Norwegian Cruise Line Reviews 1,347

unethical, dishonest, and corrupt organization

Do not buy “NCL CRUISENEXT CREDITS”
Scam!

Booked for 22 night cruise, departing soon, and since booking I have received a plethora of emails about general points like passports, visas, vaccinations, food and drink, etc. All useful info and thoroughly examined when first received. What I don't understand is why am I receiving exactly the same messages repeatedly!!! I have to read each and every one EVERY time. I don't know whether anything has changed since their last communication on the topic, so feel obliged to read it to check. Can they not preface the second and subsequent emails by saying, it's a reminder to read this info sent previously? It would be so simple to do, yet they waste my time and patience by this stupid practice. I know some people might not read info when asked to do so, but they probably won't read the subsequent emails either. For the rest of us, it's an absolute pain. Come on NCL, where is your customer service? I do hope this blanket approach is not an indication of things to come.

We just cruised NCL from Tampa to Lisbon Portugal. It was a nightmare. While there were amazing staff who went above and beyond in Garden Cafe, guest services was disgraceful. Our issues were never ending but the highlight reel was that they put us (two parents with infant babies) in a room where loose equipment was banging around every night. I'm talking waking the babies constantly, every loud and unexpected bang. A bowling alley would have been preferred above us. When we asked if it was possible to move (as there were many unfilled cabins), we were told it would be an upgrade (even for a stateroom of the same type) and cost almost $1000. The staterooms looked nothing like the photos and had long dark hairs clogging our drain so the shower didn't drain properly. None of this was addressed during our entire cruise. If paying a few thousand to not get any sleep and have an overall terrible time, you'll enjoy NCL!

Review of Norwegian Cruise Line – Alaska Sailing

We took our first-ever cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line for an Alaska itinerary, and unfortunately it was a major disappointment. The destination itself was absolutely incredible — Alaska is stunning, and the ports were full of friendly people and memorable experiences. However, the time allowed at each port felt very limited, which was frustrating.

Where things really went downhill was the ship experience. We’ve been cruising twice a year for 15–20 years, so we have a solid sense of what to expect, and this fell far below that standard. The food in the main dining rooms was bland and lacked flavor. We did three specialty dining experiences — two at the steakhouse and one at the Italian restaurant — and those were genuinely good. But the rest of the food options were disappointing.

The worst by far was the Texas BBQ restaurant on board. As Texans, we take pride in our BBQ, and what they served should not be allowed to carry the name “Texas.” The brisket was tough and chewy, the sausage tasted like a hot dog, the ribs still had the membrane on them, and the chicken skin was rubbery. It was honestly one of the most unpleasant meals we’ve ever had on a cruise.

Service and organization on the ship were also a mess. There were long, disorganized lines everywhere with no clear direction from staff. Different employees gave completely different instructions, and guest services often didn’t seem to know what was going on. Items we purchased before boarding — including airport transfers — were missing or incorrect. Guest services told us we didn’t need certain documents, only for us to find out later on land that we absolutely did. It was incredibly frustrating.

Overall, this was the worst cruise line experience we’ve ever had. Alaska itself was amazing, and we will absolutely return — but with a different cruise line. We would not sail with Norwegian again and cannot recommend them based on this experience.

AVOID AVOID AVOID - Book a cruise with NCL expecting the itinerary it tells you only to let you get weeks before your cruise and totally change your itinerary to terrible ports - not what we signed up for, would never have booked this cruise with the changed ports it is total false advertisement - no other holiday company would get away with this, it should be illegal!

Haven't even boarded and already regretting this cruise. Planned and paid for cruise from Spain to Portugal with 3 families and then 2nd week with family in Portugal. Cruise line cancelled all Portugal stops and we now do a Spain loop starting and ending in Barcelona. I would never have chosen this cruise. Compensation is $200 to be used on next NCL cruise. What next NCL cruise. Who would ever want to travel with a company that is not willing to provide what they advertised and customers paid for. Now I have to get from Spain to Portugal to meet up with family or be out of pocket expenses and experiences. Never Again!!!!

Booked a Norwegian cruise for my parents 75 birthday as a surprise.
5 balcony cabins , 9 adults 2 kids and counting as the cruise is for the holiday Christmas season.
Everything for my parents was to go through my email as to maintain the surprise. My parents had cruised with Norwegian in the past , so they had a customer profile.
Long story short they received emails from Norwegian asking them to upgrade , etc. they thought they were being scammed so they contacted Norwegian ….Surprise RUINED 😡

Norwegian apologized and offered a bottle of wine and chocolate strawberries - my parents were not even taking the alcohol package as they are not big drinkers.
Pretty terrible attempt at an apology and needless to say reconsidering if this is a company I want to vacation with , very disappointed !!!!

We recently sailed from Lisbon to Barcelona on the Norwegian Dawn. While the "onboard soul" of the ship was fantastic, the administrative policies and connectivity felt like a relics from a different era.

The food and service were consistently high-quality, and the entertainment was generally good. We enjoyed having
many sports games on some of their
Bar's TV's. The "Free at Sea" drinks package (for alcohol/soda) worked well.

For a "premium" line, many of the policies felt designed to extract every last Euro/Dollar from guests:

We had the "Free at Sea" full drinks package, yet it doesn't include bottled water. To be on an "all-inclusive" holiday in 2026 and still be charged for basic hydration is ridiculous. It’s an absurd policy that NCL needs to rethink immediately.

NCL does not accept credit card tap/contactless or Euro currency, even while sailing in the Euro Zone. We were told that because they are an "American company," they only accept USD and physical cards. In a world of Google, Apple Pay and digital banking, this is prehistoric.

The included "Free at Sea" WiFi was limited to a meager 150 minutes, which is gone in a flash, especially if you forget to logout. Upgrading to unlimited access is outrageously expensive compared to other cruise lines that offer flat-fee unlimited packages as standard for under $100 for a week.

They charged $20 per person for a return coach to Valencia. We got two Ubers for the four of us for €15 total. Charging $80 for something that costs €15 locally is predatory.

While most staff were lovely, Barbara at Guest Services was incredibly curt and clearly in the wrong profession for customer service.

Parts of the ship itself are a bit "tired" in its decor, but the staff (mostly) and the food keep it afloat. However, the anxiety of receiving generic emails about 20% VAT and gratuity pre & mid-cruise—without knowing if we were being double-charged—made the "Free at Sea" package feel less "free" and more like a guessing game.

Will we sail with NCL again? Maybe

If you want to be ripped off for tens of thousands of dollars after being promised a 25% cruise credit THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY!

Cruise cancelled due to COVID (not their fault). 25% additional future cruise credit promised.

Followed up regularly with no response and then quoted "policy" that they wouldn't review without a cruise planned. So I booked one.

They were again non-responsive so I cancelled it.

They then said because it was within 60 days of sailing date no refund was available.

I did EXACTLY what they told me to do.

Total scam. Almost $17,500 stolen.

I was supposed to celebrate my honeymoon, but a major snowstorm canceled my flight. I contacted Norwegian Cruise Line the moment I learned the news. I spent a good portion of the morning of my wedding day hoping they would show some flexibility in a situation completely outside my control. Instead, I was repeatedly told that because I hadn’t purchased their insurance, “there is nothing we can do.”

No credit. No meaningful refund. No willingness to help. The only money returned was for prepaid gratuities and unused add‑ons—less than a quarter of what I paid. Even a request for a future cruise voucher was denied for the same reason: no insurance.

It’s disappointing to see a company prioritize rigid policy over basic customer care and sympathy. I lost my entire trip and a significant amount of money, and the cruise line offered nothing in return. A company of this size, one that claims to value its guests, should have policies that account for real‑world events like severe weather, not scripted responses and zero willingness to help.

If you’re considering booking with them, just understand: if anything goes wrong—even something completely unavoidable—you’re on your own and out thousands of dollars.

Filthy bathroom terrible service buffet was closed every time we came back to ship missed two days of cruise they lost our luggage customer service was terrible never answered complaints

The food was mediocre and repetitive. The one time I visited one of their upscale restaurants, I was so unimpressed that we stuck with the included dining options. Service was ok. The toilet in our cabin stopped flushing at least four times during our 10-day journey and each time multiple calls were required for the maintenance staff to respond. We pre-booked a thermal spa package but the first time I attempted to use it, I found all of the ladies lockers to be nonfunctional. I reported the problem immediately and was assured they’d be repaired overnight. The following day they were still broken, so I demanded a refund for the prepaid packages; there was no way I was leaving my belongings unattended in a boat full of strangers. The low cost is not only reflected in the experience, but in the way you are nickeled and dined to death. You can’t even get drinking water without being charged. The “unlimited soft drink” package is only good for fountain drinks, so forget bringing cans back to your room. They allow smoking in the casino and, as a result, after a few days that entire floor stank. It made me avoid all of the amenities - stores, theater, restaurants - on that deck. When we boarded, we weren’t allowed to go to our room because they were still cleaning. WTF? I want to relax and get my cabin set up, and instead I’m stuck outdoors in the heat with the entirety of the ship’s passengers. No. Onboard activities were clearly geared towards older folks, and held no interest to me whatsoever. Workout classes were similarly basic and unchallenging. Port stops were ridiculously short, making it impossible to see much of anything. Very disappointing. The single bright spot was the spa. Overpriced? Sure. But the staff was excellent at what they do, and I was inspired to go back several times just to get away from the passengers who started drinking before breakfast. To make matters worse, they began painting the ship during our last few days, so parts of the ship were closed off or were full of “wet paint” signs on the safety rails. I will never cruise with them again. Even for free.

Do NOT book their flight promotion unless you are completely flexible for travel. The flight promo comes with stipulations. They have a penalty policy which takes effect starting 120 days before the trip. They do not release or ticket your flights until 30 days before the trip. They will not change the flight times under any circumstances meaning you will encounter a penalty for needing this changed. They do not credit for the flights cancelled in your name with that airline. Flying west coast to east coast in return are always red eye flights leaving right before midnight on the west coast. They do not honor airline policy for changes. It's not worth the headache unless you have full flexibility for returning from your trip.

The most unlike able people to talk to customer service poor, lack of knowledge very bad.
Need assistance for wheelchair. At check in .
Letter saying not at check in but the ship.
I asked how do I wait in line get on and off the bus and walk to your terminal.
Responded out of our control…
My trip is already a downer.!
Will never sail on this NCL line again!
No respect for elderly people .

I installed their app, and registered, and they forced me to enter my phone number. They immediately had a lady named Sarah call me, who could not have been more rude. The call would have been better if she would’ve just cursed at me. After being treated so horribly, I have decided I will never do business with this cruise line. I did not ask to immediately get sales calls, I just wanted to look at the app. Very disappointed in how I was treated, and I am done with this cruise line.

We recently sailed with Norwegian Cruise Line, and this was easily one of the worst handled situations I’ve experienced with any travel company.

During embarkation in New York, our luggage was dropped into the Hudson River. Not misplaced—dropped into the river. The damage was extensive, including clothing, personal items, leather goods, and baby-related supplies.

Accidents can happen. What matters is how they’re handled—and this is where everything fell apart.

There was no urgency, no meaningful assistance, and no accountability from Guest Services. We were left to deal with the situation ourselves. At one point, we were reassured that recovered baby items had been cleaned and were safe to use. After relying on that guidance, our child developed a rash. This was reported onboard to a Guest Services Supervisor, yet we were later told there was “no record” of it.

That alone should concern anyone traveling with family.

Beyond this, the overall experience showed consistent operational issues—poor communication, lack of responsiveness, and a general sense that guest concerns were not taken seriously.

After the cruise, we submitted a detailed claim with full documentation. Norwegian acknowledged the incident, but their resolution was to offer a 10% discount on a future cruise fare.

That is not compensation.

It requires spending more money with the same company and does not come close to addressing thousands of dollars in documented damage or the impact on our trip.
At the end of the day, this wasn’t just a bad experience—it was a failure in accountability. When something goes wrong at this level, you expect the company to step up and make it right. That did not happen here.

Stranded for 10 Hours — Avoid NCL’s Travel Department
Extremely poor handling of post-cruise travel by Norwegian Cruise Line—avoid using their travel department.
We were told in advance that we would be able to choose from more than one flight option. That did not happen.
Instead, we were booked on a 12 AM red-eye flight with a 2½-hour layover, then dropped at the San Juan airport nearly 10 hours early. We were left three terminals away from our airline with no assistance.
Because of how early the flight was scheduled, we could not check our bags or get through security. That left us stranded landside in an overcrowded terminal with virtually no seating—at times people were sitting on the floor—while managing our luggage for hours.
When we contacted their travel department to fix this, we were told it would cost over $1,000 to change the flight. There was no attempt to help—only an expensive penalty for a problem they created.
There was no guidance, no support, and no consideration for the length or difficulty of this travel plan, especially for older travelers. A midnight departure with a long layover is already exhausting; being forced to wait 10 hours in those conditions made it far worse.
This significantly impacted the end of our trip. Do not rely on Norwegian Cruise Line’s travel services—book your own flights and verify everything yourself.

We cruised NCL in 2022 to Greece and it was ok. We recently did the transatlantic in April 2026. Although we liked the boat (Dawn) and the people, the service on the ship was awful. From the port embarkation and on the ship was terrible. Our room was never cleaned until 3:00 pm. Service at all the restaurants was so slow and staff (managers) did not care. We cruise at least 6 times a year and we will never sail NCL again, stick with Celebrity and Holland, skip NCL

We recently sailed on the Norwegian Aqua, expecting a great experience based on our positive trips on Norwegian’s older ships. Unfortunately, this cruise did not meet our expectations.

To begin with, we were initially assigned an ADA room, which we did not request. We were then moved to another cabin, but it was located next to a housekeeping room. Every morning we were disturbed by noise from staff accessing cleaning supplies, which made it difficult to rest.

On the first day, we dined in one of the complimentary dining rooms, where the soup was cold and the rest of the meal was only lukewarm. Throughout the cruise, the food quality was inconsistent—sometimes good, but often not served hot, which took away from the overall dining experience.

The ship accommodates around 3,500 guests, yet the entertainment options felt limited. In order to attend a show, you had to arrive at least an hour and a half early just to secure a seat. The atrium and Improv areas were small and felt cramped, lacking the open and spacious design we’ve experienced on other Norwegian ships. Overall, the ship felt narrow and more enclosed.

On the final day, when there is usually a celebratory atmosphere, there was only one show and a game show available. The rest of the ship had minimal activity, with only soft background music in the bar areas.

We have taken several Norwegian Cruise Line vacations in the past and truly enjoyed them, which made this experience especially disappointing. Based on this trip, we would not sail on this ship again and are reconsidering future cruises on newer NCL ships.