We enjoy the freestyle atmosphere- Choosing when/where to eat- selections are plentiful. We love our balcony-- would be great to have at least one free delivery of breakfast to the balcony. We would like a bit more robust TV-- a few more movies and movie channels Movies + music channels as there were none.
The excursion desk should be open more often- we booked another cruise but I had questions -- it was a good thing I had done as much research as I did to feel comfortable booking another cruise.
Inside tour of the ship was terrific- I may have missed it on other ships but we thought it was great but would have liked to see engine room/ bridge - Haven too. We are back on the Jewel again in May for Alaska -- I will be sure to look for a ship tour on that cruise as well.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
I happen to like the entry photo with the ship background-- there was no place to set your belongings down outside of the photo and poor planning up to it.. Not enough NCL staff directing and seemed to be in very cramped quarters for security etc. We did get thru to the check in in ok time and checked in quickly-- everything was all set ! Overall tho if I was a first timer I would be confused. "cowboys herding the cattle" were not up to snuff. We left what seemed to be 2 hours late-- we missed seeing the Mississippi Delta in the daylight.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
Garden Cafe buffet was excellent this tour-- the not so fancy complementary restaurants TASTE + SAVOR didn't have the best service but food was excellent. Manhattan room was excellent--- Oshehans is much better on the JEWEL. Definitely not as noisy.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
pools were eh ok since the weather was windy and chillier-- childrens things do not apply to us. Pool bar was great.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Queen flashback EXCELLENT. Rock the Pour house was cool. Did not see Escape the Big Top-- WINE MUSICAL= EXCELLENT. Burn the Floor was very good.
Children's Programs
no kids
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Our cabin steward was semi attentive. We've had better on other ships. He was very pleasant however. Waiters at TASTE + SAVOR were just not that attentive. All of the bartenders were very pleasant-- even when they were swamped!
Brimmer Hall Plantation tour was lamest tour we have ever been on- RESTROOMS were NOT ACCEPTABLE-- Tour showed nothing of cultivated lands- SHAW PARK HOTEL stop totally unneccessary and lame-- outdoor dining area had poor service and tables were not bussed -- drinks slow to arrive not enough waitstaff-- overpriced drinks and food and THE BEES were everywhere-- I AM ALLERGIC!!-- poor stopping choice. Not well organized-- tour bus guide not very good at narrating as we traveled.
PORT collection of folks to do an excursion was horrible-- one big cluster "jam" Very unorganized== this is the second time I have been to Ocho Rios and the port stop this time was not the same as before-- poor choice and NOT WELCOMING!!
Jamaica could be dropped from the ports of call and no one would miss it! This was our only excursion ever we disliked immensely.
NoLA disappointed me-- we have Global Entry and NO ONE had a line going to GLOBAL ENTRY or directing. Took way longer than it should have-- we take our own luggage too- VERY DISAPPOINTING. NCL had no staff to direct etc.
We love BA and have been on her twice to Bermuda. Have Encore booked for May 2020 and can’t wait to see what she has to offer.
Not sure what your cruise budget looks like, but if you are in a position to bid into Haven, some of the issues you had would be resolved. The OnDemand movies are free for Haven guests and they have so many to choose from. The concierge and their assistant(s) are there to help with any issues including excursions and will do any legwork necessary to get you the info you need. Also, Haven guests are escorted off the ship and can bypass the line to go through customs upon return. We utilized this feature last cruise and it was so nice to enjoy a leisurely breakfast and then walk right off the ship and breeze through customs, especially when the line was absolutely insane. You pay a premium for the amenities but they are definitely worth it! Not to mention the early boarding, private restaurant/bar, sundeck etc. We find it really makes a difference in the experience we had.
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