Cruise Talk: NCL,Sunquest,Bolero?

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»	Cruise Talk » Cruise Lines » NCL,Sunquest,Bolero?

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Topic: NCL,Sunquest,Bolero?

Jenhen
Just Boarded
Member # 1422

posted 07-13-2000 07:04 AM

Have cruised with RCCL,Celebrity and Carnival. Liked them all(RCCL was the best,Majesty of the Seas, the Galaxy was good, and Carnival's Destiny alot better than we expected) and am looking for comparisons with NCL (have heard from Cruise.com to stay away), and the Canadian options of Sunquest's Sunbird, and the Bolero. Anyone have any comments? Will cruise the Caribbean in November or January, probably just me and my husband, but possibly another couple with kids, aged 9 to 16.

Posts: 3 | From: Toronto,Ontario,Canada | Registered: Jul 2000 | IP: Logged

hooked on cruising
First Class Passenger
Member # 1221

posted 07-13-2000 11:20 AM

Hi Jenhen, We have only been on one cruise this past March break so I can't compare ours with anything else. We went on the Bolero and it was awesome. It was a smaller ship 401 cabins, ( I think ) For the price we payed we were hooked and have already picked up the brochures for next year. We are just waiting for the special deals to come out. It was the middle of July when we booked last year. For less than $5000 my husband ,18 year old son ,16 year old daughter and myself went for a weeks cruise on the Caribbean, What more could you ask for. We docked at Barbados, St Lucia, St Marteen, dominica, Virgin Gorda. It was by far the best vacation we have every had. The crew were amazing we felt like royalty the food , entertainment and tours were all splendid. We were on the lowest level that you could get, we tried to up grade but everything was sold out. We were happy down at that level and will take a cabin there this year if we can get it.We talked to people on the ship who have cruised lots of times and they said they had been on the Bolero and had tried bigger ships but always came back to the Bolero. We couldn't ask for anything more. If this is what the smaller ship is like I can't even imagine what the larger ships are like. We will probably try a larger ship like Carnival someday but for now we are quite happy to go back on the Bolero. We are looking at March break again, but our son will not come this time he is off to Umiversity. The Date for March break will dock at different islands this year which is even better, we will get to see St Thomas and St criox

Posts: 243 | From: London,Ontario,Canada | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 07-13-2000 11:52 AM

Jenhen, thousands of people go on budget cruise ships and really enjoy them without the need to take out a second mortgage! They will often tell you that the ships were intimate and friendly, the cabins small but adequate and food and service were just fine.

However, from everything I've read, you cannot really compare a budget cruise/ship (two or three star) with the four and five star lines.

The 'budget' ships tend to be older and smaller with perhaps fewer public spaces and smaller cabins. There is a higher density of passengers and less crew to tend to your needs. The food and service may not be such a high standard. This is how the budget lines keep the prices so low.

Cruise passengers that have never sailed on a four or five star cruise are often very satisfied. However, you are 'down-grading', but as long as you know what to expect, you should have a great time, at half the cost! I understand that the ships Bolero and Sunbird have a pretty good reputation, for there price.

[This message has been edited by Malcolm (edited 07-13-2000).]

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

DianaD
First Class Passenger
Member # 1010

posted 07-15-2000 02:21 PM

If you have sailed with RCI and Celebrity, I really couldnt recommend Bolero. The Sunbird is better but still not up to the large cruise company standards. At the moment NCL is going through a reorganization, my experience with them in January was not good but it could well improve.

Posts: 308 | From: Whitby, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

M.S.Grumple
First Class Passenger
Member # 1340

posted 07-15-2000 03:03 PM

My first cruise was on RCCL's 'Song of America'. She was my favorite ship and we sailed on her a total of four times until she was sold and renamed 'Sunbird'.
Had a great time on Sunquest's 'Sunbird' last year and noticed very little difference in quality of cruise.
Costs a lot less too.

Posts: 280 | From: Burlington, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

SandyG
First Class Passenger
Member # 965

posted 07-16-2000 08:58 AM

We have cruised NCL twice and had a very good experience both times. However, they have had a change in ownership since that time. I've read mixed reviews recently. We will probably cruise with them again, especially if they get the "freestyle cruising" concept working properly. I've heard they have had some long lines at dinner due to open seating.

Posts: 13 | From: Woodstock, GA USA | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

mikiebaccarat
First Class Passenger
Member # 1026

posted 07-21-2000 07:50 PM

I was on the Bolero in February of 2000. It was my 19th cruise. First on Bolero but have been on Holland America 5 times, Sitmar, Royal Caribbean, Canadian Pacific, Home Lines and the Greek Line. Bolero is excellent vaule and will go again this winter if I can arrange it.

Posts: 53 | From: Kingston,ON,Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

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