian is making and yes I will to another cruise line in the future. Damn shame, since I have been a Norwegian cruiser for over 20 years.

[@DB-zp9un]

Well, we're going on the Escape this winter, so HOPEFULLY the show will survive til then! Really want our first cruise to be a memorable one.

[@laural9450]

We just got off the Joy this past Sunday. Had an excellent time, for being our first NCL cruise. (Excellent cruise.. the Home Office itself left TONS to be desired! Both from getting the cruise set up, to boarding, which had dealings with the home office, to debarkation, which was a nightmare, for having to work with the home office via email, and their lack of interest in the situation at hand, to even not assisting me with their "broken" website!) Anyway I most wholeheartedly agree with you about the salmon. That was one of the things I was looking forward to. I am disabled, and live alone, so cooking it, is not something I can do. So I was most disappointed I was unable to find/have any. I did enjoy the meals I did have, except for the buffet, which served every hot entrée I tried, luke warm at best, so I gave that up quickly. A quick comment to the shows, in my opinion, Elements was WAY better than Footloose. Thanks for always being here with the NCL info, it helped us greatly in prep for our cruise!

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Laura 👋 Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm glad that you had a great time on the Joy, it's one of the ships I've still got to tick off my list haha! I can relate to some of your frustrations with the customer service being so different than on the ship. I've always felt very well taken care of onboard, but I had a terrible experience when my cruise was cancelled (because the Escape had an accident). I certainly hope that you share your feedback with NCL, as I think there's quite a bit of room for improvement. You're most welcome for the information, I certainly love to share what I know about this cruising thing that I love. Hope you're having an amazing day!

[@CollegeTom]

Hmm, the Entertainment cuts are hopefully temporary, it's not like they are destroying the stages. The salmon may just be a supply chain issue. The no half & half is just plain silly. They will come around, I hope. I was looking at a last minute cruise out of Miami next week, but I'll skip it. There's Tropical Storm in the area, I'm stil recovering from the last miserable NCL cruise. Maybe It's time for a train ride somewhere for me.... Love your videos. Thanks for them.

[@ricobhi]

As others have said, the shows are one of the big reasons for booking with NCL, so to hear of these cutbacks is really disappointing, especially when these ships are sailing with over 100% occupancy. In our case, we were fortunate to see both Kinky Boots (abbreviated version) and Choir of Man on the Encore to Alaska last October, and with that being on our first NCL cruise, I thought two shows on a ship was the standard! Little did I know that not only is that not the standard, but Choir of Man also is on Escape, which means that this year's October trip to New England and Canada will go show-less for us. The guys are fantastic in that show, but I don't feel that it's worth seeing twice. Sigh.

[@briangoodwin7503]

Was on the Encore in March 2023, which was the fifth cruise I've done with Norwegian. The cuts were very obvious, across the entire ship. It very much seemed like they went to EVERY department on the ship and said, "Cut your budget by 20%. We don't care how you do it." The big Broadway show was cancelled, stages were empty throughout the ship, service was slower with fewer workers, sub-par mentalist shows and recycled Cavern Club acts replaced main stage entertainment. Now, I'm willing to be somewhat forgiving for this, because I fully realize that NCL wasn't making money for nearly two years, and had to go into substantial debt to keep everything afloat (forgive the pun). But what I want to see, is some kind of reassurance that they intend to return to the quality they gave us pre-2020. The staff were still, for the most part, wonderful. But they were stretched thin. This announcement of further cuts to the entertainment on so many ships is causing me concern. I am planning on going on another cruise on the Getaway in August 2024. I'm hoping that I don't start seeing KZbin updating that its shows are the next to get the axe.

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Brian 👋 Thanks for sharing your experience on the Encore. I think someone else said it in the comments above, it feels a bit like death by a thousand paper cuts. I agree, the staff are incredible and working so hard to offer the best experience possible, but everywhere there seemed to be changes / substitutions. I know that is also happening across others lines e.g on Carnival where they are charging after 2 main courses in the dining from for example. I agree I'd really like some assurance that this is temporary and that there is a goal to return to the same high quality experience we've enjoyed for years.

[@rickarnold2336]

I am also on the Encore for my next NCL cruise. Thank you for your comment, I appreciate the information and the way it was said.

[@darrellamy166]

Yes we booked a cruise for next May on NCL might cancel thanks for the heads up.

[@Whybeajackass]

I’m jealous you’re able to cancel. We’re past the cut off and just had the excursions we booked cancelled even though we paid for them months ago. That combined with all the cuts has my family dreading our cruise.

[@jppt88]

Hoping for some news on show replacements soon. Sailing Breakaway in June.

[@pattilozano2783]

I was sooooo disappointed that we did not have salmon in the dining room on an ALASKAN cruise.

[@mike_maple]

Thanks Grant for the informative video. We're cruising with NCL for the first time on Epic this August , and I've been keeping an eye to see if they would replace Priscilla, which I really would have liked to see (Can't say Burn The Floor really interests me, though I'll give it a try). But as you explain, it seems that they are cutting back on these shows, a real shame. Though we picked NCL for the excellent solo cabin offering, and I'm mainly impressed with the dining options, the entertainment does seem rather limited. No salmon though, that's odd - you'd expect to see it on the always available list.

[@rickarnold2336]

Priscilla was a great show with great music-I think I've seen it 10 times or more. I generally skipped Burn the Floor after the first time as there is no theme/plot to it. My wife who is really into dancing also skipped after seeing it a few times.

[@camillaandersson5050]

Hi Grant. Thanks for a great video as always :) Traveled with Epic last year, and my favorite: salmon and bagel was no longer on the buffet. So that saving was already made then, at least on Epic. Salmon and bagle were only available at breakfast at Taste. In general, I thought the breakfast buffet was a general cut back, compared to how it was before. Especially regarding the choice of bread. Regarding the cleaning, once a day, it is nothing that bothers me at all. Is rarely in the cabin anyway. I think the entertainment is very sad that they reduce or completely remove some shows even, as it has been NCL's attraction. Unfortunately, I think it will lead to some people choosing other shipping companies in the long run. The other thing that seems to be something ongoing on NCL's ships right now is that they add extra tax to each drink, whether you have the drink package included or not. That's something that bothers me even more actually. I have already paid for the package and prepaid the drink and service fees, so getting additional fees all of a sudden is not so fun :( just need to budget for it I suppose

[@chrisbernier3889]

That only happens in a port that charges tax. No way your paying tax at sea

[@rebeccabowman7038]

I will be going on the escape in September. Wow that is a popular fish . Does seem like a odd choice. But maybe with food prices going up

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Rebecca 👋 thanks for your comment. I agree that Salmon seems like a strange choice not to be offered. I think you're right it's that they're looking to make substitutions to try to bring costs down... just seems peculiar as you can walk into most restaurants and get salmon. Here's hoping that it will be replaced with some other yummy items 🤞

[@rebeccabowman7038]

@@CruisewithGrant I will see how this trip goes. Maybe next cruise I will go back on princess. I like there dining room menu they always have great fish beef Wellington and lamb

[@Whybeajackass]

My experience with NCL over the past month has been horrible. Be aware that NCL will not work to make anything right if they mess up any portion of your reservation (including excursions which they will cancel on you at the last second). They rely on the small print and tell you “tough luck.” Terrible customer service. Never again.

[@smithysmith3854]

Were you on the Gem?

[@Whybeajackass]

@@smithysmith3854 No, the Sky.

[@KeithOutWest]

Considering the price of a cruise, you'd think they could give you real cream. And as you said, Grant, Coffee Mate is filled with garbage ingredients. SMH.

[@brentpayne4215]

I went on Norwegian sky

[@3820jack]

How much more is NCL going to cut? They have taken away many things this year and each one seems to cut deeper than they should have been cut!

[@davec2020]

First timer on Norwegian in a couple of weeks on the Gem doin a European cruise. I also have had more cruises on Carnival. I also have tried the upgrade advantage program but haven't heard if i won yet? Also have called weekly to see if i could purchase directly but have given a wide arrange of prices. Makes me wonder and now the entertainment is gone so might be my 1st cruise on Norwegian and maube last until they fix this drawback when the reason we booked was bc of this. Ill keep everyone posted and ty for your content

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Dave 👋 your cruise is coming up soon! I really like the jewel-class ships so I think you'll have a good time; it's a nice balance between the small and bigger ships. The upgrade advantage program may not let you know if you've been successful until a day or two before you board (although I always look on the NCL website to see if that category is sold out, in which case it's usually a sign that the upgrade may not go through). I'll have my fingers crossed for you! Any stops you're excited to visit on your cruise?

[@davec2020]

Yes Santorini Greece. Ty for reply

[@scottsaltman]

I am a bit confused by the way that cruises are cutting back right now especially since cruises are currently 110% capacity for all 3 of the big name brands. I have also seen promotions start to dry up which makes sense given that NCL and the others are operating at such high capacity. I would be curious to see over all, how much this is saving. Even Carnival has salmon available in the MDR every night as part of its offering.

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Scott 👋 Thanks for the comment. It certainly is a theme across all of the brands from what I'm reading. I totally understand needing to tackle the mountain of debt, but perhaps they should also then reconsider cranking out as many new ships? Something just doesn't quite add up here when some of the day to day things that keep people coming back around falling down. Here's hoping that the change to leadership also brings some sober second thoughts to the current approach. Be well, hope you're having a great day!

[@brianpettit8951]

I am cruising in a studio to Canada, eh? next April on the Breakaway and I won't let it ruin my cruise. It will be my first with NCL.

[@mikedesantis733]

yes went on bliss in aug. no smoked salmon at breakfast buffet. WORSE was serving cheap thin cut french fries with everytrhing

[@steveervin3354]

How about a video review or tour of each Norwegian ship?

[@chezellis]

Thank you for the info about what they've done with cream for coffee. I call it Coffee MateGate.

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi chezellis 👋 Your comment made me laugh, perhaps t-shirts that sat "Coffee Mate Gate" 😂😂😂

[@wkndgrltrp]

Kinda sad that I will be missing Footloose I booked my cruise for the end of '24 back in '22.

[@caseytcat888]

They need to have cream available anywhere coffee is served!!

[@marieb9081]

I noticed less creme brûlée, I only saw it in Cagney’s, and I had to pay additional charge if I wanted beef medallions. The coffee mate really irked me though! They wouldn’t give me cream, just milk. But I will check the buffet next time, hadn’t thought of that. I have 2 ncl cruises booked in 2024, but might cancel if they keep doing cutbacks like these.

[@lindatann3955]

The Breakaway will be our first time on a NCL ship. I have gone through many reviews and what I’ve read and just heard here is concerning. We sail out of NOLA mid December……hoping our experience will be a good one. (We have sailed on Carnival & Royal Caribbean before). Enjoy your reviews though. Thanks!

[@thewiltotravel]

I Fan a huge fan you yor content and NCL we're book on the Encore September 10 I pray it's not as bad as everyone is saying or I'm afraid we will being staying alway for awhile

[@effie-montreal]

We have a cruise coming up in Sept 2023 with Prima and we usually sail with NCL and Princess ............But we found out about small venues in NCL and 1 show the Donna Summer SAD therefore for next to ctuises we have booked Princess 1 to Japan and other greek islands both in 2024. When cruises cut things then they should know people have choices of other cruise lines

[@mildredayala-bryant8410]

They also stopped using celery salt for bloody marys

[@yellowsunshine3849]

I will be going on my third NCL March 2024. Not happy to hear about the lack of salmon. Tilapia is just disgusting. I am a pescatarian and often relay on salmon for protein when not at home.

[@benoittourangeau6248]

About the salmon, has that been noticed on other ships? Maybe that was an unfortunate situation on your cruise, problems with a supplier. That sort of things. If it is confirmed across the fleet, that will be an issue with me. What will be next? Pork instead of beef?

[@hollysilva7128]

I recently sailed on the Joy and was very disappointed with the entertainment. Will not sail on that ship again if I can help it 😢

[@chanelbaker5716]

I'm disappointed about Six 😢 However I can find a regular show just as entertaining as a big production.

[@sportsMike87]

NCL should put the comedian in the auditorium since they won't have entertainment there nightly

[@tibcordeiro]

Ncl is turning into a Nickle and dime line.

[@burgermcdonald4028]

Planning a solo transatlantic from Lisbon to Miami on the Viva. My resources could be described as...meager, so I'm concerned about all the extra costs to enjoy the 8 (or more) sea days. My research also shows that there are no movie screens, indoor or outdoor. Having experienced the Prima, would you recommend such a cruise? By the way, I'm a new sub and your videos are all over my feed. I've enjoyed them, which is why I now seek your insight. TIA.

[@brentpayne4215]

Yes it could

[@lorigrimaldi194]

I will be asking for real cream as soon as my server comes. But I'm hoping this change is reversed by the time I go on my cruise in September

[@genx_jen]

One of the main reasons I chose to reserve a cruise on the Breakaway is because they had the show "Six". Now I am not sure if I will keep the reservation 😢

[@rosey312]

Wow, Tilapia and Salmon can both be gotten for a fish farm and there isn't much difference in cost. Insanely cheap move.

[@Carolmaizy]

I am a coffee drinker. No sugar. Extra cream only. No way will I drink it with out half and half or cream.

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Carol 👋 You're certainly not alone, someone else called this one Coffee-mate-gate 😂

[@robintragash9905]

Not happy since we are on the Bliss in December

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Robin 👋 You may be in luck if you're travelling this December. Accordingly to cruisehive Six will continue to show until Feb 2024. I hope this bit of news might brighten your day! www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-cruise-line-closing-multiple-production-shows/104189

[@chrisryan9779]

Ncl cutbacks were very noticeable on my cruise to Alaska

[@leeannkleine6120]

Hi Grant! 👋👋I have to say that I'm not thrilled with the additional cuts that NCL is making. I'm guessing that since the changes are affecting roughly 50% of the fleet, it's to solidify their financial backing. As a customer, it appears that they are continuing a downward trend and it's a tough pill to swallow. I'm not cruising until November, but I will still try and have a positive outlook. They will continue to have my support, at least for now. Sending a sunshine smile from the west coast! 🌞🌞

[@chrisbernier3889]

Same here..next cruise November 2023

[@leeannkleine6120]

@@chrisbernier3889 When & where to? I'm on the Bliss starting 11/12 to the Mexican Riviera.

[@tfwbuftoatl12]

Yes, it seems like a bad time to be raising fees, cutting things on dining, cutting entertainment, and housekeeping. With cruises going out full now and forecasted to be full for time to come, you would think they would be trying to add things to get people back. However, I think the cruise lines know they have so much demand now that cuts won't stop people from cruising. Might backfire on them because I have read a lot of negative reviews on my NCL cruise for September to the mediterranean.

[@lindabaca9057]

I am going on my first cruise since the pandemic on the NCL Encore in October. I usually cruise with Royal Caribbean. I haven't sailed with NCL in over 15 years. I am so looking forward to it. I hope the changes won't affect my enjoyment on board.

[@lindabaca9057]

@@leeannkleine6120 The Encore to Alaska on October 22.

[@tammystreasures8766]

Oh no!!! When are they cutting Six on the Bliss? We just booked a cruise on Bliss for August and my daughter is so excited to see it. I’m heartbroken. I loved it last fall when we were on the Bliss.

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Tammy 👋 It's really a big punch to the gut, I also really loved Six. The good news is that Bliss is not leaving until early 2024 so you've still got some time to enjoy on Bliss and Breakaway. I hope that you get to see it together (and I recommend sitting in the first row, perhaps you already know the surprise!) Have a beautiful day!

[@jeannel7255]

Just off the Joy & not a fan. Had reservations for elements had been canceled the night before, so even 15 minutes early, but they gave my seats away. I am really not happy & disappointed that I have the Joy in October

[@CruiseDomandHelen]

First cruise with NCL in October. See how it compares to RCI.

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Dom 👋 Thanks for your comment, which ship will you sailing on? Any stops you're particularly looking forward to?

[@CruiseDomandHelen]

@@CruisewithGrant We're sailing on Getaway to northern Europe. Have an RCI cruise first to Norway.(Anthem)

[@form76]

The salmon was a big letdown. Thanks for your videos

[@ushersf]

What about the Pearl? It looks like Legends is slated for the April 25 sailing from NYC.

[@michaelseibel858]

I am OK paying more to keep quality/service/entertainment the same - it is NOT acceptable to pay more for less. I take 3-4 cruises per year - it’s not as enjoyable as it once was, rethinking if I need to return to more land-base vacations, where I have more control over where I spend my money for dining and entertainment.

[@tfwbuftoatl12]

Headed on a mid September NCL Italy and Greece cruise. Have not cruised for 20 years so pretty much a newbie. Cuts all across the board and some bad reviews I have read for current mediterranean cruisers getting off the same ship my wife and I are taking, have me wondering if I made the right decision for my wife and I to plunk down all that money for our 25th anniversary. However, I also know that there are some high maintenance people that will complain about everything. So, I am going it with an open mind. I am not too demanding, but if we are paying this amount of money I do expect good service and good food. If that doesnt happen I might as well rented a condo on the beach and hired a professional cook/butler for 10 days. We will see and will let you all know how it was.

[@Whybeajackass]

I can tell you from personal experience that once your payment becomes non-refundable, they leave you out in the cold. If I could cancel, I would, but my family is stuck at this point. They cancelled all of our excursions at the last second because they were “overbooked” (after holding our deposits for months). Now nothing is available and NCL offered no concessions at all for the inconvenience and disappointment. If you can rebook elsewhere, I would recommend it.

[@raybrown8887]

After we tried NCL for the first time we were blown away by the shows, we decided we would always book NCL cruises for that reason. These changes might change which line we will book in the future. We are booked on an NCL cruise thru the Panama Canal but not till Feb of 2025. I hope these cuts don't get any worse by then as it is too late to make other plans, love your channel, keep it up.

[@reginacruz2900]

Unfortunately, I am already booked and paid for an 11 day cruise with only one big show. I talked my friend into an ocean cruise based on the entertainment. We are older and will probably never get to go on another. If by some chance I do, it will not be NCL!!!

[@noelfogarty674]

You mentioned cruise ships “showing over 100% occupancy rates”. Where do you find this info? I did my first cruise just after the pandemic on the Escape and LOVED it but not sure if that’s just because it wasn’t full. Went on MSC Virtuosa last year and it was so busy and didn’t enjoy it. Any tips for finding quieter cruises?

[@tfwbuftoatl12]

Hi Grant. Yes cutbacks across the board are not good. I've heard they are cutting comedy shows and have confirmed with someone that went on the Breakaway that there was no comedy shows on their recent mediterranean cruise. Have you heard this.

[@paulaclawson3809]

My husband and I sailed on the Breakaway in May 2023. No comedy shows. The lady at the box office said it was due to ‘cultural sensitivity’. Otherwise we had a great time. The restaurant, bar and cabin steward staff were great. Do what you enjoy and enjoy your vacation!

[@tfwbuftoatl12]

@paulaclawson3809 cultural sensitivity LOL! That's the whole point of comedy to make fun of all cultures. If we can't laugh at ourselves than who can we laugh at.🤣

[@brentpayne4215]

I rode in 2017

[@bob_frazier]

Just off the Sun. We're done with NCL. Never again.

[@musiq440]

No cream! 😢

[@jm2793]

The cream thing makes no sense. They are going to be throwing away a lot of creamers. And clearly the person that made that choice doesn't know there are people that will drink them. Both my husband and my daughter will drink the creamers 😂

[@karisheets2323]

This is very sad, I loved NCL

[@melvinjacobs2328]

Too much already. Loved the product, but just cancelled a cruise because I can no longer trust them.

[@Whybeajackass]

Smart.

[@startoronto]

Two Cruise Next vouchers left...

[@lmarshall7686]

Just came back from Caribbean on Escape. We were not pleased with the changes and specifically the entertainment. We actually cancelled our Alaskan cruise for next year and changed to Royal Caribbean

[@lauranglover521]

coffeemate....really?!?!?

[@CruisewithGrant]

Hi Lauran 👋 I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought this was a bit off. Someone else made me chuckle by calling this Coffee-Mate-Gate 😂

[@lauranglover521]

@@CruisewithGrant LOL! Brilliant!

[@brentpayne4215]

Brod way music

[@vanessawyndham8791]

The entertainment cutbacks on Encore were pretty bad. Choir of Man was the only big show in the main theater, and the Beatles cover band that was outstanding in the Cavern Club, a small venue, could have been moved to the main theater but NCL thought it was a better idea to have some awful female lounge lizard in that venue who thought (with emphasis on thought) she could sing songs by Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston. Overall it was disappointing. NCL do better.

[@tammystreasures8766]

Have you ever cruised to Alaska? If so, what are your best tips? If not, are you planning to?