12 Day Grand Mediterranean Review on the Norwegian Spirit

[nolatravelgirl]

Part 38

 

The food fest was about to begin!

 

Amuse Bouche ‘Molecular Gastronome’ consisting of Spherical Mango, Vodka & Jalapeno Ravioli. This was a one bite sphere that kind of exploded in your mouth. Very good

 

Orange-Wasabi Glazed Ahi Tuna Tartar with freshly-baked Sesame Crisp. These are two things that I love tuna and sesame seeds so this was also very good

 

Asparagus Cream – the flan is in the shallow bowl and the asparagus cream is ceremoniously poured in the bowl. This was my least favorite course as it all seemed to creamy. I wanted something more crispy or a different texture to accompany it.

 

 

Short Crust Tartlet - this was yummy and it was hard not to devour it all knowing there was still plenty more to come

[nolatravelgirl]

Part 39

 

Grapefruit Moscato Granite - this is just a palate cleanser but a nice bright flavor

 

Plantain- Crusted, Pan Seared Sea Bass accompanied by Mango, Papaya & Avocado Salsa and Lobster Veloute – Another tasty round but at this point I was getting full and I love veal and knew that it was coming up so I didn’t finish this course. If I hadn’t already eaten so much I would have eaten all of this!

 

Milk-Fed Veal Chop with Anna Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach and Truffle Veal Jus – This was delicious but it was again a giant portion. The truffle veal jus was lick the plate awesome

 

cheese platter with honey comb and figs. I am a huge cheese plate fan and was glad to see a variety of cheeses that I hadn’t seen anywhere else on board. Glad to see it wasn’t the same cheeses available around the ship

 

 

Dessert grand finale, which consists of either a Yogurt-Mousse Dome with Lychee Raspberry Crème, Hazel Sablee and Lime Vanilla Reduction; or a Chocolate Log with ‘Spiced’ Dark Rum, Infused Banana and Cocoa Mousse

 

Each pair of guests is presented with one of the desserts and you were supposed to share. I think I would have preferred to smaller portions of each presented to each person on their own individual plate

[nolatravelgirl]

Part 40

At the end the Exec chef and his staff all came out for a round of applause.

 

While eating dessert they took our after dinner drink orders (port, coffee, etc) and we were escorted back to where we started in Champagne Charlie’s bar. I may have been a bit tipsy as I was taking selfies with some of our tablemates!

 

 

Overall assessment of the Chef’s Table

The food was all expertly prepared and the service was quite good. The crew definitely go above and beyond to make this a special event. The level of service is definitely more on par with what I expect on a Seabourn ship. The price is quite reasonable for what you get and if you have a foodie state of mind and are looking for a different experience then I would definitely go for it!

 

The wines were either hit or miss. The sparkling wine to start off the night was light and had hints of fruit. The Matua sauvignon blanc is widely available around the ship and had been my go to white wine and would have liked to try something from the higher end portion of the bar menu. If a higher end wine had been offered I would have been inclined to order it and pay for it around the ship. The chardonnay was the major miss for me and the only one that I declined to finish. The Emblem cabernet was really rich but was still pretty young. I would love to try this bottle after age a few more years.

 

I have done some research and the chef’s table menu has been the same since 2012 and is standard across the entire NCL line. My day job is process efficiency and get that having the same menu fleet wide is good for logistics I think this is one where they should allow the chef some freedom. I also think if the menu was different on each ship/chef/route then I think there would be even greater demand for this meal.

 

In conclusion try it if you have never done it!

 

I was really full and eating that much does make me tired but I did want to pop up to Galaxy of the Stars to check out the toga party. It was mostly just a night of music and if you wanted to wear a toga the cruise staff were there with a stack of bed sheets and would tie you up if you desired.

 

The band on board was “Hotwire” and they were quite good and knew most of the recent hits and could really get a crowd dancing

Edited September 21, 2015 by nolatravelgirl

[jenidallas]

 

Asparagus Cream – the flan is in the shallow bowl and the asparagus cream is ceremoniously poured in the bowl. This was my least favorite course as it all seemed to creamy. I wanted something more crispy or a different texture to accompany it.

 

 

Short Crust Tartlet - this was yummy and it was hard not to devour it all knowing there was still plenty more to come

 

These were my two favorite courses... but I love most cream soups, soufflés (which is what the flan reminded me of), and tarts.

Edited September 21, 2015 by jenidallas

[hdowney]

I may have missed so apologies, but a couple questions about the chef's table.

 

1, what was the price per person for this?

2, did it include wines etc?

3, did you book it before sailing or onboard?

4, is it one set night each sailing?

 

Thanks very much and loving your review. Cannot wait for my turn next year now

[nolatravelgirl]

I may have missed so apologies, but a couple questions about the chef's table.

 

1, what was the price per person for this?

2, did it include wines etc?

3, did you book it before sailing or onboard?

4, is it one set night each sailing?

 

Thanks very much and loving your review. Cannot wait for my turn next year now

It was 109 per person and it did include the wines. They were pretty free flowing with the wine pours during the dinner. The Chef's table cannot be booked online so you need to do it right as you board the ship. I think it is only once per sailing on the 7 day itineraries but this was a longer 12 night sailing they did it twice.

[sjbdtz]

Part 38

 

The food fest was about to begin!

 

Amuse Bouche ‘Molecular Gastronome’ consisting of Spherical Mango, Vodka & Jalapeno Ravioli. This was a one bite sphere that kind of exploded in your mouth. Very good

 

 

 

 

 

Were you using my plates?

 

 

 

Stephen

 

 

.

[nolatravelgirl]

Were you using my plates?

Sure looks like it. Does NCL sell them in the gift shop. I didn't spend much time there.

[jenidallas]

 

 

Were you using my plates?

 

The Versace plates were lovely... but they lacked your full setting ambiance.

 

Our waiter made a comment as he was clearing mind that he hoped he didn't break one (and apparently one had broken on the previous cruise).

 

When I got home, I googled them to see why... that charger is $295. Ouch!

Edited September 21, 2015 by jenidallas

[CincyJen]

Thanks again so much. Those photos of your home after Katrina are just unbelievable! Hard to believe it's been 10 years.

 

You're a lovely person and this has been my favorite trip report in ages. Wish we could travel with you! Thanks also for every single tip!

[nolatravelgirl]

Part 41

Day 8

Istanbul, Turkey

Port Time: 9am -6pm

 

Istanbul is an amazing city and one that I have visited on several other occasions and was really just looking for a relaxed day of walking and sightseeing. Today I would be on my own as jenidallas decided to get some work done on the ship where she would have access to the internet. After breakfast I packed up my day bag and headed out for the day. Normally I would recommend that you wear long pants and long sleeves if you plan to visit the mosques. Seeing as I wasn't going to visit any mosques and it was HOT I put on a sleeveless t-shirt dress and flip flops.

 

Istanbul is definitely a DIY port and there is no reason to take a taxi as the streets are unusually congested with traffic. There is a new fancy tram system that runs right outside the port. When you exit the port you will see this sign

 

 

You can walk either way to catch the tram. Walking left is slightly longer but is ultimately walking in a “positive” direction as that is the way you want to go. There is an ATM outside both tram stops so you don’t need to use the one inside the port terminal. I withdrew 100 TL which was the equivalent of $35 USD and it thankfully dispensed some small bills with my withdrawal.

 

I then crossed back over to the tram tracks and went to the “Jetonmatik” and bought a plastic token for 4TL and hopped on the tram. The tram is air conditioned and has seats and standing room. Four short stops later I got off at “Sultanhament” and crossed over to the side of the street with the big garden like square where I spotted a vendor selling simit. Simit is what I can only describe as a Turkish bagel. It is thinner but the texture is crispy on the sesame seed outside but soft and tender on the inside. It was 1 TL and you can pay a little bit more for Nutella or butter. I love it with butter but decided against it since I would likely end up with a big greasy blob of butter on my shirt if I decided to do that first thing in the morning.

 

It was as good as I remember them!

 

These are the carts that sell them

 

I munched on my snack as I was walking around the beautiful gardens between the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Both attractions were quite busy and there were many buses along the street. I will note at this point I have visited both places before and decided to not do them again.

 

I did take a few photos since it was such a beautiful day. Love those beautiful blue skies

 

 

If you ever want to come back when it is less crowded I recommend coming in November and coming during American Thanksgiving. Or as I called that trip Turkey for Turkey Day! Here I was wearing my cashmere sweater and wool coat in front of the Blue Mosque. The crowds were minimal which made touring that much easier. The skies were gray that day.

 

 

If you have never been to the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque then by all means see these places, but I just didn’t want to brave the crowds and decided to check out the Basilica Cistern which I had not seen on my previous visits.

[jenidallas]

We must both have Istanbul on the brain today as I wrote up my much less active adventure a bit earlier this evening.

 

http://jetsettershomestead.boardingarea.com/2015/09/21/istanbul-fish-sandwich/

 

My day was completely different because I stayed on the ship until lunchtime. The ship really becomes a ghost town when everyone disembarks in port. The internet is faster and there is hardly a soul in sight!

 

But my one delight of the day was having balik ekmik (fish sandwich) from a street vendor by the Galata Bridge. Totally different and not necessarily the diversion I'd recommend for someone who has never been to Istanbul, but something to definitely try if you stumble across it.

 

nolatravelgirl definitely wins the day for seeing more than I did though. I wouldn't have done this if I hadn't had previous visits to see the major sites as there are too many amazing things to see in Istanbul. One other place I almost stopped but didn't is the Istanbul Modern Art Museum which is about a three block walk from the pier entrance (our ship actually overlooked it while docked). I've still never been but I've heard that they a) have a great collection and b) have a very nice outdoor restaurant with good views (when the ships aren't blocking them). That is on my list for the next time I visit.

[nolatravelgirl]

Part 42

I knew that the Basilica was nearby but didn’t have exact instructions. I knew that Turkish men had a thing for curvy women with light eyes and blonde hair so I smiled a lot and was polite and they all graciously pointed me in the right direction. Sure a map would have served me well but sometimes it is fun to just go with the flow. I joined a short line for the Cistern. This is a lesser known attraction but is visually stunning and I am glad I finally got to visit it. The price is 20 TL and you MUST have Turkish Lira

 

 

You then descended a big dark staircase down to the cistern. There was an option to rent an audio guide. I checked my Rick Steves app and there was no walking tour so I handed over my money for the audio guide. It was the “candy bar” style but it did have the headphone jack so I could use my own earbuds. This is the one stop where I was really disappointed in the headset. There were really one 4 points in the cistern with audio commentary and it basically regurgitated the exact same content available on the placards. This is one tour that I would not pay for the audio and just read the signs.

 

The interior was beautiful

 

 

 

 

 

I tried really hard to get a selfie with the Medusa head but it was near impossible without a flash front camera!

 

If you are a photography geek there are some amazing photo ops in this place. My Iphone does not take amazing photos!

 

 

[nolatravelgirl]

Part 43

 

I exited the Cistern and from my reading knew that the Grand Bazaar was “generally to the left” and I just started walking and I wasn’t completely sure where I was going. I thankfully saw some tour people and they were all walking down a specific street so I was pretty confident that I was walking in the right direction. I finally found my own personal mecca in one of the many entrances to the Grand Bazaar

 

 

This is one of those times where you just need to get lost and eventually find your way outside. I walked for a long while aimlessly looking at all the goods. I initially thought about buying a knockoff Olivia Pope Prada Season 3 bag but decided I would rather find the real thing when I get home even if it were to cost me 10 times as much as the market.

 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/221661612884470006/

 

I bought a few small souvenirs for friends and of course a box of fresh packed Turkish delight!

 

 

It wasn’t my most favorite box of Turkish delight but it was still very good. Do not go for the pre wrapped shrink wrapped garbage. Make sure you ask if it is made with honey. The logs made with honey are sooooo much better than the pieces made just with refined sugar.

 

I couldn’t believe it was nearing 2pm so I exited the bazaar in search of some lunch. I finally found the tram tracks and walked along looking for a place to stop for lunch. My main goal was a beer which is not an easy task in a tourist area near a mosque. I finally found a place that served beer and was directed to a busy outdoor table that I shared with a lovely couple from New Zealand. It was a little awkward when I first directed at the table as I didn’t know if they spoke English but thankfully they started chatting first and we had a lovely conversation over a beer.

 

The food was just okay, but the company was lovely

 

 

 

I was really hot and tired so I went ahead and boarded the tram to go back to the port. Less than 15 minutes later I was deposited right outside the port. I was on the tram with some of the crew who worked in Cagney’s. We had a nice chat while on the tram and with the walk back to the ship. Lucky for me jenidallas was texting me that she had secured two lounge chairs by the pool. I headed up to the room and donned a swimsuit to spend the last of my Istanbul hours sipping a cool cocktail while napping poolside.

 

Edited September 22, 2015 by nolatravelgirl

[nolatravelgirl]

Part 44

 

This cruise was flying by and tonight we had a second reservation for the Teppanyaki restaurant. We really enjoyed it the first time so my hopes were high for a second night. I wanted to try something different so I went with the Shinto which is sea scallops and jumbo shrimp. The show was EXACTLY the same as what we had just seen a few days before. I can’t fault the chef for that, but what I quickly figured out was that I really only need to do this restaurant once per trip. It didn’t feel quite as fun, because I knew every joke before he finished it.

 

The shrimp were fine but the scallops weren’t that great. When I go back I would stick with the land and sea combo as it was the better of the combos. I would recommend going to Teppanyaki but don’t bother going twice.

 

 

Tomorrow was the day I was most looking forward to for the trip. At first I had no idea about Kusadasi but after doing my research I knew I wanted to take my time here. Our port time was an afternoon port and I was like a giddy school girl waiting to get into port. NCL knowing that everyone was on the ship for lunch did a great job of setting up a nice pool barbecue to help with the crowds all looking for lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

The hummus was delicious as was the chicken. I have to say again I was dreading the buffet but all in all it was more pleasant than expected. The food always looked fresh and there were plenty of options.

[nolatravelgirl]

Part 45

 

Day 9

Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey

Port Time: 1pm – 8pm

 

We were done with our lunch and I was ready for our Ephesus day to begin. We pulled into port right on time. The port was new and modern. As you exited the port it was a little hectic but we found our guide. We walked about a block and our driver (separate from the guide) and van were waiting. We booked this as a private tour for just us. We booked through AboutEphesus for 95 USD per person.

 

Our guide sat in the back with us and gave us a brief history during our drive. It was maybe 25 minutes before we arrived at the House of the Virgin Mary. We pulled up just prior to a bunch of tour busses so we knew that we would be fighting off the pack all day. Our guide expertly explained all the relevant sites in our area and then led us up to the House of the Virgin Mary. He gave us time to explore and showed us the spot at the bottom of the hill that he would be waiting.

 

Me outside the house. When you went inside there were a few small stools and a kneeling rail where one could pray by the alter with a statue of the Virgin Mary. They had kerchiefs available to cover your head and a box of candles which you could take outside and light for a small donation.

 

I paid my donation and took my two candles. I lit one for my own mother that she may know peace in her time of grief since my father had just passed away a few weeks earlier and one for all those who wished to be mothers but couldn’t.

 

 

Once you started walking down the hill there were a series of fountains and are said to have healing waters. I went ahead and wet my hands then put the cool water on my neck and prayed again. It was very spiritual. I was glad we beat the big tour groups to this site as I couldn’t imagine visiting such a tiny house with a giant group of people.

 

 

Finally we reached the wishing wall where you could tuck notes inside the wall. I had read about this and unfortunately we didn’t come prepared with pen and paper. I looked around and read some of the messages that were visible

 

 

 

TIP: if you are going to visit the house of the Virgin Mary then remember to bring pen and paper!

We walked down the hill and met up with our guide. He pointed out the restrooms and said that our next stop would be Ephesus and there were no restrooms so we should avail ourselves of them now. Never one to pass up a chance we took the opportunity to use the clean restrooms. I think there may have been a small charge.

[nolatravelgirl]

Part 45

 

We drove less than 10 minutes and were dropped at the entrance to the city of Ephesus. Just looking out you could see it was going to be a hot day with practically no shade. Right at the entrance were a few vendors. If you haven’t brought any water I recommend buying some here. I had brought one in my bag, but decided to buy an extra one. I was really glad I had that second one about half way thru the Ephesus tour.

 

Check out this map if you want to get a perspective for the sheer size of Ephesus

http://www.ephesus.ws/ephesus-map.html

 

 

The first section of the tour is on fairly flat ground and there are ruins all around you

 

 

The Odeon

 

As you walk down the path there are several patches of slick white marble so you need to be very careful with where you step. The further you move down along there are some more steep pieces that can be very dangerous.

 

TIP: Wear a good pair of walking shoes! This is not the place to wear flip flops or other backless shoes!

 

You will the see the famous Nike

 

Hercule’s Gate

 

Hadrian’s Temple

 

 

[nolatravelgirl]

Part 46

 

Just before you reach the terrace houses you come across the only toilets in Ephesus

 

We continued walking along the path when we came up to the Terrace Houses. They have built a series of catwalks and stairs with handrails that take you over the rooms. I believe it is about the equivalent of climbing up five flights of stairs. Our guide had our tickets already and we went right in.

 

World’s hardest jigsaw puzzle

 

 

 

 

This is the view from the top of the Terrace Houses where you exit. The problem now is you need to make your way back down to the “street” and it is down a very steep set of rock stairs without a handrail. I am pretty short and the steps were tall

[nolatravelgirl]

Part 47

 

Once you finally make it down the steps there is one of the few shady areas you will find in the city. While we sat in the shade our guide explained about the Library of Celsus and the story of the reconstruction. He waited in the shade and we got to take our photos and walk around the area.

 

 

 

The Agora (aka – ancient shopping mall)

 

The final stop was the Amphitheater and it was huge. I can only wonder if Paul stood on that piece of ground when preaching to the Ephesians.

 

 

We made it to the end and there was a bathroom at the exit and a bunch of souvenir shops. We didn’t buy anything but some cold waters. If you want to mail postcards there is a post box.

 

The final stop of our tour was the Temple of Artemis. This is seriously a letdown after seeing all the ruins at Ephesus. It is literally just one column in a field. It was on the way so no big deal.

 

This is me looking puzzled and thinking why this is such a big deal.

[nolatravelgirl]

Part 48

 

Our final stop was lunch at a place that just so happens to do a rug making demo and sells carpets. We weren’t interested and they didn’t make us watch any demo nor did we shop for rugs. We were led to a big glass room where we were served lunch. We had reservations for Le Bistro later that evening so we just had a few tastes of the food and ordered a beer. The beer was an additional fee

 

 

We were driven back to the port and our driver gave us a gift with an assortment of items.

 

 

Overall we were super pleased with this tour. We probably could have gotten the price way down with more people but it was nice to walk just us with the guide as it seemed much more like a personal friend showing us around than being on a tour.

 

Once back on the ship we showered and rested as we were very dusty and dirty from our day in Ephesus. Tonight would be our first time in Le Bistro.

 

The menu

 

 

There was a bread plate that was brought out to share, but it was nothing special.

 

 

 

I started with the 4 cornets. This is the first thing I ate onboard the ship that made me OMG this is soooo good. Seriously, you must order this dish!

 

 

[rbpenney]

Hi

We are doing the same cruise on Sept.30 only backwards. We want to see Pompei and the Amalphi coast. Any suggestions on Tour that you used?

Better to prebook or find someone at the port? bankzky1944

 

We are doing this cruise on Oct 12 out of Barcelona. We have started a guided tour of Pompeii and then an afternoon trip to Positano and Amalfi through Share a Shore Excursion. We picked it because of Trip Advisor reviews. Looks great!

 

Also, we have four spots left open in our group (of eight max) if someone on our cruise is looking for a tour when in Naples. Cost is 100 euros each with eight. Email us at rbpenney1@gmail.com if you're interested in joining us. Randy & Paula :)

[nolatravelgirl]

Hi

We are doing the same cruise on Sept.30 only backwards. We want to see Pompei and the Amalphi coast. Any suggestions on Tour that you used?

Better to prebook or find someone at the port? bankzky1944

 

I would start a tour share on romeinlimotoursharing.com then post the details and link on your roll call. You should be able to find other to join your tour. We really liked using the tour share option.

[flapbreaker]

With the late port arrival in ephesus, do you recall what time you boarded the ship after your tour.

[nolatravelgirl]

With the late port arrival in ephesus, do you recall what time you boarded the ship after your tour.

I think we were off the ship for a little less than 6 hours based on the time stamps on my photos. So we were back on the ship about 6:30. We could have spent time shopping in the port area but we were hot and dirty and ready to get back on the ship. Edited September 24, 2015 by nolatravelgirl

[Ilikebigboats]

Still enjoying your great review, especially your Ephesus tour. We will be on the Spirit next June and I'm disappointed that our time in port is scheduled for 7-2, I hope we can visit what you did in that time frame.

Looking forward to your next installment!