A few months ago, I received an invitation from the Norwegian Cruise Line on the occasion of the first time their new ENCORE ship was to set sail. The truth is, I had no idea what to expect. I had never been on a cruise before, and the little I know about them doesn’t go far beyond Titanic or Love Boat {not that I’ve ever seen Love Boat, but you can imagine it as being a pretty old fashioned image}. So, when I first got the invitation I was a bit concerned, but the information and pictures included in the email made me go for it and see for myself if the image I had of a cruise is indeed a reflection of reality or simply stigmatic.
Click here to watch the Stories I posted on the cruise.
If you followed my Stories posted on IG during our trip, you already know it was a unique, 2-night {only} cruise, with special guests and VIPs from the media and tourism industries. The short nature of the cruise means I didn’t fully experience the visits to destinations around the world, however, I did get to experience the special attractions the ship has to offer, and of course enjoyed its many bars and restaurants.
The number of questions I kept getting during the cruise and following my Stories was pretty crazy, so even though I wasn’t originally planning on writing a blog post about this, I decided to share my experience onboard in writing, and answer the most commonly asked questions.
Our short cruise left from the city of Bremerhaven, Germany, and docked in Southampton, England. This particular route is not one of the Cruise’s traditional routes, but a one-off route prepared especially for the launch. According to what I read on the company's website, the Norwegian ENCORE reaches destinations far and wide; from New York to Bermuda and between Miami and the east or west of the Caribbean. I can only imagine what astonishing views those must be to wake up to 🙂
One of the most frequently asked questions was how strongly is the rocking of the ship felt, and if being on board is accompanied by a sense of nausea. The truth is, I am generally not easily affected by the sea, but since this was a huge ship, it is relatively stable so you don’t feel rocking very strongly. Still, we’re talking about a ship in the sea here, meaning, depending on the sea’s state, you can’t expect not to feel anything. I won’t lie, I did get occasionally dizzy on board, but the amount of alcohol I consumed could be to blame 😏😏
Anyway, Daniel and I were put up in a spacious mini-suite with an amazing bed, couch, vanity corner, relatively large closet, and a bathroom with an upgraded shower. The cherry on top was that the room comes with a terrace, not so useful since we were sailing during the winter, but I can totally see myself sitting out on the terrace, sipping my morning coffee and soaking up the sea view. The ship offers smaller, simpler rooms, like an internal room, or a room with a window, as well as larger, more luxurious rooms, in a private area called The Haven. Like any hotel, pricing varies according to the style and location of the room.
After the initial excitement finding ourselves on our first cruise ever, Daniel and I set out to explore the ship!
Though we read about the trip and all there is to do before we arrived, only once we boarded the ship did we realize how unbelievably big it is, and how much it has to offer, it’s like a city on water! It is almost impossible not to feel any FOMO as soon as you step onto the ship.
If I could compare the ship to a place in the world, it would totally be Las Vegas. The atmosphere, the endless activity, the amount of food and beverages, and the style – as American as it gets!
Let’s start with the food and beverages – which cannot be ignored. With a selection of almost 30(!!) bars and restaurants, I don’t think there is anything you can’t find onboard…. Italian, French, Asian, American, ice cream, sweets, and even Starbucks! And besides the international cuisine, you have a mojito bar, whiskey bar, brewery, wine bar, and more… We obviously couldn’t taste all there is onboard {though we definitely tried 🐷}, but it’s safe to say that every palate could be easily pleased on this ship.
I, for example, am less of a buffet person {which was huge in itself}, but I had so many other A la carte menu options {some with no additional charge} so I could really enjoy every moment.
One of the many questions I was posed was how does the food and drink system work on the ship. So…. some restaurants {including the extensive buffet} are free of additional charge, while others, slightly more upscale, require a reasonable additional cost. Drinks and alcoholic beverages can be purchased in different packages, pricing varies according to the type of drinks {much like bracelet bars}.
Besides the main attraction – which is non-stop eating 😋 , the Norwegian ENCORE offers some amazing attractions you simply cannot keep yourself away from {some offered for free, others not}. The craziest one in my eyes is the racing track on the ship’s top deck, but if tracks aren’t your thing, there’s also super cool laser-tag, VR games, broadway shows, nightclubs, live performances, kids clubs, a water park, pools, gyms, duty free{!} and of course a casino – because there’s no such thing as a cruise without a casino 🙂
Did I already mention FOMO?…
So, if you love attractions and can’t rest for a short minute, or if you prefer sunbathing on deck or relaxing in a spa, you will definitely find your place on board. After all, it’s a city on the water 🙂
The bottom line is that I discovered that a cruise {or a mini-cruise in my case 😇} is an incredible experience you should try out at least once in a lifetime. Surrounded by the big open waters {especially if you opt for a room with a view}, the large variety onboard – whether you're into action or R&R – and the visits to remarkable destinations… this is definitely a different kind of vacation.
What do you think about cruises? Have you already been on one? What was your experience like? Leave me a comment below!
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