Norwegian Jewel Cruise Review -- December 1, 2024

Norwegian Jewel Cruise Review -- December 1, 2024

 

Just the Facts:
Ship: Norwegian Jewel  - Launched in 2005 - 93,500 GT - Azipod propulsion - 2376 Pax
Captain: tba.  Cruise Director:  Alexis
Ports: Tampa - Amber Cove, DR - Tortola, British Virgin Islands. - Catalina Island, DR - Willemstad, Curacao -
Oranjestad, Aruba - Georgetown, Grand Cayman

 

This is my second cruise on the Norwegian Jewel, my 10th Norwegian cruise, and my 218th cruise overall. I am cruising solo. The longer itinerary will be different, and there will be a new port for me.

Day One - Sunday, December 1, 2024  -  Embarkation

I woke up early at home and finished my packing.  At about 9:40 am, I arranged an Uber ride, and we were off within 15 minutes.  Three cruise ships are in downtown Tampa today, so I bailed a few blocks before the pier area. I was early, and he would not get tied up in traffic.  I walked to the entry just before my designated 11:00 am time and waived straight through.  NCL has a sound system, and I was checked in with my sail card in hand in ten minutes—just a short wait in the priority before they began boarding.  I was on the ship by 11:15 am.  Amazingly smooth.  I went to the Garden Buffet on Deck 12 and was among the first there, and I was surprised they opened early.  I enjoyed roast beef with a nice horseradish sauce, mashed potatoes, and vegetables, and I sampled some Asian food as well.  The Creme Cake for dessert was excellent (photo).  NCL does not allow early access to cabins, even to drop off bags, so it is inconvenient since I roll on my primary bag.  My Muster Station was E and located in the Le Bistro, so I spent the next two hours in the Cocktail Lounge nearby.  My new friend Rodney prepared two nice Captain Morgan Frozen Mango Strawberry Daiquiris for me. Excellent. I do have the drink package on this cruise.  I also had time to start on this blog review.  They began to call cabins by deck, and I then made my way towards the midship elevators to go down to Deck 4.  I have an interior cabin on the lowest passenger deck, but I liked it as soon as I entered.  It is very roomy, especially for a solo guest. The usual cruise cabin and bathroom layout, but a fancy make-up mirror with the on/off control in the mirror… will be great for my daily contact lens routine.  I hung my shirts and prepped my cabin for the next even days. A fair selection of TV stations with an excellent Map Channel and a Bridge Forward Camera that I usually leave on the screen during the day.  Streaming-Internet speed is fantastic but should as the price is dear ($300+). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Baker Mayfield have a late afternoon kickoff.  The game is blacked out on cruise ships, but I watched live highlights on NFL Red Zone ($14 month).  At half-time, I went to the Garden Cafe for a casual dinner.  The Beef Brisket with Horseradish was great. I tried a slice of pizza. It was good.  I had a small plate of Seedless Watermelon & Pineapple chunks…also good.  We passed under the Skyway Bridge before I  finished dinner.  I filled my mug with ice and got two cans of Diet Coke from the bar for the cabin.  I enjoyed the football game and the overtime win.  At about 8:00 pm, a small plate of Chocolate Covered Strawberries was delivered.  It was a great post-game surprise.  They want to get all the Platinum benefits straight away for you.  I already received a bottle of water vouchers for two dinners and a free bag of laundry.  Nice.  I love the Map Channel; they also play jazz music and ship announcements.  I retired as I needed the rest.  It was a great first day on the NCL Jewel.

Day Two - Monday, December 2nd, 2024  -  Day at Sea

Smooth seas overnight, and I slept well.  I awoke early and went to the Tsar’s Palace Dining Room (MDR) for breakfast just after it opened at 7:30 am. I had a lovely two-top window table and excellent service.  I had a Fruit Bowl with large cut pieces of assorted fruit, a Danish plate (3), Tomato Juice, Eggs Benedict (2), Bacon, Sausage link, Potatoes, and proper Hot Milk.  It was delicious.  As I left, I passed a Table with Spa displays and made a query about a haircut.  They could take me at 8:30, so I returned to the cabin to put on my contacts and went straight away. Jacque from Mauritius was my Hair Stylist.  It was an excellent cut and included a Shampoo ($59 + gratuities), and I was glad I did it.  I don’t get to Cozumel to see my Barber as much sailing from Florida.  It is warmer than yesterday, so the guests enjoy the outer decks, although the seas are rolling today.  I did a walkabout and relaxed the rest of the morning. I went to the Garden Cafe for a Salad and Pizza at about noon.  It was a nice lunch. I also got some Coca-Cola for the cabin.  I watched some streaming on the Wifi and had a relaxing afternoon watching some television.  At about 7:00 pm, I went to the Mojito Bar on Deck 13, inside the Moderno Restaurant. I enjoyed severe Mojitos made from rum; they were different and good. I had an 8:45 dining time, but they seated me at about 7:45 at a lovely table with a window view.  Moderno is a Brazilian-themed Churrascaria-style premium restaurant.  I always look forward to the Salad Bar as it has Hearts of Palm.  My salad was terrific.  The various meats were fine, but I’m spoiled in the steak department as I think my steaks are the best.  The Pork Belly, Pork Tenderloin, and Pineapple were perfect.  I had a Mango Rice Pudding for dessert.  As I walked the upper deck forward to the Spinnaker Lounge, it was breezy.  I took some more Diet Cokes back to the cabin, then retired for the evening.  I updated the blog and watched some TV before sleep.  It was a relaxing day on the Norwegian Jewel.

Day Three - Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024  -  Day at Sea

Rolling seas overnight and I slept very well.  We set our time one hour forward, so it was about 11:30 am when I woke this morning… a good thing I was already planning to ship breakfast due to my late meal last night.  At about 1:00 pm, I went to the Tsar’s Palace Dining Room for a proper lunch; I had Table 3 with an ocean view window.  The menu had many options; I ordered the Vietnamese Pho, Niçoise Salad, and Chicken Parmigiana with extra Marinara Sauce.  All were delicious, and I was delighted with my decision to eat at the MDR.  I also made reservations at the Dining Reservation Desk for two more premium restaurants later in the cruise.  After lunch, I went to Shakers Cocktail Bar for my mango meltdown daiquiris and Captain Morgan Rum.  Then, I left with my Mug full of ice and two cans of Diet Coke for use later.  Lots of afternoon activities, but I had cabin time in the afternoon updating this review and using the expensive streaming service I paid for…I enjoy the movies too. At about 7:40 pm, I went to O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill on Deck 8.  I had a great table overlooking the entertainment below on Deck 7.  It was the Ship Duo singing Classics.  They have Pub-type foods as well as hamburgers and Hot Dogs.  I ordered a cocktail and the Chicken Wings made to order with spices and dips.  Also a fair Fish & Chips.  They were all good, but the Carrot Cake dessert was fantastic.  I watched the complete musical set and then did a walkabout of the ship.  The first production show was tonight, but it wasn’t too busy in the venues…I don’t think we have a late crowd on the longer sailing. (i.e.-older).  I had a Coca-Cola and watched some news in the cabin before retiring.  It was a relaxing day on the Norwegian Jewel.

Day Four - Wednesday, December 4th, 2024  -  Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

There were smoother seas overnight, and I slept well, although I woke for an hour in the middle of the night for WiFi, which has been a habit for 25 years.  We were docked early, but a crew safety drill woke me at about 10:00 am.  I went up to The Great Outdoors on Deck 12 aft for breakfast; I had a fresh to order Egg Omelette, Bacon, Melon, Danish, and Milk.  A weather front was coming through, and it began raining, so I ate indoors—the correct decision to stay onboard if the weather was questionable.  I like this port, but I’ve been here numerous times lately, and we have a 2:30 BoB (back on board).  I did some work online the rest of the morning.  At about 2:30 pm, I went to O’Sheehan’s for lunch, and I could also watch our sail away from the port.  I ordered a Reuben Sandwich and a Pub Hot Dog, which was very good.  The Carrot Cake was again excellent.  I took my time and enjoyed the music from Deck 7 and the view of the rolling seas.  On the return to the cabin, a very rolling walk on the high seas.  At about 7:00 pm, I went to the Stardust Theater to see the feature show Duo Yalba.  They play over 30 instruments and feature songs from all over the world.  Very entertaining in an unusual way.  The Ships Band accompanied them.  After the show, I stopped at the Shakers Bar and enjoyed too many Elderflower Martinis and a Pistachio Martini as my final.  I met friendly people, and it was fun.  I retired just after 10:20 pm., late for me.  It was a stormy day on the Norwegian Jewel.

Day Five - Thursday, December 5th, 2024  -  Road Town, Tortola - British Virgin Islands

Of course, rolling seas overnight, and I slept well.  Just before the 9:00 am closing time, I went to the Tsar’s Palace Dining Room (MDR) for breakfast.  It was much busier than my first visit, but I scored a lovely window table (#71) and a speedy service crew.  I ordered Danish, Hot Milk, a Fruit Bowl,  three fried Eggs over easy, Bacon, Sausage, Potatoes, and Toast.  It was good and needed as I didn’t eat last night.  We were scheduled to arrive at 11:00 am, but at about 10:30, the Captain made a ship-wide announcement that due to the weather yesterday, we would be running at least a half hour late.  It was already going to be a short port day.  I had no specific plans, so I took an hour + nap.  Just after noon, I debarked the ship; it was easy just around the corner as my cabin was on Deck 4. It's a beautiful day and not hot.  My assignment was to go to Blanc du Nil, the French shop selling white clothing made with Egyptian cotton.  I did some Christmas shopping there and got some special requests.  I then relaxed and used the local Wifi before returning to the ship. I went to the Garden Buffet, and they had Sirloin Steak on the carving station, so I had them slice some small slices and made sandwiches at the Sandwich Station. They were excellent.  I also took my laptop up to find a cool place and view of Tortola to do some work.  I discovered that my phone still received great Wifi from the complementary Port of Tortola.  I need that for the two-factor security on some of my accounts. So, if you’re here on a ship, use the port Wifi. At about 6:30, I went to Moderno Churrascaria for my 7:00 p.m. reservation, and they seated me straight away, so there was no Mojito Bar time,  but I ordered from the table.  Again, I enjoy the Salad Bar; I get enough steak at home, and my steak is better. I never get lettuce, but I get all the goodies, especially the Hearts of Palm, Shrimp Salad, Artichokes, Picked items, Beet Root, and more (photo). Service was excellent, and I enjoyed the Pineapple, Bacon-wrapped Chicken, Pork Tenderloin, and Vanilla Bean Ice creme for dessert.  I retired to the cabin and relaxed as I had an early excursion in the morning.  It was a fun port day on the Norwegian Jewel.

Day Six - Friday, December 6th, 2024  -  Catalina Island, Dominican Republic

Smoother seas overnight, and I slept fair.  I woke early and went to the Tsar’s Palace Dining Room for a proper breakfast.  I ordered Danish, Hot Milk, Tomato Juice, Eggs Benedict, Bacon, Grilled Tomato, and Sausage.  Service was good at Table 71 again, too.  At 8:30 a.m.  I went to the theater to meet my excursion: Cave of Wonders and Altos De Chavon.  In a few minutes, we were escorted to the Tenders on Deck 4.  There were four different excursions tendering to the mainland and La Ramana.  The weather was beautiful, and I sat out on deck as we passed by the beautiful Catalina Beach.  In forty-five minutes, we arrived and boarded buses.  The first stop was Cueva de las Maravillas, the most popular tourist site in the southeast DR.  It is an interesting cavern and I wanted to see it for the prominent Petroglyphs of the Taino People.  The large main chamber is huge and I could imagine a Taino village living there, not as positive about the petroglyphs being that ancient.  The pathways and stairs are very good and it is impressive and worth a visit.  It can be strenuous if older.  There is an Iguana refuge there as well.  The next stop is Casa de Campo and the Altos de Chavon.  This is a 7000-acre resort with private mega homes, the largest golf course in the Caribbean, private beaches, and more.  The Altos is a recreation of an old town with 15th-16th century style architecture (Christopher Columbus era).  Interesting and famous place, but didn’t appeal to me.  We took the 45-minute ferry back to our ship after 3:00, well after the final BoB time of 2:30.  We sailed shortly after we arrived back.  The real advantage of having my cabin on Deck 4.  They did our ID cards upon boarding, but security was down the passageway in the larger elevator area, but I passed my cabin and stayed.  The Broadway production show was tonight, but after the big excursion, I passed on attending. After some rest, I went to O’Sheehan’s for dinner.  I ordered a Reuben Sandwich, Ultimate Nachos,  and the Carrot Cake.  Also, the Playlist Duo performed and the female did some torch songs.  It was nice.  I retired early to update this blog and check on the news.  It was an enjoyable day with a new port that was getting harder to find.

Day Seven - Saturday, December 7th, 2024 - Willemstad, Curacao, Netherland Antilles

Rolling seas overnight, and I slept fair.  I slept in this morning and then prepared a bag of laundry for the Cabin Steward and used Wifi as we have a mid-day arrival, and my plan is for a casual morning.  At about noon, I went to the Garden Buffet.  They had Sirloin at the carving Station, so I again had some sliced and used sliced wheat bread to make two Steak Sandwiches.  Horseradish sauce is used as a condiment, and fries and slaw are on the side.  They had Carrot Cake at the dessert station, so I had one and took two back to the cabin for later that evening.  At about 2:30 p.m.  I met my excursion group on the pier for the Huto Caves & Ostrich Farm Adventure.  We first went to the farm that pre-covid ran 400 to 500 birds and provided meat and eggs to the island.  Now, with only a hundred birds, they are in recovery mode.  The farm was self-sufficient, and it was interesting to see the operation.  All the guests were interested in seeing the birds, but I observed the ranch operations as a retired rancher.  We then visited the Huto Caves. It was not as difficult as yesterday's excursion, and due to the layered strata, we went uphill to enter the caves. The passageways were clean and easy to follow, and we saw several chambers...I liked the window chamber with an opening at the top.  We returned to the ship at about 6:00 p.m.  Once back on board, I followed several of the NCAA conference championship football games as best I could.  At about 7:30, I went to the Tsar’s Palace Dining Room for dinner.  I ordered the Scallops appetizer and two entrees: Bratwurst with Germain potatoes & Saurkrrut and the Turkey Scallopine dinner.  I preferred the Turkey.  I had a Fruit Plate for dessert and enjoyed the Carrot Cake once back at the cabin.  I followed the late football games before retiring.  It was a beautiful excursion day in Curacao.

Day Eight - Sunday, December 8th, 2024 - Oranjestad, Aruba, Netherland Antilles

Smooth seas overnight, and I slept well and kind of late.  I had no real plans for the port today.  At about 9:30 a.m.  I went up to the Garden Buffet for breakfast and had a made-to-order fresh Omelet with sides of Bacon, Ham, and Potatoes.  After 10:30 a.m.  I did a walk into town, not too busy and only the tourist shops were open.  Didn’t see the cool Trolly Train running either.  There’s not really much to do in Aruba other than enjoy the beautiful beaches or gamble in the casinos.  I returned to the ship and went up to air-conditioned Deck 12 with my laptop to do some work and drink several Coca-Colas.  I followed the Tampa Buccaneers game once it began, as I’m a Baker Mayfield fan.  My laundry was returned this afternoon and folded in a nice basket.  This is a loyal perk from Norwegian.  At about 5:45 p.m.  I went to Shakers Cocktail Bar for some Elderflower martinis, and then at 7:00 p.m.  I went for my Tappenyaki dinner.  I had a Lycee Cocktail and a wonder meal with the usual Chef's Flare.  My entree was a NY Strip steak and Scallop combination, and I think I received two full orders since my Platinum guest voucher was for two dinners.   It was a LOT to eat, and it was very good.  I had an excellent Fruit Plate for dessert.  I sat next to a couple I had sat next to in Modero a few nights past.  I did a walkabout, then back to the cabin for the 9:20 p.m. kickoff of SNF.  It was a great day on the Norwegian Jewel.

Day Nine - Monday, December 9th, 2024 - Sea Day

Smooth seas overnight, and I slept well.  We also changed our time back to the Eastern Time zone overnight.  I had a business morning using the Wifi.  Since I skipped breakfast, I was at the Tsar’s Palace MDR at noon for opening.  Nice menu with options; I ordered the Scallops, Green Salad, the Chicken Milanese entree, and the Flan for dessert.  I did a short walkabout the ship stopped by the Futures Desk, but I still have one unused Certificate, so will not purchase any this cruise.  I spent some time considering some investments near our Villa in Meadow Oaks, then went up to the Deck 12 area between the food area and the aft area that basically becomes a game room on seadays; I’ve been hanging in that area a lot as they have the Drink Station there.  I had some Coca-Cola and enjoyed the views.  Sailing just south of Jamaica, and it's rainy, but the weather is supposed to be good tomorrow in Grand Cayman.  When I returned to the cabin at about 5:00 p.m.  I noticed that they were setting up a special theme night in the Buffet, so at about 6:30, I returned for dinner.  It was Chinese/Asia night, and they had a lot of selections.  The Roasted Pig at the Carving Station was very impressive, I didn’t get a photo as I use my pockets to take back cans of soda, thus no camera.  It tasted good, too.  I had Pho as well as General Tso Chicken too.  I like the themes they do in the buffet on longer cruises.  Royal Caribbean is very good at this.  I retired after dinner to watch some news (NYC shooter & NYC Subway verdict today).  By the way, they have BBC, Fox, and MSNBC.  It was a relaxing day on the Norwegian Jewel. 

Day Ten - Tuesday, December 10th, 2024  -  Georgetown, Grand Cayman

Smooth seas overnight, and I slept well.  I was up early and went to Tsar’s Palace MDR for breakfast.  They had Huevos Rancheros on the daily special, so I ordered it; I’ve never had a proper one on any cruise ship.  I did order an omelet, too, as a backup.  I also ordered a Fruit Plate, Danish, Hot Milk, and Tomato Juice.  It was filling.  At 10:00 a.m., I went to the theater to meet my excursion for the day: Turtles, Turtles, and more Turtles.  We arrived at the Cayman Turtle Center just after 11:00 a.m. and had a short explanation of the site.  You could follow a guided tour or go on your own.  There are a lot of areas to see, including the Lagoon/Bay (photo) with the breeding turtles and their beach for laying eggs, Smiley the Croc, Cultural exhibits, a Turtle Nursery,  a Bird Aviary, a Butterfly House, a Nature Trail, and one can swim with the Turtles in a  Lagoon. There is plenty to do here.  It was not my first visit, and I spent more time in the Galley enjoying the local Lager Beer.   On the way out, I visited the lovely Splash Gift Shop and met our return bus at 1:45 p.m.  We were back at the pier in half an hour and soon on the water taxi or shuttle back to our ship.  The granddaughter would love this adventure, and there were undoubtedly more than just Turtles.  I would also allow more time if you wanted to do everything available.  At about 6:00 p.m. I went to Shakers Martini Bar on Deck 6 for my final Elderflower Martinis, met friendly guests, and stayed for my self-imposed limit.   I then went up to the Garden Buffet on Deck 12 for dinner; it was not busy, unusual for most cruises on a port day.  I had Lamb with mint jelly from the Carving Station, two Pork Chops, Vegetables, and other items.  To be honest, I never had a good potato item on the entire cruise: breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  The vegetables and meats were good, though.  I retired after a short walkabout on the public decks.  It was a great day in port and on the Norwegian Jewel.

Day Eleven - Wednesday, December 11th, 2024 - Sea Day - Final Day of Cruise

Smooth seas overnight as we sailed around Cuba, and I slept well.  At about 10:00 a.m.  I went up to The Great Outdoors on Deck 12 aft-facing for breakfast.  I saw new friends, and we visited while I had my Scrambled Eggs, Ham, Bacon, and Danish.  I brought my laptop and large mug, filled it with ice and Coca-Cola, and spent the rest of the morning enjoying the sea air and view on this final sea day (photo).  I updated this blog and did some business as well.  Beautiful weather, too, until we sailed into a cold front.  The ship caught the squall line wind and listed as much as I have experienced in a while.  Sitting aft was great; you could use the railing to see the list.  The attendants rushed to remove items from tables, and it was exciting for a bit.  It is amazing how quickly they can adjust as soon we were sailing dead level.  I forgot I had a gauge on the iPhone until it was about over, so not sure as to the amount of degree.  I enjoyed two Mango Mayheim Daquiris (with Capt Morgan) while visiting with others on the outer deck.  The weather cleared, and guests returned, and it was busy again when lunch was served next door.  At about 2:00 p.m.  I got a plate of goodies: Pork Loin from the Carving Station, Mexican fajita chicken with peppers, Guacamole, and grilled vegetables.  It was good.  I refreshed my Coca-Cola and ice before returning to the cabin.  Relaxation, Nap,  and TV time the rest of the afternoon.  At about 6:30 p.m. I went to the Garden Buffet for dinner.  Great selections tonight, the best of the cruise.  I had Top Round Steak from the Carving Station, two small Pork Chop cutlets, a small Chicken Breast cutlet, Grilled Vegetables, a small Corn on the Cob, and Bread.  Dinner was good.  I retired to the cabin to sort for packing as I will roll off with self-debark in the morning.  It was a relaxing day on the Norwegian Jewel.

Debarkation - Thursday, December 12th, 2024  -  Port of Tampa

Rolling seas overnight, and I slept well.  Very cold this morning at 44 degrees.  The only long pants I brought are my slacks for the Dining Room, so that’s what I’ll wear with layered shirts.