Norwegian Spirit Review

A Wonderful time for mom and 2 young adult children

Review for Bermuda Cruise on Norwegian Spirit
User Avatar
KYprofessor
First Time Cruiser • Age 60s

Rating by category

Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service
Cabin

Additional details

Sail Date: Jul 2009
Cabin: Mid-Ship Oceanview Porthole Window

    I am writing this review because I found others' reviews so very helpful prior to our cruise.  First, I appreciated the tip to pack an over-the-door shoe organizer or travel bag to keep your tiny bathroom organized.  Especially if you are sharing your cabin with others!  The three adults in our cabin functioned just fine, and the steward cleaned up our room twice a day, which helped tremendously!  Our beds were very comfortable and I slept like a log every night.  I have no complaints at all about our accommodations.  They were very clean, comfortable, and efficiently arranged to meet our needs.      We had a port-hole, which we mostly kept shut to keep out the sunlight and to keep from getting dizzy looking at the rocking-and-rolling waves that were just below us. (We were on the lowest floor and closest to the water).  Next time, I wouldn't be adverse to having an inside room since they appeared to be the same size.    I really have only two "criticisms" about the on-ship experience.  First, it is very hard to get large glasses of WATER.  Bartenders are within an arm's reach practically 24 hours a day from what I could tell, but getting enough water to keep from getting dehydrated required work and planning.  Tiny 6-8oz glasses were available in Raffles.  We took our own water bottles, but a sign on the water/soda fountain asked people not to fill up their water bottles there.  So, to comply with this unhelpful rule, we had to fill up in the public bathroom or our stateroom before going to the pool.  Given the amount of sun and alcohol that people are consuming, I am surprised that more people don't keel over from dehydration.      My other "pet peeve" concerned the beach/pool towels.  A printed notice in the room said that a lost towel would result in a $24.00 charge to your bill.  That seemed punitive, harsh, and unreasonable to me.  So, I obsessed about not leaving our towels at the pool, although apparently most of the rest of my fellow-vacationers did not.  Towels were left on chairs as early as 8:00am and no one came to claim them all day long.  I think NCL needs a more accomodating system for towels, and they should be removed from chairs if they are not used for hours on end.    Other than these two small annoyances, we had a wonderful time.  We ate primarily in Windows and the Garden Room and found both to be healthy and delicious meals.  We avoided Raffles because it was crowded, chaotic, and typical high-carb/high-fat American fare.  I took a tip from a previous cruise review and ordered coffee and bran muffins from room service each morning, which was wonderful.  I also took another tip and ordered some turkey sandwiches from room service to throw in our backpacks when we set out to explore Bermuda.  Great idea!!!    In terms of our time in Bermuda, I wish I had known that all of the stores, etc. in Hamilton are closed on Sunday and close at 5:30 during the week.  We wasted time not knowing these facts!!  We should have just jumped on a bus to the South Shore beaches from the Dockyard on Sunday rather than catching the ferry to Hamilton and looking for the central bus station (which is several blocks up the hill from the ferry dock and not visible from the dock).  Also, if I had it to do over again, I would plan our South Shore beach trip for earlier or later in the day when the sun is less intense.  We were exhausted by the relentless tropical sun.  Take lots of water with you and a hat!!!!  We walked from Warwick Bay to Horseshoe Bay along a sandy trail.  Again, this would have been more pleasant if we had done it sometime other than the heat of the day.    We ended up purchasing a Catamaran snorkeling excursion, which we all three enjoyed (our ages are 50, 18, 21).  The guides on the "Rising Sun" catamaran were good and very informative and entertaining.  I was glad we did this activity, although my daughter was dismayed at the condition of the coral reef and thought the guides should have been more forceful with the tourists about not touching or damaging it.  She saw an adult STANDING on the coral reef, which kills it. It is sad and alarming to see our environment being destroyed.    In Bermuda, we particularly enjoyed walking around the quiet streets of St. Georges.  My daughter found a lovely dress for 75% off in one of the shops there.  Then we jumped on a bus and went to the Aquarium and Zoo, which was very nice. On our ferry ride back across to the ship, we sat across from our steward, who was friendly and answered our questions about what it is like to work 7 days a week, 10 hours a day, 10 months out of the year on a cruise ship!  Please be nice to the folks who work on the ship....I don't know how they manage to be so polite (almost) all of the time given the demands they are under and their sometimes rude and demanding clientele!!    The only "specialty" restaurant we went to was the Sushi.  I wish we had signed up for the sushi-making/saki tasting event.  That would have been fun.  We attended the martini-tasting in Champagne Charlie's TWICE because it was so entertaining, fun, and a good value. Again, this event came highly recommended by a previous reviewer, and I am glad that I got the 'heads up' about it because we, too, thoroughly enjoyed it!    We particularly enjoyed the Second City troupe and the ventriloquist who performed in the evening.  In sum, we had a great time!  I hope you do too!!  And again, thanks to those who have taken the time to write reviews...I found them immensely helpful, thus, I hope this review will be helpful to someone else.   

Cabin Review

Mid-Ship Oceanview Porthole Window

Cabin OF

I loved our cabin.  While small, it was efficient.  The steward kept it very clean for us.  IT was quiet and my bed was very comfortable.  I slept well!!!

1 Helpful Vote
previous reviewnext review

Find a Norwegian Spirit Cruise from $229

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.