Norwegian Jewel Cruise Reviews - Reviews

Weather is beginning to change so we dressed in layers. Bring rain gear. We tried all but one of the restaurants. Food was exceptional at Moderno Brazilian and Cagney's Steakhouse, good at La Cucina Italian and Le Bristo French, poor at Teppanyaki Japanese. The Stardust entertainment (main stage) was fairly good to very good, depending on the show. The solo piano and guitar players were very good. Some of the group bands were not that good. the excursions were great. We went to the ziplines the first day. Day 2 we free-lanced it. Ended up going on a trip to see a glacier. On Day 3 we went on a 5 mile bike ride/2 mile walk/2 mile boat ride. Ended the day at a brewery.

Bottom line, the trip was a very nice. It is a cruise, so the cabin will be small and the bed is bad. But, for the most part, the staff was very friendly and very accommodating. The food was plentiful and good. I would highly recommend this trip. Safe travels.

We spent the extra money to stay in a mini suite which was amazing. Santiago took care of us very well.  We selected the unlimited beverage package which was a fantastic deal.  The view of the glaciers the weather made for a fantastic time.

My husband and I absolutely LOVED our cruise with Norwegian jewel! All the staff were so nice and we even made friends with our favorite bar tender Kumar. They were all very friendly and nice. The food was amazing, and the beverage package was beyond worth it. It may have seemed very costly but in all honesty we used up beyond what you pay daily for it (mainly my husband because I was pregnant). The only thing my husband and I didn't like was that the bed was two twins pushed together (which I had been told about upon booking) but we thought it would have been held together or something... We were CONSTANTLY having to keep pushing the beds back together, I couldn't even sleep next to my husband without waking up in a hole, which also caused the sheets to always come off all the time. The only other thing was that they definitely need to work on the security! We didn't mind the kids at all because they actually have tons of things to keep them occupied, but the kids would always show up in all the adults only areas and nobody really did anything, they would tell them it's 18+ but beyond that nothing else was done to tell them to leave. I'm sorry but when I went to the white hot after party (18+) I couldn't even dance because the floor was literally taken over by a bunch of 13 year old kid! They would have the dj say that it's 18 only so leave if you're under that age but they wouldn't listen because they knew they wouldn't do anything! The part that worried me the most was that this guy probably in his late 20's was pretty drunk and trying to dance with anyone who looked single (not knowing most of these girls are under 18) and was trying to dance with all these kids, which in his state he obviously assumed they are all over 18.

I was very impressed with the Norwegian Jewel's entertainment and variety of activities. The only problem was that the casino was very close to the Stardust Theater and exiting the theaters sometimes meant going through the smokey casino. I have minor asthma and sinus issues which were aggravated by the smoke. 

First of all, the title of the cruise is misleading. If we went to Sawyer Glacier none of the six of us who went on this cruise saw it. Must have been at night. We saw Mendenhall (which we had to pay for) on an excursion. No big deal to me as I have seen too many glaciers to count, but grandkids wondered where Sawyer was and how it compared. We will never know.

The food was OK.

The Garden Cafe was a super giant buffet of multiple stations that the kids loved, but by day five I was skipping meals if I had to go there because of the crowds, the lack of atmosphere and the unavailability of seating for all of us at once. I swear all 2300 people are in there at once every morning. I skipped breakfast, waiting until the outdoor BBQs set up because those were very good.Except no service in rain. ANd you must know that it rains 2 out of every 3 days on average in most cities we visited. We had rain three days of 7.

The entertainment was terrific. Best part of the cruise.,

This cruise line nickels and dimes you to death.  Everything is extra. We bought a "beverage package" for everybody and call drinks had a surcharge. Only two white wines were on the package. They were ok. Not special. The main atrium is always crowded because vendors set up their wares - cheap jerwelry, expensive jewelry, clothing - whatever. There is a casino and a video arcade where our youngsters learned- the hard way - that play cost $1.50 for 3 minutes  as we made them pay for it, Some of what we thought were cruise programs to provide information turned out to be sales pitches for diamond or orthotic shoe inserts!

The staterooms were clean and the steward was attentive, T hank GOd we had balconies. They are VERY small, particularly the bathrooms. None in our party weighed more than 200 pounds and most much less, but big guys won't fit in the toilets.

The best dining room for me was the Tsars Palace. In all regular dining rooms the staff is attentive and helpful. Not so the bartenders in the special bars. I began to think they were ignoring me on purpose. The whole family experienced the same thing. I suspect these fellows are overworked, but still, they could have at least made eye contact.  I let Norwegian know about it.

The excursions we booked (ziplining in Skagway with Grizzley Falls, salmon fishing out of Juneau, Whale watching etc), were all great, My favorite was the zip lining by a mile. Great, funny guides and lots of challenges. One of our teens caught a HUGE salmon he could barely hold. Very exciting, and we decided to send it home.  THis is the most expensive fish we will have ever eaten, but we should get many meals out of it! We booked a seaplane ride out of Ketchican that got cancelled at the last moment. Bummer. Too late to book anything else so we just wandered around the trinket shops. BORing.

The embarkations and disembarkations were well planned and went smoothly, and the guest desk and shore excursion people were helpful once you got to the front of the line. (Book your excursions before you go if you can.)

Two full days at seas in the end, where most of the entertainment was stuff you paid to play and only five hours at night in rainy Victoria were very disappointing.

THe kids programs were wonderful. Our nine year old made friends and attended something every day. The teen program was enjoyed by our teens.

This is my sixth cruise, and I have been on Royal Caribbean, Crystal and Seven Seas, and this line is very far at the bottom. Before you think the prices of those all inclusive cruises are out of your prices range, think about this -- Each of us - even the 9 year old - had a nearly $100 required "tip."  Excursions for six of us cost $4000 and we were good shoppers for best prices. Eating in specialty dining rooms where the food and service are much better cost extra per person, ranging from $19 per person to $109 per person depending on the restaurant you choose. .

What started out as a cruise for six (3 adults and 3 kids) at $9000 (two balcony rooms with pull outs for kids) wound up around $15,000.

Finally, I would have no hesitation booking through . Our agent Danielle was thorough, knowledgeable and had consistent follow through. The staff had access to our itinerary and were able to guide us in decision making.

Norwegian Jewel is good ship and free style dining was good too but choice for vegetarian food was VERY limited especially for breakfast. Very very poor food quality.

I booked 2 cabins for 6 individuals and 3 were left at Seattle without the ability to disembark due to not informing me or my guests that they needed a Canadian visa. Norwegian was helpful through the process but acted like they didn't even know why I spent about 7k on this trip. Once again I would not recommend ever booking a cruise through  

Alaska wasn't that high on my bucket list, but my husband was definitely interested, so off we go on the Norwegian Jewel for the 7-night Alaska cruise out of Seattle.  It was way beyond our expectations.  The scenery was magnificent!  We even saw a whale breach from our aft suite balcony -- too bad we didn't have our camera at-the-ready.  The ship was clean, service was impeccable.  We had the ultimate dining package so we ate in the specialty restaurants.  Our favorite was Le Bistro (with Cagney's running a close second).  As suites guests, we also had breakfast and lunch available to us in Moderno and it was quite good.  I cannot speak to the main dining room or the Garden Cafe on this trip because we did not eat there.  Our butler was very accommodating, bringing us breakfast twice in our suite and dinner from La Cucina once.  

All in all, one of the best cruises we have ever taken!

I would highly recommend this Alaska cruise with NCL.  If I could have gone back to Alaska again after we came back to Seattle, I would have.  We're already planning another Alaska cruise.  The misty fiords trip was outstanding, the granite cliffs, the solitude.  The Mendenhall Glacier and whale excursion were also fabulous.  We saw so many whales, breathtaking.  When the ship cruised by the Sawyer Glacier, it took my breath away, all the ice floating by the ship.  We also saw the glacier calving.  Once in a lifetime experience.  Don't miss this trip.  The staff on NCL were great, as usual.  Loved everything. 

Bathrooms were large for interior room and pristine and newly decorated.  Food was very good in the Garden but was not pleased with Chin Chin service or quality.  As a vegetarian, there was a large variety to eat each meal.  We purchased the spa package and felt it was well worth the price.  Best seat on the ship in Sawyer Glacier Passage.  Health classes were informative and well taught but private screening was disappointing and high pressure to buy.  It would have been nice to have a roof over the outside pool because of the cold and rainy weather.  Room Steward Johnson was excellent.  And the Broadway shows, commedian, and Cirque shows were stellar.

Mike and I decided to make the giant step and take a cruise, celebrating our 44th wedding anniversary along with our very first cruise.

After much research, and recommendations from friends, we decided Norwegian Cruise Line, and their cruise to Alaska, and chose to be on the Jewel. We considered ourselves "newbies" to the cruise  "world" and we were open to this new experience.

We were overwhelmed by the friendly staff, the shows being offered on board, and how much the Jewel staff offered to their travelers.  We never passed an employee that wasn't smiling, answered our questions and helped us with finding our way around ship. Not to mention the wide variety of restaurants, choices of venue and a the freestyle dining experience.

Will we return? Absolutely..........Next Time with the whole family........

Mike and Stacey from Humble, Texas

Cruising Sawyer glacier and Tracy Arm Fjord was an experiences that just can't be captured with pictures, words, or even video.  Also, thought our stateroom bathroom was the best in 4 cruises and really appreciated the sliding glass door instead of the normal cheap shower curtain.  Great food and all staff was very professional and pleasant.  We were not crusing with children but enjoyed the fact that there were family activities that we could bring our grand children back to enjoy too.  Great all round experience.

Excellent cruise the food was good and the crew was attentitive.  Shore excursions left a little to be desired late getting back and the cruise was off schedule after that.  

We had a wonderful tim. Ship...Perfect

Food...Outstanding

Entertainment/Excursions...Wonderful.

Weather ...beautiful

We would do this or another destination again

Karen and Evan Armstrong

Very courteous staff, stewards. Always wanting to help. Chefsadequate extra effort to make us Indian veggie food and Masada Tea. Lots of.entertainment.

Had high expectations going on this cruise, never experienced a cruise before. This cruise was above and beyond or highest expectations. absolutely everything was Fantastic!  Can not say enough about the staff on board, From the Captain to our personal steward, all so friendly and accommodating they could not do enough for you, the food was out of this world and more than plenty of it. The scenery (with being blessed with great weather) was Beautiful! as were all the ports we stopped in. We are still smiling and talking about it and will be for a long time. The Norwegian Cruise line gave us such a wonderful experience, I would be hesitant to try any other.

Saving our pennies to hopefully do it again.

Len & Judy 

Orange, Massachusetts 

The cruise to Alaska was my first cruise and I was a skeptic.  Took my daughter as a graduation gift from high school.  Both of us were totally satisfied with the cruise.  We had the specialty dining upgrade and enjoyed dressing up for dinner where the service and food were always better than expected.  Cagney's steakhouse was our favorite.  Loaded up my Kindle with book to read and never opened it as our days were filled with wonderful activities including excursions to the Totems in Katchikan, the Mendenhall glacier in Juneau, the White Pass and Yukon train  out of Skagway, and Eckart Gardens in Victoria.  After a quick afternoon nap, we would go to the evening show, eat dinner and then listen to our favorite guitar singer Randon before retiring to the most comfortable beds we have slept on waking to the gentle dawns and spectacular Alaskan scenery as we left our balcony curtains open.  I was so impressed with our cruise that I booked to future cruises - Around Hawaii and to the Baltic.

My wife, son (20), daughter (15) and myself wanted to take a cruise and have the same the same cabin arrangement as we had on a recent cruise on Princess: my wife & I in 1 cabin, my son & daughter in a second adjoining cabin. No big deal, right? Well, it is to Norweigian Cruise Lines (NCL), and what a hassle it was through our trip. Norweigian requires that at least 1 person in each cabin be at least 21 years old. We found out why: there's an "honor bar" in each room. Why Norweigian can't remove the alcohol from cabins booked with only minors is beyond me. I understand that you don't want 2 10 year olds in a cabin together alone, but 20 & 15? Princess's policy is at least 1 person must be at least 18, which seems reasonable, and there's no "honor bar" to deal with. What a pain in the neck. Give me a Princess cruise any day.

It was awesome!  I highly recommend it.

The entertainment was good.  The crew was very entertaining and fun.  The captain seemed warm and inviting.  The ship was very well maintained.  They had very diverse activities on the ship going on all day long .  I would do it again in a heartbeat!

We had read that the Norwegian Jewel is an aging ship and it does appear that way as soon as you step on board. We noticed areas where paint was needed and a few places where maintenance was needed, also. One wonderful thing that we enjoyed was the great crew...they truly go the extra mile to make your stay comfortable. We heard that there were over six hundred children on board. The kids clubs kept most busy but there always seemed to be a lot of children around the pools and spas. They had the Nickelodian theme around the public areas (Sponge Bob, Dora the Explorer, etc.) The kids had a parade dressed as pirates through the buffet area which was cute. We were surprised to see kids at some late night shows. At times we wish we could have had a peaceful place to relax but kids were everywhere even the library and game rooms. The grand staircases that we are used to seeing on other cruise ships in the lobby are non-existant. The lobby was on the small side and not as elegant as most ships. The buffet was kind of hit and miss and often ran out of coffee (beware the coffee is STRONG!) but the Tsar's Palace was great. We had delicious and tender top sirloin steaks. Their prime rib was also excellent. We are at Chin Chin just once finding the meat in a couple of dishes were tough to chew. O'Sheehan's Bar and Grill had pretty good fish and chips. Some of the restaurants charged a service fee between $15.00 - $30.00. The entertainment was not bad but we have seen so much better. This was the first time we chose an inside room and could hardly believe how small it was. We had a table removed because we couldn't get to one side of the bed. The bathroom was very nice with a glassed-door roomy shower. Our toilet stopped working a couple of times and the room steward told us the toilets were too old! The carpet had a few stains and didn't seem too clean. The bed (two twins pushed together) was very comfortable. There actually was a couple of times where we were glad we had our "cave" to retreat to when the hustle-bustle of the people and kids got to be too much for us. Our room was very quiet. Going ashore was crazy at times. In one port they closed the gangway and moved it to another floor for some reason. The crew were scattering all over the place. This cruise is perfect for families but we think there are better choices for adults and mature couples. We have taken five cruises and would place this cruisec ship at number five.