All Good Things Must Come To An End - Sea you later Norwegian Spirit
By Cruising With Honey - 02:47
All good things must come to an end
Day 7 aboard Norwegian Spirit
The final day aboard is always a little melancholic. Over the last week, I had seen parts of the world that my eyes never dreamed of witnessing, made friends for life and discovered a new ship that will own a piece of my heart. Both French Polynesia and Norwegian Spirit have woven their magic and it was soon time to say goodbye.
Shiny, sunny day
I really didn’t have much time to plop myself by the pools and enjoy the atmosphere, and with the sun shining in all its glory. I headed to Spice H20. Located at the aft of the ship, this adults only area had three things I loved. An uninterrupted wake view, a good-sized pool and at that quintessential cruise vibe. Nearly every lounger was taken, but I found a spot, grabbed a cocktail and sun baked (with sunscreen of course).
After a while, I wandered over to the main pool deck where a chirpy crew member was teaching a modern line dance class. It was so much fun! Naturally I joined in trying with my unco body to keep up. This is what no other holiday or resort can offer; strangers discarding their inhibitions, laughing, dancing, and thoroughly enjoying the moment, immersing themselves in that cruising state of mind.
Suite life
One of the many perks I’m lucky to get when invited on ships is that I get to inspect other category cabins. And today, I got to view a beautiful suite on Deck 10. Now as mentioned earlier, the Norwegian Spirit has had a $100 million (US) plus refit. The ship has had a complete refurbishment from top to tail, including the cabins. While I’ve never stayed in suite (the highest category I’ve cruised in has been a mini suite on Coral Princess which was wonderful) I aspire to one day sail in a suite.
The suites on Norwegian have butler service! A dedicated butler ensures you have all the creature comforts you need while aboard. How fancy is that? As I stepped into the stateroom, my first impression was that it was so light and spacious. A separate lounge area with a large modern flat screen, plus a kitchen nook of sorts, complete with an automatic coffee machine.
Moving on to the balcony, the area included two chairs and table, and a sneaky little window on the end which looked into the bathroom. The bedroom was large and had copious storage, lots of mirrors and a queen bed. It was all very impressive.
But the pièce de resistance was the bathroom. If I had this cabin, I would guarantee I’d spend the majority of the time indulging in the large spa bath. The shower was another showstopper featuring an almost floor length window. Imagine showering with those incredible sea views! The suite provided a sanctuary of comfort, style and luxury.
That’s entertainment
However, I felt a little guilty I hadn’t yet caught a show, so tonight I sat in the massive theatre and watched one of the shows, Blazing Boots. Picture a little bit of country, a little bit of cheeky choreography and extravagant costumes. It was a hoot very well executed.
Was it really that time to put my bag out?
Reality finally hit when I zipped up my bags and rolled them begrudgingly outside my stateroom door. I was going to miss the smiley steward who meticulously cleaned my cabin, the sneaky 3am chicken wings at the 24 hour eatery and the sound of the ocean as I sat on my balcony.
I’d like to think that each voyage I take I learn a little more about myself. So, what lessons will I take away from this adventure? Well, firstly and most importantly for me, I learned that despite having taken 11 cruises in 2022, I’m happy to say that I’ll never take any moment for granted. I’m beyond privileged that I can have these experience and I’m grateful for each cruise.
I also learned that I could face my fears of swimming with stingrays and sharks. That was a big accomplishment.
But what I learned the most about myself is that the wanderlust to travel, see the world, meet people from other cultures and discover new ships and crew, is stronger than ever. This might be the last day of this cruise, but I’m now even more determined to show people the many gifts cruising brings.
As I lay my head down to sleep on this last night, I reaffirmed the promise I made to myself seven years ago; to continue to Cruise Through This Thing Called Life.
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