NCL - NEVER again!!!

Cruzer55

New Member
Our Norwegian Sun cruise experience in the Baltics was really bad. The restaurants were poor and the food unfortunately was not always safe for consumption. My wife got food poisoning from one of the restaurants on the ship and spent a number of days very sick in our cabin, missing a number of ports. We arranged most shore excursions ourselves as the ship's excursions are overpriced. We lost some of our money on these as my wife could not make some of them as she was ill. The guy sitting opposite us in the same restaurant was also in the medical center first thing the next morning feeling very sick.

Dealing with NCL's customer service was an infuriating and futile experience - they basically fobbed me off repeatedly and I only received a response to my complaint four weeks after the cruise ended!! Unbelievable. Needless to say we will NEVER cruise with NCL again as they completely ruined our vacation and made no effort whatsoever to correct their mistakes. Really terrible customer services.
 

ShipMaven

Forever Remembered
OK - another first-time poster with an unsatisfactory cruise. I'm sorry to read that your wife became ill, but what makes you so sure it was food poisoning and not Norovirus? Unfortunately, one of the chances you take in arranging shore excursions yourselves and not through the cruise line is eating the cost if the ship is late, skips a port or - in your instance - someone takes ill.

If you received a response from NCL four weeks after your cruise, you are doing well. The average time is 8 weeks or longer. Satisfactory? Of course not, but that's the way it is.

Would be interested to read further comments from you. Hopefully you'll find another cruise line more to your liking.
 

Nanni-B.

2nd Officer
Our Norwegian Sun cruise experience in the Baltics was really bad. The restaurants were poor and the food unfortunately was not always safe for consumption. My wife got food poisoning from one of the restaurants on the ship and spent a number of days very sick in our cabin, missing a number of ports. We arranged most shore excursions ourselves as the ship's excursions are overpriced. We lost some of our money on these as my wife could not make some of them as she was ill. The guy sitting opposite us in the same restaurant was also in the medical center first thing the next morning feeling very sick.

Dealing with NCL's customer service was an infuriating and futile experience - they basically fobbed me off repeatedly and I only received a response to my complaint four weeks after the cruise ended!! Unbelievable. Needless to say we will NEVER cruise with NCL again as they completelye ruined our vacation and made no effort whatsoever to correct their mistakes. Really terrible customer services.

Sorry to hear about about this cruise! We sailed NCL last year after trying Carnival, RCCL and Princess and we really enjoyed our trip. It is very hard to pin point where we get sick when we travel. We have only become ill when drinking beverages with ice while in ports of call. Good luck on your future travels!
 

pj103

Fitness Director
Sorry that you had a bad experience, however, I don't think I would blame it on the food, it was probably the Norovirus. When booking excursions from anyone other than the ship, you are taking a chance.
My favorite cruise line is Princess and first sailing with NCL was on the Epic. Although the Epic is too big for my liking, I was really impressed with NCL. The food was very good, entertainment was great, the staff was some of the friendliest I have come across and I would sail NCL again. I once told myself I would never sail on Carnival as I had heard that it was the "Party Ship", however, I gave it a try and I would sail on Carnival again.
I don't know where you are from, but before I say "Never Again", I would give NCL another try but with another ship and itinerary.
 

cruisindiva

Ordinary Seaman
I think you should give it another chance. We have cruised a few different lines and enjoy NCL! I also don't think it was food poisoning. they are very strict with health codes.
 

Finkksta

New Member
I doubt it was food poisoning bc she was sick for so long. The number one way to prevent the spread of sickness... HAND WASHING. Please everyone wash your hands often.
 

Kruzr41

Shore Excursion Manager
Probably Noro, not the food. And depends on one's travel experience. Rich food, late nights, more drinks than normal, sleep changes and lacks, all contribute.

If a ship has 2000 pax on board and 25 complain about getting sick in a week. The cruise line KNOWS it not their fault. If 300 complain, its probably Noro, but they will check to see if many ate the same foods.

52 cruises, never got sick, except minor "bottle flu." But I've got a cast iron stomach. The wife doesn't have that, but she's never got sick either, except a North Atlantic winter crossing. But that was mountainous waves, not food. In fact she lived on crackers, don't think they poisoned her. Evidently Seppuku is the only sure cure for sea-sickness.
 

RichC

Lecturer
I wouldn't rate NCL as being close to RCI or Princess but certainly not a terrible cruise line as indicated. Someone getting sick on any one individual sailing wouldn't put me off from sailing on them again. We had a great time on NCL last cruise and would go back again given the opertunity.
It sounds like someone got sick for an unknown reason & wants to blame the cruise line for all their problems. The exact same situation could have occurred on any ship with the same outcome.
 
Absolutely right RichC. I got sick only once while on Adventure of the seas with RCCL. However , I wouldn't blame them for the sickness. It probably was because of a lunch we ate on shore .
 
W

WRENCHMAN5

Guest
if you like ncl, pay extra go to princess or holland and let them show you real cruising,
 

SUNNYDAY

Able Seaman
Sorry about your terrible experience. Are you sure that you didn't come down with a virus and not a food poison. Usually food poison doesn't hit you the next day but a few days after consumption. I just feel like you may be limiting your vacation opportunities if you like to cruise. I liked the food and the choices on NCL. Maybe you just had a bad experience with a terrible virus.
 
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