Overall a great experience. Staff were amazing, the energy and vibe of the ship and guests were super positive and happy. No messy drunk partiers or noisy kids. Still lots of activities and music to be entertained by. The ship was gorgeous from its recent renovation - beautiful spaces, particularly the Spinnaker Lounge, Social Club, and even the library/multipurpose room where many people hung out every day. Food was on par for NCL, and the available excursions were great~!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Organized, no delays
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Silk was disappointing - quality was worse than subpar commercial chinese takeout.
NCL needs to GET ON BOARD with other lines who have a complete vegetarian/vegan menu. Even with "preordering" meals, unless we went to the Garden Cafe, the ovewhelming majority >98% of meal options had either meat, dairy, or eggs in them. There are hundreds and hundreds of available vegetarian/vegan products, and there wasn't even tofu to be found anywhere, even in the buffet. I understand that everyone has their personal tastes, but to be a huge line with so many options for everyone, and nothing for vegan guests besides the same fruit and salad bar, it gets tiring on a 12 day cruise. Also, PLEASE add nondairy milk to the buffet selections. Having to pin down a worker to go to the recesses of the ship to bring back a single cup of almond milk each and every time, instead of just having a jug of nondairy milk available on the buffet was annoying. An increasing majority of milk drinkers are switching to nondairy - seems like a no brainer
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Spice pool and cushioned chairs were great. Lack of child-friendly waterslides etc was perfect for relaxing. Fitness center was excellent, had brand new equipment.
Mandara Spa was a joke. I always get the spa pass for the duration of the cruise on every NCL cruise I take, but the spa on Spirit was disappointing and not worth the money. No hydrotherapy pools or other therapeutic areas. Literally just a bunch of showers (yes a rain shower is nice, but how long am I spending showering in the open area spa?) and some stone loungers and chairs. They had a closet-sized dry sauna that was not hot half the time, and a steam room that smelled like mildewy steam (vs eucalyptus, etc) and was like being in a coffin. The spa is located on the pool deck, with clear glass walls facing the deck, so everyone can see you relaxing, you can hear talking and the DJ through the glass at most times, and servers came through the spa a few times to refill their water pitchers. I didn't appreciate hearing Bon Jovi blasting louder than the usual spa music. Saw very few people use this during their cruise. I was able to get a partial refund, but was very disappointed.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Children's Programs
No children's amenities
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
FANTASTIC renovation on the Spirit. The quality and aesthetic were top notch.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Clean and comfortable for the most part. Constant mild sewer smell in the bathroom at all times, but the vents kept it contained to the bathroom area. Be aware that if you use CPAP or other electronics, there is ONE SINGLE three-prong US-style outlet in the cabin, at the opposite end from the bed. There are other USB-A outlets, and two EU-style outlets, but I really had a hard time getting my CPAP cord to reach where my head/machine actually needed to sit. Next time I'll bring an extension cord.
Ship tip
DO NOT buy a spa pass. Very few amenities compared to other NCL ships, and pervasive noise and looky-loos peeking in the glass wall directly facing the pool deck.
Not nearly enough time here. Barely a few hours to get off the boat and back before we left for the day. Even being able to get off the ship a few hours earlier would have been better.
Why didn't you ask your cabin steward for an extension cord? Norwegian Cruise Lines makes them available upon request. Hopefully, you put your suggestions about the vegan food in the General Manager's mailbox at Guest Services and also complete your post Cruise survey so that your constructive criticism can garner the attention that it deserves and hopefully the standard practices and protocols can be augmented or adjusted in order to provide more epicurean enjoyment for vegan passengers.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
