Whole Family Enjoyed It
Norwegian Jewel Cruise Review to Alaska - Inside Passage
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 50
7 Night Alaska Sawyer Glacier (Seattle Roundtrip)
Sail date: August 05, 2017
Ship: Norwegian Jewel
Cabin type: Oceanview
Traveled as: Family (older children)
Reviewed: 7 years ago
Review summary
You've paid a lot for this vacation, make the best of it and r e l a x. Do a little research before the trip and learn about the different things to do in each port. Don't limit yourself to what the ship offers. Some of their options might be perfect for you, all I'm saying is don't limit yourself. Be low-key and ask the locals questions. We had a lot more fun and learned a lot more about the area that way. Set realistic expectations. Obviously if something is wrong, talk to the staff about it. They were very accommodating and want your cruise to be awesome. On the other hand, set realistic expectations. Don't go out of your way to find stuff to complain about - you'll be sure to find it and that's no way to spend a vacation. I'm not trying to be insulting or condescending by saying all of this - unfortunately the more I observe people, the more I realize it needs saying. Fortunately it works both ways. Seek out the positive, and you'll find a lot more of that too. Have a great vacation!Embarkation
Very fast and easy. Bags left with luggage handlers at the curb and were at our room on schedule a few hours later. We had our paperwork and passports ready and were checked in very efficiently. No complaints.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
We've sailed with NCL a few times before and really like the "Freestyle Dining" experience. No set time, no set table. While I don't think absolutely everything was "5 Star" quality, our expectations were realistic and we were very satisfied. We did not dine in any of the restaurants that were considered 'premium' or whatever the term is. I heard from several others onboard that they were not worth the extra price, but I have no first-hand experience about it. The "included" restaurants and buffets were perfectly fine with us and overall food quality and selection was very enjoyable.
Onboard Activities
Best advice I can offer about an Alaskan cruise is to spend a lot of time looking over the rail or out the windows at the ocean. Most people I talk to say that seeing whales, sea lions, eagles and other wildlife is high on the list of experiences they want to have. The very first morning at sea I saw three different pods of Orca (3-4 in each pod) right outside the window while I was at a table in the buffet area. Ok, maybe 50 yards away from the ship but still awesome. My wife came up a few minutes later and missed it. But she was rewarded for keeping a watch an hour later when a humpback whale jumped (breached?) about 100 yards from the ship. Look for irregularities in the water surface compared to the surrounding area. Also, look for the spray as they blow near the surface. As for eagles, look for the "flying golf ball". The dark body and contrasting white head (and tail) is easy to pick out once you've seen a few. They tend to fly very high up so look for them against the green of the pine trees covering all the hills and mountains around you. Sea lions are sometimes seen breaking the surface and diving again right near the ship but your best chance is to see them lying on icebergs as you slowly cruise in and out of the fjords to see the glacier(s). As for other onboard activities: We participated in the "Deal or No Deal" game both times it was offered, Bingo once, our "older" teenage kids enjoyed the pools and hot tubs. They're old enough enough to use the adult facilities and made a lot of friends on-board participating in karaoke and the many activities offered. My son used the fitness center almost everyday and it was well stocked and not too crowded. My daughter won a $50 voucher toward any spa treatment and chose to have a manicure and pedicure. They did a fair, but not great job. The balanced she owed after the $50 was still overpriced for the what they did. There is a lot of sales-pitch to partake of the spa and fitness offerings that are an additional cost. They're not pushy, it's just constantly offered. Over. And over. Again.
Entertainment
We attended the shows every night and they were all excellent. Both the comedian and the magician were known to my other family members as having been on several TV shows (I don't watch much TV) and the performances were fantastic. The dancers and acrobats were also great. I was chosen to participate in a segment with the magician and it was a blast. My wife won a T shirt in a dance competition one afternoon. Overall, we had a great time.
Children's Programs
Not applicable. Our "kids" are 16 and 18, but the few times we saw the children in the program out doing things with the staff, they seemed to be having fun.
Service and Staff
Everyone we interacted with was very accommodating to our needs. If we wanted something and it was even remotely possible for them to make it happen, they did it. And they did it with a smile. That said, this category has a LOT to do with how you interact with people. There were passengers (there always are) who we overheard talking with others about how terrible this or that was. But it didn't take long to understand, that for the most part, these unhappy people are just not happy unless they're complaining about something. Like the comedian said during one of his shows, "Some people will travel a thousand miles just to have something new to complain about". My only nit picking would be that our cabin steward did only the basic essentials and nothing more. He even removed a beverage from the ice bucket (twice) to refill the ice but just wouldn't put the bottle back in the ice. It would be left out to warm up both times. I just don't understand it. We saw other passengers smiling and chatting with their stewards, but the few times we saw ours, he would say hello and go on about his business. Bare minimum. But this isn't enough to take off a star. A half, yes, but that isn't an option.
Ship Quality
Layout and design was great. Elevators were v e r y slow and the one of the four elevators nearest our room was out of order the whole time. Cleanliness was about as good as it could be serving 2400 passengers per week over and over again. No glaring complaints.
Cabin / Stateroom
Cabin was larger than we expected being on the 4th deck, lowest level available. Basically 4 adults and we all slept comfortably. Yes, it was tight if we were moving around and we tried to coordinate so there would only be two people getting ready for dinner or dressed to go out at a time. I was concerned there would be noise or a bad odor being so low in the ship but it was fine. I would actually request one like it again if given the chance.
Ship tip
You're on vacation - and it's an expensive one. So lighten up and enjoy yourself! There is PLENTY of food on-board so there is no need to race ahead of other passengers to the buffet line. Relax. Talk to other passengers. We met some great people and made a few new friends but I was amazed at the number of people who wouldn't even make eye contact let alone smile. No, we weren't obnoxious, overly-friendly people. A simple nod or "good morning" is all it takes to make for a more enjoyable trip. Yes, I know a person can have a bad day sometimes, I'm not talking about that. Basically, you will get out of this experience what you put into it. The buffet area can be very crowded and it was always a challenge to find an empty table. After the first day or two, we began proactively offering a seat or two at our table if we had them available (again, I'm talking about the buffet area, not the actual dining rooms). Our offers were always accepted and improved the experience for all of us. I'm sure NCL hates when passengers say this, but we didn't book a single excursion through NCL. We chose to arrange our own activities in port and when we compared what we did with similar NCL offerings, we saved a lot of money and interacted with a lot of locals. A few respectful questions and they would point us toward the best places to eat (not where most tourists go), and the easiest/cheapest way to get to where we wanted to go. If you're a little less adventurous, every port has kiosks with people who can set you up with the various tours. Not as convenient as NCL doing it for you (that's why they charge a premium), so it's usually a lot less expensive for the same experiences.
Thumbs up
1
Ports of call
As a port to visit, it was very crowded - and I really hate crowds. My wife on the other hand, loves it and enjoyed the market area immensely. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. The monorail to the Space Needle was pretty cool and not expensive. Unfortunately the Needle was also crowded and had no rides to the top available for several hours so we skipped it. *** Important note: when we arrived back in Seattle after the cruise, we paid $65 on a credit card to a company that was offering rides back to the airport or hotel. They were located within the port terminal just before you walk out onto the sidewalk so they were legitimate. They assured us that we could come back at 3pm (it was only about 10am when we booked the car) and have a car waiting for us. Sure enough, 3pm we're back and there is no car. No one around had any idea what we were talking about. Fortunately, one of the port employees saw us and took the time to understand our situation. She was able to get in touch with a rep from the transport company and she went "above and beyond" to make the situation right. In a short time we were back at our hotel near the airport. "Cindy" you ROCK!
We all liked Ketchikan. Hopped on the "Silver Line" city bus, $5/person for an all day pass. Rode up to a national park and hiked around looking at all kinds of cool totem poles. Walked out on a rocky beach and enjoyed the view. Spoke to a few locals on the ride back and they told us about an alternate place to get off the bus so we could walk along a stream full of Salmon on our way back to the port. Did some shopping before getting back on the ship. Great time.
Our favorite port. Booked a shuttle at the port to take us up to Mendenhall glacier state park. Hiked along the fjord to a huge waterfall near the glacier. Great weather, excellent views. Took tons of pictures. Back near port we had king crab and shopped a little. This is the only time we ate at a so-called tourist restaurant, "Tracy's". Expensive, but food was very good. Hey, as much as I talk about saving money, sometimes ya' just have to put it in perspective. Enjoy the meal and don't worry about it (just don't do it too often!).
Once in port, we booked a bus trip to take us up into Canada's Yukon Territory. Remember to bring your passports with you (thankfully we did). AMAZING views. The weather was great, actually a little too warm that day at almost 80 degrees and all sun. We were originally disappointed because the train ride was sold out, but we ended up better off because this bus stopped several times for us to get out for a shot time. We were able to take better pictures and explore a little. Each stop was short, but it was enough. If I can come back into this review and add pictures later, I will. It was incredible. Our guide was excellent and she had a great sense of humor.
Again, once in port we spoke to a few of the town-car drivers about getting a ride up to Butchart Gardens. If you're willing to walk away and haggle a little, we found one who was willing to make a better offer and off we went. The gardens were beautiful, but my teenagers and I were a little bored. My wife loved it and I would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't so crowded. Our driver warned us that if we were going to go there, do it right away because there were already two ships in port and three more coming in soon. As crowded as the gardens were, it was going to get a lot worse. Having our own driver here was a bit expensive, and we had to pay for the gardens separately when we got there. But it actually worked out well because he gave us a very thorough tour around Victoria before taking us to the gardens. He was willing to take two of us back to port but stop in town to let the other two off in order to do some shopping and get back to the ship at their leisure. Four stars only because it was so crowded. Challenging to fully appreciate the gardens with hordes of people pushing from behind or running you over. Why people would pay almost $30 US to run through the gardens at warp speed baffles me. We spent about 90 minutes there, not that long considering all there is to see. But our driver said it was a longer than the average. I know it's not a contest, just an observation if it helps you plan your time better while there.
Disembarkation
I don't like having to plan the next day's clothes in advance so they can collect the luggage the night before disembarkation (especially for four people including a teenage girl - clothing drama). But it really does make for a smooth exit. We picked the latest possible time to get off the ship so we could have breakfast onboard. No matter what time you choose to disembark, everyone needs to vacate their cabin by 8am. But if you aren't trying to catch an early flight, letting the ever-anxious horde rush out is a more relaxing way to do it. Have breakfast. Take a few more laps around the deck. Say goodbye to new friends. Enjoy it, you're on vacation!
Traveler Photos
