NCL from New York to Burmuda

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cruiseabc

Guest
All,

Hello all
I am new to this forum
I got this link from a co-worker
His forum name is "HOOKED"
He suggested to get onto a chat to get information on a cruise that i am planning for a 40 year birthday.

I am planning a cruise starting from New York or New Jersery
NCL sails out of New York to Burmuda.

looking for any information on those who have sailed with NCL from New York and the time they had on the cruise good or bad.

I am planning a trip either in April or May 08.

How would the weather be during that time frame as well.

thanks
CruiseABC
 
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brovol

Guest
i have been on too many cruises to remember; but my last with ncl was in 1997, so i am a little out of touch with the line. however, i just booked the ncl gem, out of new york, sailing to florida and bahamas on 3/29. i sailed out of ny with princess last summer, and it was fantastic. obviously, when i leave in march it will be cold for the first and last days of the cruise. ncl has a reputation, lately, of being more casual (freestyle), and perhaps less quality than other lines (on a par with carnival, but a notch down from the others). the ncl cruise i went on in 1997 was great. when i recommend cruises to first timers, i suggest princess or royal carib, because they offer a very consistent, excellent product, at a reasonable rate. a traditional cruise is, in my opinion, the best for the first time, unless you hate dressing up for meals. having said that, i have yet to experience a cruise that i didn't enjoy. they all have advantages and disadvantages. have fun.
 
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Don Clark

Guest
Next spring, about when you plan to cruise to Bermuda, NCL will sail the Dawn there. The Dawn is one of NCL's best ships and has an excellent reputation. Without getting into which cruise line is best, as all cruise lines do basically the same things with a twist to make them different from one another, the Dawn with a 7 day cruise will be in Bermuda one day more than Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas, sailing from Bayonne with a 5 day cruise.

I''m sure whichever cruise ship you decide to take will be a great choice, as the Explorer of the Seas is one of RCI's best ships too.

Your decision should be based upon price and how long you have to enjoy Bermuda.
 
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theawesome1

Guest
I am headed out of NYC 4/27 to Bermuda, unfortunately not Burmuda as the OP had. Great bunch of folks & they are all Aft like we are. We stay 1.5 days in both ports of Bermuda with 2 days at sea going & coming back.

I am flying into Newark & no transfers. But AMEX had a BLue card special with Super Shuttles for $13 PP OW. So for $26PP RT we are picked up & dropped off at the aiirport & terminal. SO far 11AM is pick up time at both locations & 15 minutes to get there on 4/27 & 5/4.
 
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pegport

Guest
Re: NCL from New York to Bermuda

Departing June 22 on NCL Dawn. This will be our first NCL cruise and have heard mixed opinions of NCL. We have only cruised Princess in the past and enjoyed them tremendously. We are concerned as to comparison to Princess. Also, can anyone advise how to get to lighthouses on Bermuda? We're grateful for any input. Thanks in advance.
 
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AlaskaMoose

Guest
I, too, will be sailing the Dawn from NYC to Bermuda with 3 days/2 nights at the Dockyards. The cruise embarks next May 10th. I've never sailed on NCl. I've only sailed, primarily, on HAL. With those HAL ships that I've been on, the highest number of passengers was around 1200. I've read that the Dawn can hold as many as 2000 passengers. I'm a bit leery of going from a small, intimate vessel to a much larger one. Also, I've never sailed out of NYC before. I've actually never been to NY at all. This will be an experience I'm sure. It'll be interesting to read others' reports concerning this ship and its sailings. Of course, it's always great to be on a cruise no matter what's new and/or old.

Here's to everybody having excellent cruising adventures!
 
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davejohn

Guest
We were on the Dawn in April, and had a great time. Bermuda is a great place to visit. The weather in Apr-May can be variable, it was a little rough sailing down and back, but not too bad. Weather in Bermuda was perfect for sightseeing, low 70's and mostly sunny. At that time of year the water is still a bit chilly though, so swimming at the beach isn't as attractive.

The Dawn is bigger, but it never seemed that crowded. With so many dining choices we never had to wait to be seated for dinner. Just make sure you make reservations for any of the specialty restaurants. The Stardust Theater has movie theater style seating, so it's easier to find a decent seat compared to ships using couches and tables in the main theater. It's not as convenient though if you want drinks during a show.

The passengers on the Dawn with probably be a bit younger, with more kids, compared to HAL. We've been on the Rotterdam and Zuiderdam and I think the food in the main dining rooms is a bit better on HAL, but the specialty restaurants on the Dawn are excellent. Whether or not you like fixed vs. Freestyle dining is a personal choice, both have advantages. In Bermuda it's nice not having to worry about getting back to the ship at a certain time for dinner.

If you've never been to NYC, you should consider arriving a day or 2 early and do some sightseeing. Take the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island......very interesting.
 
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AlaskaMoose

Guest
Thanks, davejohn...

I really appreciate the information in your post. I will look into the ferry to Ellis Island as both my DH and I love history of any kind. The Dawn will be a different experience for us but we try to go into unfamiliar territory with open minds and plans to just have a great time...

Thanks again,

AKTammy
 
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nmnita

Guest
Re: NCL from New York to Bermuda

Anyone who enjoys Princess should enjoy NCL. I happen to like the way NCL does Freestyle a little better, but they are similar. Of course NCL has more dining choices, but several of the restaurants have sur charges. The cabins are similar in size, the overall age of Princess cruisers normally is a little older, but not too much different. I think I like Princess casinos better but the showrooms on NCL ships are larger. Even though they get very crowded you can get a seat if you come in about 15 prior to show time. On Princess we had to be there at least 30 minutes early. The pool area on Princess doesn't seem to be as crowded.

As for food, I give Princess the upper hand for entrees and NCL for salad and soup choices. Breakfast was better on NCL> Again, as we know, food is very subjective.

Now, for the poster who has only cruised HAL. Be prepared for a totally different cruising experience. Our two favorite lines are NCL and HAL for different reasons. For us NCL is tops and yet, I can't say enough about the food and service plus cabin sizes on HAL.

Nita
 
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paul8

Guest
Do not know if this answers your question but I took NCL Dream from Boston - Bermuda and did not find anything to complain about. The weather was nice, once we got rid of a couple of hurricanes:)-D
Paul8
 
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