Norwegian Spirit

[bigsweeps]

I'm not expecting Silversea, Radisson, etc. because I've never been on them. (Their lowest category is usually more expensive than a suite on NCL and I would rather be in a suite on NCL than the smallest room on one of those ships - but that's just the way I am).

 

Some people may call me crazy - but my favorite NCL ship is the Majesty for the Bermuda run. No - it's not flashy....and the rooms are really nothing to look at....but the whole small ship atmosphere, the pasta restaurant, the staff (who seem to love the ship), and the itenerary make it great.

 

July 10th NCL Spirit

[natalunia]

I'm severely affected by cigarette/cigar smoke, and I was just on the Spirit a few weeks ago. I had NO PROBLEMS at all with cigarette smoke, and I even went in the casino a couple times, just to look around (did not linger).

 

I would give the Spirit a 9 out of 10, simply because the the quality of food on the buffet was pretty lousy. Everything else was fabulous.

 

Natalie

 

Superstar Leo to Alaska 5/22/04

http://community.webshots.com/user/natalunia

[Laura4cruise]

It never ceases to amaze me that two people can go on the same cruise and have such differing experiences. One person's 2 is another's 9.

[bigsweeps]

I'm sure the beautiful suite that natalunia had helped bring the number up a bit.

 

Her pictures are fabulous!!! And if you haven't read her review - I suggest doing so - it was very well written.

 

July 10th NCL Spirit

[10s nut]

Big..If you love the small ship experience and want a REAL experience..come with us on Sept. 18th on the Celebrity Horizon. I promise you it is better than the Majesty. I have been on the Majesty, had the time of my life...but the group I am going with...NEED I SAY MORE???

And, I have to say this, NCL is way more tolerant than ANY cruise line with the smoke issue. But here is the deal. Are you being locked up in a room? No...I went to Austria where people smoke WHILE THEY EAT. Now..that is obnoxious. If you can excape, get a grip. No one is FORCING you to breathe the air. Relax, have a good time.

[Laura4cruise]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by bigsweeps:

I'm sure the beautiful suite that natalunia had helped bring the number up a bit. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

I'm sure it did for natalunia [insert jealousy here], but I meant Jana's and PatYontz's reviews are like night and day!

[paula1250]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by natalunia:

I'm severely affected by cigarette/cigar smoke, and I was just on the Spirit a few weeks ago. I had NO PROBLEMS at all with cigarette smoke, and I even went in the casino a couple times, just to look around (did not linger).

 

I would give the Spirit a 9 out of 10, simply because the the quality of food on the buffet was pretty lousy. Everything else was fabulous.

 

Natalie

 

Superstar Leo to Alaska 5/22/04

http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=4169e1&cdt=2004;5;22;15;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800 http://community.webshots.com/user/natalunia<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Natalie,

I enjoyed reading your review of the Spirit and looking at your beautiful pictures on webshots. We are going this Saturday to celebrate our 30th anniversay. I'm sure it will be glorious.

You mentioned in past posts that you had copies of the dailys. Any way of getting a copy out on this site so that we can review them.

[Jana]

I saw Natalie's suite and met Natalie's butler (what a charmer!) (I was down the hall on deck ten, starboard side forward.)

 

I almost wished we had mist and fog on our trip down the fjord so I could get a pic or two like Natalie's, but we had clouds with sun peeking through. Breathtaking! But it didn't make the pictures as gorgeous as Natalie's.

 

I was in a balcony cabin that was considerably more "petite" than Natalie's too, and I still give it a nine. I daresay our experiences were more the norm than OPs.

[bigsweeps]

Oooh! I hope I have the same butler! What was his name? I hope he's still there next month!

 

July 10th NCL Spirit

[Jana]

OMG, you are going to be in a SUITE? Which one, tell me!

 

(There are two butlers, actually, and they are both FAAABB-aluss. And you get a concierge, too.)

 

Jana

[bigsweeps]

Jana - I wish you were going on my cruise! You sound like so much fun!

 

I'm going to be in 10002 (which is pictured below)

http://www.maritimematters.com/superstarleo5.html

 

It was the one on the corner between you and natalunia if you were on the starboard side like you mentioned. I chose it because it was the largest AB suite (along with 10502) and had 2 balconies (plus seeing the photos helped!).

 

Do you happen to remember the butler's names? Pleeeaaase tell me one was named Vincent. I loved him from my last cruise on the Dawn. Regardless....if they are both fabulous - I'm a happy camper!

 

 

July 10th NCL Spirit

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[natalunia]

bigsweeps the butlers are Maxi (Max) and Denny. Max is the main one for deck 10, and Denny for Deck 9 (owners suites). Max is great... we plan to visit him and his wife in Bali in a couple years.

 

Natalie

 

Superstar Leo to Alaska 5/22/04

http://community.webshots.com/user/natalunia

[bigsweeps]

Thanks Natalie! I can't wait to meet Max! Between your review and photos, I'm going nuts with anticipation.

 

July 10th NCL Spirit

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[awesomecruise]

I will be travelling on the 09/04/04 Cruise on the Spirit. This will be my first cruise with NCL and am looking forward to it.

 

After reading serveral posts in this and other topics, I have found out there are stronger defenders of NCL. While this makes me feel good about cruising NCL since they obvious did something right to have such loyal fans. But it does appear that some people does not take or accept other people's critism well at all. It's getting to a point where some people are making personal attacks on the board.

 

Granted, some of the critism of NCL or it's ships may be too harsh or simply 'too negative' but people has the right to state their opinion. Also with the size of the ship and number of passengers and crew on board, we can't be at all places at all times and meeting everybody. I do believe that some people just had the bad luck of running into the wrong people, be at the wrong place at the wrong time. These can make someone's cruise from heaven into a cruise from hell for them. Even on the same ship on the same date. I would really like to find out what made those people frustrated or mad and hopefully can avoid those things on my trip.

 

Norwegian Spirit Sep/2004

Celebrity Century 1998

Carnival Imagination 1998

HAL Ryndam 1997

[pam512]

I can only assume that Pat was on a ship with tobacco executives! I was on the May 15th cruise and the only places I smelled any cigarette smoke was in the casino (and not much there) and the bar next to the Blue Lagoon, which took all of 2 seconds to walk though.

 

I'm still confused.

[coachcampbell]

My husband and I recently returned from Inside Passage cruise aboard the NCL Spirit.
I am not a seasoned cruiser, mainly because the ones that I had taken did not impress me at all, so haven't been on many. However...I truly enjoyed this one.

I found the ship very clean, the staff very helpful and courteous. We loved the freestyle dining...could eat when and where we liked.(The buffet food was not as good as Windows restaurant, but we rather expected that.) One night we had lobster at Maxims ($20 cover +$5 more) and loved it. Never had to stand in line long. Of course, a couple of times we were seated with others in the Windows restaurant and found it interesting to meet and get to know others onboard. (You were always asked if you minded being seated with others.)

We were in a stateroom with a window (Deck 5) and frankly, it was fine. We were only there to bathe and sleep(not so much HA!)

I've noticed there's a lot of discussion about smoking. I certainly noticed that there was a corner in the pub near casino that always seemed full of smokers, but it didn't bother me much, and I too, really dislike smoke.

The worst comment I could make about the trip had to do with Mother Nature not the ship. The seas were rough the last day of the trip but luckily we had brought patch meds with us, so we were fine in a couple of hours.

All in all, I considered this a great trip and ship. I would give it at least a 8 out of 10.

[bigsweeps]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by awesomecruise:
.....But it does appear that some people does not take or accept other people's critism well at all. It's getting to a point where some people are making personal attacks on the board.....
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It's not that people don't accept criticism well, because when other people review ships and point out potential problems or concerns, they are usually genuine in nature. I've seen people post problems with the buffet, embarkation, lines at ports, etc. - which are all legitimate things to complain about. I'm not saying that smoke isn't - because I do realize that some people are hypersensitive to it. But when someone gives a cruise a 2 out of 10 and that's the reason why - I think there is something wrong and can understand why people start to get sarcastic in their reaction. If you are that hypersensitive, you probably can't go anywhere in public without being bothered - so why would you think a cruise ship would be any different? Other than Carnival, I have yet to see a non-smoking cruise.

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[ingrid295]

There were definitely pros & cons on the Spirit. Some of the issues may be resolved with more sailings.

The food was average, but not as good as the food we had just 6 months ago on the Sky. Usually you accept average food on the buffet, the staff feeds so many pax throughout the day. But there were noticeable differences, cutbacks whatever you want to call them.. in the main dining salon, like every juice I tried was seriously watered down. A lot of ice, maybe.. but you may as well have ordered ice water. The coffee and other drinks were often empty. A lot of service issues. I've already posted my review separately.

[patandcd]

[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]10s nut,
Tried desperately not to respond to this thread, but, alas...here I am. Just wanted to say that there have been some studies done showing that cigarette smoke is not nearly as harmful as we have been lead to believe. But that is not what caught my attention.
You said Austrians who smoke and eat at the same time are obnoxious. I wouldn,t know as I have never been to Austria, however, DH has been all over the world. In reality, we Americans are considered to be the most obnoxious and boorish people in the world due to our loudness and ill manners regarding other cultures.
I am sure there are obnoxious people in every country, just as there are kind and considerate Americans. Just wanted to point that out and here's wishing you and yours the best of times on your cruise.

[10s nut]

Hate to dispute you. I didn't say THEY are obnoxious..I said THAT is obnoxious. And I stand by what I said. Having someone smoke WHILE they eat is obnoxious. People can have obnoxious habits and still be perfectly delightful individuals. I too have traveled all over the world and recognize the "ugly American" syndrome.

[patandcd]

Don't mind being disputed, just glad you are not picking on Austrians. Guess I really don't see the "obnoxious" issue with eating and smoking at the same time. Perhaps they are pressed for time and must "feed" both habits..who knows? Or, perhaps their meals are seveal courses and more than a couple of hours long and that is considered acceptable behavior there? DH says smoking is not an issue in other countries. Now if one were picking their nose or chewing with open mouth and talking and eating at the same time.. or eating warm monkey brains after they cracked the little head open...that would qualify for obnoxious! LOL...each to their own!

[cruise pup]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Just wanted to say that there have been some studies done showing that cigarette smoke is not nearly as harmful as we have been lead to believe.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That doesn't make it any less offensive.

Norway - 2/97;Leeward -12/97;
Grand Princess - 1/99; Leeward - 6/99; Dawn Princess - 11/99;Vision of the Seas - 6/00;Carnival Victory - 9/00; Zenith - 10/00
Mercury - 3/01; R1 -7/01; Grand Princess - 11/01; Majesty of the Seas - 12/01; Norwegian Star - 3/02;
Carnival Triumph - 7/02;
Maasdam - 11/02; Holiday - 12/02; Millennium - 4/03; Carnival Victory - 7/03; Zaandam - 8/03; Zuiderdam - 10/03; Enchantment of the Seas - 1/04; Galaxy - 3/04; QM2 - 5/04; Voyager of the Seas - 5/04

[bratsuzy]

answer to the non smoker, ROOM SERVICE!
Likewise hate smoke never had a problem when I was on the MAy 22 sailing, But spent most of my free time on balcony

Suzanne & Michael
& my little doggie (Tyler)

[Jana]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>That doesn't make it any less offensive. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I find certain perfumes quite offensive too; anything with musk makes my throat close up.

So I do the practical thing... I avoid it. I walk away from it, to a place where it won't bother me.

"Offensive" is relative.

[bigsweeps]

Well said Jana! I can't believe we're still carrying on this conversation.....LOL!

I just don't understand how people can get their underwear so far up their &$$ on a cruise. It's a VACATION!!!!! Relax!!! Don't sweat the small stuff!!!!

This whole conversation reminds me of my last cruise. There was this lady who was just so miserable that everywhere we saw her, she was complaining to the staff about something. She was working herself into such a frenzy over the most ridiculous things (i.e. there was too much ice in her soda, the orange juice wasn't fresh squeezed, the "butter" with the lobsters wasn't "real butter", etc.) On the last day of the cruise, I saw her arguing with the hotel manager and was demanding her money back since her cruise was "ruined". Well, in my opinion she ruined it by spending the whole time being upset about trivial things. LOL!

July 10th NCL Spirit
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