A Real Alaskan Jewel - May 7 - My first NCL Review!

[kdc2122]

your review is great! We are on in just less than two weeks! Cant wait!

[OceanDreaming2]

OP - Don't keep us hanging! :rolleyes:

[Shadwick]

I'm curious to hear your review was I was on the Pearl at the same time. In fact I have some pictures of the Jewel as we passed. [emoji6]

[PhilPan]

Bump

[rsato]

Thanks for your comments so far. I am especially interested in your thoughts about the theater shows as some posters have implied there has been some decline in one of NCL's biggest draws. I've been on the Jade, Star, Breakaway and Pearl and really enjoyed the entertainment...

[dltodaro2]

Following...thanks for the great review

 

Deb

[texasmelrose2]

Following! Can't wait for the rest of this review. We will be sailing on the Jewel next August and can't wait!

[OceanDreaming2]

I'm really sad the OP never came back to finish their review. :confused:

[jenseib]

It's only been a few days. I know how hard they are to write and sometimes you can only get a chance to write one day a week. I am not counting him out yet.

[Colin B]

Yep - I appreciate the effort you are putting into this.

 

We have just retired and are looking at various overseas travel options so will be following this and, hopefully, learning from it.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

This is my kind of review...I am all about reviews with detail and pictures. Thanks so much!

 

Glad you are enjoying. I'm just getting warmed up. I have Day 3, all written up and it will be posted in just a minute. Thanks for reading along.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Thank you so much for the effort you are taking to put so much detail into your review. Although our Alaska cruise is not until September this will give us something to tide us over until then.

 

It's my pleasure. Honestly, I have read so many good reviews on the CC forums over the last few years, and I really appreciate anyone who takes the time to write really detailed and exciting reviews. Some reviews I have read have actually helped me to decide which ship to sail on when I was previously undecided after seeing how cool they made the ships and itineraries look. So I feel it is my turn to get in on the action. You will love Alaska. I am glad you are following and hopefully you continue to enjoy my review. Day 3 is coming up in just a minute.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Thanks so much for the review!! DH and I are going on the Pearl in August, so I am excited to see your review and your pictures!!

 

Thanks for reading! The Pearl did the 7-day sailing, but it visited many of the same ports we went to and it seemed to keep showing up in many of the same areas we were in. I actually have a few pics of the Pearl headed towards the port we had just left on a couple occasions. I have Day 3, which was a sea day, coming right up and it really gets good once I get to the port days. In Skagway alone, I have like 20-30 pics that are worth posting. You will love Alaska. I went in late summer the first time I cruised there in 2007 also, beautiful although can be a bit rainy but really nice.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Can't wait for more !

 

Wait no longer, lol. Hope you enjoy my recap of the first sea day, coming right up.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Enjoying your review! We're on the last Alaska cruise of the season so it'll be interesting to compare.

 

BTW - we also booked the BW Executel precruise. It's nice to read a good report.

 

Yes it will be interesting to see what the same areas look like at the end of the season, as opposed to the very beginning. Probably less snow, lol. There was still a lot of snow in the mountains but it was quickly melting and had lessened a lot, according to our numerous tour guides in the ports we visited.

 

The Executel seemed to be the best deal. While not really centrally located, it seemed to be the best value of all the places we searched. I could have had a few other places for less money but this seemed to be the best overall package and I have nothing but good things to say about the hotel itself and the staff. The reviews that you see on the trip planning sites are the real deal, I had pretty much the same good experience.

 

Anyway, thanks for reading and glad you are enjoying.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Great review and pictures of the Jewel keep them coming

 

Thanks for checking it out and more is coming right up!

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Enjoying the review, especially since we got off the Jewel on the 7th after nineteen days through the Panama Canal. Looking forward to the rest of your review!

 

As we understood it, there were a few hundred people who stayed onboard after the Panama Canal for our cruise as well. Many more than I expected would do that. As some of them said, 28 days is an awful long time to be on a ship but they loved the whole experience. How was the repositioning cruise from Houston? From what I heard, it was beautiful and enjoyable. Thanks for reading and I have my review of Day 3 coming right up.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Thank you for putting this together! Getting excited for our August Alaskan Cruise!:):):)

 

It is my pleasure to put these reviews together. I am glad you are enjoying it and hopefully this helps you with what to expect for your August Alaska cruise. Thanks for reading.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Thank you so much for all the pics....I can't wait till I'm on the Jewel again this September!

Isn't O'Sheehan's the best...we loved that we could get a table overlooking the Atrium and watch Randon the guitar playing, while we ate dinner.

 

Glad you are enjoying the pics and I have more coming right up. Between Ketchikan, Skagway and Juneau, I probably have close to a hundred pictures I can't wait to put together into a story.

 

O'Sheehan's surely did not disappoint me. Sometimes you expect too much after reading and anticipating visiting a place beforehand but this place actually exceeded my expectations I think. Good food, service and atmosphere and open anytime you get the munchies. Yes, being able to look downstairs into the atrium and hear live music was also a nice touch.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Not sure what setting your cell phone is on but you might be charged using the cellular at sea. I think the ship is required to turn it off while at port. Your cell phone will work great for most of your trip but you might be charged. Be sure to check the rules or you may have quite a bill.

 

If anyone has up to date info on the cell rules, please let me know.

 

I have Verizon and based on past experiences, as long as the phone is receiving a 3G or higher signal when we are within range of a tower, I won't get charged roaming and I have never had to pay for cellular at sea as I have never used it. I think that is only if you actually make or receive calls or send or receive texts. I put the phone in airplane mode as soon as we get away from land on all cruises and in all foreign ports that don't have Verizon service, so I never have to deal with extra charges. A lot of people don't know that though and learn the hard way, lol. I don't know what other providers do where that is concerned though. I have to say that surprisingly, the only place I did not get any signal was in Skagway. I got great service in Juneau, Ketchikan, even got 4G in Victoria if I stood in the right place and was getting extended network coverage in Hoonah.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

Such a great review!!!!! :D The more pictures, the better!!! Keep them coming. Just reading these first couple of days has me wanting so badly to book an Alaskan itinerary :) Can't wait for more!

 

Many, many more pictures coming up as we get into the port visits. I am glad you are enjoying and looking forward to the continuing review and Day 3 is about to be posted. I do apologize for taking so long to get to it, I have had a very busy week and I like to be able to sit down and just write, uninterrupted for an hour or whatever to be able to put the best review possible together. The first time I went to Alaska, I really didn't realize how beautiful the place would be either. After that, I was hooked and couldn't wait to go back this second time. Who knows, maybe I will go back there again someday.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

I'm in... good start.

 

Liking the pics...We will be doing the 7 day itinerary in August. :)

 

Glad you are following along and enjoying the photo review. I think this 9-day was a one-time thing, as the rest of the season features the 7-day itinerary but I could be wrong. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy your cruise this August!

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

your review is great! We are on in just less than two weeks! Cant wait!

 

Thanks for the compliments! I bet you are looking forward to your cruise. You will love it. Once in a lifetime experience.

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

OP - Don't keep us hanging! :rolleyes:

 

LOL, I am back with Day 3's review and pics. It's been on my mind all week to get to it, just been a bit busier this week than I expected and finally said enough of that, time to sit down and write. I am glad you are following along, the review just keeps getting better and the port days are the absolute best. Thanks for your patience. :)

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

I'm curious to hear your review was I was on the Pearl at the same time. In fact I have some pictures of the Jewel as we passed. [emoji6]

 

And I have some pics of the Pearl as it passed as well. :D I have Day 3 coming up, which was our first of two sea days. Our first stop was Ketchikan, the next day. Hope you are enjoying my review and I hope your cruise was as fun as mine was.