Jewel Memories: April 21, 2012 Sailing!

[coka]

Coka, are you still ok with my postings? I can create a separate thread.

 

Definitely OKAY! I love the pictures and the title of thread is Jewel Memories! Your photography skills are awesome! How wonderful to see the beautful decor...and very special about Tsars!

 

coka

[Tatka]

Thank you..

 

I copied my other review and noticed that I left some of my comments in Russian... :o. Board time limit doesn't allow me to remove them.

Sorry.

 

Jewel and other NCL ships are so beautiful it's a pleasure to photograph them.

[Tatka]

Main buffet area is very bright and cheerful. I love "flowers"

 

 

 

Actually whole ship is rather colorful. It is not gaudy like some Carnival's decor, and adds to a good mood

 

 

 

 

[Tatka]

This time we were "inside" people.

Inside cabins are small, I am not sure 3 people would fit in there adequately. Even for two of us it was barely enough, but I like coziness of the decor.

 

Our cabin was #10045 on the 10th floor, conveniently close to both - Lido deck and entertainment deck #7. We tried to walk rather than take elevators.. You gotta burn calories!

 

There is no coffee machine, TV is small and kind of old, but we liked a light in the closet.

 

 

 

Ванная комната стандартна, с хорошего размера душем. 2 человека помещаются легко.

 

Bathroom is pretty standard, but showers is nicely sized. I think 2 people would fit comfortably if they wanted.

 

 

 

As on the other NCL ships instead of standard door card there is a sign, with several different options Welcome - Please Make up My room - Don't Disturb - Please Turn Down My room.

 

[Tatka]

This is how pool areas look during a day. I loved how Jewel has actually an adult pool, which so many kids it came handy! Also water was heated to a comfortable temperature.

 

 

 

 

And this is at night.

 

[Tatka]

We are collecting ship models. Actually have a nice collection of them.

 

 

So of course I had to get Jewel as well.. And I did! It was a very last model. I was proud of myself... :) although later in Port Canaveral they brought some more.

 

 

[Tatka]

Our first stop after the first sea day was Port Canaveral

 

You can do so many things in this port.. from the beaches and Disney/Universal to the Space Station, but for this relatively late stop (12 PM) we picked ship sponsored tour Airboat Ride and Alligator Jungle.

 

Port is a long harbor, it takes some time to reach the end of it

 

 

Нас встречает старичек Carnival Extasy (ну и имя!!!).

 

Carnival Extasy is greeting us at the entrance

 

Name is ... interesting, ship is old, but Carnival upgraded this series, added nice waterparks and more. It is probably not bad for 3-4 cruises.

 

[Tatka]

Right away you start feeling south... Palm trees.

We saw a couple of dolphins, but couldn't get a right moment for a picture

 

 

Another older ship RCCL Monarch in port.

[Tatka]

Очень солнечно, но жары нет... наверное около 18Ц

It was very sunny, but not hot, about 70F.

We took our tour bus and started our drive to Airboat place.

 

 

 

 

 

This excursion is very unusual and entertaining. Experience! Airboats look like this

 

 

Me and my DH took the highest seats on both sides from our guide to take pictures

 

 

and record a movie.

 

 

Everybody had headphones, to prevent us from going deaf and to hear narrations. Be careful, all your words are also heard by everybody on the boat.

[Tatka]

Но.. на волю в пампасы, к животным.

 

I want to thank coka for a compliment about my photos, but I am just a beginner. And during this tour I was actually sorry that I didn't buy a better, faster lens. It is 18-55 3.5 - 5.6 Nikkor VR kit lens.

 

Ok.. ready, set, go.. under the small bridge

 

 

flying...

 

 

 

Alligators here and there

 

[Tatka]

[Tatka]

And not only them. Birds, cows, trees' roots. :)

[Tatka]

После райда можно было сфотографироваться с аллигатором... Морда, конечно на всякий случай перевязана, кто же знает что товарищу придет в голову. Фотография не меня

 

After this ride passengers had opportunity to take pictures with alligators...

 

 

And to buy nice souvenirs

 

 

This "grandpa" was cute.

 

 

As well as this madam :smile:

 

[Tatka]

And then.. Alligators Jungle. A nice zoo actually

 

 

 

 

 

People who work there are truly devoted to what they are doing. They gave us nice presentation about life of alligators and more

 

[Tatka]

 

Young visitors had so much fun!

 

[Tatka]

По длине жизни они близки к человеку.. В предыдущем сообщении аллигатор еще маленький - 4-летка, а живут они 60-70 лет.

 

Alligator life span is about 60-70 years.

 

These are 35-40 yo.

 

[Tatka]

[Tatka]

There are several funny signs

 

 

Tourists tend to give our gators indigestion.

 

[Tatka]

Then we had a slow ride on the alligator river (lake?). Guides asked us to be very careful and not try to feed animals.

 

[halos]

Absolutely brilliant as usual Coka...you supply the best reviews on Cruise Critic!:)

 

Tatka...great pictures!! :)

[Tatka]

Aside from animals we met Native American man

"Standing Bear".

 

He gave us nice lecture about a life of Seminoles.

 

 

 

He has great sense of humor... I though I had it too.. but was sort of scared when he told me, looking straight in my eyes, that Seminoles still hadn't sign a treaty not to kill intruders (us!)

[Tatka]

Next port was NCL's private island Great Stirrup Cay.

 

I have to admit this island is the weakest out of four other private islands we visited - Princess Cay (Princess), Half Moon Cay (Holland/Carnival), Labadee (RCCL), but construction work is going on.

 

In the morning captain announced that he will do everything possible to disembark us.. It is a tender port, and waves were big. RCCL Monarch couldn't make a call to the neighboring Coco Cay. Instead they had a sea day.

 

Again, weather was sunny but windy.

 

 

 

They couldn't use regular tenders.. even island's one larger were rock&rolling, bumping into the Jewel's hull and on the waves.

 

 

[Tatka]

Beach is very crowded, but it looks like NCL is adding other beaches around, as well as cabanas

 

 

BBQ was good, and some entertainment too.

 

[Tatka]

Last port was Nassau, Bahamas.

 

We decided to repeat our last year itinerary and sail to Atlantis

 

At first we were a bit scared when noticed this

 

 

Crew had emergency jacket on too.

 

 

But everybody was smiling, so .. it was probably a training!

[Tatka]

Our portmates today were NCL Sky & RCCL Monarch ots

 

 

 

 

I believe Royal also conducted some kind of drill

 

 

Last year on Carnival Miracle we were all alone in Nassau ... and it was much better in term of the absence of the crowd.