NCL Spirit Grand Med Barcelona to Venice May 19-31, 2015 Review

[jeffregpuck]

Day 16: Sea Day

 

***I forgot to mention that last night, we got a reminder to turn our clocks back one hour.

 

OMG, I’ve never been so excited for a sea day in my life! Today was our second, and last, sea day of the cruise and we intended to relax. At about 8am, I was awakened by the sound of running water, so I assumed Dan was taking a shower. Just as I was almost back to sleep, it happened again. I called Dan’s name and he didn’t answer, so I got up to investigate. Just as I opened the bathroom door, I heard the running water sound again and discovered that the toilet was overflowing. Dh was nowhere in sight – he went to get a lounge chair and have breakfast, so it just happened spontaneously. I quickly got dressed, called our cabin steward, and notified him of the problem. He assured me he would take care of it – and bleach my bathroom – so I headed out to get breakfast and find Dan.

 

This was the first time I went to the buffet on this cruise. I usually hate the buffet, but I just wanted something quick. I found sticky buns that some brilliant person had poured sweet cheese on, like a cheese brilliant person had covered in sweet cheese, like a cheese Danish. OMG, I could have happily eaten an entire tray of them, but stopped after 4! Heaven (and a heart attack) on a plate!

 

After eating, I found Dan out by the pool reading on a lounger. I joined him for a bit, but it was REALLY WINDY, so I didn’t last long. He stayed by the pool for several hours, alternately reading, sunning, “swimming” (ie, getting wet), and golfing. I went to Galaxy to watch “Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook” at 10:30am. What a hoot! Gio (the cruise director), Armando (the hotel director), and the Pastry Chef (didn’t get his name) competed for the title of “Top Cake Chef.” Catch this show if you can. At the end, all the guests got to sample the 3 cakes. I don’t want to give too much away, but Armando is a riot!

 

Gio's cake - bigger is better!

 

 

 

Armando's cake - alcohol makes everything better!

 

 

 

The Pastry Chef's cake - the way it should be!

 

 

 

After the show, I went to get Dan from the pool deck to have lunch in Cagney’s but when I got up there, the most INCREDIBLE smell was coming from the grill – a poolside barbeque. It smelled so good, we decided to eat that instead of going to Cagney’s. They had regular salad, a couple of pasta and potato salads, chicken, ribs, and a wok with pasta, veggies, and meats. It was so good!

 

After lunch, I went back to read on our balcony (it was less windy there) and take a nap. Dan watched the Mr. Sexy Legs contest at 1:30pm (Curtis from our roll call won) and attended the Engine Room Presentation at 3pm in Galaxy.

 

 

So glad that Gio is still the Cruise Director -- I think he was one of the best cruise directors I've ever had on board!! He was so much fun! And took the time to get to know the passengers!!

[Loving My Life]

So glad that Gio is still the Cruise Director -- I think he was one of the best cruise directors I've ever had on board!! He was so much fun! And took the time to get to know the passengers!!

 

Agreed!

[Loving My Life]

Day 19: Travel back to the US

 

I woke up with mixed feelings this morning. I was sad that our epic vacation was over, but I was excited to see the boys again.

 

We got up at 6:30am, got ready, adjusted our suitcases to distribute the weight, had the delicious complimentary breakfast, checked out, and headed to the Santa Lucia train station directly across from our hotel.

 

Only part of our breakfast:

 

 

 

By the time we finally booked our flights to Europe, there were no flights from Venice using award miles, so we had to take a train to Milan and fly home from there. The train from Venice to Milan cost about €29 per person.

 

The high-speed train was very comfortable and our 2.5 ride flew by. Our plan was to take a taxi from the train station to the airport, but when we exited the station, there were vendors selling bus rides to the airport for €5 per person. The ride to the airport took about 30 minutes so this was a great deal!

 

At the airport, we were too early to check in for our flight, so we had lunch and then checked in. We flew Lufthansa from Milan to Frankfurt, for a short layover, before the long flight back to Boston.

 

Our first flight landed on time, but our layover was only an hour and 15 minutes. However, we had to go through Passport Control in the Frankfurt airport and the line was 200 people long! The line moved so slowly that I didn’t think we were going to make it, but we did. Just barely. By the skin of our teeth. (Yes, I know that these are not complete sentences, but it makes the reading much more dramatic ☺). When we got to our gate, boarding was just about complete and they were issuing the last call.

 

 

 

 

Both of our flights were smooth, and both planes had individual air vents. We landed in Boston at 7:45pm local time (but 1:45am Italy time), so we were exhausted. I slept through our 1.5 ride from the airport to our house. Boy, was my mother-in-law happy to see us! ☺ Although it was 10pm when we got home, we woke our kids (and dogs) to say hi to them. After a few quick hugs, we all went to bed.

 

Well, sadly, that brings us to the end of the day-by-day review of our 19 day vacation. As I said at the start, this was by far the best vacation we have ever taken, largely due to the best roll call group we’ve ever sailed with, the length of the trip, the amazing itinerary, the UDP and UBP packages, and the perks we received for organizing the M&G.

 

Up Next: I will conclude with some final remarks about the trip that didn’t make it into the review, as well as some comparisons between Norwegian and Carnival.

[Loving My Life]

Odds and Ends:

 

Cruise Staff:

 

The cruise director – Gio – was the best we’ve ever had. I never really understood why some people are so concerned with who the cruise director is, but I get it now. Gio was funny and friendly without going over the top. He was always out and about, talking to guests and making sure they were having a great time.

 

Also, the assistant cruise director – Fernando – was a hoot! He loves to dance so much that he just can’t stay still. He was mainly stationed in Galaxy, so he ran karaoke and the game shows every night.

 

The hotel director – Armando – was also hilarious. He was also out and about all the time making sure everything was living up to guests’ expectations.

 

The staff and crew were happy and upbeat. They were always smiling, joking, dancing, and engaging the guests.

 

Ruben, the bartender in Champagne Charlie’s, was the best bartender on any ship! He’s funny and can make a mean mojito. ☺

 

__________________________________________

 

Weather:

 

The weather was just wonderful throughout the cruise, with only a few hours of drizzle spread over 3 days. The rest of the time it was sunny, breezy, and 70 – 85 degrees. May is a great month to cruise the Med. I can’t imagine going any later in the summer, when Turkey and Greece can be 100 degrees and 100% humidity.

 

__________________________________________

 

Perks for Organizing the Meet & Greet:

 

• Fruit and wine in the cabin at embarkation

• A meal in the specialty restaurant of our choice and bottle of wine

• Chocolate covered strawberries or canapés delivered to our cabin every afternoon

• Breakfast and lunch in Cagney’s for the entire cruise

• An invitation to the private Captain’s Cocktail Party

• The services of a concierge throughout the cruise

• Priority tendering in Mykonos

• Priority disembarkation and walk-off service by the concierge

__________________________________________

 

Always Last:

 

It was curious that no matter which port we were in, the Spirit was ALWAYS the very last ship docked, meaning it was the furthest distance from the exit to the cruise terminal. For example, in Istanbul, we had to walk past 4 ships to get to the terminal. In Venice, we had to walk about a mile to get to the exit of the cruise terminal. Be prepared for lots of walking! A few times, NCL provided a free shuttle from the ship to the exit of the terminal, but it wasn’t always available early in the morning. We did use the courtesy shuttle in the afternoons a few times.

 

__________________________________________

 

Bathrooms:

 

Many public restrooms in Europe are not free. Most require you to pay €1 - €1,50. This might seem strange, but the fee pays to have an attendant in the bathroom 24/7. This attendant continuously cleans and stocks the bathroom with toilet paper, soap, and paper towels.

 

The free public restrooms are…not what I’d consider restrooms. They are often just a hole in the ground, with no toilet paper, running water, or soap/hand sanitizer. I brought hand sanitizer and travel packs of tissues and used them a few times.

 

Restrooms in restaurants are usually nice and free, so frequently we’d sit and have a drink just to be able to use their bathrooms.

 

__________________________________________

 

MY Carnival and Norwegian Comparison:

 

To start, I’d like to say that the two lines are more similar than different, but here are things that each line does better than the other.

 

Embarkation: Both lines are equivalent.

 

Cabin: Carnival’s balcony cabins are bigger than Norwegian’s, but both have comfy beds and plenty of closet space. Slight edge to Carnival for their size.

 

Bathroom: LOVE Norwegian’s sliding shower door! Carnival has a shower curtain that constantly gets stuck on wet bodies. Carnival, however, has much more shelf space for toiletries and cosmetics than Norwegian, so bring an over-the-door shoe organizer. Edge to Norwegian for the shower door.

 

Food: In my opinion, the food in the free dining room(s) is better on Carnival, hands down. However, I loved having the UDP and eating in specialty restaurants every night. I also loved the fact that Norwegian has multiple specialty restaurants to choose from. I cannot review or rate the buffet on either line because I avoid them at all costs. Edge to Carnival for better food in the free dining venues. Edge to Norwegian for the number of specialty restaurants and the quality of the food in them.

 

Entertainment: The production shows are MUCH better on Norwegian than on Carnival. Really, there is no comparison. However, what is sorely lacking on Norwegian was comedians. Carnival really does this well with the Punchline Comedy Club. With the exception of one or two, we enjoy going to the comedy club almost every night on Carnival. I would love to see Norwegian add comedians to their evening entertainment. So, edge to Norwegian for theater shows, and big edge to Carnival for the comedy club.

 

Staff: Both lines are equivalent. The staff and crew on both lines greet you by name and smile ALL. THE. TIME. Great job by both lines!

 

Drinks: I found the prices and quality the same on both lines. However, Norwegian makes amazing mojitos, especially pineapple, coconut, and strawberry mojitos so an edge to Norwegian.

 

Announcements: There were far more announcements on Norwegian than we’ve experienced on Carnival, and each announcement was made in 3 languages, so a definite edge to Carnival.

 

Spa: I visited the spa once during the cruise. The room was warm, the lights were dimmed, and soft instrumental music was playing. The esthetician remained quiet throughout the treatment, so it was calming and relaxing. I’ve visited the spa a few times on Carnival, and although the room is warm and dark, the esthetician spoke throughout each treatment, trying to sell me $300 worth of products. Definite edge to Norwegian here.

 

Meet and Greet: Norwegian definitely shines here! The staff that helped me organize it was professional and prompt. The free (!) spread that they provided was beautiful, tasty, and varied. The directors of all the departments came and said a few words. They provided us with phone #s for each department in case we had special requests or complaints. Carnival does…well, nothing…for M&Gs. In fact, you have to pay if you want drinks or nibbles. Kudos, and a HUGE edge, to Norwegian for M&Gs!

 

Disembarkation: Equivalent on both lines, although it was really nice to have the concierge walk us off the ship to our luggage at disembarkation.

 

Conclusion: I enjoy both cruise lines and would sail with either one for the right itinerary, ship, and price. However, all of these things being equal, I think I’d choose Norwegian over Carnival. Hubby agrees (which is quite unusual :p).

 

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask and I will attempt to answer them. I have all the Dailies if there are specific questions. I hope you enjoyed reading this review as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you’ve made it to the end with me, thank you! If you are considering this itinerary in the future, please know that it is AMAZING! Go book it!

Edited June 10, 2015 by Loving My Life

[dolita22]

Wow, thank you for your detailed review and pictures! Your pictures of Venice gave me chills - it's my dream to sail out of there sooner rather than later. I'm trying to convince my DH we should take this cruise or the Greek Isles cruise next summer before we start a family, and he is coming around! May have to show him your pictures to seal it. :)

 

Glad you had such a wonderful vacation!

[FrugalMother99]

Hi Carolyn / Loving My Life,

 

I've been following your review since our family leaves in 2 weeks on the Venice-Barcelona cruise. You've been so detailed, but I have a few questions:

 

Did your tours require Euro cash upon completion? We've booked semi-private tours in almost every port & with 3 people, that's a lot of money to carry around each day. Did you use ATMs or pre-purchase Euros? I have a x-body purse & hubby has a hidden wallet--any thoughts on money safety / ATM use?

 

We don't know if we will get seasick, so I've purchased Bonine just in case. Did you take medicine the entire cruise?

 

We're in a balcony stateroom--are there 2 outlets each for American, British, & European? Did you use an adapter on board?

 

I'm all set with my wardrobe, but I'm having a hard time packing for my hubby & teen son. I'm trying not to let them look like "American tourists"--what did you notice male passengers wearing; especially in Turkey & the Italian cities?

 

I was thinking of purchasing a case of water in Venice so we would each have a bottle of water when we tour; did you see anyone bring on water? Or, should I just pack 3 water bottles & fill up each day on board?

 

Thanks!

[minaco]

Hi Carolyn! Thank you so much for such a great review with pics of this cruise. We are embarking on this sailing on August 1 out of Barcelona. We can't wait. I was wondering if you could email me offlist at cruise2europe@gmail.com as I have a few particular questions. Thanks in advance! Cheers, Mike

[Slickn]

Hi Carolyn / Loving My Life,

 

I've been following your review since our family leaves in 2 weeks on the Venice-Barcelona cruise. You've been so detailed, but I have a few questions:

 

Did your tours require Euro cash upon completion? We've booked semi-private tours in almost every port & with 3 people, that's a lot of money to carry around each day. Did you use ATMs or pre-purchase Euros? I have a x-body purse & hubby has a hidden wallet--any thoughts on money safety / ATM use?

 

We don't know if we will get seasick, so I've purchased Bonine just in case. Did you take medicine the entire cruise?

 

We're in a balcony stateroom--are there 2 outlets each for American, British, & European? Did you use an adapter on board?

 

I'm all set with my wardrobe, but I'm having a hard time packing for my hubby & teen son. I'm trying not to let them look like "American tourists"--what did you notice male passengers wearing; especially in Turkey & the Italian cities?

 

I was thinking of purchasing a case of water in Venice so we would each have a bottle of water when we tour; did you see anyone bring on water? Or, should I just pack 3 water bottles & fill up each day on board?

 

Thanks!

I can help answer a few questions from my perspective.

 

My wife and I did not bring any Euros with us to Barcelona. We immediately hit an ATM at the airport and withdrew $500 Euros. I had a hidden money wallet that I placed this cash in. Before leaving Barcelona for the cruise we withdrew another $500 Euro. ATMs were plentiful and I was able to avoid fees by using banks that BankofAmerica works with. I felt safe leaving this cash on our cruiseship in the safe and just bringing enough with us for our day trips. I also purchased special shorts that had zippered pockets with a fabric button sleeve that went over the pocket. Everything I had read was to be cautious and I may have went to the extreme but I felt secure 100% of the time.

 

We looked like tourists the whole trip... there was no getting around it. I had a camera around my neck, a red sox hat, a back pack and a glow of excitement across the face. Every tourists stands out, even if you try to blend in.

 

As for the outlets in the room... we had 1 european and 1 american outlet(that didnt work) in our balcony room. We also had an additional america outlet in the bathroom built into the hair dryer that was for low current devices.

 

As for water... we carried on a 24 pack of diet coke and 6 - 1 liter bottles of water. We had our room steward empty the fridge(they put the mini bar items under the bed in a trash bag) and were able to fit a bunch of sodas and 2 of the 1 liter water bottles in there at a time. There were no problems with carrying it on. Water was cheap in turkey so we purchased an additional 2 - 1 liter bottles for 1 Lira (around 0.40 Euro).

 

Nick

[Tyskie]

Thanks for such a great detailed review! Just loved your pictures. September for us can't come soon enough. We'll be on Princess but the ports are almost the same. Do you have the website for Venice Bar-Hop/Tapas?

[gjr]

Thanks for the review. Helped us relive our Med cruise on the Spirit two year ago this week. A most amazing cruise on a very enjoyable ship.

[Loving My Life]

Hi Carolyn / Loving My Life,

 

I've been following your review since our family leaves in 2 weeks on the Venice-Barcelona cruise. You've been so detailed, but I have a few questions:

 

Did your tours require Euro cash upon completion? We've booked semi-private tours in almost every port & with 3 people, that's a lot of money to carry around each day. Did you use ATMs or pre-purchase Euros? I have a x-body purse & hubby has a hidden wallet--any thoughts on money safety / ATM use?

 

We don't know if we will get seasick, so I've purchased Bonine just in case. Did you take medicine the entire cruise?

 

We're in a balcony stateroom--are there 2 outlets each for American, British, & European? Did you use an adapter on board?

 

I'm all set with my wardrobe, but I'm having a hard time packing for my hubby & teen son. I'm trying not to let them look like "American tourists"--what did you notice male passengers wearing; especially in Turkey & the Italian cities?

 

I was thinking of purchasing a case of water in Venice so we would each have a bottle of water when we tour; did you see anyone bring on water? Or, should I just pack 3 water bottles & fill up each day on board?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Nick answered these questions very well, but I'll share my responses too.

 

All of our tours asked for payment in euros at the end of each tour, even the ones in Turkey (which uses lira). Like Nick, we used ATMS of banks associated with Bank of America to avoid fees. We took out €500 at a time in Paris, Barcelona, Rome, and Athens. We had no trouble finding ATMs or getting the money we needed. Dh wore a money belt and kept enough $$ for each day, plus extra for food and tips, in there. We also used the safe on the ship for the extra $$. We had no problems whatsoever and felt very safe and secure.

 

I've cruised 5 times before this cruise without any problems so I didn't start the Bonine until the second day of the cruise, after a miserable night. I brought the

Bonine to take on land when doing tours that involved long drives. On day 2, I started taking 1 in the AM and 1 in the PM, and I was fine after that. I took it for the entire trip.

 

As far as outlets, there was 1 in the cabin at the desk and 1 in the bathroom. The one in the bathroom didn't work so I had to use the one at the desk, which had 1 US outlet and 2 European outlets (one for the coffee maker). I did bring a plug bar with an extension cord to charge phones, ipads, and cameras, as well as an adapter for my flat iron (which died on day 1 so I didn't actually need the adapter).

 

Clothes - I don't think there is anyway for tourists to not look like tourists. Between crossbodys, back packs, ball caps, sneakers, and cameras, tourists are easily identifiable. Don't worry about it! Just be comfortable. There is a HUGE amount of walking, so bring comfortable, supportive shoes. In Istanbul, to enter the mosques, men and women have to cover their shoulders and knees, and women have to cover their heads.

 

As far as water, it was cheap in the ports we visited. I had no trouble finding a bottled water for €1,50 or less so I didn't bother carrying on water, but I've done it in the past on Carnival. I also thought that the water on board is very good, so we filled up water bottles every morning too.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!!

Edited June 10, 2015 by Loving My Life

[Loving My Life]

Thanks for such a great detailed review! Just loved your pictures. September for us can't come soon enough. We'll be on Princess but the ports are almost the same. Do you have the website for Venice Bar-Hop/Tapas?

 

http://www.schezzini.it

 

Definitely a fun way to spend a few hours in Venice!

[Loving My Life]

Hi Carolyn! Thank you so much for such a great review with pics of this cruise. We are embarking on this sailing on August 1 out of Barcelona. We can't wait. I was wondering if you could email me offlist at cruise2europe@gmail.com as I have a few particular questions. Thanks in advance! Cheers, Mike

 

Sent you an email.

[beachbumsns]

Carolyn, really loved your review. You highlighted all the necessary items and your pictures were awesome. I have made a lot of notes as we have this cruise booked on the Spirit for September 2016. It sounds like you had a wonderful time. We have been to several ports of call that this cruise takes in, but it will be nice to go back and do some different excursions. I had a question if you don't mind. Does NCL have shampoo, conditioner, etc in the rooms. Flying now you have to save every ounce of space in your luggage due to weight restrictions. Thanks again for the wonderful review. I know a lot of folks that are reading it from future upcoming cruises. Great job.

[Loving My Life]

Carolyn, really loved your review. You highlighted all the necessary items and your pictures were awesome. I have made a lot of notes as we have this cruise booked on the Spirit for September 2016. It sounds like you had a wonderful time. We have been to several ports of call that this cruise takes in, but it will be nice to go back and do some different excursions. I had a question if you don't mind. Does NCL have shampoo, conditioner, etc in the rooms. Flying now you have to save every ounce of space in your luggage due to weight restrictions. Thanks again for the wonderful review. I know a lot of folks that are reading it from future upcoming cruises. Great job.

 

They had a dispenser in the shower with shampoo and body wash, but no conditioner. Dh used both of them but I brought my own travel sized salon shampoo and conditioner and my moisturizing body wash. I'm picky, Dh is not!

[cardbucfan]

Thank you for such a great review! I'm so excited for our cruise next May! I'm going to ask DH to print this so I can go through and copy from you.

 

I have a bank question -did you get the list of compatible banks from BoA?

 

Did you feel like you got a lot from the UBP? I'm considering changing my booking to either get the UDP or the UBP. The current promo requires us to pay the gratuities on it plus we'd have to give up our obc we initially got. We aren't big drinkers and DH does coke not Pepsi so not sure it would be worth it for those few drinks we would have. Did you have any problems getting reservations for the specialty restaurants? We weren't going to do the dining package since I figured a lot of nights we'd be tired from all the touring but now I'm concerned about the free dining spots. This will be our first ncl cruise so not sure what to expect food wise.

 

Again, thank you so much for such a great review!

[dallas16]

Hi loving my life- just wondering whether you have any of the daily programmes from this cruise please?

Also were the passengers on the cruise mainly Americans/ British or were there a variety of different nationalities on the cruise?

Was the entertainment good in the lounges/ theatres and were there any issues with getting a seat in the theatre?

Do NCL offer port guides/ maps in the daily programmes

are free shuttles offered in some of the ports like Mykonos where you are docked out of the town? Sorry for all the questions but we are travelling in September on the cruise from venice to barcelona

Thankyou

[KW_Cruisers]

You've touched upon a concern for many first time cruisers, as well as those having read all the really terrible reviews about NCL food. We have the UDP on our upcoming cruise in May, but didn't have it for our 29 day cruise on Jewel, which we just completed last month. NCL included it for us for just the gratuity, so we took it. See AARP specials for discounts and bonuses

We were given a coupon for the Italian restaurant on Jewel at one of the cruise sponsored cocktail parties - The Osso Bucco was wonderful (melt in your mouth tender, so guess they cooked it right to bring all the flavor through, Mmmhh Yum)

Most nights we ate in the main dining room (many fine meals) or the pub, which had great prime rib - pork ribs - (varied special nightly) or the asian restaurant that is now comp on all NCL ships. Now, here's the trick, which Connie used a couple of times - if undecided, she ordered both appetizers or entrees - they'll bring what you want - More if you want or a different order. According to the Hotel Director and Restaurant Director, they aim to please - And I must say they did! Every Day All Day and All Night. When we got home Connie missed not being able to go for pub food late at night (they were 24/7)

Thank you for such a great review! I'm so excited for our cruise next May! I'm going to ask DH to print this so I can go through and copy from you.

 

I have a bank question -did you get the list of compatible banks from BoA?

 

Did you feel like you got a lot from the UBP? I'm considering changing my booking to either get the UDP or the UBP. The current promo requires us to pay the gratuities on it plus we'd have to give up our obc we initially got. We aren't big drinkers and DH does coke not Pepsi so not sure it would be worth it for those few drinks we would have. Did you have any problems getting reservations for the specialty restaurants? We weren't going to do the dining package since I figured a lot of nights we'd be tired from all the touring but now I'm concerned about the free dining spots. This will be our first ncl cruise so not sure what to expect food wise.

 

Again, thank you so much for such a great review!

[bearette]

Great review! Thanks for sharing!

[Loving My Life]

Thank you for such a great review! I'm so excited for our cruise next May! I'm going to ask DH to print this so I can go through and copy from you.

 

I have a bank question -did you get the list of compatible banks from BoA?

 

Did you feel like you got a lot from the UBP? I'm considering changing my booking to either get the UDP or the UBP. The current promo requires us to pay the gratuities on it plus we'd have to give up our obc we initially got. We aren't big drinkers and DH does coke not Pepsi so not sure it would be worth it for those few drinks we would have. Did you have any problems getting reservations for the specialty restaurants? We weren't going to do the dining package since I figured a lot of nights we'd be tired from all the touring but now I'm concerned about the free dining spots. This will be our first ncl cruise so not sure what to expect food wise.

 

Again, thank you so much for such a great review!

 

Yes, just call your bank and ask about ATMs in the countries you are visiting. They will be able to tell you if its best to get euros before you leave or on your trip. In our case, the exchange rate was better in Europe. Your bank can tell which banks/ATMs do not charge fees.

 

Food is subjective but the few meals we ate in Windows and Garden, the free dining rooms, were not very good at all (with the exception of the salmon in Garden, which was excellent). We have decided that we will always have the UDP when sailing with NCL, whether we get it as a promotion or we pay for it. We prebooked most nights in the specialty restaurants as they did fill up quickly, especially Teppanyaki. Even with the help of a concierge, we couldn't get into Cagney's or Le Bistro on the second sea day.

 

As for the UBP, it was nice to have, and it certainly saved us money, but I wouldn't pay for it. Dh drinks more than I do. I only drink 1 or 2 drinks - one glass of wine with dinner and one cocktail during a show - a day so it wouldn't be worth it. However, since it was free, it was nice to never have to think about the cost of drinks, and I drank a little more than I would normally. The UBP also allowed me to try new drinks without worrying about paying for a drink that I may not like.

[Loving My Life]

Hi loving my life- just wondering whether you have any of the daily programmes from this cruise please?

Also were the passengers on the cruise mainly Americans/ British or were there a variety of different nationalities on the cruise?

Was the entertainment good in the lounges/ theatres and were there any issues with getting a seat in the theatre?

Do NCL offer port guides/ maps in the daily programmes

are free shuttles offered in some of the ports like Mykonos where you are docked out of the town? Sorry for all the questions but we are travelling in September on the cruise from venice to barcelona

Thankyou

 

Yes, I have the Dailies if you have specific questions.

 

The bulk of the passengers on our sailing were American, Asian, and Canadian, with smaller numbers being Australian and European.

 

All of the shows we saw were great, especially Elements, Backbeat Beatles, and the illusion show. If you get to the theater about 15-20 minutes before the show, you won't have any trouble finding seats. If you wait until 5 minutes before the show, it could be full.

 

The customer service desk had maps of each of the ports that you could get by asking. I think they also gave them out at the port talks. They were not included in the dailies.

 

In Mykonos, we tendered and were let off directly in town where the beach, shopping, and restaurants are located. There were free shuttles in Istanbul and Athens but just from the gangway to the exit of the port. I think there was also a shuttle in Venice, but you had to pay for it.

[beachbumsns]

They had a dispenser in the shower with shampoo and body wash, but no conditioner. Dh used both of them but I brought my own travel sized salon shampoo and conditioner and my moisturizing body wash. I'm picky, Dh is not!

Thanks for that, I'm picky too about my shampoo/conditioner but some cruise lines have very nice products, so thought I would ask.

Quess my travel size bottles will be coming along. One less pair of shoes to make up the weight.

[BlueJai]

Hey Carolyn, thank you so much for taking the time to post such an amazing review. I know they take time and many of us really appreciate your time. I don't know when we will ever take this itinerary (it's on my bucket list!) but after having read your review I feel like - WOW!

 

We have booked the Spirit next year when she comes back to the U.S. I have done some research - seems like the balconies are quite small (we have a BC cabin booked), the cabins are a little stark, the pool area looks very interesting and the aft of the ship also looks very interesting.

 

What is your overall thoughts on the feel of the Spirit? Would you go back on her again? Was there anything you really didn't like and, or on the other hand, what did you really like?

 

Again, thanks for taking the time, your review and pictures are amazing!

 

Jai

[Cruisercl]

Hi Loving My Life,

 

Great review!! I was on the Spirit Barcelona to Venice cruise from 29 Apr to 7 May; had a great time! Would go again in a minute. I didn't see everything the same as you so I will need to go back. :) Your excellent pictures bring back lots of good memories.

Here are a couple of my observations regarding our cruise.

My intent is not to take away from your very helpful review but to give maybe a look see at some differences. :)

 

 

• In Mykonos we docked at the new cruise port; no tendering
  
• It was quite a surprise to me just how far the ships dock from the port entrance (just as OP indicated also); especially in Rome, Naples, Istanbul and Venice. They are industrial ports and not really cruise ship friendly; it could take a 30 to 60 minute walk to get to the ship from the port entrance where you may be dropped off from a shore excursion or taxi.
  
• Istanbul was extremely crowded and the only time I felt a bit unsafe; people were pushy in lines to sites like a mob mentality and vendors were yelling at tourists that did not want to listen to or buy their wares. Just a heads up to keep your safety radar on. Our tour guide was not helpful either; he also did not make sure the group was together even when asked to slow down a bit. Also you need to go thorough immigration in Istanbul with your cruise card; not just walking off, so this also takes time.
  
• On my flights through Paris I also had to go through immigration; lines were also very long with not many agents working. I barely made my flight and I had 1 1/2 hours between flights; just a heads up to those who may travel through Paris/CDG airport.
  
• When staying in Venice you may have to pull your luggage to your hotel because there are no streets, therefore no taxis and no porters to help. That said if you do need to go over the canal bridges it may be helpful to know the bridges are not smooth, they are all steps so you will need to bring your luggage up and down stairs to get across the bridges. I assumed they would be like a walking bridge and just a smooth path; not the case. Some are quite difficult and we had 3.
  
• We did wait for over an hour to get off the ship in Athens; no reason except that it was immigration.
  
• IMO being an American tourist did not make me stick out; everywhere we went people pretty much seemed the same. I felt very comfortable; people for the most part were great and happy to see tourists
  
• Jill was our cruise director. She did a great job, is very nice and a fun person
  

Jealous of all of you that are planning this trip of a lifetime. :)

Happy and safe cruising all!!!

[dallas16]

Thanks for your reply loving my life, I am glad that the shows are as good as they were on the previous ncl cruises I've been on, it will be good to meet people from different countries on the cruise, Aldo it is useful that maps are available although we do have the rick steves book which is very good. Do NCL usually tender in mykonos or does it depend on the cruise pier being available? I have seen on previous reviews that norwegian spirit has docked in the new port and free shuttles were provided to the town. Also what was the general condition of the ship like as I am aware it is an older vessel? Thanks for your help