Spirit Refurb - Norwegian Edge - Dry Dock

Hi there. Does anyone know when the Spirit is going in for an extensive dry dock that features the Norwegian Edge platform? I haven't sailed Norwegian since 2011 and I am looking at the Spirit for Canary Islands in spring, 2019. Long way off but I'm hoping it will be done by then. Recent reviews on Spirit aren't great. Any info is greatly appreciated.

We don't know. It was originally going to be this spring but they cut it right back. I haven't heard any rumours of when or if it is going to happen.

any news on what they changed during dry dock?

any news on what they changed during dry dock?

Basically nothing.

They just cleaned up a bit really.

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Just off the Spirit. Was told by Cruise Next staff that Spirit is due for a full refurbishment as a NCL edge in early 2019.

^^

No way? I honestly thought they were punting her out of the fleet. Although I haven't sailed on her (for precisely the reason she hasn't been refurbished), based on the photos they really need to rip the cabins out (bathrooms included). I notice after Jade's refurb (and probably others), they hardly touch the bathroom. Hope that changes for Spirit.

If they do gut her, I would consider sailing on her. How did you find the ship's condition, having just sailed?

We were just on the Spirit in December and in my opinion it is in need of a refurb. Our cabin was on deck nine and down from our cabin there was was a leak in the ceiling and the water (?) smelled throughout the hall. Others on board talked of leaks on their deck as well. There was a foul sewerage smell in the women's dressing room in the spa and we noticed it on other floors. They did replace the sofa sleep in our cabin and we noticed they replaces several on our floor. Several seats in the theater were broken. The sliding door on our closet was difficult to lock/connect with the magnetic latch. During rough seas the doors started slamming in the middle of the night. Our refrigerator rock during the rough seas to the point we put something under it to stabilize it. The room where the held karaoke was in deplorable condition. Drape hanging off the rods, sofa and chairs were filthy, tables badly nicked, and fabric coming off the furniture. Over all the room was very depressing.

Just my opinion.

Goldconnection - this confirms my thoughts. I have a hard time with older ships that aren't in great condition. I know Spirit has its fans, but I am glad I haven't committed to going on her.

I do wish they'd put a Jewel-class or better ship on the Canary Island run as it's a great itinerary between October and March for the weather. I'd go in a heartbeat with NCL if they used a different ship. Had many a good time on that route on Jade back in 08/09/10.

As it transpires this time round I'm getting a suite with MSC for roughly the same price as an NCL balcony (yes, I know the food on MSC isn't great). Two extra days on the MSC cruise too for the price. Worth it for me, as I'd have hard time enjoying Spirit based on the cabin pictures and reports such as yours.

As I said, just off the Spirit but our assessment of it is a little different to the poster above. Yes, the interior needs a bit of an update. But there is a real charm in the dated feeling of the ship. We travelled on the ultra modern Celebrity Reflection last year but much preferred the Spirit. The Cruise Next team kept talking about the future being the Mega Ship but it would be a real shame if we lost the classic feel of some of these older ships. By the way, we are in our thirties and feel this way!

Let me know if you have any other questions about our cruise.

For me a ship can be old. It should be clean and the staff should like to work on it to entertain us visitors :)

The Sprit was suppose to be in dry dock last year. Then it was suppose to be an extended dry dock to strip out all of the Asian décor (dating back to the Chinese royalty) and roman décor. Then that was cut back to a short dry dock, which led to speculation that she was not going to be maintained in the NCL fleet. Bottom line is that it is now 1 year past the date she was suppose to be upgraded and counting.

As I said, just off the Spirit but our assessment of it is a little different to the poster above. Yes, the interior needs a bit of an update. But there is a real charm in the dated feeling of the ship. We travelled on the ultra modern Celebrity Reflection last year but much preferred the Spirit. The Cruise Next team kept talking about the future being the Mega Ship but it would be a real shame if we lost the classic feel of some of these older ships. By the way, we are in our thirties and feel this way!

 

Let me know if you have any other questions about our cruise.

Absolutely, I agree that there can be a 'classic' charm to a well preserved maintained older ship. I'm glad you were happy with your trip on Spirit. For me there is a difference between 'well preserved' and 'dated' - to me dated is shabby, worn, etc. - although obviously not to all. I too don't think having every ship as a megaship is a good idea, but equally you can maintain the size profile of an older vessel AND keep her relatively up to date and looking sharp (see what they have done with Jade, Dawn etc.). I don't think these ships lose any of what you liked about Spirit, they just get sharpened up a bit.

BirdTravels - yes, I was of the opinion she was leaving the fleet. A 2019 dry dock would extend her service well into the mid-late 2020s and I do think by then she will be creaking. I didn't think it was NCL's game plan to have ships so old in the fleet.

Interesting to hear different peoples opinions on this. We were on the Spirit back in February 2017 and thought that the ship was fine despite being near 20 year old. We had a inside cabin and it was small but functional, so we spent most of our time out and about in the bars whilst at sea.

The previous year we was on the Epic and it had great entertainment and rightly felt a lot newer. On the other hand the decor was bland throughout and the ship lacked soul.

2015 saw us on the Jade. This was a lot more similar to how the Spirit felt back last Feb. Great ship with lots of character.

I didn't notice any strange smells or leaks last Feb but they do happen on all ships regardless of age. Sewage smells are often the result of people putting things down the loo the shouldn't, resulting in system blockages.

Overall we enjoyed the Spirit enough to book again this Feb. We know she is older but the staff and crew are great along with many other aspects of the ship.

She has something a lot of the new mega ships don't have and that's Spirit.

I was on the Spirit in August and noticed the upgrades they did do in Feb 2017, the carpets and chairs in most of the public spaces/restaurants are new, not too much was done in the staterooms. My balcony stateroom had no damage and was in very good condition, I was on Deck 9. I hope they do keep the Spirit, I heard rumours that they might use her for the Northern European cruises in 2019, which I would sail on her again in a heartbeat!

I heard rumours that they might use her for the Northern European cruises in 2019, which I would sail on her again in a heartbeat!

That isn’t a rumour, it’s been announced. Should be available to book this month.

First time cruising on Spirit and with Norwegian coming up in March! Sailing from Barcelona to Canary Islands. We are coming from Australia to do this. Interesting reading the different opinions on the state of the ship. Thanks to everyone for your input.

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Cruising on the Spirit is on my bucket list... I'll get to it.. eventually. ;)

Wanted to move this thread up to see if anyone is aware of when the Spirit will be refurbished to Norwegian Edge or is that not happening?

The reviews of Spirit are all over the place. I haven't sailed NCL since 2011 and the Spirit has an amazing Baltic itinerary in summer, 2019.

Do you think the Spirit will remain dated? I know Spirit was partially redone in 2017 but not to Norwegian Edge standards.

Does anyone have any info? Thanks!

I’m fairly unobservant about this sort of thing, but I thought the Spirit was in pretty good nick when we were onboard at Easter.

As goes the dry dock, I’m a bit sceptical about how much they can really do with the fairly limited space they have. I don’t expect anything too major to happen to the layout and selection of bars/restaurants even if it does have a big refit. In fact, I’d rather it didn’t because I bet Henry’s Pub would go :(

As for whether anything will happen before next Summer (and I agree, that’s a fantastic Baltics itinerary, we are booked already), I understand that at least one cruise has been cancelled in late March/early April. I haven’t looked to see if anything new has been added, but when I last looked there was a gap between the Canary’s cruises ending and heading to the U.K. that’s the only option I have seen for a dry dock happening, and maybe that isn’t even still there now.

Just book it anyway. :)

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I’m fairly unobservant about this sort of thing, but I thought the Spirit was in pretty good nick when we were onboard at Easter.

 

As goes the dry dock, I’m a bit sceptical about how much they can really do with the fairly limited space they have. I don’t expect anything too major to happen to the layout and selection of bars/restaurants even if it does have a big refit. In fact, I’d rather it didn’t because I bet Henry’s Pub would go :(

 

As for whether anything will happen before next Summer (and I agree, that’s a fantastic Baltics itinerary, we are booked already), I understand that at least one cruise has been cancelled in late March/early April. I haven’t looked to see if anything new has been added, but when I last looked there was a gap between the Canary’s cruises ending and heading to the U.K. that’s the only option I have seen for a dry dock happening, and maybe that isn’t even still there now.

 

Just book it anyway. :)

 

 

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Haha, thanks for this info. I'm not seeing any sailing between March 28 - April 7, 2019. Either a 10 day charter or maybe reburb. Hoping for refurb.

Yes, I am thinking about just booking that Baltic....it just hits every port that I want!

I just hope the food is ok!!

Wanted to move this thread up to see if anyone is aware of when the Spirit will be refurbished to Norwegian Edge or is that not happening?

 

The reviews of Spirit are all over the place. I haven't sailed NCL since 2011 and the Spirit has an amazing Baltic itinerary in summer, 2019.

 

Do you think the Spirit will remain dated? I know Spirit was partially redone in 2017 but not to Norwegian Edge standards.

 

Does anyone have any info? Thanks!

January 2020

We were just on the Spirit in December and in my opinion it is in need of a refurb. Our cabin was on deck nine and down from our cabin there was was a leak in the ceiling and the water (?) smelled throughout the hall. Others on board talked of leaks on their deck as well. There was a foul sewerage smell in the women's dressing room in the spa and we noticed it on other floors. They did replace the sofa sleep in our cabin and we noticed they replaces several on our floor. Several seats in the theater were broken. The sliding door on our closet was difficult to lock/connect with the magnetic latch. During rough seas the doors started slamming in the middle of the night. Our refrigerator rock during the rough seas to the point we put something under it to stabilize it. The room where the held karaoke was in deplorable condition. Drape hanging off the rods, sofa and chairs were filthy, tables badly nicked, and fabric coming off the furniture. Over all the room was very depressing.

 

 

Just my opinion.

Wow. We were on deck 9 too and disembarked on the day you embarked. Somebody must have gone round trashing the place between us getting off and you getting on. I will freely admit that maybe the Spirit needs a bit of TLC but I can't say I saw or smelled the same things that you did. I actually quite liked the ship.

Absolutely, I agree that there can be a 'classic' charm to a well preserved maintained older ship. I'm glad you were happy with your trip on Spirit. For me there is a difference between 'well preserved' and 'dated' - to me dated is shabby, worn, etc. - although obviously not to all. I too don't think having every ship as a megaship is a good idea, but equally you can maintain the size profile of an older vessel AND keep her relatively up to date and looking sharp (see what they have done with Jade, Dawn etc.). I don't think these ships lose any of what you liked about Spirit, they just get sharpened up a bit.

 

BirdTravels - yes, I was of the opinion she was leaving the fleet. A 2019 dry dock would extend her service well into the mid-late 2020s and I do think by then she will be creaking. I didn't think it was NCL's game plan to have ships so old in the fleet.

I have a cruise booked on the Spirit in May 2019 with a great itinerary including Iceland. Hope there is no chance ship will be out of service

January 2020

Where did you hear this? My cruise is August, 2019.....the ship may not be in great shape by then. Hmmm, rethinking this......

That isn’t a rumour, it’s been announced. Should be available to book this month.

We booked a balcony cabin on the Spirit for the Baltic Cruise in August 2018 whilst on the Jewel (Tokyo-Seattle) cruise 10 days ago- seduced by the onboard discount and the Cruise Next deposits :). This will be our first balcony cabin, so, if there is a sewage smell, we will be able to open a window ...