Boarding the Norwegian Spirit in Keelung, Taiwan for a 14-Day SE Asia Holiday Cruise!

[@TravelWithBen121]

We had such a fun first day! A great video to start your new cruise series! Beautiful ship and many exciting days ahead! 😁

[@MerCruisesSolo]

agreed, so much fun, can't wait to edit the rest of the series! 😄

[@francescabaca1722]

Qué bien, Mer!! Nuevas experiencias, en una muy diferente zona. Que seas muy feliz tú y tus seguidores este 2025. Te deseo grandes viajes!! 🛥️🛳️🚢🛥️🛳️🚢

[@MerCruisesSolo]

Thank you so much, happy new year!!

[@DaveChambersDC]

We really were impressed with the Halloween food decorations on our west coast cruise on the Jewel. NCL does a great job making the various holidays special.

[@MerCruisesSolo]

NCL definitely goes all out on the holiday decor - I love it!

[@Catherine.B.]

Looking forward to the rest of this series, Mer💛

[@MerCruisesSolo]

Thank you for watching!!

[@maryannetolbart9608]

So 😊Looking forward to the rest of your adventure!

[@patrickaalto]

Great video, and excited for the new series! I am going on my second ever cruise in a week (to the Canary Islands). Was planning to go for the holiday season, but was too late in trying to book the cruise. Next holiday season I plan to spend cruising in any case! Anyways, looking forward to the rest of this series, exotic places for an European like myself!

[@MerCruisesSolo]

wow, that sounds amazing - I haven't done the Canary Islands yet, hope to someday! Holiday cruises definitely book up quickly :)

[@phwlee]

I'm so jelly. This is going to be such a great adventure. Please document everything. I have never been to Asia either. I hope this cabin door doesn't squeak like the other one.

[@MerCruisesSolo]

@@phwlee only very minor squeaking this time when the seas were very rough 🤣

[@SusanbVT555]

Seems like you’re off to a great start for an amazing cruise experience! Thanks for sharing. Can’t wait to see your Asian adventure.

[@MrCristian12332]

I am also a cruising solo doing my first one on Nov, from Galveston, I am a widow

[@MerCruisesSolo]

I hope you have a wonderful solo cruise ❤️ I haven’t cruised from Galveston yet!

[@ronplourde7658]

I look forward to your videos from this cruise. I sailed NCL Gem December 2021 and NCL Getaway December 2023 and I thoroughly loved the gingerbread holiday displays they had on their ships. NCL decorates very well for the holidays. And it was wonderful to see you with Ben. I am subscribed to Ben‘s channel also. I hope you had a wonderful cruise. Take care.

[@MerCruisesSolo]

@@ronplourde7658 thanks, Ron! I agree, NCL decorates wonderfully for the holidays!🎄🎁 and yes, it was so much fun cruising with Ben!

[@ronplourde7658]

That is awesome. I hope to see the two of you numerous times in your upcoming videos on this cruise. And again, I hope you had a wonderful time. 🤗🤗

[@JeffMelsonVlogs]

I look forward to following this series!

[@TheMtbsr530]

I said this on Ben's video but the Spirit was my 1st of 25 NCL cruises I took back in 2006.

[@MerCruisesSolo]

wow, I bet she looked so different back then! Still such a beautiful ship!

[@TheMtbsr530]

@MerCruisesSolo much different but it was also my roughest ride because of storms. Lol

[@howardosden3112]

Was the samari statue still there when you took it? We sailed it back around then, too. I agree, too, no stabilizers to speak of, a little rock, a little roll. 😂​@TheMtbsr530

[@johnbuckley8324]

Very happy for you that Spirit was in such great shape. She's got some years on her so that's awesome. Looking forward to your Asia VLOGs...the itinerary looks awesome. 🙂 Cheers!

[@MerCruisesSolo]

it was amazing, and yes, she's such a gorgeous ship for her age! thank you!

[@Valerieesquilin]

Meeeeer !!! Hi Mer!!! 👋 another one added to my list , after the beyond! Thanks to you!!! What a great video, looking forward for more videos!! Also your outfits are so amazing every time, love those blue pants!!! Nice seeing your lovely face, so glad you was cruising for new years!! Is in my bucket list too!

[@MerCruisesSolo]

thank you, Valerie! So glad you enjoyed it - I'm so excited for the rest of this series! And thanks so much for the outfit compliments 😊

[@brendalogan6281]

Hi Mer... I saw you on Ben's channel and he was kind enough to share your channel with us. I'm looking forward to seeing your take on this beautiful cruise. i travel solo also so I will be a new subscriber to your channel. Tell ben I said hi 😅 I hope you had a wonderful time.

[@MerCruisesSolo]

@@brendalogan6281 thank you so much, Brenda! Happy to have you here following along on this adventure, and hopefully many more 😊 it was a wonderful cruise!

[@edddd99]

I more a fan of the bigger ships like the Epic and Getaway but this ship does seem pretty nice. The casino looks amazing and well worth losing money in! Looking forward to more videos from you and Ben

[@russellgray1426]

Loved it ❤️ That is a great itinerary, you must be so excited 😂 I trust you had a time👍

[@MerCruisesSolo]

the best! thank you!

[@dr.ikeavina3761]

Excited to have joined your channel Meradeth via introduction from Ben on his channel.

[@MerCruisesSolo]

@@dr.ikeavina3761 so glad to have you here! 😊

[@chadcampbell8393]

Really excited to watch this series. Planning on a more Japan oriented cruise looking at the itineraries that NCL offers but a lot of the logistics about just getting there make me anxious.

[@MerCruisesSolo]

I’d love to do a Japan cruise as well! It is on my radar. The travel logistics for this cruise was also something I felt anxious about, but it all worked out well in the end. I gave myself additional time before and after the cruise to account for any potential flight issues, fortunately I had none and the worst part was just how long the flights were!

[@mrstoives2444]

I’m going on NCL Spirit in Sept 25 Tokyo to Seoul. Also never done Asia and also super excited (also never cruised NCL, flying from the UK)

[@MerCruisesSolo]

You will have an amazing time, sounds like an incredible itinerary! Hope you enjoy the ship as much as I did!

[@isabelfaye3052]

Hi, 😂 Ben said to check it out :) ❤. 🎉 happy new years.

[@MerCruisesSolo]

thanks so much! happy new year! 😄

[@JRTurgeon13]

I tried to look up about the 'stabilizers' for Norwegian Spirit, but I couldn't find a definitive answer. Because it is an 'older' ship (the first ship of its class to boot), she may have one set of "static stabilizers" which are not as efficient as "gyroscopic stabilizers"? Also the stabilizers are all the more efficient, the faster the ship goes. If the ship had to slow down because of the sea state (or even because the next port was a short distance away and they had to 'waste' time at sea), it would have diminished the effectiveness of the stabilizers.

[@MerCruisesSolo]

I assumed there was no stabilization on this ship given its age! That would definitely be part of the reason why we were rocking so badly 😁

[@MathewLauren]

NCL has some great rooms!

[@MerCruisesSolo]

yes they do! for such an old ship I was so impressed!

[@mrx__678]

Nice Cruise, i want to make a cruise in Asia soon as well.. I thought Ben don't trink alcohol 😊

[@MerCruisesSolo]

I believe he doesn't usually get the drink package 😄

[@mrx__678]

@MerCruisesSolo right 😅, need to take advantage of that ✌️

[@mitchhecht9070]

do you ever date anyone you meet on a cruise

[@MerCruisesSolo]

No, never have!

[@edddd99]

I more a fan of the bigger ships like the Epic and Getaway but this ship does seem pretty nice. The casino looks amazing and well worth losing money in! Looking forward to more videos from you and Ben

[@MerCruisesSolo]

I love the Breakway Plus class NCL ships too, but the older/smaller ships are so unique and classic, and less crowded!