Carnival Spirit for the FIRST TIME!

[ElouiseJames]

My friend and i (aged 19 and 18) are going on a 11night carnival cruise to the pacific islands early next year. This is our first cruise ever so we dont know what to expect

I have been reading a lot of reviews from either families or elderly couples..

Is there anyone that can give me opinions and insights of the spirit that are roughly our age..

 

Also, i have a couple of questions about activities and such.

Is it better to book shore excursions through the cruise or when you get to the islands? Also, cant you just roam the island or the beaches of the islands to your discretion ?

Can board games or movies/dvds be rented on the cruise?

How much would it cost to order room service?

Is there times where no one can be allowed on the decks? and are there certain times where the pools and spas open and close?

Also how much does it cost for spa treatments like facials or massages?

 

If you can answer any or all of these questions that'd be GREAT! and just an overall comment on your experience.

Thank you so so much!

[sumcruiser]

My friend and i (aged 19 and 18) are going on a 11night carnival cruise to the pacific islands early next year. This is our first cruise ever so we dont know what to expect

I have been reading a lot of reviews from either families or elderly couples..

Is there anyone that can give me opinions and insights of the spirit that are roughly our age..

 

Also, i have a couple of questions about activities and such.

Is it better to book shore excursions through the cruise or when you get to the islands? Also, cant you just roam the island or the beaches of the islands to your discretion ?

Can board games or movies/dvds be rented on the cruise?

How much would it cost to order room service?

Is there times where no one can be allowed on the decks? and are there certain times where the pools and spas open and close?

Also how much does it cost for spa treatments like facials or massages?

 

If you can answer any or all of these questions that'd be GREAT! and just an overall comment on your experience.

Thank you so so much!

Hi ElouiseJames

 

I can only answer some of your questions as we travelled as a family of four with two kids so I can't help you with all your queries.

In regards to shore tours, you can choose to go on ship tours or tours purchased from the pier or just explore on your on- whatever you want to do. On some of the smaller islands like Mystery island there is not much to see but swim and relax on the beach or go to the markets etc.

There is a charge for room service but I cannot remember how much- you can always take food back to your room from the buffet.(Pizza is available from the pizza bar in the buffet 24/7)

The spa treatments are not cheap probably around the same or slightly more than what you would pay at home in a good beauty salon.

Hope this helps a little- have a great time, enjoy!:)

[fishtaco]

18 and 19! you will possibly never experience a breakfast on the cruise:D:D:D

[The_Big_M]

A few more answers...

Yes, once off the ship, you are free to do whatever you want - you just have to be back by the required time (30-60 minutes before departure). If you're late they won't wait for you!

 

They should have board games, and movies showing, but not sure of the specifics sorry.

 

Decks are always open except in bad weather, or to children at certain times, so that shouldn't be an issue. Pools and spas are open during the day but again close in bad weather. You don't want to get sloshed around!

[The Fox]

My friend and i (aged 19 and 18) are going on a 11night carnival cruise to the pacific islands early next year. This is our first cruise ever so we dont know what to expect

I have been reading a lot of reviews from either families or elderly couples..

Is there anyone that can give me opinions and insights of the spirit that are roughly our age..

 

Also, i have a couple of questions about activities and such.

Is it better to book shore excursions through the cruise or when you get to the islands? Also, cant you just roam the island or the beaches of the islands to your discretion ?

Can board games or movies/dvds be rented on the cruise?

How much would it cost to order room service?

Is there times where no one can be allowed on the decks? and are there certain times where the pools and spas open and close?

Also how much does it cost for spa treatments like facials or massages?

 

If you can answer any or all of these questions that'd be GREAT! and just an overall comment on your experience.

Thank you so so much!

 

We sailed on spirit in April.we loved it and im in my sixties...the ship is great,entertainment was all good.At the islands there is no real organised tours best to snorkel and swim but tours like the zegos tours in Vila are best booked from the ship.there will be heaps of young kids onboard espcially if its in holiday periods...we had over 500 on our cruise but thet didnt bother us they were just having fun.

 

go on the green thunder its great i loved it.

 

try to get on the early boarding time in sydney ..i think 1st boarding time is 12.30-1.00 pm....get onboard and have fun.

 

Cheers

 

Col :)

[johndon]

Hi ElouiseJames

 

It is our first cruise with Carnival and also on the "Spirit" We are usually Princess Cruisers which suits our age group better (Senior Citizens)

Reading the various reviews it would seem that Spirit is more relaxed and casual than Princess ships and perhaps catering for family groups more. We dont mind that and it is good to have younger people around. (livens things up a bit)

The prices of Spirit cruises are very competitive compared with Princess and that is the main reason we decided to try Spirit.

Regarding shore excursions, we have never taken a ship organised tour. They are usually about double the price than what is available on shore. Depending on where you are going on the pacific islands cruise the smaller islands have limited tour opportunities but have beautiful beaches and lagoons for snorkelling or chilling out under a palm tree.

If you are going to Vila it is excellent for duty free shopping, one of the cheapest duty free places we have been to.

Just do what we are doing and go along with an open mind and make your own fun.

Have you joined the roll call for your cruise yet? Look up the "Roll Calls" site and find your cruise. You may link up with someone of your age group on there.

Have a good cruise.

 

John

[cyndilam_ng]

Johndon, she might be in the same cruise as us!!

Cyndi

 

 

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[Rencruzr]

in regard to salon type treatments, well if you want to pay $200 for a massage that you can get in any westfields for $40 - $50 bucks then go right ahead but the salon treatments are ridiculously overpriced so your best off looking for something like this on shore.

[ElouiseJames]

Thanks so much for all the feedback!

I heard that the salon treatments are cheaper while at the islands, so maybe ill go on one of those days.

I also heard that you should bring enough money for about $100 a day, 11night cruise, I need a job asap! lol

 

There are so many activities to do in Vila and the shopping sounds great, I don't know if there will be enough time for everything.

 

I AM SO EXCITED :D this is my first long trip without parents .. but its so far away!

 

Thanks guys :)

[NSWP]

18 and 19! you will possibly never experience a breakfast on the cruise:D:D:D

Nor a sunrise ! LOL.

[ElouiseJames]

18 and 19! you will possibly never experience a breakfast on the cruise

Nor a sunrise ! LOL.

 

I can eat pizza for breakfast from the buffet and sunsets are just as beautiful! haha

[Lenalittle]

My friend and i (aged 19 and 18) are going on a 11night carnival cruise to the pacific islands early next year. This is our first cruise ever so we dont know what to expect

I have been reading a lot of reviews from either families or elderly couples..

Is there anyone that can give me opinions and insights of the spirit that are roughly our age..

 

Also, i have a couple of questions about activities and such.

Is it better to book shore excursions through the cruise or when you get to the islands? Also, cant you just roam the island or the beaches of the islands to your discretion ?

Can board games or movies/dvds be rented on the cruise?

How much would it cost to order room service?

Is there times where no one can be allowed on the decks? and are there certain times where the pools and spas open and close?

Also how much does it cost for spa treatments like facials or massages?

 

If you can answer any or all of these questions that'd be GREAT! and just an overall comment on your experience.

Thank you so so much!

 

Hi,

 

I can answer almost all your questions as we are a 30 year old couple (who act like we are in our twenties) who went on the 12 day cruise in August.

 

There is a board game room where you can go and play board games. They don't have DVD rentals, but you can order movies on your tv in your room but they are $10 each.

There is no charge for room service but each item has a cost... They have basic stuff like pizza, pies ect.... Best to put on your trackies and walk up to the buffet as there is 24hr pizza bar that only takes 10 minutes for a pizza which is FREE.

You are allowed to be on deck any time, except when the sea is really rough.

Best to book active shore excursions, DO NOT DO "high lights of noumea/Suva/anything..." You will be stuck on a bus with all the oldies and your only stop will be for a cup of tea.

Take your own snorkel gear with you so you can snorkel at New Caledonia and mystery island. The hire fee on ship is much more expensive then your Kmart snorkel gear, which you will probably only use once.

Do a tour in Nouemea... It was a really city to walk around.

Mystery island has a great massage hut... Very basic, mats on the floor but for $15 for 30 minutes ... Great value and my skin felt amazing from the coconut oil they use.

You can't take your own alcohol BUT if you want to be sneaky.... Look at utube for ways to smuggle booze cruise ships.... The Americans have the funniest ways of get booze on board.

Go the serenity section as the other pools are closed regularly after children poo in them.... Yuck!!!!!!!

 

At other questions let me know. It's still vivid in my mind

[cyndilam_ng]

Hi Lenalittle,

 

Just wondering what type of cabin did u stay in?

Did u take out the drink package and if so how much did it cost per day?

 

If u have any photo of the cabin or anything on the ship, can u please send it to me? Partner and I going in 3 months, YAY!!!

Thanks

 

 

 

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[Lenalittle]

Hi Lenalittle,

 

Just wondering what type of cabin did u stay in?

Did u take out the drink package and if so how much did it cost per day?

 

If u have any photo of the cabin or anything on the ship, can u please send it to me? Partner and I going in 3 months, YAY!!!

Thanks

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Hi cyndilam,

 

We got the balcony room(obstructed view). 5150 .... put "5150 carnival spirit" into google images and the first few pictures show the balcony and inside of the cabin.... I've tried to up load pics but its not working.

 

Spirt doesn't have drink packages.

 

Any other questions you have?

[Lenalittle]

Hi Lenalittle,

 

Just wondering what type of cabin did u stay in?

Did u take out the drink package and if so how much did it cost per day?

 

If u have any photo of the cabin or anything on the ship, can u please send it to me? Partner and I going in 3 months, YAY!!!

Thanks

 

 

this is my review i put up a coupe of months ago......

 

My partner and I just got back from the carnival spirit 12 day cruise of the South Pacific. As we where first time cruises I got a lot of information from this site before I left and thought I better pay to forward. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask...

 

Embarkation- quick!!! We had a 12.30 check in time and was done and eating lunch by 1pm. After lunch and we went to our room by which our bag was outside.... Amazing again!!

 

Stateroom 5150- I would rate it a 3.5 star hotel standard. The room was a decent size... a little smaller then a sydney hotel room. It had an obstructed view balcony, the obstruction was the tender boats but its not completely obstructed you can look out at the ocean, just looking down is obstructed. The room had good linen, ok pillows, heaps of storage and decent bathroom. The room was always kept tidy by our room attendant Hendry. He cleaned the room twice a day and on the night turn down left chocolates and a different towel animal. Soooo cute.

 

Food- being inner-city sydney siders, we are tuff when it comes to food reviews. We where not impressed with the food. It was ok, just not what we are used to when eating out. We had breaki in the buffet, lunch at buffet or jimmys and dinner in the main dining room. My tip when in the dining room is to always order wet dishes.... Like stew or casserole instead of steak or chicken breast. Everything is pre cooked so choose what you think will hold up best when cooked hours before. Always order a side of veg with dinner just in case the meal isn't great.

 

Facilities/entertainment on ship- we spent a lot of time in the casino... Being DINKS we enjoy a flutter. I think if we didn't have the casino for nighttime and the Serenity section during the day we would have been bored to death. The shows are very lack lustre with the exception of the adults only comedy which was amazing. We aren't really trivia people and trivia seems to be on all the time. By the last two sea days we where ordering movies in the room to keep us entertained.

 

Suva- we went on the jewel of Fiji shore excursion and it was really get. It included a boat ride, swim at the most amazing waterfall and then visit to a tribe which included carva ceremony and tradition lunch (buy your wood masks or bowls from here because they have the stamps saying they are treated for customs, the other stops have wood carvings but they aren't treated) The tour was $139 each but we really enjoyed it so we thought it was worth it.

 

Mystery island- we spent the morning snorkelling by ourselves right out to the edge of the reef. After a walk around the markets (everything is super cheap, this is where you should by all your trinkets, sarongs ect) we paid for a tour to the shark cave/turtle. DON'T do a tour in mystery island.... It's all a scam, they say that you will see turtles or catch fish but it doesn't happen. Just take yourself snorkelling at the other side of the island .... Go way out.... 100 meters out.

 

Noumea- we decided to take ourselves around noumea city in the morning and then did the highlights of noumea in the afternoon... This was a mistake, I would do a organised tour out of the city as after you go duty free shopping (expensive) and have a eclair you are basicly done. The afternoon tours horrendous. The tour guide was saying things like "this is our version of bunnings, this is our version of best and less, this is our version of Harvey Norman" to be fair she was an Aussie so she was probably just trying to draw parallels. I think a local guide would have provided information of the tribes and such.

 

Isle of pines- We went to the natural aquarium which was lovely. We where on the earliest tour which we didn't really want since we couldn't sleep in but in reality turned out to be a really good move. We where at the natural aquarium with a small amount of people. As the morning draws on more and more people arrive. We got some great pictures with hardly anyone I'm them.

 

Port denaru- we had a wedding on that day so we went to the Sofitel and back. Many on the ship told us they loved port denaru. Only thing I would say is either leave getting back to the tenders either earlier or later.... We waited two hours in line getting back to the ship.

 

Disembarkation- self assist was amazing... Off in ten minutes.

 

Last note- We travel regularly and enjoyed that we only had to unpack and pack our bags once... We loved the days in port but I think if there where less sea days together it would have been better... We had cabin fever by the second week. I had read so many mixed reviews and I can really see why now. A cruise is really what you make of it but with so many sea days I really wasn't ready for that much time. There is only so many days you can spend drinking cocktails.... And I reached my limit... Amazingly!!!

 

Ps drink the classic cocktails if you plan to spend time in the casino... Get the receipts and the casino will give you a $5 per receipt bet match token to use on the tables.

[cyndilam_ng]

Thank you so much! That's was very interesting! Good information! My partner and I are more relaxing Adelaideians with hectic 6 days a week jobs so we don't wish for anything but relaxation! Thank you so much!

 

 

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[teringal]

Hi ElouiseJames

Did you have any problem booking a cabin only being 18 & 19? My daughter and her friend are looking at booking on Carnival Spirit in April and they are the same age

Thanks