Why a Norwegian Spirit cruise is the perfect summer holiday

Imagine a holiday spending days poolside, peacefully reclining with cocktail in hand, or discovering a port at your own pace before returning to be pampered in a spacious spa.

Come nightfall, an intimate table for two awaits, where you can savour exemplary cuisine before enjoying a Broadway-style live stage production. And the next day, a brand new adventure awaits.

Enter Norwegian Spirit, the last of the major ships to return to Australian waters, arriving in Sydney Harbour on 21 December 2022.

Marvel at the impressive bow-to-stern US$100 million refurbishment.

She’s the crowning glory in Australia’s great cruise comeback, marking the return of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) after an almost three-year absence from the region. Deliberately designed to be different, with an impressive bow-to-stern US$100 million refurbishment, NCL is taking cruising to the next level.

What’s on board Norwegian Spirit?

The revitalised Norwegian Spirit is quite unlike any other ship sailing in our waters. Appealing to the adult cruiser while epitomising the Australian laid-back lifestyle, the ship has recently undergone the most extensive makeover in NCL’s 55-year history.

There are 14 brand new venues, including Spice H20, an adults-only pool and lounge area by day that transforms into a cocktail lounge and open-air nightclub at night.

Onda by Scarpetta onboard Norwegian Spirit cruise line

Delight in contemporary Italian at the all-new Onda by Scarpetta.

Dining choices are vast – in fact, there are more dining options than cruise nights, including culinary theatrics at Teppanyaki, fine French fare at Le Bistro, and contemporary Italian at the all-new Onda by Scarpetta.

After dinner, take in a spectacular show; highlights of NCL’s award-winning entertainment line-up include Blazing Boots, a full-scale production showcasing the best of country and rock’n’roll, and Elements, a visual feast of acrobatics and dance.

Dedicate a day or more to recharge in the newly doubled-in-size Mandara Spa, which now features a thermal suite that includes a steam room, sauna and shower experience, as well as luxuriously warm heated-tile loungers that are positioned to enjoy endless ocean vistas.

Relax by the pool when your spa treatment is over.

In the thermal suite, herbal steam and sauna grottos cleanse the body with gentle heat, and you can also choose from an extensive spa menu, with over 50 specialty treatments offered by well-trained massage therapists. It’s no surprise that Mandara Spa was voted World’s Best Cruise Spa by The World Spa Awards.

At the end of the day, stretch out in style in your spacious suite, or take in the view from your private perch in a balcony stateroom featuring floor-to-ceiling glass doors. All staterooms have been completely reimagined and feature a fresh colour palette in modern blues, greys and wood finishes.

Take in the view from your private balcony when you stay in a stateroom.

The best NCL deals

Astute cruisers know to look for value deals in their fare upfront so there’ll be no nasty surprises when the final bill arrives, and NCL has fantastic new offers designed to allow Australian cruisers to sail with more included.

The Free At Sea bonus offers – including a beverage package covering spirits, cocktails, wines, draft beer, juice and soft drink, a wi-fi package, a US$50 shore excursions credit, and a dining package to savour meals at any specialty dining venue – mean all the pricing guesswork is taken out for you.

Norwegian Spirit cruise line Champagne Bar

Grab a drink at the Champagne Bar.

Step onboard knowing all you need to do is sit back and relax; there’s never been a better way to explore the wonders of our own backyard than aboard the reimagined Norwegian Spirit.

Norwegian Spirit’s incredible itineraries

For her debut season Down Under, Norwegian Spirit will sail a selection of open-jaw sailings between dual homeports of Sydney and Auckland between December 2022 and March 2023, exploring ports of exquisite natural beauty alongside cosmopolitan cities.

Visit 10 ports in 12 days, taking in the NSW south coast town of Eden, all that Melbourne has to offer, and the bounty of Burnie in Tasmania, before sailing across to marvel at the dramatic glaciers and cliffs of New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park.

Norwegian Spirit cruise line, New Zealand

Sail around the dramatic glaciers and cliffs of New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park.

Among Fiordland’s spectacular landscapes on the South Island you can experience the awe of Dusky Sound’s natural beauty. Cruisers can then discover the French heritage buildings of Akaroa, the many cultural delights of Wellington, the Art Deco architecture of Napier, and the bubbling geysers and mud baths of Tauranga, before disembarking in Auckland.

In March 2023, Norwegian Spirit will be sailing to Tahiti from Sydney, with highlights including the opportunity to dive into the turquoise waters of American Samoa, Fiji, the Isle of Pines and Mystery Island.

Norwegian Spirit cruise line in Sydney harbour

Norwegian Spirit is returning to Sydney Harbour in December.

Experience some of the world’s most incredible beaches and islands on the 15-day adventure, where soft sand, calm waters and cooling breezes through the palms await.

There are also incredible cultural experiences on offer, including the opportunity to visit markets and villages.

The journey ends in the idyllic waters of French Polynesia, stopping in at Raiatea and Moorea before disembarking in Papeete, Tahiti.

Welcome to the first instalment of Hotel Addict, a monthly column where I check into Australia’s best hotels, exploring not just the rooms, but the stories, service and settings that make each stay unforgettable and worth adding to your wishlist.

Hotel stays have quietly become my thing. Long before I became a travel journalist, I was booking staycations just for a change of scenery. Some had charm, some had character, some had neither. Once, I even stayed in a hotel directly opposite my own apartment – partly for the novelty, partly because I wanted to see my life from a different angle.

For me, hotels represent a kind of mystery – I find myself wanting to know what these buildings contain. Many of them are designed with intention: lighting, materials, scent and sounds that often reflect the city they sit in. Time seems to gently pause in these spaces, which have increasingly become the destination itself for modern travellers.

It only felt fitting for the first hotel in this series to be in my home city and at the hotel that’s been at the top of my list: Capella Sydney.

A sandstone heritage building and palm trees

Capella sits within an Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building.

An email with a hotel program from the “Culturist Team” lets me know this will be a luxurious stay. There’s a guided walk around the Botanic Gardens, a weaving workshop and a Sydney contemporary art tour – the kind of addition that signals a hotel that’s tuned into the finer details, and one that’s not surprising given that Capella’s ethos centres on delivering personalised, immersive experiences.

Capella opened in 2023 within a transformed Edwardian Baroque‑style sandstone building in Sydney’s CBD that was originally designed by renowned Scottish-Australian architect George McRae. I often walk past this building and once attended an event inside – I distinctly remember being surprised by how beautiful it was. Bar Studio, Make Architects, and stylist Simone Haag were engaged to sensitively adapt the building for contemporary luxury while honouring its past, in collaboration with Heritage NSW and the City of Sydney.

When I arrive, I’m greeted by three different staff members along the way to reception. There’s a lovely subtle scent, which I later learn combines notes of bergamot, green tea leaves, peony, freesia, vetiver and cedarwood. This hotel strikes such a beautiful balance between grandness and intimacy, with large floral bouquets, contemporary artworks, impressively high ceilings that give it an international feel and quieter nooks to unwind in. Each space is unique, but they’re all unified by a warm, textural and layered design.

Sydney has been deserving of a hotel of this calibre for quite some time, with many of the accommodations in the city looking and feeling dated.

A modern hotel reception with high ceilings

The design strikes the perfect balance between grandness and intimacy.

I have a treatment booked at the hotel’s Auriga Spa prior to check-in. The space is ultra-luxe, moodily lit and intimate, featuring timber joinery, green walls and a sleek design that’s so perfect it almost transports me to Japan. I opt for the Replenish Beauty and LED Facial – a strategic choice with a TV segment on the horizon, and a hopeful bid to look extra fresh for the camera.

The treatment begins with me sitting in the softest robe of my life, wearing slippers and sipping chamomile tea. I’m then whisked away to my private treatment room, which has its own bathroom, a large skylight and a small Japanese-style garden. The treatment is extremely relaxing and moves through cleansing, exfoliating, massaging (arm, head, neck and face) and LED Light Therapy. There’s so much attention to detail – even at the end, the facialist puts my slippers back on me, while I’m still lying down.

Spa treatment room with a massage bed, featuring timber walls and a serene Japanese-style garden visible through a window.

A treatment at Auriga Spa might be the best way I’ve ever started a hotel stay. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

While this treatment certainly hasn’t had a Benjamin Button effect, my sister seems to think I’m glowing, so I walk away happy, or at the very least, zen.

Auriga Spa has a sauna, steam room, ice fountain and a beautiful indoor heated swimming pool. There’s also “experiential showers” – new to me, but essentially it combines water flowing from different places, changing temperatures, mood lighting, gentle sounds, and a subtle lemongrass scent.

You could easily spend the better part of a day at the spa and pool, even if you’re not a guest.

The indoor heated swimming pool with glass ceiling at Capella Sydney.

Guests outside the hotel can use the spa and swimming pool. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

I’m escorted to my room, drunk on relaxation, but I make sure to take note of how noisy the hallways are – answer: dead quiet. My room is 50 square metres, which is huge by hotel standards, but particularly for one in the CBD. It feels like a high-end apartment with floorboards, a freestanding bath and a seating/dining area. My eyes are immediately drawn to the line-up of macarons waiting for me on the dining table.

I’m thrilled to see the mini bar armoire includes a small wine fridge stocked with Minuty Prestige Côtes de Provence, Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Handpicked Wines Pinot Noir, and Moët Grand Vintage. Not that I plan on using it (I simply could not justify the prices) – but it’s a nice extra that makes the room feel that much more luxurious. The drinks lineup reads like a who’s-who of local favourites – Young Henrys, Maybe Sammy cocktails, Four Pillars gin and Archie Rose gin. Snacks include Tyrell’s chips, Pringles, Natural Confectionery lollies, and a Carman’s oat bar.

Some small touches I appreciate that some hotels don’t offer: the option to choose your housekeeping time, an iron that actually works well, a Bluetooth speaker, the beloved wine fridge, aluminium water bottles and a bathroom without a glass door or screen that awkwardly exposes you. The one downside is that some of these rooms don’t offer much in the way of a view.

A modern hotel room with a monochrome paletter.

I stayed in a Premier Room which was elegant and relaxing. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

4:30pm is Swill Hour – a daily tradition that nods to the historical “six o’clock swill” in Australia. This one-hour event takes place in the Living Room and invites guests to gather and enjoy each other’s company with a signature cocktail in hand. This afternoon’s tipple is a Eucalyptus Gimlet, a clever, herbaceous little cocktail, by the multi-award-winning Maybe Sammy Team, served on coasters depicting drawings of the historic building. The canapé of the day is a tomato and stracciatella tart. I noticed several staff members chatting with guests like old friends, asking how their adventures earlier in the day went – clearly remembering previous conversations from earlier visits.

Dinner is booked for 6:30pm in Aperture – arguably the most beautiful area of the accommodation. It’s decorated with Australian flora and features a kinetic sculpture hanging from the roof that opens like flowers, with softly changing lights. Tyler, who is serving us, clearly admires the Capella brand, speaking enthusiastically about the other international properties he’s been to and sharing how he sometimes brings his five-year-old daughter here to use the pool.

Interior of Aperture at Capella Sydney, featuring lush greenery and a striking ceiling-mounted sculpture.

The scale of Aperture gives it an international feel.

I kick things off with a basil melon margarita – a winning recommendation – before tucking into the best prawn toast I’ve ever had. For mains it’s crispy Ōra King salmon and spaghetti with mud crab.

When I arrive back at my room, there’s a vegan leather journal on my bed with a note that says: “The ritual of journaling allows us to pause, reflect and focus.” This is part of the turndown service, and my slippers are neatly lined up next to my bed. Will I journal? No. Do I think it’s a nice touch? Yes.

Brasserie 1930 at Capella Sydney, where Art Deco elegance meets contemporary Australian cuisine.

Brasserie 1930 boasts Art Deco elegance.

The next morning, I make the predictable choice of smashed avo for breakfast at the on-site restaurant, Brasserie 1930. There’s also a buffet brimming with all the usual suspects.

Afterwards, I head to the pool to relax for a few hours before the 11am checkout. Despite my earlier resolve not to journal, I find myself reflecting nonetheless – an irony not lost on me – on my 21st hotel stay in Sydney. I write this with growing assurance that great hotels don’t just provide a place to stay; they create memorable moments, thanks in large part to fantastic staff. Kudos to the hiring manager.

Next stop: The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart!

Why Norwegian Spirit may be the summer holiday you’ve been looking for

Imagine a holiday spending days poolside, peacefully reclining with cocktail in hand, or discovering a port at your own pace before returning to be pampered in a spacious spa.

What’s on board Norwegian Spirit?

The best NCL deals

Norwegian Spirit’s incredible itineraries

Travellers get relief as Sydney Airport introduces flat-rate taxi fares

This iconic Bondi venue is about to land at Sydney Airport

Soft Forest: A free, immersive show is on in this historic Sydney garden

Be transported to an Italian summer at this new Sydney restaurant

I’ve stayed in 21 hotels in Sydney and this is my favourite

Welcome to the first instalment of Hotel Addict, a monthly column where I check into Australia’s best hotels, exploring not just the rooms, but the stories, service and settings that make each stay unforgettable and worth adding to your wishlist.