On the Spirit Grand Med cruise right now

We are currently on the Spirit Grand Med cruise, Venice to Barcelona. We are in Rome today, so only a few days left. So far we have enjoyed ourselves very much (we are family of five with two teens and a ten year old). The Spirit is old but lovely and they keep her clean. The staff have all been wonderful. We have eaten in the MDR's (quick service and good food), Cagney's (great), La Trattoria (great pizza), and the buffet is fabulous. Yes can be crowded at peak times but always huge variety and easy to find a table. My kids love the hot dogs, fries, chicken tenders at dinner, and pizza at lunch. I love that I can get beef Wellington or pork scallopini instead. We are in an SF suite connected to a BC balcony room on deck 10. Great steward and butler is good. Lovely rooms overall and fun to watch sailaways from our balconies. Have seen two shows, WorldBeat which is new and very good and an aerial dance team that was spectacular. The cruise director Gio is fantastic and the staff always asking how they can be of service. We have done all NCL shore excursions and they have been wonderful - very organized and great tour guides. So nice to just wear your number sticker on your shirt and follow the guide and have someone else drive, especially in Istanbul and Naples - crazy traffic! We are on this cruise for two more days, if anyone has questions. So far I would highly recommend this cruise and the Spirit.

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We are currently on the Spirit Grand Med cruise, Venice to Barcelona. We are in Rome today, so only a few days left. So far we have enjoyed ourselves very much (we are family of five with two teens and a ten year old). The Spirit is old but lovely and they keep her clean. The staff have all been wonderful. We have eaten in the MDR's (quick service and good food), Cagney's (great), La Trattoria (great pizza), and the buffet is fabulous. Yes can be crowded at peak times but always huge variety and easy to find a table. My kids love the hot dogs, fries, chicken tenders at dinner, and pizza at lunch. I love that I can get beef Wellington or pork scallopini instead. We are in an SF suite connected to a BC balcony room on deck 10. Great steward and butler is good. Lovely rooms overall and fun to watch sailaways from our balconies. Have seen two shows, WorldBeat which is new and very good and an aerial dance team that was spectacular. The cruise director Gio is fantastic and the staff always asking how they can be of service. We have done all NCL shore excursions and they have been wonderful - very organized and great tour guides. So nice to just wear your number sticker on your shirt and follow the guide and have someone else drive, especially in Istanbul and Naples - crazy traffic! We are on this cruise for two more days, if anyone has questions. So far I would highly recommend this cruise and the Spirit.

 

 

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Good to read positive review so thanks for that.

It is nice to read good things about The Spirit. She is one of my favorite ships. Who are the current Senior Officers- both Bridge and Hotel?

Love that ship and love those ports, a cruise that is hard to beat.

Glad to hear you're having a good time! We really enjoyed our one time on the Spirit and are looking into a cruise on her again, in an owner's suite. I'm looking for all Spirit info I can now!

Oh thank you!!!

I am on the Spirit in November... and, like Hikini, I am looking for all the info I can get.

I was on the Spirit in January in an SE. I will be in a corner SE on the November cruise.

Who are your butler and concierge?

Who is the Hotel Director?

Which suite are you in?

I am so glad that you are having a lovely cruise... Please, post more!

Thanks!

Tracie-Lynn:)

Lovely to hear a lovely report about my fave ship and fave officer - I think Gio is fab, always working his magic with the passengers. Brilliant ship, brilliant ports and lovely weather at the moment I see.

Glad you are enjoying it and thanks for taking the time to post! :D

Glad u are having a grand time. We were on this cruise last year. We were in an aft suite. MaryJane was the butler and Yahira was the concierge. Enjoy the rest of your trip

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Thanks for the report!

On her next summer- can't wait! Thanks for the trip report! Glad you are having a great time!!

We are in the Sagittarius suite, number 10522, connected to balcony cabin 10520. We are port side, good for watching late people run to the gangway at the port. Yesterday in Rome port there were three late people whose taxi screeched in five minutes before sailing and they ran to the gangway while passengers clapped. You know people are late when they announce "will the following passengers please contact guest services...". Also at the Rome port it is a shuttle ride to get to the port from the ship, if you aren't on a tour. If you walk on your own, watch the traffic everywhere. Crosswalk is a loose term in the Med from what we have seen. As for the other staff you guys asked about, our hotel director is Tony - funny guy. Our concierge was Ryan until halfway thru the cruise, now it is a gal named Raywaen or something like that. She just boarded yesterday to replace him. Our butler is Ravi, very nice man. I can't recall the captain's name, it is Arvi or something similar. Our night in Cagney's some of the big brass were eating at the table next to us because the staff freaked when they came in and were all over them, and they had preordered their dinners. Today we are in Livorno and on a ship tour to Pisa. One more note, if you can I recommend taking the ship behind the scenes tour, which was on our third sea day. Well worth the 70 dollar cost - you get to tour the bridge, galleys, laundry, pastry galley, crew "highway", and backstage at the theater. And you get a souvenir photo. Quite a feeling to stand on the bridge and stare ahead at the sea, like you're the King of the world! :-)

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One more thing, in Mykonos we actually docked, instead of being a tender port. They said that happens only when we can get a spot at the port. Then there was a big line for a free ship shuttle to old town, but the line moved fast. It was super windy there! Don't forget sunglasses and a hat, but hold into it! :-)

And watch for the giant pelican who waddles around the town. And bring euro coins to pay for bathrooms (look for the WC sign, which means water closet). Some bathrooms are free, ask your tour guide.

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Enjoy the cruise.

Keith

Thanks very much for your input. We've been on the Spirit twice, but never to Europe (maybe next year).

Hope you are having a great time. Do they have the color ship models or the new all silver ones? I won't ask you to pick one up since you are flying and I don't want to burden you with extra baggage on the plane.

Lovely ship! I was just on the sailing before yours. Today I'm sitting on a beach in Tuscany so if I see the Spirit on the horizon I'll give you a wave!

Enjoy!!!

Hi Fins, if you mean the white ship models in the gift shop that are painted, yes my son got one of the Spirit to bring home. I didn't see silver ones but maybe I missed them. And Aquamarine, yes I will look for a friendly wave as we sail out of Livorno tonight! Or at least in spirit if too far away :-)

Tomorrow we are at our last port, Toulon. Tonight is both the Elements production show and the chocolate buffet (at 10pm?!). Seems too late for that. They are also going to sell port Tshirts in the atrium tonight. I've been waiting for those to go on sale as I'm almost out of clean shirts. They did have a fill-the-bag laundry special twice (for $27.99) but it takes two days to get back and after seeing the laundry I didn't want my underwear on the steam press for display, haha! I'll just buy a few souvenir shirts instead.

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This is wonderful! We'll be in your place in September. One question...

I've heard that NCL provides a shuttle in Venice from the pier to St Marks square on the Barcelona-Venice trip. Do you know if there is one the other direction? Did you find a good way to get into Venice? We're hoping to dump our bags and go back exploring, since sailaway is so late. Thanks!

Deb

Hi Fins, if you mean the white ship models in the gift shop that are painted, yes my son got one of the Spirit to bring home. I didn't see silver ones but maybe I missed them.

 

 

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Good to know. We collect the painted ones and were hoping they weren't switching to the all silver ones before we can get on the Spirit.

Thank you, R-Mom, for all of the information. It seems as if most of the suite staff has changed since January. I wonder who is scheduled to be there in November.

We had:

Hotel Director: Armando DiSilva

Concierge: Francesco

Butler: Mary Jane.

Enjoy your last day or two aboard. I hope your trip was as wonderful as you wanted it to be!

I've heard that NCL provides a shuttle in Venice from the pier to St Marks square on the Barcelona-Venice trip. Do you know if there is one the other direction? Did you find a good way to get into Venice? We're hoping to dump our bags and go back exploring, since sailaway is so late. Thanks!

We just returned from the 12-day Grand Med (Venice to Barcelona). As far as I know there was no shuttle from St Mark's (or any other spot in Venice) to the port. (There is a free shuttle bus from the port to the check-in warehouse; otherwise, it's about a 5-minute walk from the port to the actual slip where the ship is tied.) Basically, once you arrive in Venice, you have to get yourself to Piazzale Roma. From there you take the People Mover monorail to the port. You can always take a water taxi directly over to the port—it will cost more, but you won't have to worry about crowded ferries, monorail tickets, etc.—and the NCL staff will take your luggage right there where the taxi drops you off and direct you to the check-in warehouse.

Once we checked in at the ship, had lunch, visited our cabins, etc. we did return to Venice (via monorail and then water bus) to explore. You don't have to be back on board until 12:30 (after midnight), so you can enjoy a full afternoon/evening in Venice.

In detail . . .

1) People Mover Monorail from Piazzale Roma. You can get to P.le Roma by walking or by taking a water bus, but however you get there, you will have to buy a ticket (1,30 euro each—no discounts for kids). There are ticket machines at the base of the monorail, and then validation machines/gates (you wave the ticket in front of the validation machine and the gate swings open so you can walk in). The monorail is a very short and smooth ride (maybe 2 minutes). As far as I could tell, there is no way to avoid the monorail ride—no walking paths that I could see. When you arrive to the Maritimma Cruise Center, signs point the way to the NCL warehouse where you will check in.

2) Water Taxi. You pay more for a private water taxi than for a public water bus (7,50 euro per person), but in my opinion, it is worth the price if you have luggage with you. The water bus only goes to P.le Roma, where you will have to continue hauling your bag(s) around, boarding the monorail, etc., whereas a taxi will take you on a lovely boat ride across the lagoon directly to the NCL dock, where NCL staff will take your luggage. From there, you can take the free shuttle bus to the warehouse they use for check-in, or walk over (maybe 5 minutes). Whether you wait for the shuttle or walk, there is plenty of signage and NCL employees to point the way.

Jut what I needed...thanks very much! Added to my bulging file folder. As much research as I'm putting into this, I could write a book!

Yes the transport from the ship into Venice seemed somewhat complicated, I would recommend splurging on a water taxi. We used one from the airport to our hotel and it was 120 euros for the five of us. They handled our luggage and it was like James Bond arriving at our hotel. We stayed at the Locanda Vivaldi, a small boutique hotel right by St Marks Square, and we flew into Venice a day before the cruise so we had plenty of time to explore Venice on our own before boarding the Spirit. Charming hotel with its own restaurant for dinner on the top floor, and breakfast included in the morning. Also free Wifi, which my kids used, although we are from California and were nine hours back on time - though the excitement of being in Europe overrode any jetlag :-)

So if you debate over paying for a private water taxi in Venice, I say go for it! You will be glad you did, and you're only here once most likely.

Today we are in our last port, Toulon France. Beautiful countryside on our way to Le Castellet and then Sanary on our NCL excursion. Sad that it's our last day of the cruise. It has been the trip of a lifetime!

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Thank you, R-Mom, for all of the information. It seems as if most of the suite staff has changed since January. I wonder who is scheduled to be there in November.

 

We had:

Hotel Director: Armando DiSilva

Concierge: Francesco

Butler: Mary Jane.

 

Enjoy your last day or two aboard. I hope your trip was as wonderful as you wanted it to be!

Not sure where Francesco is these days or Mary Jane. Armando was on leave for 2 months from Early May so I would not be at all surprised if he boards when the ship returns to Barcelona. He will be there for 4 months so is unlikely to be on board in November. If I hear different I will let you know. He also said that early next year he will have been on Spirit for 3 years and is expecting to be reassigned to another ship next year. He may hear something in the autumn about this.

It is nice to read good things about The Spirit. She is one of my favorite ships. Who are the current Senior Officers- both Bridge and Hotel?

I have some of that information from the cruise previous to this one. Let me know if you still want that information & I'll post it for you.