Spirit Review 04/01 - 04/07

[hftmrock]

Just got back from the Spirit cruise and have to say we had a great time. I read this board and another one and was nervous about inadequate food and bad service but besides the buffet restaurant (Raffles) which was really a madhouse lots of times the food was very good and the service in all aspects was really great. I asked my family if they can think of one time where one staff person was rude or short or mean or anything bad at all and they could not think of any at all.

 

We had a few small glitches with the room but other then that everything went really well. Room Glitches were the remote that was taped in the back but the tape fell off and the batteries were coming out. It was replaced by another remote with tape on the battery area (Guess they all had tape). Also had 2 problems with the door. First was that we could not close the door from the outside without using the key. It was not a huge deal but was a little annoying. They fixed that but on the last night the doors mechanism was constantly going and the door would not lock. So the replaced the entire door mechanism.

 

Only other weird thing were the elevators. They did not stop on floors at times. I am not sure how they are programmed but once we waited to go from the 7th floor to the 12th floor and we pressed up. All 3 elevators went passed us all once and one elevator went by us twice. Most times at least one elevator passed us by. No clue why.

 

 

Other then that everything was great. None of the above annoyances were even remotely an issue with us. We laughed about most of it. Staff was very friendly and very helpful.

 

I would recommend the spirit to anyone from our experience... If anyone has any questions, I would be happy to answer them.

 

Also my DD (6) was in the kids crew and before boarding she said she didn't want to and cried anytime we brought it up. When we got there she said she would peek in and after that she was at every available kids crew gathering that she could go to. SHE LOVED IT....

[murrayhaven]

Thanks for the review. I'll be on the Spirit for my first ever cruise July 21!

 

Barb

[johnql]

Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts. I enjoyed my Spirit cruise, too, about a year ago and wouldn't hesitate to sail on her again.

[francina]

Thanks for your review. I will be on the Spirit the 29th and hope I have as much fun as you.

[hftmrock]

If your interested in seeing pics...

 

http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f153/hftmrock/Cruise/

 

lots of pics if your really bored

[Surfgirl]

Glad you enjoyed your trip and welcome home!

[Cosmopolitan]

hftmrock ~ Enjoyed your review. Food seems to be getting good grades on all NCL ships:)

[Cosmopolitan]

Thanks for the review. I'll be on the Spirit for my first ever cruise July 21!

 

Barb

 

Have a great time.

 

The FIRST cruise is the BEST....you will be addicted FOREVER;)

[maurick]

If your interested in seeing pics...

 

http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f153/hftmrock/Cruise/

 

lots of pics if your really bored

 

 

Great pictures. Thanks for sharing.

[KLStacker]

We're leaving this Sunday on the Spirit. I was wondering whether you experienced any long waits for dinners. What time did you usually go to dinner?

[HollywoodNY]

I too had a great cruise. Julie was right, we had great weather every day.

Great Stirrup Cay - No expense was spared to make sure we all had a great time on the island. I was amazed at the organization, and the efficiency at which they run that island. I noticed several tenders full of NCL employees left bright and early for the island, tenders FULL of food and supplies. They used an old fashioned 'fire drill' to move the supplies up the island. (I was on the first tender to land) It was great to see the workers actually were getting a big kick out of unlooading the boats.

 

Don't miss the final show, where Retroactive does the "Standing room only" show. Easily the best show of the cruise.

 

A great cruise, I had two kids with me, any questions please ask!

I will be on the Gem one day soon, I hope!!

[HollywoodNY]

We're leaving this Sunday on the Spirit. I was wondering whether you experienced any long waits for dinners. What time did you usually go to dinner?

 

The only lines I noticed were at the specialty restaurants.

If you get to Windows at 5:30, you can get a seat in the back by the BIG windows, a spectacular view while at sea.

[LOWTYD]

We had a great time too (4/1 to 4/7). We did have to call security 3 times to open our safe. Not sure why if kept jamming. a slight inconvience to a really nice time!:)

[cruizen53]

Thanks for the review,Happy to hear some good news. Leaving 5/5 on spirit. Scared and tired of all the negative. you have to expect some bugs in a operation this size. Thanks again and to all the complainers, stay home & watch the travel channel.

[nyyleeroy]

Great review - I'm on the 5/19 trip and getting more excited by the day...with all the good things I've been reading about the Spirit, I'm starting to think the 5/26 Dawn cancellation may have been a blessing.

 

On a related note, has anyone seen Spirit menus (dining room, room service, specialty or anything) posted anywhere? I had seen the Dawn menus, but haven't been able to find anything for the Spirit.

[mjready2go]

Thank you so much for your review and beautiful pictures. We leave on 5/13 for the same itinerary. Did you do any NCL excursions or did you do your own thing? We still haven't decided what to do and I'm thinking we should just wing it.

[hftmrock]

Thank you so much for your review and beautiful pictures. We leave on 5/13 for the same itinerary. Did you do any NCL excursions or did you do your own thing? We still haven't decided what to do and I'm thinking we should just wing it.

 

we did the excursions..

 

In Cape Canaveral we did Sea World. We had a good time... the bus was there to take us right away.. the driver was great. We got there and the line for tickets was VERY long so I am glad I got the tickets on the boat. Then we got back to the parking log about 15 minutes early and the bus was there waiting for us.

 

In Nassau we first did a bit of shopping and my DD got her hair done in braids. then we had an excursion in the semi-submarine. kids werent thrilled but I liked it. only thing about that excursion was the timing. It was supposed to start at 12:10 for 1 1/2 hours. It started late and took alot longer then expected. We got back around 2:30 and that is the last time you are allowed back. We were not worried about the ship leaving but we did have to wait on a very long line getting back in.

 

We didnt do anything but the beach at great stirrup cay.

 

Hey HollywoodNY - we must have been on the same tender (the first passenger tender) cause I saw the crew taking the stuff off their tender too... were you on the top or the bottom. Wonder if we say each other. I have a pretty big dragon tattoo on my left arm (shoulder).

 

 

One important note about doing your own thing... If you are late getting back to the ship, it will leave without you. Each port there was an announcement of over 10 people who at that time were not on the boat. I am pretty sure some people did get left behind.

[ETski]

Dinner menu's are generally the same (fleet wide) may vary depending on length of cruise. I was on the Spirit in Feb and menus were the same as the Dawn menu that was posted.

[Hazelnutcns]

Thanks for all this great info on the Spirit - can't wait to go!

[cruiser12]

We had a great time on this cruise. We are back on the Spirit in Aug. She is different and worth the trip just to see her beauty. We did ask one silly question and I was wondering if NCL changed there policy on "carring trays" at the buffet on all there ships. The few times we were there it was difficult to try to carry more then one dish at a time, I was trying to get in and out of lines for the two of us. My husband is in a wheel chair the tray would have been a great help! ! ! Does any body know ? Counting the days already.

[hftmrock]

i heard that they dont do trays anymore... read that somewhere on the boards.

 

It was a hassle trying to help my dd (6) with food and get myself some

[HollywoodNY]

Hey HollywoodNY - we must have been on the same tender (the first passenger tender) cause I saw the crew taking the stuff off their tender too... were you on the top or the bottom. Wonder if we say each other. I have a pretty big dragon tattoo on my left arm (shoulder).

 

I was on the top also. It's a small world isn't it?

[dizneycrazy]

Thanks for the review. I'll be on the Spirit for my first ever cruise July 21!

 

Barb

 

 

ME TOO! i WILL BE ON THAT SAME CRUISE! i CANT WAIT!

[Nitenursestat]

We are going on June 17th on the Spirit for the second time.Last year my daughter said she wouldn't go to the kids club either.This year she said she will peek in and maybe go also.That is funny.Maybe she will like it as much as your child did!

[Domotrio]

I am looking forward to a relaxing vacation. I was very glad to hear that things went well. My husband is bringing his laptop and was questioning the wattage on the ship. Does anyone know if he will have a problem with the voltage?