My husband and I, along with our two children (ages 13 and & 7), just returned from an amazing cruise with NCL. We have been on many cruises before, on just about every cruise line that exists. This was our first cruise with Norwegian. We were excited about the freestyle cruising, due to the fact that we do not want to be committed to a certain time slot every night for dinner. We also wanted to enjoy family dinners together, while saving the opportunity to make new friends during other times on the ship. This cruise exceeded our expectations!

I was surprised to read some of the negative reviews. As a frequent traveler, to resorts and on cruises, we understand the differences in terms of sizes of swimming pools and cabins/rooms.Ships simply do not have the space to accommodate the size of pools one would see at a land resort. Our focus was on the activities offered, excursions, shows, and of course, the dining experience. We must have participated in every activity offered: Nickelodeon PJ jam; Family dinner party (with face painting and cupcake making); how to make balloon animals class, how to make designs from towels class, Bingo, 70s and 80s party, Glow party, bowling, ropes course with zipline and plank, mini golf, arcade, water slides, splash zone, rock climbing wall, trampoline,etc. We are an adventurous and sporty family who remain very active during all of our family vacations. We also based our choice of activities on the age groups of our two children. However, we met several families who spent more time relaxing and enjoying the ice cream shops and bakeries, instead of participating in a multitude of events. In other words, you take what you want from the ship experience. There are plenty of activities for adults, designated quiet areas and adult only areas, and a variety of activities to meet all needs and likes. Take the time to read the daily itinerary; it gives hour by hour options. The customer service desk can also assist in deciding what activities best suit your taste.

The food was tasty; all restaurants offered a great variety of choices. We opted to eat at the inclusive restaurants as well as the specialty ones. We are a family who enjoys dining out; therefore, we wanted to explore all options on the ship. We found, though, that the inclusive restaurants were just as "fancy" as the specialty ones (as stated by our teenage daughter). Some restaurants offered a tranquil atmosphere, whereas others extended a more festive ambiance. Read more