Jewel - March 2nd Mardi Gras Cruise

[Walt724]

Norwegian Jewel – Mardi Gras Cruise Review

Let me start by saying that I will attempt to get this right, but due to the circumstances surrounding this cruise, I may leave a few things out. If there is something specific you are interested in, please let me know.

I originally booked this cruise on February 7th for a March 2nd sailing. My DS is a senior in high school and has recently enlisted in the Army. This was supposed to be a last “guys only” trip before his world became all too real. However, I awoke on February 17th to find that my wife of 19 years had passed away during the night. It was completely unexpected. After getting through the first few hours, my DS and I agreed that we should continue with the cruise, but we would also bring along his mom’s ashes and spread them at her favorite beach.

 

Day One – Embarkation

Living close to a port (30 miles) has its advantages. We were able to get from the house to the port in about 35 minutes Sunday morning. Even though it was the Sunday before Mardi Gras, there was absolutely no traffic encountered en route. We did a drive through the port to drop off luggage and headed for the parking garage. Parking was breeze and as soon as we hit the sidewalk there was a shuttle ready for us and a few minutes later we were entering the port complex.

We waited in line for about 10 minutes to get through security then took a seat and waited for check-in. We probably sat for half an hour before getting called for check-in. As soon as we cleared check-in, our boarding group was called. This “perfect timing” theme would continue for most of the cruise.

 

Since it was still early (11:30am) I dropped my carry on at Fyzz and headed for the buffet. No problems getting fed here and plenty of tables available. This was our “pre-lunch”. I can’t recall exactly what was on our plates, but it was all good. Now for the real lunch. We walked down to Tsar’s Palace for a sit-down meal. Again, sorry, I didn’t log the food selections but there were no complaints from either of us. This theme would also continue for the duration of the cruise.

With lunch done, we started up the stairs and heard the magical chimes announcing that our cabins were ready. Now, I had originally booked an inside GTY. Figuring it would be just us guys. All we needed was a place to sleep and shower. Well, that all changed and we would end up in a mid-ship balcony cabin. I really appreciated the view and solitude the balcony offered. There were times that I just wasn’t up to mingling with the masses, no matter how pleasant they were.

The rest of the afternoon was spent stowing our belongings and getting to know the Jewel. Overall I would have to say she is a fine ship and is in great shape. Yes, there were rust spots, yes, there were worn areas. No, it didn’t detract from the beauty of the ship or my ability to enjoy the cruise.

 

Sail away was viewed from my balcony. Dinner tonight was in Azura and was the only night my DS and I would dine together. We both got the calamari appetizer with our surf and turf. No complaints here. Not the best meal I’ve ever eaten, but very tasty and very enjoyable. Even though the place was packed, our meal took 45 minutes, from sit to stand.

I roamed around the ship for a while to make sure I knew where the important places were; restaurants and bars. Mission accomplished!

 

Day Two – At Sea

I awoke to find the sun just lurking below the horizon. It would continue to lurk for another 30 minutes or so. When I finally coaxed it to come up, it was gorgeous.

Not a whole lot to report – typical sea day; the continual search for all things edible and the obligatory naps to allow that which was eaten to digest. A Dirty Banana or two tossed into the mix for good measure. I did spot a pod of pilot whales around 10:30am. There looked to be about 10-12 individuals. They invited me to join them. I declined. About an hour later 4 dolphins were playing in the bow wave on the port side. Also saw an abundance of flying fish.

 

The M&G was well attended and I met some great people. We would spend quite a bit of time together during the next few days. By now my DS had pretty much solidified his “entourage” and they spent most of the days and nights together in some form or fashion. It was really good to see him just hanging out and having fun. Oh, to be seventeen again.

 

Day Three – Cozumel

Once again I was able to convince the sun to shine. It took a little longer today. Almost an hour. If you haven’t guessed, I’m not sleeping well. I’m only able to sleep for short periods of time (30-45 minutes) and only once or twice a day. But enough of my problems, this is a vacation, sort of.

 

I did my morning 2 miles around the sports deck before breakfast then headed for the cabin to shower and prepare for the day. My DS had only one request for the cruise – parasailing. I reluctantly agreed. The thought of me being pulled through the sky (hopefully) under a parachute brought to mind images of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade gone horribly wrong.

 

Our “sail” was scheduled for 1:00pm, so we didn’t leave the ship until around noon. Since we docked at Punta Longosta it was only a short walk to the Aqua Safari pier to catch the boat. We were almost an hour early, but as soon as we walked up, our guide met us and was able to get the boat to come in and pick us up. Remember, “perfect timing”.

 

We had agreed that my DS would go first, but the captain and his deckhand had other ideas. Before I could protest I was strapped up, snapped in and sitting on the launch platform. What was I thinking!? As Captain Loco began his “takeoff roll” I could feel the chute filling up with air. It only took a few miles to get me airborne. Okay, maybe it was more like 100 yards. I did notice that my takeoff climb was not nearly as steep as some of the other “sailers” I watched from my balcony that morning. I did manage to get full extension on the cable and had a wonderful 10 minutes of flight before they reeled me back in for a perfect landing. Those guys are good. Now it was time for my DS to fly. He gained altitude much quicker than I did for some reason. His landing, however, left much to be desired. His first attempt was aborted a mere 12 inches above the water, 100 yards behind the boat. His second attempt was a successful “trolling for sharks” run and he was bounced along the surface for about 50 yards before they hit the throttle and lifted him back up for a proper landing on the boat. He loved it!

 

Our after flight meal was at Alberto’s. It’s just a short walk south of the pier. The food was good and reasonably priced. A bit of shopping followed then back to the ship. We had barely stepped into the cabin when DS announced he was heading for the pool. That was the last I would see of him until morning. The evening was fairly uneventful. I met up with a couple of CC’ers for drinks after dinner and some good conversation before calling it a night.

 

Day Four – Belize

Up early to get my tender ticket. Since we booked an independent trip to Lamanai, we needed to be in group 1. The guest services desk told me last night that the line would start forming around 6:30am and they were right. I know this because I started the line at 5:30am. Still not sleeping. A couple other guys showed up between 6:00am and 6:30am but they really started rolling in at 6:30am. The ticket master arrived at 6:45am and I was able to obtain the coveted group 1 tender ticket. A bit of breakfast on the way back down to wake up DS.

 

When they called group 1 to board we were at the head of the line. Fifteen minutes later we were on shore and walking towards the meeting point for our tour. We had no sooner cleared the terminal when I saw our guide. He literally shoved us into a waiting bus and we were gone. Perfect timing. The bus ride was uneventful. We had taken the same tour last time we cruised, but had booked it through NCL. This time we were on our own. Oh, my. Will we make it back to the ship or will we get stuck in Belize forever? Spoiler alert – we made it. When we reached the end of the line on the bus, we stopped for a Belizean lunch. Chicken, rice & beans, cole slaw and Coke. Gotta luv it!

 

The boat ride up the river to the site was great. A few things to look at but mostly full throttle, wind in your face, high speed fun. Lamanai didn’t disappoint. Even though we had been there a little over a year earlier, we still enjoyed it. The temples and other structures are amazing. We climbed them all, including the High Temple – 33 meters high. No wheelchair ramp. No escalator. No lift. Climb it. All the way to the top. The view is magnificent.

 

We encountered a group of howler monkeys and a baby snake (not sure what kind). When we left, he was alive and so were we. At this point, I need to mention that our guide was superb. Very knowledgeable and very personable as well. He gave us plenty of time to explore on our own as well as providing interesting facts to the group as the day went on. Nothing special to report on the way back to Belize City by boat and bus. The last tender was at 5:30pm and we were back in the terminal area by 4:00pm.

 

A little shopping then tender back to the Jewel. Mojitos and Lemon Drops and Rebellious Fish, oh, my. The evening was another spent with CC’ers. This was one special group. Some music, some dancing and some laughs. Lots of laughs.

 

You’ll notice, no mention of dinners the last few days. I ate mostly at the Blue Lagoon or Azura. Since I didn’t keep notes, I can’t remember what I ate on any given night. Just know that all of my meals were served quickly, the food was all well presented and very tasty. None of my “normal” meals even came close to taking an hour. Most were in the 30-45 minute range, and that included dessert and coffee.

 

Day 5 – Roatan

Morning arrived to find us pulling into the harbor in Roatan. The standard morning walk and breakfast followed by the daily endeavor of trying to wake the slumbering teen. DS is not the easiest person to wake up nor is he the most pleasant person when he first wakes up. Most of the time I try to stand at a distance and throw things at him until he stirs but this morning was special – I sat on him! This was a bad idea, but it did serve its purpose. He was awake and we were going ashore.

 

We had reserved two spots at Bananarama, so we set off to find our driver/guide. We met up with two other guys that were doing the same thing and were soon on our way to West Bay. Great weather and beautiful scenery were the order of the day. DS took an offshore snorkeling tour that resulted in burst capillaries in and around his eyes. Blow out on the way up! No real damage done but he looks really scary. The whites of his eyes are completely red!

 

DS met up with a friend of his that visits his grandparents in Honduras every year. Since he had “local knowledge” he was able to find “real” Honduran food. Delicious and affordable. I couldn’t eat everything they brought back to me and it all cost about $5 US. Seriously, I think the price was $3.50 and included a very large drink and a plate of food that I could not finish. I would happily report on where it was, but I never saw it. The boys wandered off and came back about 30 minutes later with the feast.

 

Lots of sun, lots of sand, lots of fun. Roatan.

 

Our driver/guide stayed at the resort with us, so once the four of us agreed we were all “funned out”, we just let her know and we were on our way back to the Jewel. Perfect!

 

Okay, I’m going to skip ahead to day 6. This evening was not pretty. It was the night before we would say our last goodbye and spread my wife’s ashes. I had a very personal agenda and I accomplished it. Nuf’ said.

 

Day 6 – Costa Maya

This is absolutely my favorite stop on this itinerary; the reason; Maya Chan Beach. It was a slightly different morning routine, but the result was the same. We were off the Jewel early and in a van heading out to our destination. If you’ve never visited Maya Chan, I would highly recommend you go. Paradise! We arrived and were greeted by David and shown to our palapa. This spot was all my wife talked about after our last cruise. She loved it here and so it was fitting for us to bring her back and release her back to the ocean here.

 

The weather was again perfect and even under the circumstances, I couldn’t have asked for anything more. The food was wonderful and plentiful, the libations were excellent and the staff was gracious. It was the perfect place to share a very special moment with our new friends. Thank you to all who helped make it a perfect day.

 

We headed back to the ship around 2:30pm for a scheduled 4:00pm sailing. The time in port definitely needs to be lengthened by a week or two. 8 hours is simply not enough. There was talk amongst us of attempting to bribe the captain into anchoring off the coast for a few more days, but in the end, wisdom prevailed and we just realized that we would have to cruise more often.

 

Evening was again spent dining, dancing, drinking with friends and wondering where my DS had wandered off to, again. After saying goodnight to all my new friends, I headed back to the cabin. Food Alert!!! I was a bit hungry so I decided to order a pizza. It arrived in a little over 30 minutes and was very good. Not your typical “fast-food” type pizza. Now all of you pizza snobs out there, just hush! I know it’s not the best in the world, but it hit the spot and also made for a convenient 3:45am snack when I woke up.

 

Day 7 – At Sea

This has to be my least favorite day of any cruise. Nothing more to look forward to. Time to pack and hope you’ll be able to remember at least a portion of the fun you had. Well not this time. Yes, packing was required and the end was near, but 10 of us had made reservations for Le Bistro and that was something to look forward to.

 

All day, there was the anticipation of being able to sit down and enjoy a meal with friends. Most of the day was spent tying up loose ends, packing and saying goodbye to various crew members that made the cruise more memorable. And hugs…lots of hugs!

 

At 7:00pm we met at Le Bistro for our farewell dinner. The meal was fantastic and the company was even better. I have never enjoyed a meal as much as I enjoyed that one. It was truly a night to remember. We finally left the restaurant around 10:00pm. It was perfect. A bit of night life, a last martini, one last dance, one last song, one last hug.

 

Day 8 – Disembarkation

Nothing exceptional to report. Woke up early again. Room service brought breakfast at 8:00am. We left the cabin at 9:00am and were called for disembarkation at 9:45am. Walkoff was smooth and customs was a breeze. We walked over to the parking garage instead of waiting for the shuttle, just because, and we were home by 11:15am.

 

I miss the Jewel, I miss the ports, but I miss the friends I made even more.

 

Until next time!!!

 

I love you all!!!!!

[welove2cruise232]

You made me cry... Thank you for sharing, and so sorry for your loss...

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[True Texan]

You made me cry also. I think your son has a wonderful father.

[www3traveler]

I am so glad that you had a special time with your son. It is something you will both remember for a long time. I am very sorry about the loss of your wife. As widow for the last 6 1/2 years, I can tell you that in time it will be better. Hold on to the good times in your heart and remember that NOW she is a bright star in the sky and an angel looking over your shoulder. Many blessings to you and your son.

 

Mandy

[Walt724]

You made me cry... Thank you for sharing, and so sorry for your loss...

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

You made me cry also. I think your son has a wonderful father.

I am so glad that you had a special time with your son. It is something you will both remember for a long time. I am very sorry about the loss of your wife. As widow for the last 6 1/2 years, I can tell you that in time it will be better. Hold on to the good times in your heart and remember that NOW she is a bright star in the sky and an angel looking over your shoulder. Many blessings to you and your son.

 

Mandy

 

Thanks all for your kind words. Happy Cruising!!!

[jdvmd]

Very sorry for your loss. My condolences to you and your son. Glad that you were still able to go on the cruise.

[russianmom]

Add me to the list of blubbering folks.

 

I am so sorry about your wife. I am glad that you were able to enjoy this time with your son.

 

Maya Chan, what a wonderful place you chose to spread her ashes.

 

Thank your son for his upcoming service to our country. Godspeed to you, I hope you keep on sailing!

[PrincessJen]

Thank you so much for sharing your story. I was moved to tears. I'll be on the Jewel in 3 weeks and will have a drink for you. God Bless you and your son.

[EasyPeasy]

First, I'm so very sorry about your wife. I lost my husband very unexpectedly in his sleep 1 1/2 years ago, so I understand the shock of losing your soul mate in an instant. It does get better.

 

Thank you so much for your review. I'm so glad you were able to enjoy the cruise, and have that time with your son. A special time indeed.