The biggest risk a cruiser can take might not be going “all in” at the poker table, but rather taking a chance on a new cruise line. Doing so definitely proved to be a losing proposition for one unhappy sailor, who took to Reddit not so much to complain as to ask forgiveness… from no less than Virgin Voyages’ founder Richard Branson.
‘I Will Never, Ever Cheat on Virgin For Any Reason Again’
Tongue firmly planted in cheek, u/SeriousAd4676 took to Reddit to seek forgiveness, having decided to give Norwegian Cruise Line a shot. “If you are in here somewhere,” they wrote to Branson, “I would like to personally apologize.”
After cataloging a litany of complaints — ranging from the food being “slop” to “roving gangs of teenagers” — the redditor claimed to have figured out why the ship upon which they were sailing was dubbed the Escape: “If you have experienced the godsend that is a Virgin cruise, escaping back to our No. 1 cruise line is the only option.”
The Big Questions
The humorous missive went on to say that being “aboard this floating prison barge” gave them an opportunity to ponder “the great mysteries of life. Things like is there a God, why are we here as a species, and perhaps the most important: Why would anyone book a cruise with Norwegian if they had experienced this mediocrity before?”
Of course, the responses were a mix of those who agreed completely and others who jumped to the defense of Norwegian. It’s worth nothing, however, that Norwegian Cruise Line is currently in what might be considered a bit of a transition period. During recent earnings calls, the line’s relatively new CEO, John Chidsey, admitted “we have had missteps over the last few years where we were not consistently and effectively speaking to our core customer.”
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That muddling of brand identity is clearly not an issue with Virgin Voyages, which came into the market determined to shake things up and did so by establishing themselves as “other” and selling that across multiple platforms. As Norwegian has tried to become all things to all people, Virgin has marketed itself as the adult alternative to not only NCL but all other cruise lines… especially given their 18-and-older policy.
Something For Everyone?
Humorous calls for rescuing aside, modern-day cruising is not the one-size-fits-all prospect it might once have been. Each line has a distinct identity, or at least attempts to develop one. Even within the larger Carnival Corporation, there are the Carnival “Fun Ships,” the more upscale Princess Cruises and even the Cunard fleet, including the world’s last remaining ocean liner, the Queen Mary 2.
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The same is true of Norwegian, whether you’re looking at the fleets which sail under the larger Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (including premium divisions Oceania and Regent Seven Seas) or simply the Norwegian Cruise Line ships themselves. Newer offerings such as the Luna, Aqua or Prima offer a far different experience than do older, smaller ships such as the Gem or Jade. Many who’ve sailed both might say that “newer” does not equate to “better” when it comes to the overall guest experience.
Mistakes Were Made
As for the original Reddit post, several of those responding pointed out the obvious: Norwegian — much like Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruise lines — is going to be overrun with kids, teens and families this time of year. There’s a reason family-friendly cruise lines charge a premium price to sale when school is out of session. As a result, ships are naturally going to be more crowded in general.
As redditor u/Rough-Tradition-149 said, “Planning is everything! I have taken several NCL cruises, but they were at a carefully chosen time of year and to ports most parents don’t bring kids.”
It’s also important to keep in mind that Norwegian Cruise Line’s loyalty program is one of the best in the business. Some of those upper-level perks (including free specialty dining credits, discounts on spa services and — at the highest level — a free cruise) might be hard for members to walk away from.
But to some, those perks don’t outweigh the negatives. As the original apologizer commented, “There are 1,600 loyalty members on board and all of them are fools.” But at a time when some cruise lines are facing harsh criticism for changes being made to their loyalty programs — yes, we’re talking about you, Carnival — it’s easy to understand why many of NCL’s most faithful followers are reluctant to walk away from their earned perks.
Ultimately, there’s no denying that every cruise line has its perks and its flaws. Even those who were singing the praises of Virgin Voyages in the post’s comment section found things to criticize, usually involving particular restaurants they’d found unsatisfactory. While we’re big believers that you can have a great time on any cruise ship, some do make it decidedly easier than others.
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