Great time on the Spirit

This was our first Norwegian cruise. We have sailed on Carnival, Royal Carribean, and Disney. Looking to get away for Spring Break we couldn't pass up the great price and perks Norwegian was offering. I was a bit nervous after reading some negative reviews, but I an so happy we didn't base our decision on them. My husband and I as well as our 3 teenagers all had a great time!
We drove down to Florida from Pennsylvania and stayed at the Hampton Inn in Cocoa beach the night before the cruise. We recieved a 40% off parking voucher for the port after I read online that they were available. 

The Spirit is a small ship but in great condition considering its age. I actually enjoyed it more than some of the larger ships we have been on. All the workers we encountered were friendly and truly seemed to love their jobs, even after dealing with some rude people! 

We had 2 inside rooms. Definitely a bit tight for 3 people but considering we were only in there to shower and sleep it wasn't an issue. Our rooms were always clean but our cabin steward never replaced the wet beach towels I left folded on the floor. 

All the shows were fabulous with the exception of the magic show. It was ok but not great. 
We ate every night in Windows or the Garden. We thought the food was delicious! It was always hot and we never waited that long for it to arrive. My kids were ordering 2 meals each some nights. We did make reservations for 6:30 every night but found that it was too late to make the 7:30 show, so we would arrive by 6 and we were always seated right away. They were very accommodating. 

Our 3 teens met plenty of kids their age and enjoyed staying out later than their parents every night. Lol 1 am curfew for everyone 17 and under. 

We loved Grand Cayman. Due to the weather we did have to tender further away then we were supposed too and of course people complained. We were happy to get there as other ships that day cancelled! I booked a beach cabana at the Royal Palms beach club for $100 before the trip. So happy with that decision..it was a beautiful place. Pool, good food, and free wifi ( which the kids really enjoyed). 

In Jamaica we did book the Dunns River Falls excursion through Norwegian. It was fun but very crowded and a bit unorganized. We started with one group and finished with another. The bus dropped us off in town and we went to Margaritaville for lunch, my girls got some braids in their hair, then we cabbed it back to the ship. 

Next stop was the private island. It was a cloudy day but the island was beautiful. We rented a stand up paddle board for all of us to try. It's a lot harder than it looks! A fun relaxing day. 

The best perk was the ultimate beverage package. It was a relief getting anything you wanted and not worrying how much your bar bill would be at the end of the week! Those drinks are expensive. My favorite was the mango meltdown. Delish! The only annoying thing with the package was it didn't include bottled water. 

Getting off the ship was a breeze! After a nice breakfast in Windows, we walked off at 8:30, got a porter to load our bags, skipped the long immigration line with that porter and was headed north on 95 by 9:10. 

We will definitely sail with Norwegian again! Don't believe the complainers. Vacation is what you make of it!