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Great Cruise by
Gwendale S. from Atlanta,GA. Sailing date: Sep 2012Pros: My Cabin was the best Cons: can't find a single thing The overall impressions of the ship is the staff. So kind,helpful and was so plesant they are the best. Ship Quality
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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   Fantastic time! by
Greg p from Ortonville MI Sailing date: Aug 2012Pros: The food was awesome. Did not have a sub par meal while we're were aboard. Literally..... The four of use ordered almost every dish on the menu at the Italian restaurant the last night of our cruise. We kept passing dishes around and tried everything. We were all blown away!!! Cons: Nothing Food was amazing! It was like eating at a 5 star restaurant the whole cruise. Will definately cruise Norwegian again! Ship Quality
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Had a great time with family by
A Traveler from United States Sailing date: Aug 2012Pros: I liked the free style cruising Cons: wish it was longer The cruise director and her staff participated with all the activities and really made it fun. Ship QualityThe crews ept the ship in really good condition Dining/FoodThe food was outstanding Stateroom Quality
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Entertainment & ActivitiesThe show was energizing and the quality was very good 1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Excellent Cruise - Highly Recommend! by
Nathan E. from Charleston, WV Sailing date: Mar 2012Pros: Norwegian Sky is "just right" - not too big, not too small. Plenty to do on board, but plenty of latitude to do nothing at all as well. Staff and crew were exemplary. Food was excellent. Private island, Great Stirrup Cay, is truly wonderful. Cons: Bus tour of Nassau showed too much of the "slums" - made us feel a bit sorry for the native Bahamians. My wife and I were both very impressed with our 3-day cruise on the Norwegian Sky. Every aspect of our experience was truly wonderful. In particular, we appreciated the "Freestyle Cruising" that Norwegian is famous for... doing what we want, when we want, and with whomever we want (which was usually just the two of us).
Our favorite experience overall was floating and swimming around Great Stirrup Cay together. We spent most of our Saturday doing "nothing" in the waters of this magnificent island, and we could not have been happier.
The only thing we might change when we plan our next voyage would be our plans for Nassau. We took a bus tour this time, but now that we have seen what the island as a whole is like we would probably opt to walk around through the areas near the port instead. Atlantis resort was very nice, but in order to do anything over there (such as use their private beaches) you have to pay Atlantis quite a bit of money (which we were unwilling to do). Our tour guide was very friendly, however, and it was nice to learn a little about the history and culture of Nassau.
There was always plenty to do on board, from dance parties to bingo to gambling to karaoke to art auctions, etc. etc. etc. The greatest thing about all these activities, though? My wife and I never once felt like we were left out or missing out on anything when we opted to just spend time together watching the sun set, enjoying a romantic dinner together (just the two of us), sipping tea and Diet Pepsi while watching the ocean slip by us, floating around aimlessly in the beautiful Bahamian waters off of Great Stirrup Cay, or even just lounging around in our stateroom watching one of the two movie channels (which are both provided at no extra charge).
All things considered, this was one of the best vacations I have ever had.
(Please note that we did not rate the "Children's Programs" for the Norwegian Sky as we did not bring any of our six children with us on this cruise. It was just the two of us, enjoying our 10th anniversary together.) Ship QualityWhile some might argue that the Norwegian Sky is too small in comparison to the newer, larger cruise ships, my wife and I felt that it was perfectly proportioned and distributed. In fact, we spoke with many of our fellow passengers who said that the Norwegian Sky was "just right" - not too big, not too small.
You could tell that the crew took very good care of the ship. It was always very clean, neat, tidy, and well-lit. Some of the designs on the carpet and decor looked a bit dated, but even the dated elements did not look worn or dirty.
While neither my wife nor I are handicapped, we took special note of how every aspect of the ship was handicap accessible. There were several passengers in wheelchairs, and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. The staff even brought out a special "beach" wheelchair with fat sand tires for use on Great Stirrup Cay. Dining/FoodOur experiences with dining on the Norwegian Sky were exquisite. Every evening we were able to have a romantic dinner, just the two of us, and we never even needed a reservation! We just strolled in whenever we felt like, and we were immediately brought to a table and attended to with no waiting. The two main dining halls are as nice as any of the nicer restaurants that my wife and I have ever been to. The food was excellent, and the waiters and waitresses were very attentive and accommodating. We enjoyed it so much, in fact, that we never felt the need to pay extra to eat at any of the three "specialty" restaurants on the Norwegian Sky. If they are even a modest degree nicer than the two main dining halls then they must provide a truly spectacular dining experience.
I cannot stress enough how convenient and relaxing it was to have total freedom over when and where we wanted to eat. For this reason alone it would be difficult for us to choose another cruise line over Norwegian. Stateroom QualityOur stateroom was very nice. We were quite satisfied with the size of the room. The bathroom was even a bit larger than I had thought it would be. We were pleasantly surprised to find that there were two on board movie channels playing fairly recent movies for no extra charge. The staff cleaned the room frequently without ever intruding on us.
When we first arrived there was some sort of heavy fragrance in the air. We put in a request to have the staff refrain from using such things in our room during the length of our stay, and they complied flawlessly. We also found that the temperature of the water in our shower tended to fluctuate quite a bit, but this did not cause us any major issues.
For the most part, we appreciated the location of our stateroom. We had chosen one which was very close to the Atrium elevators. The only downside was its position directly below the "stage" up on the pool deck, which meant that we could hear some of the louder music they played up there. Ship Staff QualityWe were very pleased with the excellent service we received from the ship staff. They were friendly, warm, attentive, courteous, informative, helpful, generous, hard-working, and kind. Seldom did we ever have to "hunt" for someone to help us with anything; there always seemed to be someone nearby who was willing and able to assist us with whatever we needed. Our room was always kept clean, the common areas were always neat and tidy, and the dining halls were immaculate. Even the frequently-used tables in the large buffet area covering most of decks 11 and 12 were cleared and cleaned and restocked with napkins and silverware almost immediately after they were vacated.
Perhaps most importantly of all, my wife and I were struck by the fact that all of the staff seemed to really enjoy what they were doing. They seemed genuinely pleased to to take care of our every need, and never once did they lead us to believe that what they were doing for us was a burden or a chore.
Entertainment & ActivitiesWhile there was plenty to do on board, my wife and I opted not to participate in, well, pretty much any of it.
That being said, we are quite certain that lovers of activities and entertainment will not be disappointed by the options and schedules available on the Norwegian Sky. There was always something going on somewhere on the ship, and there seemed to be a little bit of everything for all different age groups and temperaments. The "Freestyle Daily" that was delivered to our stateroom every day (naturally) had a detailed schedule of all of the events occurring over the next 24 hours, so it would be easy to plan your day accordingly.
The only reason that I did not feel comfortable granting this category the top rating is because my wife and I voluntarily chose not to participate in any of the activities. (See my "Ship Quality" comments for more information). 16 out of 19 people found this review helpful.
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Highly Recommend by
L. L from new york, ny Sailing date: Jan 2012Pros: Great food, friendly service, extremely clean everywhere Cons: nothing I generally don't take the time to write reviews--but this was a great cruise. It was a first cruise for my husband and our 3year old. Ship was super clean, the staff was constantly cleaning, catering to us, super friendly. The buffet menu changed daily and the food was great--I couldn't believe all the food they served I guess the worst part was just trying to control how much I ate. Itinerary was perfect--not too long, action packed each day as we stopped at different islands. If we take another cruise I'll definitely stick with norwegian. Thanks! Ship Quality
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Stateroom QualityI went cheapo and picked an inner room with no windows. I would definitely suggest picking a room with windows because it gets a bit gloomy without windows. Ship Staff Quality
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Children's ProgramsIt would have made the trip perfect if the cruise had a "playground" area for parents to stay with their kids and just let them run around and play 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Great First Cruise by
Craig B. from St Petersburg, FL Sailing date: Oct 2011Pros: The Staff were Absolutely Great Cons: Not being able to stay onboard for another 4 day The Norwegian Sky and its Staff were just incredible. The free style dinning and the food was simply incredible. The staff on board the Norwegian Sky were so attentive and pleasant, it was a joy to experience all they had to offer. The staff worked so diligently to ensure that every passenger was comfortable and was enjoying their time on board. In my honest opinion, the staff impressed me the most with their constant and genuine efforts to please every passenger. Our experience was great for our first cruise. Ship Quality
Dining/FoodThe Buffets were simply awesome. The food was so unbelievably good. Stateroom Quality
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Freeport, Grand Bahama Island
Nassau, BahamasBe careful visiting the tents just walking distance from the ship. You can get bombarded with invites to buy.
Don't Miss: Atlantis Hotel and the sites 0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Fun cruise by
A Traveler from Miamo Sailing date: Sep 2011Pros: A lot of parties and other activities to do on the ship Cons: Its difficult to do all the activities This cruise is perfect for first time cruisers and for young people. Young as in 20-50. The clubs and lounges have a variety of music like 70's dance music, but the party for people between ages 20-30 doesnt start until 11pm! Thats when It goes down. You will sometime see some older adults dancing too but mostly its young adults. This is great to party and have fun. Ive been on this cruise before with my parents but wasnt much fun until this time I went alone with my girlfriend. By the way most of the people partying on the ship are couples so if your single dont think you will be so lucky. In a nutshell it is a great cruise to party have fun and discover the bahamas if you yet havent. Ship QualityRemember the ship was built in 1998 and last refurbished in 2009. The ship is no oasis of the seas but it is great in size for 3-4 days. Also the ship looks nice considering the fact it was built 12 years ago. Dining/FoodI ate in the specialty restaurants and boy were they good especially le bistro. The only complaint I have is that I end up supee full after but then again I like to pig out on cruises. Stateroom QualityI had the balcony cabin and I have had the interior cabin before. The rooms in general are a tad small, but im guessing most cruise cabins are small. Also the shower curtin is rusty :/ and other small damages. Not a big deal though. Have to keep in mind that it was built in 1998, but the rooms are in good condition considering how old it is. Ship Staff QualitySuper friendly people. Those asians make you laugh because they are so cool and cheerful plus funny. The Indians are really kind mellow people but are super kind. Then the others are good too great service. Entertainment & ActivitiesA bunch of things to do. Trust me on this you will have fun unless you cant really understand english like my parents or you do not attend any shows and other activities. you will have many things to do and fun.
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Nassau, BahamasTour with orbitz its the best you will have fun. Only buy from the big local shops do not buy from people in the street they rip you off your money.
Great Stirrup Cay (Cruiseline Private Island), BahamasThe only time I actually felt relaxed. Dont do any excusion for this day Trust me you want to relax for Nassau
2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Awesome had an amazing relaxing vacation by
A Traveler from Orlando, FL Sailing date: Sep 2011Pros: do whatever whenever we wanted Cons: It wasnt long enough Awesome cruise, ship is one of the smaller ones of ncl but still a blast for people that just want to relax. Ship Quality
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Nassau, Bahamas
Great Stirrup Cay (Cruiseline Private Island), BahamasDon't Miss: snorkeling wherever you see rocks it awesome 1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Best vacation ever! by
Mike A from Huron, Ohio Sailing date: Aug 2011Pros: service, variety of activities, food and convenience Cons: not a one! Being a teacher, I am used to up-beat co-workers and students, but this crew and staff were unbelievably enthusiastic! How refreshing! I feel invigorated and energized! Everything was done a relaxed pace, but very efficiently! Loved the food and the "eat whenever and wherever you'd like" concept. Excursions were fabulous! We can't wait to bring our our adult sons and their spouses on a cruise! Best experience in vacationing ever! Ship QualityEverything was conveniently located and beautifully decorated. Loved the fish on the carpet swimming toward the front of the ship concept - easy to navigate direction while on board that way! Dining/FoodFast and friendly service! Remarkable selection of foods to please any taste. We enjoyed a late night coffee and sandwich on the11th floor outdoor deck! Stateroom QualityFor what we paid, this was MUCH more than what we expected. Plenty of rtoom for two of us and the rooms were VERY quiet- no noise heard in the hallways or on either side of us! Got a great night's sleep each and every night! Ship Staff QualityPhenonmenal! Exhuberance during the variety shows, game shows, afternoon and evening presentations was great! Entertainment & Activitiestop notch quality!
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Freeport, Grand Bahama IslandFor us it was great - We did the Nature tour at the Garden of the Groves - we love nature and MArilyn, our guide, was very informative and easy to understand!
Nassau, BahamasJunkanoo Museum and forts was exactly what we wanted - a "feel" for the history of the Bahamas. This would not be a tour for everyone - but it was what we wanted and anticipated! Drop off point was great to do additional shopping!
Great Stirrup Cay (Cruiseline Private Island), BahamasHaving just recovered from Hurricane Irene, we were not sure what to expect, but were wonderfully surprised with the facility - Superior locale. We felt like we were treated like royalty by the staff.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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An Excellent Cruise! by
A Traveler from Detroit, MI Sailing date: Jul 2011Pros: Everything, the hospitality, the food, being informed on everything, and the activities! Cons: ------- I never felt so spoiled by so many adults. The food was great, the steward/stewardess always had fresh linen in our rooms and the came through our room twice to make sure he had clean fresh linen and enough linen. This was our first cruise and we were worried we would not feel comfortable, but we were very comfortable. As we boarded our ship from excursions we were greeted with ice water, a cool wash cloth for our faces, a sitting area, and our hands were sanitized before we entered the ship. Where the other cruises were offered nothing not even someone to greet their return. Loved It!! Ship Quality
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Entertainment & ActivitiesI rated this excellent and not good because when we made our reservations we registered for our excursions and the horse back riding on the ocean was over booked and they changed our times the night before. We didn't notice the time change and we were unable to do that excursion, and what made it really bad, was it was on our 20th wedding anniversary! : ( Children's Programs
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Freeport, Grand Bahama Islandit was nice, my horseback riding was overbooked so didn't get to do much!
Nassau, Bahamas
Great Stirrup Cay (Cruiseline Private Island), Bahamas
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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