Anyone back from the latest Spirit cruise?

[patnjohn]

In the gym there were 2 swim against the current pools. Those were the only indoor pools on the ship.

[judyf]

In the gym there were 2 swim against the current pools. Those were the only indoor pools on the ship.

 

Do you or anyone remember there schedule? I also read seomh=where that only 1 person at a time can use these. Any other info?

[cruzfvr]

mypyr~ Lisa did book the other restaurants for us with no problems. We only ate in the regular dining room (Windows) two times. The reason I said to book Teppanyaki early is because we got on the ship around 2:45 pm, and all the slots for the early dining for the week were booked already. I don't know if this will happen on your sailing, but just wanted to prepare everyone.

As for the bed in the suite, it seemed like it was just a tad smaller than ours at home (we have a king). I am 5'6, DH is 5'9, but we are not skinny! We didn't ask for an egg crate, and we didn't think the bed was too hard. There is also a pull out bed in the living room (couch). Our daughter slept here, and said it was comfortable.

As for Erlindo, I did not mean to imply he had an attitude. I will give you an example...When we ordered breakfast, as he was putting everything on the table, he told us to come and sit down. It was in a cute way, not at all disrespectful. He is just a bit more formal than the other butlers we have had. Some people like to have minimal conversations with their butler, but we like to talk and get to know them. We met some people that had Rey last Christmas, and Erlindo was nothing like what I had heard about Rey. I think you will be pleased with him.

Hope you have a great cruise! ~Debbi

[logcabin]

Do you know who is replacing Lisa (conceirge), while she is on vacation? We are booked in the AA Owners Suite for the 7/22 cruise and are a bit concerned to hear that Lisa will not be on board. Do you happen to know who the butler was for deck 9 suites? I am hoping it's not Rey. I hear wonderful things about Erlando, however.

 

Thanks.

[mypyr]

Debbi-

Thanks for clarifying the bed size and Erlindo. We, too, are very friendly and like to chat with our butler...but I guess as long as the service is good, that's fine...Was the Teppanyaki amazing? Was it worth a night's dinner or should we book elsewhere? Do you happen to know which night is the night they serve lobster tails in Windows? Also, when is the VIP cocktail party? Do you think I'll be able to bring my 8 yr old daughter, as long as she behaves and dresses appropriately? Did I ask you about if the ship docks in each port or if you need to take tenders? I probably already have!

 

As Logcabin asked, do you know who's the next concierge? It would be nice to know before we embark so that we can get some feedback from other cruisers!

 

Thanks for everything! If you don't mind, I'll keep on using you for my "source" of info. Oh yeah, were there a lot of kids on board?

 

Muchisimas gracias,

CIndy

[cruzfvr]

Cindy~ The first formal night is the night they serve lobster in Windows and Garden dining rooms. We were on the 8 day sailing, and I didn't keep the Free Style Dailies. I know that Friday (Bermuda) was the last formal night, and I think Sunday or Monday night was the first formal. I'm sure someone else will be able to tell you exactly.

As for Teppanyaki, we love eating there. Wish we could have gone twice. I think your daughter would enjoy it. My DH was the only one that made it to the Capt. Party, and he said it was nice. I think your daughter would be fine attending with you.

There were lots of kids on our sailing, and from what we saw, they were well behaved. I have never seen so many little tots and babies before. The pool area for the kids is amazing. Wish I could have gone down the slide!

We docked at every port, which was nice. Tendering takes so much time!

There weren't very many men in tuxedos (DH wore his the first formal, and not the second). In my opinion, it was a very casual cruise. Saw some shorts in the dining rooms, including Cagneys. Lot's of women in capris, so I wore mine one night in Windows.

I don't know who Lisa's replacement is, but I will ask my son and see if he can find out. He usually checks his email every other day.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions. ~Debbi

[mypyr]

Debbi- thanks again and again and again...this is going to sound REALLY spoiled but..do we get to go to the front of the line to get off at the ports due to our AB Penthouse status or are we just the same as everyone else?

 

ALso, how was the air conditioning? we love the heat, but we love to be able to cool down as well...

 

Well, I hope your son knows about the concierge... that's all the questions I can think of now..have a great night and thanks!

Cindy

[cruzfvr]

Hi Cindy~ You are so welcome...Lisa met us at check in when we boarded the ship. You do get to cut the line (and get some looks while you are doing it!). Since we don't tender, you really don't need to cut the line in the ports. But, if you need to get off the ship right away for a shore excursion on your own, just let the concierge know, and maybe they will be able to help you. Also, they previously let the suites view the chocolate buffet and go in first, but they don't do that anymore. It is now held at Windows, and it used to be in the show lounge. So, be there early if you want to go in soon. The line was ridiculously long. We love chocolate, and they had an ice cream station along with a chocolate fondue one. If your daughter loves chocolate, you have to take her!

 

The a/c in the room was great. Our daughter keep turning it up, and I kept turning it down! I hate to be hot when I sleep, and there are two controls, one for the master medroom and one for the living room area.

 

I must confess that I blew the circuit out in the bar area. DD was taking a nap in our bedroom, and I didn't want to disturb her. I decided to take my blow dryer (I bought one that has dual voltage), and plugged it in the 110 outlet (the only one in the cabin) by the bar. I was drying my hair for a while, and the dryer just shut off. I felt so stupid, because I forgot that you aren't supposed to plug anthing over 500w in the plug. This was the 3rd day of the cruise, so I should have remembered. We called our butler, and he had a guy come up and fix the fuse, which took only a couple of seconds. Later that evening, they brought in this big converter box and plugged it into the plug (220?) in the master bathroom so we used it the rest of the cruise. Embarrassing, but kind of funny now. ~Debbi

[mypyr]

Deb(I really feel like I know you enough to abbreviate your name..lol!),

 

From all that I've read, when we get to the pier(is it 92?) there is an upstairs area for Latitude and Suite Passengers. Is that where you were when Lisa came to get you, or were you downstairs in the "normal" line?

We filled out our pre-registration forms already, so we hopefully will get on board quickly...We plan to get to the pier at around 10:30-11:00. Any suggestions? My DH is NOT good at waiting, so the sooner we get him on the better!

 

The chocolate buffet sounds awesome, but the lines do NOT. If there is some way to get to it without the line we will, but otherwise we will pass I think(I could live without even MORE food!). I'm glad to hear about the a/c. I can't believe you blew up the room with your dryer!!! I'm glad I'll be next door..hahaha..really I would have much rather stay in your room, but both corners were taken...I just read that there are only 18 suites on the whole ship-WOW!

 

Now let's talk about the balcony...we only have the 1 in front, and I understand about the 2 doors and that its windy under sail. My question is, is it TOO windy to be out having a cigar(my DH) while under sail? It IS 116 ft..it shouldn't be that small, but everyone says it is..Is there at least seating for 2 or 3(my DD)?? Especially when docked, I would love to sit out there..can you see out when you are seated, or must you be standing to have a view?

(Oh the questions I come up with!)

 

As always, thanks for your help!

 

Take care,

Cindy

[cruzfvr]

Cindy, Hi Again! Let's see...we didn't get to the NY embarkation dock (we were at pier 93) until 2:45, so we just went to the regular (downstairs) area. There was a sign that said suite and Latitudes, and we walked right up (first in line). Then we went to a desk right by the registration one for our cards, and Lisa was already walking down to greet us. She had her dining reservation book with her, so we booked a few nights at the Specialty restaurants right then and there. This is when we found out that Teppanyaki was almost totally booked for the week! We had to schedule our dinners around our son's schedule since he is playing in the show band. I think you will have it much easier! By the way, our son is checking on the new concierge's name for me (you will probably find out before I do...you know how kids are!). If you are going to the pier at 10:30 or 11:00, you should be one of the first to board. Just remember, you can't get into your room until 2:00 pm now. You could probably drop your luggage off though, and if your room is clean, they may just let you in.

 

We had the paper tickets and no ship luggage tags. Someone on these boards had a great suggestion to print up labels to slap on the tags at the pier so you don't have to stand there and write all your info on the tag. I printed up some labels, and it worked out great. It sure made it a lot easier and a lot quicker.

 

As for the balconies in the front. They are very skinny, but long. And, yes it is windy, but we still went out there while sailing. DD and I even got a little bit of a tan one afternoon at sea lounging on the chairs. I don't know about the cigar blowing in the wind... just have your DH try it we you aren't out there! We had two loungers on our balcony, so if you were sitting in one, you could not see out. We could have brought out a chair if we wanted to. More than three people could easily stand out there.

 

We went to the aft suites (deck 9) because our son told us one of our room stewards from our past December cruise was still working on board. We wanted to say hi to Eva. She is such a sweet person, and it is so neat that she remembered our son when he got on the ship for his summer job. She recognized us immediately, even remembered our names! There was a lady complaining (loudly) about her suite (she had the one we were in before) having so much noise and vibration. She said she got a different cabin to sleep in at night because it was so bad. In fact, she had her kids in another suite, and she or her kids got moved to one of the AB suites close to us! It is funny because she told us she was getting off in St. Thomas and then we saw her laughing and having a great time later in the cruise.

 

Anyway, I hope you guys have a great time. ~Debbi

[dongordon]

For those that requested info about the AB suites...

The one we were in (10502) had two balconies. One very small side one off of bedroom, which had one lounger. You could probably put a chair out there too, but it is a very small space. You enter through a sliding glass door.The other balcony in the living room is long but not very wide. Two loungers, and no table or chairs. You enter through a door and then a second "door" that is air tight and you need to turn a "wheel" to open it. It was a bit windy during sailing, but not while in port. We still went out even when we sailed and got some sun. It was great watching the sunset when we sailed from Bermuda. Our suite had a gorgeous full bathroom and a second half bathroom (toilet/sink only)

As for perks, we received water and soda of choice throughout the cruise, little treats each evening such as chocolate strawberries, shrimp cocktail, canapes. Some sort of champagne was chilled when we arrived (we gave it to our neighbors), and I believe we had some red wine also. We were able to order a full breakfast...just wrote in what we wanted on the card, and then placed it on our door. The card doesn't have eggs or pancakes, but we just added it. Also, we love the banana bread, and wrote that down as well. They call it banana cake. I believe you can order lunch and dinner, but we didn't do this. As for Erlindo, he was great. He has his own way of doing things, but he was very professional and even brought us towels for the ports. We were spoiled last Christmas when we had an AA and AD suite on the Spirit, and had Armando as our butler. He was supposed to go to the Spirit, but went to the Jewel instead.

As for motion in the front, none of us got seasick or needed any preventative meds. I think there is more motion in the back of the Spirit along with vibration. We would book the AB cabin again in a heartbeat.

Lisa is on vacation for at least two months. She is such a nice person. Sorry, I can't remember the name of her replacement.

I would suggest if you want to eat at Teppanyaki, make your own reservations when you first board the ship. There are only ten spots, three times a night (5:30/7:30/9:30). We waited, and only had to take a 9:30 slot, which was a bit late. The other restaurants we had no problem getting resos for with the exception of the last night, which filled up quickly.

If I forgot to answer any questions, let me know. The Spirit is gorgeous!

~Debbi

 

Thanks Debbi for the information on the suite. This suite (10502) will be our

home for 8 days starting July 22nd and we can't wait!

 

I did not realize that water and soda was provided free of charge.

 

Were you able to get much sun on the balconies or does the bridge block the sun?

 

I also did not realize that Tappenaki only had one table for 10...the Dawn had two tables. That does limit availability for reservations (we have a group of 10)

The Dawn had "all you can eat sushi" for $15...I heard that the Spirit does not provide the same deal. I wish NCL would standardize the restaurant specials on all their ships. It only seems logical since they are using the same basic menus.

 

Thanks again for the information.

 

Don

[cruzfvr]

Don,

I don't believe they had an all you can eat sushi menu while we were on, but their prices were great. I think it was six cut pieces for $2 (one roll), and they had some specials too. Yep, the Spirit only has one Teppanyaki table, so get your reso quick!

 

You know, we did get a lot of sun on the balcony the first two days at sea, and then not much after that. But it was nice out there anyway. Just wish that it wasn't so narrow. We like to eat breakfast on our balcony, but there wasn't room for table/chair setup. It is a great suite though. We really enjoyed it. The Spirit is one of our favorite ships.

 

Oh, and the beer helmets were back! Buy 5 and get six. I forgot to mention that. Five buck deposit for the helmet, and keep your receipt, or you won't get the deposit back. We made that mistake once!

Enjoy your cruise on the 22nd! ~Debbi

[logcabin]

Debbi: I read with great interest about the Aft suites. We are booked in the Aft AA Owners Suite. I have heard things about vibrations before. I haven't heard that they were that bad, though. Besides, I sleep with earplugs so I didn't think the vibration would really be that bothersome. Is it really that bad? In addition, I recently read that they must have fixed something because the vibration seemed less then what it had been in the past. What was your experience?

[mypyr]

Hi Debbi- Again many thanks-you are becoming our supplier of information since no one else from your cruise has posted. I am one of those nervous nellies so we will probably get to the pier early. Do you know if it is always Pier 93 or if it changes?

[mypyr]

Woops-somehow I sent it before I finished.

 

Tell me about your son.What instrument does he play and what ships has he

been on? No wonder he might know who the new concierge will be!

 

About the sushi...is it $2 a roll in ADDITION to the cover charge or is it instead of it? I am a bit confused with these speciality restaurants. Where is the sushi available? At the Teppankyaki or Shogun? Thanks..

[cruzfvr]

logcabin~ When we had an aft suite last December on the Spirit, we did notice a lot of vibration. Still, it didn't keep us from sleeping or enjoying our cabin. The suites are gorgeous!

 

Cindy~ When we had the sushi, it was an additional charge because we ate in Shogun, and asked for a sushi menu. I don't know if you would have to pay a cover charge just to eat in the sushi restaurant. Maybe someone else on the boards can answer that question.

 

As for the new concierge, our son hasn't met her, but he thinks her name is Marika. He plays the saxophone, and really just hangs with other band members on the ship. He only has two weeks left, and he said he is going to do it again next summer. What a gig!

 

As for the pier number, I don't think you will need it...there was only two ships in port, and you can't miss them!!!

 

Have a great time! ~Debbi

[cazlap1129]

Just got off the Spirit 3 hours ago....will have an extensive review in a bit...overall great time, great service and the Spirit is a beautiful ship!

~Christine

[mypyr]

cazlap1299=Oh PLEASE post a detailed review ASAP! I feel like an addict who can't get enough information..thanks!

[Maryfrei]

Just got off the Spirit 3 hours ago....will have an extensive review in a bit...overall great time, great service and the Spirit is a beautiful ship!

~Christine

 

Anxiously awaiting your review, we're on the next voyage with your itinerary and can't wait to check the details out:)!

[judyf]

Anxiously awaiting your review, we're on the next voyage with your itinerary and can't wait to check the details out:)!

 

Ditto!!