Rob_H

Today we have a day essentially at sea, currently cruising slowly off Oahu. We can't dock at Kauai as the only dock is taken by the Pride of America. So our arrival will be (as scheduled) at 4pm. That was quite poor planning for this cruise, glad we had a day and a half in Kauai on the previous cruise.

In inside and balcony rooms (the only rooms we've been in), there are some outlets at the desk/mirror, only. The outlets are two Euro and one undersized US outlet. The coffee maker and hairdryer use Euro plugs, when they are both in use the US outlet is a tight squeeze. So bring an extension or two and multi adaptor (without surge protector). For anybody from the US a Euro adapter would also be a good idea, since there is only one US socket. There are also a couple of USB there. Each side of the bed has a fold out reading light, and another USB. Both sides of the bed have two switches for room lights.

On longer cruises, it's one bag per week per member (not per room). So we've got in the habit of sending a bag every 4-5 days, even if not full (we're both diamond), alternating the name. We've never used the coupon, just write your latitudes status boldly and clearly by your name and by your signature on the slip.

The Spirit in Hilo.

Today we're in Hilo on the Big Island, Hawaii. US immigration was done onboard. Quick and efficient as over 90% of passengers were from the USA and Canada.

We've been through the canal three times this year. Bliss in January and February, Encore in April. No onboard tests were required on any of them.

Photos of Silk, the complementary Asian restaurant. Basically same menu as the places like Jasmine Garden on the Jade, see attached pdf. Sushi is an additional charge. Silk.pdf

Windows MDR at lunchtime, this time showing the actual windows.... It's on deck 6 all the way aft.

Yes, it looks the same as the Bliss and Encore. Not super exciting, we haven't had a reason to eat there yet. All day menu attached, food starts page 6. Local.pdf

The Local, the 24 hour bar and snack place. It's on the corridor between the Atrium and the forward stairs.

Henry's Pub. This is during the morning, it does have customers later when it opens! Each evening there is a pub trivia in Henry's Pub at 7.15.

As i mentioned after Papetee, many people from the previous cruise tested positive for Covid on May 29 or 30, so couldn't leave the cruise and fly home. A large number of rooms on decks 4 and 5 were used to quarantine them. The number of people affected hasn't been revealed by Norwegian. Those people are now recovering (if they even had any symptoms), testing negative, and being allowed out of their rooms. I talked to a couple we know from the first cruise. They were given the option to leave the ship, but would then be on their own to find somewhere to stay and find a way home (they live outside the US). They were very happy to accept Norwegian's generous offer to allow them to say on board, all the way back to Honolulu. Even though it means delaying their return to work. It's unclear so far exactly what they'll need to pay for but it's essentially a free cruise. The couple we know are very happy with the way Norwegian handled it at such short notice. Even though it was a shock for us at the time to have many quarantine rooms around us, it's clear that Norwegian has gone to considerable effort and expense to help those affected. We are happy to know that we'll be looked after well if this ever happens to us!

We went to Le Bistro last night (Latitudes voucher). Third time we've been on these two cruises, excellent food and service again. Photos are Duck a la Orange, and Lamb Chops and Shank. (Lamb isn't really stuck to the ceiling, photo ended up wrong way up when i posted it!)

The April 2024 Jewel transpacific is very likely to be cancelled or have major changes when the 2023/4 Asia season is released. We've been discussing it over at the roll call:

I'll do the shot in the reverse direction next time! There are indeed beautiful windows at the back of the ship.

Windows, the Main Dining Room.

We've left Raiatea, and French Polynesia. Next are four relaxing sea days on the way to Hilo, Hawaii. We had seven consecutive port days in French Polynesia for the back-to-back, so time for a rest! I'll try to get more details on exactly what the spa has, now we have sea days, for those who asked. Any other questions about the ship's facilities, or any particular areas of the ship you'd like photos of? Today we went to Teppenyaki. It has three tables (each for ten), so small compared to other ships. A good show and excellent food, we enjoyed it.

In the afternoon in Bora Bora we went to Matira Public Beach it's a $5 per person shared taxi ride from the ship. Most taxis drop off on the main road, and a fairly busy section of beach. If you walk down the side road that leads to the Intercontinental, there's access to the public beach across from the Intercontinental entrance, with a large shade structure, restrooms and change rooms. All free. Shallow water, beautiful. Coral can be a bit sharp. Not many fish, although there were yellow and black striped ones. Getting back there are many shared taxis loading at the same place on the main road where they drop, you don't need to set a time. $5 per person again, or 500 francs.

This is our second visit to these ports. In most places we've already done the all island tour so can be more relaxed. In Moorea we took a $5 shared taxi to the beach.(Hauru public beach and park). Beautiful spot. Had a local meal of raw fish in coconut milk, fried fish, shrimps across the street (Chez Tamahau).

Thanks for that! Always good to have real evidence! To be fair to Norwegian, it does imply they at least tried to find hotels for passengers to give them the choice, but failed for at least some (probably most, not many hotels would welcome maybe dozens of isolation rooms). Again thanks for posting. Obviously management have a sanitized versión of events when talking to guests, it would be nice if there was more transparency.

Pre-covid the new room was usually occupied on the first cruise so you couldn't get the new key until after they checked out. Recently I've asked for the key the night before, without success. But we've been able to get the key very early (around 6am) on the changeover day several times this year because we don't have to wait for anybody to leave. That causes confusion when you go to breakfast in the MDR, the old card is already invalid. So use the new card, new room number.

We didn't see/hear any option to leave the ship after arrival in Papetee, except for those with Norwegian flights that night, no mention in the Freestyle. But maybe there was something over the speakers we didn't hear. Next morning the announcement that it's now possible to go ashore was about 7am if I remember right. I don't think an 8.20 am flight is realistic.

I'm reporting what i was told by senior management on board. They were explaining that there were "not many" quarantine cabins on board (around us) because many had opted to stay in Papetee. We need to hear from somebody who took the option (if any) to stay in Papetee to confirm what management told me. Hearing directly from somebody in quarantine would be good also!

The source of this quote is my semi-live review at: We're on board for both cruises (intentionally, unlike some!). Life on board continues as normal for those unaffected, no crew shortages or changes. I (and others) on board will continue to update at that semi-live review.

When we got back (after dark) from our day in Papetee we went to the room (an inside cabin) and were surprised to see a couple of pieces of paper from room service stuffed under the door, asking us to choose our meals that would be delivered to the room. Checking voicemail, there was also a message from room service, asking us to put the little table in the room outside in the corridor, for meals to be delivered to. In other words, they thought we were a quarantine room! Looking outside, there were many little tables outside the rooms, indicating they were occupied by people in quarantine. So our room was now in the midst of quarantine rooms! (to be clear, we had both tested negative the day before). When leaving the ship, another passenger mentioned that many passengers had tested positive for their pre-flight tests home, with the onboard rapid tests. Looks like this was true. So we called guest services. Being embarkation day, they didn't answer the phone at all, as seems to be the normal pattern. Surely for a day like embarkation, when a higher volume of calls is to be expected, it would make sense to have somebody answering the phone? We had to go and join the line in the Atrium. Once we explained the problem (that we didn't want to be surrounded with rooms containing people who had tested positive) the response was good, first trying to move us to an oceanview (that wasn't ready) then to a balcony. We packed (again) and moved to the new room. There were other rooms in that corridor (on 5) that were clearly not quaratine rooms, the incoming guests had their luggage outside. So the problem was solved for us, but not for the others, but suggesting that the other non-quaratine guests should be moved as well fell on deaf ears. Apparently, the people who tested positive were given the option of leaving at Papetee (then waiting till negative to fly home) or stay on board, at Norwegian's expense. I was told there are not many who took the latter option, although I counted 14 rooms with small tables outside in one small section of the corridor around our room. We were shocked, and still are, that Norwegian would set up a corridor full of quarantine rooms, without first moving the existing guests in that corridor. That is so careless.