The Jewel Review Dec 9-Good, Bad, Ugly

[MikeandAmy]

We sailed on the Jewel the week of December 9th. It's a beautiful ship and somewhat comparable to the Pearl. We were in the Haven suite for the first time and we are hooked. The Haven area is wonderful you have a small pool (not saltwater), plenty of comfy lounge chairs, private sun deck and jacuzzi. You can have breakfast and lunch in the courtyard and snacks in the afternoon.

 

Embarkation was a breeze in New Orleans and we went straight to Cagney's for lunch. We met our concierge, Elvina but didn't meet our Butler until that evening. Elvina was the best concierge we've ever had. She's such a pleasant person and will do anything to make sure you are happy.

 

Bad: The main dining room was a disappointment. This was our 6th cruise and we've always enjoyed the main dining room but the food quality was not good. The specialty restaurants did not disappoint. We ate at Chin Chin, Moderno & Cagney's and are well worth the money.

 

The Spa (Ugly): Our first and last time using an NCL spa. We both got a massage, hot stone for myself and bamboo for my husband. The day before we had gone to Belize for cave tubing and was sore. My husband told the masseuse 3 times not to touch his lower back and she kept on ignoring him. Needless to say he was unable to walk straight that evening and next day. Elvina, our concierge quickly took action and saw how much pain he was in and spoke to the Spa manager. The masseuse argued with us that she was never told not to touch his lower back and we had to continue to argue until finally the Spa manager refunded his massage. My massage was not relaxing as she was rough and did more of a deep tissue than hot stone. I would not recommend the Spa on the Jewel at all.

 

Our keycards to the Haven area was hit or miss with the elevators. It was an inconvenience at times but the staff helped out.

 

The casino was nice and wasn't too stingy but a lot of the slot machines the first few nights didn't work and the ATM on the first night was not working. Seemed like a lot of electrical issues on the Jewel.

 

The shows were great especially Noodles the comedian. The staff on the Jewel was great minus the spa experience.

 

Debarkation was chaotic. The easy off seemed to go on forever for us that waited for priority service. New Orleans was to blame for that and partly NCL too as I think some people used easy off when they shouldn't have just to get off the ship.

 

All in all despite the bumps the cruise was wonderful. Will definitely continue with NCL and the Haven suites.

 

Feel free to ask questions just note I don't have any dailies to attach.

[VideoTech]

Thanks for the review, MikeandAmy. We're on the Jewel in 7 days. Since the Pearl is our all time favorite NCL ship, we're glad to hear the ship is comparable - as it should be, since I believe it's the same build class.

 

Glad to hear your concierge was a good one; we'll look forward to that.

 

We've been in and out of New Orleans several times, and have never had any problems with either end of the cruise. Hopefully your disembarkation issues were a one time thing...did you have Elvina escort you off?

 

Sorry to hear about the dining room food, but we've never felt it was anything other than pretty run-of-the mill on any NCL ship. The specialty restaurants usually are very good, as you say.

 

My DW will be very upset if the Spa is not up to par; she loves getting massages on our cruises!

 

Tnanks again for the review!

[TracieABD]

Thank you for your review. I hate that the spa treatments did not meet your expectations ( quite the opposite effect). That would make me pretty mad!

[3DBeach]

Sorry to hear about the spa but thank you for sharing.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[MikeandAmy]

It was our first time out of New Orleans but I think what held it up was the easy off process. It seemed like half the ship chose that slot. We did have Elvina escort us off but it took forever for the easy off debarkation to ease up so we could be cleared to go.

 

As for the spa hopefully they will do better. Our issue was escalated to the Hotel manager and I'm sure they were going to discuss and make changes.

 

Have fun on your trip!

 

Thanks for the review, MikeandAmy. We're on the Jewel in 7 days. Since the Pearl is our all time favorite NCL ship, we're glad to hear the ship is comparable - as it should be, since I believe it's the same build class.

 

Glad to hear your concierge was a good one; we'll look forward to that.

 

We've been in and out of New Orleans several times, and have never had any problems with either end of the cruise. Hopefully your disembarkation issues were a one time thing...did you have Elvina escort you off?

 

Sorry to hear about the dining room food, but we've never felt it was anything other than pretty run-of-the mill on any NCL ship. The specialty restaurants usually are very good, as you say.

 

My DW will be very upset if the Spa is not up to par; she loves getting massages on our cruises!

 

Tnanks again for the review!

[clackey]

We did the same cruise. This was our first on NCL and I was pleasantly surprised. As MikeandAmy said, the entertainment was very good. This was some of the best vocalist that we have heard to date. We are platinum on Carnival and a change to live bands and different shows was a big plus. I thought that the food in the main dining was good but some of the portions were small. No matter, we just went to the buffet to top off.:rolleyes: . We didn't care for anytime dining. If we went early it was ok but the one night that we went after 6:30 it took a 45 minute wait and 1 1/2 hours to finish dining. Plus I was stuck with my better half every night. After 42 years together we have talked about every conceivable subject and I don't like to repeat myself.

 

Overall, it was a good trip and I won't hesitate to book again with NCL. If the price is right.

[DebbieCruises]

Hi, Mike and Amy! We cruised together a few years ago. We will be on the Jewel January 12. Thanks for the warning about the spa and we will look forward to meeting Elvina and dining in the specialty restaurants. We will be in the haven, too. (Yippee!!!) How were the two butlers?

[MikeandAmy]

Hi Debbie,

 

We didn't use the butler that much but he was good.

 

 

Hi, Mike and Amy! We cruised together a few years ago. We will be on the Jewel January 12. Thanks for the warning about the spa and we will look forward to meeting Elvina and dining in the specialty restaurants. We will be in the haven, too. (Yippee!!!) How were the two butlers?

[rvsullivan]

Just to clarify the disembarkation process. We too were in the Haven for this cruise. Most of the Haven met Elvina at 7:30 and were escorted off the ship. We were the first two through customs and by 8 am were already passing the NO airport heading home!!! After general disembarkation starts, there is not much the concierge can do to get you off the ship, you have to join the same line as everyone else and by then the backup for customs can take a half hour or more. Food in all venues was great!!! Reserved seating for the show was good if you liked the balcony, if not, then not so good. One elevator had a minor card key issue but otherwise that all worked well. Elvina was a good concierge and Bagus was a great butler.

And just to clarify, the cruise was Dec 8th.

Edited December 23, 2013 by rvsullivan

[MikeandAmy]

Just to clarify the disembarkation process. We too were in the Haven for this cruise. Most of the Haven met Elvina at 7:30 and were escorted off the ship. We were the first two through customs and by 8 am were already passing the NO airport heading home!!! After general disembarkation starts, there is not much the concierge can do to get you off the ship, you have to join the same line as everyone else and by then the backup for customs can take a half hour or more. Food in all venues was great!!! Reserved seating for the show was good if you liked the balcony, if not, then not so good. One elevator had a minor card key issue but otherwise that all worked well. Elvina was a good concierge and Bagus was a great butler.

And just to clarify, the cruise was Dec 8th.

 

OMG lets have a cow my wife but down the wrong date!!! Lets get something straight we were down with Elvina at 715am and she was not able to get us off until around 830am, yes if you did not have bags waiting for you, you could leave earlier, but we had bags... We were not the only ones who said something about this while waiting in the Chin Chin restaurant others were throwing a fit, but we did not say anything until about 830 when we had been waiting an hour...

[MikeandAmy]

Hi, Mike and Amy! We cruised together a few years ago. We will be on the Jewel January 12. Thanks for the warning about the spa and we will look forward to meeting Elvina and dining in the specialty restaurants. We will be in the haven, too. (Yippee!!!) How were the two butlers?

 

Hey Debbie!!!

 

Tell Elvina we said hello!!!

[mpk218]

My 2 $ .

 

"" After general disembarkation starts, there is not much the concierge can do to get you off the ship, you have to join the same line as everyone else ""

 

We have never had to wait with the general population to get off the ship regardless of time.

 

We let the concierge know what time we plan to disembark and He/She walks us off the ship. If ever a concierge suggested we wait in the "line without end " , I would be less than pleased.. But its never happened. ;)

I consider this one of the top 2 perks.

 

If Elvina is still there in March I may need to query this topic .

 

EDIT: I will preface this with the fact we rarely leave the ship super early..

Edited December 23, 2013 by mpk218

[rvsullivan]

OMG lets have a cow my wife but down the wrong date!!! Lets get something straight we were down with Elvina at 715am and she was not able to get us off until around 830am, yes if you did not have bags waiting for you, you could leave earlier, but we had bags... We were not the only ones who said something about this while waiting in the Chin Chin restaurant others were throwing a fit, but we did not say anything until about 830 when we had been waiting an hour...

 

 

Wow!! Sensitive much?? We were there when you talked to Elvina. You sent your bags out the night before and that doesn't work for early disembark. When she took us off the ship they hadn't even opened the cargo doors to start unloading bags. No place to go and wait on shore until bags are unloaded, so she explained to you about waiting until they offloaded baggage. If you wanted early off all you had to do was take your bags with you like the hundred or so others with us did. Of course she had you wait, the instructions were very clear about what you had to do to get off early, delivered to each suite in writing!

No cow here!!! Just wanted to note the correct date. We know you guys were not happy, all of us knew! Every suite guest that followed the instructions got off at 7:40, only ones that didn't were the ones that wanted later departure or didn't follow the instructions.

 

For the other poster that mentioned getting escorted off the ship, never in the last five cruises in a suite did we get walked down the ramp. What Elvina did was have security hold all departing guests until the suites were down to customs and then release the general early walk off guest. Then later the line was interrupted to allow another group of suite guests off.

We still have the letter from Elvina stating that if you checked your bags the night before, you could not go with the early group.

[MikeandAmy]

Wow!! Sensitive much?? We were there when you talked to Elvina. You sent your bags out the night before and that doesn't work for early disembark. When she took us off the ship they hadn't even opened the cargo doors to start unloading bags. No place to go and wait on shore until bags are unloaded, so she explained to you about waiting until they offloaded baggage. If you wanted early off all you had to do was take your bags with you like the hundred or so others with us did. Of course she had you wait, the instructions were very clear about what you had to do to get off early, delivered to each suite in writing!

No cow here!!! Just wanted to note the correct date. We know you guys were not happy, all of us knew! Every suite guest that followed the instructions got off at 7:40, only ones that didn't were the ones that wanted later departure or didn't follow the instructions.

 

For the other poster that mentioned getting escorted off the ship, never in the last five cruises in a suite did we get walked down the ramp. What Elvina did was have security hold all departing guests until the suites were down to customs and then release the general early walk off guest. Then later the line was interrupted to allow another group of suite guests off.

We still have the letter from Elvina stating that if you checked your bags the night before, you could not go with the early group.

 

You have no clue who I am so please dont say you know who we are... She did not have to explain a thing to us... My wife and I did not say anything to Elvina until around 830 and we were very quite about it... Now others in the room were getting a little upset but not once did we raise our voice or cause commotion.

[VideoTech]

In our experience, suite disembarkation with the concierge only ever gets you around the line on the ship, the one that is waiting to swipe their cards and get off the ship. After that, you're just one of the many who are picking up bags and clearing customs.

 

Our routine, since we always book a later flight, is to wait until the last round of concierge-escorted disembarkation. That way we're not rushed, we're sure all the bags have been unloaded, and generally speaking we have a very short wait to get through customs.

Edited December 24, 2013 by VideoTech

[mpk218]

In our experience, suite disembarkation with the concierge only ever gets you around the line on the ship, the one that is waiting to swipe their cards and get off the ship. After that, you're just one of the many who are picking up bags and clearing customs.

 

Our routine, since we always book a later flight, is to wait until the last round of concierge-escorted disembarkation. That way we're not rushed, we're sure all the bags have been unloaded, and generally speaking we have a very short wait to get through customs.

 

Agreed , only off the ship . We have breakfast and agree on a time then meet and walk off .. Easy Peasy ;)

 

Its supposed to be easy :D

[rvsullivan]

I'm going to do one more post. I know exactly who you are. We were neighbors, we saw you at disembark. Listened to your conversation. And saw you when we left. Saw you four or five times a day, every day and at the meet and greet.

Bye!

[MikeandAmy]

I'm going to do one more post. I know exactly who you are. We were neighbors, we saw you at disembark. Listened to your conversation. And saw you when we left. Saw you four or five times a day, every day and at the meet and greet.

Bye!

 

 

We did not even do the meet and greet... :mad:

 

So that shows you right there you have no clue who my wife and I are.... so move on!!!!

Edited December 24, 2013 by MikeandAmy