I am 40 years old and have been on 18 cruises -- including 2 other cruises in the past 16 months with Carnival (the Dream and the Legend). I have fond memories of sailing with NCL in the early 90s, and I had heard the NCL kid's program is as good as as any other, so... we booked the Thanksgiving week sailing from New Orleans and took our 3 children on the Norwegian Spirit. We also coordinated for 3 other cabins for friends and family to go on this voyage with us. Our family reunion was great; the shore excursions we selected were equally great; and the ships dancers, singers, acrobats and magician did a really nice job... However, WE WERE DISAPPOINTED OVERALL in the Spirit. Several of my personal observations and experiences follow...

** Check in at the Pier

This process was painfully disappointing. I was told by my booking agent that I could report to the Latitudes check in counter as early as 12:00 pm on the date of sailing, avoid the long lines of first time cruisers, and board the ship promptly. We arrived at the pier with friends that had never taken an NCL cruise before. They entered the first-time cruisers line, and we entered the Latitudes line. The Latitudes counter was so poorly staffed in comparison, our friends boarded the ship nearly an hour earlier than us!!! Read more