Review: NCL Jewel in Alaska, 7-5-2014

[buoyantbeans]

Thanks to all of the CCers that helped me get ready for my trip. I felt like I knew the ship before stepping on the gangway. Here is my review of NCL Jewel Alaska by Planes, trains, water taxi, light rail, boat, lyft, uber, and ship. Our crew consisted of my DW, DD, and Mother In Law (MIL). We had 2 deck 9 cabins, a balcony (9566) and an inside across the hall for DD and MIL (9565). Nice cabins in a good location!!

 

We boarded July 5, 2014 after enjoying the fireworks on Lake Union in Seattle for the standard Ketchican, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria trip.

 

[buoyantbeans]

Getting on the ship was a breeze. We took a Lyft ride from the Westin Seattle to the pier ( $7 + tip) and arrived around 12:00. Everything was smooth and efficient and we were on the ship eating at the Garden Cafe by 1:00. By 1:30 the announcement was made that the rooms were ready.

 

 

 

For those of you who want to know the inputs that are available on the room TV's, here you go:

 

Edited July 15, 2014 by buoyantbeans

[buoyantbeans]

I'll start with the food:

 

Food. B+. A few standouts, mostly above expectations, only a few misses. We probably had half our meals in the buffet. TIP - at breakfast and lunch take the buffet food into La Cocena or the great outdoors area for a kinder, gentler experience than trying to eat at the tables in the buffet area. HITS did a great job with the pre-cooked omelettes, scrambled, and fried eggs on buffet. They were warm, but not over cooked, the pretzel bread rolls were great. Enjoyed the soup almost every day, especially the chowder. Loved the daily lox and pickled herring. My DW loved the curry items, had them every day. While the buffet deserts were nothing special, the crepe station was very good.

 

O'sheehans. Nice atmosphere, mostly good food. The new furniture has arrived. Classy dark wood with a relaxing pub feel. Hot tea drinkers can ask for a pot of tea. They get an A+ for serving over easy eggs with runny yolks, cooked better than I get on land 90% of the time. Not a fan of the corned beef hash. But we enjoyed the rest of the O's breakfast menu, They did make my DD a special grilled cheese with bacon at both lunch and dinner. The fish and chips looked great, but tasted ok, coating was slightly under done. The fried cheese and chicken fingers were very tasty. With the big windows, the booths are a great place to watch Alaska go by. We saw a seal and whale tales here.

 

Moderno. Great meal with the wife. Especially enjoyed the flavor of the grilled pineapple and fried banana side. Tasting all of the meats was a treat, but for me the sirloin was not as good and the bacon wrapped chicken was dry.

 

Cagney's. DW and MIL enjoyed their trip to the steakhouse. TIP DW figured out a bottle of wine was about the same price as 2 by the glass orders, so they split a bottle.

 

Had a lunch at Tsars, nothing too special. Had 2 dinners at Azura, the first was great with attentive service, the second time, not so much.

 

SURPRISE. NO CHOCOHOLIC BUFFET. Instead each restaurant served 2 special chocolate deserts, NOT IMPRESSED, no lobster and no chocolate night.

[buoyantbeans]

Kid activities: A. Great job with family pizza making session on sea day, cupcake decorating on early back to ship day, and family circus skills event, and especially the circus performance in the Stardust theater. At all of the family events, the kids staff were very engaging and have everyone participating. By the end of the week, my DD was asking to hang out in the splash academy, more and more each day. When she let the staff know that she already knew how to spin plates, Dynamite was excited and had her do a featured trick at the big performance in the theater. My DD had the biggest grin.

 

 

Edited July 15, 2014 by buoyantbeans

[PathfinderEss]

Enjoying your review, and wonderful photo's.

[TwinMommyByGrace]

Can't wait to hear more! We're sailing out on the Jewel in August. Do you know if the new menus have come to the MDR yet? :)

[buoyantbeans]

thanks, more to come tonight! Don't know about the menus. We pretty much stayed away from Tsars except for 1 lunch. We did enjoy Azura, but don't know if they were new menus.

Edited July 15, 2014 by buoyantbeans

[Hikini]

Thanks for the review and I look forward to hearing more. We have been on the Jewel (2012) and will be on her again in under 8 weeks.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report!

[buoyantbeans]

Ports of Call

 

Ketchican: The weather was cool with a slow, steady rain. We were comfortable with sweat shirts and rain coats. TIP: If you don't show up with a rain coat, the ports are loaded with stores that have $20 water resistant lined jackets. While they are not waterproof, we did not face any heavy rain on our trip. Lots of folks bought them and wore them the rest of the week on the ship.

 

We chose the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour booked through NCL. The trip was great. An easy walk from the pier, and very entertaining. Both my 10 year old DD and the adults enjoyed the trip. They make the trip very hands-on and interactive. Got to hold crabs and got up close with the crew.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 15, 2014 by buoyantbeans

[buoyantbeans]

After the trip, we had time to walk around town a bit before the early call back to the ship. We headed to Creek Street. It was worth the walk for a stroll on the boardwalk.

 

 

[buoyantbeans]

Next stop Juneau: Same cool, rainy weather that we had in Ketchican. Since it was a short stop at port, we split between 2 NCL excursions. My DD and MIL went on the Historic Gold Mine and Panning. The DD loved it, even though they splashed around in the stream.

 

The DW and I went on the sea kayak adventure. Had a good time. The kayak's were very steady and easy to use. We had a nice time on the water, and it was good to get in some activity. They do have boots and rain suits to use while paddling.

 

 

[david_sobe]

Wow what a great review with amazing pictures

I hope to do Alaska someday

[buoyantbeans]

Wow what a great review with amazing pictures

I hope to do Alaska someday

 

It is a great summer alternative to the Bahama/Carribbean ports, especially after a couple of cruises.

[Sestar]

Great pictures and good review thus far. More more more...:D

[GoAndHaveFun]

I was on the same cruise as you! I was also surprised by the lack of chocoholic buffet but not so much by the lack of lobsters as I remember people were saying how NCL just collectively stopped serving lobster. For me, Victoria was like my favorite stop mainly due to the non-rainy weather (tho it didn't rain in Skagway) and downtown had something to offer.

[buoyantbeans]

We did have great weather in Victoria, DW and MIL got off the ship for tea at the Ambasador Hotel. I stayed on the ship with DD. While she played in Splash Academy, I enjoyed the blue skies and sun on the pool deck!

[GoAndHaveFun]

I think I especially enjoy Victoria (besides the fabulous Empress hotel and Inner Harbor area) because we were there on 7/11 so we went and got free slurpees from 7/11. I also saw your comment about the pineapple at Moderno's and indeed it was delicious. I believed I asked the servers to come back twice for the pineapple. I definitely want to hit up Modernos again my next cruise.

[mfinster007]

I was on this cruise the week before you. They fid have a chocolate buffet. I remember the F&B manager said they would be discontinuing them I didn't realize ours was the last.. great trip.

 

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[Floridanamaw]

Thanks for the review and pictures. We will be on the Jewel in September, the last trip before she heads back south for the winter. I'm looking forward to all the ports and of course just being on a ship.

[amarvel]

Great review, thanks for sharing about the Jewel!

 

I was on this cruise the week before you. They fid have a chocolate buffet. I remember the F&B manager said they would be discontinuing them I didn't realize ours was the last.. great trip.

 

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They will be discontinuing them? My son will be so disappointed

 

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[buoyantbeans]

After the kayak trip, we got a ride back to town. With the early call back to the ship, we only had about an hour in town. I stopped at Tracy's Crab Shack (seems like the place has improved their facility. Great place to stop for a quick bite while in town. Seemed very popular. I observed a family purchase 6 crab leg buckets with fixings at $110 each. I settled for the traditional and coconut mixed mini crab cakes and a diet coke for $10. Loved them.

 

[buoyantbeans]

Then it was on to Tracy Arm and Sawyer Glacier. The trip was great, the captain opened up the front deck that you see in the ship's camera with the crew hot tub, and we were off. Be sure to head to the pool deck for some of the giant pot of salmon chowder. Great for keeping the cold away. After a few hours wrapped up on our balcony, my DD was ready for a change. So I took her down to 8 for some snacks at O'Sheehans. The booths along the big windows were great for watching the arm go by, and we even saw a seal swim off by the ship. All in all, a great afternoon.

 

 

 

[buoyantbeans]

More from Tracy Arm

 

 

Edited July 17, 2014 by buoyantbeans

[buoyantbeans]

We had a great start to an early day in Skagway. The DD and I set off for a hike in the Dewey Lake Trail System. (see http://skagway.com/skagwaytrailmap.pdf) A great, free, easy hike. We did the lower Dewey Lake Trail and it took us about 90 minutes. It took us about a 20 minute stroll from the ship to the trailhead, just on the side of town. Just be ready for a few 'skeeters.

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2014 by buoyantbeans