Yes, you will have fun! There's no reason not to. There's always something to do. The choices are just not always that exciting. Personally, I was happy to relax and catch up on reading during my down time.
If you want the adults drink program, you do have to carry around a cup. It's a nice insulated cup with a lid. This could be new, or just something they do during Spring Break so that the students don't get 1 card and pass it among themselves; I don't know. Soda in glasses, without the cup, was a separate charge. I watched one lady argue that she just didn't feel like carrying around her cup, and thought she could get the soda in a glass. The server patiently explained that without the cup she would be charged for each glass. My daughter, 12, got a sticker on her key card that showed she had paid for soda. Either way, it's close to $50 for adults for soda, which is a lot.
I have no idea what the charge is or isn't for a baby. I don't have one. And of course you can shop for baby items and everything else at ports of call if you choose. You just can't buy them on the ship. And you have to find the stores to buy the items. The first two ports are not within walking distance of any shopping, the third is an island, so if you need something it's not a matter of running off the ship and into the local drugstore. It's definitely better to plan ahead and bring what you need. That's a given. We were also surprised that there were not a lot of logo items for souvenirs onboard. A very small inventory as far as that was concerned. I realize a ships store can only carry a few items, and only basic ones at that. But the Spirit has only a couple of small shelves in the duty free store for those sundries, and is hard to get into. It holds just a few people at a time, no room for a stroller or baby inside. So plan ahead.
We didn't hate the cruise. It's just not one we would book again on purpose. It is what it is; an inexpensive break from winter departing from a convenient port. As I've said over and over, the staff is great. Friendly. The public areas of the ship are pretty. This is a cruise you choose for those reasons, not the itinerary, dining experiences, etc. And they do nickel and dime you to death!
Heidi: I totally get what you are saying and I appreciate your moderating your tone and contextualizng your original post- if only because I am about to leave and nice posts about the Spirit are becoming fewer and farther between!
I met a lady on the Spirit last year whose baby (15 months) had thrown her one and only bottle into the drink on embarkation. Some other parent finally gave her one of their bottles or she would have been out of her mind- no baby items at all on the Spirit! I told this story a while back and got a bunch of posts about how a baby that age shouldn't be drinking from a bottle any more and how she should have brought more than one bottle... irrelevant...
Your last paragraph is so true. I would probably list the pluses and minuses in a different order than you... the most positive being the beauty of the ship and the worst being the itinerary!
You will have fun. It's a cruise - how could you NOT have fun?! No cruise or vacation is ever perfect. If this is an escape from winter for you, with a couple of palm trees and some sand thrown in, you've got it.
Spirit just doesn't stack up to some of the others. And then again, I'm sure it's better than some. The trip will be what you make of it. We had fun despite the food and weather. I just know that next time I'm in the market to part with some money, it most likely won't go to this particular ship.
Who knows - maybe NCL trolls here, and will take some hints! And if even one traveler is better prepared now, that's good. I never said the cruise was awful, it just fell short of what I've experienced on other ships.
ENJOY YOURSELF! You're getting away from civilization for a week. How can you go wrong?
It surprises me that anyone would book a cruise if they don't like the itinerary. For us that is at least 50% of why we go and what ship we go on. I guess there are some that just like the cruising. It seems there are enough of a selection out there to get what you want in a cruise. great ports, and great ships. I loved the Spirit. We cruised on her this time last year to the southern caribbean. wonderful cruise, wonderful ports.
If you're sailing from New York City, you can get great views of the Statue of Liberty and the New York City skyline from the aft public decks on the Spirit. If the weather is bad, find a good seat in the Galaxy of the Stars early, as they will fill up.
You will have fun. It's a cruise - how could you NOT have fun?! No cruise or vacation is ever perfect. If this is an escape from winter for you, with a couple of palm trees and some sand thrown in, you've got it. 
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