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Norwegian Jewel Cruise Review to Mexico

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Reviews: 0
Helpful Votes: 64

Overall rating:

2 out of 5
Verified Review
Norwegian Jewel

7 Night Mexican Riviera (Los Angeles Roundtrip)

Sail date: April 17, 2016

Ship: Norwegian Jewel

Cabin type: Suite

Cabin number: 11028

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

The last time I sailed with NCL was about 10 years ago on a trip to Alaska.  I don't remember being in love with the line, but figured I would give it another chance due to the convenience of leaving out of a local port.  I found most of the crew to be unfriendly, the food to be fairly terrible, and the drinks to be watered down.

The crew was at the end of their run before heading to Alaska for the summer,  and it was very obvious that they were tired and ready to go home. 

The ship felt very run down and compared to Disney or Celebrity cleanliness standards, it didn't feel very sterile. 

 

While there is an "adults only" pool, they will still allow children to use it so long as they are with a parent, which really defeats the purpose of having it.

 

They also offer a spa pass for $149 that allows only 100 people use of the facilities for a quite serene area.  Unfortunately, many people who don't understand spa etiquette purchased these passes and it ended up being a very busy and hectic area with no control from the NCL spa team.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

1 out of 5
Every meal served was cold. Even the specialty dining experiences were sub par with the exception of the Brazilian restaurant.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Entertainment

3 out of 5

Children's Programs

Not applicable.

Service and Staff

1 out of 5
The morale on this ship was terrible. With the exception of a few people, no one was overly friendly or made you feel welcomed to be there. The pool bar staff would walk by you several times and look at you instead of stopping to see if you needed anything. I was also told by one of my spa attendants that the environment is stressful for the crew.

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5
Upon arrival our beds were set up as two singles as opposed to a queen. It took up until 9pm for the steward to have the configuration adjusted. The bathroom was a good size but the patio was very work and had mismatched patio furniture. Also, our cabin was located right below the pool deck, specifically under the ping pong table which was extremely loud with heavy footsteps and running. It also got noisy at night when there was a band playing.

Ship tip

Expect to be nickle and dimed. They even charge you fro room service!! Unless it is for morning pastry and coffee.

Ports of call

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

1 out of 5
If you get out to walk around the port, be prepared to get harassed from the local tour guides. You are better off booking an excursion and avoiding that.

Mazatlan, Mexico

5 out of 5
Do that ATV beach adventure. It was a blast!

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

5 out of 5
Los Coletaus getaway was a blast.
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