YVRteacher’s dad is on a cruise! Live from the Jewel Aug 19- Sept 2, 2024

YVRteacher · September 2

The line up for the gondola was insane with three ships and potentially 12000 passengers in port so we walked back to where the Bliss was docked to catch the tender. The nature trail was crowded today with so many passengers and crew ashore. It was also muddy, mucky and a little slippery. My dad did great but he pulled up his jeans Urkle style so he would not get any mud on the bottom and walked the whole trail with his jeans pulled up to his ribs, holding on to them with both hands.

My new shoes, bought to replace the seven year old ones I wore out earlier this summer, are covered in mud. The white part is now brown and crunchy and the back is splattered with mud chunkies.

There was a tender right there at the dock. We boarded.

And sat.

We had to wait until the departing Bliss had removed all mooring lines and they were announcing all through Icy Strait Point that people were late returning to the Bliss. That, combined with the DJ playing ABBA this week, detracts from the natural feeling you used to get at ISP.

This tender smells like the inside of a rotten shoe.

3 people in too-close-for-germ-comfort coughed in my general direction. I tried not to breathe but that didn’t work out too well.

MrsTocko · September 2

@YVRteacher I am so sorry to hear of the decline of the Jewel. We loved her so much in April 2022, we booked her for April 2023, and were not disappointed. Questions have been asked in other threads about does it really matter where crew,officers, sr staff are? yes it does. You learn the ones that will correct issues, when they arise, and ones that will not. Being able to roll with the circumstances helps, but certain things, like a working toilet, no one should have to "roll with it"

It sounds like you and Dad are having a wonderful time despite the issues, and this time with each other, and even these live reports, are now and will be so precious. I know you are cherishing and making mental recordings of every minute.

We love O'Sheehans as a rule, Pretzel bites and beer cheese, (they also have the spinach/artichoke dip), our go to drink Glacier Blue (or is it Blue Glacier). try it if you havent before.

I have not yet told my DH, but I am going to bring bubbles on POA in Nov...Thank you for another inspiration. (Daily calendar being the other one)

Will keep following...

YVRteacher · September 2

We returned to our cabin and I changed into dry clothes. When I came out of the room dad came out of his room. He was standing there in his bathing suit and flip flops. I thought we were going to the buffet to get pizza and he thought we were going to the spa.

We compromised by eating the cheese tray and treats

from the butler then I put my bathing suit on and we went to the spa.

It was very busy! It was somewhat noisy but tolerable. I couldn’t concentrate on my book because the salmon were jumping, the sea lions were poking their heads up inquisitively and the whales and eagles were prolific. gorgeous!

We were probably in the spa for 90 minutes then dad said he was cooked so we had to leave.

YVRteacher · September 2

19 minutes ago, MrsTocko said:

@YVRteacher I am so sorry to hear of the decline of the Jewel. We loved her so much in April 2022, we booked her for April 2023, and were not disappointed. Questions have been asked in other threads about does it really matter where crew,officers, sr staff are? yes it does. You learn the ones that will correct issues, when they arise, and ones that will not. Being able to roll with the circumstances helps, but certain things, like a working toilet, no one should have to "roll with it"

It sounds like you and Dad are having a wonderful time despite the issues, and this time with each other, and even these live reports, are now and will be so precious. I know you are cherishing and making mental recordings of every minute.

We love O'Sheehans as a rule, Pretzel bites and beer cheese, (they also have the spinach/artichoke dip), our go to drink Glacier Blue (or is it Blue Glacier). try it if you havent before.

I have not yet told my DH, but I am going to bring bubbles on POA in Nov...Thank you for another inspiration. (Daily calendar being the other one)

Will keep following...

If I have inspired even one person to blow bubbles my life’s work is done! I hope you have a wonderful time of the POA! We loved all three cruises on her and @NikiPinkston’s review made me want to cruise on her again!

YVRteacher · September 2

I didn’t feel like being waited on or served tonight so we went to the Garden Cafe. Still thinking about that pizza I had told dad about earlier, I got us a slice each. Dad wanted chicken noodle soup and I had some Dal and Chana. I also took a little bit of baked cauliflower and broccoli then went back for a second helping! That was the best part of dinner. Dad told me the most important part of dinner is dessert so he went and came back with some sort of pink layered strawberry concoction. I tried to get him to have some broccoli but failed.

Dad is thrilled because the laundry we put in yesterday afternoon has been returned. He has asked me over and over and over when his laundry will come back. He didn’t care that I went away for 5 weeks but he was separated from his clothes for 28 hours and is almost in conniptions. To be fair, I did put his favourite jeans in the wash.

troyphoto · September 2

Last week I was on deck 13 heading to Spinnaker from outside (near the Pitstop), and a couple of bubbles came floating by.

I looked around, but didn't see you. Were you up on the front observation deck with bubbles?

YVRteacher · September 2

Post-dinner, pre game show bubbles

YVRteacher · September 2

31 minutes ago, troyphoto said:

Last week I was on deck 13 heading to Spinnaker from outside (near the Pitstop), and a couple of bubbles came floating by.

I looked around, but didn't see you. Were you up on the front observation deck with bubbles?

No, but it was probably me! These are long lasting bubbles.

YVRteacher · September 2

The Newlywed Not So Newlywed game was fun tonight with three nice couples. Tahani continues to do a fabulous job making this her own show.

We had Mai Tais. They were perfectly made.

Drink tally day 10

Dad

2 beers

.5 Painkiller

1 Mai Tai

Yvonne

2.5 Painkillers

I Diet Coke

1 Mai Tai

mkcurran · September 2

3 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

Once back on board after going through security, Dad announced to everyone, “I’m back in one piece!”

I wanted to go to Cagney’s for dinner so dad could have lobster bisque but dad only wants to eat in the Palace MDR now. I have a feeling we are going to forfeit all our specialty dining meals this week.

I didn’t really want to go to the Palace because there was not a lot that appealed to me. However I said sure, picked up the cheese tray from the butler and happily declared, “I’m just going to have cheese for dinner.”

In the elevator everyone oohed and aaahed over the cheese plate and one guy was pretty much drooling over the blue cheese. I took the lid off and offered him the blue cheese. He said no then I said go ahead and he took it all. He ate it right there and was in blue cheese heaven. He said his wife was going to ask questions when he came back to the cabin smelling like cheese.

Being chilled from a full afternoon of glacier watching, I asked Kevon if there was any vegetarian soup. The chef whipped up a delicious roasted tomato soup into which I crumbled the cheddar cheese from the cheese plate.

I also had the spinach and artichoke dip which was the best I’ve ever had. They only gave me 7 tortilla chips to start so I needed a top up. I felt embarrassed to ask for more chips but there was no way I was letting that spinach and artichoke dip go to waste.

Dad had clam chowder (his favourite) and shrimp with pasta in vodka sauce.

Tonight we learned Prosecco with pineapple is not dad’s favourite.

We shared dessert. I forgot to take a photo.

Me: what are all these raisins doing in my Apple strudel?

Tomato soup with cheese icebergs. A fitting meal for the day.

YVRteacher · September 2

Week 2 Day 4

Juneau

Last night I told dad we didn’t need to wake up early for anything and we could sleep in. I believe he said yay.

This morning just after 8 there was pounding on my bedroom door and the words “wake up! We’re in Juneau! Wake up it’s Juneau!” seeped through that door and served their purpose of waking me up. There was dad, all dressed and ready for the day and me all groggy with hair going the wrong direction and a brain not ready to function.

YVRteacher · September 2

Morning bubbles off the balcony

These bubbles last so long there were still some from last night stuck to the balcony glass like a starfish that refuses to recede with the outgoing tide.

drumming cruisers · September 2

6 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

We tendered to Wilderness Landing where the Bliss was docked. I had a flashback to the time we met Jim Badger out on that dock when we were on the Jewel and he had moved to the Bliss: it was a stunningly sunny day and we were thrilled to see Jim again after cruising with him for years on the Jewel-class ships. We used to book cruises specifically to cruise with Jim. He was wearing shorts and his legs were white like chicken legs. My heart just aches for him and his family. Caaaatsssss.

What happened to Jim and his family? We went on a lot of cruises where he entertained us all.

YVRteacher · September 2

5 minutes ago, drumming cruisers said:

What happened to Jim and his family? We went on a lot of cruises where he entertained us all.

Please read post #353.

There is also a thread on the NCL boards about Jim.

drumming cruisers · September 2

6 minutes ago, YVRteacher said:

Please read post #353.

There is also a thread on the NCL boards about Jim.

Oh, that is so sad!

schmoopie17 · September 2

11 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

@schmoopie17 I feel like we need a comment about Doc, Grumpy and Dopey…

Nobody has ever associated me with that first name. The last two, on the other hand...

BigRedFan · September 2

13 hours ago, MrsTocko said:

@YVRteacher I am so sorry to hear of the decline of the Jewel. We loved her so much in April 2022, we booked her for April 2023, and were not disappointed. Questions have been asked in other threads about does it really matter where crew,officers, sr staff are? yes it does. You learn the ones that will correct issues, when they arise, and ones that will not. Being able to roll with the circumstances helps, but certain things, like a working toilet, no one should have to "roll with it"

It sounds like you and Dad are having a wonderful time despite the issues, and this time with each other, and even these live reports, are now and will be so precious. I know you are cherishing and making mental recordings of every minute.

We love O'Sheehans as a rule, Pretzel bites and beer cheese, (they also have the spinach/artichoke dip), our go to drink Glacier Blue (or is it Blue Glacier). try it if you havent before.

I have not yet told my DH, but I am going to bring bubbles on POA in Nov...Thank you for another inspiration. (Daily calendar being the other one)

Will keep following...

I agree about the officers on board. I was on the Jewel earlier this year Japan, Transpacific and Alaska cruises. It was wonderful and "ship-shape" no pun intended. Rumi was the General Manager and I have never been on a ship that had one as excellent as he is. He was on top of everything. I liked that he had a box with notes in the atrium and you could literally contact him with any issue, good or bad. In my case I had an instance with a meal in one of the specialty restaurants and made some suggestions that could potentially eliminate the chance for it to happen in the future. The very next day I was having dinner in a different specialty and the food and beverage officer came right up to my table to apologize and to thank me for my suggestions. I was shocked that they found me!

Hopefully Rumi comes back soon.

PS, I love the glacier photos! They look like pieces of Jade. Stunning!!!

YVRteacher · September 2

Rumi returns October 10.

RMMcC · September 2

On 8/29/2024 at 8:06 PM, YVRteacher said:

Our previous cabin (11018) was so great. It was clean and in great shape thanks to one of the best room stewards ever, Luis, and it didn’t rattle or creak and there was no noise from any direction, ever.

This new cabin creaks and clicks mysteriously (I can’t find the source!) and is not clean. The couch is stained in a bad way and needs a darn good washy washy with some type of super powered upholstery disinfectant, there is hair in the shower, hair on my sheets and a sticky spot on the counter. I found the sticky spot when I tried to write a note and put my hand in a sticky glob.

I found a used contact lens on the floor in my room then when I tried to unpack I couldn’t close the bottom drawer in the closet which meant I couldn’t slide the closet door to access the hangers.

I used the flashlight on my phone and could see what looked like a superhero tshirt wedged behind the drawer. I tried to remove the drawer from the sliding mechanism but it wasn’t like the dishwasher where the drawer just slides out. Then I tried to wedge a wooden coat hanger (that was all I had-what I needed was a metal one) behind the drawer but it had no give so I couldn’t hook the stuck item.

I told my dad I needed a pair of tongs from the buffet!

Then I went into the main part of the cabin to see what I could MacGyver and voila! Tongs on top of the ice bucket!

What did I pull out from behind the drawer in my room?

foam airplane

bra top

Advice from me: if you stay in this cabin you may not want to use the ice bucket tongs. They have touched what no tongs should touch.

Yikes .... so sorry about the quality and condition of your second suite .... we are booked into your old suite the first week of Oct for the round trip from Seattle and am so happy we are in 11018 (hoping Luis is still the steward and the butler is still the same) not your current location. How there could be such a dramatic difference in cleanliness and plumbing functionality on the same ship is astounding.

NikiPinkston · September 2

14 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

If I have inspired even one person to blow bubbles my life’s work is done! I hope you have a wonderful time of the POA! We loved all three cruises on her and @NikiPinkston’s review made me want to cruise on her again!

Ah, thank you, @YVRteacher. That is high praise coming from you, the master of incredible lives! So enjoying following along on your time with Dad on the Jewel. The Jewel was the first NCL ship that we sailed on years ago, so I'm sorry to hear about her issues, but loving your adventures, awesome photos and wonderful attitude. I think the POA is my favorite NCL ship, but then maybe it's the itinerary!❤️🍍🌴

Hogladyrider · September 2

@YVRteacherwhile I thoroughly enjoy ALL your live reviews, this one tops them all.

You are so very compassionate and loving with your dad and I so enjoy how you have 'rolled with the punches" on this cruise.....more folks could learn from your example.

Hugs to both you and your Dad!

YVRteacher · September 2

Thank you! I appreciate this so very much.

Yesterday at lunch just as we were being seated my dad had to go to the bathroom. When he stepped away from the table the hostess came to talk to me. She asked me if I was an only child. I said yes. She said she had been watching me this week, watching how I am kind to my dad. Then she said it was very special to see and she just wanted to pass this on to me.

One afternoon we were at Maltings bar and Edgar (I think he is the bar manager) saw me helping my dad get onto the bar stool. He told me he wished he could have done this with both his parents. Not the travel part, but the care part and the relationship.

YVRteacher · September 2

We went to breakfast in Moderno at 9:05am. It was closed. Here is the schedule which clearly shows that Juneau is a day where breakfast in Moderno is available until 9:30am

We paid for this and it is not available.

Off we went to the Garden Cafe where dad made himself a traditional English breakfast and I had oatmeal and fruit. We both had coffee with the el cheapo version of Irish cream. The oatmeal was cold.

I wanted to do the arts and crafts journal making but dad wanted to head into Juneau.

I took dad outside at the Great Outdoors so he could feel how cold it was and listen to me when I told him to put all the layers on. Dad wore a flannel shirt, a thick fleece and his winter jacket plus his toque.

YVRteacher · September 2

After I got dad ready I did my own layering up and went to put on my shoes. The same shoes that became brown with mud yesterday in Icy Strait Point were sparkling clean, looking like new with the white parts white and the black parts black and not a smudge or fleck of dirt on them. I was flabbergasted (that is such a delicious word!)

I went down the hall and found our room steward and thanked him for cleaning my shoes. He was so modest he said he just saw the mud and wiped the mud off them but he did much more than that. I’m actually embarrassed that someone cleaned my shoes. I told him how much I appreciated this and he blushed and smiled.

I wore a base layer, a Nike long sleeve dry layer, my favourite long cozy thing from Athleta and my winter jacket on top. I also had to put on a plastic raincoat once we started walking to Gold Creek.