Just back from cruise on the Jewel

[MsJ]

Hello, We usually cruise the third week of February from Florida to Caribbean. As airfare is so high I waited and waited. In January with nothing booked or planned I signed us up for NCL Jewel to the Bahamas from NYC. It was our third NCL cruise and the second time leaving NYC the first being the NCL Sea in July 2002. I was a bit apprehensive as many of the reviews were lukewarm about NCL and the Jewel. Just wanted to thank everyone here who provided information to me. We had a GREAT time! We booked an aft-facing balcony which had just been released. LOVED IT!!! Watching the wake of the boat was mesmerizing. We ate in the buffet and the main dining rooms mostly The Tzars. The food was very good, always warm, well presented and tasty. The service was always prompt, friendly and attentive. I enjoyed Margaritas Madness trying a different kind each night.....like the melon the best. My husband made use of the 2 for 1 beers at Maltings. Our cabin was well taken care of and our stewart very friendly and always had a smile and greeted us by name. Loved the Beatles show. We sang our hearts out along with many other 60+ year olds who were around when the real Beatles exploded across the world. Lots and lots of kids but were not a problem. I did see some with their parents kicked out of the adults only pool. We don't sit around the pool in the sun so didn't really pay attention to that. We really loved having only to drive to NYC from Boston, park the car and walk onto the ship. And walk off the last day with luggage right to car and drive home. I liked the size of the Jewel and we wanted to go again next year but the Breakaway is doing that route in 2014...so I BOOKED THAT yesterday!!!And got, I think, the last aft facing balcony on deck 13.

I didnt intend this to be so long . I just wanted to say thanks for all the info and I am glad we got to sail on the Jewel. Oh!! And I won $383.25 on the slots the last night:)

 

Marianne

[Sauer-kraut]

Well Marianne welcome home! Glad you had a great time and came home richer too!

 

Thanks for the review and taking the time to post it. Now to get ready and gear up for the Breakaway!

[Godiva830]

I was on the Jewel last week also and loved it. There was about 900 kids on board. Food was great. My favorite restaurant was Le Bistro. I had an aft penthouse and the priority disembark and tender was a great perk being that the ship was sold out that I was on the first tender to great stirrup cay and was able to get chairs and a float on the beach. By 11:00 chairs and floats were hard to get. Also being able to have breakfast and lunch in Cagney's was great and nice and quiet. The suite life was amazing and I don't want to cruise any other way lol

[2Oregonians]

We really loved having only to drive to NYC from Boston, park the car and walk onto the ship.

 

Oh, you HAD to say you were from Boston, and follow it up with "park the car", didn't you? I totally read it as "pahk the cah". :D;)

 

I didn't know there was a Beatles show!!! Anyone know if that will still be going on during the Alaska itineraries this summer? I love the Beatles. (Yes, I know it's not the real Beatles!!)

 

Congrats on the casino win!!

[MsJ]

Oh, you HAD to say you were from Boston, and follow it up with "park the car", didn't you? I totally read it as "pahk the cah". :D;)

 

I didn't know there was a Beatles show!!! Anyone know if that will still be going on during the Alaska itineraries this summer? I love the Beatles. (Yes, I know it's not the real Beatles!!)

 

Congrats on the casino win!!

 

hahaha..I try very hard to say parrrrk the carrrrr but but most of the time it comes out pahk the cah!!!!

[WaldosPepper]

hahaha..I try very hard to say parrrrk the carrrrr but but most of the time it comes out pahk the cah!!!!

 

You're from Bahston! It would be wicked bad if you didn't say pahk the cah!

:D:D:D

[gizmo911]

Did they offer the "Best of All Lunches" on the Jewel?

[lisakoivu]

We leave on the Jewel one week from this Sunday. I've been on her before, but not for three or four years. I'm so glad you had a great time. This is the first time I'm there without kids, so I'll definitely look for the adults only pool... I forgot about it, kinda!

[Junebug27]

MsJ-

 

Glad you had such a great time, we leave this Sunday on the Jewel out of NYC and can't wait!

[gelo7]

Welcome back.

[Barb Nahoumi]

You're from Bahston! It would be wicked bad if you didn't say pahk the cah!

:D:D:D

 

Yup, we pahk cahs here, and ride hosses.

[MsJ]

Did they offer the "Best of All Lunches" on the Jewel?

 

I dont remember reading about anything that said Best of Lunches but I am not sure if they had it. It might have been something I didn't pay attention too. What is Best of Lunches?

[texast518]

I was on the Jewel last week also and loved it. There was about 900 kids on board. Food was great. My favorite restaurant was Le Bistro. I had an aft penthouse and the priority disembark and tender was a great perk being that the ship was sold out that I was on the first tender to great stirrup cay and was able to get chairs and a float on the beach. By 11:00 chairs and floats were hard to get. Also being able to have breakfast and lunch in Cagney's was great and nice and quiet. The suite life was amazing and I don't want to cruise any other way lol

 

AMEN LeBistro

[lah66]

So why all the kids in the third week of Feb? Just a note to self to avoid this week. Do the East Coast schools have a week off that early? I always think of early March as College Spring Break and early April as High School Spring Break and avoid those if we arent bringing our DS or DD along....

Thanks for the cruise report! We are looking forward to cruising the Gem out of NYC this fall and cruised the Jewel a few years back...

[sara_m]

Thanks for the mini review!!

 

We sail this intinerary on sunday! we leave tomorrow for our drive to NYC (from near Toronto). How was the weather at the ports?? was the water cold at GSC?

[jaja]

So why all the kids in the third week of Feb? Just a note to self to avoid this week. Do the East Coast schools have a week off that early? I always think of early March as College Spring Break and early April as High School Spring Break and avoid those if we arent bringing our DS or DD along....

Thanks for the cruise report! We are looking forward to cruising the Gem out of NYC this fall and cruised the Jewel a few years back...

 

 

Some NJ school districts have a "winter break"...always around President's Day...

[WaldosPepper]

So why all the kids in the third week of Feb? Just a note to self to avoid this week. Do the East Coast schools have a week off that early? I always think of early March as College Spring Break and early April as High School Spring Break and avoid those if we arent bringing our DS or DD along....

Thanks for the cruise report! We are looking forward to cruising the Gem out of NYC this fall and cruised the Jewel a few years back...

 

Some NJ school districts have a "winter break"...always around President's Day...

 

Not just New Jersey! Also NH, VT, MA, ME and New York (although this year many schools in NY cancelled it because of time lost due to Sandy).

[jdvmd]

Glad you had a wonderful time!

[vicbomb5]

Not just New Jersey! Also NH, VT, MA, ME and New York (although this year many schools in NY cancelled it because of time lost due to Sandy).

 

I second that, we are from Boston - MA had school vaca week that week this year in Feb, all public school closed for week or most of them.

 

We had a GREAT time!

[lah66]

Thanks for the info on President's Day vacations..no wonder east coast sailings that week were full of kids! I imagine it could affect Florida sailings too. We will stick to fall sailings from the East Coast. That is really the only time we can be assured (?) we wont hit snowstorms on our drive from MI! Thanks Lauri

[reggie50]

I'm sooo glad your trip was fab do you have the dailies that you can post or mdr menus we leave on the 31st of march thankss

[margie1221]

We, too, were on this cruise - had a great time!! Sorry you missed the Meet and Mingle - It was in the Stah Bah - sorry, my Bawstin accent is wicked strong.

 

Thanks for the review!!

[Mikeyz30]

Could you tell me what the weather was like leaving NYC? Was the first sea day a waste because you couldn't lay out in the sun? I almost booked this trip for my wife and I and our two kids but was worried we would lose two days cause of the weather.

 

What did you do if you were unable to use the pools at sea days?

[MsJ]

So why all the kids in the third week of Feb? Just a note to self to avoid this week. Do the East Coast schools have a week off that early? I always think of early March as College Spring Break and early April as High School Spring Break and avoid those if we arent bringing our DS or DD along....

Thanks for the cruise report! We are looking forward to cruising the Gem out of NYC this fall and cruised the Jewel a few years back...

 

Hi, In MA beside Christmas vacation are 2 other school vacation weeks. One in February is always the first full 7 day week which includes Presidents Day. The next one is in April. Again the first full 7 day week which is always Patriots Day week. New Hampshire had this past week off for vacation. We used to go skiing in February and as with anything else the prices are always higher the 3rd week and drop down the next week. I am a teacher in MA so I have no leeway as to when I can cruise. But when I retire I will not be paying the higher prices any more. Its unfair but if we want to travel we have to pay the higher prices for now.

Around here college breaks are in March.

[jakeT]

We are going next week. Is the port building up and running ?