I've gone on 50+ cruises and just tried Norwegian Cruise Line for the first time. I was disappointed despite some pleasant surprises.

As an avid cruiser, my first experience sailing with Norwegian was comfortable but also confusing.Amanda Adler

• After 50+ sailings on other cruise lines, I just took my first cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line.
• The experience offered lots of freebies, cool features, and a laid-back cruising style.

Despite having embarked on more than 50 cruises on several major cruise lines, sailing with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) wasn't on my radar until recently.

My family's typically been drawn to more kid-friendly competitors, like Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean. But with my son entering his tween phase and outgrowing many traditional kid-centric offerings, I decided to see what other cruise lines had to offer.

Thanks to a bevy of promotional offers, I recently booked my first-ever NCL cruise, a 10-night Northern Europe sailing on the Norwegian Prima. Although our trip had some great highs, I found I was mostly disappointed.

Here are some of the things that surprised me most.