My return to NCL-NCL Spirit Boston to Bermuda 8-7-09 to 8/14/09

[jimswims]

Thoroughly enjoyed your review of your extended family's wonderful week on the Spirit! Have not been on her yet, but want to go now!!:) I also particularly appreciated your comments on giving thanks. We should all do much more of that. I am convinced it enhances our appreciation of all the good things in life, plus girds us with the necessary strength to face the tough times.

 

Very well said. Thank you :).

[WinnieinWA]

Thanks for a great review ! :)

[mag]

thank you thank you thank you ... I can't wait!

[bluefintuna]

Thank you for your great review of Spirit. We sailed on her mid May and loved driving to a cruise. The Bermuda run is ideal and we hope to do it again next May.

[gb58]

Probably one of the best reviews I've read on CC. Thanks for taking the time + effort to write it. (I don't think my degree paper was that long!!!:D)

 

You have definitely whetted our appetite for our upcoming cruise (1st time Bermuda, 1st time Spirit!!):D

[romrai]

Excellent review. Its the best I've read. If you don't mind answering.....did you notice a hookup on the tv, where you could plug in a small dvd player (no screen). I can't seem to get an answer. Thanks so much for the time you spent on your review.

 

sue

[jimswims]

Excellent review. Its the best I've read. If you don't mind answering.....did you notice a hookup on the tv, where you could plug in a small dvd player (no screen). I can't seem to get an answer. Thanks so much for the time you spent on your review.

 

sue

 

I did not notice but my 14 year old say yes. He just said that there was 2 spots, a red and a yellow to plug in. He says that it was a video and audio plug.

 

My wife also says that there were the plugs to do this in 2006 in our inside cabin. The TV's looked like the same ones to her.

[ROBKAR77]

Jim it was wonderful to swim along with you and your family on this cruise. very informative! I can't wait for our turn in 4 days. :)

[jimswims]

Jim it was wonderful to swim along with you and your family on this cruise. very informative! I can't wait for our turn in 4 days. :)

 

Have a great time. As you probably guessed, I love that ship:D!

[snorklinbarb]

Hi Jim,

Looks like Coka sent you sent of her dance pills.:D Seriously, between reading her whole review and yours today, the morning is pretty well shot.;)

 

You have a wonderful talent of telling a story and keeping the reader interested. We loved our one cruise on the Spirit so much we went back for a one nighter. You brought it all right back. I love hearing about wonderful large family experiences like yours as it's really hard to keep all ages happy.

 

Sounds like Paul Baya is still entertaining the guests with his singing.

 

When we were on a long Dawn repo in May 2003, frog legs were actually offered as an entree.:) I just love them and it is so rare to find them anywhere. The Enchanted Dinner sounds like a perfect place for your wife's birthday and I'm glad you could enjoy some private time together.

 

July 2007 we were part of the Dawn Flashers and met a couple named Robert & Suzann from NJ. We did have dinner together at Salsa's and managed to polish off a couple of bottles of wine. At that time they had many many cruises on Carnival and just happened to try NCL. They liked it so much they bought the future award and said they planned to go back to the Dawn very soon. It certainly sounds like the same couple? Sorry to hear of Robert's passing, always tough on those left behind.:(

 

My 89 yr old father & his 82 yr old lady friend love to dance. I took them on a 4 night QM2 cruise and they enjoyed their dancing every night. When you described seeing your parents dance, I recalled how lovely it was watching them dance. Regrettably, my mother has passed away but he is loving life still, no cane, walker or wheelchair. We can't wait to celebrate his 90th.:)

 

BTW, we heard the Choc. Buffets had to be moved to the Garden Cafe due to health standards, noseguards and all. It certainly was a "prettier" event in the DR.

 

Thanks for one of the best reviews I've ever read anywhere.

[jimswims]

Hi Jim' date='

Looks like Coka sent you sent of her dance pills.:D Seriously, between reading her whole review and yours today, the morning is pretty well shot.;)

 

You have a wonderful talent of telling a story and keeping the reader interested. We loved our one cruise on the Spirit so much we went back for a one nighter. You brought it all right back. I love hearing about wonderful large family experiences like yours as it's really hard to keep all ages happy.

 

Sounds like Paul Baya is still entertaining the guests with his singing.

 

When we were on a long Dawn repo in May 2003, frog legs were actually offered as an entree.:) I just love them and it is so rare to find them anywhere. The Enchanted Dinner sounds like a perfect place for your wife's birthday and I'm glad you could enjoy some private time together.

 

July 2007 we were part of the Dawn Flashers and met a couple named Robert & Suzann from NJ. We did have dinner together at Salsa's and managed to polish off a couple of bottles of wine. At that time they had many many cruises on Carnival and just happened to try NCL. They liked it so much they bought the future award and said they planned to go back to the Dawn very soon. It certainly sounds like the same couple? Sorry to hear of Robert's passing, always tough on those left behind.:(

 

My 89 yr old father & his 82 yr old lady friend love to dance. I took them on a 4 night QM2 cruise and they enjoyed their dancing every night. When you described seeing your parents dance, I recalled how lovely it was watching them dance. Regrettably, my mother has passed away but he is loving life still, no cane, walker or wheelchair. We can't wait to celebrate his 90th.:)

 

BTW, we heard the Choc. Buffets had to be moved to the Garden Cafe due to health standards, noseguards and all. It certainly was a "prettier" event in the DR.

 

Thanks for one of the best reviews I've ever read anywhere.[/quote']

 

Thank you for you comments Barb!

 

I told coka before I left that I would make her proud. I kept my part of the bargain.:D

 

I believe that there was a time that Frog legs were on the menu at Le Bistro but I could be wrong.

 

I believe that we are talking about the same Robert and Suzann. Are you sure you did not mean July 2006 though? I know they were on the Dawn previous to our meeting them in August 2007 but I did not think that their cruises were that close together. But, knowing them, it is entirely possible!

 

I hope that your Dad keeps on dancing! My grandfather is approaching 95, still makes time in his busy schedule to golf every Monday. It is good to see him loving life still!

 

I see that there is a one nighter on the Spirit in September 2010 out of Boston. I may have to add that to the list!

[fiftyguy]

Jim - what a terrific review! I feel like I was there with you.

 

In fact you made my ten month wait to get on the Spirit feel like it's 2 years away! I want to go now. Who says patience is a virtue.

[bermudashorts]

Wow, what a nice review.

You seemed to capture the whole cruise so well.

Really got me excited about ours..lol

 

We will be one the dawn in Oct and might be doing the catamaran tour as well.

You mention they came into shallow water but there wasn't a beach.

How deep was the water?

Someone in or group can't swim very well and was wondering if they would have to stay the whole time on the cat or be able to stand in the water.

[jimswims]

Wow, what a nice review.

You seemed to capture the whole cruise so well.

Really got me excited about ours..lol

 

We will be one the dawn in Oct and might be doing the catamaran tour as well.

You mention they came into shallow water but there wasn't a beach.

How deep was the water?

Someone in or group can't swim very well and was wondering if they would have to stay the whole time on the cat or be able to stand in the water.

 

No one could get into the water without a doodle out snorkel vest on the Restless native tour. I am considered a very strong swimmer. I still do compete on occasion. It did not matter, flotation devices were required.

 

I am over 6 feet tall and I could touch but it was up to my neck.

 

This tour stops at different places depending on the weather. The Rising Son II also ran a tour. They stopped at a beach when we sailed with them in 2004. This might be another option for you.

[PreciousPetal]

Jim,

So wonderful to read about your fantastic cruise. Spirit is a very special ship. See you on the high seas soon, I hope!!

[julescruisin]

Jim, Fantastic review loved every minute of it. I am soooo happy you and your family had a wonderful time on your cruise. After being on the Dawn 3 times:p very happily I must say, next year I am thinking of booking the Spirit out of Boston. Happy Cruising.

[bermudashorts]

No one could get into the water without a doodle out snorkel vest on the Restless native tour. I am considered a very strong swimmer. I still do compete on occasion. It did not matter, flotation devices were required.

 

I am over 6 feet tall and I could touch but it was up to my neck.

 

This tour stops at different places depending on the weather. The Rising Son II also ran a tour. They stopped at a beach when we sailed with them in 2004. This might be another option for you.

 

Ok, thanks I'll look into it a bit more

[cherylroslyn]

OK, I am back with some more. Thank you very much for your interest. I will pick up the pace a bit after this installment. I did not realize that I had this much to say.

 

Part 2: (Still Embarkation day)

We left our family members who were up enjoying the pool area and Bier Garten. We went down to our cabins to get unpacked and ready for dinner.

 

Our Cabins:

This brings me to another long story. Skip to the last 2 paragraphs of the cabin section if you do not want to hear the crazy details of my adventure in cabin changes before we ever got to the ship.

 

We booked this cruise in May of 2008. Our last adventure on the Spirit in 2006 had me swearing never to have 4 of us in an inside cabin again. I still blame that Spirit cabin, 5053, as my launch, like a rocket ship, into the suite life! We loved the AB on the Dawn so we booked an AC suite with an adjoining balcony (BB) cabin on the Spirit. We thought that the suite gave us all some space and the perks were not too bad either. The Spirit does not have a suite (balconies or ocean view cabins for that matter) to fit the 4 of us so we needed the adjoining cabin regardless of the category. This is my biggest complaint about the Spirit actually. As I mentioned before, this has been a tough year for my family. Among other things, we needed to do some big home repairs this year. Our old Victorian needed a new roof, siding, painting, and a few other things. We live near the unmerciful Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, this could not wait so we did the responsible thing and took care of our home and downgraded our home away from home! We first re-booked into adjoining balconies. When that did not give us the financial relief needed, I broke my rule and booked one of the large 200 sq. feet interior cabins. My travel agent is still swearing at me for these changes I am sure. We were going to be able to swing this cruise and not suffer the financial ramifications so was good. However, as time went on, we noticed that the prices did drop significantly.

After another call to my Travel Agent and a very helpful and understanding NCL Representative who recognized that we were upgrading our inside cabin to two ocean views, we were allowed to be booked in ocean view cabins on deck 5 mid-ship. This was just down the hall from the torture chamber from 2006! The ocean view cabins did not connect but were side-by-side.

 

The cabins were nice, clean, and roomy enough for two although were officially listed as triples. The beds were upgraded with new mattresses and higher off the ground. I am over 6 feet tall and was thankful for this. There were four drawers, a desk, nightstand, and plenty of closet space. The bathroom had the sink in the middle with shelves on both sides. The shower was to the right and the toilet to the left. Both had a sliding door. We liked our cabins and thought that they had plenty of space. I loved the picture window that gave my view of the sea! My wife and I both thought that these cabins would be just fine. The kids were happy, we were happy, and my bank account was relieved. We also were closer to the gangway and to Bermuda. That has to count for something!

 

My parents, brother, sister-in-law and 3 kids were in balcony cabins on decks 10 and 11. We visited and the connecting balcony cabins are really a nice way for families to sail on the Spirit. They were happy with their cabins. My sister and brother-in-law were also down with us on deck 5.

 

We unpacked and changed clothes. We had a dinner reservation at Le Bistro for 6:00 pm. This has become a family tradition ever since we first sailed on the Spirit in 2006. We have had our first dinner at Le Bistro twice on the Dawn and once on the Dream. All were exceptional meals. This year was no exception.

 

Le Bistro:

We arrived at 6:00 pm to an empty dining room. We were greeted with much enthusiasm and shown to our table for 4. The chef came over and introduced himself. We had the place to ourselves! We ordered and enjoyed our time together. We dined on escargot, cream of mushroom soup, Caesar salad, filet and a wonderful vegetarian dish. Everything was cooked to perfection and once again, my daughter received assistance cutting her filet because the staff did not want my wife or I to have our meals get cold!

 

We were happy to see that the chocolate fondue was back on the Le Bistro menu. Peter, our fantastic waiter, sensed correctly that we were having trouble deciding on dessert so he made sure that we had the fondue and 2 Crème Brulee to try. Other passengers did arrive to Le Bistro and by the time we left they were getting pretty close to capacity. I was also close to capacity and it was time for us to move!

We left and went to the welcome aboard show. Most of my other family members went to Windows for dinner. We met up with them at the show. The Cruise Director, Paul Baya, introduced the singers, dancers, and other acts that we would be seeing throughout the week. We had heard so much about The Cats Pajamas, a singing group that was on-board in past weeks, but they left the ship to be replaced by Jane L. Powell. We have heard Jane before and she is a wonderful lady with a HUGE voice! We were happy to be seeing her again but a bit disappointed to not hear “the Cat’s Pajamas”. However, Amadeus and Arvin and Emily were both singing groups that are very talented and we looked forward to hearing more of them this week as well.

NCL Monte Carlo night with the Freestyle showgirls was also happening in the casino this night. We did not get to this but heard it was fun!

 

We returned to our cabins after touring the ship and exploring a bit more. This is a stunning ship and I am still in love with her! It was a beautiful night at sea with a calm ocean. The sky had some clouds but the moon was out and bright. I looked through the Freestyle Daily and noticed that it had several inserts. Earlier, I did not feel the need to look through this being an NCL pro. But, I was prompted to look at the many things in the daily. In addition to the flyers about the art auctions, laundry services, and casino promotions, there were important information handouts on the Swine Flu and Norwalk-like viruses. Now, you may think that this is a real downer to get this stuff on vacation. I see it as a smart move on NCL’s part just like the hand sanitizers that are all over the ship. Prevention is the best method to staying healthy. If passengers know what to do and follow these easy steps, cruise ships stand a fighting chance to minimize these conditions. Universal precautions are smart and keep people healthy at work, home, school, and on vacation. Now enough of my public service announcement, I am moving on.

 

The Freestyle daily also had several promotions that I missed. My tip for all you NCL pro’s, read the freestyle daily, you may see something new!

 

We decided that room service was the breakfast of choice for the morning. I said my goodnights and put out the light. I said a prayer thanks for a wonderful day, eventful and un-expected in many ways, and counted my many blessings. I do not remember falling asleep but know that it must have been quickly. I woke up to my cabin phone ringing on Saturday morning!

 

Coming up Saturday at sea, pools, public areas and our first dinner at Windows.

 

I will pick up the pace a bit, sorry for all the details. I tend to get a bit wordy.

We like the details.....and you are a good writer. Knowing that you do laundry as well might make you the perfect man....tell your wife I said she is lucky......

[jimswims]

We like the details.....and you are a good writer. Knowing that you do laundry as well might make you the perfect man....tell your wife I said she is lucky......

 

hahaha Thank you:)!

 

I am the lucky one, my wife is a saint to put up with me. I am aware of this fact, believe me.

 

The laundry is the least I could do. She had to get up Saturday at 6:00 am and bring our daughter to a swimming camp in NH for the day!

 

We has so much laundry it is a team effort actually.

 

Enjoy your cruise on the Spirit. You are almost there.:D

[jimswims]

Jim,

So wonderful to read about your fantastic cruise. Spirit is a very special ship. See you on the high seas soon, I hope!!

 

Hi PreciousPetal!

 

Thank you.

 

I hope we are on a cruise together again soon. My best to you and your family!

[MrPete]

Great read! Sounds like a nice ship to my favorite place!

 

When will the pix be up? :D

[snorklinbarb]

Hi again Jim,

Yes, it could have been the Fourth of July Flashers 2006....I've never actually sat down and compiled a list of cruises and dates and ashamedly don't have it in my sig. It was one of those years...

 

Definitely sounds like the same Robert & Suzann. He worked for the turnpike in NJ as an emergency dispatcher as I recall? I know he had a lot of medical problems but still, he was way too young.:(

 

Forgot to say, I think you were treated to a spotted eagle ray! Haven't seen one in a very long time but we've seen them in Eleuthera (Bahamas) and Cayman Brac. Very cool. They won't "bother" you with their stingers. They're more interested in just doing ballet flips around you.;):D

 

Do you dance to that Euro techno music or whatever Coka called it?

 

Sounds like Sean and his team are running a very tight ship.:D

 

Our one nighter on the Spirit was the famous "bomb scare" cruise to nowhere. Over a hundred people ended up getting off and going home even after NCL announced it had been a hoax and we were good to go. And then they wanted compensation.:eek::rolleyes:

[jimswims]

Hi again Jim' date='

Yes, it could have been the Fourth of July Flashers 2006....I've never actually sat down and compiled a list of cruises and dates and ashamedly don't have it in my sig. It was one of those years...

 

Definitely sounds like the same Robert & Suzann. He worked for the turnpike in NJ as an emergency dispatcher as I recall? I know he had a lot of medical problems but still, he was way too young.:(

 

Forgot to say, I think you were treated to a spotted eagle ray! Haven't seen one in a very long time but we've seen them in Eleuthera (Bahamas) and Cayman Brac. Very cool. They won't "bother" you with their stingers. They're more interested in just doing ballet flips around you.;):D

 

Do you dance to that Euro techno music or whatever Coka called it?

 

Sounds like Sean and his team are running a very tight ship.:D

 

Our one nighter on the Spirit was the famous "bomb scare" cruise to nowhere. Over a hundred people ended up getting off and going home even after NCL announced it had been a hoax and we were good to go. And then they wanted compensation.:eek::rolleyes:[/quote']

 

Hi Barb,

 

Yes, we do know the same Robert and Suzann!

 

The night I danced on the deck it was to the more pop kind of the 70's, 80's and 90's! I have seen coka in action on 2 weekend cruises. She does not stop dancing!

 

I agree. Sean and his team are working hard. We were extremely happy with the entire cruise.

 

I remember the Bomb Scare cruise. That was quite an ordeal.

 

I bet that is the type of Ray that I saw. It was a graceful fish that is for sure. I just googled it. My son and both agree that this is the Ray that we saw.

[jimswims]

Great read! Sounds like a nice ship to my favorite place!

 

When will the pix be up? :D

 

That will not be happening. I do not even know how to do that, haha!

[Smellytoes]

Jim, DH and I were considering staying at the Atlantis Resort next year instead of a cruise:eek: After reading your review I think I would be disappointed in anything other than the Spirit.