Norwegian Spirit Review
Rating by category
Additional details
We booked this cruise because of the interesting itinerary and also because we prefer NCL's freestyle cruising style. We were looking to visit places that were new to us. We especially enjoyed our visit to Greece (Athens, Santorini, and Olympia). We enjoyed every port. We booked a couple of excursions through Viator, used Tom's Port Guides, and joined two excursions planned by members on the roll call. One our our favorite "discoveries" was the local market in Cagliari, Sardinia. It was an easy walk from to dock and away from the crowds of tourists.
The ship was perfect. We especially enjoyed the outdoor dining area off of the buffet. The "Galaxy of the Stars" was a beautiful venue for entertainment, meetings, and great place to sit and enjoy the trip. The Spirit has been recently "refreshed" with new carpeting, painting, new mattresses, etc. I have sailed on larger ships and would prefer to book another cruise on this ship!
Cabin Review
Mid-Ship Inside
Very nice, quiet, comfortable room. We prefer level 9 because we only use the stairs during the cruise.
Port Reviews
Valencia
We booked a bicycle tour with Viator. It was a great way to see the historic area, Calatrava Arts & Science Complex, and the beach area. We enjoyed a glass of wine with our tour guide after the three hour tour.
Barcelona
This was our third visit to Barcelona. There are many things to do and see. I would highly recommend Aerobus from the airport to Pl.Calalunya 5,90 euros. I was concerned about the safety of my luggage but was happy to see that you bring it on the bus with you (no stairs).
Cartagena (Spain)
Easy port to explore on your own. Make sure to visit the Roman ruins.
Malta (Valletta)
We loved walking to the local market. No tourists.
Santorini
We took the motorboat to Oia and took a bus back to Fira. We walked up the stairs to Oia from the dock. It took us 20 minutes at a slow pace and we were rewarded with beautiful views. Don't confuse this with the stairs in Fira (longer and the donkeys use them). Plan at least an hour to get back to Fira. The roads aren't wide enough to accommodate two lanes (lots of long waits on the bus).
Katakolon (Olympia)
We took the local train and used Rick Steves guide. Easy to do on your own. I would recommend getting the combination ticket that includes the museum.
Naples
We were disappointed because we were sitting in the back "tight" four seats on a twelve person van. We had limited views during the ride. Luckily there were a few places where we where able to get out and take photos. I wish that the tour guide would have suggested that the people in the van rotate seat so that we all could have enjoyed the tour.