Norwegian Spirit

[Jana]

You're right, Big! The problem is, if SuzyQ suggests room service, and TomandJane suggests one of the restaurants, it just doesn't matter, because OP would say that room service makes her trapped in her room and the restaurant denies her the wonderful buffet etc.

Some people just choose misery.

Some of the most fervent non-smokers have posted here that while they may have noticed it in a few spots, it was not a problem on Spirit, not on the cruise OP took, or the others took. Yet OP vehemently claims that ALL OF US are wrong and thus we should all have been equally miserable! I don't get it.

By the way, the omelet station for breakfast and the dessert station at lunch have been moved inside, to the aft port side of the cafeteria portion, which had been unused. This will solve many problems, most specifically, the need to traverse the whole space to get these items, especially when the weather is iffy outside.

[awesomecruise]

Got some real questions about the Spirit.

On a Cat E (Deck 5, outside) cabin, is there a pull down upper bed or a sofa bed?

I heard someone talked about no 'second servings' in the main dinning room. Is that true? Also, is there kids' menu in the main dinning and speciality restaurant?

Also, the week I'm travelling on (Sep 04, 2004), the price is much cheaper compared to other weeks. Is there anything going on that made this week the cheapest? Maybe the Spirit will be doing remodeling or missing a few ports during week? Any input will be welcomed.

Norwegian Spirit Sep/2004
Celebrity Century 1998
Carnival Imagination 1998
HAL Ryndam 1997

[Jana]

There are cabins designated as triples with either trundle beds, upper berths or chairs that make into a third bed.

ABSOLUTELY untrue about the dining room.

Demand... kids going back to school etc. will keep the price lower. It's the same on any line, any ship.

[20YearsBetweenCruises]

I was on the 6/5 sailing - did not notice any smoke issues. The casino did smell smokey when I walk through it when it was not open.

Yes, there are kids menus for the resturants - you just have to request them. They would have a few puzzles on them, but never gave out crayons, so we would have to remember to bring a pen. They were slightly different each night. They had things like pizza, chicken strips, hot dogs hamburgers, steak & fries. By daughter did go to a specialty resturant with my brother's family & got a hot dog to eat.. So I guess they are there too! (By the way, by the end of the cruise, my kids found they liked the grilled chicken & baked potato option that was on the "offered everyday" part of the menu.)

NCL Spirit 6/4/04
Carnival? 9/1984

[Stevie17]

Bigsweeps said:

"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!!!!"

I couldn't agree with you more! I have been fortunate enough to be able to cruise roughly once a year, and I save like a mad-man to do it. I obsess, dream, drool, over my upcoming cruise for months prior to sailing. Unless the ship sinks, I'm probably going to have a pretty darn good time. Even then, I'd somehow find the brightside. I get one vacation a year....why would I spend it trying to make myself miserable? I'll never get it.....

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Until 9 nights of pure joy in the Southern Caribbean!!!


NCL Spirit - February 2005
Grand Princess - May 2003
NCL Sun - May 2002
NCL Sea - May 2000

[natalunia]

We got seconds on lobster at Windows with no problem. If they'll do it that night, they'll do it any night/day.

Natalie

Superstar Leo to Alaska 5/22/04
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=4169e1&cdt=2004;5;22;15;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img] [url="http://community.webshots.com/user/natalunia"]http://community.webshots.com/user/natalunia[/url]

[misguy]

I was on the May 15 sailing as well. We had a great time, yet there was one lady on the ship saying it was the worst experience of her whole life. All I could think was, I want her life.

We had some small glitches on the cruise. I rated it an 8, but would sail on her again in a heartbeat. In fact we thought about booking her for a winter cruise. We just got a much better price on the Sea.

Till we sail on the Norwegian Spirit \Leo
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[mariakitty]

I just got off the Spirit this morning and while I don't mean to be antagonistic, I really don't understand how you can say the dessert areas were in the smoking section. This was NOT the case on the 6/12/04 cruise. The same desserts are served in Raffles (inside both sides AND outside on the Terrace), plus the main dining rooms have the same desserts. You can also get ice cream on most days at the pool and it's exactly what you would get on the terrace. I too cannot tolerate smoke very much because I'm pregnant and extra sensitive to it. There were many smokers on my cruise and only on the last day was it even a concern and that was the fault of a rude passenger who wanted to smoke on the wrong side of the ship.

If you go looking for trouble you will find it. If you want an enjoyable cruise on the Spirit you will have one.

Maria

Carnival Celebration 12/22/90
RCCL Monarch of the Seas 9/92
Carival Ecstasy 9/2002
NCL Spirit 6/12/2004

[PatYontz]

Yes - I heard they moved it. It was in the smoking section of Raffles on the June 5 voyage - I'm was definitely hoping that someone would move it. That's great!

[Jana]

*sigh*

It was never in the smoking section when it was outside. It was on the starboard side. Outside. Starboard.

Smoking was allowed on port side. Port side. Outside. The desserts were on starboard side, where it was nonsmoking.

Fruit was near the smokers. Dessert was on the starboard side, outside. On the side away from the smokers. Smokers were on port side. And this was out of doors.

Desserts were also served in the main dining rooms, where there was no smoking at all.

[stillsleepin']

I just saw this because I'm new here.

Yes it was outside on the non-smoking part of the back deck and no there wasn't so much smoke all over the place. If you went out one side of the cafe you had to go past the bar and there were people smoking there but if you went out the other side there was no smoking. We got icecream every day and there was no smoking or no way woudl I let my four yr old daughter around smoke.

[PatYontz]

Jana - I really don't mean to be enemies with you. I don't know how to convey this more. But it really [I]was[/I] in the smoking section. I wished I had pictures because it seems that is the only way you will believe me. I know you were there too - it's actually really weird isn't it? Because I know you wouldn't lie either (but I did find you exaggerating [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] ).

It is very frustrating for me to know how absolutely right I am and then to have you keep telling me I'm wrong. And that's probably why I'm on the defense.

What was on the non-smoking side was the sugar-free dessert.

But let's see why you keep telling me basically that I'm wrong when I'm not.

Ok - you walk out the [B]BACK[/B] of Raffles buffet (and I really know the buffet because I'm a buffet eater and not a dining room eater) ... If I walked out the back on the left side there was the smoking... If I walked out the back on the right side there was no smoking... in the middle (at the bar) was smoking...

Now.... where was the food? When I was out there in the morning the omelette bar was on the left - where there was smoking. In the afternoon and evening the dessert was there - on the left- where there was smoking.

I am sure no one knows who to believe but it is beyond me why you think I would make that up.

Do you think there is some way we can resolve this or should we just drop it?

I'm just glad they moved it inside where it belongs.

There was no smoking where the sugar-free dessert was. There was no smoking in the dining room, there was no-smoking by the ice-cream by the pool. There was no smoking where there should not have been smoking. I hope I'm making that perfectly clear. I don't know what else to say.

But there was smoking on the left side as you walk out the BACK of Raffles. And there was dessert on the left side as you walk out the BACK of Raffles.

But it so doesn't matter any more because NCL did something about it.

I'm on your side. I really do like NCL. I just didn't like the Spirit all that much.

[Jana]

I don't want to fight with you either, honestly. But in this case you have selective memory... because smoking is on the right side of the ship as you face the aft end, where the fruit and sugar free desserts were and the regular desserts, the ice cream and the barbecue was on the left side as you faced the back, which was the non-smoking side.

They moved the desserts and omelets inside because of the weather and because it was a long trek to go outside for an egg or a piece of cake, not because it was in the "smoking section."

The last NCL ship I was on was in 2000, on the Norwegian Sea. I was thrilled to be on Spirit because it's unique and interesting and the experience was wonderful. I'm really sorry that you didn't enjoy it, but as you can see by the reactions of many people, not just mine, your comments about smoke being "everywhere" just didn't mesh with the experience of others who were onboard, including many on the cruise you took.

In any event, I am glad that you are posting. It's perfectly legitimate for you to say that you didn't like Spirit all that much. There were some people who found the decor and the Asian theme a bit over the top, and some who found the cabins too small and some who were really upset at the buffet's shortcomings. But "smoke everyehwere" seemed to be an odd (and inaccurate) reason to give the ship a 2, which is why I and many others took issue with your comments.

So... are we going to kiss and make up or what?

[PatYontz]

kiss kiss [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

[PatYontz]

Here's a good story I forgot to tell and haven't heard any one else mention from the 6/5 Spirit cruise...

Just before we went in to Sawyer Bay the Captain came on and said "we are coming in to the scenic part so keep our eyes open for brown bears or more possibly black bears - near the waters edge". I'm thinking the whole cruise was very scenic but yes - this was VERY scenic. So about a few minutes later we noticed a lifeboat being lowered down with a few crew members and the ranger (we were in our balcony room on the 10th floor). Everyone was yelling to them "take us with you!" We thought maybe they were going to help guide this huge ship into the glacier or something - watch out for ice - whatever. Anyway - we kinda forgot about them because we were getting in SO close to the glacier - nice job! Then as we were coming out of the glacier my husband yells "Pat - there's a bear - over there on that island!!" and quickly handed me the binoculars so he could get a picture. I looked thru the binoculars - then looked again and said "hey! that's not a bear! That's the costume bear that greets us when we get off the ship at the ports! The one we get our picture taken with" Too funny! Then the bear stands up and starts waving! Everyone on the ship started laughing - we could hear them from up on the deck. Then another crew member runs over to the bear and starts wrestling it! What a show. What a great Captain with a great sense of humor - what a great crew! What a great story to tell huh?

[smeyer418]

We have a friend just back from the last Spirit cruise she said "far exceeded her expectations"..
good to hear...

Proud charter member of the PPS-Passport Pusher Society
NCL Crown to Bermuda this time I hope
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Oceania Athens to Venice- Something new
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[email]smeyer418@yahoo.com[/email]
Celebrity, NCL, Overnight Ferry, hydrofoil between countries, car ferries and river cruise and of course the Staten Island Ferry

[Jana]

Pat,

I heard about the bear costume on an island but I didn't see it. We must have been on opposite sides of Deck Ten, I was in 10052, on the starboard (NON-SMOKING SIDE!!!) of the ship. Where were you?

And yes, as I said earlier, personnel has a great deal to do with your experience and I thought this staff, considering the difficulty in "rebranding," did a fantastic job.

Jana
PS It sounds as though, in retrospect, you realize you enjoyed your cruise more than your earlier posts would indicate. That's GREAT!

[PatYontz]

We were in 10632 so we got a really good view of the glacier from our room. I did enjoy the cruise. I've actually never not enjoyed a cruise but sometimes I do have an issue that I would like to see improved - except for the Sun - that was my perfect cruise - not even one little itty bitty complaint there. The captain's crew and the housecleaning crew is what made this cruise (the Spirit) I'm telling you. They were really nice in the Star of the Galaxy too.

[Richmond]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by PatYontz:
Overall out of 10 points I would give it a 2 and would not recommend....

I did enjoy the cruise.... The captain's crew and the housecleaning crew is what made this cruise (the Spirit) I'm telling you. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm confused.

NCL Spirit 7/10/04
Coral Princess 2/03, NCL Sun 9/02, Grand Princess 2/02, Grand Princess 2/99, Crown Princess 10/95

[Jana]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I'm confused.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It's a week later, in retrospect she remembers it fondly.

That happens sometimes. I am glad that Pat is feeling better about it. It was a great cruise.