Smaller Ships on NCL

[Smitheroo]

Please tell me your favorite smaller ship and why you enjoyed it?  I'd like to try other ships but not sure which one to try next

[Seas2mountains]

NCL Spirit. The observation lounge AKA Spinnaker Lounge is a great place to watch the views while listening to music - especially in two special seating areas in the front corners.  Also, the H2O area in the aft with an adults only pool area with two hot tubs and tiered seating is really neat. The crew seem happier than on other ships for some reason. 
 

Love all Jewel class ships, too. 

[yakcruiser]

I second the Spirit. The crew really did seem happier. And it seemed to be a modern older ship if that makes any sense. 

[DominicAUS]

I went on the Gem, this was 2017. My first NCL cruise for my birthday and splurged on the Owners Suite. Loved every single moment. Everyone was so friendly and happy. Not saying that all my other cruises weren’t, I loved the size

of the ship and the little haven area too. 
 

I’d be happy to travel in her again. 

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

#1  Jewel

#2  Spirit

[dexddd]

Spirit.

[bluesea777]

Spirit, hands down. 
 

We’ve been on the Jewel class ships (Jewel, Jade, Pearl and Gem) and they are also good.

 

 

[schmoopie17]

Everyone raves about the Spirit.

 

I wish the feelings were the same about the Jade, since we just booked it for 14 days. We'll see...

[WillCruiseForMoney]

Any of the Jewel class ships - Gem, Jade, Jewel, Pearl.  Does not feel crowded, several restaurants, observation lounge (Spinnaker) at the front, several restaurants, Great Outdoors at the back.

[Laszlo]

Any of the Jewel Class ships my wife and I like hands down over the larger ones. 

[room with a view]

Jewel ships ... Gem, Jade, Jewel , Pearl ....then Spirit 

[www3traveler]

3 hours ago, schmoopie17 said:

Everyone raves about the Spirit.

 

I wish the feelings were the same about the Jade, since we just booked it for 14 days. We'll see...

Like any other ship, The Jade is a wonderful ship the difference may be in the expectations of a passenger and possibly the interaction with staff.  Your cruise will only be whatever you make it good or bad.

 

I have sailed almost every one of the "Jewel" class ships and have never had a total bad cruise.

 

Relax and enjoy 

[Ellis1138]

I liked both the Jade and the Sun and can't pick from the two. The Sun has a warm spot in my heart because it was the first cruise ship we ever went on.

[julig22]

Any ship that is going where I want to go is my favorite.  I don't choose my trips based on the ship.

[bluesea777]

9 hours ago, bluesea777 said:

Spirit, hands down. 
 

We’ve been on the Jewel class ships (Jewel, Jade, Pearl and Gem) and they are also good.

 

These are best for certain cruises like port intensive ones, and they go to ports that larger ships cannot. So it depends on the itinerary….

 

For longer cruise with many sea days, like Transatlantic, we prefer the larger and newer ships. 
 

Least fave smaller ships are the Dawn/Star - no forward observation lounge and their Garden Cafe (buffet) is the queuing kind. Next is the Sun/Sky (and also POA) due to the shower (one meter round with curtain that sticks to you!). 
 

But we will go on any ship if the itinerary is good!

 

 

[SSFun]

Spirit, Jade and Sun are great!

[Seas2mountains]

Here is the two amazing seating areas on the Spirit in Spinnaker. 
 

It’s definitely better for the Alaska itineraries but it was also in demand when we were on in September for Hawai’i to Tahiti. 

[Seas2mountains]

Here is an aft hot tub with views of Tahiti in the background. 

Edited October 31, 2023 by Seas2mountains

[itsnotjustme]

We have enjoyed the Spirit (1 cruise), Sun (1) and Dawn (2).  Also Jade (3 cruises) and Jewel (1).  We enjoyed them all.

 

Generally itinerary, calendar, and price drive our choice more than ship. and price.  We have also sailed two of the big ships (Escape & Joy) which did provide a greater variety of on-board activities, which matters more if there are a lot of sea days. 

[kjquilts]

Larry and I are beyond excited looking forward to our 16 day cruise on the Spirit from Honolulu to Vancouver BC.  We were on her many years ago and the transformation since her refurbishment is amazing.  Dates are

April 22, 2024 to May 8, 2024. 

 

If you have 60,000 NCL Worldpoints you can book a guarantee IF inside with all perks for $3,628 and upgrade to a BF guarantee balcony.  I wanted to pick my own stateroom so booked a IA inside and upgraded to a BB balcony in perfect location for me.  Non connecting, sandwiched between two stateroom decks and close to front stairs.  Cost about a thousand more but there are many many staterooms available so I'm watching the IA pricing in hopes it will come down.

 

We love watching YouTube vloggers and some of our favorites were on this same itinerary last year on the Spirit.  Ben & David, Stef of Sean and Stef and ParoDeeJay all posted several videos on YouTube and we've watched them numerous times.

 

This is a fairly short Spirit video by Chris Frame

 

 

We cancelled the April 2024 Prima transatlantic followed by travel to Venice and a 7 night bucket list cruise on MSC Armonia in favor of the Spirit cruise.   Ease and low cost of transportation to and from the Spirit cruise from west coast USA was a huge consideration along with my misgivings about Prima on a cold weather cruise.

 

We also love the Jewel class ships and the Sun.   Although the Dawn and the Star sacrificed their observation lounges in favor of suites and inside staterooms we've had some great cruises on them.  The Dawn Boston to New Orleans was a total blast helped by landing a 2 bedroom suite via the Upsell Fairy.  We had the most amazing CC roll call thread and I sure miss those days.  April 2023 we did a 15 day cruise from Trieste to Lisbon on the Star and for such a port intensive cruise the Star was just fine. 

 

Have my eye on the Sun 10 day cruise Sept 12, 2025 going from Civitavecchia to Trieste.  It is also a bucket list itinerary.  I only wish we had done Europe cruises earlier instead of so many Caribbean.

 

 

Edited October 31, 2023 by kjquilts

[Traveling Fools]

Spirit, Dawn, and Star...all the right size

[Smitheroo]

Thanks everyone.  Good points to know.  Its interesting how some people are destination oriented while others (like myself) are more interested in the ship experience.   One good port on a cruise is enough for me.  I think I will look at the Spirit first

[julig22]

2 hours ago, Smitheroo said:

Thanks everyone.  Good points to know.  Its interesting how some people are destination oriented while others (like myself) are more interested in the ship experience.   One good port on a cruise is enough for me.  I think I will look at the Spirit first

Spirit is doing a lot of private charters and Asia/Australia for the next couple of years. Long way to go if your primary interest is the ship experience.

[Seago2]

18 hours ago, Traveling Fools said:

Spirit, Dawn, and Star...all the right size

Good to hear. Sailing Star on 1/21 to Antarctica. Mixed reviews out there…

[Smitheroo]

12 hours ago, julig22 said:

Spirit is doing a lot of private charters and Asia/Australia for the next couple of years. Long way to go if your primary interest is the ship experience.

I noticed that last night looking at the ship schedules. I guess I will have to wait awhile for the Spirit. To clarify, the destination is part of the ship experience for me, just not the main part. Which is probably why a TA is so attractive to me. But I definitely would like to see that part of the world sometime.