Included Beverages on Spirit????

[teacher2cruiser]

Besides iced tea what other beverages are included with meals? Is there lemonade or something else in the buffet area?

[Toyz711]

not that i found, water/milk/ice tea/coffee

for breakfast there were juices. take your flavor packets, so you have something to mix with the water. (or your own sodas)

[teacher2cruiser]

We're definitely taking our diet Pepsis, and we may get a soda card for one............we didn't on our last cruise, but lemonade was a choice in buffet. I'm not much on tea that isn't "good".

Was ice water readily available and if so, was it good?

[Toyz711]

the water was great. they had water on the juice bar at the buffet, very easy to get to. ice next to it, glasses right there. tap water in the rooms, also very good. i do wish they would change the ice tea mix they use, this one was very bitter. on the NCL star it was drinkable.

[teacher2cruiser]

Thanks, Cathi, I noticed that you're from MS too. I'm really excited - just can't decide about excursions, and still don't know for sure if one of our stops will be cancelled. Honestly, we're a bit nervous about the areas in Guatamala and Honduras. At the place at the piers, (if we decide to just get off the ship and not book an excursion)can you purchase local crafts, tshirts, postcards etc?

[Toyz711]

at roatan, it looks worse then it is. the people are very nice. we just got off and walked around. the ship docks in a very poor area of the island. if you take a taxi or tour to the other side, that's where the pretty part is.

i have the photos in my link, it shows the secure area..and just outside. when we first walked off, the street was jammed with taxi and cars. the shopping area is just a block long, most of the shops are in front of homes. if you get a chance, there is a buidling, their versions of a mall, it has many vendors in it and some of the most beautiful wood carvings i have ever seen. i would have like to get one of the big chest, at the very least a jewelry box.

as i was standing, looking at the cemetary...this really nice guy came up and starting telling me the history. telling me to go..walk through it, they have some pirates buried in there somewhere. but the close graves are recent. like new orleans, they don't bury, the use tombs. there are 2 boys with bracelets for sale, i know they don't make them...since all the kids are selling them. these 2 boys are dwarfs....life must be very hard for them on that island.

in guatemala, i don't think if it being unsafe...just not anything within walking distance outside of the dock area. inside the docks, they have a building with local vendors/entertainers/tours. there is a thread on this board, a guy has his video from this trip...he shows the dancers and vendors. it's just a short walk from the ship, still in the secure area. this dock is very secure, it's a working freight dock. (plus next door to the 3 little ships that are the guatemala navy). this is one area i would get a tour, it's the country you want to see...not a freight dock with frieght containers around. yes, they have armed guards...but some of them are guards for the navy yard. way over on the other side, they have regular guards for the frieght.

in santo tomas, if you go there, just be sure to be on the port side...of the ship, at dusk, to see the send-a-way...you won't regret it. neither of these port are for the tourist, it's just the only place for the ship to dock. once you get away for a tour, the tour side is beautiful..almost unspoiled.

[Ohio_Thom]

Thanks, Cathi, I noticed that you're from MS too. I'm really excited - just can't decide about excursions, and still don't know for sure if one of our stops will be cancelled. Honestly, we're a bit nervous about the areas in Guatamala and Honduras. At the place at the piers, (if we decide to just get off the ship and not book an excursion)can you purchase local crafts, tshirts, postcards etc?

 

If you're a shopper, you'll want to really take on the of days to shop. We did an excursion in each port and did not have any time to shop.

 

Roatan - I'd do an excursion. There is some shopping, but it seemed to me that it is in it's infancy as a port. They are building some shopping, but what they have is not too attractive right now.

 

Belize City - There was some shopping, but we did the Zip Line / Cave Tubing which pretty much wipes out the entire day. If you have zip lined before, I'd probably skip that part of it. My wife and kids did that in Puerto Vallarta and said it was 100x better there.

 

Cozumel - This is where you should shop. We did the Tulum Ruins. It was very hot and a pretty good drive (after a 30 min. ferry to mainland Mexico - Playa Del Carmen I think)

The tour bus will take you to a rest stop with shopping, but not much there. We did not have any time to even say we were in Cozumel (actually, we never got off the dock there).

[tidecruiser]

In Roatan, there is shop downtown off on a side street called Yabba Ding Ding (I think), it had many hand made items of nice quality and good prices. I only found out about it from another guest on the ship, who went to the shopping (advertising) lecture. I avoid those lectures at all costs :-)

 

At Yabba Ding Ding, I was able to pick up a nice candle, a couple of pottery pieces. They had nice jewelry pieces.

[victoriapaige25]

These are pictures from the west end beach in Roatan. It was such a beautiful place. We got a taxi to bring us there right at the port, he dropped us off and asked what time to pick us up. He was there waiting for us at the time we specified. He then went out of his way to bring us to a local market to buy the local rum which was considerably cheaper than other shops, then brought us to the Yaba store to shop ( great store for souviners) and then brought us back to the port. It so far has been me and my DH's favorite port to date. Dont miss out on this island due to what it looks like when you first get off. ;)

[CorvetteLady]

We did the island tour in Roatan and at the end, after the boat ride to see the wrecked ships, they gave us about 30 minutes to shop. It was a nice area with mostly handmade items and no one was "pushy". The did offer to stop at another place to shop but no one in our van wanted to.

[salty dingo]

I thought this was a thread about beverages, but I'll reply about the ports. Roatan, Honduras was our favorite stop on our Carnival Valor cruise in '06. We felt totally secure. A police boat met the ship on the way in and a guy with a shotgun stood there escorting us in.

 

At the pier, a local band played and danced - neat to watch as we tied up. We booked a tour with Victor Bodden, and had a driver for the day. We met him and his wife, as well as Victor. Super people. We did the Zip line in the jungle, saw the Iguana farm, and went to the beach and did some shopping. It was beautiful.

 

I have been to Guatemala, also, but not on a cruise. I felt pretty safe there too. They really take care of the tourists. The security is a lot better than it is here at home. They have guards with big guns at the door to McDonalds! No one is going to be messing around with them!

[electricron]

I thought this was a thread about free beverages.

 

So did I. Isn't it amazing how there are more replies about ports than about free beverages?

 

Water, tea, coffee, milk, juices, and hot chocolate are free at the restaurants.

 

Beer, alcohol, bottled water, and sodas aren't free.

 

Easy way to remember what beverages are free or not at the main restaurants, if it comes in a glass or cup, it's free. If it comes in a can or bottle, it isn't.

[NCL1stTimer]

I will be cruising on the Spirit on March 2 and have a beverage question. Are you allowed to bring soft drinks (Coke, Pepsi, etc.) on board? I noticed in one reply that someone said they were bringing Diet Pepsis. If so, is there somewhere near the port in New Orleans to purchase soft drinks? We will be flying in and I don't want to pack them in the suitcase, but would like to keep some in the cabin, if it is allowed.

[Toyz711]

if you go to the port-of-call boards for:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=414

new orleans. some of those folks may know where the closest store is. we didn't pass any coming that morning, coming from the north. we drove, so we had pepsi with us from the local stores. if you fly in that morning and talk a taxi, i am sure you can ask them to stop..it might cost you, but could be worth it. many, many do take their own bottled water and sodas. just don't be surprised if you get called to the "naughty" room for them to make sure it's not booze you have in your luggage:eek: . i was expecting it, but it didn't happen. since we don't want NCL to disallow this, i try to be cool about it around the ship..going off the ship i take the bottle/can..but around the ship i make it look like a bar drink.

[electricron]

I will be cruising on the Spirit on March 2 and have a beverage question. Are you allowed to bring soft drinks (Coke, Pepsi, etc.) on board? I noticed in one reply that someone said they were bringing Diet Pepsis. If so, is there somewhere near the port in New Orleans to purchase soft drinks? We will be flying in and I don't want to pack them in the suitcase, but would like to keep some in the cabin, if it is allowed.

 

Yes, you can bring all the non alcoholic beverages you can pack aboard. The only alcoholic beverage you can bring aboard is wine which you pay a $15 per bottle corkage fee.

Sorry. I'm not sure what's close to the pier in New Orleans, but I'm sure the taxi will drive past a few gas stations with plenty of sodas in stock.

[Ohio_Thom]

I will be cruising on the Spirit on March 2 and have a beverage question. Are you allowed to bring soft drinks (Coke, Pepsi, etc.) on board? I noticed in one reply that someone said they were bringing Diet Pepsis. If so, is there somewhere near the port in New Orleans to purchase soft drinks? We will be flying in and I don't want to pack them in the suitcase, but would like to keep some in the cabin, if it is allowed.

 

There is a small store on Convention Center Blvd. down near Canal St (insight of the ship). I think it's actually in the building with the Marriott, but not affiliated. According to our tour driver, the market owner refused to sell his property to the hotel. My wife went into the little market and came out with 3 cola's and 4 pop-tarts in the morning and said it was $21.00.

The ship also docks next to a mall, where you might find a store.

 

 

There is no place to keep it cool on the ship, so you'll need to do an ice run to have cold soda. No biggie, but keep that in mind.

[CorvetteLady]

The Riverwalk Mall is right next to the ship. We've been there and they have a food court, don't recall if there was any place to just buy a carton of soda or water. You could probably do a search and get a list of the stores. Keep in mind that on Sunday most of the stores don't open until noon.

 

I read on one of the threads that you could check in for your cruise and then leave to shop or sightsee. Not clear if they meant you could go on the ship and then get back off or if you could check in get you card but not board the ship. When we were in the parking garage elevator someone asked the porter which way to go to the mall but I wasn't sure if they were checking in or checking out.

 

We did see people just carrying water on board, I saw one man with what looked like a 24 pack of water. We bought water at The Cafe on deck 7 before our Roatan excursion, the next day we just filled those bottles to take with us but they gave us bottled water on the bus, the same in Belize.

[Toyz711]

didn't need to do a ice run, we had this little 2-bottle soft-sided cooler. no bigger then a purse, folds down to flat. i put it up by the ice bucket and a note, got ice in it everytime i left it open and where they could see it.

[rubythroatbird]

Is there a chlorine taste to the water or is it a neutral taste? Water in New Orleans may have a poor reputation for health, but it tastes great, and water from Abita Springs on the Northshore is second to none in both categories, so I may be spoiled.

 

I'm not a person for iced teas or flavored waters so if the cruise ship water has a strong taste of chlorine I would prefer to bring my own bottled water. What say you?

 

We sail Jan. 13.

 

How good or how bad is the coffee? I read elsewhere that there are coffee makers in the rooms of the Spirit, right? If the coffee is bad, we'll want to bring our own Community Coffee. (Oh dear. I hope we don't sound too high maintenance!)

[Ohio_Thom]

The water on board was really good. Not chlorine tasting at all.

[Toyz711]

the water is really good. no after taste at all, they use a different system then water systems at home.

[CorvetteLady]

I had one Bahama Mama the rest of the time I drank water and hot chocolate, it was all good. The only time you really need bottled water is in the ports.

[cassatt]

didn't need to do a ice run, we had this little 2-bottle soft-sided cooler. no bigger then a purse, folds down to flat. i put it up by the ice bucket and a note, got ice in it everytime i left it open and where they could see it.

 

When I spoke with NCL customer service a couple of days ago, they told me that all rooms have a small fridge. Is that true?

 

thanks,

Erica

[Toyz711]

not on the NCL spirit, some of the other ships have refrigs in every room. the older ships don't. on the spirit, only the suites have them.

[electricron]

When I spoke with NCL customer service a couple of days ago, they told me that all rooms have a small fridge. Is that true?

 

thanks,

Erica

 

Yes, and No.

 

Ships that have small refrigerators in every cabin:

Aloha, Sun, Star, Dawn, America, Jewel, Jade (ex-POH), Pearl, and Gem.

 

Ships that have small refrigerators in Suites only:

Dream, Majesty, and Spirit.

 

Basically, every ship entering service in 1999 and afterwards do, those built before 1999 don't.

 

Since the Dream and Majesty are scheduled to leave NCL's fleet of ship this year or next, I don't expect NCL will add small refrigerators to their cabins. Which leaves the Spirit without them for the forseeable future, which will make it stick out like a sore thumb in NCL's fleet. I wouldn't be surprised to see small refrigerators added to the cabins that don't have them on the Spirit at some point of time in the future. Will Freestyle 2.0 upgrade program be the reason and the appropriate time?

Adding small refrigerators to the Spirit's 950+ cabins without them will not be cheap. They will need to run additional wiring to these cabins to power them, and remodel the cabinets (woodworks) in these cabins to put them in/on. Then plumbing for drainage has to be considered. I'm not saying it can't be done, just that it would be an expensive remodeling job to add them.

Remodeling all the cabins is usually only performed during a ship's mid-life upgrades, when the ship is approximately 12 to 15 years old. The Spirit will not reach 15 years in service until 2013, not for another 5 to 6 years.