Alaska and Japan cruise

Norwegian Jewel Cruise Review to Transpacific

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 35

Overall rating:

3.2 out of 5
Verified Review
Norwegian Jewel

16 Night Transpacific: Alaska & Japan (Seattle To Tokyo)

Sail date: October 03, 2023

Ship: Norwegian Jewel

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 10598

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 1 year ago

Review summary

Internet service very poorly handled with never heard excuses and explanations. $50 onboard spending credits for missing two major north Japan ports is completely unacceptable. Purpose of cruise was to see fall color changing in North Japan. It’s like flights canceled but we will give you $50 onboard spending but you have to pay another flight and go there, we don’t care how much you pay. It’s not our business.

Embarkation

4 out of 5
It was as usual quick and easy

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5
Food was great but some how we felt too salty Asian counter Garden Cafe.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5
Not much on board activity

Entertainment

3 out of 5
Repeat same show and except one or two shows nothing much to brag or excited about cruise. No comedy night every day or comedy every day

Children's Programs

No kids with us and never explored

Service and Staff

3 out of 5

Ship Quality

3 out of 5
Areas were cleaned and well maintained but never enough space to accommodate the event.

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5
Small size and hardly any closet space for 16days clothes. Internet never worked and everyday new excuses for not working. Free WiFi or paid WiFi, nothing worked until arrival port. Also cancelled two ports in Japan (Hokadate and Sendai), and gave us $50 on board credit which is very shameful and very cheap by NCL. Our purpose for the cruise to see fall colors in Hokodate and Sendai. It was a total waste trip.

Ship tip

Double check cruise entertainment and internet. Also company policy for missing ports. It’s like you cancel flights with weird weather excuse with $50 on flight’s spending and travel at your own expense.

Ports of call

Seattle, Washington

4 out of 5

KETCHIKAN (WARD COVE), ALASKA

4 out of 5

Icy Strait Point (Hoonah), Alaska

3 out of 5

Seward (Anchorage), Alaska

3 out of 5

Hakodate, Japan Did not visit port

Cancel with unverified hurricane excuses

Sendai, Japan Did not visit port

Cancel with unverified hurricane record.

Tokyo, Japan

1 out of 5
Reach a day early and not offer any port exploration or bus services as a customer courtesy for missing two ports. We are still traveling in Japan and will take this with NCL after returning USA. Cruise manager never responded back to our complaint yet.

Disembarkation

3 out of 5
Schedule time was 10:15 as per our baggage tag color but they announced to get out quite early.
Was this review helpful? 35

11 Comments

Cruisers4Lyfe     3 months ago

Thanks for sharing

drboiler     8 months ago

I too was on this cruise to Tokyo also. I remember distinctly when we left Seward, Alaska within 1 minute of leaving the dock the captain coming over the speaker saying he was going to have to go south instead of the Northern Route by the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Sea due to a Storm up there. I told my friend we will not make Hakodate or Sendai now...nobody believed me but we missed both...I agree we had no way to prove that there was a Typhoon and a Super Typhoon and we went between the two that were seperated by about 900 miles according to the Captain. The Captain has to keep us safe and he has rules he has to follow or Jail Time vs Titanic Time? Anyhow I found something So Cool i am going to share it for everyone. I had went online to see if there was anything near the World Cruise Terminal in Tokyo to do...nothing online...but folks it was amazing. We arrived at the dock 1 day earlier than planned and did immigration and then we could leave the ship for the day and return for the night and the following day we would have to disembark. I walked along the water on the path for approx. 1.5 miles up river to a place called Odaiba Beach and there happens to be a Ferry Terminal that goes up the Sumida River to Asakusa where the famous Temple is on oneside of the river and the other side is the Tokyo Sky Tree. It cost like 1200 yen or $9 usd oneway and traveled at least 10 miles up river, such a scenic tour stopping along the way at other terminals. I purhased my ticket back at Asakusa for the last ferry that day and started walking to the temple approx 1.2 miles. Wow and wow the pictures along the river and it was a slow cruise up and back. Most amazing trip in the City nobody talks about. Oh and in Odabai there is a Statue of Liberty 75' tall and a huge mall with the Hello Kitty Tokyo Store and one more thing....the Gaundam Store with all the Robots and a huge outside 100' tall one with a store filled with all there past models sold. Alot of people bring these back as souvenirs or resale as your allowed i think $1500 duty free when entering the USA. The Temple was so cool and the Gates....ended up going back there a couple days later since this is one of the only places to get souvenirs. The center roads towards the temple past the gates is shops with Souvenirs that take credit cards and the side streets intersecting is the older japanese souvenir shops with traditional souvenirs like Kimono's and they only take the Yen...no cards accepted. Amazing Souvenirs i brought home. Amazing Temples and Gardens. Amazing People so Friendly and Polite. So Clean of a city...Uber works super efficent and saves time and money. trains are cheaper but you need time to walk from the terminal to ? tokyo is complicated too, they have crosswalks 60' above street in buisness districts...goggle maps looses you lol. residential fine but buisness areas the crosswalks would slow traffic down like nyc. elevated on busy streets. enjoy the city it was so cool. i will be back!!!!

commanders    1 year ago

Thanks for sharing. Did you get a data plan from your phone company as well? Cruising during off season can bring lots of weather-related problems that’s why it’s a lot cheaper. The same cruise during peak Sakura season is almost double.

ampm1970    1 year ago

I have also heard of compensation through travel insurance for cruise ship cancelled ports? BUT, it depends on the type of policy you have and what documentation is required. Not all travel insurance policies cover this. This would be something to at least investigate.

Gwbigdog    1 year ago

Thanks for sharing

cortneyb    1 year ago

sorry the cruise line cared for your safety and missed a few ports. next time, read your contract YOU signed. ports are never guaranteed and can change with no refund or credit. you're lucky you recieved obc. they didn't have to give you jack squat

AuntPinkie    1 year ago

javawoody    1 year ago

So many compliments.

cruising2004    1 year ago

Sorry you were disappointed.

banaford    1 year ago

Some cruise lines will give you zero onboard credit. Unfortunately not reading and understanding your contract, only makes you angrier. I understand not going to a port can be highly disappointing.

1960cruiser    1 year ago

I'm guessing you were on the transpacific cruise from Seattle? I was on that cruise, so you are leaving out a lot of context. Several major storms were in cruise path, so I'm guessing you would be complaining if the captain sailed into them as well. Yiu need to spend more time reading your cruise contract, cause it clearly states that cruise ports can be missed for any reason without compensation. You had a full day in Tokyo to see whatever you wanted I've never heard of people traveling to Japan to see changing leaf colors. People usually go to the Northeast cruise to Canada for that. There was different entertainment every night, but I will admit that I'm not a big fan of stage shows. You obviously set your expectations way too high to the point that you couldn't be satisfied no matter how the cruise turned out.