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Norwegian Cruise Line

MS Norwegian Spirit

Your Rating:
Reviewed by: Justin Marcs
# previous cruises: 21 to 30
Date of Trip: August 9, 2008
Itinerary: Caribbean - Eastern

I just returned from the Norwegian Spirit 8/9 sailing from NYC to the Caribbean (8 nights) and I thought I would share with everyone my cruise!

A little about myself I am 27, I have been a travel agent for 10 years. I currently do travel part-time as I am finishing my grad degree in teaching. This was my 25th cruise and I have been on all the major lines except Princess. For the last four years I have cruised twice a year. My last few cruises were on the Queen Mary 2, Explorer of the Seas, Disney Wonder, Costa Magica, NCL Dawn & Spirit (one night). For this trip I sailed with my family: mother, father, and two sisters (one 23 and the other 15). They too have cruised over 20 times.

The public area on the Spirit still reflect her Asian roots. The Spirit started life as the SuperStar Leo of Star Cruises (NCL's parent company). In 2004 the Leo was added to NCL's fleet and was called the Spirit. I beleive late in 2004 she was given a refurbishment. The only areas they seemed to have refurbished was the photo gallery and shopping area. Most other public rooms retained the Leo decor. I know this because I have a brochure from when she was the Leo and can tell that little has changed.

Having not been changed the ship does show wear and tear. Nevertheless having been on a few NCL ships (touring and sailing on them) I feel the Spirit is one their more towned down ships. She has an elegant feel in many of the public rooms and the Asian decor is very interesting and attractive.

She just needs some extra touching up!

As all NCL ships including the Spirit has freestyle dining: There were two main dining rooms that were included in the cruise fare- Windows and the Garden Room as well as Raffles buffet. Shogun which was Asian and had a $15 pp surcharge, In Shogun was the Teppenyaki (sp?) Room which had a $25pp surcharge, La Tratoria which is an Italian dining area that is a sectioned part of the buffet area and now carries a $10 pp surcharge (it used to be included in the cruise fare), Le Bistro which is French and had a $15pp surcharge, and Cagney's the shipboard steakhouse that had a $20 pp surcharge.

To me the food was average. Nothing really stood out except the cookies and pretzel rolls at the buffet. Loved them! Buffet food was just that-buffet food. I ate here for breakfast and some lunches. Dinners I took in Windows and the Garden Room. Windows was a lovely room - bright and airy; while the Garden Room was small and dark looking. I found the selection to be average I liked what I ate but again nothing really stood out. The first night I ate at Shogun and generally enjoyed what I had though I can get better asian dishes at home - though I live in the NYC area do have some great dining options at my door step so my interpretation of "good" food may be different from someone else's.

I had two Category E oceanview rooms with picture windows on deck 5 next door to one another. Cabins # 5550 & 5552. The cabins were nicely furnished and small which is a staple on most cruise ships. Having sailed the Spirit before on the one night I know that some of the rooms were worn and these two were a bit as well. Nothing big but they could use new rugs.

We had new beds and I loved them! Very nice. In the room I was in we had a third person sleeping in the open up sofa bed. This can obstruct the passage to the bathroom when in use. The cabin also had a bunk as well. I would say if you are traveling with three use the bunk instead. My sistser is not fond .heights. plus there was not a rail guard on the bunk so she did not want to use it. Nevertheless the room was relatively fine but I found a few things that I did not care for such as a dirty condom in back of the sleeper sofa!

Only reason why I went back there was to get something that fell and out I came with that plus some dried cheerios, bracelet, an earning and a shower cap! I never did let the steward know. It did not ruin my trip but I do think that is sloppy housekeeping to say the least. I know the stewards work hard for no money but they should take a look behind things once in a while.

I am not one for floor shows so I don't go to salute Broadway and the 70s and the 80s and the 90s. But I did see Second City and I love them. I saw them in Vegas and on the Dawn and the shows they do don't disappoint! I did see the crew show and thought it was enjoyable. There was a lounge act . pair of singers of which I forgot their names . who were excellent. I have to look there names up on the Freestyle Daly. When I unpack I will find them. They were superb and the women had some voice. Overall I liked what I saw but I do think that too many daytime activities focused on buying something. More on this

While on the ship I mainly took the opportunity to relax. However activity wise NCL had a lot going on BUT NCL does charge for some of the shipboard activities. I have sailed with NCL a few times before (recently) and I have found that they have increasingly added fees to many activities. One thing in particular is NCLU which is an enrichment program they have been touting to the travel agent community for months. My rep from NCL came in my office and spoke of it. Most days they had 4 or 5 NCLU .enrichment programs. and only one or two was free the rest had $15 surcharges because they involved alcohol. The other two "free" NCLU programs involved a port talk to purchase shore excursions and the other was a port shopping talk which benefits NCL as well. Now I know that ALL massmarket lines do this. But the way they have been promoting NCLU they make it sound like it is an interesting enrichment program. I am not an elitist but a margarita making seminar is not my idea of an enrichment program! I know that it is NCL so at the same time I don't expect a program discussing the woes of the world but it just seemed tacky and cheap.

NCL also had a few big events during the cruise - Monte Carlo night, White Hot party, Night time pool party. Again these events focused on purchasing something such as tee shirts for the Monte Carlo Night, Angel wings for white hot night, hats for the deck party. Of course you did not have to purchase these things but the staff walks aroudn yelling out "get your angel wings here!" I felt like I was at Yankee Stadium! It was all fun though but after awhile the constant sales pitches get tiring.

For the ports I have been to most of them already but enjoy going back. San Juan I walked around the old town. Tortola I took the beach escape excursion to Cane Beach. It was a lovely stretch of beach though it seemed crowded. In the Dominican Republic I did the Cayo Levantado excursion which was excellent. As many posters have indicated in these forums it is a beautiful place and it was HOT too. I ended up returning early to the ship. I did not want too but I felt like I was cooking!!!! I was very lucky to have perfect weather for the entire cruise. The sun was always shining and the sea was smooth. Very enjoyable, you can't ask for better!

On this sailing we had many people from th NYC area and the middle atlantic and new england regions of the US. I also met a lovely family from the UK! Many family groups onbaord as well.