Just back from the Spirit 10/08 - 10/19

[Para2001]

Hi folks,

 

we are just back at home from the airport in Frankfurt. We had a night-flight from JFK.

 

I'll write a review in some days (hopefully).

 

I only wanted to say that it was a great great cruise!! We had the best vacation of our life!

Everything was perfect and I'm so sad that it's all over now.

 

Later more...

 

Stephan

[judyf]

Glad to read you enjoyed the cruise. I will be looking for that review.

[moonmom]

Stephan,

 

I am happy to hear you had a wonderful vacation....congrats on your marriage! looking foward to your review .... was it the 11 night southern itinerary? of so, we are leaving on the 29th for the same.....curious for your thoughts on the ports........

 

Judy: i see you will be boarding the day we return....exciting isn't it??

 

jane

[judyf]

Judy: i see you will be boarding the day we return....exciting isn't it??

 

YES! I would also love to hear about the ports.

 

Could you plese just give us a little detail of what you did? Please?

[cathi007]

Hi, yeah I'm sailing on the 11 day Spirit on Nov 19, less than a month now. I am looking forward to your review. Everything you said sounds great so far. This is my first NCL cruise, so any info will help, anything you didn't bring that you wish you had? How was it going out of NY? Was it rough?? Cathi

[cruisin0504]

So glad to hear that it was perfect! Looking forward to the review.

[Para2001]

This is my first NCL cruise, so any info will help, anything you didn't bring that you wish you had? How was it going out of NY? Was it rough?? Cathi

 

Hi Cathy!

The only things I didn't bring that I wish I had were a flashlight for finding the way to the lavatory in the night and more black socks to wear with my elegant suit :).

 

Going out of NY was a great experience. We had sunny weather and smooth conditions and the sight of Manhattan and the Statue Of Liberty was amazing.

The next one and a half day we had a bit rough sea. My wife felt a little sick, luckily I had no problems with it.

 

If you have further questions please feel free to ask.

 

Writing the review will need a bit time, because a) I have to go to work again and b) English is not my own language, so putting everthing in words is not so easy for me.

 

Greetings

Stephan

[Welove2cruise2]

Stephan: looking forward to your review as we will be sailing on the Spirit at the end of November.

 

Could you quickly comment on food? Entertainment? Shows?

 

Where was your stateroom on the ship? We're looking for info on the aft BC's on deck 11 and wondering if you hear any noise (chairs moving, etc.) late at night due to cleaning being done in the buffet area.

 

Thanks!

[Para2001]

Stephan: Could you quickly comment on food? Entertainment? Shows?

 

Where was your stateroom on the ship? We're looking for info on the aft BC's on deck 11 and wondering if you hear any noise (chairs moving, etc.) late at night due to cleaning being done in the buffet area.

 

Thanks!

The food was really good. I don't understand where the complaints came from in other reviews.

If you don't want to spend the extra money for the speciality restaurants you can go to the main restaurants which are included without a problem.

Raffles buffet is ... just a buffet. But I found something for me everyday. The Stir-Fry for lunch there was great!

Windows and Garden Restaurant are as good as any good restaurant you will find in you town. They had a different motto everyday (f.e. French, Italian, Caribbean etc.) and a choice of meals that were on the menu always.

Really everthing was tasty and the service was very good too.

But be aware that taste is a personal thing. But all of our friends we met from our Cruise Critic Roll-Call were also satisfied with the food.

 

We only went to a Speciality-Restaurant once (Le Bistro) and that was our Romantic Dinner which was part of our honeymoon package.

 

Entertainment:

We were at the Pub Trivia Game in Henry's Pub several times, which was fun.

We saw/heard some music performance in Galaxy Of The Stars that were fair (I don't remember the names of the two. A woman and a guy) or good (Fusion Waves) or excellent (The tribute to Frank Sinatra with a singer named A. Jacobs)

We saw a show at the Stardust Theater with Rebecca Lowe together with the NCL-band which was fantastic. Also the other shows we've seen from the NCL company were good, only one show called America's beat was not my taste. Singing and dancing were good, but the theme of it was a bit "over the edge" in my opinion. Perhaps you need to be American to understand / like it.

 

Stateroom:

we were in room 9018 which is a BC. It's pretty much in the front of the ship. About deckk 11 and any noise, I can't tell you anything. Sorry.

[Para2001]

Btw. I started uploading my photos of the cruise on webshots. Until today there are only few, but I'll upload some new everyday.

 

http://travel.webshots.com/album/555001931yIHvHF

[judyf]

Nice pictures!!

 

What did you do in the ports?

[Para2001]

What did you do in the ports?

Hi Judyf,

 

in the first 3 ports (St. Thomas, Antigua, Barbados) we booked "Best of" excursions, where we went around the island with a bus and stopped at some sightseeing points. St Thomas was fair at best, because the guide wasn't good and the sightseeing points were more or less only shopping points. The other two were good and interesting.

On Grenada (our favorite port) we hired a driver on our own who gave us his "Best of" Grenada tour for $50 for both of us. It was a more personal tour (f.e. he showed us where he lives and his daughter's school) and this was a very good way to see the island.

On Dominica we did pretty much nothing (shame on us!). We left the ship for some duty free shopping at the port but were too lazy to do anything more.

Last but not least on Tortola we took a taxi to Cane Garden Bay a wonderfull beach where we had a great day.

[Para2001]

sorry, double post

[cathi007]

Para, thanks for the info, I'm sure we'll have a great time. By the way we are die hard soccer fans and were rooting for Germany in the world-cup. We LOVE Michael Ballack, go 13. Maybe we'll see you in Germany some day. My mom is thinking about taking my daughter there this April. Take care, Cathi

[judyf]

Hi Judyf,

 

in the first 3 ports (St. Thomas, Antigua, Barbados) we booked "Best of" excursions, where we went around the island with a bus and stopped at some sightseeing points. St Thomas was fair at best, because the guide wasn't good and the sightseeing points were more or less only shopping points. The other two were good and interesting.

On Grenada (our favorite port) we hired a driver on our own who gave us his "Best of" Grenada tour for $50 for both of us. It was a more personal tour (f.e. he showed us where he lives and his daughter's school) and this was a very good way to see the island.

On Dominica we did pretty much nothing (shame on us!). We left the ship for some duty free shopping at the port but were too lazy to do anything more.

Last but not least on Tortola we took a taxi to Cane Garden Bay a wonderfull beach where we had a great day.

 

That sounds great. Nice layout of excursions. We are thinking of simular things too. Thanks

[popsec]

Btw. I started uploading my photos of the cruise on webshots. Until today there are only few, but I'll upload some new everyday.

 

http://travel.webshots.com/album/555001931yIHvHF

 

Great photos! We'll be getting on the Spirit ourselves in just a few days. :D

[Para2001]

Para, thanks for the info, I'm sure we'll have a great time. By the way we are die hard soccer fans and were rooting for Germany in the world-cup. We LOVE Michael Ballack, go 13. Maybe we'll see you in Germany some day. My mom is thinking about taking my daughter there this April. Take care, Cathi

 

Hi Cathy,

 

you'll have a great time. I'm sure.

 

Shame on me I'm not a soccer fan. But the world-cup this summer was a great party. People from all over the world were surprized that germans can make party :D .

 

It would be a pleasure for me to meet you in my home country. On my cruise we met so many american people who were so friendly and welcoming! It's easy to talk with you and you never feel alone!

 

For all who are waiting for my review: I'm working on it. Be patient with me. :o

[Para2001]

Great photos! We'll be getting on the Spirit ourselves in just a few days. :D

 

Thank you very much. I loaded more photos today. Perhaps you wanna have a look.

 

I would like to come with you on the Spirit if I only could! It was such a wonderfull time. I'll remember it forever.

[judyf]

Love the pictures. Looks like you had a really great time.

[retiredAF]

Stephan,

Glad you had a great time and congrats on your marriage. I am not sure if this (free) website will help but we keep in touch with some friends we made when we lived in Germany and while it is not perfect, it sure has helped in written communication.

http://babelfish.altavista.com/tr

 

Here is what I got when I translated the message above:

 

Stephan, Froh hatten Sie eine große Zeit und congrats auf Ihrer Verbindung. Ich bin nicht sicher, wenn diese Web site hilft, aber wir bleiben in Verbindung mit einigen Freunden, die bildeten wir, als wir in Deutschland wohnten und wann es nicht vollkommen ist, es sicher haben geholfen in schriftlicher Kommunikation.

 

Your pics are great! Thanks for posting!

Theresa

[Seago2]

WOW- glad to read that you were so delighted with the cruise. I love the Spirit as well and have had two great cruises on her. Raffles is nothing special but IMHO it's not supposed to be! It's a buffet. Tastes good, pleasing to the eye, fills you up. I totally agree that Windows and Garden have excellent food. I think I had two not-great entrees there in two cruises (one was barbecued scallops- be warned). Cagneys is the bomb :) . Overall I think Carnival has better food and better dining room service (not just my experience) but the Spirit is such an understated and classy ship.

 

Hope your transition back to the working life is not too rough!

[retiredAF]

Stephan,

I had lost my first post and did not take the time to rewrite the whole thing (and I should have) the second time around but I sent that web site in reference too your comment "b) English is not my own language, so putting everthing in words is not so easy for me." I thought perhaps it might help with future posts. You are doing a great job on your own though!!

Theresa