I spent that night on board as we sailed up the Channel to Eastbourne and back. This was my first time with NCL so I wanted to experience their cruising style as well as the ship.
Embarkation: This was a little chaotic as huge numbers all arrived around 11.30am. We were given embarkation card no.10. This number was called when ready to check-in, then we were told to sit down again until called to go through security and embark the ship. Ocean Terminal actually ran out of seating during this period!
Once cleared to embark we were quickly on the ship. After the usual card scan, Entertainment officers were welcoming all on board but there was an air of “You WILL have fun (whether you want to or not!). I was reminded of the old comedy sketch “Ve ‘ave vays of making you enjoy yourself! Still, that was my plan! 
Cabin: We went straight to our cabin 14607 to leave our cases. Firstly this was a challenge to find, until I realised there were two long corridors down the length of the ship - one between inside and outside cabins and another inner one with inside cabins both sides. The cabin itself was a huge disappointment. OK, we had booked a cheap inside as it was only one night, but this was the smallest cabin I have ever had on a modern ship. There was virtually no storage either. One 2’6” wardrobe with single hanging rail and inside on the left, three narrow shelves sideways on and a safe. The safe did come with a light though!
There was a large flat-screen TV, a dressing table with locked fridge under and a tiny corner cupboard with two shelves. The hairdryer was found hanging under the right hand corner. There was no chair, only a stool with wooden removable top so it could also be used as a table. The beds were barely 3’ and were about 20” apart, meaning a lot of manoeuvring between us. The bathroom was better - about a third the size of the cabin and more storage – in the form of shelves and an under-basin cupboard. The shower was lovely – height-adjustable and a glass screen door. Toiletries consisted of a pump hand soap by the basin, a tube of body lotion, a small bar of body soap and shampoo and bodywash in pumps in the shower. There was a light display outside the door activated in the cabin to show “At home”, “Make up room” or “Do not disturb”. I have only seen these before on Crystal ships. Obviously other cabins are larger but even in those storage was very limited.
We spent the first hour or so photographing the deck areas as it was about to rain very hard! Then we paused for lunch in the Garden Café buffet before exploring the interior. I liked the range of flavoured waters freely available all day – strawberry and kiwi, mango, lemonade etc. Ice-cream was also available free – vanilla from a machine (like Cunard) or other flavours from a counter. Port- and starboard-side buffets were the same but it was a very long walk from end to end to see what available and little logic I felt in having desserts in the middle of pizza and pasta etc. There were hand-washing stations at all entrances (but no soap or towels on this pre-inaugural cruise!) Plastic crockery and lack of trays are also a pet hate of mine.
Muster drill was held at 4pm. This was compulsory even for passengers on a back to back and didn’t start until all passengers were present. However, after our card was scanned to ensure attendance, there was little information and lifejackets were not required – just as well since our cabin didn’t have any! We heard the general alarm signal and a few words from the Cruise Director but no safety info re no smoking on balconies or not climbing up on balcony rails. Someone said they did mention it earlier – when everyone was walking to their station and talking. A quick demo of how to put on your lifejacket and that was it, aside from being told to watch the safety video on TV. They did however say that the Safety Officer would be available in atrium for any questions.
Overall I felt the ship was dark inside with little natural light in any public rooms. This of course is a result of having all balcony cabins on the outside of the hull and all public rooms in the middle. We started at the top where an elaborate series of walkways and ziplines look like scaffolding around the funnel. Directly under those and on the same deck is the sports deck with shuffleboard and putting etc. There is a water “park” with water wheels and long spiralling waterchute and next to those a bar and small pool and sun deck area. Aside from the indoor thermal suite pool, this was the only one and very small IMO for over 4000 passengers! This is in the centre. Forward of those are tiered sun decks with a selection of beds and chairs (Hooray!). We couldn’t get access to the Beach Club but outside was a loggia with jets of cold water vapour – to you cool down?? On the opposite side was the Haven area for suite passengers only.
There is no promenade deck – only a small boat barding deck. Interesting the tenders and lifeboats are mounted outboard – to make them faster to launch in an emergency?
Inside the ship on two decks are a series of different bars and restaurants, each with different live entertainment at night. The casino filled the centre of the ship under an equally large shopping area which was clearly geared to Caribbean itineraries and included Lacoste and Columbian Emerald franchises. The “Irish” pub contained a few arcade end-of-the-pier style games and two skittle alleys. After dinner and a show – there was nothing whatsoever to do other than sit in a bar and drink and listen to music.
Entertainment: the theatre appeared very small for such a large ship but the show was outstanding, covering a full theatrical production of 1½ hours. You can prebook this online before sailing or in the theatre box office. That only guarantees you a seat and you still have to get there early to find a good one. All the bars seemed to have live music of one sort or another and the Manhattan Dining Room (one of three MDRs) had a live band and dance floor in the centre.
At 6pm we went to the solos meet. There were only five of us in total and an Ent. Officer host. He showed us the interesting solo studios and their exclusive lounge (with wine on tap (at a price). Beware – there is no lift access so I was told, to the “Living Room”. These cabins were pretty much the same size as our two berth! He then arranged for us to have a table together in the Manhattan MDR with complimentary wine. As we had an hour or so to wait, we all had a cocktail (Pisco Punch – yum) and chatted. Incidentally drinks are very expensive. I know we had UK VAT added as we never left UK waters but there was an 18% service charge. All this made a cocktail at $9.95 cost$14.23. Another problem for us is that, after dinner and the show, there didn't seem to be anything to do other than sit and drink in a bar and listen to music (it was too loud to carry on a conversation).
Dinner: I chose escargots, chicken Kiev, and icecream. The wine waiter eventually appeared with two bottles of Chilean wine - both at the same temperature - that is the red one was chilled! He left the red on the table and put the white in an ice bucket near a pillar and then we never saw him again!! Someone had to get up to retrieve the white wine for refills - not good. The service was extremely slow and the advertised Argentinian beef with asparagus came with no asparagus! Complaints resulted in a whole plateful appearing. I know the ship is new and systems have to bed down but the crew were not new to NCL and all food service left something to be desired.
Next morning at breakfast we went to Taste, a small MDR. We had to wait ages for our order to be taken, then my salmon bagel didn’t appear so my friend’s French Toast was getting cold as they wanted to serve the two together.
The table was lacking one side plate and coffee was brought but no milk! The croissant were cold, we had no butter and in all breakfast took an hour on our table for two, making us late to disembark. I was also very tired having been woken in the wee small hours by a Code Bravo stand down. This is the alert for a fire on board - but why was the stand down broadcast to all cabins, when the alert wasn't?? I never did get back to sleep!
Next morning at breakfast we went to Taste, a small MDR. We had to wait ages for our order to be taken, then my salmon bagel didn’t appear so my friend’s French Toast was getting cold as they wanted to serve the two together.
Disembarkation: We didn’t have to leave the cabin until 9am but having been delayed by breakfast and then got totally lost trying to find the cabin!! We didn’t get off till 9.30pm.
All in all – an interesting experience but NCL is not for me.
More photos here: https://picasaweb.google.com/114801993219771801790/NorwegianEscape
