Enjoyable trip

Item: Norwegian Jewel
Rating: 4.1
Author: Kfrog

Norwegian Jewel Cruise Review to Alaska - Gulf of Alaska

Kfrog

Contributor Level: Third Mate

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 3

Helpful Votes: 125

Overall rating:

4.1 out of 5

7 Night Alaska Glacier Bay Northbound (Vancouver To Seward)

Sail date: September 09, 2019

Ship: Norwegian Jewel

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 5 years ago

Review summary

I enjoyed the cruise, despite the liquid sunshine at every port. Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay (which I don't consider to be ports) were the most important to me, and the weather was good for those. I had expected rain, but not as much as we received. It seemed at every port someone would say that the weather the previous day had been beautiful. However, they did have a very dry summer and needed the rain.

Embarkation

1 out of 5

This was by far the worst part of the cruise for me. I apparently arrived at the worst possible time, as the wait was exceptionally long, and the line behind kept getting shorter and shorter. It was very noticeable that staff disappearing (I was told they were going on breaks). People didn't pay attention when staff was available to check in, although that was probably not a significant increase in time. I believe the process from first line to boarding was 2 1/2 - 3 hours. I've taken many cruises and this was by far the worst.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

I would rate this 4 1/2 stars for me. I opted to eat at Tsar's (one of the complimentary, sit-down restaurants at any time it was open). The majority of the staff were excellent.

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5

I attended a couple stretch classes, origami, napkin folding, and trivia and enjoyed them all.

Entertainment

4 out of 5

Overall, I have found that the quality is not quite as good as on the larger ships. However, they were extremely talented individuals and with the exception of the comedian, very enjoyable. I especially liked Velvet, what I considered to be a statement show about acceptance of those different from others (LGBTQ, obese, etc.). I think it sent a very powerful message without at all detracting from the performance.

Children's Programs

Solo, adult passenger

Service and Staff

4 out of 5

The service I received from the vast majority of the staff was excellent.

Ship Quality

4 out of 5

I found the layout and design to be typical for what I consider a mid-sized ship. It was not always logical from my perspective ... especially when you could walk down the main floor on one side, but not the other. Design was okay; cleanliness was very good.

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

The stateroom was the same as another similarly sized ship; smaller than some of the larger ships I've been on. As I was a solo traveler, it was perfect for me and I had plenty of room.

Ship tip

Consider bringing magnetic hooks. They can be used for a variety of purposes suh as hanging lights to give the room a magical feel, posting messages on the walls, or hanging clothes.

Thumbs up