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Spirit of Iberia Summer 18'


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Not sure if this is a new tour, but wondering if anyone been on it before, the ports of call I mean.

 

Visiting:

Malaga, Costa Del Sol

Porto, Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal

Portimao, Portugal

Cadiz (for Seville), Spain

Gibraltar, Gibraltar

Malaga, Costa Del Sol

 

What I'm a little concerned on is the lack of variety, whereby there is 3 visits, one after another, to Portugal.

 

We've been on one cruise before, Thomson cruise, majesty in 2016 around Med and really enjoyed it. It visited Barcelona, Monaco, Pisa, Marseille, Corsica. This was varied had good sites to see, beach day at Corsica in middle of cruise was really good.

 

Apart from Gibraltar which never been, and would look forward to, nothing else sticks out really.

 

Now this at moment is half price for our family around July/Aug so I know "you get what pay for", don't mind that is just with the 3 visits to Portugal wondering what to do and experiences of them. We are a family of four, "kids" 15 and 18.

 

Anyone did this cruise please? It's on the Spirit which I known is now the oldest ship, but still seems ok is it?

 

Thanks in advance of any comments, positive or negative.

 

Cheers

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Not sure if this is a new tour, but wondering if anyone been on it before, the ports of call I mean.

 

Visiting:

Malaga, Costa Del Sol

Porto, Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal

Portimao, Portugal

Cadiz (for Seville), Spain

Gibraltar, Gibraltar

Malaga, Costa Del Sol

 

What I'm a little concerned on is the lack of variety, whereby there is 3 visits, one after another, to Portugal.

 

We've been on one cruise before, Thomson cruise, majesty in 2016 around Med and really enjoyed it. It visited Barcelona, Monaco, Pisa, Marseille, Corsica. This was varied had good sites to see, beach day at Corsica in middle of cruise was really good.

 

Apart from Gibraltar which never been, and would look forward to, nothing else sticks out really.

 

Now this at moment is half price for our family around July/Aug so I know "you get what pay for", don't mind that is just with the 3 visits to Portugal wondering what to do and experiences of them. We are a family of four, "kids" 15 and 18.

 

Anyone did this cruise please? It's on the Spirit which I known is now the oldest ship, but still seems ok is it?

 

Thanks in advance of any comments, positive or negative.

 

Cheers

Hi. I went on a similar itinerary last year, but we went to Vigo instead of portimao. I found the choice of ports fine. As I say, I can't comment on portimao, but the others were all interesting and easy to walk round.

In Porto, the ship docks about 7 miles from the centre, so we got the tram into the centre. It's a nice old city and is the home of the drink, port, so it's good to stop and have a glass.

In Lisbon, we got a bus from the ship to the centre. It's a fabulous city and good to just walk round and explore the sights.

In cadiz, we just walked into the old part of the city. There's a nice cathedral and it's an old fashioned quaint city.

In gibraltar, we got a shuttle into the centre, walked up the main street and got the cable car to the top. It's nice to walk round at top and see the monkeys and the town itself is good for duty free.

In malaga, we had a day there, as we were on for two weeks, we got the shuttle bus to the port entrance and walked round. It's a nice city, with an atmosphere of Spain.

The only bad thing we found was the weather, as it was cloudy and rained a couple of day. We travelled in August.

Hope that helps. Claire

 

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Appreciate reply thanks.

 

Gibraltar I think I'll enjoy, sounds like exactly what I'd want to do, well me and son not sure on girls with the height ha ha.

 

The others that you describe sound very similar though, that's my initial worry. They'll be lovely places it's just I'd prefer a bit of variety. Is there a beach on one of the Portugal stops? That would break it up.

 

Obviously the price reflects the ports visited a little I think, as others, abliet not on the older spirit, are much more expensive.

 

Thanks

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Appreciate reply thanks.

 

Gibraltar I think I'll enjoy, sounds like exactly what I'd want to do, well me and son not sure on girls with the height ha ha.

 

The others that you describe sound very similar though, that's my initial worry. They'll be lovely places it's just I'd prefer a bit of variety. Is there a beach on one of the Portugal stops? That would break it up.

 

Obviously the price reflects the ports visited a little I think, as others, abliet not on the older spirit, are much more expensive.

 

Thanks

 

We have done this itinerary 3 times - only difference was instead of Portimao we stopped at Huelva the first time and Vigo the second.

 

Cadiz has stunning beaches and Portimao is only 3 km from the beach at Praia de Rocha.

 

Porto is one of our favourite places - trips along the River Duoro are good fun and can be combined with a trip round a Port Wine bodega.

 

Spirit may be an old ship but she has a heart of gold and a brilliant crew.

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We have done this itinerary 3 times - only difference was instead of Portimao we stopped at Huelva the first time and Vigo the second.

 

Cadiz has stunning beaches and Portimao is only 3 km from the beach at Praia de Rocha.

 

Porto is one of our favourite places - trips along the River Duoro are good fun and can be combined with a trip round a Port Wine bodega.

 

Spirit may be an old ship but she has a heart of gold and a brilliant crew.

I'm pretty sure there's a beach at Porto near the port as well. I don't know about the others, as I'm not really a beach person to be honest. I'm probably a bad person to answer this question, as I don't have kids and tend to cruise more for the experience of cruising, than just ports, though I do enjoy seeing different places. I often just walk round a place and absorb the atmosphere, so am probably not a good person to answer questions about activities, but I do appreciate that you need to do more with kids. Sorry if I've been unhelpful.

 

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No that's fine listening to everyone experience is ideal. I say kids...15 and 18 so they happy to walk around as well and visit new places.

 

I'm not a beach person either to be honest, but the last cruise it was in middle of week and was ideal just to chill on there and walk along in sea for a few hours, so would be nice on this as well.

 

What I don't want is for the 3 Portugal to just be the same, walking around very I can imagine similar places, I'd rather have something definite to visit to break it all up ideally.

 

Thanks

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No that's fine listening to everyone experience is ideal. I say kids...15 and 18 so they happy to walk around as well and visit new places.

 

I'm not a beach person either to be honest, but the last cruise it was in middle of week and was ideal just to chill on there and walk along in sea for a few hours, so would be nice on this as well.

 

What I don't want is for the 3 Portugal to just be the same, walking around very I can imagine similar places, I'd rather have something definite to visit to break it all up ideally.

 

Thanks

To be honest, Porto and Lisbon are very different, but the difference comes more from the atmosphere and size of the places than what's actually there. Porto is on a river and it's lovely sitting by the river and just looking at all the boats and see all the port related souvenirs, while Lisbon is a big, bustling more commercial city. But it can be difficult to describe that in posts online.

 

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Like other people have already said, we did a similar itinerary in 2016.

 

Porto was our favourite. I recommend taking a tuk tuk ride. It was only about 20 euros and the female guide we had was very knowledgeable. We learned a lot of facts which we would never have found out if we just walked around. It was great fun to.

 

In Gibraltar we took a trip up the rock with other people in a minibus. It wasn't to expensive and we saw most of the sites and of course the apes. Be very careful around them

 

You will find the minibus's as you walk into the little square.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Have a lovely time.

 

Calton.

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Just to chip in with some missing details (the other posts have done a really good job of explaining the ports of call, so I have nothing to add to them)

Now Portimao, Portugal, is a lovely stop, with a huge beach nearby and a very pretty port. The one excursion you might want to do with the kids is a dolphin experience. You travel out in the bar in a RIB boat (you can not get seasick on one of these, guaranteed) and follow some lovely wild dolphins, great for pictures and sit at the side, put your hand in the water and the dolphin will come and stroke you, amazing trip that your children would love and you.

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Thanks everyone for answers. Maybe being fussy just seemed to be similar stops thats all. Think we'll book today. Any discount vouchers for TUI online booking?

 

Regarding getting sea sick, I'll challenge you then for my wife can, do t think I'll get her on, she wouldn't come on a peddalo last year!

 

I know Spirit is leaving TUI this year in Oct, similar to Majesty when we were on, even picked up the new April 5th 2018 TUI cruise brochure and it's not even listed in it! But is the **** ok? Have to say the Majesty was fine, and imagine the Spirit is to.

 

We won't do AI as it's now £720, but are basic drinks free all the time in the buffet like Majesty? Basic coffee/tea and water think it was on Majesty?

 

Thanks

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Thanks everyone for answers. Maybe being fussy just seemed to be similar stops that's all. Think we'll book today. Any discount vouchers for TUI online booking?

 

Regarding getting seasick, I'll challenge you then for my wife can don't think I'll get her on, she wouldn't come on a pedalo last year!

 

I know Spirit is leaving TUI this year in Oct, similar to Majesty when we were on, even picked up the new April 5th, 2018 TUI cruise brochure and it's not even listed in it! But is the **** ok? Have to say the Majesty was fine, and imagine the Spirit is too.

 

We won't do AI as it's now £720, but are basic drinks free all the time in the buffet like Majesty? Basic coffee/tea and water think it was on Majesty?

 

Thanks

 

The RIB boat company will refund all of your money if anyone is seasick, so take the wife and sea. Being an old sea dog myself, it takes a lot for me to be sick (35-foot waves with gale 9 winds and I was ill, but everything else, fine.lol)

 

The spirit is an old ship and hence she is being replaced with a bigger ship and more balconies, but the love for her is strong and she will be fine, as you have experience of the older ships in the fleet. If you are going in blind and expecting all modern facilities, then you will be disappointed, but you aren't, so go and enjoy.

 

AI is on every ship from May 2019, but that doesn't help you. You could wait and see if a sale comes on and gives it for free, but then the price might be higher than now. Upto you on this one.

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Wow a guarantee that no one is seasick never heard of that - brill!

 

Yeh as was first ever cruise Majesty was fine we were impressed anyway. It did look a little dated but expected and food, people, entertainment were fine. Pool a bit small and whirlpool but apart from that. I think the Spirit is a little newer than Majesty anyway and bigger?

 

Yeh AI was free earlier in year/back end of last, but to us £720 even for 4 people is a little expensive, considering be off the ship most days as well.

 

Seen that in the brochure, all AI from next year, bit of a money spinner in some ways as then no choice, and be more expensive.

 

Thanks

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I think the Spirit is a little newer than Majesty anyway and bigger?

 

No - Majesty is 40,876 tonnes and was built in 1992. Spirit is just 33,930 tonnes and was built in 1983.

 

We have sailed on both ships - Majesty was my personal favourite but my husband preferred Spirit and I would gladly sail on her again.

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No - Majesty is 40,876 tonnes and was built in 1992. Spirit is just 33,930 tonnes and was built in 1983.

 

We have sailed on both ships - Majesty was my personal favourite but my husband preferred Spirit and I would gladly sail on her again.

 

 

 

Wow didn't know that thanks. A lot smaller, and a lot older. So comparing both, as only every been on Majesty, what's worse and better between them please. Didn't realise Spirit was that old, wonder why they sent Majesty back first

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Wow didn't know that thanks. A lot smaller, and a lot older. So comparing both, as only every been on Majesty, what's worse and better between them please. Didn't realise Spirit was that old, wonder why they sent Majesty back first

 

Both are owned by Celestyal Cruises so food and drink options very similar. Both have great crews.

 

Just my personal opinion but to me Majesty has a more modern feel and Spirit is more like a traditional cruise liner.

 

Majesty has a choice of 2 MDRs (Seven Seas and 4 Seasons) - only one on Spirit (Compass Rose) but it is lovely. Buffet restaurants equally good on both ships.

 

No cinema on Majesty but there is one on Spirit. Preferred the theatre on Spirit - we especially liked watching the shows from the upstairs Mezzanine Bar that has good views down to the stage. Entertainment similar on both ships.

 

Spirit does 'judder' a bit in certain areas of the ship but you very quickly get used to it and we didn't notice it at all after a day or two.

 

Although Spirit is smaller - looked very small when we arrived to check in - once on board, we didn't notice any difference in size.

 

As I said in my earlier post, I would have no hesitation in going on Spirit again - in fact once we get home from our next cruise on Discovery in May I will be trying to persuade my husband to book Spirits final sailing with Marella that goes from our home port of Malaga on 21st October.

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just booked this cruise for October, we enjoyed the dream so i think we will like the spirit , didnt book the drinks package as it was extra and we arn,t big drinkers ,so see how it goes

 

We didn't have the drinks package either but we did buy one of the wine packages to have a bottle each night with dinner - 7 bottles for 99 Pounds and a good selection to choose from.

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No - Majesty is 40,876 tonnes and was built in 1992. Spirit is just 33,930 tonnes and was built in 1983.

 

We have sailed on both ships - Majesty was my personal favourite but my husband preferred Spirit and I would gladly sail on her again.

 

We are joining the Spirit a week today (April17) in Palma. Not been with Thomson before. What are the laundry facilities, especially the ironing - must have my shirts crease free? Just asking.

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We are joining the Spirit a week today (April17) in Palma. Not been with Thomson before. What are the laundry facilities, especially the ironing - must have my shirts crease free? Just asking.

 

According to https://www.logitravel.co.uk/cruises/thomson/technical-details-marella-spirit-18885475.html there is a self service laundry on Spirit but, as doing laundry is the last thing I think of when on a cruise lol, never asked. We have used the pay service (a bag full for around 15 Pounds but think this is wash and dry only not with ironing). For creased shirts etc. we just hang them in the bathroom for a few minutes with the shower full on hot and the creases fall out. From this year you can take a travel iron on board.

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According to https://www.logitravel.co.uk/cruises/thomson/technical-details-marella-spirit-18885475.html there is a self service laundry on Spirit but, as doing laundry is the last thing I think of when on a cruise lol, never asked. We have used the pay service (a bag full for around 15 Pounds but think this is wash and dry only not with ironing). For creased shirts etc. we just hang them in the bathroom for a few minutes with the shower full on hot and the creases fall out. From this year you can take a travel iron on board.

 

 

there are laundry rooms on deck 2/6/7 with washers/dryers and irons- you need to buy tokens for powder for the washers, but dryers and irons are free to use

 

some ships have actually been confiscating irons from passengers

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Wow didn't know that thanks. A lot smaller, and a lot older. So comparing both, as only every been on Majesty, what's worse and better between them please. Didn't realise Spirit was that old, wonder why they sent Majesty back first

 

 

spirit is so mcuh better than the majesty, the spirit has the most returning passengers per cruise 86% minimum per cruise , i know some crew who even refused to work on the majesty

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there are laundry rooms on deck 2/6/7 with washers/dryers and irons- you need to buy tokens for powder for the washers, but dryers and irons are free to use

 

some ships have actually been confiscating irons from passengers

 

Thanks. Interesting your comment about irons...I have a travel iron but wasn't contemplating taking it on this trip. It's good in my opinion that there is a charge to use washers. It should stop passengers putting in just two or three items for a full wash like I've witnessed on ships where the washers are free to all!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Good afternoon I'm just wondering did you go ahead and book your cruise ?

We are doing the same cruise and leave on June 3rd 2018, its our 1st cruise and are wondering about trips etc.

Lovely to read so many lovely comments, you are all very helpful.

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Good afternoon I'm just wondering did you go ahead and book your cruise ?

We are doing the same cruise and leave on June 3rd 2018, its our 1st cruise and are wondering about trips etc.

Lovely to read so many lovely comments, you are all very helpful.

 

Did yeh for July. If you could post back when back and sorted would love to hear from you on what you think, trips, and any tips please.

 

Regarding trips think defo do cable car on Gibraltar, heard gets really busy and need to pre-book as get fast tracked then.

 

Others haven't looked yet tbh, may just see how goes.

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