30.4.05. No tickets had arrived, so we had a long wait at the airport. Massive queue!!! However when we eventually arrived we were very impressed. This was our 10th cruise and 6th cruise for our 5 year old daughter. All in all the whole week was excellent. My mother came with us (at 79 years old her 4th cruise in 12 months) she is totally hooked. It was our first time on the Spirit but everything was excellent. The food was beyond belief, from lobster and fillet steak to steak and kidney pud, something for everyone. We have eaten in some very posh end expensive restaurants but the food on this ship takes some beating. The staff on board are a credit to themselves and Thomson. It is a great pity that the British are not as enthusiastic, consciencous and polite when dealing with the general public as the crew on the Spirit. The whole entertainment programme was brilliant. Our cabin girl Ludmina was superb. A massive thanks to Laura and Nicola from kids club who entertained our daughter Bethany all through the cruise, even when she was the only child there. A cruise is for any age group, everyone is catered for. We have also been on the big American ships, but the atmosphere on an English ship would be very difficult to beat. Looking forward to our cruise at Christmas on the Celebration!!!

This was the very first cruise we had been on and I can tell you it won't be the last!! We had a fab flight out on the Friday morning with excellent cabin crew. When we got to Palma there were reps there to assist you in any way possible. After the very short bus ride we arrived at the dock side.... FANTASTIC! We got on board and the week just got better and better. The first night was the sail away deck party and that was just fantastic everyone was up dancing and having a ball! I must admit the first day we got our money out of the all inclusive upgrade! If you like a drink I would reccomend you getting this package. The food was excellent we wnt into the compass rose every evening at 6.30pm and we had something different every night. All the staff could not have been friendlier from our cabin stewardess who cleaned our cabins twice a day to our wine waiter in the restraunt and the waitress in the broadway mezzanine everyone was just so friendly. We were in a deck 8 deluxe cabin which was very nice but as we hardly spent anytime in it we felt it was a bit of a waste of money to upgrade. I am glad to say that we have already booked for next year as we enjoyed it that much and we are going on a 2 week cruise next year rather than just 1 week as it just wasn't long enough. If anyone was wanting to go on a cruise for the first time we would reccomend the Thomson Spirit all the time.

Our tickets were to be picked up from the Thomson desk, which concerned me, but I need not have worried, as they printed tickets whilst we waited. At Palma, all went smooth & we arrived at the ship to find envelopes waiting for each person with luggage labels & boarding cards. After sticking labels to luggage we went to the next stage which was to validate your card with your photo. During the day I took my Credit Card to reception so that all our cabin expenses could be deducted. On entering ship we were individually taken to our cabin, shown round & our cases arrived about 15 min later. The cabin, on deck 3, was a good size with queen-size bed & plenty of wardrobe & drawer space. Good advice I picked up from the forum was to take an extension lead. We could plug mobile phone chargers, hair tongs (not mine)& kettle. On exploring, we did get lost a couple of times but all was spick & span with very friendly crew everywhere.

We went to the excursion talk Saturday, which was very informative for the organised trips but little info for DIY travellers. We booked Florence/ Pisa, Monuments of Rome & the half-day panoramic tour of Corsica. On Sunday, because of the Grand Prix, Monaco was out of the question. A choice of trips were available but we went ashore by well organised tender to Villafrance, took the land train for a tour & really enjoyed the town. Monday was the Florence & Pisa trip. Absolutely wonderful but tiring. Tuesday was Rome! I still can’t believe I have seen all those historical places. It was a bit of a cultural overload so, after a hectic 2 days, Corsica on Wednesday made a welcome respite. Thursday Mahon. As we were there a couple of years ago we decided a leisurely day was in order so just strolled around. In each cabin was a map of the ports & the Cruise News kept you up to date about most things.

We queued for about ¾ hour to join the Captain’s cocktail party, with the obligatory photos taken every so often. He must get fed up posing with everyone every week. After meeting the Captain he introduced his officers & senior staff & we all went our separate ways to bars, restaurants etc. We are not much for sunbathing but, if we wanted to, the facilities were there. Entertainment was very good & varied both in the Broadway lounge & in the other bars. Breakfast in the Lido can be taken inside or out with a separate counter outside serving poached eggs etc. We ate in the Compass Rose most nights & were very satisfied with our meals. On Wednesday night, after the restaurant was closed, the chefs etc laid on the most superb buffet. There was a queue to take photos first & then those who wished could tuck in. In th Compass Rose on the last night all the chefs, waiters & other staff were introduced & sang to us. We tried the casino & won then lost about £30.00 between us. Real high rollers, us. This was our first cruise. I hope it wont be the last & all in all a terrific weeks holiday to be recommended to all.

smee

what can i say had a brill time looked after really well zhana who cleaned our room twice aday fo und my expensive sunglasses i thought were lost when i entered the room found my daughters teddy monkey wearing them entertainment was fantastic enjoyed every show even watched and met comedy impresionist aiden j harvey who was afavorite of mine when i was 10 years old had to get used to being waited on the compass rose resteraunt was brill looked after by dodi lem andreas also jean piere in the piano bar will gladly play a song for you if you ask him he played my fav beyond the sea if you dont enjoy this cruise you dont deserve to be on it

We travelled on the spirit on 27th May, as a special treat for our silver wedding anniversary, we had a wonderful week, starting with the flowers in our cabin and champagne with chocolate dipped strawberries. Our cabin was on deck 7 room number 114, it was a really large room as it was a slightly different shape to the other deluxe cabins, with a bath and shower and loads of wardrobe and drawer space. We had a large window with no realy restrictions on the view, although the cabins further along from us would have only seen lifeboats from theres I think.

The room was spotless and nina, our housekeeper, kept it that way twice a day throughout the week, nothing was too much trouble for her.

We had breakfast in the lido buffett restaurant for the first three days until we found out you could get breakfast in the compass rose restaurant, freshly made to order with waiter service, what a lovely way to start your day.

The entertainment on board was excellent, something different everynight and all to a very proffessional standard.

We were all inclusive for drinks which was really nice, I tried to taste all of the cocktails but got stuck on number five - the mambo - it was georgous and i stuck to that for the rest of the week!!

The waiter service in the showlounge meant know queing at bars which was a bonus!!

All in all the whole cruise was an excellent first time experience - from the delicious food to the wonderful entertainment, and sunshine all the way - we will definately be doing this again!!

We sailed on the spirit for a week on 27th May.It was one of the best weeks of my life.We were first time cruisers and knew roughly what to expect from reading all the reviews, but it exceded all our expectations.From the minute we saw the ship whilst on the transfer bus it was fantastic. Our cases were outside our cabin within half an hour of arrival. We had got a free cabin upgrade to a deluxe because originally last June we had booked to travel on 17th June, which after we(and probably quite a few others) had booked Thomson decided to make adult only!we were pretty hacked off at the time but in the end it couldn't have turned out better. The cabin was lovely, far bigger than we had anticipated, lots of storage space and very quiet, but having seen the outside cabin,when we go again (next year I hope)can't really justify the £600 extra it would have cost,everything is too fantastic to spend time in the cabin.
Staff were cleaning constantly all over the ship, we never had to wait more than a few minutes for a drink in any of the bars or restaurants, we were all inclusive, which is obviously fantastic value, especially if it is free at time of booking.You DO NOT have to pay for wine in the Compass Rose if you are all inclusive unless you order a bottle, so don't order one, simply ask one of the many wine waiters for a glass and you may have as many as you wish. We ate in the Compass Rose every night, lovely, but the food in the lido is excellent also, we just went for the whole cruise experience and dressed up every night, Even my 14 year old son thought it was great.Entertainment was as much as you wanted it to be, quiet piano bars or the disco in High Spirits. We never intended to go on any of the organised trips as we knew they were expensive. In places like Barcelona (we took th open top tourist bus good value at 17 euros , it takes you all round the city and you can get off at any point you wish)it was easy to explore yourself, but not perhaps in other places, especially the Italian stops, next time we would budget for a couple of trips.

Went on our first cruise in 2003, on the Spirit. Just had one week to try it out.
Was so impressed with the whole thing, we went again in 2004 for another two weeks on the Spirit.
Again we had a great time and couldn't fault anything apart from maybe the itinery, some of the destinations were less than inspiring.

I'm surprised at some negative comments about the food as it was spot on all the time we were on board.

We have just come back from a week on the Destiny, which is nowhere near as good food wise, but is better if you are sunworshippers (which we are not)as the pool area is better and there are loads more sunbeds.

We would go on the Spirit again, but not the Destiny.

We travelled on the Fortunate Isles Cruise the ship its self was very nice.We had our first meal in the Compass Rose service was very slow so after that we ate in the Lido.Some of the staff are very miserable the onboard entertainment is excellent especially the Moulin Rouge Show Richard Sykes cruise director is brill as is Lloyd all in all a great cruise would go again.

All in all a good, value for money cruise, good entertainment very professional,good friendly service in the bars especially high spirits, compass rose not so friendly
Disapointed with quality of the main couse meat and presentation (too much food on your plate)Compass Rose.
Ordered the lamb in Sirroco's, inedible, waiters very apologetic and tried to serve me something else can't believe an alleged chef could send out something like that. Didn't let it spoil our 20th wedding aniversary, more wine please waiter.
Luckily my wife is a fish eater all of which was fine.

i am 15 years old and i thought that the cruise was really broing. the entertainment that was there was good but there still wasn't enough entertain ment during the day. i also think they should warn you there is a chance of sea sickness!!