Underwhelmed By My 9-Night Southern Caribbean Cruise On Jewel

[sweetpolly]

Just got back from disembarkation in Miami this morning. Here's my take for anyone who is interested. Please remember that this is a subjective review, and based on my personal tastes and impressions, and I will also qualify what I am about to write by saying I believe that I don't think I am really a "cruise person" (although I really enjoyed my week on the Celebrity Infinity a few years ago). Your mileage may vary. I'd be happy to answer any questions anyone might have. Also, thanks to everyone we provided pre-cruise info to me...you enabled us to arrange an in-suite bar setup, and also bring our favorite wines onboard (in an honest fashion - we paid corkage, of course. :) ).

 

My Overall Rating: Not Great.

Ports were only okay. I have no idea why they stop in Samana. Everyone who was tendered into port said it was horrible. Oh…and the seas were somewhat rough the day we arrived, and the tendering process was the proverbial “cluster – (you know)”. We were scheduled to go to Cayo Levintado for a beach day at 10:30, and we finally were called to be tendered at 12:15. Once we got there, we had a very nice time. The beach at Cayo Levintado is beautiful, and nice lounge chairs are provided. There was a good tiki bar with relatively cheap drinks ($5 pina coladas…and after leaving a good tip for the first round, my price for refills mysteriously dropped to $3 ;) ). We paid for the beach trip only (not the cruise line-supplied lunch), and were happy about that as we were able to get a simple lobster lunch for $15.00 each. Burgers and such were also available for around $5 a pop with fries. After comparing notes with other cruisers, we decided that Cayo Levintado was a good choice for us.

Tortola was beautiful, but there is not a thing to do in port so be sure to schedule some sort of excursion. After about an hour of fruitless wandering, we hopped aboard an independent local tour bus and got a nice drive around the island for $15/ea. Views were spectacular from the mountaintops, but I saw little else to see or do on the island. The water was beautiful there, so a beach day would probably be nice in Tortola. Also heard great things about Virgin Gorda.

Antigua had a more developed and attractive port area for shopping, eating, and drinking, but we still couldn’t fill a day there. We took another independent local tour, which was only okay. Antigua has been over-forested, and is not lush and green like the other islands. It was my least favorite stop.

Barbados was my favorite port, because we did the Tiami Catamaran excursion that day. It was SUCH a nice day…I can’t say enough good things about Captain Chris and his crew. They took us on a five hour trip along the beautiful coast of Barbados. The water was amazing, and we made a stop to snorkel with sea turtles, then pulled up on a lovely beach next to a coral reef for about an hour for relaxing and more snorkeling. Then the crew opened the bar (they had just about everything you would want to drink, included in the tour price) and put out a fabulous lunch of fried flying fish, amazing scalloped potatoes, pineapple rice, green salad, corn salad, curried chicken, and more. It was some of the best food I had on this trip. The water was gorgeous, and we were totally catered to. It was a great excursion.

St. Lucia was probably the most beautiful island. The port area can be a bit intimidating as the locals are extremely aggressive in their solicitation. We quickly tired of trying to fend then off, and took an island tour to the Pitons, volcano, and waterfall. Lots of beautiful scenery, but a long day. Also, be prepared to be voraciously descended upon by hordes of vendors at every stop.

Now, the ship…the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Jewel is pretty and clean. We really loved our mini-suite…it wasn’t that much larger than a cabin on any other ship I’ve been on, but 100 sq. ft. makes a big difference. We also had a roomy balcony, which was very nice. Worth the extra $$$, IMO. Our room steward, Ping, did an excellent job and was very helpful and accommodating throughout our cruise. Other than what we received from him and a couple of other staff members, we found onboard service to range from indifferent to lackadaisical for the most part.

However, the service was not the biggest disappointment. It was the food. I have only cruised on three other lines, but I have never had worse food on a cruise ship. Somewhat surprisingly, the “specialty” restaurants were the worst. Tango’s Tex Mex was a very marginal level up from Taco Bell. However, one of the surprise finds on the ship was the little tapas bar at Tango’s. No reservations are required for the tapas bar, nor is there an additional service charge. There is a lovely little case of tapas you can order from while having a cocktail at the bar, and most were quite good. The bar is also manned by one of the best and friendliest bartenders on the ship.

The sushi bar at Chin Chin was also pretty good. Service charge was $15/ea., I believe. A lot of the same sushi could also be found on the buffet table at the Garden Café, however…so part of what you are paying for the ambience. For me, it was worth paying $15 not to have to fight my way through the horde at the buffet line.

Le Bistro, for lack of a better word, sucked. I have dined in many cities and countries all over the world, and if I have ever had a more horrible meal, I’m sure I can’t remember it. The Lobster and Scallop Martini consisted of two slices of lobster with approximately the same radius as a quarter (but twice as thick) and two halves of a single scallop, perched incongruously atop a vile concoction of pureed cauliflower. My creamy mushroom soup was a gelatinously thick, gritty goo proudly presented in a cold, chewy bread bowl. The Duck in Grand Marnier sauce looked pretty but was the consistency of a hockey puck. The only thing that wasn’t awful was the escargot. My husband’s bouillabaisse was inedible. We both walked out with our entrees virtually untouched.

Cagney’s wasn’t bad overall, but was nothing to write home about, either. The only thing that was terrible were the Oyster’s Rockafeller. The hollandaise sauce was the consistency of overcooked scrambled eggs. Steaks were fine, but nothing that you couldn’t get at an Outback Steakhouse or similar chain.

Garden Café always had a large selection and drew a big crowd. I’m not a buffet person, so I didn’t try much of it…most of what I did was of the quality that you would pretty much expect from a buffet. They did do a nice job of breakfast though…eggs benedict and smoked salmon with cream cheese, capers, and toasted bagels were a couple of my favorite regular offerings, along with thick slabs of French toast and excellent sausage. No complaints about breakfast.

Both mine and my husband’s favorite restaurant turned out to be Azara’s…more intimate than the large “traditional” cruise ship dining room (Tsar’s Palace), but with the same menu. Overall, we found their offerings to be pretty tasty and the quality consistently better than that being offered up by the specialty restaurants. Ask to sit in Luminita’s station…she is a doll, and we got the best service we experienced on the entire cruise from her.

What else…I didn’t find the drinks to be overpriced as I read in some other posts. I thought they were fine and priced less than you could expect at most hotel and resort bars. Also, the fitness center was quite nice. The equipment was high-end, and there were plenty of machines to accommodate everyone whenever I visited.

My take is that NCL is trying to be all things to all people, and it just isn’t working. The rack rate is appealing, but expect to be nickel-and-dimed to death once aboard. I don’t mind spending money, but I like to feel as though I am receiving a quality return on my travel investment as far as service, cuisine, and activities are concerned…and I did not feel that my expectations were met in those areas on the Jewel. I think it would be a good line for families who just want to enjoy shipboard activities and stick to a budget, but seasoned travelers and foodies will probably find it too bland and geared toward appealing to the masses as far as service, cuisine, and itinerary for their taste. Every opinion is subjective, so I certainly respect the differing perspectives of other cruisers…I am just calling it as I see it. It would be tough to have a “bad” cruise, and this wasn’t a horrible experience…it just wasn’t a memorable one. We won’t be cruising NCL again.

[cruizinwithkids]

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your cruise. I really liked your detailed review. The part that I thought was funny was things that you mentioned regarding food were the exact opposite of my feelings. The one that really made me laugh was the tex-mex restaurant and the tapas.

 

We sailed the Dawn and our dinner reservations got screwed up. While they tried to fit our party of six we sat and had drinks and tapas. We all hated them. They were apologetic about the reservations and rescheduled us for the following night. The maitre d' made a big fuss over us and it was embarassing.

 

Anyway, we hated the tapas so much that we had planned to cancel our reservation for the following night, but the first thing the following morning, we happened to run into the maitre d'. His greeting of, "I'll see you tonight at 8:30." was so warm and sincere we couldn't cancel. Anyway, we went and loved the food.

 

I also loved the cream of mushroom soup at Le Bistro.

 

You don't seem like picky person and I am NOT disputing your opinion. I guess the thread about the different opinions about food is so true.

[sweetpolly]

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your cruise. I really liked your detailed review. The part that I thought was funny was things that you mentioned regarding food were the exact opposite of my feelings. The one that really made me laugh was the tex-mex restaurant and the tapas.

 

We sailed the Dawn and our dinner reservations got screwed up. While they tried to fit our party of six we sat and had drinks and tapas. We all hated them. They were apologetic about the reservations and rescheduled us for the following night. The maitre d' made a big fuss over us and it was embarassing.

 

Anyway, we hated the tapas so much that we had planned to cancel our reservation for the following night, but the first thing the following morning, we happened to run into the maitre d'. His greeting of, "I'll see you tonight at 8:30." was so warm and sincere we couldn't cancel. Anyway, we went and loved the food.

 

I also loved the cream of mushroom soup at Le Bistro.

 

You don't seem like picky person and I am NOT disputing your opinion. I guess the thread about the different opinions about food is so true.

 

LOL! That is funny...and an excellent illustration of how everyone's perspectives are different. I really loved those tapas. :D

[kruzingtogether]

We were on the Jewel last December, and the part of the review we agreed with is "we found onboard service to range from indifferent to lackadaisical for the most part." We love sailing NCL and usually have had great experiences, but the staff on the Jewel was the worst we have ever encountered. There were a few "gems" in the crowd, but most of them did not seem to have a very good notion of customer service...

As for food, we didn't love the Mexican place but thought it was fine. We didn't eat in Le Bistro -- we went to a Le Bistro on our first NCL cruise ever, hated it, and haven't gone back since.

[salty dingo]

Thanks for the review... overall it sounded mostly positive to me. Sorry the food wasn't to your liking.

 

For us food is just one of the many joys of a cruise, and it would not matter too much if some of the food stunk, as long as the rest of the cruise was good.

[sweetpolly]

Thanks for the review... overall it sounded mostly positive to me. Sorry the food wasn't to your liking.

 

For us food is just one of the many joys of a cruise, and it would not matter too much if some of the food stunk, as long as the rest of the cruise was good.

 

I hear ya. My husband and I are big foodophiles, though...and dining is a huge part of every vacation for us. I don't expect the culinary bar to be raised on a cruise ship, but I really did expect more from the specialty restaurants charging a supplement.

[Bigdoghd]

Well we can give a second opinion in two weeks. My wife and I and two other couples leave this Friday on the same cruise. I did hear that Samana

and Tortola were just average....but I'm not passing judgement until we go. I've read mixed reviews, but more positive than negitive.I guess it's what you make out of it.As long as the seas are calm the sun is shining and the drinks are flowing........I'm a happy camper!!

[flashdog_1]

Your review covered just about everything, which is what we want to read. You were fair all the way through.

 

We have not yet sailed NCL, only Celebrity and HAL (but have 2 bookings over the next year). I'd heard so much about HAL's meatloaf and bread pudding that of course I had to try them and they were nothing special at all. As my daughter (who loves Celebrity) says, "if you don't like a food offering on a cruise, send it back and try something else." I've never done that, but gee, you can't go hungry on a ship, can you? Since we are "foodies" also, I was hesitant to book NCL because so many people say the quality and service are not up to par, but found some menus on another cruise site and they sounded as innovative as menus on Celebrity, so we're hoping for the best.

 

What were the tapas offered? Having lived in Spain I know that they can be as simple as two olives stuck with a tooth pick or a piece of ham & slice of bread, or a mini meal (a sample of one of the entrees for the evening meal). I think it's a great way to test something new: just a bite! I had my first octopus and squid in a tapa before I actually ordered an entree of squid in its ink. I love the idea and the experience.

 

Going back to Celebrity? We hope to.

[shavdog]

Sorry your cruise experience wasn't a great one....sometimes, thats the way it works out...I've been on ten or twelve cruises and I just go with the flow and normally have a good time...the only recommendation I would have for you, if dining is on top your list....why choose ncl?.....go with maybe celebrity where you have sitdown dining, dress up affairs and alittle more personal attn at every meal...there is a difference...I think your expections for what ncl has to offer may have been out of reality for what your dining needs were...we're going on this ship 1/18 and as a preventive measure we're going on the beach tour in samana just to "avoid a bad day at sea" if thats possible...anyway, i'd use this as a learning experience and give it another try but on a different cruiseline with more attn to your priorities...give it another try...

[janiceah]

Ok, I'll start right off saying I have never been on a cruise and will be taking my first one this February on the Pearl. I have read countless reviews on here and countless reviews of the food. I have to say that I really don't get this. Our usual vacations are to Mexico south of Cancun. Food quite honestly is the last thing I go for and think about when there. Honestly, the food is average. Usually salty and fried and I really have never been wowed by a meal there. But I have to say that we always and I mean always have had the best time. Maybe it's me but I just don't vacation for the food. If I have a great meal what a plus but I don't expect it and certainly wouldn't expect it on a ship serving 2000 people. What I want from a vacation is some sun, warm temperatures, meeting people from all walks of life and areas, time to relax and read and seeing some great beaches. (ok with a pina colada thrown in) Food ranks near the bottom of what I'm going away for. If it ranked near the top of what I was going on a vacation or cruise for I would either stay home and go to some great restaurants near here or go to a 5 star resort or area where food is their #1 draw. I guess I don't understand how food (unless I got food poisoning) would lower my ratings of my vacation. Of course that's just me and we are entitled to our opinions but I really don't get it. Janice

[sweetpolly]

 

What were the tapas offered? Having lived in Spain I know that they can be as simple as two olives stuck with a tooth pick or a piece of ham & slice of bread, or a mini meal (a sample of one of the entrees for the evening meal). I think it's a great way to test something new: just a bite! I had my first octopus and squid in a tapa before I actually ordered an entree of squid in its ink. I love the idea and the experience.

 

Going back to Celebrity? We hope to.

 

The selection varied nightly. There were only about a dozen to choose from, but some that we enjoyed were goat cheese balls rolled in various herbs and spices, mini empanadas, chick pea salad, green olives and manchego cheese chunks, meatballs, asparagus and mussels, little bread toasts with various toppings, and octopus salad. Most of them reminded me a lot of the ones we actually tried in Spain.

[sweetpolly]

Well we can give a second opinion in two weeks. My wife and I and two other couples leave this Friday on the same cruise. I did hear that Samana

and Tortola were just average....but I'm not passing judgement until we go. I've read mixed reviews, but more positive than negitive.I guess it's what you make out of it.As long as the seas are calm the sun is shining and the drinks are flowing........I'm a happy camper!!

 

If you like enjoying a beach day, I do recommend the Cayo Levintado excursion. It was only around $35 each, and the beach was very nice. As I mentioned earlier, a tiki bar was available with good, reasonably priced drinks and there were several food vendors around.

[starfamily]

I am curious, my husband is NOT a big hispanic food lover (I am ) your comment about tangos being like taco bell has me a bit nervous that he and my son will flip out. I had heard they could get ribs there that were suppossed to be good, what (if you recall) was on the menu and what did you have?

Did you try the italian restaurant by chance? I was told that was a great one. Thanks for your honest opinion. Btw who was your concierge did you find him/her helpfull?

[starfamily]

sorry double post

[cmdchiefthom]

Thanks for the review. I don't like to hear negative reviews on service, but food quality is entirely subjective. I never starved on a cruise, and I've never booked a cruise based on food. I've done this itinerary several times, and IMHO, it's one of the best available, and a 9 night trip as well. Frankly, I can't wait until our trip aboard the Pearl, same trip, in April.

[2boyzmom]

Sounds like the ports were all great- Tortola has some fabulous beaches, but you need to do your research before arriving and have a plan. You complained about Samana but then said it was great? Your experience with dining was my review of the Crown Princess last year.l haver learned to send my food back immediately if I don't care for it- especially in a specialty restaurant. Thanks for the detailed review.

[sweetpolly]

I am curious, my husband is NOT a big hispanic food lover (I am ) your comment about tangos being like taco bell has me a bit nervous that he and my son will flip out. I had heard they could get ribs there that were suppossed to be good, what (if you recall) was on the menu and what did you have?

Did you try the italian restaurant by chance? I was told that was a great one. Thanks for your honest opinion. Btw who was your concierge did you find him/her helpfull?

 

I had the ribs for my main entree. I would rate them as somewhat sub-par to those you get at a place like Chili's or TGI Friday's. My husband lived in Mexico for several years, and he was not at all impressed, either. We did not try the Italian restaurant, as we gave up on the "specialty" restaurants after the fourth try.

[2boyzmom]

Your review covered just about everything, which is what we want to read. You were fair all the way through.

 

We have not yet sailed NCL, only Celebrity and HAL (but have 2 bookings over the next year). I'd heard so much about HAL's meatloaf and bread pudding that of course I had to try them and they were nothing special at all. As my daughter (who loves Celebrity) says, "if you don't like a food offering on a cruise, send it back and try something else." I've never done that, but gee, you can't go hungry on a ship, can you? Since we are "foodies" also, I was hesitant to book NCL because so many people say the quality and service are not up to par, but found some menus on another cruise site and they sounded as innovative as menus on Celebrity, so we're hoping for the best.

 

What were the tapas offered? Having lived in Spain I know that they can be as simple as two olives stuck with a tooth pick or a piece of ham & slice of bread, or a mini meal (a sample of one of the entrees for the evening meal). I think it's a great way to test something new: just a bite! I had my first octopus and squid in a tapa before I actually ordered an entree of squid in its ink. I love the idea and the experience.

 

Going back to Celebrity? We hope to.

 

Flashdog- I too llived in Spain for four years. I miss those patatas alli ola !!

[sweetpolly]

Sounds like the ports were all great- Tortola has some fabulous beaches, but you need to do your research before arriving and have a plan. You complained about Samana but then said it was great? Your experience with dining was my review of the Crown Princess last year.l haver learned to send my food back immediately if I don't care for it- especially in a specialty restaurant. Thanks for the detailed review.

 

Cayo Levintado was nice. We defaulted to that after reading other reviews and checking out our Samana port options (which were limited). From all accounts of the people we spoke with who went ashore there, the port of Samana itself was pretty bad and quite rough. Even the the excursion coordinators were telling people that it was still very "third-world" and to leave any jewelry and valuables on the ship.

[2boyzmom]

Sweet Polly- did they hit you with the corkage fee for "each" bottle carried on? Some posters stated they only paid once for all their bottles carried on.

[usmprez]

Hi Sweetpolly:

 

Sorry that you were less than impressed on your Jewel cruise. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said "Every opinion is subjective, so I certainly respect the differing perspectives of other cruisers…I am just calling it as I see it".

 

To highlight just how subjective those opinions are following is an excerpt from my own review of the Jewel posted on 11/19/07. "However, I had to write to say just how much we really enjoyed the whole of our fairly short NCL experience. From the time we boarded the ship last Thursday until we got off yesterday morning, just about every experience was a positive one for us. We stayed in a category “AF” mini-suite, which was kept immaculately clean and which accommodated the three of us perfectly. Our meals, which were taken in Tsar’s Palace, Cagneys, Le Bistro and Blue Lagoon, were extremely good to excellent in each case. The restaurant service as well as the service in other areas of the ship was first class, and every interaction with an NCL crewmember was for us very positive. We had absolutely no problem in getting reservations to the specialty restaurants when we wanted them, and once in them we thought the quality and service were top notch in every area. For what it’s worth I was previously Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales for one of the largest international airlines in the world. As such we were privileged to be able to travel extensively and eat in some of the best restaurants and I have to say that we thought NCL, in their specialty restaurants, have done an excellent job of replicating the ambience and experience of being in a very fine dining establishment. While experiencing the “Chef’s tasting menu” in Le Bistro, my wife remarked that it truly was hard to believe that we were on a cruise ship. Having said that we took our breakfasts in Tsar’s Palace and both the food and service were very good here too."

 

Used to think I was a seasoned traveller but now I'm not too sure - LOL

[sweetpolly]

Sweet Polly- did they hit you with the corkage fee for "each" bottle carried on? Some posters stated they only paid once for all their bottles carried on.

 

We took 18 bottles (one red and one white for each night...I know, I know...but it WAS vacation :D ) and they charged $15/bottle upon embarkation. It was still worth it to have our favorites.

[sweetpolly]

Hi Sweetpolly:

 

Sorry that you were less than impressed on your Jewel cruise. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said "Every opinion is subjective, so I certainly respect the differing perspectives of other cruisers…I am just calling it as I see it".

 

To highlight just how subjective those opinions are following is an excerpt from my own review of the Jewel posted on 11/19/07. "However, I had to write to say just how much we really enjoyed the whole of our fairly short NCL experience. From the time we boarded the ship last Thursday until we got off yesterday morning, just about every experience was a positive one for us. We stayed in a category “AF” mini-suite, which was kept immaculately clean and which accommodated the three of us perfectly. Our meals, which were taken in Tsar’s Palace, Cagneys, Le Bistro and Blue Lagoon, were extremely good to excellent in each case. The restaurant service as well as the service in other areas of the ship was first class, and every interaction with an NCL crewmember was for us very positive. We had absolutely no problem in getting reservations to the specialty restaurants when we wanted them, and once in them we thought the quality and service were top notch in every area. For what it’s worth I was previously Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales for one of the largest international airlines in the world. As such we were privileged to be able to travel extensively and eat in some of the best restaurants and I have to say that we thought NCL, in their specialty restaurants, have done an excellent job of replicating the ambience and experience of being in a very fine dining establishment. While experiencing the “Chef’s tasting menu” in Le Bistro, my wife remarked that it truly was hard to believe that we were on a cruise ship. Having said that we took our breakfasts in Tsar’s Palace and both the food and service were very good here too."

 

Used to think I was a seasoned traveller but now I'm not too sure - LOL

 

Awwww...I didn't mean it like that, and I didn't post my opinions to make anyone defensive or to rain on anyone's parade. I'm just some chick on the 'net...certainly not the ultimate authority. Our cruise simply fell short of my expectations in two areas that are of high importance to me. Perhaps I didn't research the cruise line enough first. The itinerary fit the bill (9 days away with only 5 days off of work), and my husband has been a real stress-puppy who needed a break from his necktie and hectic schedule. I thought the freestyle thing would be just the ticket to get him to unwind. As I said, it wasn't a BAD vacation...we just won't select NCL if we cruse again.

[sweetpolly]

thanks for your review. I didn't see a signature, but was wondering what other cruises you've been on so I can see what you're used to. I know you mentioned being on Celebrity in the review, but it seems like you've been on others.

 

Thanks for the details -

I'm not a frequent cruiser, but I have been Disney, RCCL, and Celebrity in the past.

[sweetpolly]

thanks for your review. I didn't see a signature, but was wondering what other cruises you've been on so I can see what you're used to. I know you mentioned being on Celebrity in the review, but it seems like you've been on others.

 

Thanks for the details -

I'm not a frequent cruiser, but I have been Disney, RCCL, and Celebrity in the past.