Jewel Review 8/13

[trfccruiser]

Hi first of all thanks to all the reviews and messages here which really helped us prepare,I was dubbed cruise geek by my party but they were all glad of my knowledge at various times.We are from the UK and we were myself,DW,DS-16,DD-14,DD-4 and my mother 70 odd.We had a GREAT time.I have cruised on 25+ cruises both budget and top end (QE2 twice),I can honestly say this was one of the best cruises, a little something for everyone.

Day 1 we arrived having booked our own flights.I had asked NCL UK if it was possible to book a transfer through them from the airport but was told no, but maybe on the way back check on board ,at shore excursions.However,I approached the NCL rep at baggage retrieval and was told we could at $20 per person.A bit steep but we decided it was worth it as they took all our luggage.We arrived at 1p.m and went straight on ,very small wait in Latitudes line.Usual onboard photo and then straight on to ship via the FYZZ lounge probably the brightest thing on board and you hit it first!But it was fine by me.My teenage daughter has been on a few cruises and generally is unimpressed by most things but she did say wow the first time she saw the ship which I think says it all.The ship is very clean and I was very impressed by the constant levels of cleaning.

We found our staterooms(or cabins as I still insist on calling them) inside grade KK on Deck 10.Small but adequate although drawer space limited compared to others.Liked the mock teak everywhere though.

Then went straight to Garden Cafe for lunch.I have read very mixed things about the buffet but first impressions were good excellent layout to reduce queuing and I would say mostly the buffet food all week had more choice and roughly thr same quality as RCCL and Princess.I had Roast Beef from the carvery which was excellent.

We then had a family swim and the water slide was a big hit with everyone.

FIRST TIP THAT I'VE NOT READ ELSEWHERE:Always have shoes or flipflops with you by the pool.The deck and the mock tiles by the bar get unbelievably hot.Trust me, you will thanks me for this one.We were all tired with the travellling so went to bed early after another meal at the Garden cafe I had Sweet and Sour Chicken which was very good.

SECOND TIP(A SMALL ONE).I used the sink in my cabin and looked for the plunger to close the plug.There isn't one.You turn it round till a little piece matches and it fits then and then you twist it back when you want to empty the water.May save you some time.

Day 2 will follow.

[lv2crooz2]

Thanks for taking time out to write your review. I'm glad to hear you had a great time. She is a wonderful ship! Next cruise, come this way and try the new Pearl! Cheers

[Purplepuppy]

Thanks for the review so far....looking forward to the rest. We will be on the Jewel in less than 2 weeks! :)

[trfccruiser]

After nice lie in we returned to the Garden Cafe for breakfast.The choice is excellent.I like the crispy American bacon but some English style bacon appeared later in the week,there must have been complaints but not from me.The Kids cafe section is a sharp left turn after you enter and there is kiddy sized seating.The kids food is only stocked at busy times though.Generally,we didn't have a problem getting seating excpet the last day.There is a further room going away from the garden cafe towards the great outdoors which is usually less busy.Also just through that area are further coffee machines and a water and ice machine.These are much less congested than the ones actually within the buffet area.At lunchtime this area is the sandwich,ciabatta etc station very good,you can have things made up to order too if you don't like the pre-prepared ones.

As has been mentioned before there are a phoenomenal number of Spanish people on board at the moment and whilst announcements are in Spanish all the entertainment is English and quite a lot obvioulsy didn't speak much if any English so I felt a bit sorry for them.

My first negative -the Kids club.My daughter is 4 and goes 4 days a week to nursery so she is used to a similar experience.However,when we went to register she saw all the play equipment but was told no you can't use it except at special times.We then took her for our first visit and wanted to stay a little while but were told under no circumstances was this possible as it unsettled the other kids.Yes I can understand this to a point, but the net effect was that Rachel got very upset as we didn't even get to say goodbye properly and she refused to go back.That was poorly handled for me.

We had lunch at the Blue Lagoon which was excleent good food and good service.Contrary to the menu the English style Fish and Chips are about as English as Chilli.However,it was still delicious.

The soft ice cream was well used today, but sadly this was the last day the machines worked.For the rest of the week you were served from tubs by someone stationed next to the broken machine.Still nice ice cream though but not as nice.

We dined at Azura's where we found the service to be quick and attentive and polite.I had Clam Chowder,Beef Wellington. and Creme Brulee all of which were top notch.Portions are quite small but the quality is good.The main meals have very few vegetables with them though I guess this is an English hang up but somtimes it was like a couple of pieces were thrown on as an after thought.

Show tonight Band on the Run-very impressed with the Jean Ann Ryan company excellent dancers some good singers, some average,but very energetic and well produced show.

2nd negative-elevator music in the corridors-why?It was constant and annoying.

The older children really enjoyed the flexibility of eating when hungry- so almost constantly!They used the Grill by the main Pool quite a bit but quickly caught on that the great outdoors offered a bigger variety with fresh(and much bigger) burgers cooked to order rather than kept hot at the grill.

We were very forward in the ship on deck 10 and it did move quite a bit especially late at night when the ship generally picks up speed.It doesn't bother me but did bother my daughter.I'm sure this is because these modern ships don't have keels.

[trfccruiser]

Messina was hot,hot,hot!We dislike shore excursions because we don't like being herded and charged the earth for it.We'd been to Messina before so just headed for the centre.It was a religious holiday that day so most shops were closed and we were warned.Just opposite the dock exit is the town hall sqaure which had some very colourful temporary statues there.I'm not sure if they are just there for the festival but if they are still there they are worth seeing.

We then walked into the main square with the cathedral and famous clock,to see it in action at 12 noon.The sqaure was packed with tourists and Sicilians as it was a holiday.The clock figures are great to see and it lasts 10 minutes.We had a nice drink at a cafe on the edge of the square and the some of our party went back to the ship as it was so hot whilst my son and I climbed the bell tower.It only cost 5.50 euros,there are more than 200 steps but you get a great view of the clock figures as you climb and the view of Messina from the top is spectacular,you can also see the ship really well.

Then back for another nice buffet lunch always plenty to choose.

some of our party watched some local dancers perform in the Stardust Theater(folk dancing) which they said was excellent.

In the evening we went to Tsar's Palace.The setting itself is lovely make sure to ask for a table by the windows the views over the back of the ship are lovely.However,we found the service to be poor comapred to Azura(I guess it depends who you get)but I was disappointed,very slow.

Then went to see Edge,he was ok but a bit in your face for my tastes.This was the only show where my 4 year old was bored.

Captain announced we were passing Stromboli and saw orange flames in the sky quite specatcular.

Captain Fafalios was the most visible captain I've ever seen.I saw him somewhere on the ship EVERY day and he always said hello,as did most staff members whatever their role.

[trfccruiser]

We planned to go to Sorrento by hydrofoil but it being peak holiday season the queues were huge!!So by the dock exit were numerous taxis and we haggled over prices,some couldn't take a party of 6 but there were plenty of people carriers.We got the price down from 220 euros to 180,for all day to Sorrento and back.

We had a nightmare journey there very bad traffic jams,roadworks and the coast road just very busy,took 2 hours- only 1 hour on the way back.

Sorrento is nice beautiful scenery but the kids wanted the beach and we were a bit disappointed the most popular beach was so busy you were being turned away.The other beaches were very stony with large stones that it felt would cut through your feet!You also had to pay to go on to the beach though changing facilities and showers were included for the price though.The sea was very nice when you got in though.There are various sections of the beach owned by different people and we went to Golden Beach the staff were very friendly and we had a lovely outdoor lunch.

Had afternoon at the Great Outdoors scones with jam and cream-lovely!

Dined at Azura's again excellent service again very nice Stroganoff.Watched Charles Bach magician I reckon if you've seen 1 you've seen them all but he was ok and not a bad dancer.

Then we ate-again!At great outdoors lovely beef and chicken Satays.

[Froggitt]

Day 1 we arrived having booked our own flights.I had asked NCL UK if it was possible to book a transfer through them from the airport but was told no, but maybe on the way back check on board ,at shore excursions.However,I approached the NCL rep at baggage retrieval and was told we could at $20 per person.A bit steep but we decided it was worth it as they took all our luggage.

For future reference, the taxi, including tip, was €35 for the four of us. You can book the return thru shore excursions, at $20 each. There was a very, very long line for the taxi on the return back to the airport, but we did get up late and had a leisurely breakfast.

 

I had Roast Beef from the carvery which was excellent.

Its more like Roast Cow isnt it, at about 2 foot tall!!!

[trfccruiser]

We’ve been to Rome several times so we decided to stay on board this morning and take advantage of the fact that the pool would be much quieter than normal,which it was.however,I hadn’t banked on them closing the water slide which was annoying.Several kids tried to use it and it took more effort to fetch someone to tell them not to use it than to have someone patrol it as normal.Eventually,they opened it up earlier than the 3 o’clock they kept saying presumably because they got fed up with people using it anyway.We had a nice buffet meal again,bread pudding was delicious.then went around Civitavecchia which was shut,literally.

At night we went to Mama’s.Again,I’ve seen mixed reviews but the whole party loved it.The staff were very attentive friendly and quick.Again ask for a table by the window,we were able to watch us sail out.All the food was excellent too apart from my wife’s steak which was a little tough.Apart from that I would say all the food was good restaurant quality especially the Antipasti and the cheesecake.

Took part in who wants to be a millionaire and won the million!I had lots of help though especially as all the questions were geared for Americans,so thanks for the coughs and hints!

Also went to 2nd City it was like most things I found some bits hilarious and some not.

Followed that with crew talent show,some were very good especially the singer who did “Can you feel the Love Tonight?”

They also finished up with something called fountains which I won’t spoil but I thought was very funny.

[trfccruiser]

We had booked Giovanni from Sunflower Tours which we got from this board.We lost my Mum at the start of the day,a victim of forgetting that the fish swim to the front of the ship!So we were late but he took it in his stride.He is a lovely guide,polite friendly but unobtrusive.We had done Pisa and Florence before so asked him for something different and yold him about the preferences of our party children-beach,older ones a bit of culture.So in the morning he took us to Viareggio a lovely seaside resort.Again we had to pay to go on the beach but it was lovely a sandy beach with great waves if you are a surfer.You could walk a long way without going out of your depth too.Behind the beach were lovely mountains so it was very pretty.Giovanni then took us to Lucca.

this is abeautiful small medieval city which you can easily walk around a lovely amphitheatre and Church with a mosiac on the outside.this was our favourite place all holiday.We got some lovely and reasonably priced souvenirs too,some cultural photos,models of the amphitheatre and some less so-Italian football shirts(copies but only 10 euros!!).

Giovanni tooks us back to the ship I would heartily recommend him.See:

http://www.sunflower-tours.com/

Went back to Azura and again service and food was excellent.We all opted for the crepe souflee which was one of the best sweets I’ve ever had.

To top off the best day we went to Cirque Bijou.It was brilliant the best show I’ve seen a cruise ship and I’ve watched a few in my time! My 4 year old kept staring at the trapeze work with her mouth open!They are very talented and it is brilliantly done.

But it wasn’t over!Chocoholic buffet with Rachel my youngest saying come and look at this and this she was fascinated by the sculptures,get there early though it’s crazily busy!!

[sjbdtz]

Its more like Roast Cow isnt it, at about 2 foot tall!!!

 

 

In America, cow IS beef. :rolleyes: (the other type of beef is...bull ....as in bull...oney.) :rolleyes:

[trfccruiser]

Villefranche again we had been before so had done the Monte carlo and Nice thing.So we headed for the beach which is about 5-10 minute walk.It’s small shingle but the water is beautiful and you’ve got a great view of the ship from there.My youngest found an American girl to play with who lived in Villefranche,which in small way made up for her not going near the Kid’s club all week.We loved the beach and were sorry it was a short stay,although getting off slightly later we avoided the queues for tenders.

As it had been so good service wise we went back to Azura’s and the food and service were again excellent.

One bad experience when escorting my mother back to her cabin(she always gets lost on ships despite having been on 50-odd cruises).We had to push past a number of teenagers who then deliberately got in our way and shoved into us.I’d seen this group hanging around looking listless most of the week.Jostling me I didn’t worry about, but when they did it to my Mum who is 77 I saw red.I told them they were very rude and ignorant and I just got “the face”.My kids aren’t angels and they did their own thing quite a lot but this lot were with parents but never seemed to be in their company.Enough said.Still a minor incident which in no way ruined our holiday.

Disembarkation-we opted for Express carrying our own luggage.Express it wasn’t.There is a separte gangway on Deck 4 for people carrying their own luggage,but because you could come to it via 2 main stairways and lift blocks proper queuing went out of the window and it became a pushing and shoving routine.Needs better organising.We decided to get a taxi back the queue was large but moved quickly but we had to get 2 taxis because we were 6 it was still cheaper than NCL transfer though which doesn’t seem right.

[trfccruiser]

This was my first cruise on NCL(my Mum had been before on the Norway twice).Cruising is something I love and have been on 20 odd with Cunard,RCCL,P&O,Princess.I can honestly say it’s one of the best I’ve been on,pluses and minuses.Cunard has the best food by far but is a little stuffy.I love the freestyle concept and would have tried more of the speciality restaurants if the kids hadn’t been with us.The food may not have been quite as good in the main restaurants as Princess but it wasn’t far off.however,the shows were MUCH better more professional and fun.

The staff were almost all friendly and very polite the only exception being reception but even there some of the staff were nice others just seemed too harassed.

I think the biggest complaint would be alcohol prices.The bars were empty surely they must know by now why and need to do something.

On the first night my wife mentioned to our steward that my daughter would love towel animals and we got one EVERY night!Mind you so did my Mum in her single cabin,I think her steward just liked doing them!!he showed real concern the day my Mum got lost and we got chatting he showed me a picture of his wife and child who is 3 I think that’s why he made a fuss of Rachel whenever she came to my Mum’s cabin.He also showed me a picture of him by the Norway which he worked on,very poignant as it turned out to be the same day they beached her.Very sad.

I would definitely cruise NCL again but can’t really afford to go further afield and wouldn’t want to do exactly the same destinations again,which is what they are planning next year.

[trfccruiser]

Here's a picture of the statues I mentioned.

[trfccruiser]

The view from the clock tower

[trfccruiser]

Just remembered something else from the Jewel last week.At one of the shows the cruise director Mike got the stage techinician out on stage to announce he had taken a call to say he was a father to a baby boy and that his boss (up in the lighting room)was paying for his ticket to go to the Phillippines for 2 weeks when the cruise ended to see the baby.Some cynics might say it was all staged for effect but it seemed pretty genuine to me and warmed my (and others) hearts.