My First NCL Cruise Ever | Full Review of Norwegian Spirit 2024, NCL’s Oldest and Smallest Ship

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Join me onboard Norwegian Spirit, NCL’s smallest and oldest ship for an in-depth cruise review. Watch my full cruise review of Norwegian Spirit as we sail from Tokyo, Japan to Keelung, Taiwan on this 10 night Asian cruise.

I sailed onboard Norwegian Spirit as a guest of NCL. This review is completely mine, representative of my experience onboard, and has not been reviewed by NCL prior to publishing this video.

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0:00 Introduction
1:34 Dining
8:57 What’s It Like Onboard
12:51 The Cabin
13:40 Service
14:55 Entertainment
15:30 Freestyle Cruising
16:27 Free At Sea
17:12 Our Itinerary
19:33 Conclusion

I’m Adrien the cruise and travel guy I just recently returned from 10 nights on board Norwegian Cruise Line’s smallest and oldest ship and in this video I’ll give you a complete Cruise review so sit back relax and enjoy and if you haven’t hit the Subscribe button yet please do I’ve been fascinated with NCL for a long time compared to the likes of Royal Caribbean and Princess or Carnival they don’t have a large presence in Australia and New Zealand so the opportunity to experience one of their ships was something I jumped at on board Norwegian spirit is an elegant and smart ship despite being the smallest and oldest one in the NCL Fleet she feels fresh contemporary and dare I say quite luxurious in many ways that’s all thanks to a US $100 million refit that was completed in 2020 and you can watch a full walkthrough ship Tour on my channel I’ve linked to the video in the description below her 7 5,000 tons makes her borderline small by today’s standards but on board that manifests itself with an easy to navigate layout with no major sensation of crowding even at elevator Banks oh and getting around easily on board was aided by this Nifty detail in the passenger corridors follow the fish to walk forward and walk against them to head off despite her smaller size she still offers a huge variety of venues of which you’ve come to expect from Modern cruising so let’s take a look at what it’s like to eat on board Norwegian Spirit not including room service or the onboard Cafe there are 10 dining venues on board five are included and five are classified as specialty venues in the included range the local is incredibly popular not least of all because it’s open 247 think bar or Pub style food options and you’ll be in the ballpark of what’s on offer at the local but they also offer some specials based on the region that the ship is sailing in all options are available alak cart I tried a special called luro fan and while I can’t say it packed a flavor punch like you’d experience on land it was nice to see something offered that echoed the waters we were sailing in on the regular menu Wings burgers and salads were the Highlight for sure plus there were even Sundays for desserts all were prepared to order and very tasty the local also offered was a breakfast menu every morning which was a nice Middle Ground compared to the full experience in the main restaurant and to the informality of the buffet my only criticism was that eggs any style actually means eggs one of two ways fried or scrambled in the ship’s main restaurants passengers can enjoy breakfast daily and dinner daily while lunch is offered on C days for breakfast there was an extensive menu with some specials listed under daily features and a handy Express option for guests looking to dine and dash that was probably a good choice for those in a rush as breakfast in the main restaurant particularly during busy periods could take a while I wouldn’t call it slow but maybe relaxed the dishes I ordered were cooked well and presented nicely although I have to go on record and say that a breakfast potato is a terribly poor alternative to a hash brown the restaurants themselves particularly Windows the aftermost dining room are lovely places to spend time in there’s a real sense of grandeur thanks to the stately Windows light fixtures and carpeting it’s probably one of my favorite places on board if you arrive early enough for meal time you can even request a table near the windows whilst we didn’t have an opportunity to enjoy lunch in the dining room during our cruise we did have dinner there and service and the food was quite good service was attentive without being pushy and although main dining on ships can sometimes feel a bit mechanical our servers were always is friendly and took the time to check in with us the restaurant opened at around 5:30 for dinner and went through till about 99 or 9:30 and you could either make a reservation each day of the cruise if you liked or you could just go to the restaurant when you were ready to eat and you would be called to a table when one was ready for dinner one night we also tried silk another included dining option that was open exclusively at dinner time silk specializes in Asian Cuisine and the food here was outstanding occasionally on board cruise ship I can find that some of the restaurants that exclusively offer a particular type of Cuisine maybe lack flavor or punch especially compared to options that you’ll find on land but I have to say that Silk without a doubt was not one of those the food was delicious The Taste was really similar to restaurants I’ve enjoyed on land the menu variety was really solid as well I’m just disappointed that I didn’t get to go twice when it comes to Casual Buffet dining the Garden Cafe is your go-to occupying the top deck space between the midship pool and the AF adults only area it was super easy to access from both indoors and out at breakfast there was a wide range of hot and cold options including pre-made omelets and eggs but chefs were also on hand to Freshly prepare them to your tastes if preferred during lunch and dinner time there was a wide variety of options with specials as well there were roasts and meat dishes Asian Cuisine options a pasta Station Pizza and lots more outside of main meal times there were a small number of sweet and savory treats on offer which was a nice addition providing people with the opportunity to quickly and easily grab a snack between meal time I loved that even during peak time say breakfast on a port day there was always somewhere to sit and if not inside the restaurant then even on the pool deck or by the AF area near the adults only deck all of the tables whether outside or in had condiments and Cutlery ready to go the after section in particular is Fant fantastic there are multiple sprawling decks of outdoor dining and lounging space it just made it feel really fuss free on the specialty dining front Spirit belies her size once again offering five restaurants to choose from on by scarpeta lebistro kages Tepanyaki and the sushi bar with the exception of Tepanyaki NCL doesn’t offer a standard cover charge for its specialty restaurants instead it operates like a restaurant on landwood with a menu with alakar pricing for each item many guests on board NCL book their voyages using the cruise lines free at Sea program I’ll speak more about it soon but it’s essentially a promotion that provides guests with perks that can include specialty dining that perk means that guests can book in at one of the venues for no cost and then choose a starter a salad or soup a main course and a dessert although the specifics depend on the restaurant and the menu Travelers can also pre purchase specialty dining packages online before their Cruise which provides that same experience happily we had the chance to sample all of the specialty venues on board spirit teinaki is as fun as you can imagine not only do the chefs provide a side of entertainment showing off their training and skills but the food is terrific and plentiful I highly recommend a visit at least once during your cruise when it comes to Ambience and interior design on by scarpeta was my favorite the beautiful Decor is matched with beautifully prepared Italian food a basket of fresh especially made for katcha was really hard to resist and in fact we might have asked for seconds from starters to pasts and main courses the food here was excellent lebistro is a cozy French restaurant located on the ship’s prominade deck as you’d imagine the food here is Rich crusty baguette with mounds of luscious butter pan seeds scollops goat cheese croates DOA soul and desserts to stop your heart kages quickly became my favorite though both for the exceptional service and the food let’s be honest classic steak houses are generally hard to fault here I enjoyed absolutely everything from the beautifully cooked steaks to the range of sides and desserts but somewhat embarrassingly my favorite dish was the wedge salad it was just so good I was surprised though that a main course order didn’t come with an included side and that each attracted an UT charge I think one side should at least be included with any main course for desserts the eight layer ch cake was Michael’s favorite the sushi bar occupies a little Nook at the front of the silk and Tepanyaki restaurant sushi rolls were made fresh to water and could be tailored if you didn’t care for a particular ingredient we tried a whole bunch of things including the sushi niri seaweed salad and edamame and all were totally delicious at night those having dinner in the included venue silk could order items from the sushi bar to accompany their meal at other car prices when it came time to relax on board the ship there was a huge variety of public spaces to choose from both indoors and out the local was great for its casual fun atmosphere with its undeniable sports bar Vibe Henry’s Pub felt like your cozy neighborhood bar with a real Timber floor and classic Pub Furniture helping to set the mood Regular Music sets by Night added to the fun and it was a great place for a night cap Magnum Champagne Bar stepped things up with its Lux ious fit out and Central Atrium location lending it an air of sophistication the bottles of champagne didn’t hurt either I was also happy that Magnum seating extended right around the upper Atrium level with servers continually doing the rounds and taking orders so finding somewhere to sit around here was never really a problem the Social Club located All the Way Forward was a bit of a strange one I understood it would have been used for comedy shows and other entertainment but instead it was generally used as a kids club venue that’s because Spirit lacks any dedicated kids club facilities which is no big surprise as Spirit has really been tailored for the adult Cruise experience focused more on the destination to be clear though children are still allowed on board that did mean though that the social club was a bit of a dead zone in the early evening while kids only game competitions were held the area would change over to become a nightclub of sorts from about 11:00 p.m. every night but on a port intensive Cruise like ours it just never really took off and things would generally wind up quite quite early Spa Lounge was without a doubt my favorite venue after a long day of exploring on Shore we would typically start our evenings here with a pre-dinner drink the ambience was Perfection helped Along by background music that was at just the right volume to enjoy conversation I love an observation Lounge but throw in a huge variety of seating Nooks with comfy furnishings and unimpeded Views a stunning Central bar a dance floor and a band stand and you pretty much have the perfect venue NCL also use the space for hosted events like Bingo trivia and passenger competitions at other times there would also be live music and bands and dancing and later in the evening things here would wind up and move down to the Social Club and we were told that’s because of spica’s location both above the bridge and officers quarters Outdoors Spirit really excels and stands as a reminder that smaller ships of an older era come with some hardto beat advantages for is she has a proper wraparound prominade deck a feature you just don’t see coming out of shipyards anymore the top decks likewise are expansive and open with plenty of places to just soak in those ocean views whether forward midship or after there were so many places to enjoy Outdoors spirit is undeniably one of the best ships if you enjoy feeling like you’re on a ship the Bee Garden was lovely in particular because of the huge sun shade it meant people could enjoy some time outdoors with or without sitting in direct sunlight it is worth noting though that one half of the bar is a dedicated smoking Zone AF the adult only spice H2O is a brilliant place to enjoy during a seay the terorist stern of spirit is fully utilized here with a pool hot tubs bar and plenty of Sun lounges occupying the lowest level above and spanning across a number of the cascading deck spaces additional Sun lounges as well as dining and more casual lounging areas line the decks several of the upper passenger accommodation decks also exit right out onto spice H2O so it makes it really convenient to get to from your cabin the Garden Cafe also has an entry point from here and there’s a second bar which really means C days can be completely relaxed and fuss free if that’s your style of cruising we stayed in a balcony cabin and I have a separate walkthrough tour which you can watch I’ve linked to it in the description below the cabin itself presents nicely benefiting from the ship’s 2020 upgrade it’s not a large cabin and the smaller size is one of the things that couldn’t be corrected during a makeover having said that the cabin felt well considered there was Ample Storage for two of us admittedly overpacked adults who had brought more than needed for a two-e trip virgin voyagers could learn a thing or two here I would have appreciated a larger television though and an OnDemand entertainment system like princess Cruisers offers the bathroom had a practical layout with three distinct zones and the shower was spacious with a glass door and don’t forget that suitcases do slide under the bed which gives you more room in the cabin service all over the ship was as good as I had ever experienced there was really never any delay in flagging someone down if I wanted to order a drink for example there was always someone nearby thanks to an old knee injury I had to cancel a pre-booked Shore Excursion within 24 hours hours of the tour that Mentor was well within the cancellation period that would mean I would not get a refund which was totally fine without me even asking the crew member suggested that he could try and resell the tickets to another passenger and he did and we ended up getting a refund and that was something that was just one of those customer service experience moments that you always remember a couple of our ports were also cancelled due to weather which I’ll talk more about soon but when the announcement was made over the PA system to let us know about the scheduled change we were also told that passengers with private Shore Excursion Arrangements could go to the main dining room where a Communication Center was set up for people to contact their tour operators that was Next Level attention to detail for tours that weren’t even operated or sold by NL and finally it’s a small thing but I also really enjoyed that bar snacks were offered in the evenings It Was An Elegant Touch and one you typically see on much higher end cruise lines on the the entertainment front Spirit offers a two Lev theater for Main Event Showtime we watched a couple of excellent performances though I wasn’t really allowed to film or capture them in any detail an early and a late seating meant that most people were able to get to Showtime without fuss with the theater doors opening 30 minutes before the show start time I especially liked the upper balcony seating which provided an excellent view in other venues around the ship live music was a big part of the entertainment roster with bands vocalists and pianists stationed throughout at different times ncl’s Credo is all about freestyle cruising which really allows travelers to follow their own Bliss while on board whether that means fine dining or casual meals al fresco dressing up or dressing down to that end the overall feel on board skews more towards casual which especially suited our Port intensive Cruise in terms of an official dress code NCL advertisers Cruise casual which allows for swimwear in the buffet and outdoor restaurants and shorts and t-shirts pretty much everywhere else thongs or flip-flops are okay throughout the ship but not permitted in the main or specialty dining rooms while I’m not a big fan of black taii formal kns I have to admit at the beginning of the cruise I was a little bit not shocked that’s too strong a word but I was surprised to see people wearing shorts and thongs or flipflops in bar venues after dark I got used to it but it’s just not something that I’m familiar with from most of my previous time on other Cruise Lines NCL has really bridged the gap between extra charge cruising and all-inclusive cruising with its free at Sea program essentially it’s an evergreen promotion of sorts that provides Travelers with a range of inclusions as part of their Fair usually available on cruises of three or more nights in duration it’s important to check the specifics of your cruise and whatever promotions available before you book but generally guests can pick between five included options which might span from internet and a drinks package to reduce rates for third and fourth guests it’s also worth noting that for Australian and New Zealand Travelers gratuities even those associated with beverage packages and Specialty dining are all inclusive our particular itinerary was 10 nights in duration and began in Tokyo the ship then sailed South towards Taiwan with scheduled stops in shitsu ngoya Kobe coochi naha makako Jima juen and then finally kilong thanks to weather we were forced to skip our stop in ngoya replaced with a day at Sea as well as our stop in miako gima replaced with an overnight stop in naha due to the recent and horrific earthquake in Taiwan our call into Juan was also replaced with an overnight stay in kilong which is also where we disembarked I’ll soon publish a separate video detailing the ports and our onshore experiences it might be on the channel by the time you watch this overall though Japan is an incredible destination to cruise the people are so friendly it’s easy to get around even by yourself the sites are stunning and the food especially was one of my favorite things to experience and enjoy during ports of call we also chose to take two NC shore excursions which I will detail in the upcoming video as a cruise taking place at the beginning of Japan’s summer wet weather was a possibility and unfortunately we did experience more than our share of wet days I would probably recommend a cruise earlier in the year potentially around the spring season where you could even take advantage of cherry blossom season still we didn’t let the weather dampen our spirits and we walked Walked and walked everywhere we could we saw as much as we could irrespective of what the sky was doing those of you with weak stomachs look away now but one of my favorite days on board was when we encountered a storm it was actually the day we were meant to dock in neoya and as evidenced by the weather we encountered at Sea it was for the best that we didn’t call into port the storm only lasted a few hours but except for that short time the rest of the cruise was smooth sailing despite the rain being a fairly consistent companion Norwegian spirit is currently sailing in Asia with bookings available between September 2024 and December 2025 at which point she’ll reposition South to Australia and New Zealand via Singapore in fact I’m hosting a group cruise on board Norwegian spirit in January 2026 and will be sailing from Sydney to Oakland for 11 nights I’ve popped a link in the description below if you’d like to learn more and even reserve your spot on board I really enjoyed my first cruise with NCL trying to position them based on my previous Cruise experience I would say they reminded me most of Royal Caribbean but having said that Norwegian spirit is such a unique ship within the fleet I can say with confidence that she has become one of my favorites her smaller size and fewer passengers means that on board things never feel Chao but she still offers an enormous variety of public spaces while her cabins are on the smaller side compared to newer vessels I think it’s a worthy tradeoff for the overall Cruise experience these days smaller scale ships are the norm for premium and luxury cruise lines but most mainstream lines have long given up on smaller vessels the fact that NCL not only still offers a variety of smaller ships but that they chose to invest so heavily in ensuring Spirit remains a competitive choice in the 2020s to me speaks volumes about the guest experience NCL is trying to Foster on board and while I can’t yet speak for the rest of ncl’s Fleet Norwegian Spirit almost perfectly Blends that ethos of modern cruising within a more elegant and traditional oceangoing package I highly recommend a cruise on Norwegian spirits and if you’d like to book one you can head to my website the cruise and trouble guy.com Au I really hope you enjoyed the review and you can watch the other videos like the the tour for the ship and the tour for the cabin and very soon if it’s not available at the moment you’ll find my Japan review as well thanks so much for watching I hope you enjoyed give me a follow on Facebook and Instagram @ The Cru and travel guy and make sure you subscribe to the channel to stay up toate with all of my content thanks again and I’ll see you soon [Music]