Have YOU got questions for ME about the Carnival Spirit?

I'm going to be boarding the Spirit in just under a fortnight bound for New Caledonia (Lifou Mare & Noumea) and Vanuatu (Mystery Island) (That's if there isn't any damage after Cyclone Donna or any other cyclones)... Thought I'd just ask has anyone got any questions they'd like me to answer (or find answers for) or want to know more about the destinations? Maybe you'd like to know some of the differences between Carnival AU & Carnival US or the Spirit was your fave boat back in the day and just want to see how she is... leave your questions below!

I will be doing a full review once I'm back in Australia with pictures and Fun Times as stuff from the Spirit is hard to come by on here...

Thanks in advance! :)

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This was the pricing a year ago. I would be grateful if you would update it.

Thankyou!

LAUNDRY

-$3 for 40 minutes to wash clothes.

- $3 for 45 minutes to dry clothes

- $1.50 single use washing powder

- $1.50 single use fabric softener

- Free use of iron and ironing board. Iron was on a timer so it could not be left on accidentally

VALET SERVICE examples

- $7.50 wash and iron a dress

- $4 wash and iron a shirt or blouse

- $5 wash and iron trousers or slacks

- $2 wash undergarments

PHONE HOME to Australia

- $1.99 per minute from the phone in your state room

MINI BAR examples

- $9.50 scotch

- $8 gin

- $7.50 rum

- $2.75 can of soft drink or tonic water

- $4.50 1.5 litre bottled water

- Tooheys new or XXXX Gold $7.50

ROOM SERVICE examples

- $4 Wonton Noodle soup or greek salad or fresh fruit salad

- $7 Triple decker club sandwich or Tuna Sandwich or Baked Lasagne, or Aussie beef pie or pan pizza

IN ROOM MOVIES. A selection of comedy, action, drama and family movies

- $4.99 on demand

- Free....One family movie and one movie from the other categories, played all day, every 2 hours. They used 2 different movies from the on demand selection and changed them every night at midnight..

FOOD

- Free soft serve ice cream 24/7

- Free pizza 24/7

- Free food in the dining room. Order as much as you could eat

- Free food from the lido deck buffets. Eat all you can.

- Free hamburgers at Guys burger joint until 5.30pm. Add all your own toppings from the toppings bar

- Free barbecue food at Fat Jimmys on deck 10 at lunch time.

- There was food you could pay for in the Fountain Cafe (cakes and desserts), Bonsai sushi bar, the Freshies corner (fresh seafood) and Nouveau Restaurant but I didn't try them so don't have the prices. But there was so much free food there was no need to pay to eat.

DRINKS

- For free in the morning there was juice at the lido deck buffets

- For free all day from the lido deck buffets, there was ice, water, real lemonade, iced tea, coffee, hot tea, dairy milk, soy milk and hot chocolate.

- Bottomless bubbles (soft drink or juice) $79.75 for the 11 day cruise. Drinks available in the dining room and at every bar on the ship.

- $2.75 glass of soft drink

- From the Fountain cafe, a sample of pricing... $2.95 short black, $3.25 long black $3.75 Cappuccino or Latte of flat white. $9.95 if those coffees were served with alcohol. Milkshakes $4.50. Tea $4

- Asked for a fishbowl at the Red Frog Rum bar and was told they do not have but they offered me 10 full nips/shots in a jug for $29

- Fish bowl from the Red Frog pub. I tried multiple cocktails thinking I had a choice for the Fishbowl because I didn't want to get a fishbowl sized drink I didn't like. But when I asked for my choice of cocktail in a fishbowl they said sorry it is a limited selection and showed me the list with about 4 choices. All $23.95. Basically a fishbowl is 8 full nips/shots of rum with a selection of juices in a very big glass bowl

- Most cocktails were $9.75, some were $10.75. My favourite for $9.75 was the Twilight Zone (Midori, Bacardi, Blue Curacao, Coconut Cream and Pineapple, served with a small slice of pineapple and a glaced cherry)

- Smoothies and non alcoholic versions of cocktails was $6

- Thirsty frog ale in a 16 oz glass (473ml) $8.95

- Cheapest beer was Hahn Premium Light stubbies at $6.50

- Stubbies of Tooheys new, Tooheys Old, XXXX Gold, Hahn Premium. Corona, Heineken $7.50

- Stubbies of Carlton Dry, Carlton Draught, Crown Lager, Pure Blond, VB $8.25

- Beer on tap in a 15 OZ glass (425ml) Tooheys new $7.50 Carlton Draught $8.25

- 4 stubbies or 4 cans or 4 glasses of beer in a bucket of ice. $2 discount

- Glasses of wine ranged from $8.50 to $14

INTERNET (wireless from your phone or laptop or from an onboard computer at the fountain cafe

- SOCIAL for social network sites such as facebook and twitter and nothing else. $9 per day $25 for the cruise

- VALUE all sites except for streaming sites such as skype. $30 per day $70 for the cruise

- PREMIUM for everything. $50 per day or $110 for the cruise

SNORKEL HIRE

- Adult sets $49.99 for the whole cruise

- Childrens sets $29.99 for the whole cruise

SPA SPECIALS. I didn't use it but with your daily newsletter, there were SPA specials every day. Some examples

- Teeth whitening. $164 for a single and $284 for a couple

- IONITHERMIE Corrective treatment $154

- Massage $131 for 50 minutes or $158 for 75 minutes

- Elemis pro collagen quartz lift facial $135

- Happy hands and feet pedicure with finger polish $77

- Tri enzyme resurfacing facial $118

OTHER FACILITIES, all free

- All the usual gym facilities plus a spa bath in the Gymnasium, all for use by adults only

- Shows in the comedy club

- Shows in the Pharaohs Palace such as magic show, hypnotist

- Basket ball court

- Putt Putt mini golf

- Trivia. There were about 5 trivia competitions per day. The prize was a piece of shi(p) on a stick.

- Three swimming pools and 2 other spa baths. One of the swimming pools and spa baths is in the serenity bar area for use by adults only

GAMBLING. You could lose your money

- Playing bingo

- Betting on the Melbourne Mug (Melbourne Cup). There was a horse race every sea day decided by the throw of a dice.

- Gambling on the poker machines and gaming tables in the Casino. It was only open when at sea.

- There is a billiard/pool table in the casino, it cost $10 per hour

Any spots for a good wedding proposal?

Any spots for a good wedding proposal?

Great question! Will look into for you!

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Mini bars have goonee. I thought Red Frog ale wash 595Ml... Every thing seems pretty correct.

Also let us Know of any noticeable specials especially with Nouveau Restaurant. I.e 3 meals for price 2 etc

Been on Spirit 6 times. Only deal i see about Nouveau is first night free bottle of wine. At $45 a head with a free $35 bottle of wine excellent value. Love the long lunch they have there too..

Hi, I see this thread is a little old now, but hoping someone might see my post. I'm trying to get information on the Spirit and gosh is it hard to come by.

Hoping someone can help with the following:

- Are all the balcony rooms the same size and the only difference is the size of the balcony, or does the aft-extended balcony room for example have more space inside?

- Is there anywhere you wouldn't recommend getting a room? For example would you avoid getting a room at the front or pack of the boat or would you avoid being above a restaurant or below the pool for example?

- Does it cost money to go on-shore or only if you do an 'excursion' through the boat?

- Do you have to pre-book a tender to shore?

- What can the onboard credit be used for?

- Are the drinks packages worth it? Do they include spirits?

- Do the pools get too crowded?

- Do the rooms without a symbol on the deck plans have queen beds or are all beds on boat twins pushed together?

Hi, I see this thread is a little old now, but hoping someone might see my post. I'm trying to get information on the Spirit and gosh is it hard to come by.

 

 

Hoping someone can help with the following:

- Are all the balcony rooms the same size and the only difference is the size of the balcony, or does the aft-extended balcony room for example have more space inside?

- Is there anywhere you wouldn't recommend getting a room? For example would you avoid getting a room at the front or pack of the boat or would you avoid being above a restaurant or below the pool for example?

- Does it cost money to go on-shore or only if you do an 'excursion' through the boat?

- Do you have to pre-book a tender to shore?

- What can the onboard credit be used for?

- Are the drinks packages worth it? Do they include spirits?

- Do the pools get too crowded?

- Do the rooms without a symbol on the deck plans have queen beds or are all beds on boat twins pushed together?

Hi I can try to help as much as I can

Anywhere to avoid depends on people’s tastes. Me personally deck 1 is a big no no. Especially in rough seas. I always try to stay middle of the ship interior or balcony it doesn’t matter.

To go ashore is free but you can book tours on the boat for a fee or ashore with a private operator. If you want to do tours booking onboard is the best way to do it.

On the day tender tickets will be available at a certain location of the ship you need to collect them to leave. They call by number over the PA system then you need to make your way to the tender disembarkation zone (usually deck A mid Ship). If you go before your number or with out a number you will be sent back upstairs. When you are finished on an island you can go back anytime you want as long as you are onboard before the final tender.

On board credit (OBC) can be used for almost anything on board! Alcohol, drinks packs, shopping, in the steak house/sushi bar even for wifi! I don’t think you can use it in the casino though...

Drinks packs are normally $7-7.50 a day from memory & can only be purchased within the first 24 hours. They include unlimited soda & juice from bars. In Australia alcohol packs don’t exist as apparently we drink a lot! If you drink soda it can pay for itself after 3-4 glasses a day as each soda is between $2-$3.50 on its own.

Pools can get crowded during peak cruises e.g. school holidays Christmas et al. Lucky for us adults there is the the 18+ serenity area which has a pool, whirlpool (what we call a spa) and a bar too. If you want to use the main pools wait until night time (most don’t shut until 8-10 pm) or when the ship is in port. That’s also a good time to use the waterslides.

I know most rooms have two single beds that can be changed to a queen-ish size if you ask the cabin steward. The only exception may be the suites.

Hope this helps!

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Don't know how much help it will be----we were last on the Spirit in 2012 bringing her from Hawaii to her present berth, I'll leave a link below to our "album" showing many pictures of the ship as it was then, just click on CARNIVAL SPIRIT. If I were to propose (as I did 54 years ago!) I'd probably do it while strolling through the jungle on deck 3 ---- picture 154 -- but that's just me. We've been on over 40 cruises and will not choose a cabin unless it has cabins above and below it! No bars, restaurants, showrooms, etc. Another personal preference is the area of the cabin---we like the middle floors 5, 6 too low and up high we feel the "motion of the ocean". Have a great cruise and may I offer (premature) Congratulations on your engagement!

CARNIVAL SPIRIT

Could someone tell me if they have a coffee card on the Spirit, like they have on Princess ships? Also is there a cafe in the atrium for specialty coffees and teas?

Could someone tell me if they have a coffee card on the Spirit, like they have on Princess ships? Also is there a cafe in the atrium for specialty coffees and teas?

The Fountain cafe does have specialty coffees and cakes, but they do not have a coffee card. It's not in the atrium itself but it is on the same deck. Head forward of the lobby through the casino and you'll come to it.

Hi, I see this thread is a little old now, but hoping someone might see my post. I'm trying to get information on the Spirit and gosh is it hard to come by.

 

 

Hoping someone can help with the following:

 

 

 

- Are all the balcony rooms the same size and the only difference is the size of the balcony, or does the aft-extended balcony room for example have more space inside?

 

- Is there anywhere you wouldn't recommend getting a room? For example would you avoid getting a room at the front or pack of the boat or would you avoid being above a restaurant or below the pool for example?

 

- Does it cost money to go on-shore or only if you do an 'excursion' through the boat?

 

- Do you have to pre-book a tender to shore?

 

- What can the onboard credit be used for?

 

- Are the drinks packages worth it? Do they include spirits?

 

- Do the pools get too crowded?

 

- Do the rooms without a symbol on the deck plans have queen beds or are all beds on boat twins pushed together?

Yes, the balcony rooms are all basically the same size and layout. There are a few exceptions (e.g. the ones turned sideways like 4202, 5345 etc are obviously a different layout, but they are also set up for disability access, premium balcony rooms are a bit bigger), but yes the aft view rooms are pretty much the same as the other balconies just with a nice big outdoor space.

Rooms are personal preference - I personally try to put myself between two residential floors. I've heard that right next to the night club or right below pool deck and lido can be a bit of an issue for some people. Lifts aren't an issue, we've stayed right next to them and you really don't notice. Movement is most noticeable at the front of the ship, so if you have fears of motion sickness aim for mid ship or even aft.

Tenders are free, and they have a pretty smooth system where you just wait for your group to be called and walk down to the exit. You don't need to pre book, just follow instructions and turn up in the theatre when your whole group is ready. They'll assign you a group. If it's not a tender port it's even smoother.

On board credit can be used for anything you can charge to your account - it just came off our bill at the end as a deduction.

The only drinks package available is the soft drink package - covers soft drinks, juice, etc but not mocktails, smoothies, or specialty coffees. Adult price is $7.25/day and kids are $5.50/day - it can be bought in the first day or two of the cruise and must be purchased for the whole cruise rather than individual days. We find it's worth it - the cost works out to around 3 soft drinks a day, and I know I had more than that. It was nice to be able to just order a ginger ale or something while we were watching musicians, and I think we spent less overall because we could always grab a pre paid drink. They do have a wine package where you can pre purchase several bottles to be enjoyed over the course of your cruise and there are a few individual deals like double shots for $5, fishbowl cocktails, and beer buckets and tubes, but none are a package as such.

The pools aren't especially big (don't plan on lap swimming) and on cruises with lots of kids it does stay pretty full. More adult oriented ones like Melbourne Cup not so much.

All the main beds can be set up as queen or twins depending on what you need. Just identify your preference at booking.

Have fun!

The Fountain cafe does have specialty coffees and cakes, but they do not have a coffee card. It's not in the atrium itself but it is on the same deck. Head forward of the lobby through the casino and you'll come to it.

Thanks for the info Meamat. I really loved the International Cafe on the Golden Princess and was hoping for something like that on board.

The Fountain Cafe is deck 2. Last year, i filmed the whole of Deck 2 from the Empire restaurant to Pharaohs Palace. Including Fountain cafe and the bars off it such as the Skybox Sports Bar and Red Frog Pub plus the Casino

You have to pay for the coffee and cakes in the fountain cafe but in case you are not aware, you can get free coffee on board 24/7 from the dispensers in the Lido deck. Deck 9.

For free 24/7 on the Lido Deck, you can get

- Soft serve ice cream

- Pizza

- Filtered water

- Real lemonade made water lemon and sugar

- Coffee

- Boiling water for tea. With multiple tea bag choices.

- Hot Chocolate

- Ice

The Fountain Cafe is deck 2. Last year, i filmed the whole of Deck 2 from the Empire restaurant to Pharaohs Palace. Including Fountain cafe and the bars off it such as the Skybox Sports Bar and Red Frog Pub plus the Casino

You have to pay for the coffee and cakes in the fountain cafe but in case you are not aware, you can get free coffee on board 24/7 from the dispensers in the Lido deck. Deck 9.

Great little videos of the Spirit Big_Jim. Thanks for the link and info.