Overall, we had a fabulous time aboard the Carnival Spirit. We enjoyed the wide variety of eateries that were included in the cruise and had no complaints. Facilities were wonderful and the staff even more so. The ship's resident entertainment group was wonderful but found some of the guest entertainment average but not everyone has the same taste. We loved all the ports and tender service was very good, much more organized than some of the previous cruises we have experienced. Only complaints were the prices of alcohol and the fact there were no packages other than bottles of wine. Even a coffee shop package would be great for all those who like to indulge. We often like to just relax in our cabin and watch a movie but found this very poor unless you wanted to pay. Shore tours were overpriced. Saying so, we would not hesitate to go Carnival again as overall it was better than we expected. Read Less

I choose this cruise because I love The Carnival Spirit and I loved the ports and duration of the cruise. 19 Nights From the moment we boarded it felt like coming home. We had cabin 5197 which I must say I'd never choose again unless I wanted an adjoining cabin.The cabin itself and balcony were fantastic, but I did find extra noise (mainly blaring TV or constant blowing of noses from adjoining room) and light from the adjoining cabin was a nuisance. Aside from that the position was the best. so close to the elevators. a quick jump down to atrium bar for a drink or upto lido for a snack. central to everything onboard. Deck 5 is also great for accessing the O2 15 to 17 yo club as it's on the same level at the front of the ship. We did both Chefs Table and Nouveau under the stars. I've done Chefs table in the past and although visiting the galley is great it was loudish and made it hard to hear Chef Vincent talk about each dish. I was underwhelmed by Nouveau under the stars. our waitress didn't seem to understand us very well. and when paying extra for the experience you expect a little more for the experience. We were told no we couldn't have more than 1 vegetable side and you pay extra to have wine with dinner but didn't serve anything I liked. which was very sad. Ports..... Airlie Beach we just did some shopping as we've been here before. Darwin we did the Hop on and Off Bus and looked around the main centre. I wish we had of known we could of had longer in port than after we had returned to the ship as we left over 3 hours later than expected. And also known about the free bus to Casuarina as this wasn't very well advertised and there isn't many shops in downtown Darwin. Bali we arrived at the Port of Benoa and after helping a friend who's husband was medically evacuated off the ship here we caught a Taxi into Kuta for the day. After a bit of bartering a stop off into Kuta McDonald's where my son got a behind the scene tour and we walk along the beach road we stopped off for a beverage at a local pub a foot massage hair braiding and a bit more bartering it was time to head back to port for our return tender. Ho Chi Minh. Phu My port. we opted for a 2 day tour here with Stephen from MY WAY TRAVEL. having already organized transfers and accommodation we met out tour guide at our hotel in Ho Chi Minh. Our transfer driver didnt speak any English into Ho Chi Minh but was a safe and reliable driver. We were dropped off at Prague Hotel. Here we met our guide for the next 2 days. Our guide spoke very good English and was extremely knowledgeable. We did a 2 day tour visiting the Vinh Trang My Tho Temple and buddhas The Mekong Delta river and estuary via boat and Hand rowed Sampan. We visited an island where they made coconut lollies and went on a horse and carriage ride through the village. We had lunch at the Nhà Hàng Mekong rest stop in Tiên Giang. Lunch was a traditional Vietnamese lunch. on day 2 we met our tour guide at our hotel at 8am from here we visited the War Remnants Museum the Reunification Palace, The French inspired Architectural post office, Cathedral and a final stop off at the Ben Tranh Markets. Prague hotel is in a great spot very central to everything in District 1. tables and chairs lined the street with eateries and drinks available everywhere. At night it all really comes to life with plenty of places within 50 meters of the hotel to visit. Well worth a visit but next time will stay longer. Koh Samui. We pre organized a tour with Stephen from My way Travels again. The tour guide wasn't easy to spot and I ended up sending everyone to the end of the pier to wait while I tracked him down. I must say we wasted a good hour and a half just at the port. We visited temples elephants monkeys and the grandfather and Grandmother Rocks before lunch. We unfortunately missed the end of our tour which was the shopping and looking around in Nathon. This was disappointing for me. Singapore. OMG how clean green and beautiful is this city. We stayed at Destination Singapore Hotel Beach Road. The pool on the top of the hotel is amazing. and too much time was wasted here on day one. We walked to Suntec City and Marina Square and visited little india for dinner arriving by Taxi and having a walk around. The Moustafa Centre is a sight to be seen. Although I'd never visit again it was worth seeing once. They have everything here one big multi level building. Day 2 saw us head to Sentosa via MRT and the Monorail to Universal studios. After a jammed packed day here we left and went to Gardens by the bay to watch the light show. It is amazing and a must not miss show when in Singapore. Then it was of too Bugis Street in a Taxi. We walked around the markets caught up with some friends from the ship and had a bite to eat. Day 3 and our last day in Singapore. We got up early and took the Hop on and Off bus from Suntec around Singapore (Blue line) then went back to the hotel to check out (late check out 2pm) jumping back on the hop on and off bus (red line) upto bugis street and revisiting the Markets and a last look around before heading back to the hotel for our luggage and heading to the airport. After it is all said and done I love Carnival I love Carnival Spirit and the team onboard and cant wait till I'm able to board again one day. I'm hoping carnival do more long cruises in the future as it was 19 nights of bliss. Read Less

We chose this cruise to give some friends a start intro to cruising, they had a balcony deck 8 & o/view deck 2. We were in an interior room deck 7 aft above the Empire dining room, so that was good, just a 5min walk to restaurant. Embarkation & debarking were smooth, we were with a wheel chair user so that helped us, the staff wheeled her on & off the ship. The balcony rooms were very good, plenty of room, however the balcony is small & the ceiling of the balcony is rusted with some rust holes, the Spirit is off today to Singapore & dry dock for 2 weeks refurbisment, new carpet, clean the hull, reupholster seats in theatre & shops to be refurbished. The food in the restaurant is excellent, the waitress Corinna was very good, always serving with a smile. The quality of the food was a high standard from start to finish of cruise, the standard was maintained, even if it was for only 4 nights. The music in the restaurant for me is annoying, but the majority of people thought the kareoke entertainment in the dining room by staff was great, for me it is way too loud, last time on the Spirit 4y ago it was good fun, not amplified. The bistro is way too small for the number of people on boat, this is not unusual as all the cruise companies are getting as many paying cruisers as they can. One plus thing though, the coffee machine makes a good cappuchino. The food in the bistro is ok, just a small area for 2500 passengers. I gather the boat was full at 2500 & 1000 crew; the adult only & gym areas are very good. I gave a 0 to enrichment but as this was a 4N it is n/a. We manged to get onto Moreton Is, but only just as it was a 50/50 whether to run the tenders as it was windy & choppy. Moreton is ok, it was not good weather for water activities so no snorkelling but some did have a swim in the nearby beach. There were a lot of kids on this boat for this time of the year, but overall not too bad. The entertainment in the theatre was very good, there were two production shows, no live orchestra all programmed & pre recorded. Usual 80s show with excellent use of stage & props, the cast is young & enthusiastic. The volume of music is fine except for the Rock guitar show when some youngish guy solos for about 15 mins as a warm up for the main event at very high levels of volume, someone should tell him the energy comes from stuff other than amplified volume, The music around the ship varies; there is an excellent string trio from Ukraine who played a lot of pop songs from Beatles on, singer / piano player, a Manila 2 piece & a solo guitar / singer. The CD was not as visible as some others CDs. The master & officers had a meet & greet which i did not attend, but as this was a 4n cruise ? The gym is very good, plenty of devices to keep you working, the spa & sauna complement the gym. Overall happy with the Carnival Spirit. Read Less

I booked this cruise for me and my two children (ages 11 and 8). We hadn't been on a holiday in years so were very much looking forward to our trip. I chose a short trip (4 days from Sydney to Moreton Island) as a sampler for my children (I have cruised before on P&O and knew I'd likely enjoy it)..... Well this turned out to be an understatement as the kids LOVED it and we are looking to book another cruise for later this year/early next year!! With a kids club, 24 hour pizza (My son loved) and 24 hour icecream this cruiseliner is a great choice for kids and families. My kids spent most of their time in the pools! They also enjoyed the gaming arcade (standard onshore prices so wait until they do a 'half price special hour (announced in their activity schedule), the kids menus (perfect for fussy eaters), the mini golf and the PG-rated comedy shows!! They didn't try the slides or kids club but we heard from other kids and parents how great these were! The cocktails- cheaper than onshore prices and a good variety. I thought wine was steep in price and refused to buy it. There are limited choices of beer and wine on the cruise. Water, lemonade, coffee, tea and got chocolate free any time of day or night. The food- lots and lots of options here (We didn't have time to try it all). If you are used to (and/or expect) 5 star restaurant food in the MDR or buffet then you will not be happy with the quality. However considering the fact that the crew feed over 2000 passengers for breakfast, lunch and dinner then it would be fair to say that the food is of great standard. We did have to walk around and look for a table in the buffet a couple of times which was annoying (and there can be long queues to get to the buffet food) but to avoid this you could go in less congested times. Lots of choice in buffet and they cater for many people (vegetarian etc). The wait staff in MDR were excellent and for dinner I thought the MDR was better than the buffet as not only was it nice to sit down and be waited on, but it was also an opportunity to sit with other familis and make friends (which we did)! I also found that I couldn't over-eat in the MDR as I had done in the buffet at both breakfast and lunch times!! You certainly don't go on a cruise to lose weight!! Guys Burger joint- like sloppy Joes. Good if you like meaty meat (!). My daughter loved cheeseburgers from here. Fat Jimmy's barbecue- I only tried this once. Okay but I wouldn't rave about it. Bbq food like sausages and pulled pork, salads and veges. For a short cruise there are just too many food options!! People who complain about the food may be on longer cruises or, as previously suggested, have bigger expectations and possibly more refined tastebuds!! Staff generally lovely and very welcoming, especially room stewards. I note that they are notes friendly as they were on a P&O cruise I went on some years ago. Staff always cleaning and maintaining ship. Always clean and tidy. Always someone to find if you have a problem or query. Entertainment- lots of choice from shows to comedy. Night time atmosphere is great. It's a little quieter during the day with bingo, seminars etc except I found that not much beat a cocktail and a laze around the pool! Moreton Island- Shore excursions are expensive but you don't need to do them! Lots of things to do without spending a cent or activities costing very little. Enjoy the beaches, self-snorkelling, resort pool and free beach activities as set up by Carnival. Overall this cruise was great value for money and we will definately be doing another (longer) one!! Read Less

The cruise was amazing th staff were amazing and our cleaner NOVI he was absolutely brilliant me and my partner family loved every minute of our holiday the islands were spectacular and the food was absolutely amazing we will be definitely back 100% and the bartender staff were every friendly and so kind they always make us feel so welcome and would bend over backwards for us we are so very grateful to have such an amazing bunch of staff memebers in our Cruise it was sad to leave the ship today but we will always have our memories and photos of our holiday day the duty free shop was fabulous good products and great prices and the ship had so many nice places just to unwind and relax like the adults only section it was so relaxing being in the spa looking at the stars above would definitely be back again Read Less

My family and I decided to do a family holiday, so we thought why not a carnival cruise, my mum her husband, my brother his girl friend, my sister and her to friends and myself and my partner had such a fabulous time at sea with carnival cruise! EVERYONE that greeted us that worked on the ship were so happy and so welcoming, that by far was the most amazing thing about travleling with carnival, nothing was ever too much for anyone to do and every worker did everything with a smile! The food was fantastic so much to choose from, the shopping on the ship was great To’o perfumes at brilliant prices, loved the serinaty adults only area, was so great just to escape the kids that were screaming because they were having so much fun of course! ;) Thankyou for a great expersince we are booking the carnival vista next cannot wait! Read Less

Didn't know what to expect on this holiday, so was delighted to find that we fit right in with the activities and copious eating and we were well looked after by the staff and crew... We loved the port visits to strange lonely islands and beautiful beaches...Fabulous night time entertainment, sometimes such fun we went twice! The water slide was scarry how it could chew through your pants after eight goes... Carnival Spirit has lots of places to eat and a great gym to work it off again... Steam room and sauna facilities are a really great way to relax after long days at sea... Great organisation from getting on the boat and off him in twenty minutes through to perfect coordination of excursions... Just a bit of advice to participate in the activities, that's what makes the fun days at sea, don't stay in bed after a night on the drinks...Take a chance go on stage, have fun, you're not going to see these people again anyway... Read Less

Exceeded my expectations, the accommodation was spotlessly clean, the staff were very friendly and the overall atmosphere was very laid back. The amenities on board were excellent and the gym & entertainment provided was more than sufficient to pass away the time. The food was excellent and there was plenty of food variety if you look around and try the different options available. The ship is massive and a lot of time can be spent just walking around it. Ports of Call Isle of Pines was beautiful. The locals sold food at stalls and there is a resort where you can rent kayaks and paddle boards. The snorkelling is very good as well and the beach lovely. Noumea is the capital and a proper city. Most things were closed when we arrived. We took the water taxi to Duck Island. There was beautiful snorkelling here but the beach is basically broken coral. There is a restaurant/resort on the island but it is extortionate and they struggled with peak service for people. Read Less

We where skeptical about cruising as we hear issues through the media.We wanted to have an experience hence booked with friends,from the time we arrived inside the ship till we exit we had great experience.The food was great inspite of being vegetarian choice was less but the chef and the staff at the counter obliged to get us vegetarian dishes every day.We thank them for it.Next the room service my goodness they are always cheerful maintained the room very neat.I think they deserve the pat on the back.Next is all the staff at cafe/restaurant amazing always helpful with smiles on their faces.Only winge is the management should have given options to the people about tours as we had no idea about what to do?.Management should try to cater to different community people by asking about food restrictions which can be done in advance as they collect fully money3 months in advance.But that's part of continuous improvement,lastly but not least I want everyone involved in sending my Fitbit watch which was left in my room.the room service guys thanks for handing it promptly and the staff taking interest and calling me about it and arranging to send it.Thank you all Read Less

As a large group (22 in total), with a good mix of adults and children, we looked forward to this cruise for over 12 months. The overall experience was a pleasant one, with everyone (bar 1 child) enjoying it. The positives were the service (both cabin and dining), the entertainment, activities available onboard and the overall friendliness of staff and passengers alike. I don’t like to point out the negatives particularly however 3 things stood out. 1) the shore excursions on the islands were overpriced ($50 for 3 people to catch a bus to the beach is a bit rich!). The restriction to only 100 people on Lifou beach was a massive disappointment. 2) the drinks are really overpriced and lack variety (terrible beers that tasted average). $55 for a bottle with swamp water tasting was ridiculous. 3) the photos were of super quality but at $17.99 for one, it is a big ask for people to buy perhaps more than 1 or 2. They should offer them for cheaper as they would sell much more volume. Overall however an enjoyable cruise - wouldn’t do the same cruise again, but keen to find other experiences. Read Less