great time on board the ship very clean and spacious.
food was great in the compass rose, favourite bar was the horizons lounge, entertainment was great led by richards sykes although the only complaint was the take over of the entertainment by the family from birmingham as noted by an earlier poster

We sailed on the spirit on 18/2/05, we have cruised on carnival ships on three occasions and the island escape once. We read all reviews on the spirit for this trip,and it was pleasing to see most were very positive.
The trip from cardiff right to our cabin was excellent,we were on deck three outside cabin,the cabin was far better than we expected very roomy and well laid out with more storage than on any other ship we have been on.
The staff,food and entertainment was first class, Although we love the caribbean, this cruise with the short flight and excellent value for money has made us change our future vacation plans.
The next trip we will get a room with a window instead of a porthole, On my wish list for the spirit would be a little more to do if you dont want to get off, also a bigger or better laid out casino, we both love casino's and the spirit could have another roulette table, more american slots instead of the tight british pub ones, The weather was not great but compared to the artic uk it was good. Overall outstanding value for money will be back on the spirit as soon as possible

Having cruised twice before, once on the island escape and once on the carousel, this ship was the best of all three regarding cleanliness and general condition.

The cabins are excellent, with nice decor, lots of room and storage space (with more than enough hangers), hair dryer in cabin. We were inside deck 2.

We would describe the food as very good, although the island escape was slightly better at excellent.

All staff were very good, bearing in mind these folks work long hours for very little pay.

The on-board entertainment team are fantastic, one of them is an "older" guy called Frankie who is absolutely talented and a fantastic encouragement to the younger members. They are highly motivated, enthusiastic and totally committed to entertainment. It is evident that they work extremely well together as a team. Well done to all!!

If the spirit, island escape were lined up together and going the same route and ports we would embark the spirit with island a very, very close second (only because the ship is older and showing this a little). We would not go on the carousel even if the other two ships had already sailed.

This was our second cruise on the SPIRIT. It gets better (if that is possible)
We stayed in the Arona Gran in Los Cristianos for a week then joined the SPIRIT for the second week.
The ship is very clean and tidy at all times. The food is varied and excellent. Dining options are there to be taken advantage of. Use them. You wont be disappointed whichever you choose.
Staff were fantastic, always smiling, helpful and polite. Nothing is too much trouble for them.
The entertainment is first class. Costumes are outstanding. Richard Sykes has an excellennt team of dedicated proffesional performers. Well done too you all, you have so much energy. It shows that you all enjoy doing something you love.
Would we sail on the SPIRIT again? YES. We will be back on board in September for the Jewels of the Mediterranean. Really looking forward to it already.
Anyone one that has not been on a cruise before, try it. You will not be disappointed. HAPPY CRUISING

Does anyone know wether Reilly still works on board he was one of the dancers very cute.

where do i start it was great from getting on the ship no queues or hold ups at all, luggage arrived in cabin about 10 mins after us all the bars are good and the quality of food excellent you can have 6 course meals waiter served in the compass rose resturant or if you prefer buffet in the lido which is open 24 hours lots of choice and a carvery every night.

entertainment on the boat is second to none the shows on a night were great, also if you didnt want to see a show there was a comedian, catchphrase, family fortunes,weakest link and all sort of quiz games played upstairs also quiet bars if you just fancied a quiet drink, also the casino. the entertainment during the day was good also sports games for the fit quizzes, music played, vegatable carving and napkin folding is a must know it sounds boring but what the blokes can do with a napkin or a vegatable is amazing.if you diodnt want to get off the boat plenty to keep you amused.

cabins are spacious we had a deck 1 outside cabin for 4, 2 sets of bunkbeds we have 2 teenagers aged 15 and 16 and didnt find it a problem 4 large wardrobe and lots of coathangers t v as well that shows sky news, films, and discovery channel

we went to las palmas this had a nice shopping centre and quite a good few shops la palma we didnt get off the boat it was sunday and nothig was open but people that did says it was loverly maderia that was lovely took the cable ride up to the top that is a must, morrocco had bad reports about that got off but didnt like it so went back to the boat quite a few people got accosted and asked for money even threatened some off them so just be careful ,lanzarote again good for shopping and a beach and tenerife lots of shops.

the staff are fantastic the cabin maid makes lots of animals for your room out of the towels. they come in a morning to clean up then again on a night to put back your covers and leave choccies on your pillow everyone is so polite and friendly and we made lots of new friends.

what to wear i was really worried about this because having a 14 yr old lad that lives in tracksuit bottoms but saying that he was fine he made friends with some other lads that was his age and they were just the same because we went all inclusive he just went with them to the lido buffet and ate there you only have to dress up 1 night which is the captains cocktail party all the rest of the nights were smart casual during the day people wore shorts and t shirts.

going home the day you go home you have to put your luggage outside your cabin the night before with labels on for your flight and the day you leave they call your flight number and you get off the boat and go to a designated area where you check your luggage in and then get back on the boat, you dont see it again till you get to your english airport its great no messing about to check in at resort airport.
you are just so looked after it is unbelievable this really is heaven nothing is too much trouble for any of the staff and a wide age range it will be a long time before i go on a land holiday again even if you dont have the all inclusive drinks are not expensive 2.20 for a pint of beer 1.80 for a bottle smirnoff ice ect even my teenagers loved it and cant wait to go again so that saying something.

me and my husband had our marriage blessed which we booked in england that was so romantic can thoroughly advise it

This was the first time on a cruise for myself & my husband & we had a fantastic time. Arrived late on friday from Glasgow and after a slight delay in the luggage coming through were taken by coach to the ship.There you get your picture taken for your security pass before you get on , put your cabin number on your luggage & it is taken to your cabin very soon after your arrival.We then thought we'd check out the Lido Restaurant & had a lovely meal, so much to choose from.The sail away deck party was good & before bed happened to be passing the Lido again & couldn't resist a late night snack, a hotdog ! This became a regular occurance most evenings, well your on holiday after all! The staff were fantastic, drink & food waiters couldn't do enough for you & as soon as you finished a meal in the Lido your plate was taken away & if you want more you get a clean plate. The Compass Rose restaurant was great aswell with the waiter service & we shared tables with some lovely people. One night we did manage to get a table for 2 as it was later in evening & not as busy. Booked into Siroccos (£15 supplement a head but worth every penny)on the Tuesday as we were at sea all day & it gave us a treat to look forward to. Dylan our waiter was fantastic & the food out of this world, recommend the Duck & the prawns, but i don't think you would be disappointed with any of the food. A few people were having birthdays & they got a special cake made.
Every night the entertainment was superb, Richard the cruise director & his team are very professional, from Moulin Rouge to Westside Story not to mention the games, Dominique with the weakest link who does a very good impression of Anne Robinson.We also done the napkin folding , the waiters are very talented.
Ship was very busy on day at sea so loungers few & far between unless you're up early but you can go to the cinema or see a show.Only one thing to complain about , you get your picture taken at every opportunity but they can be costly @ £11.95 for most so i would suggest you get your picture taken whenever you see the photographer set up & chose the best ones & buy a couple but it would be very expensive if you wanted them all.If they reduced them in price people would buy more.
We were on deck 1 outside & on the first night didnt sleep very well because its like sleeping in the kitchen with the washing machine on but once you are used to it, no problems . Nobody seemed to be seasick either.Suggest booking one of the trips to Morocco because most people that got a taxi outside ship wished they had. We went on the souk & medina trip (£16 each), the souk is an eye opener & if you dont like bartering then don't go. This is their culture & not something we're used to but the medina (old town) was beautiful & items there are fixed price so no need to barter ! Wooden boxes & sequined slippers were beautiful. So we would highly recommend the Thomson Spirit cruise & can't wait to cruise again.

Spent 4 weeks on the Spirt in the last 12 months. Twice in the canaries and two weeks in the med. About to travel again on the transfer from the Canaries to the med on the 29th April.

The ship is a 3+ star and a Travel Inn of the seas Clean and reasonably presented. The cabins are slightly smaller than some other ships and the sound insulation bewteen cabins almost non existent.

A strong vibration is evident to the rear of the ship and I suspect that cabins here may be subject to this. We have always travelled in the centre of the ship on decks 3 and 4 which seems OK

The food is slightly better than you would find in a three star hotel, but can be bland when eaten for two weeks. The food had improved a litte on the cruise on the 6th Jan this year.

The ships staff are very good, but for those of you on all inclusive the waiters in the compose rose are past masters at keeping your glasses of wine to a minimum. There must be a bomus system on what they dont serve. There are limited wine coolers in the wine cellar and you may find wine wine can be sometimes slightly warm.

I did see a number of shows but not being the sort of person who goes to shows I have maked this at 3 as I have little to comapre with.

Overall I would give a rating of 3 for the holiday as a whole, and as I am paying a 3 star price I get what I expect. You will have a good holiday, with good company, on a reasonable ship at a resonable price. You might find if sunbathing is your objective that the British can beat any other nation at reserving sunbeds. Have a good holiday.

This was our second cruise, the first being on RCI's Voyager last November.At first sight we felt a little dissapointed as the RCI ship was bigger and more luxurius, however any such feelings were soon dispensed with as we settled in. The friendly atmosphere and laid back ambience was if anything better than that on the Voyager.The check in at Palma was swift and efficient, a line of young attendants waiting to escort passengers to their respective cabins, the suitcases arrived about an hour or two later giving us time to visit the Lido restaurant and start making inroads into our all inclusive deal!.
We got this package free by booking early and boy was it worth it, the normal price is £130 for 7 days.
The sea pass card is stamped AI and can be used straight away and also up until one hour before departure , although we were still geting drinks up to half an hour before, having a 18:30 departure.
Those who are paying for this and feel they would not get their moneys worth must be farly light drinkers, after all with Martinis and cocktails costing from £2.25-£2.75 each, Stella and Bods £2.20 and spirits around £2 incl mixers, it does not take long to rack up £20 plus, especially if you kick off at lunchtime with the cocktail of the day and finish around 1-2 in the morning (not forgetting the obligatory couple of glasses of wine with dinner), like we did, and I can assure anyone reading this that we are not a couple of plonkers so to speak.The excellent freshly made capuccinos would normally cost around £2 and are also included in this package.
Our cabin was fairly spacious and comfortable but did not have a double bed (doh!)still after 30 years of marriage and a skinfull of cocktails who cares.Also deck two where we were (cabin 653) was to the front of the ship near where the gangplank was usually put down and we did experience a fair amount of noise, also the walls are quite thin as we found out when our neighbours got up every morning around 7, much banging of doors and flushing of toilets.Next time I book , and we intend to return to the Spirit as soon as time and funds allow, I will pay a supplement for a cabin a little higher and request a double bed, the port hole we had being a little low got all the spray from the ships bows giving the impression it was stormy and wet outside when in fact it was not (except for one particular night when it was in fact quite stormy). I would imagine those on deck one with a porthole would appear to be virtually underwater!
Anyway about the ship itself. Quite easy to navigate once you got the hang of where the lifts and bars were. There are only 4 main bars of which one (the explorer bar) was non smoking. All the others have a separete smoking area, usefull as while I do not indulge my wife does, incidentally cigs cost only £1.80 from the bar for 20. Our favourite was the Horizon bar on deck 8, nice views, excellent service, all bars though were good for service, we always finished off after dinner at the High Spirits bar for some late night entertainment and dancing, this stays open I believe until everyone has left, though as the AI ends at 2am I suspect it will be soon after this.
Various game shows and quizzes are held every night, usually in the High Spirits and the show lounge was always full as the ships entertainers are very professional and work very hard, any one could I am sure get through to the finals of X factor or pop idol (mind thats not saying much I suppose).
Don't miss the captains night if you like dressing up, we do and my DJ was packed along with a couple of suitable long dresses for my wife. I was suprised at how many people had in fact made the effort as one of the earlier reviews suggested that not to many wore dinner suits, this was not the case here, the queue stretched right around the deck, this is the place to get your photos taken, though the one we had with the captain could have been better, would have been nice if he had smiled, still once he has shaken hands with around a thousand people (there are two sittings this night), then he must get bored I suppose.Quite a few of the 'peasants' opted for the usual open neck shirt and casuals and went to the Lido instead.
Some actually said they preferred to eat there as well, presumably as you can fill your plate to overflowing there it suited them. Whilst the food in the Lido is very good it cannot compare to that served in the Compass Rose restaurant. One of the high lights of a cruise to me is the cuisine, having the waiter arrange your napkin on your lap, placing the knifes and forks correctly,(they even have proper fish knives and forks), taking your wine order and bringing the bread basket etc., this all adds to the experience. The surf and turf on the captains night was superb, tender fillet steak and a whole lobster tail, the waiters will also expertley remove the flesh from the bone for you if required. Other nights featured amongst others, rump of lamb in garlic, beef stroganoff, beef wellington, pork medallions, red snapper, always a choice of vegetarian options and a pasta course. Some previous review felt that the portions were not big enough so they went to the Lido. Well all I can say is they must be big eaters as lets face it, you get 6 courses if you can manage them, starter, soup, salad, main course, dessert and cheese and biscuits plus liquers (on the AI of course).Anyway you never go hungry as pizzas are always available from 1am until breakfast time at 7am on the Lido deck.
Must mention that at lunchtimes in the Lido there is always a hot roast being carved plus plenty of other options, also on the deck the pasta chef will prepare your pasta fresh with a choice of sauces.
Tried the cinema a couple of times when it clouded over, ok not wide screen or dolby digital but they did show sky football! Managed to catch about 20 mins of man u's champion league game whilst my other half was getting ready,(shes not a football fan so no point in starting a row ).The entertainment around the bars was a bit laid back so to speak, a rather boring jazz type pianist and a couple comprising of a Yehoudi style violin player and matching piano, would have preferred a Jerry Lee type of player and maybe a Chuck Berry guitarist, still some seemed to like it and anyway it was of to High Spirits after dinner for some serous drinking and dancing. The on board shop had a few good bargains, treated my wife to a new leather handbag (to go with the gold ring i bought her in Gibralter!).
Which brings me finally to a quick word about the ports of call. We were on I believe the sunset cruise, Gib was the first port, we explored on our own as my wife hates cable cars decided to forget about the apes and did some browsing instead, cigs only £8.50 for 200 and spirits £4.50, mind leave the electrical goods alone unless you want to pay over the odds, for a supposed duty free place for example the Sony digital camera I had bought from Comet just before the cruise for £130 was selling in Gib for £190.
Casablanca was a waste of time unless you want to be continualy harrassed by arab cab drivers who were massed around the ship attemping to grab those leaving. Anyway it was Sunday and also Ramadan so there was very little open, so spent most of the day on the ship.Madeira, Funchal was much better though after a sunny start the heavens opened, spoke to some who had booked an excursion and the view was non existent due to the clouds. Finished at Las Palmas but as we were familiar with this port spent our last day sunbathing and downing more cocktails prior to leaving at 18:30. We rented a cabin for the day for £30 as we had to vacate ours by 09:00. Much better though than sharing one as you are only alowed about 15 minutes with this option.Tips are included on the Spirit but we dished out a few euros to those waiters that we felt had been particularly good to us plus our cabin girl (even though she forgot to fill the ice bucket on a couple of days!).
Regarding sea sickness, we took some sea legs tablets but fortunatly never needed them, even though one night as mentioned earlier, was quite stormy and rough, people were having difficulty staying upright later in the eve in the High Spirits bar, even the sober ones, sick bags had been left dotted around the ship by the staff, must have a strong constitution though as I was fine, my other half was a little queasy the next morning though and passed on breakfast but otherwise did not need the tablets.This is one time where having a cabin on a high deck would have been rather unfortunate.Of course it is November, could have been worse though, at least we did not book a Caribbean cruise in September around Florida!
One final point re sun loungers, can be difficult to get on sea days, would reccommend the top, deck 8 as not everyone can be bothered climbing all the way up there.I think that is about it, any questions I will endevour to answer. We will be looking to go again next year, if not the Spirit then possibly the Destiny or Celebration, hopefully fo two weeks his time or maybe a cruise and stay.

Cruise date 11/11/04 to 18/11/04. This is the second time I have sailed on 'The Spirit' this year. First cruise (2 weeks) 17/6/04 to 31/6/04.
Accompanied my disabled Mum (Rita) with the help of her sister Mary this time. First time was accommpanying both my parents. My eldest son Alex (16) joined us in the second week.Sadly my Dad died in October and this trip (already booked by Dad)was therefore a sad time for my Mum.

That said.... The Thompson Spirit is a cruise for everyone.

Nothing can be spoken of too highly. The staff are exceptional. They work so hard (to a man....or woman) and are about the smiliest people you could ever wish to meet. Many remembered us from our first visit some five months earlier, which is remarkable given the number of new passengers joining the ship each week.
The high profile people are of course the Entertainment Team, headed by the truly talented Mr Stephen Guy - his organisational skills are remarkable. The shows are a delight and you will not find more talented performers anywhere!The singing and dancing (Tribute to Queen esspecially)is stunning, girls and boys alike. Most are leaving the ship after a 9 month period on, 3rd December. Enjoy the vacation guys. Stephen Guy is staying with the company in the roll of Ops Director, and will be office based for a while. How they will replace him, only God knows!

The waiters are just fantastic - no exceptions.

Cabins are lovelly if a little jaded insome parts. The ships cleanliness is a tribute to the hard work of all the crew.

The Food.... Fabulous. Just read a review from a bloke called Andrew from London who was on The Spirit in May........What planet is he from? There is no way the food in The Compass Rose, or any other of the ship's resturants could be described as 'bland'. Something went seriously wrong with his taste buds if that is what he thought. The menu is of the highest standards of ANY resturant. I ran a chain of 22 resturants for 11 years throughout the country. Sir, you are mistaken.

On that note....

Will try another Thompsons Ship next year. But will take my partner Alison, and hopefully my 3 teenage sons who I know will love it.