Norwegian Spirit

The 1998-built (as “SuperStar Leo”) Norwegian Spirit cruise ship is NCL’s unique LEO-class vessel, with one sistership – SuperStar Virgo (now Star Navigator) – operated by Star Cruises (Genting).

The vessel (IMO number 9141065) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311746000) and registered in Nassau.

History – construction and ownership

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH). Founded in 1966 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, NCL is a publicly traded company listed on NASDAQ and the NYSE (NYC). NCLH’s major shareholders include Apollo Global Management (USA), Genting Group (Malaysia), and TPG Capital (USA). In 2017, the NCL brand held a global cruise market share of 8.7% (passengers) and 8.4% (revenue). NCLH owns the brands NCL, Oceania, and RSSC-Regent.

The 2000-passenger Norwegian Spirit originally sailed as Star Cruises’ SuperStar Leo. Transferred to NCL in 2004, she retains an elegant, Asian-influenced interior design, featuring decorative artifacts, wood and iron staircase railings, glass atrium elevators, and waterfall elements. The color palette is understated, and public spaces such as the Stardust Theater (updated with red-velvet seating) showcase continuous upgrades that keep the ship looking fresh and well-maintained.

Decks and Cabins

Norwegian Spirit staterooms (1006 total across 27 categories) include 18 Suites, 382 Balcony, 222 Oceanview, and 384 Inside cabins. Most staterooms measure 150–170 ft² (14–16 m²). The largest accommodation is the Owner’s Suite (530 ft² / 49 m², with a 75 ft² / 7 m² terrace).

The vessel has 13 decks, 10 of which are passenger-accessible, with cabins located on 7 decks.

Shipboard dining options – Food and Drinks

Norwegian Spirit features two complimentary Main Dining Rooms – the Garden Room and Windows – both open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Windows, aft-located with Palladian-style windows overlooking the wake, offers a more elegant, romantic atmosphere with classic ocean liner décor. The Garden Room, U-shaped and contemporary, provides a more casual setting. While cuisine in the Main Dining Rooms is satisfactory, guests seeking elevated culinary experiences often choose from the numerous specialty venues.

Below is the complete list of Norwegian Spirit restaurants and food bars:

• The Garden Restaurant (forward Dining Room; complimentary; Your Time dining)
• Le Bistro (French specialty; dinner only; reservations required; US$20 cover charge)
• Windows Restaurant (aft Dining Room; complimentary; Freestyle dining)
• Blue Lagoon Café (24-hour fast-food restaurant)
• Henry’s Pub (English pub/bar & grill)
• Shogun (Asian restaurant; complimentary since 2015)
• Teppanyaki Room (Japanese Hibachi specialty venue within Shogun)
• Sushi Bar; Sake Bar (within the Shogun complex)
• Cagney’s Steakhouse (specialty steak and seafood; reservations required; US$30 cover charge; free Kids Menu)
• Raffles Court & Terrace (complimentary lido buffet)
• La Trattoria (Italian specialty restaurant; US$15 cover charge)
• Bier Garten (Bavarian-themed snack and beer bar)

Shipboard entertainment options – Fun and Sport

Norwegian Spirit offers numerous lounges, bars, and entertainment venues. Maharini’s Lounge & Nightclub, accessible only through the casino, features an Indian-themed interior with velvet draperies, plush daybeds, and ornate chandeliers. Henry’s Pub is a lively English-style venue ideal for watching sports or enjoying folk music in the evenings. Shanghai Bar features seven private karaoke rooms for intimate sing-along sessions, while Champagne Charlie’s provides live evening music that fills the atrium.

Entertainment options also include NCL’s signature shows, such as the FIREWORKS display (on select voyages), “Rock of Ages,” “Cirque Dreams,” and “Illusionarium.”

Additional amenities include complimentary 24-hour room service, the supervised “NCL Kids” program, Internet/WiFi access, and laundry services. Daily gratuities are US$12 per person. Weddings onboard Norwegian Spirit are conducted in designated meeting rooms (the ship has no dedicated chapel).

Below is the complete list of Norwegian Spirit lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults:

• Stardust Theatre (800 seats; Broadway-style productions; two shows nightly)
• Café 49; The Café; Shanghai Bar (sports bar); Champagne Charlie’s Bar
• Maharini’s Lounge & Nightclub; Galaxy of the Stars Lounge & Disco; Celebrity Disco
• Maharajah’s Casino
• Art Gallery; Photo Gallery & Shop
• The Writing Room; Card Room; Lifestyle Room & Internet Café; Library & Internet Café
• Galleria Shops & Boutiques (tax- and duty-free)
• Roman Spa & Fitness Centre (gym with Aerobics Studio; Mandara Spa; treatment rooms; Steam and Sauna; Oscar’s Hair & Beauty Salon; relaxation area); Tivoli Pool; 5 Whirlpools; table tennis
• Video Games Arcade; Buccaneer’s Wet & Wild AquaPark; kids’ pool; Charlie’s Child Care Centre; Splash Academy (kids’ program)
• Walking Promenade; Basketball Court; Jogging Track; Golf Nets

Itineraries

Norwegian Spirit’s itinerary program is primarily based on Alaska voyages (7-day roundtrips from Seattle, WA) during summer and Australia–New Zealand sailings between Sydney, NSW and Auckland, NZ. The ship also operates seasonal Transpacific repositioning cruises between Australia and Alaska via Hawaii.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, Norwegian Spirit was paused for over two years (March 2020 – May 2022). She restarted operations on May 7, 2022, from Papeete (Tahiti, French Polynesia), followed by a season of Alaska cruises.

In June 2023, NCL canceled the vessel’s Alaska 2024 and Australia 2024–2025 winter programs and replaced them with an Asian seasonal charter based in Taiwan. These roundtrips, departing from Kaohsiung and Keelung/Taipei, visit popular destinations in Japan and Korea.

The vessel was launched as “SuperStar Leo” for Star Cruises (the Asian cruise brand owned by Genting Hong Kong–GHK). She belongs to the unique LEO class, with one sistership – SuperStar Virgo (now Star Navigator). Initially, SuperStar Leo operated Southeast Asia itineraries from homeport Singapore, sailing 2- to 5-day roundtrips to Malaysia and Thailand. In 1999, the ship was repositioned to Hong Kong for 1- to 5-day voyages to China and Vietnam. In 2003, she was deployed in Australia, and in 2004 joined NCL after a 2-week drydock.

NCL Spirit refurbishments review

NCL Spirit was last drydocked in 2025 (January 5–9) at Seatrium Admiralty Shipyard in Singapore. The drydock focused on routine maintenance and classification work, machinery overhaul, hull cleaning and repainting, and general hotel upgrades.

The ship’s major refurbishment in 2020 (January 2 – February 10) was carried out at Chantier Naval de Marseille in Marseille, France. This USD 100 million, 40-day project added 14 new venues (dining, bars, lounges), new staterooms, and a fully enlarged and redesigned wellness complex (Mandara Spa and Pulse Fitness). The hull was also repainted and received new hull art.

New dining venues introduced in 2020 include Taste (the third Main Dining Room; complimentary), The Local Bar & Grill (24-hour complimentary venue), Garden Café (all-day complimentary restaurant), The Great Outdoors Bar & Grill (complimentary), Waves Pool Bar (complimentary fast-food venue), and Onda by Scarpetta (Italian specialty restaurant; at additional charge).

The three new lounges added were Bliss Ultra Lounge, Spinnaker Lounge (which incorporates the Humidor Cigar Lounge), and Spice H2O – an adults-only outdoor complex replacing the former kids’ Splash Academy waterpark. Spice H2O features two large outdoor whirlpools and a poolside bar and transforms into a nightclub in the evenings.

Mandara Spa was doubled in size to ~650 m² (~7000 ft²). Additions to the wellness complex include a Relaxation Lounge with heated loungers, Jacuzzi Room, Sauna Room, Steam Room, and a Thalassotherapy Pool. The Fitness Center was expanded and equipped with new gym machines.

NCL Spirit refurbishment 2017 review

During the January 2017 drydock in Freeport, Bahamas, general maintenance updates were performed in public areas, restaurants, and top-tier suites. Crew-only areas received upgrades to support operational efficiency, and technical systems were improved to increase onboard power performance. Additional upgrades and full technical enhancements followed during the 2020 refit.

Both the 2017 and 2020 refurbishments were part of NCL’s “Norwegian Edge” fleetwide modernization program (a two-year initiative budgeted at USD 400 million). Each drydock cost approximately USD 35–40 million.

NCL Spirit refurbishment 2011 review

The following updates were introduced during the 2011 drydock:

• Shipwide upgrade of Wi-Fi Internet coverage
• New flat-screen TVs installed in all crew and passenger cabins
• Renovation of all accessible staterooms
• New carpeting and tiling throughout cabins and public spaces
• Audio/video enhancements for Stardust Theater (new equipment installed)
• Addition of a new aerobics room in Mandara Spa
• Renovation of Raffles Court (buffet restaurant)