Great trip!

Norwegian Jewel Cruise Review to Panama Canal, Central America

Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 33

Overall rating:

4.5 out of 5
Verified Review
Norwegian Jewel

12 Night Panama Canal (San Diego To Colon)

Sail date: January 14, 2023

Ship: Norwegian Jewel

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 10546

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 1 year ago

Review summary

It was really enjoyable! We liked having so many sea days to relax and enjoy the ship. It was nice not to have a schedule every day.

Embarkation

5 out of 5
Smooth and seamless

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5
The specialty dining was superb. There were a few misses in the dining room but overall it was excellent.

Onboard Activities

4 out of 5
We mostly entertain ourselves but there were activities planned every day if you wanted to participate. Plenty of things to do unless you wanted to race cars.

Entertainment

5 out of 5
The talent was excellent. Broadway singer and comedian were exceptional.

Children's Programs

No children

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
Excellent service always. Friendly and accommodating.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5
Yes! We love the size of the Jewel.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
It was plenty big for us. We do love having a balcony. We’ll maintained and very clean.

Ship tip

Do it!

Ports of call

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

5 out of 5
Cabo seems very American. We have spent a lot of time there through the years. No excursion.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

5 out of 5
We really like Puerto Vallarta. Did not do an excursion as we have been there several times. We walked around and had lunch.

Acapulco, Mexico

3 out of 5
Acapulco is a little rough. We felt perfectly safe on our tour to see cliff divers. They were amazing. We went to the Flamingo hotel which was interesting to fans of old Hollywood. I should not have booked a tour that included shopping but that was my mistake. I don’t think that I will return to Acapulco but I’m glad I saw it once. Not my favorite port but did not detract from the cruise at all.

Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala

4 out of 5
We went to Antigua. Really interesting historical place. The guide on the bus ride gave us a lot of information about Guatemala. Loved seeing the volcanoes. Nice lunch in Antigua. The vendors in Antigua were aggressive and persistent. Overall a good day!

San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua Did not visit port

Found out on the first day that Nicaragua was cancelled. That was a surprise.

Puntarenas, Costa Rica

5 out of 5
We went on an eco tour boat cruise. Saw so many birds and several crocodiles. Very knowledgeable guide. Really enjoyed the bus ride through the countryside.

Panama Canal Transit

5 out of 5
Super exciting and interesting. Experience of a lifetime!

Colon, Panama

2 out of 5
We left immediately. Area around the dock looked really rough.

Disembarkation

5 out of 5
Easy.
Was this review helpful? 33

7 Comments

Cruisers4Lyfe     6 months ago

Thanks for sharing

landa1995    1 year ago

Very detailed information of the ports! Thank you!

jallaway    1 year ago

Colon was your last stop? How long did it take y'all to shuttle back to the airport?

javawoody    1 year ago

Sea days are one of my favorite parts of a cruise.

Gwbigdog    1 year ago

Thanks for sharing your cruise

rach76    1 year ago

We are going on the Jewel for the first time in April! Can’t wait!

AuntPinkie    1 year ago

Appreciate your details. Glad you enjoyed your canal transit.

Other reviews of this sailing