Tell me about Norwegian Spirit

[familycruzinnewbie]

We are considering a Med Cruise for summer 2012 with our kids who will be 9 and 12. We lived in Ireland for one year a few years ago and have experience travelling on land and budget airlines. We were looking at Carnival Breeze, but we do like the Ruby Princess Grand Itinerary. Norwegian Spirit does a route very similar to Princess with the price of Carnival, but I am worried that the boat is older and doesn't have the same amenities. What do I need to know? Also, what kind of sales should I be looking for? Thanks

[che5904]

Well seriously with the price difference between Princess and NCL that should automatically tell you that one is going to have a lot more amenities than the other. Yes Ruby Princess is wider almost 100’ longer and holds at least 1000 extra passengers. So comparing the 2 in that regard would be senseless.

I’ve never been on the spirit so I can’t help you with what shape it is in, but I’ve been on 2 other NCL ships and they are always painting, cleaning etc so I don’t think the spirit would be any different.

I would ask what amenities are you looking for and does NCL ship offer that. For example if one ship was more expensive and offered a rock climbing wall but the other one that was cheaper didn’t. I wouldn’t really care since I’m not into rock climbing.

I think you would get a lot better answers to help in your dilemma if you asked more specific questions about the spirit, not necessarily subjective stuff like food or crew but exactly what you are interested in.

The main difference in the 2 lines is Princess is traditional ship dining (set dining times, eat with others), NCL works the same as land based restaurants go when you are hungry or want to eat and sit with whoever you came with, with some options for higher end restaurants that you make reservations for (the same as land) with a nominal additional charge.

Sorry I couldn't help more

[familycruzinnewbie]

We are new to cruising but experienced travellers.

 

Foodwise - our kids don't eat much, they'd be happy with with cereal, toast and ice cream. I am just looking for good options without having to pay extra. I know on Carnival you can bring on a bottle of wine and case of soda and have to pay soda on board. I haven't been able to figure out what you are allowed to do vs. what you can do with NCL. Does Princess provide free soda or anything else?

 

Where the cruise is so port intensive, I wouldn't rule a ship because of a certain amenity. DD wants waterslides and diving boards, which I don't think are on the Spirit. DS (9) would be happy with the little kid area if they will let him use it as he doesn't like deep water or big slides. He likes a basketball net or some other sports area. Both would like something in a good kids club.

[Barb Nahoumi]

I have been on the Spirit when it was homeported in Boston.

 

The ship is beautiful, with a unique Asian decor. No it doesn't have all of the bells & whistles of newer larger ships. No climbing walls or bowling allies are available. There are two pools (one for kiddies), and a well appointed gym.

 

The food in the MDRs was very good, service & entertainment-----superb.

 

I can't comment on the kids programs, but there's plenty to do onboard. With the freestyle, you can eat when & where you choose. No set dining assignments. Also, NCLs formal night has been changed to dress up or not night. There are no required dress codes for various evenings. Resort casual is acceptable every night.

 

I think that most people enjoy this ship------I did.

[che5904]

Well I’ll start by saying I thought we were experienced travelers as well, boy did cruising open our eyes.

Sorry I did not know it was port intensive since I didn’t look at the itinerary.

Both require you to buy soda cards for fountain soda. Sorry I can’t help much with what princess does or doesn’t allow since I’ve never cruised them.

NCL:

you can bring soda onboard, tag it ship it with your luggage if you wish.

Bottles of wine $15 corkage fee regardless of size will be charged when you board the ship, no boxed wine. I won’t even get into here smuggling and what has or hasn’t been brought on board successfully or unsuccessfully.

They do have basketball courts and our ship had different tournaments going on throughout the week organized through the staff with basketball as well, ring toss tournament, shuffleboard, pingpong etc.

There isn’t a waterslide at the main pool and I can’t see a reason that your son couldn’t use the kid’s pool considering he is a kid.

The kid’s club is again subjective, some kids love it some hate it. It probably mostly is dependent on how many children are on the ship and how many your children’s age. Which none of the cruiselines would have control over. They do have organized activities for the children except the teen club.

Here is everything on the spirit NCL offers

http://www2.ncl.com/cruise-ship/spirit/overview

You will find the ship amenities listed under “what’s on board” “play”

Info on Kid’s crew

http://www2.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/freestyle-family-fun/kids-crew-and-teen-crew

I will say so far what shows in NCL photos are very accurate to what I’ve physically seen. With the exception of carpet and curtain colours.

[kcfoxy]

and I would recommend it highly. Kids would be very happy with Raffles (Buffet) which is fairly close to kid's area. Separate kid's pool with small slide, 'priate ship' and a very good children's program, divided by ages.

 

Blue Lagoon is also a fun place to eat at any hour, with the plain kind of food (burgers, fries, chicken strips and wings, simple salads and soups) that kids of all ages seem to favor. They also have fish and chips, meatloaf, chicken sandwich, brownies a la mode, cheesecake and pound cake with fruit topping.

 

There are lots of programs from morning till late, quite a few are free of charge. Good in room movies, though TV can be small in some cabins; free cinema is another option. The various shows often have 2 viewings, the earlier is generally rated "G". You can bring your own bottled water and sodas on board, both at embark and on port days. DH had a large tote on wheels and used that as a carry on with never a problem.

 

Beer,wine and spirits can be purchased on board. For adults there are pub crawls and 2 for 1 drink specials. If they find liquor in your bags or when you return from port they will confiscate it until disembark, though you can buy from ship's duty free shop on board or just by the glass.

 

The Spirit may be an older vessel but she was the Star's flagship and has been refurbished in 2008, with another dry dock scheduled for September 2011. I found the public and private areas to be in good repair and was very impressed with the CDC's 100 rating for cleanliness and overall sanitation.

 

The free style cruising mode is very appealing, moreso with port intensive itinearies IMHO, and very family friendly. Your kids will probably also like basic room service and the Arcade. Tip: Deck 10 Aft is location of Charlie's Kidcare Center, so a family stateroom nearby would be a good bet. The medium size means less trudging about/getting lost yet there is never much of an overcrowding feeling...save when everyone wants to get on the first tender into port ;-)

[nursebubba]

Did the ruby and have done many ncl cruises. In the med you are so busy that their are times you want to get room service just too rest and get too bed earlier. I was not impressed on the princess ship with the cabin or the bed. The only time I ever had back pain. Never was there an officer who spoke to you. In October on ncl the head of food and bev came to my cabin with chicken soup because I didn't feel well. She saw my friend in dining room and just asked where I was. NEVER would that kind of thing happen on the ruby. We did the med on the noordam and had great servive, price and beds . That was important as it was 20 days. Was a great deal

[che5904]

Did the ruby and have done many ncl cruises. In the med you are so busy that their are times you want to get room service just too rest and get too bed earlier. I was not impressed on the princess ship with the cabin or the bed. The only time I ever had back pain. Never was there an officer who spoke to you. In October on ncl the head of food and bev came to my cabin with chicken soup because I didn't feel well. She saw my friend in dining room and just asked where I was. NEVER would that kind of thing happen on the ruby. We did the med on the noordam and had great servive, price and beds . That was important as it was 20 days. Was a great deal

 

Well not to knock Princess as I've never tried them, but this is one of the reasons that I love NCL is the crew and the size of the ship. I think it just stands to reason if you have 1000 less people it is a little easier to be more familiar with your passengers. The main reason of course is I love freestyle dining and the more relaxed dress style. Not that I don't wear nice clothes to dinner, just not fussied and gussied up. The beds were very comfy on both NCL cruises I've taken.

[nursebubba]

We are new to cruising but experienced travellers.

 

Foodwise - our kids don't eat much, they'd be happy with with cereal, toast and ice cream. I am just looking for good options without having to pay extra. I know on Carnival you can bring on a bottle of wine and case of soda and have to pay soda on board. I haven't been able to figure out what you are allowed to do vs. what you can do with NCL. Does Princess provide free soda or anything else?

 

Where the cruise is so port intensive, I wouldn't rule a ship because of a certain amenity. DD wants waterslides and diving boards, which I don't think are on the Spirit. DS (9) would be happy with the little kid area if they will let him use it as he doesn't like deep water or big slides. He likes a basketball net or some other sports area. Both would like something in a good kids club.

Am going on spirit next week. The kids pool does have a neat water slide play area in the back. They always have kids buffet upstairs with kid foods. You can get milk 24/7 from thaere, blue lagoon and room service free. My kids are grown now but still say after others ncl kid program the best

[familycruzinnewbie]

Thanks. This is definitely helpful.

[Abear2]

I have never been on Princess, so I can't say anything negative or positive on that one. What I an tell you is that I love the Spirit ! I will be going back on the 29th for the 4th time, so that should speak for itself.;):p The last time I was on it was February of this year and it is still in great shape. I have been on 18 cruises, including the brand new Epic and if I had to choose the best crew of a ship... Spirit would win it hands down. They are so friendly and always willing to help with anything you may need. The children's water park is really nice. It's a pirate theme. They also have an awesome children's program. They do separate into age groups and the kids seem to be extremely happy in there.They do have pools and one that is an area for adults only. It's the solarium, where it's real peaceful and relaxing. The food is not the greatest, but I promise you that you will not starve. I love the specialty restaurants and usually eat there at least twice. I love Lebistro and Cagney's. I know everyone speaks highly of the other specialty restaurants as well, but I have never been, so I couldn't answer that. If I can help with anything, I would be happy to try. Good luck in your decision.

[fridaythe13th]

We are considering a Med Cruise for summer 2012 with our kids who will be 9 and 12. We lived in Ireland for one year a few years ago and have experience travelling on land and budget airlines. We were looking at Carnival Breeze, but we do like the Ruby Princess Grand Itinerary. Norwegian Spirit does a route very similar to Princess with the price of Carnival, but I am worried that the boat is older and doesn't have the same amenities. What do I need to know? Also, what kind of sales should I be looking for? Thanks

 

We loved the Spirit. A couple of things to consider: if you want a cabin for 4 I believe you only have the option of an inside. Correct me if I'm wrong. The insides are small. Actually most of the cabins are small. There are some larger insides, 5035, 6535, 6035, 9551, 9051, 9203, 9207, 10531, 10031 and 10611 but they go fast.

[98Charlie]

Have been on the Spirit several times and will cruise it again this November. Have sailed more than 30 cruises between NCL, RCL, Princess, Carnival and Celebrity and Spirit is our favorite ship hands down.

 

Our oldest DD's family with 3 kids sailed Spirit as well and absolutely loved the kids areas.

 

DH & I and DD's family all agree that the crew and officers of the Spirit truly own up to their ship's name. The ship may be smaller to some but DD said it was a great size for her family. The kids loved the Bucaneer kids pool and DD said the tiered seating back there as well as the spacious amount of seating closer to the pool made it very easy for her and her DH to be close to the kids.

 

Although we have a cruise booked on Spirit for Nov. this year, I'm still trying to eek out another cruise on her before she heads to Europe. That's how much we love that ship.

 

Dianne

[mablinki]

When cruising, it depends what kind of attitude you have. I just returned from a Spirit cruise not too long ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. While the balcony cabins do not have refrigerators. You can ask the hotel director and he'll send one your way immediately. The staff are really so helpful.

 

Food is o.k. There were some dinners that were great and others that I did not care for, but I think that's anywhere.

 

There is a large selection of items at the buffet at all times and the decor is very different, oriental in a nice sort of way. Love the Galaxy of the Stars where you can relex in the front of the ship and watch the stars go by.

 

Just go with a positive frame of mind and you will have a great time!

[Hikini]

We have been on the Spirit and really enjoyed it. It has a unique decor - Asian for the most part but not over done.

 

One thing I like about the Spirit that the other NCL ships don't have is the multi-tiered decks aft. There are about 3 levels of these multi-tiered decks around the Buccaneers Pool. (Kids pool). A great place for sunbathing or watching the world go by. Near an outdoor dining venue and the buffet too.

 

Even if the ship is considered 'older' by todays standards, you wouldn't know it, I'm sure. NCL is very good about keeping things clean and fresh, as much as possible.

[sailingnut]

I will always love the Spirit. I took my first cruise on this ship for nine days solo and loved every moment on it. The crew go out of their way for you. I will be taking my fourth cruise this November, but the Spirit will always be my love.:o

[alwalaska]

We are new to cruising but experienced travellers.

 

Foodwise - our kids don't eat much, they'd be happy with with cereal, toast and ice cream. I am just looking for good options without having to pay extra. I know on Carnival you can bring on a bottle of wine and case of soda and have to pay soda on board. I haven't been able to figure out what you are allowed to do vs. what you can do with NCL. Does Princess provide free soda or anything else?

 

Where the cruise is so port intensive, I wouldn't rule a ship because of a certain amenity. DD wants waterslides and diving boards, which I don't think are on the Spirit. DS (9) would be happy with the little kid area if they will let him use it as he doesn't like deep water or big slides. He likes a basketball net or some other sports area. Both would like something in a good kids club.

It has been 5 years since we were on Princess, but when we were, we could take a reasonable amount of soda on with us. They same was true on NCL on our last 2 cruises. Our family buys the soda cards though.

 

On the Spirit, there is free ice cream in the buffet at meals and also in the late evening. There are plenty of free places to eat that are perfectly OK.

 

There are little kid slides on the Spirit, but not ones for adults, at least not that I can remember. We loved the Spirit. The crew were amazing. I have not sailed Carnival, but compared to Princess, we found more onboard activities and live music groups that were to our liking on NCL. Overall, the food quality was better on Princess, but I guarantee we never went hungry on NCL and the food was definitely good enough to keep us happy. The Pizza at the pool on Princess was amazing.

 

We didn't experience the kids clubs on either line, but the kids enjoyed the teen clubs on both lines.

[CruisinMaterial]

Having sailed on the Crown Princess (Ruby's sister) once and sailed twice on the NCL Spirit, I would definitely go with the Spirit. I'm partial to Asian decor and love the detailed work that has gone into the making of the Norwegian Spirit. She's quite the beautiful "oriental lady" (as her nickname is dubbed). :)

 

Princess may have slightly more amenities but most cruise lines have done substantial cost cutting measures while they continue to absorb the fuel costs. As a result, I cannot say if Princess does have those amenities still but NCL is just as good as Princess and a lot better in some respects which is why I stopped cruising Princess and have stayed exclusively with NCL. If you like night life at all, NCL does it better than even Carnival! :)

[Ms belp]

I love the Spirit. She is a beautiful lady. Her Asian decor is exceptional. The Jewel was my favorite until I met this lady. Her crew is exceptional. Hope Anan is still there!