Royal Caribbean vs. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL): 10 main differences between the lines (2023)

When it comes to cruises, two of the biggest players are Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean. If you're planning to set sail, there's a good chance you'll be looking at at least one of these lines.

Of course, if you're about to set sail, or if you're just planning your next vacation, you might be wondering what exactly is the difference between the two. After all, at first glance, both seem to offer a similar experience with huge ships sailing to exotic ports of call with thousands of passengers.

The truth is that there are many similar things between Royal Caribbean and NCL. For the most part, taking a cruise on either line will feel similar. But that doesn't mean they are exactly the same. Each line has unique things in its service that can captivate passengers and potentially be what you are looking for.

Below we cover some of the biggest differences between Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean. This should give you a better idea of ​​what to expect on each cruise line and whether it's the right one for you.

In addition, we also cover the differences betweenNorwegian and Carnival hereand differences betweenRoyal Caribbean and Carnival here.

Precio

One of the main reasons many people choose a specific cruise is the price. While cruise lines may offer a similar experience, what you pay for can vary wildly. This is one of the differences between Norwegian and Royal Caribbean.

Both are generally more expensive than lines like Carnival and MSC, but we found that Norwegian Cruise Line is often (though not always) more expensive than Royal Caribbean.

For example, take a July 2022 voyage aboard Norwegian Sky from Miami to the Bahamas. The 4-day cruise offers four sailing dates during the month, starting at $608 per person for an interior room when we search.

Royal Caribbean offers a similar voyage, also sailing from Miami to the Bahamas aboard Freedom of the Seas. Your four sailing dates during July 2022 start at $519 per person. That's about $100 less per person.

And a 7-day cruise from New York on Norwegian Joy in July 2022 started at $1,112 per person for the cheapest stateroom when we searched. Royal Caribbean offers a 7-day cruise from New Jersey during the same month aboard Oasis of the Seas, starting at $988.

This is not to say that Norwegian Cruise Line is always more expensive. However, in our experience, you'll often find both lines are in the same ballpark, but with the slightly higher NCL price.

fleet size

Why should you care about the size of a cruise line's fleet? After all, you can only sail one ship at a time.

The size of the fleet gives you more options. That means more sailings, more itineraries, and more options for choosing a ship for your cruise. Bigger fleets mean more likely to find the cruise that fits exactly what you want.

On that front, Royal Caribbean has a larger line of ships. In all, the cruise line currently offers voyages on 25 different ships with a new ship planned each year until at least 2026.

Norwegian Cruise Line isn't far behind, but the fleet numbers 17 ships, roughly two-thirds that of Royal Caribbean. With that being said, NCL also has new ships scheduled every year through 2027.

In short, if you want the most choice, Royal Caribbean offers the most extensive hours.

expenses on board

We've covered cruise fares above, but savvy cruise passengers know that's not all you'll spend on a cruise. There are also expenses on board. This category includes all the money you spend on things on the ship, including drinks, special dinners, Wi-Fi, and more.

In that case, average Norwegian passengers can expect to spend more compared to Royal Caribbean.

In 2019, Royal Caribbean Group, parent of Royal Caribbean and other lines, reported "shipboard and other revenue" totaling $3.1 billion, according to financial reports. expenses on board.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. -- NCL's parent company -- reported shipboard revenue of $1.9 billion, or about $94 per person per day depending on the number of people carried.

Please note that we do not have data for each individual cruise line, only for the parent companies🇧🇷 Still, quick checks often show higher prices for many things on NCL. For example, the cruise line's beverage package costs $99 per day, while Royal Caribbean's starts at around $65-70 per day.

the shelter

Looking for a more luxurious cruise? You can try sailing on smaller, more luxurious ships and cruise lines. However, this can be a very different experience than the fun of sailing on a larger ship. For example, if you have kids, they'll want a big boat with things like go-karts and kiddie areas, rather than a fancy boat for adults.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a solution. Their ships have an area called The Haven. This is a luxury "resort within a resort" featuring a small number of luxury staterooms along with numerous private amenities such as pools, lounges, bar and restaurant. Regular passengers do not have access to these areas.

In short, if you want a more exclusive experience and still get the benefit of a larger ship, NCL has you covered.

Offer Free at Sea

Tired of being nickel and dim? One big difference you'll find with Norwegian and Royal Caribbean isOferta “Free at Sea” de NCL.

In a nutshell, Free at Sea is Norwegian's regular sale, where guests can choose from benefits to get free on their voyage. Options include everything from free drinks on the boat to free specialty meals, free Wi-Fi, and even free airfare. (The amount of free benefits generally depends on the type of room you book.) Sure, there are some terms and conditions, but in general, the sale may offer up to five or six different items for free.

One thing to know is that staterooms with this benefit are more expensive than reservations without. Still, if you don't like the extra charges on the boat, this deal might be for you.

shipless state

Check Royal Caribbean's message boards and you'll likely hear a lot about Platinum, Diamond and Pinnacle status with the Crown and Anchor Society. These are the cruise line's loyalty program levels, indicating how many days you've sailed with them. Interestingly, we found that the status is displayed much more on Royal Caribbean than on Norwegian.

This is not to say that lack of status is being held against you; the truth is, no one really cares if it's their first cruise or their 100th cruise. We just noticed that there are a lot more high-end cards showing up on Royal Caribbean ships (most often on a lanyard). .

On Norwegian cruises, we see very few people with high status key cards and fewer people overall wearing lanyards that display the status of their cards.

outside connection

You would think that when you are at sea, it is a way to spend a lot of time outdoors and connect with the ocean. Admittedly, most ships offer pool decks, but apparently there isn't much more outdoor space.

Norwegian Cruise Line, however, focuses more on being outdoors while cruising than Royal Caribbean.

For example, many NCL ships feature an open-air walkway that juts out from the ship, giving you a place to soak up the sun and get some fresh air away from the pool deck. But where the biggest difference seems to be is in al fresco dining.

It seems obvious that if you're at sea, al fresco dining will come with the territory. The truth is that the wind and the sun can be a big problem. A five mile per hour breeze across the ship's face can become 25 miles per hour when the ship is moving. This means that everything on your table will be destroyed. And if you dine during the day, the tropical sun can make dining al fresco uncomfortable.

In other words, a cruise line needs to put a lot of thought into how to prepare outdoor dining so that it is a comfortable and relaxing experience, not a cranky disaster.

Norwegian seems to focus more on al fresco dining, with several places on their ships where you can sit and eat al fresco without having to worry about the wind ruining your dinner or the sun beating you down.

Boat size and things to do

When it comes to the biggest ships with the most features, there's no question that Royal Caribbean is the gold standard.

Its Oasis-class ships are the largest cruise ships in the world, measuring over 1,000 feet and 225,000 tons. The ships are also known for having unique things to do like ice skating, FlowRider standing waves, massive multi-story slides, and much more. If you want a ship with maximum sea activities, Royal Caribbean is probably your choice.

Norwegian is making great strides in this area, however as a whole the fleet is still not quite there. Its Breakaway-Plus class of ships is the largest in the cruise line. These ships measure around 165,000 tons. On board, you'll find plenty of unique things to do, including go-carts(!), laser tag, and even water slides that take you right to the edge of the ship.

To be fair, we think these newer ships are comparable to Royal Caribbean, it's just that, on average, Royal Caribbean offers bigger ships with more things to do.

private islands

These days, all the major cruise lines offer a private island. Norwegian offers two:Harvest Caye near BelizemiBig Stirrup Keyin the Bahamas royal caribbean dealsCayo Cocoin the bahamas

We love going to these private islands. They have beautiful beaches and are tailor-made for cruise passengers. If you just want to hang out by the pool or sunbathe, you can do it, without worrying about transportation or paying fees like in other ports.

So what is the difference? Royal Caribbean has transformedCayo Cocomuch more than just an island where you can sit and relax on the beach. The island now includesExciting water park with more than a dozen slides, a wave pool, 1,600 feet of zip lines, overwater bungalows, and the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean. Like Royal Caribbean's ships, the company has gone "big" with its private island.

By comparison, the Norwegian island is a bit quieter. They still offer plenty to do (zip-line, pool, water sports) and enjoy, but it's not the massive scale you'll find at CocoCay.

future developments

There is no question that Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line now offer many similarities and often attract the same passenger groups. It is a question of whether this will be the case in the future.

NCL has already invested more in luxury cruises with The Haven on its ships. But future ships appear to be even more focused on providing a top-notch experience. cruise lineNorwegian Prima is the first of six new shipsin its new Prima class, scheduled to debut in 2022. These ships have a different look and design than the rest of the fleet.

With modern design, world-class dining options, infinity pools and more, the new ships give the sense that Norwegian is focusing on a more luxurious experience compared to Royal Caribbean, or indeed other ships in its fleet.

Have more questions about sailing on Royal Caribbean or Norwegian? Let us know in the comments below.

You can also see the differences betweenRoyal Caribbean y Carnaval, or the differences betweencarnival and norwegian.

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