NCL Spirit vs. Star

[poona1]

For those who have sailed on both or either one, how do they compare to each other...for instance, I know the NCL Star belongs in the dawn class and does not have the spinnaker lounge or the great outdoors as the Spirit....but is there any other difference?

 

Do both offer warm tiled loungers in the thermal spa? Thanks

[Eleteace]

For me there is no competition, the star is nice but it's small and similar to all of the other NCL ships.

 

If you've cruised with NCL before and like them then I'm sure you'd like the star.

 

The spirit is totally different, the ship is old but it's so spacious and grand. My favourite cruise ship by a million miles and I'd always pick her. The atrium is gorgeous and I love sitting out on the promonade deck by the pub. I could talk about why I love the spirit forever, more about that here: http://cruisingisntjustforoldpeople.co.uk/2016/10/15/ncls-norwegian-spirit-my-favourite-cruise-ship/

 

Never been in the thermal spa so can't help you with that bit. Both are fabulous ships so you'll have a great time no matter which you pick :-)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[KeithJenner]

My last two cruises were on the Star (last Summer) and the Spirit (last week).

 

This was the third time we've been on the Spirit, and we are booked again next Easter, so you can probably tell it's one of our favourites.

 

I really liked the Star, but to me it is something of a scaled down version of the Jewel class ships (missing the forward Spinnaker for example). It does include o'Sheehans now, which is a bonus.

 

As Eleteace says, the Spirit is totally different. It has less restaurants (no Modern for example), and there no nowhere that I can imagine an o'Sheehans could go. However, it has some real highlights, like Raffles Terrace at the rear of the ship, the nicest outdoor area on any ship I've been on, in my opinion.

 

There are some downsides though. The cabins are small for example, but overall it's one of my favourite ships, and I would pick it over the Star (even though I really liked the Star).

 

I also can't help with the Spa, but I know that it is small on the Spirit, so there is more chance of things being missing compared top other ships.

[hawkeyetlse]

I've already answered on one of the several other threads where you have posted this question, but there is no spa on the Spirit.

[newmexicoNita]

/we have sailed both sailed both more than once. For sheer beauty the Spirit wins hands down, for us, the Star has more to offer. The cabins are much larger and we like the ships lay out better. We would do either again I wil add. No, no spa at all on the Spirit and the ship was designed for sailing in the Asian market, so everything is scaled down in size. both are older which you already know, but the Spirit was not originally an NCL ship.

[KeithJenner]

Can we just confirm the situation with the Spa on the Spirit, if only so I can give accurate info on the future.

 

There is an area, near Galaxy of the Stars that is called Mandera Spa, and there are Spa staff around the ship and the freestyle dailies had details of treatments available.

 

Do I assume that when you say there is no Spa on the Spirit, you mean that there is no area that you can buy Spa passes for, like on other ships?

 

My lack of knowledge on this demonstrates the interest I have in it, but it's come up a few times lately and I've been saying it seems to be a small area. It would be nice to have the correct answer.

[hawkeyetlse]

You're right, there is a Mandara Spa, so you can purchase massages and facials and other treatments. There is no Thermal Suite on the Spirit (which is the "spa" in things like "spa pass" and "spa stateroom"). So no heated loungers, no thalasso pool, etc.

 

The Spirit does have a steam room (and I believe a dry sauna) in the locker room, at least on the men's side. These are free facilities.