Norwegian Cruise Line finished last among 19 ocean cruise lines in a new Consumer Reports satisfaction survey based on responses from 18,850 members. The survey asked members about the most recent ocean cruise they had taken in the last 36 months and ranked the lines by overall satisfaction.
The findings were based on the parts of the cruise experience that tend to matter most to passengers, according to Consumer Reports, which included value for the price paid, the quality and variety of food, customer service, cruise-run shore excursions, and onboard activities and entertainment.
Only three cruise lines scored high enough to earn Consumer Reports’ Recommended status.
NCL has long gouged its customers with new charges, which you can read here, here and here.
In May 2026, we reported that the Norwegian Dawn failed a health inspection, receiving an unsatisfactory CDC score of 84 after inspectors documented extensive health violations aboard the ship.
In April, we reported that Norwegian Cruise Line reached a $2 million settlement with 12 states over deceptive COVID sales tactics. State investigators concluded that the company’s sales team had downplayed the risks of the virus during the early months of the pandemic. In one leaked email, a sales manager told their team, “the coronavirus can only survive in cold temperatures, so the Caribbean is a fantastic choice for your next cruise.”
Most recently, we reported that Frank Del Rio, the highest paid cruise executive in history, is suing Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings for additional compensation. The lawsuit, filed in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit for Miami-Dade County, alleges that four NCLH directors verbally agreed to pay Del Rio a retirement package of $1,000,000 per quarter over 4.5 years (a total of $18,000,000), from July 2023 through the end of 2027. However, the written agreement Del Rio signed was only for a total of $10,000,000. The board of directors supposedly agreed to the under the table deal because they feared they would be voted out if they gave Del Rio the originally agreed upon package of $18,000,000 over 4.5 years, according to the lawsuit.
Del Rio has been paid over $175,000,000 by NCLH, which includes $36,380,000 during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic when the company lost billions and reduced the salaries of thousands of employees.
Perhaps Del Rio should earn his $8 million he claims he was promised by advising Norwegian Cruise Line on how not to finish dead last in passenger satisfaction.
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