We cruised on the NCL Spirit's western Caribbean itinerary from February 13-20, 2011, leaving from New Orleans and stopping at Costa Maya, Belize City, Roatan and Cozumel. We are experienced cruisers who choose our cruise vacations based on price and destination; we do not cruise with children, so cannot comment on those programs. We were interested in seeing Belize and Honduras (Roatan), so this cruise appealed to us. It also left from New Orleans, which meant we could take the train from our home in Illinois. It was convenient and we didn't have to worry about inclement road conditions on the trip down. Getting to and from the train station and the port was very easy.

Embarkation was great. We did arrive early (probably about 11:45). We were on the ship within 20 minutes and were sitting in the Bier Garten enjoying the view of the city skyline, having lunch before we new it. The ship offered the ability to leave your carry-on bags in the casino to make moving around the ship easier until the rooms were ready at 2:00 pm.

This is a WONDERFUL ship! It is small (compared to today's behemoths) and easy to get around on. It is tastefully decorated in an Asian theme. It seemed like we never waited in a line and we could always find a table in Raffles buffet or a seat outside for gazing at the ocean. It is clean (no musty smell that I often find on ships when first embarking) and beautifully kept up by the staff. The staff themselves are friendly, helpful and seem to genuinely like working with each other. They all seem eager to go that extra mile for you. Eden and Lisa, in the Windows dining room, were an excellent team, and we enjoyed getting to know them a little, and asked to be seated in their section repeatedly. Read more