i am trying to book a large group to the caribbean. has anyone sail on the spirit from NY to caribbean? would you recommend this cruise for families with teens. how many of the freestyle restaurants are included & how many charge a per person fee?

The Spirit is repositioning to NY and these are new cruises for her.

There are two main restaurants that are included (very nice). There is also a buffet, which was pretty sketchy but which is being completely redone before the NY cruises start.

That leaves... I think... four specialty restaurants. Maxim's Steak House, Shogun, a French one and some other one...

Here is my review of the Spirit http://www.cruisereviews.com/NorwegianCruiseLine/NorwegianSpirit14.htm

The following is a list of restaurants on the Spirit:
1) The Garden Room (Main Dining Room)
Cuisine: Continental
Dress Code: No shorts or jeans after 6:00 p.m. in the dining rooms.
Surcharge: No
Reservations Required: No
Hours
Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Lunch: 12:00 noon – 2:30 p.m.
Dinner: 5:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
2) Windows Restaurant (Main Dining Room)
Cuisine: Light Modern Continental
Dress Code: No shorts or jeans after 6:00 p.m. in the dining rooms.
Surcharge: No
Reservations Required: No
Hours
Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Lunch: 12:00 noon – 2:30 p.m.
Dinner: 5:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
3) Shogun Restaurant
Cuisine: Japanese
Dress Code: No shorts or jeans after 6:00 p.m. in the dining rooms.
Surcharge: Yes, $12.50 per person
Reservations Required: Yes
Hours
Dinner Only: 5:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
4) Maxim's Restaurant
Cuisine: French
Dress Code: No shorts or jeans after 6:00 p.m. in the dining rooms.
Surcharge: Yes, $20 per person
Reservations Required: Yes
Hours
Dinner Only: 5:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
5) La Trattoria
Cuisine: Italian
Dress Code: No shorts or jeans after 6:00 p.m. in the dining rooms.
Surcharge: No
Reservations Required: Yes
Hours
Dinner Only: 5:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
6) Tai Pan Restaurant
Cuisine: Chinese
Dress Code: No shorts or jeans after 6:00 p.m. in the dining rooms.
Surcharge: Yes, $15 per person
Reservations Required: Yes
Hours
Dinner Only: 5:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
7) Raffles Lido Cafe
Cuisine: Buffet
Dress Code: Casual
Surcharge: No
Reservations Required: No
Hours
Check onboard
8) Blue Lagoon
Cuisine: Food Court, Grill
Dress Code: Casual
Surcharge: No
Reservations Required: No
Hours
24 Hours

La Trattoria is a joke. It is (was) a sectioned off part of Raffles that basically had make-your-own pasta and some garlic bread.

Blue Lagoon has (had) maybe 6 tables MAX.

There is also a place called Biergarten that was on Lido deck.

Windows and Garden Room are beautiful!

Again, whether or not these restaurants will be in existence is unknown!