Jewel mini review

[Disfan5]

Howdy. We just got off the Jewel on Sunday so I just wanted to do a little mini review on our sailing. We had 3 people, me, my dad and my 10 year old son.

 

We were in a balcony room on Deck 9. Plenty of room for 3. The couch folded out into bed. It was a little hard, but it was not bad. The bed did block access to the balcony a bit, but in the morning, we just flipped the end cushion up onto the bed and pushed frame in so it was easier to get by until the steward made up the room. There is a light in the closet behind the clothes bar, that we didn't find for a bit. There were also 3 plugs in the room, one near the table by the balcony, one under the mirror where the hair dryer is, and one in the cabinet where the ice bucket and glasses are...right under the fridge. We plugged in a night light there and it was very convenient. It help find the bathroom door but it wasn't shining in our eyes.

 

We went to most of the evening shows in the Stardust Lounge. The Bands on the Run show was really good as was the Cirque Bijou should not be missed. We also really enjoyed the comedian and the magician.They both had the main show at night and then later in the week, they had another presentation during the day...the magician showed some up close magic and the comedian did presentation. We missed the Welcome Aboard show and the last show.

 

The cruise entertainment crew was great...we participated in the trivia, game shows, crafts. They have a little activity card that you get signed when you participate and at the end of the cruise, they have prizes...koozies, Frisbees, playing cards, t-shirts, water bottles...

 

We ate dinners in one of the MDRs. The nightly menu that changed was the same in both MDRs, but the standard one that did not change was just a little different. As a starter, one had mushroom quesadilla and the other was a mushroom tortilla crisp...but the were basically the same thing. Everything we ordered was ok, not fantastic, but ok.

 

We had breakfast and lunch at the Garden Cafe buffet. Both were good and had lots of choices. My favorite thing I had was buttermilk pecan crusted fried chicken. If you like iced tea for breakfast, the third drink station had it all the time...it is good if you add a little lemonaid to it, and in the morning, cranberry juice cocktail. The also had bbq by the main pool a couple days and set up an outdoor buffet there.

 

We also went to the Blue Lagoon a number of times. My son loved the wings and the other other stuff we had a good. They did not have bacon police at the buffet, but they did have someone stationed at the ice cream stations.

 

We didn't spend much time by the pool, but I did dip in one day. The pool was deep...over my head. They did have bars under the water along the side of the pool so it was easy to hang on to.

 

I think that's all I can think of for now...let me know if you have any questions and I can try to answer them.

[kcwingwalker]

Thanks for sharing, sounds like you had a good cruise! Glad to hear there were no "Bacon Police":)

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

[realtorlady42]

this is great thanks! Tidbits that are not the usual "this is me and my family and my preferences" reviews.

 

Can you explain more about the activity card..it's the first time I have heard of it..where you get it, how it works how you get prizes, where you get prizes etc.

Sounds kind of fun :-)

[Disfan5]

It is called the Cruise Director's Staff Activity Card and the pass them out at all the games. It is about the size of your key card. I keep my room key on a lanyard and I actually just punched a hole in my card and kept it with my key so I wouldn't lose it. It is numbered from 1-20 and the person running the activity initials a number after the activity is over. You get one signature for participating and two signatures for winning. The last sea day was when you could redeem your card for prizes...it was at 5pm that evening and they just had a table set up at the main area on level 7.

 

The staff signed it for all the games and activities...trivia, scattagories, walk a mile with a smile, crafts. I don't think they signed them for things like bingo or if you attended the Newlywed game, just the activities that everyone participated in. All of the staff people were really nice and Sin is the new Cruise Director. He was originally the assistant cruise director but he promoted half way through our cruise when the original cruise director flew out from one of the ports.

 

This was my first NCL cruise and I don't know if they do it on all the boats. I've did a lot of reading before my cruise and I didn't see it mentioned anywhere. My son really liked going to all the trivia and games and I think he ended up getting 23 initials signed off and I got 19.

Edited November 27, 2013 by Disfan5

[Disfan5]

I forgot to mention that Surf and Turf was the first night. They were more relaxed about the dress code in the Tsar dining room, since some people may not have received their luggage yet. A lot of people missed out on the lobster because the didn't realize it was the first night and they were still finding their way around.

 

We did not go to any of the extra charge restaurants, but the Teppanayaki was the most popular and was usually unavailable on the board. Some passengers were a little confused about which restaurants had an extra charge. There are two mail dining rooms, Tsar and Azura, the Blue Lagoon that is open 24 hours with comfort food and breakfast, the Garden Cafe buffet, and the Great Outdoors, on the very back of the boat. The Great Outdoors seemed to be open when the main buffet was closed (like when switching from lunch to dinner).

 

I was involved in the Cruise Critic roll call and we did have a Meet and Greet. Most of the main officers showed up and they gave out a card with their phone extensions, in case you had a problem and needed to call them.

We were also able to sign up for a special "Have dinner with a ship Officer" thing they did. We were able to have dinner in the Tsar MDR with The second in command. Very interesting. We signed up at the meet and greet, but I think anyone could sign up...I just don't know when they announced it.

 

After our Meet and Greet, we went on a cabin crawl. CC members allowed us to see what some of the different categories were like, so we were able to check out an obstructed ocean view, a regular balcony, an aft balcony, a mini suite and a penthouse. It was really great to see what the other categories are like....we were originally in an obstructed ocean view and we were able to upgrade up to a family balcony.

[realtorlady42]

Thank you for all the detail :)

We are booked for an Aft balcony on the 8th floor. I am looking forward to the little buffet that is very close to our cabin. We sailed on NCL Epic last Feb and there was on on it as well. It was great for a quick lunch and often had themed dishes based on what port we were in.

 

Sounds like your family had a wonderful cruise and took full advantage of the activities available.

 

We have a few booking perks one being a complimentary meal at Mama's Italian. So we will enjoy that, but we don't usually pay for up charge meals, we go to the MDR and always find something we enjoy.

On the Jewel we will pay for one other extra meal and that is the Jazz Brunch...being a New Orleans cruise and all we thought it would fit with the theme. There is not a lot of info on it, but what I did find indicates it is a very enjoyable brunch with good jazz music.

 

Speaking of New Orleans..did you go to any of the New Orleans themed activities..the parade, or the MArdi Gras Dance?

Did you go to the sail away party? If you did, what New Orleans themed activitites did they do..music, beads etc?

 

We usually do sail away from our balcony but if there is some special New Orleans themed activities at this sail away we will head to the party for a little while.

[cupcake1222]

Curious about the jazz brunch. Our cruise is over New Years and I would love to do this, but never heard of it. Can you give me any details? TIA!

[zounds]

Thanks very much, Disfan, for sharing. We're pumped about being in our first mini and 1st time on Jewel in a wk and a half !

[realtorlady42]

Curious about the jazz brunch. Our cruise is over New Years and I would love to do this, but never heard of it. Can you give me any details? TIA!

 

It is on the last day at sea and should be advertised before..but if not just ask someone at the desk to make a reservation

.

People who have done it say it is well worth it. Good food, great atmosphere and good New Orleans Jazz.

 

I have the dailies from a recent Jewel cruise and it says it is $15.00 at Le Bistro from 11:00-1:00

 

I just did a quick search for a thread I saw with pictures..but could not find it.

I am not sure if it will be offered for advanced booking on line or not..along with other specialty dining..you should have access to that now..maybe you could check and let me know if it is offered to book ahead of time :)

If not.. then just ask when you are on board..they will be able to get you set up :-)

Have a great cruise!

[slotaddict]

It was offered this cruise.....a menu was sitting outside the Italian restaurant....it did say call for reservations but did not have a price on it...

[Disfan5]

I sorry that I don't have any info on any of the New Orleans themed activities. We missed them. For the sail away, we were on our balcony. On our cabin crawl, we did get to see a aft balcony I was surprised at how loud it was...you could really hear the waves from the wake.

 

I did forget to mention that there was also a chocolate buffet one night in the Garden Cafe. They did not see where they let anyone in for a picture preview. A big crowd gathered at the door waiting to be let in. They had a couple of ice sculptures and a big chocolate Jewel ship decorated piece, along with other sugar/chocolate displays placed around the buffet serving stations. The desserts looked really fancy, until everyone started digging in. I only had a little piece of chocolate decadence but there were some people that tried to sample everything...I can only imagine how they felt afterwards.

 

My son did not attend any of the kid program activities, so I don't have anything to add there. They did have a couple circus activities where you could learn a few circus activities, like plate spinning and juggling. I briefly went to one of them and it was fun, but I wasn't able to stay long.

[cupcake1222]

Thanks for the info on the jazz brunch! I haven't seen it on the advanced dining page. I'll definitely keep my eye out for it while on board!

[realtorlady42]

Thanks for the info on the jazz brunch! I haven't seen it on the advanced dining page. I'll definitely keep my eye out for it while on board!

 

Your welcome :-)

 

I think I may post a new thread and see if any one has attended in the lat few weeks and has feedback :)

[realtorlady42]

I sorry that I don't have any info on any of the New Orleans themed activities. We missed them. For the sail away, we were on our balcony. On our cabin crawl, we did get to see a aft balcony I was surprised at how loud it was...you could really hear the waves from the wake."

 

 

That's what we like the sound of the ocean :D ..and the view is spectacular! both during sailaways and in port.

 

We often leave the balcony door open so we can hear the ocean and smell the fresh salt air...I grew up on the Ocean and live inland now..so as most of us who are in my situation do, I crave the sights sounds and smell of the sea.

[realtorlady42]

Thanks for the info on the jazz brunch! I haven't seen it on the advanced dining page. I'll definitely keep my eye out for it while on board!

 

Ok..I just did a google images search..instead fo searching on CC and found this pic of the Jazz Brunch Menu..says it is for 2013.

 

http://www.beyondships2.com/uploads/8/2/4/5/8245255/m_jazz.jpg

 

Here is the URL for the website..it has pretty much all the general info about the Jewel you could want.

 

http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-jewel-menus.html

[monicuba23]

Thanks for the review. I like the idea of a cabin crawl!