A Teen's Review of the Norwegian Jewel

[Hikini]

This is fun. We've been on the Jewel twice and I can completely picture every area you are speaking of. Good job!

[cruizinrican]

I have a teen 17 and hope that she might want to write a review after we return from Epic. I am also a teacher so we only try and travel during breaks which means ships are crowded and we always are a more expensive rate so I feel your frustration. You are doing a fine job, please continue. :)

[alexspepa]

great review from a new perspective...

 

How neat that you planned the trip and decided on all the excursions!

 

Your folks are like me - watching the pier runners is my favorite port activity.

[iceprincess0407]

Thanks everyone, if we go on anymore cruises I will write more reviews.

 

On with day five

 

Wednesday February 18

 

Today was our final of three port days, since we were in Rotan we decided to go to Little French Key. When planning I read some very good reviews on the island plus our TA always goes there when she goes to Rotan. We booked the full island plus package. Which include two drink tickets, a snorkeling tour, lunch and full use of the facilities.

 

We all woke up around 7 excited for our day in Rotan. No run again for me this morning, I wasn't getting up any earlier than necessary. Today the garden cafe was supper busy, I guess everyone was up for the last port day. I had my usual breakfast a bowl of fruit and some yogurt, I still wasn't feeling good. When we got the all clear we made our way down to deck four to exit the boat. One thing I noticed when docking was how gorgeous Rotan was. Not the every port we visited wasn't gorgeous but Rotan was so pretty. I loved the trees and hills, I guess it reminded me a little bit of home.

 

We were suppose to look for our driver, Dave or Larry but that was a struggle. We went back through the main shopping area and then had to ask someone where the little French key drivers were. Eventually we found Dave and got into the 15 passenger van with two other couples.

 

Now, words of advice driving in Rotan is crazy. Like the roads are pretty rough plus it's one way so passing in scary. And it's hilly and the roads are super narrow. The drive to the Frenchys 44 was probably 20 minutes but Dave was nice and told us some history about the island on the trip.

 

After 20 minutes of crazy driving we arrived at the place where we would catch our boat out to the island.

 

The boat ride out was about five minutes. When we got to island we were given a short tour of the facilities. And then it was off to our snorkeling tour.

 

We got on a boat with five other people. We drove for about 10 minutes to an area about 7 minutes away from shore. From there we were given instructions on where to snorkel. We had about 20 minutes in the water. Snorkeling was really cool. I want to get my Scuba certificate one day but for now I will settle for snorkeling.

 

There were lots of cool fish to sea and the coral was gorgeous. I highly recommend trying to find sometime to snorkeling in Rotan.

 

After snorkeling we went back to Little French Key and attempted to kayak again. This time there were two normal paddles and two kayak double edged paddles. My sister and I got the doubled edged paddles while mom and dad took the normal paddles. I kayaked for a little bit but then I just floated enjoying the da

 

After kayaking it was time for mani pedis. This was something cool we decided to do, plus my nail polish was coming off already. I told my dad he was getting it for me as a congrats for passing finals present.

Now it wasn't anything special but it was cute and my toes looked amazing so it was all worth it. I went first, mine took about an hour. After my younger sister started hers and I went to eat with my dad.

 

The food was very good, I honestly don't remember what was all on the plate but it was a lot. I made it through maybe half of the plate.

 

After dad and I went back to our chairs and just sat in the sun. Dad took a nap while I just relaxed. Eventually my mom and sister came to join us after her nails we done and they had eaten. In the tour my sister saw a rope swing into the water. Of course she wanted to try it.

 

And of course I was volunteered to go first. Now being scared of heights plus the whole swinging into the water, not my cup of tea. In the end my dad ended videoing me in slow motion doing a back flop into the water. It was not a fun experience.

 

Then it was time to go. We took the boat back to the mainland and took a van back to port. When at port we shopped for an half an hour before getting back onto the boat. I found a nice sweatshirt that I bought right away. No repeat of Belize.

 

Once back on board I met up with my friends in Entourage. We hung out until I had to leave for supper at 5:15.

 

Supper tonight was at Azura again. I had calamari for my appetizer, I love sea food. A seafood pasta for my main meal, inside the pasta there was scallops, shrimp and pieces of lobster. For dessert I had a strawberry pound cake. Every night we made advanced reservations for 5:30. It wasn't busy at 5:30 but come 6-6:30 it was really busy.

After I met up with my friends on our new regular meeting place, the stairs. We walked talking for about a half an hour before we met up with everyone else. Then we hung out some more before the 9:15 magic show.

 

The magician was Jean Pierre. He was also a comedian so the show was so funny. And the magic was awesome. I highly suggest that you try to see all of the shows at least once.

 

After there was a teen movie night, we were watching Pitch Perfect! Now I have seen the movie a billion times but it's like Mean Girls, it never ever gets old. The movie finished at 12 so I headed home after, I was pretty tired from my day in Rotan.

[HandC4Me]

I'm enjoying your review very much! We will be on the Jewel March 14 - 21, and will be going to Little French Key also. My two sons are 13 and 16, so this is a great teen perspective for them to read. Thanks!

[OUgal]

I'm enjoying your review very much! We will be on the Jewel March 14 - 21, and will be going to Little French Key also. My two sons are 13 and 16, so this is a great teen perspective for them to read. Thanks!

 

 

HandC4Me -- My family and I be joining you at Little French Key. Less than 2 weeks...can't wait!

 

 

Brenna -- great review! Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Carnac767]

Nice job, Brenna. Thanks for taking the time to write your review. I'm enjoying reading a teenager's perspective. We've cruised on Jewel a couple of times and had a great time. Jean Pierre was one of the entertainers back then and was hilarious. It's good to see he's still at it. It was a great idea for your parents to have you so involved in the planning of the cruise. Thanks for sharing with us, even what you think are your embarrassing moments.

[motleyfan]

Nice job, Brenna. Thanks for taking the time to write your review. I'm enjoying reading a teenager's perspective. We've cruised on Jewel a couple of times and had a great time. Jean Pierre was one of the entertainers back then and was hilarious. It's good to see he's still at it. It was a great idea for your parents to have you so involved in the planning of the cruise. Thanks for sharing with us, even what you think are your embarrassing moments.

 

Yeah it has been interesting reading from a teenager's perspective. I always thought there wasn't much for a teenager to do on a cruise since the main draw for adults is drinking.

 

Sent from my SM-G900P using Forums mobile app

[Kcruiser2014]

It has been informative. My daughter (16) and I have been following along! Thank you

[iceprincess0407]

Honestly a cruise is what you make it. The theory I went on all week is I will never see any of you ever again, so if I say something stupid or do something embarrassing it won't matter. For other teens, as scary as it may be, just talk to someone. Who knows you may become friends. Again I've said before and so have others, go and the first night, and remember just because you are shy at home doesn't mean you have to be on a cruise.

Okay on to day six

 

Thursday February 19

Sadly our cruise was coming to an end. It was our second last sea and it was windy, very windy. I had a new strategy, run before breakfast and maybe I'll feel hungry for breakfast. I don't even know if I can call my run a run. I always used the jogging track up on deck thirteen, for half of my run I basically sprinted due to the wind pushing me. And other half it felt like I wasn't even moving, I felt like I was running on the spot. So my theory did not work, I still was not hungry, this reoccurring theme was really starting to bug me. Anyway it's a good thing I really liked fruit because that's what I ate, again.

 

After I saw one of my friends at our regular meeting place, the stairs. I told her I'd be back in 20-30 minutes because I needed to shower. I got back to my stateroom talked to me family hopped in a shower and then went back to meet her. We walked and talked, casually meeting up with the rest of our group as we went. Then we decided it was to go hot tubbing, everyone was feeling the boat move and we thought hot tub would make us feel better. Again that theory also proved to be wrong. You could see the water swishing back and fourth. You could really feel boat move. We had rough seas on our last cruise but this might have been worse.

 

Anyway we had planned to do 'The Quest' at Entourage at 12 so we all made sure we changed before 'The Quest'. Apparently the quest is supposed to take place on the sports deck but since it was so windy we moved into Entourage.

 

'The Quest' was basically series a of challenges made up to decided a winner. In the end my team won!

 

After 'the quest' everyone went their own separate ways. Some went back in the hot tub, my other friend went for lunch with her parents. My other friend and I went down to O'Sheenans to eat lunch. For lunch I had mozzarella sticks and a spinach and artichoke dip. And brownie cheese cake for dessert. I highly recommend the brownie cheese cake. Eventually we all met up again, went back to hot tubing and ate more ice cream. Later we all went to hang out in Entourage before dinner.

 

Dinner tonight was a Cagney's. We had 5:30 reservations and we were seated right away. For my appetizer I had the shrimp cocktail, with a 7ounce filet mignon for my main. I decided on Cagney fries as my side after reading many positive reviews on Cruise Critic. The fries were very good and my entire family enjoyed them. For my dessert I had the Oreo cheesecake, again based off of cruise critic reviews. This again did not disappoint.

 

After supper we decided to go see Le Cirque Bijou or the circus of jewels. This show was amazing, out of all of the shows onboard it was the best by far. If you only have time to see one show I suggest you make time for this one. Word of advice, the seating fills up very quickly.

 

Any way after I put on my white clothing and went to meet my friends, who decided that they also wanted to see the show. So I went again, and this show kept my on the edge of my seat for the second time that night.

 

After it was time for the white hot party. Outside there was face painting which was really cool and cute.

The party was super fun and super busy. The dancing was great and everyone was having a fun time. First 100 people on the dance floor received free glow sticks. My one friend and I left probably at 11 to go down to O'Sheenans to get water and just to sit. Eventually we met up with everyone else and we all just hung out until I left at 12:30

[AFanofTravel]

Can you tell us if Little French Key was crowded. We have plans to go there on our cruise (less then 3 weeks away)! Were you able to get good chairs to sit and relax? Was there enough stuff to do for teenage boys?

 

Thanks for the great review.

[iceprincess0407]

Little French Key was busy, but I would not consider it crowded. Chairs were easy enough to get, we had no problem finding four beside each other.

Your boys should have enough to do. There is kayaking, you can snorkel off the beach too, and multiple places to swim.

Hope that helps

[apmecruise]

Sounds wonderful! It sounds like you were sea sick. I took my 15 year old on the epic and wrote a review. Every day I mention her not eating unless we were on an excursion or coming back. Light bulb...she was sea sick in a mild but annoying way. She lost 6 pounds on the cruise. Of course I found it! You are a great writer, I hope you take creative writing in high school....said the teacher!

[AFanofTravel]

Thanks for the review.

 

In the teen club, do they serve soda, etc. One of my teenagers is wondering if they have slushies? If so, cost?

 

Thanks.

[iceprincess0407]

English is easily my favorite subject, and creative writing is one of the courses my school actually offers so I want to take it.

 

The teen club does not serve soda, actually there is a strict no food rule, you must finish any food outside. I never noticed slushies anywhere but there might have been.

[iceprincess0407]

Thanks everyone, again I got really busy and didn't have time to update. But I'll try to finish this review by Monday

 

 

Friday February 20

 

Today was our last day. I woke up around 8:30 and decided to try and run again. With about five minutes left I started to get super bad side cramps. My life hack for running is to run with your arms stretched over your head to relieve the side cramps. It actually really helps. Anyway during that process up with my friends who in turn looked at me like 'what in the world is she doing'.

 

Anyway after my run I went down to get breakfast, my usual bowl of fruit. After I went back to our stateroom to shower. At 11 there was a bullying presentation, my mom being the teacher she is, required my attendance at this event. I went down at about 10:30 to start looking through our pictures. While walking to the theater I met up with my friends who I convinced to attend the presentation with me.

 

Now the presentation was by David Naster. He was the same comedian from night three. His presentation on bullying was amazing, I've seen many being a teenage girl in today's society. But his was easily the best. I highly suggest that you take time out of your day to watch it. He shared stories of real people who were bullied and then how they overcame it. We ended up buying all of his books plus multiple DVDs.

 

Anyways after the presentation we decided to go look at our pictures. Most of them were pretty good, so we ended doing the buy ten on a memory stick, and then purchased three extra. The memory is literally the cutest thing ever, it looks like a cruise ship. Needless to say finding the memory stick at home was the highlight of my week back.

 

After I went to try and find my friends who were in, guess where, a hot tub . I know shocker right. After hot tubing for about thirty minutes we decided to take the elevator and see what deck four looked like, don't ask me why. Anyway on deck four we found this adorable little area that was tucked under the stairs. This quickly became our new area and everyone was confused how hadn't found the area yet. Anyway for the rest of the afternoon we sat, talked and ate ice cream, multiple times. The only negative about our spot was the long walk to get ice cream!

 

So after hanging out for our last afternoon, it was decided that we should probably get some actual food. So around four we went up to the Great Outdoors for some snacks. We carried out food into the Garden Cafe to eat. There were actually a lot of options, including baked macaroni! Anyway we had planned to do the selfie challenge at Entourage at 4:15, I looked at my phone realizing it was 4:12.

 

We all got up and went to Entourage.

Now the selfie challenge was one of the most fun activities I did all cruise. We were given a list of things we had to video. They ranged from proposing to a crew member to slow dancing with a random passenger. My challenge was to pretend to cry, a random person was suppose to ask me what was wrong and I was suppose to tell everything and run away. Of course after I would go and explain what this was for. Anyway we tried this on the midship stairs but no one stopped. So I had the brilliant idea of using the stairs in the atrium. My brilliant plan also included me running in. Now thinking back the was not a good idea as I have no balance what so ever. Anyway as I was running I slipped and fell down the stairs. Again no one stopped to see if I was okay and the whole event is on video.

 

After the stairs adventure we went back to the spot on the deck twelve stairs. And just hung out and talked. After we decided to go for one last hot tub. Then I realized that I still had to pack. Whoops I went back to my cabin, packed and hopped in a shower to get ready for the teen super. As I was getting ready three of my friends showed up at my stateroom to wait for me. Trying to get ready and pack and trying to stay in conversations is not that easy.

 

Anyway we started to make our way down to the teen diner, which was at Tsars at around 7:40. We just walked around and waited for everyone else. There, we showed our counsellor Santa the videos. In the end we won the selfie challenge due to my fall!

 

Anyway we went in and were seated. Before we were even given our menus the other teen tables has finished their appetizers. This would be a reoccurring theme throughout the diner. We were finally given our menus, the other tables had finished their main course. For my appetizer I ordered French onion soup. Appetizers also took a while to come. The other tables were finished their desserts before we got our main course. This meal was the only bad meal of the cruise. My main, calamari and fettuccine was really not good. Not that I am a food critic or anything I just like a decent meal. But hey you always have to have one bad meal.

 

Anyway since we didn't really want to wait an hour for dessert we decided not to have any. After if was off to the Garden Cafe for awards. I didn't win any. Then we went back to Entourage for one final dance party. We all danced for about 45 minutes until we went to get drinks. Then after no one really felt like dancing so we all hung out for one final time on the stairs. We all stayed and talked until I left at one. Goodbyes were said and hugs, phones numbers and contact information were exchanged. I went back to my stateroom for one last night.

[backby10]

Thank you so much for your review! You have given me ideas of things to do and not to miss. My 15yo son was reading your post as I was reading. We will be on the Jewel soon. So excited and hyped by your review. Keep it up for future cruises. It helps.

[iceprincess0407]

Here goes the last day, finals thoughts and a comparison will come later.

 

Saturday February 21

 

Today was disembarkation day, my least favorite day. Since we had Aqua luggage tags (our luggage had to be out by 10:30 the previous night) and were one of the last to disembark we didn't have to wake up early.

 

We all got up around eight, changed and went up to the Garden Cafe for one final breakfast and one final washy washy. Today I didn't change up my meal and enjoyed one more bowl of fruit. I saw most of my friends that morning so we all stopped to talk and say a final goodbye. My family ended up seating my one of my friends, it was fun to have one last meal together. After we went back to our stateroom one last time to finish packing up. By this point they were calling colors and we knew soon it would be our turn to leave. Our color was called and we left the ship, hoping one day to return.

[motleyfan]

Here goes the last day, finals thoughts and a comparison will come later.

 

Saturday February 21

 

Today was disembarkation day, my least favorite day. Since we had Aqua luggage tags (our luggage had to be out by 10:30 the previous night) and were one of the last to disembark we didn't have to wake up early.

 

We all got up around eight, changed and went up to the Garden Cafe for one final breakfast and one final washy washy. Today I didn't change up my meal and enjoyed one more bowl of fruit. I saw most of my friends that morning so we all stopped to talk and say a final goodbye. My family ended up seating my one of my friends, it was fun to have one last meal together. After we went back to our stateroom one last time to finish packing up. By this point they were calling colors and we knew soon it would be our turn to leave. Our color was called and we left the ship, hoping one day to return.

 

I agree disembarkation day sucks lol. It's very depressing, I could live on a cruise ship.

[ccpalmtree]

Enjoyed reading your review. Thanks for sharing!!

[apmecruise]

Thank you for your review we appreciate the time and effort!

[travelerblue]

Thank you for a fabulous review. You did a great job. We saw David Naster years ago. I knew who you were talking about as soon as you mentioned comedian and bullying. My son was bullied his whole life at school. David took the time to chat with him and give him some pointers. We were going to buy his book but he gave it to my son. He is a great guy! We also had a great cruise on the Jewel. It was one of our favorites.

[iceprincess0407]

Here goes the last installment of my trip report, I hope this helped and gave a little insight a teenage cruise, if anyone has any questions please feel free to ask.

 

 

Final thoughts.

 

Freestyle concept

I liked this, dad did not. Even though we still made reservations every night, I liked how you didn't have set times. The one thing I did miss about Disney was the waitstaff following you, that was a nice touch. I do like how you could go to either show, you weren't limited to one time.

 

Food

Overall I found there was a lot more variety than Disney. I liked how there was the classic choices and then the chefs special that changed daily with the other side of the menus, I totally forget the name. I also thought the food was better with the exception of my meal on the last night. I loved all of the seafood and the fresh fruit. We did not get soda package but I never actually missed the drink stations on Disney.

 

Entertainment

Definitely better on NCL. I loved how all of the shows were variety acts instead of musicals. Most of the shows I saw twice and I didn't mind that. My favorite show was Cirque Bijou.

 

i concierge app

Honesty, I never actually figured out the app. I used it a lot to see what was going on but the texting and calling was confusing. From what I can figure, you need to leave the app open and running to receive the messages on your lock screen. Really, the old fashioned way of checking in a certain time and certain place works way better

 

Teen clubs

I never went swimming on Disney, I hung out a lot in the club. It may have been different because we travelled with friends. This cruise I had to make my own friends. We didn't really spend a lot of time at Entourage but the activities we did were fun. On Disney the club never closed, so that was nice. But Entourage was fine. Making friends is what made my cruise.

 

Overall, I would cruise with NCL again, but like I've said before a cruise is honestly what you make it. Thanks for letting me share my thoughts. And I hope this gave a little insight to the parents and families with teenagers. I hoped you all enjoyed review as much as I did.

[alexspepa]

i concierge app

Honesty, I never actually figured out the app. I used it a lot to see what was going on but the texting and calling was confusing. From what I can figure, you need to leave the app open and running to receive the messages on your lock screen. Really, the old fashioned way of checking in a certain time and certain place works way better

 

 

First of all thanks again for a great review - even those of us whose teens are no longer teens really enjoyed it and looked forward to each installment.

 

The fact that a teen did not like the app should probably be somewhat disconserting to NCL.

[mush71]

Thank You for the excellent review. I enjoyed reading your view on the cruise