Just kidding. We had a wonderful time on Spirit! Here are the basics:GETTING THERE AND EMBARKATION: Drove from Houston to NOLA - found the port and parking very easily. Dropped off bags and parked. Went through security, paid corkage on 4 bottles of wine, then into main check-in. We were in a suite. so check was a breeze. Our concierge, Raquel, had us escorted to the Taurus suite (10008), where we dropped off bags and then headed to Cagney's for lunch. Excellent.CABIN: Very nice forward penthouse, with side-by-side layout. No noise outside in the corridor, though I could hear the beat of the White Hot Party from two decks above... Bathroom was great with shower and Jacuzzi both overlooking the water. Balcony a bit small, but didn't use it much. Bed very nice in a tight alcove with mirrors and Venetian art. Nice but small dining table. Generally very well-appointed.I would say this category is super for two, somewhat crowded for three. What makes these suites most appealing are the butler and the concierge! Especially the concierge, Raquel, who went above and beyond the call of duty several times. She made suite-bookers of us forever.DINING: Never went to either MDR, except for the Chocoholic buffet, which was amazing. Cagney's was superb - better than EPIC. We ate there twice. Le Bistro was excellent, though a bit slow. Shogun/Teppanyaki/Sushi was our favorite (especially our son's favorite.) We ended up there 4 times. Excellent service at all of the specialty locations. Blue Lagoon was good for lunch, and we visited The Cafe for coffee every morning.PORTS: At Costa Mesa we went to Maya Chan and had a great time. Get a private palapa/cabana. Worth the cost. Roatan was everyone's favorite. We used Victor Bodden to go zip lining and to a beach (Half Moon Bay). We also did the zip and cave tubing in Belize. Minor Tom was great. At Cozumel we just went ashore and shopped for a couple of hours.All-in, a good itinerary, though I would drop Cozumel. Been there too much! Maybe Jamaica?THE SHIP: Smallest and oldest in the NCL Fleet, but in many ways the classiest. Spirit is going in for a planned dry dock this fall, and she looks like that will be a good thing. Interiors look fine and very well appointed, but there is a quantity of rust on her exterior around openings and flanges. I trust the dry dock will spruce that up.That said, we loved the Spirit and will sail her again. Not overwhelming at all; she is actually borderline quaint. NCL calls her an Asian Jewel, and the decor certainly reflects that. Very well laid out and easy to navigate. I loved the quiet rooms upstairs on 12.ENTERTAINMENT: We didn't do much here. We were just too tired from the activities of the day. We did go to Elements, which was excellent. Good blend of magic, acrobatics, and, well, modern dance I guess is what you would call it.The cruise staff was very energetic as you would expect. NCL always seems to have this area nailed.SERVICE: Even though we had read here that the service on Spirit was exceptionally good, we found it even better than what we expected. We didn't have a single non-positive experience. And for the most part, the service was excellent, even compared to Celebrity. Well done, NCL!DISEMBARKATION: Gold tags, Raquel, and we were off and in our car in fifteen minutes. Incredible.I would do this cruise again in a heartbeat.
Very nice penthouse, with side-by-side layout. No noise outside in the corridor, though I could hear the beat of the White Hot Party from two decks above... Bathroom was great with shower and Jacuzzi both overlooking the water. Balcony a bit small, but didn't use it much. Bed very nice in a tight alcove with mirrors and Venetian art. Nice but small dining table. Generally very well-appointed.
I would say this category is super for two, somewhat crowded for three. What makes these suites most appealing are the butler and the concierge!