What I Wish I Knew Before Booking A Norwegian Cruise Lines Vacation

For years, I’ve dreamed of visiting Greece. The aqua-to-turquoise waters, the blue-domed white buildings, the culture, the pastichio — so this year, Nate and I set out to make it happen. There were so many places I wanted to see that the cost of hopping from island to island started to add up quickly, and the thought of hauling all of our luggage from place to place seemed less than appealing. Especially now that I learned I was pregnant. I wasn’t sure how I’d be feeling by mid-summer, even though I’d be in the second trimester (which is known for being the “good” part of pregnancy, when you’re less likely to feel nauseous and have a little more energy).

We looked into Mediterranean cruises, and after researching a few, loved the package Norwegian offered in its 7-Day Greek Isles Cruise. It was pretty affordable, all things considered — about $1,100 a person, which isn’t cheap, but it was a weeklong that took you to four countries. We wouldn’t have to pay for hotel rooms at each place, or many of our meals, and our travel from place to place would be included, too, along with entertainment. It seemed like a no-brainer.

The trip itself was incredible — and no, nobody’s paying me to say this. (As much as I’d love a comped vacay, we paid for this out of pocket.) That said, if you’re considering a Norwegian Cruise, here are a few things you should keep in mind.

1. It’s The Easiest Way To See Several Places At Once.

We flew into Venice, Italy, and spent two nights there (recommended, in case your flight’s delayed — and because Venice is gorgeous) before boarding on Sunday afternoon. Just about every morning we’d land at a new port of call, spending the day in a different city before heading back to the boat at night. Our trip took us to Kotor, Montenegro; Corfu, Santorini, and Mykonos in Greece; and Dubrovnik, Croatia.

With our luggage on board, all we really needed was cash, our cameras, and some sunscreen or an umbrella, depending on that day’s weather. We could travel light, and the boat did most of its traveling at night, so it was really a no-hassle way to explore.

The con: You only have one day in each city, and that usually amounts to 6-10 hours per place. It forced us to be strategic about what we really wanted to see at each location.

2. It’s Worth Waking Up Early To Get Tender Boat Tickets.

Research your cruise’s ports before booking. Many on our trip required tender ships — little boats that shuttled you from the cruise ship to the port — because the area was too narrow or shallow for the ship to dock. This meant you’d have to get in line early that morning to claim a tender ticket (AKA a spot in line) on the boat. The first morning, we showed up right at the 9:30 ticket distribution time — and wound up on the 12th boat out. By the time our ticket number was called, an hour of our day at Kotor had passed, so we had less time to spend there. Getting up earlier and getting in line 30 minutes before the ticket distribution time — as crazy as that may sound — was crucial for maximizing our time on land.

Similarly, if your port of call has tender tickets, you should budget an extra 30 minutes or so before the “all aboard” time to make sure you’re in line to get back on the boat. If you’re in line, the ship will wait for you, but if you miss the line for the last boat, an employee told us you’d have to pay out of pocket to travel to meet the ship at its next stop. (A rep will be there to help you coordinate getting to that next stop, but it’s a stress — and price — nobody wants to pay.)

3. The Excursions Aren’t Always Worth It.

Everywhere you turn, the ship will promote its excursion packages, where you can pay them directly to experience an activity at a particular port, like sailing on a sunset cruise or going on a winery tour. They take care of everything for you, which is nice, but that convenience comes at a cost. A big one. It’s usually much cheaper to book on your own, I’ve found, relying on mass transit to get you from place to place — as long as you feel comfortable with using the mass transit system.

In Santorini, for example, a luxury bus that’d take us from the port to Oia (where those famous, blue-domed buildings are) was going to cost about $69 a person. Turns out, Santorini’s public bus system uses the same kinds of buses — and costs roughly 2 Euro each way. It was tricky finding the bus stop for the way back, but all that really took was stopping — gasp! — asking someone where to go.

What Was Worth It: Corfu’s beaches and touristy areas are a little removed from the port where the ship docks. There were some hop-on, hop-off bus tours that could’ve been nice to do, but we were grateful we decided to book the ship’s excursion to a nearby resort for a beach day. It included a 30-minute ride to and from a local resort, where we had access to a secluded beach with two loungers, an umbrella, and two drinks.

4. The Entertainment Is A Little Stuck In The ’90s.

People often rave about the shows on a cruise ship, and while I will hand it to Norwegian for having a different show every night, most nights’ shows were … well, dated. There were two opera performances, a Rock Of Ages-esque ’70s musical, a magician who teased the audience with a reel of videos of shocking illusions … then just did card tricks, and a Moulin Rouge-ish show called Paradis. Paradis, with its songs, dances, and endless costume changes, was definitely the hit of the week, though Band On The Run (the Rock Of Ages-like number) was fun, too. Still, from the newlywed game to the other events on board, you couldn’t shake the feeling that their entertainment lineup hadn’t changed since 1994. And it wasn’t going to change any time soon.

I have to give it to Carnival and Royal Caribbean for their entertainment lineup. NCL’s performers were talented; they just felt constrained by dated material.

5. The Service Is Incomparable.

Okay, this is where Norwegian shines. The servers and housekeeping staff are incredibly thoughtful, diligent, and professional, taking care of the tiniest of details to ensure you have a great time. Being 20 weeks pregnant at the time, I was having a little trouble sleeping, particularly on firm beds, so the second night, I slept with a comforter underneath me. The housekeeping staff noticed the comforter under the sheet and offered to add a mattress pad on the bed for me. (TBH, it didn’t even cross my mind to ask for one!) It made a huge difference in the way I slept, but it’s just a small example of the lengths they’d go to make sure you were having a great time.

Another night, my leg was cramping, so I stopped by the buffet to ask if they had any bananas. There was a bit of a language barrier, and something was lost in translation, but a few minutes later, the employee came out with a bowl full of yellow pudding and a slice of banana bread. Thinking it was banana pudding — hey, close enough! — we thanked them and headed out with the snack. I took a giant, heaping bite of the bread and the pudding … only to realize it was a massive bowl of mayonnaise. But uh, good to know nobody will judge you if they think you want a soup bowl full of mayo as a midnight snack?

One last thing, for any fellow preggo passengers: Norwegian, like many cruise ship companies, won’t let you board if you’re 24 weeks along or farther. It may be a liability thing, but it’s part of a health evaluation you fill out prior to the cruise, and it’s worth noting before you pack your bags. Or fly all the way to Italy!