SHIP REVIEW

Norwegian Jewel

 

Date: November 2017

Reviewed by: Richard Boyce – Brand Manager, Cruise Express

Cruise line: Norwegian Cruise Line

Size of ship: 93,502 grt

Passenger capacity: 2,376

Year built: 2005, refurbished 2014

Where the ship cruises: Alaska, South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand

Currency onboard: USD

Embarkation: Being a ship inspection, boarding was very quick. Once onboard two desks were available for passengers to swipe their cruise cards.

Main features & highlights: The main ethos of cruising with NCL is choice, offering ‘freestyle cruising’.  The ship provides a staggering array of included dining experiences, with passengers provided the option of dining where and when they want. There are two main dining rooms and a further five dining options. In addition, there are an extra seven tariff options!

Another highlight is the suites. One that I visited (a Haven Garden Villa) was so large initially I didn’t realise it was a suite! With an enormous lounge and bar area, 3 bedrooms, private deck with spa and a private sun deck plus access to the ‘Haven’ private pool area, these rooms (there are two at this size) are perfect for families or for those where space is a must. With six other grades of suite available – catering to groups or families has never been easier.

Another rather clever feature is the ‘fish carpets’, woven with little fish that ‘swim’ towards the centre of the ship, so you always know what direction you are heading in – quirky and clever!

Most suited to: Virtually anyone. There are the usual kids facilities including a waterslide at one of the pools. There are also plenty of other separate areas for guests not wanting to join in on the littlies’ noisy fun. If you like choice and doing what you want, when and where you want, this is the ship for you. It’s not luxury, and doesn’t pretend to be, BUT what the ship does provide is an incredible array of facilities and dining options.

Atmosphere: This ship could be compared to an excellent 4-star hotel. It’s bright and cheerful throughout, with several lounges each with their own unique ambience, meaning there really is something for everyone. As the ship is casual there is a relaxed resort style atmosphere throughout. I found that the music played in several areas was contemporary, making a nice change from the endless ‘classic hits’ played on many ships. The sound system also appeared to be outstanding, especially around the pools.

Encounters with service staff: Everywhere I went I met staff with genuine welcoming smiles. This wasn’t the usual mechanical attitude which made a nice change. Unlike some other lines, I didn’t notice endless drink stations or other such tables trying to sell ‘stuff’ to passing passengers.

Staterooms: Until you get to suite grades, most cabins are a similar size. They are bright, well laid out and the bathrooms are slightly larger than standard. The showers are a great size with glass doors – a nice change for those who dread shower curtains. Cabins with standard balconies provide a nice amount of room on the balcony with two chairs and a small table. From here the cabins expand rapidly in size including some with bathrooms where the shower even has a window overlooking the ocean! Note: some cabins DO have a shower over the bath – it pays to check ahead.

Dining options: There are virtually too many to mention here! I experienced the Chin Chin Asian restaurant which serves truly delicious sushi. We also ate at Cagney’s Steakhouse (extra tariff) – the asparagus entree, beef main and cheese plate for dessert were all excellent, as was the paired Californian red wine. The standard was far higher than I expected for a ship of this calibre. For the thirsty, there are nine bars onboard including a champagne bar, sake bar and mojito bar. I found the bartenders cheerful and efficient which was nice!

Entertainment: We were shown a small excerpt from ‘Burn the Floor’, a floor show produced by an Australian based company. The dancers were excellent – nice to see a group that really seemed to take the job seriously and provide a truly first-class show. The singer was so good we initially thought he must be lip syncing! NCL is known for their outstanding entertainment offerings and this was no exception. If this is anything to go by, make sure you go to the shows!

Activities: The usual rounds of quizzes, deck games, and get-togethers seemed to be on offer. Please note, as this was only a ship visit I didn’t experience any of them.

Family facilities: These aren’t as large as on some ships but they are well located on the same deck as the pools, and seem to have everything the little ones would like including a dedicated kids cafe. Children aged from 6 months to two years are welcome onboard, as long as the itinerary has no more than three consecutive days at sea. Facilities and entertainment are provided for children up to the age of 17. Passengers aged 18 and over are permitted to purchase alcohol on Norwegian Jewel (it’s 21 and over on the rest of the NCL fleet).

Inclusions: As mentioned there are several included dining options, more than most ships. NCL also often run promotions that include extra benefits such as beverages, further dining credits and short excursion credits – dependent on the cabin type booked. Generally speaking the higher you go, the more is included. It should be noted though that for groups this may only cover two people in each cabin, so it pays to check what the benefits are and who they will apply to.

Exclusions: Extra tariff restaurants, beverages (unless included in a promotion), shore tours and items of a personal nature.

Self-service laundry: Sadly no. All laundry must be done through the ship’s laundry at additional cost.

Insider tips: Take an electrical adaptor as all plugs are US style. There is no dressing up or formal nights – resort or smart casual clothing will be fine. Dress pants and a collared shirt are suitable for the evenings for men. Shorts and thongs are NOT allowed in the dining venues apart from the buffet so pack accordingly. Bring suntan lotion – it’s expensive to buy onboard and there isn’t a vast amount of covered deck space around the pools.