Norwegian Encore Review

Gorgeous ship, A++ service but upcharges galore and limited common space

Review for the Caribbean Cruise on Norwegian Encore
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PeteD44131
2-5 Cruises • Age 50s

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Additional details

Sail Date: Feb 2020
Cabin: Balcony Stateroom

We chose this cruise primarily because it was a new ship and we wanted to experience the latest and greatest in cruise ship offerings. This was also our longest cruise to date (7 nights) so we spent the extra money on a balcony suite, especially since there were a couple total days at sea.

As for the ship itself, it was quite beautiful and clean, as you might expect a new ship to be. However, our biggest complaint (and the complaint of many others we spoke with) was that there were not enough common deck areas where you could just lay out and enjoy some sunshine. A large amount of what would appear as common area were actually upgrade areas. Part is reserved for Haven guests, which is an understandable upgrade... but an incredibly large area is reserved for the Vibe Beach club which is an extra $209 per person for the week of cruising! If you weren't out on deck by 7:30 am, don't expect to find a deck chair in the sun. Another issue was that many of the deck chairs that were available were in areas where the sun was obscured by the go-kart track, water slides or other features (all of which were also an extra charge). There are 4500 passengers on this ship and maybe 2 or 3 hundred common area deck chairs in the sun. We tried to buy the upgrade to the Vibe Beach club but all were already sold out, yet the area remained largely empty anytime I looked.

Also on deck are two small pools. One for the kids and one for the adults. Very small pools and that's it. Aside for four tiny hot tubs on the upper deck loop, that was all of the common pool area. There is not even a pool in the Vibe Beach Club area.

Cabin Review

Balcony Stateroom

The cabin was very stylish and had enough room to be comfortable. Cabin service was extraordinary.

6 Helpful Votes
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