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REVIEW: Jewel, Jan 12-22, 2010 (LONG!)

Sandyshore

By Sandyshore,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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Sandyshore

Sandyshore

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Here's my review, which I'm also submitting to the Member's Review page. I have some great photos but I can only seem to attach thumbnails. Maybe somebody can tell me how to insert a larger version like I see in so many posts! Anyway, here goes, with apologies to people who don't like long reviews. :o

 

This was a 10-day from New York to the eastern Caribbean. We’ve done the itinerary before on the Gem, and this was our first time on the Jewel. Just DH and myself, in our mid-50’s, and this was our 4th NCL cruise. We were fortunate to get an upsell from an AD aft-facing balcony to an AA Owner’s Suite on Deck 9 (cabin 9004), and this was our first time experiencing the “suite life” of NCL (or any other line). I’ll say right up front that the luxurious accommodations made this a cruise to remember for all the right reasons.

 

Embarkation: We left the day after a snowstorm which caused us to stay in NY the previous night, even though we live in Connecticut. The forecast was too scary to take the chance of not getting to the city in time. Stayed at The Skyline Hotel on the west side, only a couple blocks from the pier, and it was very nice for a great rate. We were concerned about getting a cab to the pier and the expected traffic mess due to the snow, so we left the hotel earlier than necessary and arrived at the pier at 9am. A lot of people did the same thing – some had arrived as early as 7:30. Check-in didn’t start for a couple of hours, and when it did, we were escorted to security screening and were at the NCL check-in desk minutes later. There had been an outbreak of Noro on the previous cruise, and we were given a letter offering the option of canceling and receiving credit for our fare. No thanks! We were escorted to the VIP waiting area where there was coffee, cookies, and juice, and there we waited for about an hour because of the sanitizing being done to the ship. Adrian, the concierge, made his way around the room and handed out cabin keycards as well as his card with his cell #. I believe it was about noon when boarding began, and small groups were escorted on board based on cabin location. I was surprised to see that priority boarding allowed us to bypass the embarkation photo.

 

The Suite: 9004 is the forward/starboard OS. WOW says it all! Forward and side balconies: forward held two lounge chairs and could have fit another four (very deep); side balcony had two cushioned chairs and an ottoman, plus a small table with two more chairs, and could be accessed from two sliding doors in the living room. We had to keep the drapes closed on the forward windows after dark, because light in the bedroom would be visible to the Bridge. Soundproofing in the cabin was excellent; we never heard a sound from adjoining cabins, even though one neighbor apologized for playing his TV loud. The living room had a couch, comfy chair, coffee table and dining table/4 chairs, TV and DVD player. Bedroom with king-sized bed, flat screen TV and DVD player; Bathroom with double sink, big bathtub with a TV mounted in the corner, roomy shower with extra jets, toilet behind a GLASS door, with a wall-mounted phone. Walk-in closet with dressing area and vanity, lots of drawer space, and hanging clothes rod. Elemis shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, shower gel, and bar soap provided. Bathrobes and cute terrycloth slippers too. A pocket door could close off the entire bathroom from the bedroom, and a heavy drape could close off the bedroom from the living room. Bar area with fridge, cabinets, a variety of glasses, Lavazza coffee machine (we never used it). Fridge stocked with bottled water (plain and sparkling) and cans of soda which were replenished as needed. Powder room with toilet and sink and another wall mounted phone. A list of liquor choices from which we could choose three, for the butler to deliver later. Asian theme to the artwork and upholstery – lots of green and gold – beautifully appointed. A dizzying number of light switches that we came close to figuring out by the end of the cruise. We found menus from all the specialty restaurants in one of the cabinets. My SINGLE complaint about the cabin is the glass toilet door. I find it amusing that NCL provides a curtain to close off the vanity/dressing area from the bathroom, but does not think the toilet deserves the same privacy. Suffice it to say…we used the powder room a lot!

 

Antonio was our butler and Hariri our steward. Both were outstanding. We had breakfast in the suite on each of our port days, and Antonio always called a few minutes before appearing, and always right on time. The suite service breakfast card includes cereals, fruit, muffins, toast, eggs, omelets, bacon, juice, coffee, tea. We would write in pancakes or French toast to add to the order. Antonio also brought us a plate of snacks at 5pm every day. We told him the kinds of things we liked and he was pretty good about bringing them. We requested chocolate-covered strawberries on the last day. In addition to Antonio and Hariri, every crew member we encountered, without fail, smiled and greeted us.

 

This cruise has 2 sea days going south and another 2 going north. Both the first and the last were quite rocky. The navigation channel on TV showed the classification system for wave height, and both those days were “rough” with waves 7.5-12 ft. I was queasy the first day and asked Antonio for some crackers. He also brought me green apples and ginger ale. The last sea day, I didn’t even have to ask: he just appeared at the door with all three. I know being all the way forward contributed to feeling every move the ship made, but I wouldn’t hesitate to book an OS again in spite of that. I wore sea bands, but I don’t like to take the motion sickness pills because they make me too sleepy, even the less-drowsy ones, and even if I only take half.

 

The muster drill at 3:30 was a breeze – held indoors (we were in the Stardust Theater) – and no life jackets required. Probably not 10 minutes, start to finish. We returned to our cabin for sailaway and stayed out front as long as we could stand the wind and cold (just past the Statue) and then moved to the side balcony, but it was getting dark and was very cold. Our luggage had arrived by then also. One note about those forward balconies – unlike the side ones, you can see your neighbors out front. There’s only a low wall dividing you when you stand all the way forward. So we had some nice chats with the people 1, 2, and 3 cabins over (those are penthouse suites) and saw them all over the ship.

 

Courtyard: The OS has access to the private courtyard on Deck 14, either using the keycard in the aft elevator, or at the stairway door. We didn’t spend too much time there, but we loved the fact that we could! We did have lunch there one day; the Courtyard butler (Zandra) serves breakfast and lunch from the Cagney’s menu every day. It was a beautiful and quiet place to relax and/or swim.

 

Meet & Greet: We had a large roll call – about 90 people – but nowhere near that many came to the M&G in Azura on the first sea day. Sheila, Roger, Maria, and Paulo did a great job of organizing it for us. Many officers attended, as well as the CD. I was feeling rather green that day, so I wasn’t able to meet as many people as I’d hoped to. Our group received an invitation to tour the Bridge a couple days later. That was fascinating – we spent about an hour with the 1st officer, who explained the equipment and answered our questions. We also were able to see the forward edge of our forward balcony from the Bridge. The deck 10 forward balconies are fully visible to the Bridge; deck 9, only the far edge. BTW, ship’s officers were visible throughout the cruise. The Food and Beverage Director (Kris?) stopped by our table in the Blue Lagoon just to ask if everything was ok. We saw Dallas (assistant Hotel Director) on multiple occasions (he was even one of the “Stars” in Dancing with the Jewel Stars).

 

Food: The suite perk of breakfast/lunch in Cagney’s was a mixed bag for us. We loved not having to deal with the chaos of the buffet, the juggling of plates, finding a table while your food gets cold, etc. But on multiple mornings in Cagney’s, we were served room temp French toast, and once, cold coffee. Yes, they replaced both with hot, fresh orders, but that it happened at all was below our expectations. There was no breakfast buffet in Cagney’s the first 3 days (nor was there any self-service on the ship) due to the Noro outbreak. Once 72 hrs had passed with no new reports, they allowed self-service again, and the Cagney’s buffet appeared. We didn’t particularly enjoy the lunch menu. DH loves a good steak, but not for breakfast, and the petit filet you can have with your eggs in the morning is not available at lunch, and he didn’t like the steak that was available. He tried the sliders, but we learned that you can’t order a medium-rare burger on the ship; it’s either medium-well or well done, obviously for health reasons, but not what he wanted.

 

We ate dinner twice at Cagney’s, not needing a reservation either time. There were no advertised 2-for-1 specials any night, although we learned from another cruiser’s review that it was offered on our San Juan port day but without any notice in the Daily. No early-bird specials either. We had dinner twice in the buffet and three times in Azura. DH liked the lobster tail, the beef Wellington, and the prime rib. We celebrated DH’s birthday on board with a personal-size cake in Azura (arranged by our PCC), and the servers sang to him. We didn’t have to wait for a table for two in Azura on two nights, but on lobster night we shared an 8-top to avoid a wait. We never ate at Tsar’s because he wanted to wear shorts to dinner. We like fairly simple food, and the menus overall just didn’t appeal to us. Which is not to say we went hungry! We had lunch and dinner at the Blue Lagoon on multiple days. They have the best brownie sundae on the ship! DH liked the fish & chips; I liked the chicken tenders. You have to ask for honey-mustard sauce.

 

Internet: DH needed to keep in touch with clients, so we purchased 250 minutes for $100. There was a 20 minute bonus for purchasing on embarkation day, plus another 10 minutes Latitude bonus added on the next day. The connection is SLOW.

 

Entertainment: Silas Cook was the Cruise Director, and Ferdi (Ferdinand?) the assistant CD. Silas was full of energy on stage and personable when not. I didn’t enjoy Ferdi however. Hard to pinpoint why, I think I just didn’t like his sense of humor. I kept comparing him to Matt Baker, who I saw last summer, and I just enjoyed Matt much more. Ferdi ran the Dancing with the Stars and The Quest shows; Silas only ran the Newlywed game. There were two song & dance production shows: Band on the Run and Le Cirque Bijou, both NCL Productions, not Jean Ann Ryan. The rest was typical cruise entertainment – comedians, magician, hypnotist. We missed the night with the adage couple but heard it was great. There was an a cappella boy band one night in the Stardust, the Cat’s Pajamas, which we walked out on – too Lawrence Welk for us (no offense!) We didn’t spend time in the lounges with the smaller acts. Le Cirque Bijou is a Cirque de Soleil style show with amazing acrobatics and aerial feats – all the more impressive when performed with the ship rocking. We saw the crew talent show on the last day, followed by Fountains…not to be missed. One other note: DH has a hearing problem, and at the M&G, he asked if there was any kind of wireless headset for use in the Stardust, similar to what you can get in a Broadway theater. Dallas (assistant Hotel Director) said there was, and by the time we returned to our cabin, we had a message that one was available for pickup at Guest Services. DH used it every night and it added greatly to his enjoyment of the entertainment. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that mentioned on the NCL forum.

 

Activities: We brought along our favorite board game, Settlers of Catan, and played it in the card room, the buffet, and one day in Mama’s (Italian) during the afternoon. Both crew members and passengers often stopped by to ask about it. The card/game room was very popular and often too crowded for us to play there. Mama’s was perfect. This was a Nick at Sea cruise for the little ones, but if we didn’t go out of our way to look for Sponge Bob, we would not have known he was on board. There did seem to be many activities geared to families with young kids, e.g. arts & crafts. We didn’t go to the other activities offered but there were: dance lessons, trivia games, a golf seminar, cooking demo, lots of NCL U tastings, movies in Fyzz, poolside games, and of course the money-makers: bingo, art auctions, shopping presentations, etc.

 

We took the Behind-the-Scenes Tour on the next-to-last sea day. Pricey at $55 pp but worth it and about 2 hours long. We saw the galley, many food storage and prep rooms, the recycling department, the laundry (fascinating!), the Bridge (again), and backstage at the Stardust. In each area, a knowledgeable crew member or officer explained the operations.

 

Spa/Gym: Didn’t use the gym, as I prefer to walk on the Promenade around Deck 7. The treadmills are available from 9am – 9pm; any earlier/later than that they can disturb the cabins below. I used the beauty salon services for the first time on a cruise – my hair was suffering from the salt water, wind, and humidity, so I had the “scalp sizzle” – a conditioning treatment plus scalp, neck, and back massage, followed by a blow dry. Teryn (sp?) from South Africa did a better job with my hair than my stylist back home, according to my DH. And it was surprisingly affordable at $65.

 

Disembarkation: This wasn’t so smooth. Suite guests had two options: carry your own luggage off at 8:20 am, or meet in the Stardust at 9 am. We headed down to deck 7 with our carry-ons at 8:45; Adrian saw us and thought we were “walk-offs” and directed us to the exits. We didn’t realize the misunderstanding until we were in the terminal, about to enter the Customs line, and didn’t have our luggage. We had to wait until all the luggage was off-loaded from the ship before they’d let us into the claim area. During this time, everyone who chose the “easy walk-off” was filing through. It was frustrating. Once we had our luggage we got a porter, which was great because there’s a separate line through Customs and that was fast. He brought us up the elevator to the drop-off/pick-up area where chaos reigned, as passengers from both Gem and Jewel were disembarking. Oh well. At least it wasn’t snowing!

 

PORTS (with deepest gratitude to the members of CC who provided a wealth of info in planning our days)

 

San Juan: We happened to be there for the San Sebastian Festival which brings thousands of people to the streets of Old San Juan. Lots of street vendors and music and, we were warned, plenty of chaos after dark. We simply walked around for a couple of hours and then returned to the ship.

 

St. Thomas: We tried Morningstar Beach this time, by the Marriott resort. Cab ride was $5 pp plus tip. We shopped briefly in the Havensight Mall across from the pier and then caught a cab on the other side of the mall, with 4 other people. The beach is beautiful. Lounge chairs and umbrellas for rent, but there is some shade from the sea grape trees, so we didn’t need an umbrella, and no one ever came around to collect $ for the chairs. There’s a strip of shells you have to cross to get into the water but once you’re past that, it’s a smooth sandy bottom. The waves were fun – not so big that you’d wipe out, but not so calm that it’s boring. The restrooms were spotless. Didn’t use the bar/restaurant but it’s very convenient to the beach. Celebrity’s Summit was the only other ship in port this day.

 

Antigua: We took a bus to Valley Church Beach (#22, for $1.50 pp). We boarded at the terminal but waited almost 30 minutes to depart, so in retrospect, we lost a half hour of beach time to save $13. This beach was also beautiful, with lounge chairs for $5 each. Didn’t need umbrellas here either, as there was plenty of natural shade. Smooth sand, waves manageable. It’s a bit steep getting in and out of the water. We ate at The Nest, the beach restaurant/bar, which was not over-priced. Washrooms are a short walk beyond the restaurant. We walked to the road to get the bus for the return trip and waited only 10 minutes for it to come along. Cabs were plentiful. We were the only ship in port.

 

St. Maarten: I stayed on the ship for the most part and enjoyed the Courtyard and my balcony with my couldn’t-put-it-down book while DH took a cab to Orient Beach. The pier looked like a parking lot, with Disney Magic, Celebrity Constellation and Eclipse, and the Epic all docked.

 

Tortola: Again we were the only ship in port. Our stay was only from 7am-1pm and we wanted to visit the Baths on Virgin Gorda; we took the NCL excursion so we wouldn’t have to worry about getting back on time. Loved this! The ferry was right at the pier. We boarded at 7:30 for the 40-minute ride, then a 20-minute taxi ride to the Baths. I was nervous from what I’d read on CC about the need to maneuver through the caves, and it was a bit challenging in places, but it was well worth the effort. By 9am we were on the beach at Devil’s Bay and enjoyed about an hour and a half of this beautiful beach before walking back up to the parking lot.

 

I saved the Dailies if anyone has specific questions, about them or anything else.

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mommyto2girls

mommyto2girls

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Thank you for your review really well written..we were on the Jan 2, 2011 we had a CYV we loved it enough to book March 6, 2011 so we are going to do the Bahama itinerary (not my favorite) in 39 days. I fell in love with Zandra, Adrian is the best and Silas was alot of fun. I posted about the Noro the day we returned but I was bashed something awful on these boards. I have not sailed NCL and up until recently I thought Carnival Boards were brutal. I am pleased as could be (although wish it had't happened) that you confirmed the Noro that some on these boards accused me of being dishonest about. I would assume it was as widespread as I posted if you were offered the option to cancel. We had great sailing weather but we did have the virus. Somehow with cruises there is always a trade off of something..lol. I have done the suite life on almost every other line..NCL has spoiled me for a long time to come.

 

Andrea

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Sandyshore

Sandyshore

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Thank you for your review really well written..we were on the Jan 2, 2011 we had a CYV we loved it enough to book March 6, 2011 so we are going to do the Bahama itinerary (not my favorite) in 39 days. I fell in love with Zandra, Adrian is the best and Silas was alot of fun. I posted about the Noro the day we returned but I was bashed something awful on these boards. I have not sailed NCL and up until recently I thought Carnival Boards were brutal. I am pleased as could be (although wish it had't happened) that you confirmed the Noro that some on these boards accused me of being dishonest about. I would assume it was as widespread as I posted if you were offered the option to cancel. We had great sailing weather but we did have the virus. Somehow with cruises there is always a trade off of something..lol. I have done the suite life on almost every other line..NCL has spoiled me for a long time to come.

 

Andrea

 

Andrea, I didn't see your post about Noro on the Jan 2nd cruise. Maybe better that I didn't, since it would have made me nervous :eek: but I'm sorry you got that kind of reaction from this board. The letter we got said there was a "small outbreak" involving only 2% of the passengers. But they were taking no chances and kept the lockdown going for 3 days. Nothing that a passenger touched could be touched by another -- no salt shakers, ketchup bottles on the tables. You couldn't even fill a water glass in the buffet. And I'm used to the hand sanitizer stations at the entrance to every restaurant, but this is the first time I saw crew with spritz bottles that they aimed at every hand they saw. The ship took this very seriously!

 

Enjoy your cruise in March -- I'm jealous! And yes, Zandra is a sweetheart :)

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mommyto2girls

mommyto2girls

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Andrea, I didn't see your post about Noro on the Jan 2nd cruise. Maybe better that I didn't, since it would have made me nervous :eek: but I'm sorry you got that kind of reaction from this board. The letter we got said there was a "small outbreak" involving only 2% of the passengers. But they were taking no chances and kept the lockdown going for 3 days. Nothing that a passenger touched could be touched by another -- no salt shakers, ketchup bottles on the tables. You couldn't even fill a water glass in the buffet. And I'm used to the hand sanitizer stations at the entrance to every restaurant, but this is the first time I saw crew with spritz bottles that they aimed at every hand they saw. The ship took this very seriously!

 

Enjoy your cruise in March -- I'm jealous! And yes, Zandra is a sweetheart :)

 

It was more than 2% and a large part of the crew...but I don't want to get bashed again! We had the same thing after day 3 No touching! Zandra is a sweetie but I am in love with Adrian and our Butler Jurehmer was amazing as well. I thought it was handled well but still felt it should not be kept silent on the boards. Thanks for letting us share your week in memories!

 

Andrea

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newmexicoNita

newmexicoNita

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Here's my review, which I'm also submitting to the Member's Review page. I have some great photos but I can only seem to attach thumbnails. Maybe somebody can tell me how to insert a larger version like I see in so many posts! Anyway, here goes, with apologies to people who don't like long reviews. :o

 

This was a 10-day from New York to the eastern Caribbean. We’ve done the itinerary before on the Gem, and this was our first time on the Jewel. Just DH and myself, in our mid-50’s, and this was our 4th NCL cruise. We were fortunate to get an upsell from an AD aft-facing balcony to an AA Owner’s Suite on Deck 9 (cabin 9004), and this was our first time experiencing the “suite life” of NCL (or any other line). I’ll say right up front that the luxurious accommodations made this a cruise to remember for all the right reasons.

 

Embarkation: We left the day after a snowstorm which caused us to stay in NY the previous night, even though we live in Connecticut. The forecast was too scary to take the chance of not getting to the city in time. Stayed at The Skyline Hotel on the west side, only a couple blocks from the pier, and it was very nice for a great rate. We were concerned about getting a cab to the pier and the expected traffic mess due to the snow, so we left the hotel earlier than necessary and arrived at the pier at 9am. A lot of people did the same thing – some had arrived as early as 7:30. Check-in didn’t start for a couple of hours, and when it did, we were escorted to security screening and were at the NCL check-in desk minutes later. There had been an outbreak of Noro on the previous cruise, and we were given a letter offering the option of canceling and receiving credit for our fare. No thanks! We were escorted to the VIP waiting area where there was coffee, cookies, and juice, and there we waited for about an hour because of the sanitizing being done to the ship. Adrian, the concierge, made his way around the room and handed out cabin keycards as well as his card with his cell #. I believe it was about noon when boarding began, and small groups were escorted on board based on cabin location. I was surprised to see that priority boarding allowed us to bypass the embarkation photo.

 

The Suite: 9004 is the forward/starboard OS. WOW says it all! Forward and side balconies: forward held two lounge chairs and could have fit another four (very deep); side balcony had two cushioned chairs and an ottoman, plus a small table with two more chairs, and could be accessed from two sliding doors in the living room. We had to keep the drapes closed on the forward windows after dark, because light in the bedroom would be visible to the Bridge. Soundproofing in the cabin was excellent; we never heard a sound from adjoining cabins, even though one neighbor apologized for playing his TV loud. The living room had a couch, comfy chair, coffee table and dining table/4 chairs, TV and DVD player. Bedroom with king-sized bed, flat screen TV and DVD player; Bathroom with double sink, big bathtub with a TV mounted in the corner, roomy shower with extra jets, toilet behind a GLASS door, with a wall-mounted phone. Walk-in closet with dressing area and vanity, lots of drawer space, and hanging clothes rod. Elemis shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, shower gel, and bar soap provided. Bathrobes and cute terrycloth slippers too. A pocket door could close off the entire bathroom from the bedroom, and a heavy drape could close off the bedroom from the living room. Bar area with fridge, cabinets, a variety of glasses, Lavazza coffee machine (we never used it). Fridge stocked with bottled water (plain and sparkling) and cans of soda which were replenished as needed. Powder room with toilet and sink and another wall mounted phone. A list of liquor choices from which we could choose three, for the butler to deliver later. Asian theme to the artwork and upholstery – lots of green and gold – beautifully appointed. A dizzying number of light switches that we came close to figuring out by the end of the cruise. We found menus from all the specialty restaurants in one of the cabinets. My SINGLE complaint about the cabin is the glass toilet door. I find it amusing that NCL provides a curtain to close off the vanity/dressing area from the bathroom, but does not think the toilet deserves the same privacy. Suffice it to say…we used the powder room a lot!

 

Antonio was our butler and Hariri our steward. Both were outstanding. We had breakfast in the suite on each of our port days, and Antonio always called a few minutes before appearing, and always right on time. The suite service breakfast card includes cereals, fruit, muffins, toast, eggs, omelets, bacon, juice, coffee, tea. We would write in pancakes or French toast to add to the order. Antonio also brought us a plate of snacks at 5pm every day. We told him the kinds of things we liked and he was pretty good about bringing them. We requested chocolate-covered strawberries on the last day. In addition to Antonio and Hariri, every crew member we encountered, without fail, smiled and greeted us.

 

This cruise has 2 sea days going south and another 2 going north. Both the first and the last were quite rocky. The navigation channel on TV showed the classification system for wave height, and both those days were “rough” with waves 7.5-12 ft. I was queasy the first day and asked Antonio for some crackers. He also brought me green apples and ginger ale. The last sea day, I didn’t even have to ask: he just appeared at the door with all three. I know being all the way forward contributed to feeling every move the ship made, but I wouldn’t hesitate to book an OS again in spite of that. I wore sea bands, but I don’t like to take the motion sickness pills because they make me too sleepy, even the less-drowsy ones, and even if I only take half.

 

The muster drill at 3:30 was a breeze – held indoors (we were in the Stardust Theater) – and no life jackets required. Probably not 10 minutes, start to finish. We returned to our cabin for sailaway and stayed out front as long as we could stand the wind and cold (just past the Statue) and then moved to the side balcony, but it was getting dark and was very cold. Our luggage had arrived by then also. One note about those forward balconies – unlike the side ones, you can see your neighbors out front. There’s only a low wall dividing you when you stand all the way forward. So we had some nice chats with the people 1, 2, and 3 cabins over (those are penthouse suites) and saw them all over the ship.

 

Courtyard: The OS has access to the private courtyard on Deck 14, either using the keycard in the aft elevator, or at the stairway door. We didn’t spend too much time there, but we loved the fact that we could! We did have lunch there one day; the Courtyard butler (Zandra) serves breakfast and lunch from the Cagney’s menu every day. It was a beautiful and quiet place to relax and/or swim.

 

Meet & Greet: We had a large roll call – about 90 people – but nowhere near that many came to the M&G in Azura on the first sea day. Sheila, Roger, Maria, and Paulo did a great job of organizing it for us. Many officers attended, as well as the CD. I was feeling rather green that day, so I wasn’t able to meet as many people as I’d hoped to. Our group received an invitation to tour the Bridge a couple days later. That was fascinating – we spent about an hour with the 1st officer, who explained the equipment and answered our questions. We also were able to see the forward edge of our forward balcony from the Bridge. The deck 10 forward balconies are fully visible to the Bridge; deck 9, only the far edge. BTW, ship’s officers were visible throughout the cruise. The Food and Beverage Director (Kris?) stopped by our table in the Blue Lagoon just to ask if everything was ok. We saw Dallas (assistant Hotel Director) on multiple occasions (he was even one of the “Stars” in Dancing with the Jewel Stars).

 

Food: The suite perk of breakfast/lunch in Cagney’s was a mixed bag for us. We loved not having to deal with the chaos of the buffet, the juggling of plates, finding a table while your food gets cold, etc. But on multiple mornings in Cagney’s, we were served room temp French toast, and once, cold coffee. Yes, they replaced both with hot, fresh orders, but that it happened at all was below our expectations. There was no breakfast buffet in Cagney’s the first 3 days (nor was there any self-service on the ship) due to the Noro outbreak. Once 72 hrs had passed with no new reports, they allowed self-service again, and the Cagney’s buffet appeared. We didn’t particularly enjoy the lunch menu. DH loves a good steak, but not for breakfast, and the petit filet you can have with your eggs in the morning is not available at lunch, and he didn’t like the steak that was available. He tried the sliders, but we learned that you can’t order a medium-rare burger on the ship; it’s either medium-well or well done, obviously for health reasons, but not what he wanted.

 

We ate dinner twice at Cagney’s, not needing a reservation either time. There were no advertised 2-for-1 specials any night, although we learned from another cruiser’s review that it was offered on our San Juan port day but without any notice in the Daily. No early-bird specials either. We had dinner twice in the buffet and three times in Azura. DH liked the lobster tail, the beef Wellington, and the prime rib. We celebrated DH’s birthday on board with a personal-size cake in Azura (arranged by our PCC), and the servers sang to him. We didn’t have to wait for a table for two in Azura on two nights, but on lobster night we shared an 8-top to avoid a wait. We never ate at Tsar’s because he wanted to wear shorts to dinner. We like fairly simple food, and the menus overall just didn’t appeal to us. Which is not to say we went hungry! We had lunch and dinner at the Blue Lagoon on multiple days. They have the best brownie sundae on the ship! DH liked the fish & chips; I liked the chicken tenders. You have to ask for honey-mustard sauce.

 

Internet: DH needed to keep in touch with clients, so we purchased 250 minutes for $100. There was a 20 minute bonus for purchasing on embarkation day, plus another 10 minutes Latitude bonus added on the next day. The connection is SLOW.

 

Entertainment: Silas Cook was the Cruise Director, and Ferdi (Ferdinand?) the assistant CD. Silas was full of energy on stage and personable when not. I didn’t enjoy Ferdi however. Hard to pinpoint why, I think I just didn’t like his sense of humor. I kept comparing him to Matt Baker, who I saw last summer, and I just enjoyed Matt much more. Ferdi ran the Dancing with the Stars and The Quest shows; Silas only ran the Newlywed game. There were two song & dance production shows: Band on the Run and Le Cirque Bijou, both NCL Productions, not Jean Ann Ryan. The rest was typical cruise entertainment – comedians, magician, hypnotist. We missed the night with the adage couple but heard it was great. There was an a cappella boy band one night in the Stardust, the Cat’s Pajamas, which we walked out on – too Lawrence Welk for us (no offense!) We didn’t spend time in the lounges with the smaller acts. Le Cirque Bijou is a Cirque de Soleil style show with amazing acrobatics and aerial feats – all the more impressive when performed with the ship rocking. We saw the crew talent show on the last day, followed by Fountains…not to be missed. One other note: DH has a hearing problem, and at the M&G, he asked if there was any kind of wireless headset for use in the Stardust, similar to what you can get in a Broadway theater. Dallas (assistant Hotel Director) said there was, and by the time we returned to our cabin, we had a message that one was available for pickup at Guest Services. DH used it every night and it added greatly to his enjoyment of the entertainment. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that mentioned on the NCL forum.

 

Activities: We brought along our favorite board game, Settlers of Catan, and played it in the card room, the buffet, and one day in Mama’s (Italian) during the afternoon. Both crew members and passengers often stopped by to ask about it. The card/game room was very popular and often too crowded for us to play there. Mama’s was perfect. This was a Nick at Sea cruise for the little ones, but if we didn’t go out of our way to look for Sponge Bob, we would not have known he was on board. There did seem to be many activities geared to families with young kids, e.g. arts & crafts. We didn’t go to the other activities offered but there were: dance lessons, trivia games, a golf seminar, cooking demo, lots of NCL U tastings, movies in Fyzz, poolside games, and of course the money-makers: bingo, art auctions, shopping presentations, etc.

 

We took the Behind-the-Scenes Tour on the next-to-last sea day. Pricey at $55 pp but worth it and about 2 hours long. We saw the galley, many food storage and prep rooms, the recycling department, the laundry (fascinating!), the Bridge (again), and backstage at the Stardust. In each area, a knowledgeable crew member or officer explained the operations.

 

Spa/Gym: Didn’t use the gym, as I prefer to walk on the Promenade around Deck 7. The treadmills are available from 9am – 9pm; any earlier/later than that they can disturb the cabins below. I used the beauty salon services for the first time on a cruise – my hair was suffering from the salt water, wind, and humidity, so I had the “scalp sizzle” – a conditioning treatment plus scalp, neck, and back massage, followed by a blow dry. Teryn (sp?) from South Africa did a better job with my hair than my stylist back home, according to my DH. And it was surprisingly affordable at $65.

 

Disembarkation: This wasn’t so smooth. Suite guests had two options: carry your own luggage off at 8:20 am, or meet in the Stardust at 9 am. We headed down to deck 7 with our carry-ons at 8:45; Adrian saw us and thought we were “walk-offs” and directed us to the exits. We didn’t realize the misunderstanding until we were in the terminal, about to enter the Customs line, and didn’t have our luggage. We had to wait until all the luggage was off-loaded from the ship before they’d let us into the claim area. During this time, everyone who chose the “easy walk-off” was filing through. It was frustrating. Once we had our luggage we got a porter, which was great because there’s a separate line through Customs and that was fast. He brought us up the elevator to the drop-off/pick-up area where chaos reigned, as passengers from both Gem and Jewel were disembarking. Oh well. At least it wasn’t snowing!

 

PORTS (with deepest gratitude to the members of CC who provided a wealth of info in planning our days)

 

San Juan: We happened to be there for the San Sebastian Festival which brings thousands of people to the streets of Old San Juan. Lots of street vendors and music and, we were warned, plenty of chaos after dark. We simply walked around for a couple of hours and then returned to the ship.

 

St. Thomas: We tried Morningstar Beach this time, by the Marriott resort. Cab ride was $5 pp plus tip. We shopped briefly in the Havensight Mall across from the pier and then caught a cab on the other side of the mall, with 4 other people. The beach is beautiful. Lounge chairs and umbrellas for rent, but there is some shade from the sea grape trees, so we didn’t need an umbrella, and no one ever came around to collect $ for the chairs. There’s a strip of shells you have to cross to get into the water but once you’re past that, it’s a smooth sandy bottom. The waves were fun – not so big that you’d wipe out, but not so calm that it’s boring. The restrooms were spotless. Didn’t use the bar/restaurant but it’s very convenient to the beach. Celebrity’s Summit was the only other ship in port this day.

 

Antigua: We took a bus to Valley Church Beach (#22, for $1.50 pp). We boarded at the terminal but waited almost 30 minutes to depart, so in retrospect, we lost a half hour of beach time to save $13. This beach was also beautiful, with lounge chairs for $5 each. Didn’t need umbrellas here either, as there was plenty of natural shade. Smooth sand, waves manageable. It’s a bit steep getting in and out of the water. We ate at The Nest, the beach restaurant/bar, which was not over-priced. Washrooms are a short walk beyond the restaurant. We walked to the road to get the bus for the return trip and waited only 10 minutes for it to come along. Cabs were plentiful. We were the only ship in port.

 

St. Maarten: I stayed on the ship for the most part and enjoyed the Courtyard and my balcony with my couldn’t-put-it-down book while DH took a cab to Orient Beach. The pier looked like a parking lot, with Disney Magic, Celebrity Constellation and Eclipse, and the Epic all docked.

 

Tortola: Again we were the only ship in port. Our stay was only from 7am-1pm and we wanted to visit the Baths on Virgin Gorda; we took the NCL excursion so we wouldn’t have to worry about getting back on time. Loved this! The ferry was right at the pier. We boarded at 7:30 for the 40-minute ride, then a 20-minute taxi ride to the Baths. I was nervous from what I’d read on CC about the need to maneuver through the caves, and it was a bit challenging in places, but it was well worth the effort. By 9am we were on the beach at Devil’s Bay and enjoyed about an hour and a half of this beautiful beach before walking back up to the parking lot.

 

I saved the Dailies if anyone has specific questions, about them or anything else.

 

Sounds like a great cruise, thanks for letting us all know about your experiences.

 

Nita

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