The Norwegian Jewel Is Now My Favorite Ship!

[Lipz]

We are booked on the Jewel for July 2011. I was already excited about this trip and you just sealed the deal!!!!

I love this site!

[CruisinMaterial]

John O'Hara is the greatest HD that I've sailed with! Frank Hassenwinkel is a very close second. What incredible HD's I've come to realize NCL has. John makes the Norwegian Jewel my home!

 

Pianoman - Interesting to read about the DJ onboard your sailing. This was when DJ Jean was on vacation. She's back onboard the Jewel now but came from the Sky originally. Good to know there are other great DJs within the NCL fleet. Spinning with CDs these days almost seems unreal unless you're at a club back home. On the ships a lot of the DJs use the laptop. I love bringing music onboard for the DJs though... vocal house hits and circuit music. Great to dance the night away to. :D

 

Lipz - You are going to have a blast! Trust me! The Jewel is really just that - a jewel in the Norwegian Cruise Line family. Such an incredible group run that ship!

[Got Tequila?]

 

Lipz - You are going to have a blast! Trust me! The Jewel is really just that - a jewel in the Norwegian Cruise Line family. Such an incredible group run that ship!

 

 

Youv'e convinced us, our next 3 cruises in December and January will be on the JEWEL...:):):)

 

I love to try new ships....and explore, and compare.

[CruisinMaterial]

Youv'e convinced us, our next 3 cruises in December and January will be on the JEWEL...:):):)

 

I love to try new ships....and explore, and compare.

 

Ha ha... I remember when I first booked the Jewel again that I saw you on another thread and you'd just got back from the Spirit that I went on in May. Good for you for trying a new ship... the Jewel is incredible! :)

[Lipz]

 

Lipz - You are going to have a blast! Trust me! The Jewel is really just that - a jewel in the Norwegian Cruise Line family. Such an incredible group run that ship!

 

Any 'must see' or 'must do' suggestions while on the ship. How about port days? We are visiting Port Canaveral, Great Stirriup Cay & Nassau. We've actually been to Atlantis already so I know we are not doing that.

I've only been on two cruises before, and both were short, so this is our longest thus far. Cruising is already my favorite way to travel! :D

[Susie51]

Thank you for posting such nice comments about Jewel. I will be on her March 2011 for the first time. In 17 days I will be on Spirit for the first time. I'm looking forward to two new pins to add to my collection. In 1993 on Southward and in 1997 on Crown, they did not offer pins, but I have one for Sky, Sun, and Majesty.

[Pianoman6582]

Thank you for posting such nice comments about Jewel. I will be on her March 2011 for the first time. In 17 days I will be on Spirit for the first time. I'm looking forward to two new pins to add to my collection. In 1993 on Southward and in 1997 on Crown, they did not offer pins, but I have one for Sky, Sun, and Majesty.

 

They have discontinued distribution of Latitudes Pins. However, the Future Cruise Consultant on board may have some lying around. Let us know what you think of the Spirit.... We've not been on the Spirit....

 

And I thank you:

JWK: On Latitudes Pins and Needles.....

[CruisinMaterial]

Any 'must see' or 'must do' suggestions while on the ship. How about port days? We are visiting Port Canaveral, Great Stirriup Cay & Nassau. We've actually been to Atlantis already so I know we are not doing that.

 

I've only been on two cruises before, and both were short, so this is our longest thus far. Cruising is already my favorite way to travel! :D

 

Lipz - I would recommend the Taste of India. It's a hidden gem onboard and not very well attended IMHO for the venue they have it in. It's sometimes a buffet or a sit down lunch meal and varies by ship. It's help in LeBistro usually on the Norwegian Jewel and is a buffet. It's $15 and held during a sea day lunch.

 

Spinnaker's Lounge is the popular spot for late night disco and most of the Pub Crawls onboard end there (usually two per cruise) and a great way to get to know some of your fellow passengers. Cost is $25 and you stop at 8 bars I believe and have 8 different drinks. :eek:

 

Tsar's Palace is my favorite dining room onboard for the decor alone. It's a Main Dining Room but compared to Azura mid-ship, it's so much MORE elegant. Love the eggs on the stairwells and the entrance. It makes me feel like an important person! My favorite specialty restaurant is Cagneys... you have to try Cagney's fries... yummy! (Cover charge is $25) and a healthy piece of Porterhouse steak will cost you $10 extra but for me - well worth it! :)

 

Your itinerary includes two places I have been to before...

 

Nassau - If you can take the Junkanoo tour. I thought this would be incredibly lame but actually it was quite fun and a little noisy and gave a good perspective on the native's traditions come year's end. The costumes alone are so elaborate and you get to don some head dresses if you so choose. Great photo memories there!

 

Great Stirrup Cay - It's a private island. They've been renovating since I was last there in March of this year so I couldn't begin to tell you what may now be offered there but the best place is to go from the beach landing (if they're still doing it when you arrive) and go the the LEFT. It's much less crowded that way. There was at one point a path to a lighthouse to walk but that was closed off when the construction started (open in Jan, closed in March this year).

 

Never been to Port Canaveral... it's a port call for Disney and Universal Studios and if I had a choice I'd do Universal Studios Islands of Adventure... love that theme park!! Fire and Ice are incredible coasters!!

 

~J

[CruisinMaterial]

Thank you for posting such nice comments about Jewel. I will be on her March 2011 for the first time. In 17 days I will be on Spirit for the first time. I'm looking forward to two new pins to add to my collection. In 1993 on Southward and in 1997 on Crown, they did not offer pins, but I have one for Sky, Sun, and Majesty.

 

The Spirit is the most detailed ship I've ever sailed on. Go to Cagney's Steakhouse when onboard and look around, don't forget to look up too! The incredible attention to detail that went into the Spirit makes her a unique ship in the NCL fleet (originally for Asia market). I'm sure you'll have fun. Not sure if Prem is still the Hotel Director onboard but you'll be in good hands either way. Say hi to Bruce (concierge) if you get to meet him for me!

 

The Lattitudes pins are a commodity these days... good luck with getting one! I only ever received one and that was on the Norwegian Dream (my least favorite NCL ship and now gone from the fleet). :cool:

[Got Tequila?]

The Spirit is the most detailed ship I've ever sailed on. Go to Cagney's Steakhouse when onboard and look around, don't forget to look up too! The incredible attention to detail that went into the Spirit makes her a unique ship in the NCL fleet (originally for Asia market). I'm sure you'll have fun. Not sure if Prem is still the Hotel Director onboard but you'll be in good hands either way. Say hi to Bruce (concierge) if you get to meet him for me!

 

The Lattitudes pins are a commodity these days... good luck with getting one! I only ever received one and that was on the Norwegian Dream (my least favorite NCL ship and now gone from the fleet). :cool:

 

Prem (our favorite HD) was on the 8/27 Spirit cruise. We met Bruce back in April, he is awsome. Unfortunately Prem was on vacation when we were on the Spirit in April, and we missed him by 1 day on our last GEM cruise.

 

I ordered my JEWEL and SPIRIT pins as soon as I heard they were being discoutinued.....we had the cruises booked but had not taken them yet.

[RichNY]

As a self professed Dawn-phile I have to comment on one thing where the Jewel missed the boat, having the Blue Lagoon become part of the Tex Mex restaurant.....There is nothing better than getting up early in the morning and stopping by the Blue Lagoon for a quick coffee and a piece of pound cake..:D..MMMMMMMM. Just a short trip down the aft stairway and there you are. Grabbing a little something to munch on as we passed thru was also a good thing..a minor complaint, if you can call it one..;)

 

Back on the Jewel in December...:D

[CruisinMaterial]

Rich - The Tex Mex Restaurant is on one side of deck 8 and the Blue Lagoon is on the other side separated by the stairwell and a kitchen area on the other end. I do know the Dawn and remember having many a early breakfast during the all-night parties of burgers and fries before going back up to dance for another six hours... I agree the alley way concept of the Blue Lagoon is much like Spirit's and is an on-the-go type of idea whereas on the Jewel it is very focused on sit down, almost restauranty type atmosphere. :cool: Blue Lagoon is great either way in the wee hours no matter the ship... great food for the post-disco or continuing disco bod! :)

[CruisinMaterial]

Prem (our favorite HD) was on the 8/27 Spirit cruise. We met Bruce back in April, he is awsome. Unfortunately Prem was on vacation when we were on the Spirit in April, and we missed him by 1 day on our last GEM cruise.

 

I ordered my JEWEL and SPIRIT pins as soon as I heard they were being discoutinued.....we had the cruises booked but had not taken them yet.

 

John is my favorite HD. I sailed with Prem in May and he was just two weeks back from his vacation. I was hoping to sail with Frank Hassenwinkel who is great in his own right but missed him. I know John will be onboard the Jewel until the end of December but his vacation should be in January at some point... not sure when. :cool:

[Turtles06]

We'll be on the Jewel next month for the first time, and the comments on this thread have made us doubly excited!

 

I'm particularly interested in trying the Blue Lagoon, which earns so many raves. On the Jade earlier this year, the Blue Lagoon was about my only disappointment, food wise, so I'm eager to give the wings and fish and chips another chance on another ship. :)

[CruisinMaterial]

Turtles - Go to the M&G and be sure to say hi to John for me! If you can find out details about the drydock too. ;) Thanks!

 

As for trying out the Blue Lagoon. Definitely give it another shot. Be sure to try the wing dings. Good soul food in the early hours of the morning when the disco closes. :D

[Turtles06]

Turtles - Go to the M&G and be sure to say hi to John for me! If you can find out details about the drydock too. ;) Thanks!

 

As for trying out the Blue Lagoon. Definitely give it another shot. Be sure to try the wing dings. Good soul food in the early hours of the morning when the disco closes. :D

 

Will definitely be going to the M&G, so will do my best on the dry dock intel! (And I'll say hi for you.)

 

As for early morning food, I'm usually up very early, but NOT because I was up late! Not sure about wings for breakfast, but then again, it is a cruise! :)

[Tika]

Wow! This thread has been a great read. We have been torn to jump ship from RCI's EOS, which we have two winter Jan. cruises under our belts and try a new ship experience. We like cruising from our home ports NJ & NYC and discovered the NCL Jewel 10 nite 1/23. You all got me really excited..........Yum for Cagneys', Le Bistro, Mama's Kitchen etc. So many restaurant choices!!!!!!!!!! This winter will be a milestone celebration "birthday wise" and we're thinking of either a Courtyard Villa on deck 14 or an Owners Suite decks 9&10. Any pro-cons would be sincerely appreciated. Would love to hear from some folks that have had these type accommodations.

Thanks all .............:<)!

[hateswaterloves2cruise]

I agree, this thread has been a fun one to read. We are on the Jewel for the first time Jan 2. We are doing the Spirit on March 27, so glad to hear positive comments on that ship as well.

Does Blue Lagoon still have the great tomato soup? We love the Dawn and frequently have a quick bite in their BL. Looking forward to both our cruises.

[Got Tequila?]

Wow! This thread has been a great read. We have been torn to jump ship from RCI's EOS, which we have two winter Jan. cruises under our belts and try a new ship experience. We like cruising from our home ports NJ & NYC and discovered the NCL Jewel 10 nite 1/23. You all got me really excited..........Yum for Cagneys', Le Bistro, Mama's Kitchen etc. So many restaurant choices!!!!!!!!!! This winter will be a milestone celebration "birthday wise" and we're thinking of either a Courtyard Villa on deck 14 or an Owners Suite decks 9&10. Any pro-cons would be sincerely appreciated. Would love to hear from some folks that have had these type accommodations.

Thanks all .............:<)!

 

Hi Tika,

 

Just wanted to remind you to stop by the roll call for the 1/23 Jewel sailing http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1166235 we have a great group started for the meet and greet. We have another Birthday person on our roll call as well.

 

The Courtyard Villa would be very special for your birthday. The Owner Suites are great, but the balconies tend to get quite windy at times. The suite perks will spoil you for sure.

[Got Tequila?]

John is my favorite HD. I sailed with Prem in May and he was just two weeks back from his vacation. I was hoping to sail with Frank Hassenwinkel who is great in his own right but missed him. I know John will be onboard the Jewel until the end of December but his vacation should be in January at some point... not sure when. :cool:

 

We should be able to meet John on at least one of our JEWEL cruises, I don't remember ever being on a ship with him before. :)

[MotherofTrips]

Cagney's is the steakhouse type restaurant on board. You'll want to eat there at least once. If you're feeling particularly hungry, go for the Porterhouse for Two. My Lee and I order that one quite often. If you're thinking seafood, go with the King Crab Legs. They crack them for you, so all you have to do is pull the meat.

 

In Mama's Kitchen (Italian), if you don't have a problem being politically incorrect, try the Osso Bucco.... It's a marinated veal chop. The meat FALLS off the bone and it comes on a bed of yummy cheese polenta.

 

In Teppanyaki, try the Seafood Diablo. Don't be intimidated by the name. Diablo doesn't refer to the spice of the food, it's just a nifty sounding name for some dee-lish seafood. Like Japanese noodles? Order a side of Udon Noodles--Japanese Spaghetti.....Think that that meal is lacking in the red meat food group, ask for a side order of filet mignon. Sometimes they say no, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

In Le Bistro, I like the Beef Tenderloin. It's a softball sized piece of filet mignon. YUM-O! Just don't ruin it with a lot of sauces or salt.

 

Finally, try the Tex Mex place. Two words: Lobster Tacos.... Need I say more? Enjoy your cruise... Let me know if you have more questions

 

and I thank you

JWK: Jewel Fan

 

Were you able to order the King Crab Legs at no additional cost aside from the cover charge?

[CruisinMaterial]

I agree, this thread has been a fun one to read. We are on the Jewel for the first time Jan 2. We are doing the Spirit on March 27, so glad to hear positive comments on that ship as well.

Does Blue Lagoon still have the great tomato soup? We love the Dawn and frequently have a quick bite in their BL. Looking forward to both our cruises.

 

You are going to have fun on both trips! Great people at the lead on both vessels. :) Each vessel is unique inside in their own right and if you take a look around both you'll come to appreciate both for their unique styles. Wish I knew the answer for the tomato soup for you but I don't. :(

[CruisinMaterial]

We should be able to meet John on at least one of our JEWEL cruises, I don't remember ever being on a ship with him before. :)

 

Looking at your sailing dates... you'll be with him in December but January he might be on vacation by late January. :cool: Trust me - you'll love him! :D

[Lipz]

Lipz - I would recommend the Taste of India. It's a hidden gem onboard and not very well attended IMHO for the venue they have it in. It's sometimes a buffet or a sit down lunch meal and varies by ship. It's help in LeBistro usually on the Norwegian Jewel and is a buffet. It's $15 and held during a sea day lunch.

 

Spinnaker's Lounge is the popular spot for late night disco and most of the Pub Crawls onboard end there (usually two per cruise) and a great way to get to know some of your fellow passengers. Cost is $25 and you stop at 8 bars I believe and have 8 different drinks. :eek:

 

Tsar's Palace is my favorite dining room onboard for the decor alone. It's a Main Dining Room but compared to Azura mid-ship, it's so much MORE elegant. Love the eggs on the stairwells and the entrance. It makes me feel like an important person! My favorite specialty restaurant is Cagneys... you have to try Cagney's fries... yummy! (Cover charge is $25) and a healthy piece of Porterhouse steak will cost you $10 extra but for me - well worth it! :)

 

Your itinerary includes two places I have been to before...

 

Nassau - If you can take the Junkanoo tour. I thought this would be incredibly lame but actually it was quite fun and a little noisy and gave a good perspective on the native's traditions come year's end. The costumes alone are so elaborate and you get to don some head dresses if you so choose. Great photo memories there!

 

Great Stirrup Cay - It's a private island. They've been renovating since I was last there in March of this year so I couldn't begin to tell you what may now be offered there but the best place is to go from the beach landing (if they're still doing it when you arrive) and go the the LEFT. It's much less crowded that way. There was at one point a path to a lighthouse to walk but that was closed off when the construction started (open in Jan, closed in March this year).

 

Never been to Port Canaveral... it's a port call for Disney and Universal Studios and if I had a choice I'd do Universal Studios Islands of Adventure... love that theme park!! Fire and Ice are incredible coasters!!

 

~J

 

 

Thank you!! :D

I have saved ALL of this information!

Most of what we do will probably depend on who's cruising with us. Since we are getting married on the ship the day of embarkment we have invited guest to cruise. Of course we are not going to spend 24/7 with everyone but we enjoy doing group activities so we have to make sure we have fun things to do for all ages, which is why we went with a cruise to begin with!

[patter44]

We're thinking about the 10 Day Caribbean but can't decide on the Gem or the Jewel. We've been on the Gem twice. Our first cruise on the Jewel will be next month Oct. to the Bahamas. We were originally going to wait until we experience the Jewel to decide between the ships but DH wants to book now (price is good although Gem is $400 more and who knows where the prices will be in two months, favorite stateroom is still available on both).

 

I'm aware of the azipod problems on the Jewel that should be fixed 11/28 and we're not concerned that we're sailing Oct. before the fix. We loved the Spirit when we were on her and she was running on three engines (at times 2) without a problem.

 

I loved the comparisons about the "correct" locations of the shops and the lounges. I absolutely agree. I also would prefer the Blue Lagoon in the "alley way" as in the Dawn and Spirit (tomato soup was my favorite) but both the Jewel and Gem's Blue Lagoons are upstairs in the atrium.

 

Both ships have the two pools and the Great Outdoors. We don't bowl or climb rock walls :eek:

 

One question I cannot find the answer to are there couchs on the port side of the pool deck (hate them) on the Jewel as on the Gem?

 

As of right now the Dawn is my favorite with the Gem a close second. Will the Jewel top these?

 

P.S. We know where the secret hot tub is on the Dawn.