When I first started to cruise I rolled my eyes hearing about others paying for specialty dining. Later as I recieved two for free I quickly agreed it is truly special.
@@charleskerr4655 I had exactly the same thoughts, Charles! Why would you pay for dinner when I can go and get it for free! But this experience made me realise just how much better it is! A huge step up.
Hi Ben, and to your friend Meredith 👌 Amazing start , walking through the dragons!! Inside the temple was beautiful, and so colourful. Your Christmas Eve meal , looked so much fun. It was cool that you were on your own. So glad you enjoyed your Christmas Eve/ Day 👍 Thanks for sharing this awesome vlog. Looking forward to your next adventure😜 Take care buddy David & Angela x
We’ve been on about 20 NCL trips and only tried the Teppanyaki last year.. we were always daunted by the noise of the revelry! Still, we finally plumped and really enjoyed the skilled entertainment, and seeing how egg fried rice is made. Sadly, it turns out miso HATES me… still, it was worth doing the once for the experience. Glad you and Mer (what a perfect name for a cruise blogger) had a lovely time, and what fabulous complementary looks you had. Our fave extra-pay eateries are La Cuccina (not at all keen on the Onda by Scarpetta update, it’s far too truffle oily), Le Bistro and Los Lobos. Last time we were in the Spirit was 2023, for South Polynesia and Hawaii - blooming amazing!
That was so nice to watch your new video. Thank you. I am getting interested in doing a cruise 😂 And I have to say how beautiful Meredith looked on Christmas eve.
Look at you, doing excursions and specialty dining !!! You’re moving up a cruise tier !!! 😂 walking inside the dragon was also a nice experience. Always like all the Buddhist temples and things they always keep things so nice and clean and the colors are just amazing for the senses.
I loved watching you and Meredith enjoying your second port day. I have sailed 3 times with Norwegian so far, and the Tepaniaki specialty restaurant is my absolute favorite. (Meredith knows!) The entertainment is fantastic and the food is hot and fresh. I always make sure I visit Tepanyaki every cruise. 💯
@@johnd.9 thank you for watching, John! Teppanyaki was a great experience, Meredith talked a lot about it and it definitely met my expectations! I’ll definitely be making a visit there in future cruises!
You mentioned recently about Norwegian & being able to go to dining rooms when you are hungry & not have a set time & table. I was thinking about that & realized how much I have enjoyed sitting with others & having people to talk to, since my husband isn't much of a talker...On a smaller ship out of Balto. a few yrs ago, we set next to 2 younger couples & I've never laughed so much at each meal. Even the wait staff were laughing. I think it was Carnival. Just loved it.
@TravelWithBen121 No, I liked the Viva, just forgot it had the observation area & we had been on the Bliss. I go with any cruise line. I'll just see if they can seat us with others possibly. I met a lovely family at buffet who sat with us, we talked so much- they live in Puerto rico, was a couple in their 50's & i think , his parents. You see, you can make any cruise work.
Good video. Inside the dragon was amazing. Merry Christmas, Ben. I've always been told not to let anyone take your passport, so that would make me very nervous.
@@carolleiter6027 thank you, Carol! The dragon was great, the whole excursion was interesting! I hope you had a great Christmas! I totally agree with you on that, whenever I travel my passport stays it’s me every second so I didn’t like handing it over 😂
I am absolutely speechless. Your excursion was amazing. Those temples were so beautiful. And when you went to the market, I was imagining my wife going to that market. She would have loved it. My wife is from the Philippines and she definitely loves markets like that. I have been on a couple of cruises, not on Christmas but prior to Christmas and the NCL ships they put out a very good Christmas display. When you were showing the Christmas displays it brought back memories. So glad you’re having such a good time.
@@ronplourde7658 thanks so much, Ron! The excursion turned out great, I was so happy we did that one. We saw some great things! Philippines ports are coming up next! 5 ports in a row and we definitely had mixed experiences 😂 the ship was beautifully decorated for Christmas 🎄 everyday is a great day!
What a great stop on your cruise. Also. thanks for showing dinner. I'm excited because in 23 days, I board the NCL Joy and Teppanyaki is one of my specialty restaurants. Thank you, Ben!
@@matthewhildebrandt1901 it was a great port, Matthew! I really enjoyed seeing it. Teppanyaki is a must do for me now, such a good experience and amazing food! Enjoy the Joy and enjoy Teppanyaki! Cheers, Matthew!
I feel the need to say Merry Christmas again! I’ve only been on one cruise (2023) and Oceania has all inclusive. Since I know nothing, I have watched many videos and the specialty dining is a hit which is kind of sad if the free food is not as excellent. Only thing missing from the video? You at Karaoke….and you only had one drink on Christmas Eve!?
@@sgalligan merry Christmas, Sue! That’s an interesting way to look at it, I wouldn’t say the regular dining rooms are no good and you have to go to a specialty restaurant but it’s definitely a big step up. I have always been extremely happy with the regular dining rooms and I was very happy to go back in the coming days. The way I see it, specialty dining is a treat, I’m sure there are people that only go to specialty dining on their cruise but it’s not cheap so for me, it’s not possible to do a specialty every night. So I’m still very happy with the dining rooms but it’s nice to have an enhanced dinner once in a while! HAHA no karaoke for me, I like watching! We definitely had a few drinks 😂 I just don’t film it all!
Thank you Ben for this Christmas Eve video. The more I watch your channel the more I want to travel. I honestly didn’t realise just how interesting this cruise is and will continue to be. I definitely think taking a cruise now will be what I’m going to the travel agents to find out more. Thanks for this latest video. Xx
@@NicolaNugent-jf3cw thank you for watching, Nicola! You should travel if you can 😁 this cruise was amazing, great itinerary, great ship, what’s not to love?! Do lots of research on different types of cruises and go for it!
We have cruised on NCL for many years but this March will be our longest through Asia stopping in Taiwan. We are on a ship very similar to Spirit so your videos are making me very excited and provide some good information. Many thanks!
Very nice Ben, I'm thinking about a holiday cruise this year, would be my first. It's nice to have specialty dining once or twice on a cruise, just a nice change of pace!
@@DonaldYoung-b7x cheers, Donald! You should definitely go for it! Cruises are definitely the best way to travel, in my opinion. I agree, it’s nice to have an advanced dinner sometimes! I really enjoyed it, definitely worth it!
Great video ! The dragons are amazing 😳 so much to see and do! I am interested to know the reason they collected the passports, I must know why!! Please enlighten me. Thanks so much for taking us with you as you see the world! ❤️
@@shirleyjones270 it was a great excursion, Shirley! I don’t know why they collected our passports 😂 I hope someone can enlighten me! Thank you for watching!
@@oddmanoutprops9391 lots more videos coming but it’s nice to not be in a rush to edit and upload 😁 but I do like sharing my travel experiences! Thank you for watching!
great video. surprised that the Taiwanese 7-Eleven didn't rate a video segment. it's such a thing there. Getting a private table in Teppanyaki is a special treat! - we love the food there - my only complaint is the noise level can be quite high and you might be jammed up next to someone - we also think the Brazillian specialty restaurant is worth the visit (pro tip: only eat the best cuts of meat when offered, skip the (great) buffet to save your appetite for MEAT and DEFINITELY finish with the grilled pineapple). my wife really likes the French specialty restaurant - I'm 50/50 on it - .
@@BCS2023 cheers, Craig! It was such a surprise to get a private show at Teppanyaki! You’re right about it being loud, especially as there were 3 tables in there so everyone was doing their own show. Thanks for the tips on the Brazilian!
We experienced the poor internet on our first ever cruise on the NCL Gem. It was better than passenger pigeons because the PP are extinct! And now hearing your comments on the app make me think if NCL Captains ran their ships like the IT rolled out this app, you would not find your itinerary until you were aboard, the ship might run aground but no one will tell you until 3 days later! But I think the best nugget in your videos is that when something goes wrong, you just find a way to get around it and move on. I feel cruising is an active verb. it is how we react that makes it a great cruise or a not so great cruise. I want to dig for all the fun and enjoyment, not stew about things going wrong. And now I have another cruise on the bucket list! I just hope I can keep traveling long enough to empty the bucket!
@@deang1004 the WiFi was pretty bad the whole cruise to be honest, Dean! And I hope they fix the app because it didn’t work most of the time 😂 I totally agree with you about moving on quickly, there’s no way I’d let bad internet or bad app ruin my cruise. I can’t control that but I can control my attitude so I choose to get over it 😂 gotta enjoy yourself! Asia itinerary was so good! Definitely worth adding to your list if you can make it out there! Thank you for watching! 😁
Wow! that area was so beautiful and unusual that you walked through. I'm sorry about the guide, giving his opinion. It's so unprofessional. I think to speak a negative opinion while you are a tour guide. A guide can sometimes make or break a tour. i like your choice of dress for Christmas Eve. Red and green perfect.... And Meredith looked absolutely beautiful. so glad you had a wonderful time... I definitely see specialty dining in your future😅.
@@brendalogan6281 it was a great excursion, Brenda! I agree about the tour guide, it can make or break a tour and the guide we had was very opinionated! Without a doubt, I would love to check out more specialty dinings onboard! It was an incredible experience and delicious food! I’m so happy we got to do it and on Christmas Eve too! Thank you for watching, Brenda!
Be careful don't change things you told us like walk around places, meet the locals, don't do speciality dining, etc and how you are so thankful this is your life and job. Just be yourself again.
Ahh my mouth was watering watching the Teppanyaki food 😂😋 so much fun reliving our fun filled Christmas Eve, really enjoyed this one, Ben!
@@MerCruisesSolo I still think about that food 😂 it was a great day! Great excursion and great dinner! A Christmas Eve to remember 😁
So surprised you went on a cruise ship tour until your face lit up when you mentioned Meredith. Really, so glad you found someone to travel with
@@florencesnyder6125 we had a great day, Florence! It’s so fun having someone to travel with! 😁
When I first started to cruise I rolled my eyes hearing about others paying for specialty dining. Later as I recieved two for free I quickly agreed it is truly special.
@@charleskerr4655 I had exactly the same thoughts, Charles! Why would you pay for dinner when I can go and get it for free! But this experience made me realise just how much better it is! A huge step up.
Wow, this is so awesome I am so enjoying your view and Meredith’s as well.
@@kerryharder2416 thank you, Kerry! So much fun! 😁
Hi Ben, and to your friend Meredith 👌
Amazing start , walking through the dragons!! Inside the temple was beautiful, and so colourful. Your Christmas Eve meal , looked so much fun. It was cool that you were on your own.
So glad you enjoyed your Christmas Eve/ Day 👍
Thanks for sharing this awesome vlog.
Looking forward to your next adventure😜
Take care buddy
David & Angela x
@@David-Angela thank you, David & Angela! It was a great day! Fun excursion and amazing dinner! I’m glad you enjoyed watching 😁
We’ve been on about 20 NCL trips and only tried the Teppanyaki last year.. we were always daunted by the noise of the revelry! Still, we finally plumped and really enjoyed the skilled entertainment, and seeing how egg fried rice is made. Sadly, it turns out miso HATES me… still, it was worth doing the once for the experience. Glad you and Mer (what a perfect name for a cruise blogger) had a lovely time, and what fabulous complementary looks you had. Our fave extra-pay eateries are La Cuccina (not at all keen on the Onda by Scarpetta update, it’s far too truffle oily), Le Bistro and Los Lobos. Last time we were in the Spirit was 2023, for South Polynesia and Hawaii - blooming amazing!
@@Krypto64 Teppanyaki was great, we really enjoyed the show and food! We also go to Onda in a future video which was also great! Cheers, Martin!
I've been sharing your channel with my friends. Honestly, I don't know why you don't have a million subscribers. Really enjoy your videos.
@@LindaBulman thanks so much, Linda! I’m on my way 😂 hopefully one day! I’m so glad you enjoy my videos 😁
Yeah🎉🎉 two of my favorite TH-camrs 🛳🛳🛳I need to see all the videos!
@@luvtravel6207 we’ve both already uploaded a few videos already and there’s more coming! Thank you for watching 😁
Same💕
That was so nice to watch your new video. Thank you. I am getting interested in doing a cruise 😂 And I have to say how beautiful Meredith looked on Christmas eve.
@@manuela9342 thank you for watching, Manuela! You should definitely do a cruise! They’re so much fun 😁 Meredith looked great!
Thanks Ben! 🎉❤
Look at you, doing excursions and specialty dining !!! You’re moving up a cruise tier !!! 😂 walking inside the dragon was also a nice experience. Always like all the Buddhist temples and things they always keep things so nice and clean and the colors are just amazing for the senses.
@@JustShelby888 it was definitely a great experience, Shelby! It had changed how I do cruising now 😂 I agree about the temples, they are great to see!
I loved watching you and Meredith enjoying your second port day. I have sailed 3 times with Norwegian so far, and the Tepaniaki specialty restaurant is my absolute favorite.
(Meredith knows!) The entertainment is fantastic and the food is hot and fresh. I always make sure I visit Tepanyaki every cruise. 💯
@@johnd.9 thank you for watching, John! Teppanyaki was a great experience, Meredith talked a lot about it and it definitely met my expectations! I’ll definitely be making a visit there in future cruises!
You mentioned recently about Norwegian & being able to go to dining rooms when you are hungry & not have a set time & table. I was thinking about that & realized how much I have enjoyed sitting with others & having people to talk to, since my husband isn't much of a talker...On a smaller ship out of Balto. a few yrs ago, we set next to 2 younger couples & I've never laughed so much at each meal. Even the wait staff were laughing. I think it was Carnival. Just loved it.
@@betsyhertzog1454 that’s great, Betsy! Then Norwegian wouldn’t be good for you 😁
@TravelWithBen121 No, I liked the Viva, just forgot it had the observation area & we had been on the Bliss. I go with any cruise line. I'll just see if they can seat us with others possibly. I met a lovely family at buffet who sat with us, we talked so much- they live in Puerto rico, was a couple in their 50's & i think , his parents. You see, you can make any cruise work.
Good video. Inside the dragon was amazing. Merry Christmas, Ben. I've always been told not to let anyone take your passport, so that would make me very nervous.
@@carolleiter6027 thank you, Carol! The dragon was great, the whole excursion was interesting! I hope you had a great Christmas! I totally agree with you on that, whenever I travel my passport stays it’s me every second so I didn’t like handing it over 😂
Really enjoying this series of vlogs from Norwegian spirit which looks like a gorgeous ship 🚢, loving the collaboration with Meredith too 😊
@@daisycharles440 thank you, Daisy! The Norwegian Spirit is a beautiful ship and it’s so fun cruising with Meredith!
Great video, loved the excursion. You and Meredith are having fun together. Love your videos.
@@Daydreamin_Acres thank you! The excursion was so fun! We are definitely enjoying the cruise 😁 thank you for watching!
You look nice in Red :-) perfect for Xmas Eve.
@@Billiblu51 thank you, Sibylle 😁 it was a fun Christmas Eve!
I am absolutely speechless. Your excursion was amazing. Those temples were so beautiful. And when you went to the market, I was imagining my wife going to that market. She would have loved it. My wife is from the Philippines and she definitely loves markets like that. I have been on a couple of cruises, not on Christmas but prior to Christmas and the NCL ships they put out a very good Christmas display. When you were showing the Christmas displays it brought back memories. So glad you’re having such a good time.
@@ronplourde7658 thanks so much, Ron! The excursion turned out great, I was so happy we did that one. We saw some great things! Philippines ports are coming up next! 5 ports in a row and we definitely had mixed experiences 😂 the ship was beautifully decorated for Christmas 🎄 everyday is a great day!
That is awesome! 🤗
(on my way to watch Meredith's video but) Meredith! Your Christmas Eve look was STUNNING!
Thank you so much!☺️
@marymcq Meredith’s videos are great! Definitely go and watch 😁
What a great stop on your cruise. Also. thanks for showing dinner. I'm excited because in 23 days, I board the NCL Joy and Teppanyaki is one of my specialty restaurants. Thank you, Ben!
@@matthewhildebrandt1901 it was a great port, Matthew! I really enjoyed seeing it. Teppanyaki is a must do for me now, such a good experience and amazing food! Enjoy the Joy and enjoy Teppanyaki! Cheers, Matthew!
We do a specialty restaurant at least one night for a treat.
@@JeanineWoolet great idea, Jeanine 😁
Ben, the next time you're on an NCL ship with a Cagney's, give it a try. The ribeyes are amazing. A real treat!
@@PaKettleGOAT I did go to Cagney’s! It’s coming up in a future video 😁
New sub here thank u Ben for sharing ur videos loved it😍
@@AmparotayagYamakawa thank you, Amparo! I’m glad you’re enjoyed the videos 😁
@ ❤️❤️
0:23 Nice
I feel the need to say Merry Christmas again! I’ve only been on one cruise (2023) and Oceania has all inclusive. Since I know nothing, I have watched many videos and the specialty dining is a hit which is kind of sad if the free food is not as excellent. Only thing missing from the video? You at Karaoke….and you only had one drink on Christmas Eve!?
@@sgalligan merry Christmas, Sue! That’s an interesting way to look at it, I wouldn’t say the regular dining rooms are no good and you have to go to a specialty restaurant but it’s definitely a big step up. I have always been extremely happy with the regular dining rooms and I was very happy to go back in the coming days. The way I see it, specialty dining is a treat, I’m sure there are people that only go to specialty dining on their cruise but it’s not cheap so for me, it’s not possible to do a specialty every night. So I’m still very happy with the dining rooms but it’s nice to have an enhanced dinner once in a while! HAHA no karaoke for me, I like watching! We definitely had a few drinks 😂 I just don’t film it all!
Meredith looks great.....
@@LaszloBagi I agree!
Thank you Ben for this Christmas Eve video. The more I watch your channel the more I want to travel. I honestly didn’t realise just how interesting this cruise is and will continue to be. I definitely think taking a cruise now will be what I’m going to the travel agents to find out more. Thanks for this latest video. Xx
@@NicolaNugent-jf3cw thank you for watching, Nicola! You should travel if you can 😁 this cruise was amazing, great itinerary, great ship, what’s not to love?! Do lots of research on different types of cruises and go for it!
@@TravelWithBen121 my thanks Ben. I appreciate the advice x
Merry Christmas! Looks like such a fun cruise. Going on our wish list.
@@pamelahaskin9738 merry Christmas, Pamela! It was such a great time!
Good morning, Ben ! Nice to see you again !
@@david1234lee cheers, David!
Nice vid as always Sir Ben.
@@daveinchina cheers, Dave!
That looked like a fun excursion Ben and that dinner looked great! I noticed that Wasabi was no where on your plate this time. LOL!!!!
@@dr.ikeavina3761 it was a great day all around, Dr Ike! HAHAHA keep the wasabi away from me please! 😂
We have cruised on NCL for many years but this March will be our longest through Asia stopping in Taiwan. We are on a ship very similar to Spirit so your videos are making me very excited and provide some good information. Many thanks!
On Sky by chance?
@@larrys4383 Yes!
@@hawaiianrays913 sounds amazing! Asia itineraries are so special! Thank you for watching and enjoy your cruise!
@@TravelWithBen121 This will be our first Asia cruise and hoping for the best. Thanks for the tip and information.
😊👍
@@aprilrich807 thank you for watching early, April! 😁
Very nice Ben, I'm thinking about a holiday cruise this year, would be my first. It's nice to have specialty dining once or twice on a cruise, just a nice change of pace!
@@DonaldYoung-b7x cheers, Donald! You should definitely go for it! Cruises are definitely the best way to travel, in my opinion. I agree, it’s nice to have an advanced dinner sometimes! I really enjoyed it, definitely worth it!
Great video ! The dragons are amazing 😳 so much to see and do! I am interested to know the reason they collected the passports, I must know why!! Please enlighten me.
Thanks so much for taking us with you as you see the world! ❤️
@@shirleyjones270 it was a great excursion, Shirley! I don’t know why they collected our passports 😂 I hope someone can enlighten me! Thank you for watching!
Glad you got to take some time away from the almost everyday uploads. Looking forward to watching the rest of your cruise uploads
@@oddmanoutprops9391 lots more videos coming but it’s nice to not be in a rush to edit and upload 😁 but I do like sharing my travel experiences! Thank you for watching!
great video. surprised that the Taiwanese 7-Eleven didn't rate a video segment. it's such a thing there. Getting a private table in Teppanyaki is a special treat! - we love the food there - my only complaint is the noise level can be quite high and you might be jammed up next to someone - we also think the Brazillian specialty restaurant is worth the visit (pro tip: only eat the best cuts of meat when offered, skip the (great) buffet to save your appetite for MEAT and DEFINITELY finish with the grilled pineapple). my wife really likes the French specialty restaurant - I'm 50/50 on it - .
@@BCS2023 cheers, Craig! It was such a surprise to get a private show at Teppanyaki! You’re right about it being loud, especially as there were 3 tables in there so everyone was doing their own show. Thanks for the tips on the Brazilian!
We experienced the poor internet on our first ever cruise on the NCL Gem. It was better than passenger pigeons because the PP are extinct! And now hearing your comments on the app make me think if NCL Captains ran their ships like the IT rolled out this app, you would not find your itinerary until you were aboard, the ship might run aground but no one will tell you until 3 days later!
But I think the best nugget in your videos is that when something goes wrong, you just find a way to get around it and move on. I feel cruising is an active verb. it is how we react that makes it a great cruise or a not so great cruise. I want to dig for all the fun and enjoyment, not stew about things going wrong.
And now I have another cruise on the bucket list! I just hope I can keep traveling long enough to empty the bucket!
@@deang1004 the WiFi was pretty bad the whole cruise to be honest, Dean! And I hope they fix the app because it didn’t work most of the time 😂 I totally agree with you about moving on quickly, there’s no way I’d let bad internet or bad app ruin my cruise. I can’t control that but I can control my attitude so I choose to get over it 😂 gotta enjoy yourself! Asia itinerary was so good! Definitely worth adding to your list if you can make it out there! Thank you for watching! 😁
Great video!
@@YaYas_simple_living thank you, YaYa! Another amazing day 😁
Hibachi is my fav too!!!!! Always so delicious.
@@helenhelen7822 it was amazing, Helen!
谢谢你的视频。你是 TH-cam 上最帅的视频博主
@@Robin_Skye 谢谢你谢谢你 😁
Great video, Ben!
@@norahb55 thanks so much, Norah! It was a great day! 😁
Wow! that area was so beautiful and unusual that you walked through. I'm sorry about the guide, giving his opinion. It's so unprofessional. I think to speak a negative opinion while you are a tour guide. A guide can sometimes make or break a tour. i like your choice of dress for Christmas Eve. Red and green perfect.... And Meredith looked absolutely beautiful. so glad you had a wonderful time... I definitely see specialty dining in your future😅.
@@brendalogan6281 it was a great excursion, Brenda! I agree about the tour guide, it can make or break a tour and the guide we had was very opinionated! Without a doubt, I would love to check out more specialty dinings onboard! It was an incredible experience and delicious food! I’m so happy we got to do it and on Christmas Eve too! Thank you for watching, Brenda!
Be careful don't change things you told us like walk around places, meet the locals, don't do speciality dining, etc and how you are so thankful this is your life and job. Just be yourself again.
@@florencesnyder6125 nothing will change just because I had 1 specialty dining 😂