Thinking about NCL because of the three bedroom villas; Jewel or Pearl.

[scamper]

My first cruise was on SS Norway a couple of decades ago. Knock wood, I have never had a bad cruise and can't really recall anything in the way of even a minor incident on any of them. Since my first cruise, I have been on what you might call "higher end" lines exclusively, the kinds of lines that have no less than 80% "loved it" ratings on cc's member reviews. We go to relax and we avoid crowds, noise, pushy pitches for the day's Bahamamamaramalamadingdong cocktail in a souvenir cup for $9.95, or the belly flop contest in the pool in the same way that a vampire avoids garlic, holy water, sunlight, and crucifixes.

 

The draw is the three bedroom villas and The Haven. We're going in either May or September so there is a less likely chance that the ship will be overrun with kids. There will be four adults in the suite. I have looked at the two bedroom villas but my concerns with those are, a) the private verandas are tiny, and, b) the second bedrooms do not look even remotely comfortable, and, c) they are not all that roomy. I have looked at about a dozen or so video posts on YouTube and I think I am being pretty thorough overall in my research.

 

I have only seen one ship of NCL's that has a rating of over 75% loving it. Food quality and choices in the "included" food venues according to member reviews seem more negative than positive; most people seem to love the specialty restaurants which are included for four nights for at least two if not all four of us. Breakfast and lunch in Cagney's seems to be a nice perk and I don't mind paying for dinner for the other three nights in a specialty restaurant if the MDRs and other included restaurants are as potentially dreadful as I fear. By the way, I don't consider myself a foodie but I do know the difference between good food and bad, both in quality and in selection.

 

I am shelling out around $30-35K+ for this cruise, plus air, pre-cruise hotel, etc. I am far from wealthy, but I really wouldn't think as much about the price if I were using one of the lines I normally use because I know what to expect. I'm a bit apprehensive here in general. With the amenities and private space afforded to us with the villa and The Haven, most of our time while onboard will be spent in these areas. Talk me into or out of NCL.

[BirdTravels]

We have visited a 3-bedroom villa on the Jewel and it was really nice. You could, comfortably, stay there the entire cruise and never come out. :D From what we saw, there was ample private space.

 

We opted for a forward facing penthouse on our Alaskan cruise last summer. We really wanted those 180+ degree views as we sailed between ports and at the glaciers. The glacier watching party for suites guests was hosted in a vacant 3-BR villa.

[cml4958]

I stayed in the Garden Villa on both the Pearl (June 2009) and the Star (September 2015). Our experience on the Star was 1,000% better than the service on the Pearl. That being said, I'm sure the service on the Pearl was an anomaly or something. It wasn't that it was "bad" service, just that it wasn't as awesome as it was on the Star. Our butler on the Star was wonderful. Always making sure we were taken care of with respect to food and drinks.

 

I'm sure you've taken tours of the villas online, they're readily available on You Tube. The villa on the Pearl (14000) had a half bath in the "foyer" which was nice for us because we had additional family on the ship so they had an extra bathroom to use.

 

If you have any specific questions, please let me know.

[cml4958]

We have visited a 3-bedroom villa on the Jewel and it was really nice. You could, comfortably, stay there the entire cruise and never come out. :D From what we saw, there was ample private space.

 

There is definitely ample space. We spent many a day and night just watching the pool deck from the windows in the living room. And the Haven pool area is just steps away.

[McCutie]

Hi there!

From the research you have done, I think you already talked yourself into cruising on NCL : )

But I think you will enjoy it, only if you book the GV. I say this because of your description of what you enjoy doing while cruising. And that is very similar to what we enjoy.... Even though we travel with 3 children. I think the Haven suite would not be ample enough room for the four of you as you already have investigated.

 

We have been in the GVs 4 times and the Jewel 14500 was one of them. The Pearl is in the same class and although I haven't been on the Pearl, it does have the same layouts.

 

We did visit the Jewel Haven but other than taking a look at it, we didn't go back simply because the GV was terrific and there was no need. There is so much included with the Garden Villas and since you are looking to go in either May or September, the price will most likely be cheaper.

 

If we didn't eat our breakfast and lunch in the villa, we would go to Cagney's which we thought was very good. We also like to go to the specialty restaurants or have dinner brought in. We have been extremely lucky that we have had outstanding service which adds to the experience.

 

Let me know if you have any questions or specific concerns and I will do my best to amswer them. I am not sure if you and the people you are traveling with enjoy shows, live music, comedy, casinos, art, working out, going on excursions, etc etc but there is a variety for all.

[dporter]

Hi scamper,

 

We cruised the Jade in January and had a Haven 2 bedroom on a last minute upgrade. It was just two adults. You are correct that for 4 adults the 2nd bedroom is too small. It is designed more for 1 adult or two children.

 

We usually cruise in January because the number of children is substantially less with the holidays just getting over.

 

We found the Haven pool area very comfortable. It was staffed and you could order breakfast and lunch that you could eat in the Haven area, we much preferred to eat in Cagney's because we enjoyed looking out the windows. The Haven pool was never crowded, and we were often the only two in the area and in the hot tub. It was also the only pool open a few times as we had some cold windy weather. The Haven sun deck was great, very comfy and again we only saw one other couple one day and they didn't stay just came up to look around.

 

The butler was great and offered to help with so much, although we are pretty low key and didn't really need to be fussed over. The concierge helped with some restaurant reservations and changes in shore excursions, otherwise we didn't really have a need for more.

 

The Haven on the Jade is very different than the newer ships like Escape, Breakaway, etc. The newer ships no longer have suite and Haven, all suites can use the Haven so the areas are larger but often crowded, at least that is what I have read on these boards.

 

We had such a great time and enjoyed it so much that we booked the Jade for January 2017, 10 days out of Tampa in the Haven.

 

Enjoy your trip! I am jealous.

[Heartfelttraveler]

Another choice for two couples is Celebrity Reflection - Reflection suite. I have only taken three cruises, and loved all three cruise lines.

Edited March 12, 2016 by Heartfelttraveler

[WildcatRock]

We have stayed in GV's on both the Pearl and the Jewel and loved them both. Staying in a GV/The Haven is a cruise within a cruise.

[ricksurf]

We've done 2 cruises with the Jewel in the GV. One was a 14 day and the other a 7 day cruise.

The suite is enormous and especially with the outside decks. It's hard to believe that you are on a cruise ship since the suite has such an open feel due to the center courtyard and the panoramic view from the living room.

The two smaller bedrooms are actually quite spacious and have nice balconies which make them seen even larger.

In addition to the 4 dinners which are included in the SDP, you will receive a 5th dinner from the concierge for the suite.

Since NCl has located these suites in the Haven, then you have a true feel of being pampered and are not bothered by the events or crowding in the rest of the ship. The Haven pool area is available, but we found ourselves completely entertained within the GV. I haven't seen another cruise line with this concept and NCl has the edge with the suites, since your attendants are only focused on the Haven and your enjoyment.

Cagney's restaurant is excellent for breakfast and lunch, but you have the option of dining either in your dining room inside the suite or the dining table in your courtyard.

The menu's from all the restaurants are in the suite and the butler can serve from any of these restaurants and mix and match for your group.

If you are willing to spend the money, then there's no comparison with the suite service on other lines.

[Heartfelttraveler]

WildcatRock and ricksurf - I don't want to highjack this thread but - I have booked the Jewel Garden Villa for us and two other couples for Alaska. It looks like a fabulous way to travel. I have a few questions.

1. Are the two second bedrooms about the same size as a regular balcony stateroom?

2. Is the deck pretty private or exposed?

3. Is the upper deck private or exposed?

4. Is there a private sauna or steam room as part of the cabin or deck features?

5. From what I have researched, the Garden Villa seems to be very large. NCL claims it is 4,800sf. In your opinion do you think this square footage includes the balcony?

[realcindylouwho]

WildcatRock and ricksurf - I don't want to highjack this thread but - I have booked the Jewel Garden Villa for us and two other couples for Alaska. It looks like a fabulous way to travel. I have a few questions.

1. Are the two second bedrooms about the same size as a regular balcony stateroom?]I've only stayed in one aft balcony cabin on the SKY but the smallest suite (the middle one) is much larger than the Sky's aft balcony. [/color]

2. Is the deck pretty private or exposed? On the Pearl, the upper deck only has one part that is very private. It will have sunbeds, a hammock a table with chairs and a couple of loungers. On the Jewel, the deck is forward and you can view the activities going on at the pool deck level and the stage. Again it features a hammock, loungers and chairs. When the Jewel adds on the suites it is working on, the GV deck space will be cut/made smaller for the outside space for these new suites.

3. Is the upper deck private or exposed? Upper deck meaning the deck that all Haven guests have access to? Private from access to those who shouldn't be there, but not private if you are wanting to do any "banned" activites ( nudity and smoking come to mind).

4. Is there a private sauna or steam room as part of the cabin or deck features? Both the Pearl and the Jewel have a steam room that is outside in the same area as your private hot tub. We have never used it.

5. From what I have researched, the Garden Villa seems to be very large. NCL claims it is 4,800sf. In your opinion do you think this square footage includes the balcony? Not sure about the measurements, but it is large, as in you may find yourself thinking that it is too much space and feel you couldn't possibly get your money out of it. So much room to spread everyone out. If you set your sunglasses down, you will be hunting upstairs, downstairs, inside and outside trying to find them!

I am wildcatrock's wife and I thought I would help to answer these questions. We stayed in the GV on the Pearl with two adults and two teenage sons. We stayed in the GV on the Jewel with a set of grandparents, us and our 22 and 18 year old son. This truly is a fantastic way to cruise! The Jewel cruise was the week of Thanksgiving in 2014 and we were able to entertain new friends and have the Meet and Greet in the GV. Even for the 6 of us, we had tons of space. My opinion is the back bedroom is larger than the aft penthouse Jewel class sized suites with a similar layout, the middle bedroom is a tiny bit small than the aft penthouse and does not have the "dressing room" makeup area, and the Master bedroom is large, but I don't have any other type of suite layout to compare it to.

[cml4958]

 

Private from access to those who shouldn't be there, but not private if you are wanting to do any "banned" activites ( nudity and smoking come to mind).

 

Actually you are allowed to smoke in the outside area of the Garden Villas. Ask your butler or room steward and they will provide ashtrays.

 

And I'm not sure if they would care if you're out there with no clothes on. How does it impact anyone else if they can't see it?

Edited March 12, 2016 by cml4958

[Heartfelttraveler]

None of us smoke and we don't want to see each other in anything less than a swim suit. On celebrity M Class ships the penthouse suites are on deck 6 and all the above decks are stepped back. The uncovered portion is in full view.

 

From my research it looks like the Jewel Garden Villa has a deck on 14 with the hot tub and a private staircase up to another private deck on 15 which is also private. I think we will spend a lot of time on our deck in Alaska. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

My only complaint about NCL three bedroom is that only the first two in the suite get the benefits and our friends get nothing. (UDP, four specialty dinners, 250 minutes Internet, and $200 for excursions.). We have worked out the $$.

[coka]

My first cruise was on SS Norway a couple of decades ago. Knock wood, I have never had a bad cruise and can't really recall anything in the way of even a minor incident on any of them. Since my first cruise, I have been on what you might call "higher end" lines exclusively, the kinds of lines that have no less than 80% "loved it" ratings on cc's member reviews. We go to relax and we avoid crowds, noise, pushy pitches for the day's Bahamamamaramalamadingdong cocktail in a souvenir cup for $9.95, or the belly flop contest in the pool in the same way that a vampire avoids garlic, holy water, sunlight, and crucifixes.

 

The draw is the three bedroom villas and The Haven. We're going in either May or September so there is a less likely chance that the ship will be overrun with kids. There will be four adults in the suite. I have looked at the two bedroom villas but my concerns with those are, a) the private verandas are tiny, and, b) the second bedrooms do not look even remotely comfortable, and, c) they are not all that roomy. I have looked at about a dozen or so video posts on YouTube and I think I am being pretty thorough overall in my research.

 

I have only seen one ship of NCL's that has a rating of over 75% loving it. Food quality and choices in the "included" food venues according to member reviews seem more negative than positive; most people seem to love the specialty restaurants which are included for four nights for at least two if not all four of us. Breakfast and lunch in Cagney's seems to be a nice perk and I don't mind paying for dinner for the other three nights in a specialty restaurant if the MDRs and other included restaurants are as potentially dreadful as I fear. By the way, I don't consider myself a foodie but I do know the difference between good food and bad, both in quality and in selection.

 

I am shelling out around $30-35K+ for this cruise, plus air, pre-cruise hotel, etc. I am far from wealthy, but I really wouldn't think as much about the price if I were using one of the lines I normally use because I know what to expect. I'm a bit apprehensive here in general. With the amenities and private space afforded to us with the villa and The Haven, most of our time while onboard will be spent in these areas. Talk me into or out of NCL.

 

Hi Scamper,

What ship are you going on for that price? I have seen a few garden villas in my day...and if I ever booked one...I would pick the Dawn or Star since they are the largest. In my opinion, that is a lot of money for the villa when I have seen the dawn class ships go between 10-15 grand in the off season. I have never sailed a haven because I fear the kids run amock scenario read about on these boards...hence if I ever did a GV...it would be on dawn or star because no haven...so before I go further with my opinion, I would need to know what ship and what sailing date.

 

coka

[cml4958]

None of us smoke and we don't want to see each other in anything less than a swim suit. I can totally understand! :rolleyes:

 

From my research it looks like the Jewel Garden Villa has a deck on 14 with the hot tub and a private staircase up to another private deck on 15 which is also private. I think we will spend a lot of time on our deck in Alaska. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

My only complaint about NCL three bedroom is that only the first two in the suite get the benefits and our friends get nothing. (UDP, four specialty dinners, 250 minutes Internet, and $200 for excursions.). We have worked out the $$.

 

You will spend a lot of time on the outside decks. We did on both the Pearl (Alaska) and the Star (Baltics). The only downside was the temperature so you couldn't necessarily hang out for hours outside.

 

I understand about the suite benefits. You will be getting 6 bottles of alcohol so that should help take some of the sting about the UBP. The specialty dinners are only about $80 + grats to add on so as expensive to add on. The suite does come with a computer so the internet access could be shared although only one device can be logged on at a time.

[cml4958]

Hi Scamper,

What ship are you going on for that price? I have seen a few garden villas in my day...and if I ever booked one...I would pick the Dawn or Star since they are the largest. In my opinion, that is a lot of money for the villa when I have seen the dawn class ships go between 10-15 grand in the off season. I have never sailed a haven because I fear the kids run amock scenario read about on these boards...hence if I ever did a GV...it would be on dawn or star because no haven...so before I go further with my opinion, I would need to know what ship and what sailing date.

 

coka

 

I think the Pearl was about $30K in June 2009 and the Star was $30K in September 2015. Both cruises were in season but the Star one was getting closer to the end of season.

 

The one down side about the Star is the living area. If you don't have both Garden Villas, there is a divider between the two living areas and it's not exactly "soundproof"! You can definitely hear people talking in the living area from the other Garden Villa.

[CasinoCruzGirl]

We have the GV booked on the Gem in 48 days. I simply cannot wait we are very excited.

[triptolemus]

We have the GV booked on the Gem in 48 days. I simply cannot wait we are very excited.

 

Did you have your username changed?

 

Why?

 

Hooray?

[Leavethekidswithmom]

We have the GV booked on the Gem in 48 days. I simply cannot wait we are very excited.

 

 

No way!!! Just kidding, hope you gals have a blast but no doubt you will. The only way I remember when your going is because 4 days after you leave we are heading to Aruba for 10 days. As Trip says " hooray".

 

For the OP, don't worry about the Haven. You won't use it, there's absolutely no reason to leave the GV unless you are going to a show, casino or buffet. It is truly first class and no other cruise line has anything near it.

[dexddd]

I think the Pearl was about $30K in June 2009 and the Star was $30K in September 2015. Both cruises were in season but the Star one was getting closer to the end of season.

 

The one down side about the Star is the living area. If you don't have both Garden Villas, there is a divider between the two living areas and it's not exactly "soundproof"! You can definitely hear people talking in the living area from the other Garden Villa.

 

That is how it is on the BA as well between the DOS and OS with the movable wall. We could easily hear every word from the OS next door when they were sitting at their table talking.