Lily_Forever_Yeung

Firstly, we hope that you have a very happy birthday and anniversary during your cruise!!! We are not going on the same cruise date as you, but have been on the Jewel, so, if you have ship specific questions, ask away! We live in the Houston area, so again, ask away! we recommend arriving at least one day early and (if budget allows) see Kemah Boardwalk!

Do NOT buy the drink package if you don't drink more than 4 drinks, each, per day... just not worth it. If you are wine drinker, we would recommend either a "Tasting" or a wine package be booked immediately upon embarkation. Also, they do tend to have some drink specials/tastings that you might enjoy during the cruise. One thing you might like to spend your money on is the Thermal Suite pass (you can read more about this on NCL.com or CC. They do get sold-out quickly, though, as they are VERY popular! DO NOT over-pack!!! Try to "recycle" the same pants/shorts and have enough tops to make you feel comfortable. Boarding the ship can be quite variable, so just be prepared to stand in long lines exchanging stories with fellow shipmates!!!

 

We have done the Western Caribbean several times, so if you want more info, ask away!

Hey ggTexasGal, we're landing in Houston Thursday night and we've allocated all of Friday to go explore and eat! Do you have any suggestion or recommendations for the Houston area. Our hotel is technically in a city called La Porte, it's about a mile away from the Houston port.

Houston and Galveston are two different ports.

 

The UBP is a good deal if you both drink. Roughly, you'll each have to consume 8-10 drinks a day to break even.

 

Embarkation is not bad. It should take no more than hour for you to board. Rooms are generally available by 1 PM. Could be earlier or could be later.

 

Debarkation begins around 8 AM and is usually pretty fast. That said, you can get hung up sometimes. The airport is 30 to 45 minutes depending on where you're flying from. I wouldn't book too early of a flight.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

Awesome! Thanks for the information. For the longest time, whenever I searched Houston Cruise port, it would only pull up the Galveston location, but I seem to be able to find the Port of Houston in Pasadena now. Thank you!

Would you recommend me boarding after or closer to the 1pm mark that way our rooms will be ready for us as well?

The closest airport to the port I'll be taking is Houston (Hobby), TX, correct?

Wow, like I said this is my first time and also my first time posting a thread. I was pleasantly surprised how quickly everyone responded! Thank you so much for all your tips and I'd love to hear more.

I have been thinking about joining Roll Call and saw it when I first joined this, but wasn't sure what it all entailed and if it'd be something my boyfriend would wanna do...

I'm still on the fence about the Beverage Specials. I'm a huge soda drinker and my boyfriend definitely like to sip on beer at meals. So, I don't know if it's worth it...

Also, sidenote. This whole trip is a surprise for my boyfriend, which is why I'm struggling in decisions, because I don't have him to consult with and I'm just guessing blindly on what he might like. Haha. =)

Hello Everyone!

I'm going on my first cruise this January. It's sort of in celebration of graduation (my boyfriend and I), anniversary, and my birthday. It both our first time cruising, so I've been trying to do a lot of research on everything and am now hesitating when it comes to purchasing the "extra stuff". So here are the basics: 7 night cruise to Western Caribbean departing from Houston on the Norwegian Jewel. I'm sorry to bombard you all, but I'd love some answers to my questions and I'd LOVE to hear any suggestions, tips, or past experiences you've had as well! Thank you! Here's some questions I have at the moment:

• Is the Houston cruise port the same as the Galveston port?
  
• NCL is offering the unlimited beverages for $54/day. Woud you say this is a good deal? Is it more expensive to purchase it onboard?
  
• What are some things I should avoid/ avoid doing?
  
• How long does it normally take to board the ship? How long until you actually go into your room?
  
• How long does it normally take to depart the ship, I'm scared I'll miss my flight?
  

I can't wait to hear about all of your experiences and tips you have for me! Happy Cruising! :D