NCL Spirit photos & review (incl. Gemini Suite)

[Needhamite]

Photos of the Norwegian Spirit taken during the May 21, 2010 Boston-Bermuda cruise are available at:

http://travel.webshots.com/album/577912832YNxNBG?vhost=travel

 

A second set of photos specifically of Cabin 9212 (the Gemini Suite) are available at:

http://travel.webshots.com/album/577874582FjnTSJ?vhost=travel

The review (very long) for this trip is at:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=68181

Happy cruising,

-Peter

[LTC]

Enjoyed reading your review--it was excellent and very detailed. We will be on the Spirit in August and it was nice to read such positive comments. Your information (especially on food and entertainment) was very helpful. Thanks for taking the time to post such comprehensive review.:)

[Ericktina]

Have sailed many times on Cunard, and, more recently, many times on NCL. In general, Cunarders really look down their noses at NCL. As you point out--they do not know what they are missing--NCL has the best crews and officers on the sea!! Loved reading your comparisons. Amazing review--many more happy NCL cruises to you both!!

[spirit rev]

Thanks for posting the pictures of 9212. We were in this suite in January 2007 and will be in it again in October. The living/dining furniture has changed but overall it is much as I remembered. Glad to see loungers available on the balcony. Hope they will still be there in October. I really appreciate the picture of the 220 outlet so I know exactly what type of adaptors to bring for my dual voltage hair dryer, unless you tell me they now have real hair dryers in the suite instead of the mounted on the wall type I've heard were not replaced during the last dry dock.

[NW Pacific]

what category Suite is 9212? We are in 9210 next May, am wondering if they are alike?

[spirit rev]

what category Suite is 9212? We are in 9210 next May, am wondering if they are alike?

They are both AD suites. They are the same category and nearly identical.

[Needhamite]

Cabin 9210 is the Aquarius Suite. As answered above, it is virtually identical in layout to the Gemini Suite which is right next to it. The entry door, however, is positioned so that you can't see into the cabin from the hall so I don't know if the color schemes and decorations are the same as in the Gemini Suite. There are two AA suites and three AD suites lined up across the rear of the ship on Deck 9.

-Peter

[Susie51]

Thank you for the pics!

[julescruisin]

Peter, So glad you enjoyed your cruise, the review and the pictures were amazing, so detailed. My family just enjoyed your slideshow and the pictures have us counting the days until our cruise on the Spirit Aug.20th. I agree I was disappointed with the new departure time and while it will shorten our stay on our fave. island it will in no way ruin our much needed cruise. Did you happen to go to any beaches, we always go to Horseshoe Bay, my fave. beach ever, we were wondering about Elbow Beach. Glad you had an amazing cruise and hope you have many more. Like I always say, when someone is cooking, making my beds and entertaining us with a smile on their faces how could you not have a good time. Happy Cruising:D Julie

[texasbluebonnet]

Thank you for the review and pictures. I am planning a trip on the Spirit soon. It looks like a beautiful ship.

[Don Haynes]

Thanks for posting the pictures of 9212. We were in this suite in January 2007 and will be in it again in October. The living/dining furniture has changed but overall it is much as I remembered. Glad to see loungers available on the balcony. Hope they will still be there in October. I really appreciate the picture of the 220 outlet so I know exactly what type of adaptors to bring for my dual voltage hair dryer, unless you tell me they now have real hair dryers in the suite instead of the mounted on the wall type I've heard were not replaced during the last dry dock.

 

You will need the Euro adapter, the two round prongs...

[Lulubelle6805]

My husband and my 20-month old son and I were on this same sailing with you (who knows, we may have been at Cagney's for breakfast at the same time!), and it was wonderful to read your very detailed review. What an amazing gift to your wife, too. I'm also a grad student, and our week on the Spirit was timed right after a particularly tough term, so it couldn't have been more perfect. We just fell in love with the ship, and Bruce was such an amazing concierge. Your review really was a nice tribute to him. Can't wait to head back to the Spirit ASAP!!

[snorklinbarb]

Congrats to your wife! What an incredible gift and it sounds like you enjoyed it to the fullest.

 

The Enchanted Dinner sounds amazing. How many attend? Is the Taste of India and dinner or lunch? Did you meet anyone who went?

 

Prem is such an attentive HD and strives for the best from his whole team. Sounds like that's what you experienced.

 

We're platinum on NCL but a couple of yrs ago went on the QM2 for a 4 night cruise from NYC. Very enjoyable. However, we experienced the same snooty attitude you mention. We were not in a suite but even asking for coffee at breakfast seemed to get attitude. When the officers passed you, eyes were averted and no hellos. It really came as a shock after what we've always had on NCL - fantastic officers and great crews.

 

You certainly get the award for the most detailed review I've read! Anyone who has that suite booked sure got a preview. Thanks for taking time to share your wonderful cruise with all of us.:)

[timeforadaiquiri]

Thank you so much for posting those pictures. I enjoy looking at them and dreaming.....

[Needhamite]

Thanks to everyone for the compliments on the pics and review (and for the congratulations to my DW graduate.) As I mentioned I had gleaned so much helpful info from the CC boards in planning for this trip I would have felt guilty if I hadn't posted some useful info when we returned from our cruise.

 

To Spirit rev: The built in hair dryer over the tub is fairly weak. If you bring your own dual voltage unit you have a choice. As Don Haynes noted above, you can plug directly into the 230V outlet at the vanity privided you have a two pin adapter. Alternatively, at least on our trip, this cabin had a voltage converter on the floor under the vanity counter. You can plug it into the 230V outlet and then plug your hair dryer (on its 115V seting) into the converter using the normal North American style plug. (If the converter is not there when you check in, ask the butler about it immediately. I wouldn't be surprised if there is limited supply, so ask right away.)

 

to Julescruisin: Neither DW nor I do beaches and the weather on this trip kept most others off the beaches as well. We did stop at a beach during our Island Tour excursion on Tuesday. It was on the east coast pretty far up near the airport just so we could get a close up look at the pink sand and feel the gale force winds whipping us in the face. The breakers were fun to look at. No one would have been out surfing in them that day.

 

to Snorklin'barb: I am pretty certain that Taste of India was a dinner. A friend has my Freestyle Dailies so I can't check. If I find out that I am mistaken when I get them back, I will post a correction. Niether DW nor I spoke with anyone who did go to this event.

 

-Peter

[Needhamite]

Thanks for posting the pictures of 9212. We were in this suite in January 2007 and will be in it again in October. The living/dining furniture has changed but overall it is much as I remembered. Glad to see loungers available on the balcony. Hope they will still be there in October. I really appreciate the picture of the 220 outlet so I know exactly what type of adaptors to bring for my dual voltage hair dryer, unless you tell me they now have real hair dryers in the suite instead of the mounted on the wall type I've heard were not replaced during the last dry dock.

 

You can see the convertor box in this picture:

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2656343630106540214TRAiiR?vhost=travel

It is the white thing on the floor just to the left of the vanity chair.

[Duff Man]

Thanks for the photos. :)

 

I have to ask, in the Stardust Theater, what's with the gold chairs and tables up front?

[Needhamite]

Thanks for the photos. :)

 

I have to ask, in the Stardust Theater, what's with the gold chairs and tables up front?

 

I wondered the same thing myself but as far as I could tell, there is nothing up with them. They seemed to be available to any one who wanted them on a first come first served basis. Some people came into the theater and went right for them and others walked right past them and up the steps. Just a matter of preference.

-Peter

[Needhamite]

The Enchanted Dinner sounds amazing. How many attend?

 

I didn't get an exact count because the art easels were deliberately set up to create alcoves with just a couple of tables each. My best guess is that there were approximately 30 dinners the night we were there. I got the idea somehow that it is limited to just about three dozen.

-Peter

[russianmom]

Photos of the Norwegian Spirit taken during the May 21, 2010 Boston-Bermuda cruise are available at:

http://travel.webshots.com/album/577912832YNxNBG?vhost=travel

 

A second set of photos specifically of Cabin 9212 (the Gemini Suite) are available at:

http://travel.webshots.com/album/577874582FjnTSJ?vhost=travel

 

The review (very long) for this trip is at:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=68181

 

Happy cruising,

-Peter

Great photos. We will be in 9210 in Feb- can't wait.....:D

[electricron]

Thanks for the photos. :)

I have to ask, in the Stardust Theater, what's with the gold chairs and tables up front?

 

Normally, NCL would have theatre seats almost all the up to the stage. But the Spirit was designed, built, and operated by Star Cruises as the Superstar Leo before NCL bought her in 2004. Amongst the acts presented by Star Cruises aboard the Leo was a large "tamed" cat act. After all, Leo is Latin for cat. There were cages behind the stage that have since been remade into human dressing rooms. The rather large empty space between the stage and seats was to provide further separation for safety between the cats and passengers. NCL has never booked a cat act aboard the Spirit even when the cages were still in place. Adding old cabaret lounge style seats and tables to fill the empty space is a good solution to increase the theater's capacity.

[Needhamite]

Great photos. We will be in 9210 in Feb- can't wait.....:D

 

Russianmom,

 

Thank you. I hope that you have every bit as enjoyable a cruise on the Spirit from New Orleans as we did from Boston. It's just a few more months. Bon Voyage.

 

-Peter

[hladygirl]

Thanks for the photos. :)

 

I have to ask, in the Stardust Theater, what's with the gold chairs and tables up front?

these are reserved for people who are willing to purchase 1 alcoholic drink each.