Jewel question for April.

[foodgirl]

Question for all the NCL folks. It has been a very long time since I have sailed this line. My DH and I really love HAL. We are 45 and 47. We just like to relax and chill on our cruises. We don't dress for dinner and eat in the buffet most nights. I have read extensively about what the line is like now and my question is about the Jewel out of New Orleans. My biggest concern is the number of kids on board. We like HAL because there are very few. If we look at April what kind of crowd can we expect? I know there are no guarantees but if there will be a ton of kids we may do something else. I loved NCL in the last and wanted to check them out again. DH loves to dress as he is so freestyle appeals to him. Any input would be appreciated. Thank you.

[mizLORInj]

What week in April -- can make a big difference.

Edited March 12, 2014 by mizlorinj

[foodgirl]

We are looking at the 6 the or the 12 th. Both weeks would work for us. Thank you.

[www3traveler]

With Easter not being until the 20th, I am not sure how many schools will have breaks that late, but a lot of schools have Easter week off.

[mizLORInj]

This year, right?

I'd go the week of the 6th.

 

if next year, you'd need to check when Easter falls.

Edited March 12, 2014 by mizlorinj

[Izzybeff]

I would think you'd be ok on the 6th. We are actually doing the same cruise in the 30th of March and I don't expect there to be a lot of kids then. The two ekes prior to ours were priced higher when we booked so I think those are more spring break time.

[garycarla]

Spring break is a different time in different schools, states, etc.

 

But, for sure, many are right around Easter.

 

Parts of Tenn are next week. Parts of Miss are this week.

 

The number of kids are more related to time off than cruiseline.

 

And, as you may have read here, there are NO FORMAL nights on NCL.

[2red4u]

If I were you and looking for a smaller kids ratio, google the larger school district and find out their spring break/ Easter break. Look at a 5 hours driving time. Focus on large school districts like Dallas and the such( to the west) it can help you with an idea of what area is on spring break/ Easter break, the week you want to go. Disney world is a huge draw for week long vacations during spring break/ Easter break for drivers and families that fly, in our neck of the woods.

[dredawg]

You should be fine as March break is over for everyone and easter breaks aren't for a couple of weeks later. I just got off the Jewel at the end of Feb and we had a total of 200 kids from infant to 19 and rarely saw kids...not even the one I was travelling with. The kids groups and teen rooms tend to be where they spend most of their time. It was also presidents week or some sort of holiday like that (sorry, I'm Canadian) so they said we had a high ratio of kids but it was fewer than I'd ever seen on a cruise before. They also had a kids pool far from the adults so you didn't even hear them...have fun

[foodgirl]

Thanks everyone for responding. The jewel looks like a great ship and we would like to try something different. The casual vibe is definitely our thing. We have had no issues on HAL but they don't do the Caribbean April through October and it just limits when we can cruise. Do you think purchasing the dining option is needed? I have read such mixed thoughts on this. The food is very important to DH and we love the food on HAL. I know it's subjective of course but we are foodies and I am a chef so he is a little spoiled in that dept. :)

[gooch47]

Deleted. Not relevant.

Edited March 12, 2014 by gooch47

[BabsinTX]

Thanks everyone for responding. The jewel looks like a great ship and we would like to try something different. The casual vibe is definitely our thing. We have had no issues on HAL but they don't do the Caribbean April through October and it just limits when we can cruise. Do you think purchasing the dining option is needed? I have read such mixed thoughts on this. The food is very important to DH and we love the food on HAL. I know it's subjective of course but we are foodies and I am a chef so he is a little spoiled in that dept. :)

 

foodgirl: You have a couple of options here. You can sign up for the dining package which covers every night of your cruise, and I bet you'll enjoy that very much. You can also sign up on board on your first or second day of sailing.

 

That might be preferable if you decide to do the Chef's Table. This is a dinner for 12 passengers with almost that many staff members serving, explaining the dishes, wines, etc. Do a search on Chef's Table and you'll find menus, photos, etc. I didn't dress up for it, but some folks did.

 

You can't prebook Chef's Table, so as soon as you board the ship find the "restaurant reservations" table in the atrium or nearby where you can sign up. Last year it cost $89/person and was worth EVERY penny.

 

I'll be doing it again this May. Can't wait.:D

[VideoTech]

........The food is very important to DH and we love the food on HAL. I know it's subjective of course but we are foodies and I am a chef so he is a little spoiled in that dept. :)

 

Although I'm an NCL loyalist, I'd have to say that the food in the MDR's has disappointed me on the past few cruises. I feel like it's come down a notch or two in quality.

 

However, the food in the specialty restaurants remains very good. I suspect it has to do with cooking in individual portions, as opposed to quantity cooking as in the MDR's.

 

If you're a chef and you're both foodies, I would think the UDP would be a good option for you. You'll probably find yourself eating in the specialty restaurants a lot anyway, so getting it setup for the whole cruise for one price isn't a bad idea.

 

If you're contemplating the Jewel, I'd strongly suggest doing one of the cruises that includes Roatan and Belize.