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Norwegian Cruise Line

MS Norwegian Jewel

Your Rating:
Reviewed by: Tim Brandt
# previous cruises: 3
Date of Trip: December 2, 2007
Itinerary: Caribbean - Western

Even though this would not be our favorite itinerary we decided a vacation was in order and this provided a nice get a way with good value for the money. Spotless ship with good service. Really enjoyed the freestyle concept and relaxed atmosphere. Those concerned with the ship being too informal needn't be. NCL still requires proper attire in their dining rooms in the evening and we witnessed someone turned away because they were wearing shorts.

Again this is one of the cleanest ships I have been on. Now with the occurrences of viral outbreaks there were many measures in place to combat the problem. Before being allowed to board a crew member sanitizes each passenger's hands and interspersed throughout the ship are automated dispensers filled with hand sanitizer. There was a nice wrap around promenade on deck 7 (walking only) for those who like to jog there was a separate track on deck 13. Overall the decor is colorful and lively without being too over the top. For those traveling with kids there is a family pool with waterslide as well as a wading pool set off to the side in an enclosed area with a dedicated hot tub (great for the parents to sit in while watching the kids in the wading pool). For those interested in the bridge area there is a bridge viewing room that includes its own radar scope and chart plotter along with documentation and film of the construction of the vessel.

NCL has many specialty restaurants in addition to the main dining room some are extra tariff and some are not. There is also a buffet and a 24 hour restaurant where you can get various comfort foods (everything from chicken wings to shepherds pie). The extra tariff restaurants we ate in were exquisite. The first night we dined in the tepanaki room and the on the third night we ate at Cagney's an upscale steak restaurant. The non tariff restaurants we ate at were Tango's, a tapas restaurant and Momma's Italian Kitchen. In both cases we felt the quality of food was better in the main dining room than the non tariff specialty restaurants. As noted before they are very particular about sanitation and if entering the buffet area they have a crew member dedicated to sanitizing your hands before you will be allowed entrance.

We opted for a mini suite deck 11 just aft of midship port side (11594). We were traveling with two adults and two kids and we had plenty of room. The bulkheads are coved in a nice rich cherry wood veneer. There is a king size bed and a couch that pulls out to a double. There is a heavy curtain that divides the room between the two beds and there is a thermostat for either side so either bed has its own climate control. As you enter the head there is a commode to your left with a pocket door that allows you some privacy. A sink directly ahead and a tub and shower to your right. There is a double door closet and 4 drawers in the bulkhead next to the bed and 3 drawers in the desk area. The room had a mini fridge and safe.

Being a professional musician I am probably a little more critical than most. The entertainers and dancers were fine. The actual band members were not what I would call A-List but they got the job done and I'm sure most people would not notice any deficiencies. The best show in my opinion is their Cirque show.

We called in two ports, Cozumel and Grand Cayman. Having spent 20 years in S FL the tropics weren't particularly exciting for me but I did like Grand Cayman far more than Cozumel. With two young children many of the really interesting shore excursions were an impossibility but we had fun none the less.

Our fellow passengers seemed to be a mixture of Midwesterners, NE and last minute S FL travelers. Ages were mostly mid thirties and up with a great deal of seniors. We hit it off with many of the families from Michigan in particular