Norwegian Jewel Panama Canal Cruise Review

Norwegian Jewel Panama Canal Cruise Review

February 19-March 4, 2017

Just the Facts:
Ship: Norwegian Jewel
Captain: Pelle Fredriksson
Cruise Director:  Iain
Ports: Miami - Cartagena - Panama Canal Transit - Puntarenas - Corinto -
Puerto Quetzal - Acapulco - Cabo San Lucas - Los Angeles (San Pedro)

This cruise is the forth of five consecutive cruises for me.  This is my 6th Norwegian cruise and first one in many years, my first time on the Norwegian Jewel, and 126th cruise overall.  I am cruising as a solo.

Sunday / Embarkation / February 19th / Day 1

Tsar's Palace Dining Room

I left the Carnival Vista my cruise home for eight days about 9:50 am and walked over two berths and around a construction area to the Norwegian Jewel dock arriving outside the Terminal about 10:15 am.  I dropped my large bag with a porter ($3 tip) and took my carry-on and backpack with me.  They opened the terminal about 10:45 and I proceeding through security and check-in was a breeze.  However there was a long hour + wait before we could board the ship.  I was an early zone and boarded about 12:15.pm.  I made it to my cabin and dropped my bags then proceeded to the Garden Cafe for the lunch buffet.  First impression with the food is very good.  I fixed two plates: one with a variety of Asian Foods from a Mongolian Grill station and the Steak from the carving station.  The Salad Bar looked good as did the Pastry area.  I’m sure that I will find my buffet favorites and other food venues during the cruise.  My cabin, located aft on deck 11, is very spacious with nice decor and wood trim.  I set up my cabin with my cruise hack items and what clothing I did have.  This being a new ship to me I reviewed the Freestyle Daily, Deck Plan, and other information carefully.  Soon my luggage was delivered so I finished cabin set up and I have ample storage, I am very pleased with the cabin.  I did my first walk about and made a call home from upper decks while I have phone service in Miami, but soon was interrupted by the announcements for Boat Drill set to begin at 4:15 pm.  I continued my tour but headed towards my muster station located in the Tsar Palace MDR on deck 6 aft.  I really like the decor of this room.  Following the drill I returned to the cabin and prepared some laundry for the ‘Press Only’ special, purchase the unlimited internet package (expensive), and reviewed the dining options.  With ‘Freestyle’  dining we do not have a set time or dining room so learning this system will be different.  I do have the UBP Unlimited Beverage Package as a bonus to the cruise fare so it will be interesting to see how that works over the next 14 days. I met friends for cocktails in the Shakers Martini Bar on deck 6, then we proceeded to Tsar’s Palace for dinner.  The beautiful room and elegant tablecloths were very refreshing compared to what I have experienced the past three cruises,  For dinner I ordered the New England Crab Cake, a Green Salad, the Prime Rib and Sliced Pork Loin entrees. For dessert I enjoyed the Pistachio Crème Brûlée and the Cherries Jubilee.  It was a great meal.  The primary entertainment tonight is the Welcome Show, but it didn’t fit into my freestyle schedule so didn’t attend…it did seem to be a bigger show than other lines.  I personally retired to the cabin soon after dinner.  As I perused the TV channels I noticed that they have both Fox News Channel and MSNBC as news options, something not seen on Carnival…a nice variety.  It was a interesting day of discovery on board the NCL Jewel.

Monday / Sea Day / February 20th / Day 2

O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill

Smooth seas overnight.  I woke at 4:00 am so did some internet work and worked on this review for a few hours before sleeping again.  I was lucky to wake about 9:00 am in time for a proper breakfast in the Tsar’s Palace MDR.  I ran into a couple I knew so we shared a table.  I ordered an Eggs Benedict breakfast exact items as yesterdays on the Vista for comparison.  The wonderful crisp tablecloths let me know that this would be a superior breakfast irregardless of the food.  I met my cabin steward Maggie this morning, she took the press-only special laundry she left last night.Time to explore the ship and I ended up out most of the day.  I dropped a form off at the Future Cruise Desk, NCL’s is a great concept, a difference is that you receive OBC for the cruise you are currently sailing then the voucher will cover any future deposit in full. So there will be NCL cruises in my future.  I then went out on boat deck to get a coke and air, but alas NCL has Pepsi so I got two Ginger Ales and sat at a table to drink one and I was going to continue to explore with the other.  I ended up enjoying my table location, the sea air, texting with the DW back home, and viewing the Carnival Splendor that has been sailing along side of us all day. So it's now mojito time. Then a Caribbean band performed and the old folks began dancing away…great people watching.  Mojito time again. A German gentleman sat with me to eat his BBQ that gave me the opportunity to get a nice plate of grilled chicken and a grilled pork chop for my lunch.  Good food and for dessert I allowed the cocktail server to pick a cocktail of his choice and he brought a Mudslide.  Nice...this UBP (unlimited beverage package) may work just fine.  So after a nice day by the pool I had a brief nap in my nice dark cabin before another walk about the ship.  I wanted to checkout O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill on deck 8, it’s a great place.  They have  a nice bar and a nice limited comfort food menu.  I had a couple of Pilsner Urquell beers and an order of Mozzarella Sticks.  Yes hot appetizers at the bar.  At 7:00 pm I went to the Stardust Theater for Showtime featuring singer Jeri Sager a former Broadway performer.  Her show featured various Broadway hits and was very entertaining.  After dinner I met friends in Fyzz a nice little show venue on deck 7 then went to dinner at Tsar’s Palace.  There was no wait at all and it was only 8:15 the normal time for late seating on most cruise lines. We may have a plan for the rest of the cruise.  Dinner was good, I ordered:  Fried Brie Wedges, Creamy Mushroom Soup, and the Yankee Pot Roast entree.  For dessert I ordered the Creme Carmel from the menu and a Mudslide from the bar.  It was a fun spontaneous day on the Norwegian Jewel.

Tuesday  /  Sea Day  /  February 21st / Day 3

NCL Jewel Pool Deck

Smooth seas overnight and I slept very well.  I went up one deck to ‘The Great Outdoors’ food area where in the mornings they have breakfast items.  Very easy for me as it’s directly above my cabin.  I enjoyed a light breakfast as sat out on the aft rail and enjoyed the sun and wake of the ship.  Afterward I went down on pool deck and got a table in the shade..  I took my Tervis tumbler and started with ginger ale just as yesterday.  I was able to message the DW back at home on the iPhone and did some people watching.  All friends eventually found me so we had a good visit.  I tried to order a Hugo Spritzer a perfect poolside drink and they made a valiant attempt, but a bit short.  I was saved by Louis a bar server who had previously worked on MSC.  Woo Hoo perfect drinks for all.  I again had the BBQ from the grill.  Today it was Chicken and Sirloin Steaks with Paella and a Corn Relish.  Very Good.  The same Caribbean band performed a set but not as many dancers today.  It was another relaxing day by the pool but still deserving of a nap back in the cabin in afternoon.  Friends and I met in O’Sheehan’s at 6:00 for drinks.  I also had some tasty Chicken Wings.  About 7:10 we went down to Tsar’s Palace for dinner…seated almost strait away.  I ordered: Fried Scallops, Green Salad, Veal Bratwurst, Sliced Sirloin Steak, and Apple Pie for dessert.  I also had a Bushwacker as a dessert cocktail.  Very nice service on NCL…very pleased.  We even had time to catch the 9:00 feature show, but I retired to review my private tour for Cartagena.  It was another nice sea day on the Norwegian Jewel.

Wednesday / Cartagena / February 22nd / My Birthday / Day 4

Friends in Cartagena Columbia

Smooth seas overnight, but I was up early as I thought I needed to be for my excursion. I had a nice omelet from the omelet station then prepared for the day and discovered I really could have slept in as my meet time was 9:45.  At least I was able to miss the big push to get of the ship early.  About 8:45 I debarked as I knew there was a nice park area at the cruise terminal.  I was able to enjoy a very nice Coca-Cola Light and sit with the Flamingos for a while.  About 10:00 my tour was off and I was grouped with four couples from the Island Princess on a nice small bus. Our first stop was one of the two primary places I wanted to visit: Castillo San Felipe de Barajas a fortress on a high hill guarding approaches to the old walled city.  We didn’t go in it was a photo op experience but fine for me.  The next was my second priority: Convent of Santa Cruz de la Popa on the city's highest hill dates to 1607 & offers a leafy cloister & sweeping views of the area.  We stopped at a souvenir area in the old city and an Emerald Museum/Jewellry Store then walked through the old town passing: Cartagena Cathedral, Teatro Heredia, Plaza de Bolívar, and a stop at the Sanctuary of Saint Peter Claver, an elegant 1580s church with a museum dedicated to its namesake, a canonized early abolitionist.  From here I left the tour and took a taxi back to the pier as the Jewel leaves at 2:00 pm.  I was ready as I had seen what I wanted.  I made it back to the ship about 1:40 (10 minutes late) along with many others returning from tours.  While standing in the line to board the ship we were given: cold washcloths (nice ones), water, or lemonade...then once past security fresh bowls of ice creme to cool off....I'm liking NCL.  In addition to the sites I did make some bargains with local vendors: new sunglasses ($5), new straw hat ($5), and new Panama hat ($36) . It was a snack from O’Sheehan’s then rest and clean up time in the cabin for the rest of the afternoon.  At 6:00 pm I met friends in Shakers Martini Bar for cocktails.  The seven of us went to the Teppanyaki Restaurant, as they say: “It's not just a meal, it's an experience”. It was a very entertaining show by the Chef and the food was fantastic. I had a Filet Mignon / Sea Scallop combination.  They even brought out a birthday cake.  It was a wonderful day in Cartagena and evening on the Jewel.

Thursday / Panama Canal Transit / February 23rd / Day 5

Panama Canal - gates at locks

Smooth seas overnight and I slept well and awoke early to the Captains voice over the TV.  The forward camera on TV that I most always leave on in my cabin also allows announcements from the Bridge.  As we were entering the Panama Canal early this morning the Captain began his comments.  Soon my friends called and I watched us enter the canal and the first Gatun lock from their balcony.  Then to breakfast an lucked out with table on window. So watched us go through second and third locks then into Lake Gatun.  Very interesting process.  I had lunch in O’Sheehan’s and again a viewing window as we sailed upper Gatun Lake.  I had a walk about after lunch and went to the deck 8 viewing area (normally the crew deck) far forward, then up to the Spinnaker Lounge on deck 13 forward, and deck 13 and 12 outdoors as we passed through the Culebra Cut and under the Centennial Bridge.  Most guests were very interested in watching us pass through the Panama canal and they did have a running commentary of what guests were seeing as we passed through.  I ran into Louis on pool deck so I had a couple of Hugo spritzers.  It was late when we passed through the final three locks at Miraflores and dark when we went under the Bridge of the Americas. It was impressive viewing the skyline of Panama City at night.  The Jewel is now in the Bay of Panama and the Pacific Ocean.  Our group of seven met at 8:00ish at Cagney’s Steakhouse for dinner, I ordered the Iceberg Wedge Salad, a Baked Potato, and the Rib Eye Steak.  It was excellent…two great meals in two days.  After dinner I retired to the cabin as I was out and about on the ship most of the day.  It was a very educational day transiting the Panama Canal today.

Friday  /  Sea Day  /  February 24th / Day 6

My Cabin

Very smooth Pacific seas overnight and I slept well.  We turned our clocks back so we are now on Texas time for a few days as we sail northwest along the Pacific coast of Central America.  I went up to the Garden Cafe for a light breakfast with English bacon about 8:00 am.  Today’s goal is to do nothing other than rest and relax.  I did take a walk about around lunch time and enjoyed some BBQ from the pool deck.  Afternoon was cabin time and some work online until 3:30 when I went to the theater to watch the movie: Deep Water Horizon.  A very good movie.  About 6:30 pm I met the group at Shakers for a cocktail.  Five of us ate at Azura another of the MDR’s (included) located mid-ship on deck six.  I ordered: Risotto with Artichokes, Crab Louie, Tomato Salad, a Greek Meatball entree with Tzatziki sauce, and a Carmel Bread Pudding for dessert.  I did not discover the daily afternoon movies until today, they are consistent with entertainment with the primary daily shows at 7:00 and 9:00 pm in the Theater.  Tonight was Comedy although I have an early excursion so retired after dinner.  It was an easy relaxing sea day on the Jewel.

Saturday  /  Puntarenas, Costa Rica  /  February 25th / Day 7

My little friend

Smooth seas and I slept very well.  I woke early and watched us dock at the pier about 6:00ish for our scheduled 7:00 am arrival. I went up to The Great Outdoors for a quick breakfast and take in the views of this beautiful port then down to the pier for my 8:00 am meet time for my private tour.  The tour operator was Gio Tours and soon we were on our way in our 12 pax van on our 8-stop tour.  After a 20+ minute drive towards the Tárcoles River area, the first stop was to view White-faced Monkeys, they are amusing and one dropped down from a tree onto my head.  Second stop is at a Fruit Stand…a popular thing to do as there were many of them in this area.  I had a fresh fruit smoothie and some mangos.  The third stop was a two hour cruise on the Tárcoles River well known for it’s crocodile population.  We saw many croc’s including some really big ones as well as many birds, iguanas, and other wildlife. Stop four is for a nice lunch at a local open air family restaurant: Rice & Beans, Salad, Vegetables, Chicken (fish was gone), and a unique fresh Pineapple drink. I had a very nice Pilsen Beer. Stop five is at the private Nativa Resort (condominiums) were after a drive through the beautiful grounds came to an overlook of the Pacific coast, jungle, mountains, and Tárcoles River. Next stop was a large souvenir complex with clean toilets and snacks. Stop number seven is a grocery store…interesting and I did buy some candy. After a drive by tour of the town of Punta Arenus our final stop was at the lighthouse.  We were dropped at the ship about 4:00 pm...I highly recommend this tour operator...the van was nice and they had even had wifi.  There was some delay boarding as the tides required the ship to change decks of the gangways, but there was a very colorful local performance group (music & dance) on the pier.  I was quite tired, but a hot shower revived me. I wanted an easy night so I went up to the Garden Cafe, it was Chinese night, but I found the Roast Pork at the carving station and had a quick meal.  I attended the production show: Band On The Run with 80’s music and dance in the Stardust theater.  It was a very good show.  After the show I returned through the Garden Cafe and got a very nicely made Crepe for dessert.  It was a long and busy day in Costa Rica and the NCL Jewel.

Sunday  /  Corinto, Nicaragua  /  February 26th / Day 8

Lake Managua and the Momotombo Volcano

I woke early and watched some news on TV and worked on this review.  About 7:00 am as we entered the channel we encountered some rolling enough to make it difficult to walk and the pool flooded the Library below it. Exciting. I went down to the Tsar’s Palace for a nice breakfast: Three fried eggs, Scottish Kippers, bacon, ham, and more.  My meet time for today's tour is 9:30 in the theater and soon I was off on my Old & Colonial Leon NCL excursion.  There are 39 on a nice 46 pax bus and we off on a 1.5 hour drive to León Viejo founded in June 1524 by the Spanish and covered by a volcanic event in 1610.  It has been called the Pompeii of the Americas. My favorite site was the location of the original fort with a view of Lake Managua and the Momotombo Volcano (photo).  I was surprised by the number of active (smoking) volcanoes in the area.  Following the tour we had lunch next door in a family outdoor restaurant consisting of: Frijoles, Slaw, Beef, Chicken, Rice, & Plantains.  After lunch we were off to Leon 25+ miles away and toured the main Square and Cathedral of León, also known as Our Lady of Grace Cathedral.  The Cathedral's construction lasted between 1747 and 1814 and was consecrated by Pope Pius IX in 1860. The Cathedral has maintained the status of being the largest cathedral in Central America and one of the best known in the Americas due to its distinct architecture and special cultural importance. Both the Cathedral in León and León Viejo are UNESCO Heritage sites. I did have time for a very nice mojito in Leon before boarding the buses at 4:10 for the journey back to Corinto.  We arrived back just after our due time of 5:30 pm later than expected due to losing an hour with some bus problems earlier, but we made it and sailed at 5:45 pm during a beautiful sunset.  After cleaning up I met the gang at Shakers then we went to Tsar's Palace for dinner. I ordered: Spanish Gazpacho, Braised Stone Fruits, Mixed Garden Salad, and the Grilled New York Strip Steak entree.  I skipped dessert and retired to the cabin to rest & prepare for tomorrows early excursion.   It was a great excursion day in Nicaragua.

Monday  /  Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala  /  February 27th / Day 9

Santa Catalina Arch with Volcán de Auga

Smooth seas overnight and I slept very well.  I ordered room service as my wake up call this morning and it arrived perfectly between 6:30 -7:00 am as requested.  I watched us arrive and dock on the cabin TV as I prepared to meet my tour at 8:00 am. My NCL excursion was Antigua On Your Own and soon I was on my bus for the 90 minute drive to the Colonial city of Antigua established in 1524.  We passed several coffee plantations on the drive up into the mountains and actually drove between the Volcán de Fuego and Volcán de Auga.  You could see the old lava flows and one is still active.  Antigua is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish Baroque-influenced architecture as well as a number of ruins of colonial churches. It served as the capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala and at it’s height had a population of 70,000 in 1770’s less than half that now. It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  My favorite site was the Cathedral of Saint James San José Parish originally built in 1541 and reconstructed following several earthquakes in 1680.  It was severely damaged in earthquake of 1773 and only partial rebuilt.  I was able to tour the ruins of the original ($1 donation) located directly behind existing Church.  It had to have been amazing...largest in the Americas.  I also enjoyed: the Captain General Palace, La Merced Church, the Santa Catalina Arch, and the very active main Plaza of the old town. I had a very nice lunch at Restaurante El Arco located at the Arch in the old Convent building: Mango Mojito, Agua, Guacamole, Frijoles, Chips, and local Salsa.  I did a bit of shopping, but perhaps the better values were from the street vendors and there are a LOT of them.  One could easily spend a few days here in this unique location. Too soon I met our bus for the return to the ship and we were back by 4:30.  There are a lot of nice craft vendors at the port area.   I went up to watch sail away and enjoy a mojito at the Great Outdoors Deck 12 aft…it was a pleasant evening.   Later I went to the Tsar’s Palace for dinner, it was good, I ordered the Mixed Green Salad, the Beef Brisket (weak), and the Grouper fish entree.  For desert a great Banana Soufflé and the Mojito Fruit.  I needed a good rest night after three intensive excursions so I retire early.  It was a wonderful day in the beautiful colonial city of Antigua.

Tuesday  /  Sea Day  /  February 28th / Day 10

The Great Outdoors

Smooth seas overnight and I slept very well.  The sea surface is smooth with just a bit of rolling, the Captain has said it’s a good day to watch as Turtles, Dolphins, and Whales have been seen this morning.  I went to the Garden Cafe for an omelet and I’m loving the English Bacon.  I had my Yeti filled up at the Great Outdoors with Ginger Ale and good for a relaxing morning.  The ship had a laundry special: one bag for $19.95 flat fee, so I stuffed a bag full...we'll see how that works out.  I was heading to the Pool deck BBQ when I saw them making fresh Cuban Panini sandwiches so I had one with some great beet roots for lunch.  I met friends at O’Sheehan’s at 1:00 and enjoyed a Pilsner Urquell. We saw quite a few large sea turtles in the  calm seas. The afternoon was cabin time, nap time, and work/internet time and it was productive.  I went to Shakers and had the best cocktails so far: an Elderflower Cosmo, I will only use that bartender now.  Our group had dinner in Cagney’s steakhouse again, I ordered: the Iceburgh Wedge Salad, a perfect Ribeye Steak, Beet Roots and shared Baked Potato & Mushrooms.  It was all excellent.  For dessert a Mudslide cocktail and on my late walk about had a strawberry & vanilla swirl ice creme from the Great Outdoors.  It was an easy yet productive day on The Norwegian Jewel.

Wednesday  /  Acapulco, Mexico  /  March 1st / Day 11

La Quebrada Cliff Divers (2) - double click photo to enlarge

Smooth seas continue and I slept very well.  I went up to the Garden Cafe for breakfast and have a nice view of Acapulco Bay.  I met friends who are the same excursion as I this morning at 9:00 am and proceeded to the meet location in the cruise terminal.  After waiting for others in group, (about 25) we were off in full size bus on our excursion. This was my first visit to Acapulco and I was not fully aware of the typography or size of the crescent shaped Bay itself.  Such a beautiful location.  The city is best known as one of Mexico's oldest and most well-known beach resorts, which came into prominence in the 1950s as a getaway for Hollywood stars and millionaires. Acapulco is still famous and still attracts many tourists, although most are now from Mexico itself. The resort area is divided into two: The north end of the bay is the "traditional" area, where the famous in the mid-20th century vacationed, and the south end is dominated by newer luxury high-rise hotels.  We drove the Boulevard towards and through the new Acapulco observing the high rise hotels, modern restaurants, nightclubs, international businesses (Office Depot, Walmart, etc.), and more.  We then drove through the Puerto Marqués area of exclusive resorts and the ‘Beverly Hills’ area of Acapulco with magnificent homes overlooking the bay.  We reversed our route passing back through our original route and beyond the cruise terminal in opposite direction into the traditional area where the 1950’s era hotels, fish market, and Zócalo (main square) are located.  Then we were off to see the La Quebrada Cliff Divers.  It was a very interesting show and tradition since the 1930’s. Following the cliff diving we returned to the cruise terminal.  Located directly across from the ship is Acapulco's most historic building: the Fort of San Diego, originally built in 1616 to protect the city from pirate attacks. It was rebuilt in 1776 and 1783 and parts of the moats remain as well as the five bulwarks and the battlements. Now the fort serves as the Museo Histórico de Acapulco (Acapulco Historical Museum), which shows the port's history from the pre-Hispanic period until independence.  Very easy and convenient to visit.  At 4:15 the ship hosted a Mexican Folkloric Show with a local professional dance troupe.  It was a fantastic show, but I love traditional cultural shows.  I watched a beautiful sail away from the aft facing Great Outdoor Bar as we sailed out of Acapulco Bay.  I had a simple dinner from the Garden Cafe and retired to cabin soon afterward.  Acapulco was a very pleasing and enjoyable port.

Thursday  /  Sea Day  /  March 2nd / Day 12

Pool Deck BBQ

A bit of rolling seas overnight.  I was up in the night and did some wifi work before returning to sleep.  We turned our time back one hour last night so I was ready at 7:30 am when the NYSE opened for a few trades, different.  Then to Tsar’s Palace MDR for a proper breakfast: Fruit, Eggs, Ham, Bacon, and Dollar Pancakes.  My big bag of laundry was returned and they did a great job, it was delivered in a long basket and all neatly folded. I had a nice walk about and spent some time in a chair outside on deck 7 people watching.  This would be an outdoor promenade similar to the old ocean liners and not as common on cruise ships.  It’s nice to have a lower deck that you can walk completely around the ship.  There are a high number of foreign guests on this cruise, in fact probably the majority, and they really use that outer deck, even playing shuffle board games.  Interesting.  The weather is also cooling somewhat as we head north.  I’m so glad I checked on the pool deck BBQ as they had Pork Fatback today.  It was by far the best BBQ on the cruise so far.  They also had a great English Trifle dessert in the Garden Cafe.  This afternoon I caught up on some needed online work then did some whale watching from the Great Outdoors aft.  About 6:00 pm I went to Shakers for a few of my special cocktails  and the gang was all there, then to the Tsar’s Palace MDR for dinner.  I ordered the Creme of Cauliflower Soup, Tomato Salad, and the Sirloin Steak Diane entree.  The production show was an All Star Variety Show with the production cast,  dancers, and comedian.  It was a nice sea day on the Jewel.

Friday  /  Cabo San Lucas, Mexico  /  March 3rd / Day 13

Mr.Cool in Cabo  (what two locals called me)

Smooth seas overnight and I again slept well.  We arrived early in Cabo this morning before the 7:00 am scheduled time and they began tendering a few minutes early. I went up to the Garden Cafe for an Omelet and English bacon and had a great view of the Cabo point.  I was in the cabin just after 7:30 and heard a standard debark/tender announcement from the CD which I interpreted as “if you come now it will be easy” so I did.  It was walk down and walk right on the tender, no waiting at all.  Of course it put me there very early…well before our tour time but I bought a Coca-cola light, visited with guests, and was able to get the Wi-Fi code from Senior Frogs to pass some time.  My tour was a Whale Watching Tour off the coast operated by Magna Oceanus and purchased through ShoreTrips.  The double-decker catamaran sailed by sites such as Lover's Beach, Sea Lion Colony, and Cabo Arch. We had a delicious lunch and generous domestic open bar.  We did see whales with an occasional full breach, very nice.  The Cabo Harbor is a very busy place with boats and tenders of all sizes coming in and out and we were the only cruise ship today.  I can only imagine what it would be like with two or more ships. We were back well in time for the tenders and our early scheduled 2:00 pm departure from Cabo.  I went up to the Great Outdoors for sail away...and lo the gang was there, I'd been suggesting it as it's perfect location.  I had some Pilsner Urquell beers and enjoyed our sailing around the Baja and begin our sailing north up the Pacific coast of Mexico. I went to Shakers, the cocktail bar, and had one of my favorites, then the group went to Tsar’s Palace for dinner.  I ordered New England Clam Chowder, a Crab Souffle, Mixed Green Salad, and two entrees: Prime Rib with Baked Potato & a lightly Grilled Flounder.  Stardust Showtime featured the show Le Cirque Bijou tonight. It was a fun day in Cabo and the Jewel today.

Saturday  /  Final Sea Day  /  March 4th / Day 14

Shakers Cocktail Bar

Smooth seas overnight and I slept off and on then up too early.  I did go to the Tsar’s Palace MDR for a very nice Eggs Benedict breakfast.  I went up to The Great Outdoors for a Yeti size ginger ale and saw friends that had a table so it was whale watching from deck 12 for a good while.  We saw several whales breach, kind of rare from a cruise ship, but we are in the prime time of year and the migrating lanes sailing up the Pacific coast of Mexico  It’s getting cooler but it was very nice sitting in the sun.  We stayed until after noon then got grilled baby back ribs from the pool deck BBQ.  They were excellent, perhaps not as good as the Fat Back, but they did save the best two items for the last two sea days.  After lunch it was movie time, I watched The Magnificent Seven (2016), a new very good ‘western shoot ‘em up’ movie.  After the movie it was cabin time.  I went for a cocktail as usual at Shakers on deck 6, then met the group at the Teppanyaki Restaurant for dinner.  Thought we'd make our final dinner a memorable one at the best restaurant on the ship.  I again ordered the Filet Mignon / Sea Scallop combination.  It was another great show by the chef and another great meal.  It was a great final sea day on the Norwegian Jewel.

Sunday / Debarkation / March 5th
I was up early and watched us back into the channel and port terminal on TV and later from on deck.  The terminal looks much better than when I was here last and we are docked next to the USS Iowa battleship.  I had my final breakfast with English bacon from the Garden Cafe on lido deck and tested the cool weather outside.  Much different weather than I have had for a month+ at sea.  I completed my packing then to meet friends, debark, and begin another wee adventure.

Ship

Tonnage: 93,502 GT - Length: 965 ft (294.13 m) - Beam: 106 ft (32.31 m) - Draft:  27 ft  Decks:  15  Speed: 25 knots - Capacity: 2,376 passengers - Crew: 1,100  -  This ship entered service on 4 August 2005. She was constructed at Meyer Werft Shipyard in Germany and was christened in November 2005 at Port of Miami.  Her godmother is Melania Trump, spouse of U.S. President, Donald Trump. 

Cabin
I had cabin 11147 an interior located on deck 11 far aft. When I booked this long ago I was still recovering from my tropical disease Schistosomiasis (caught in St. Kitts) so I had booked a handicap cabin.  I had forgotten that I had, but will enjoy it.  Basically the difference is: more floor space, emergency buttons, and bench in bathroom.  The cabin has a double bed, a push button safe, three-section closet, two chairs, two electrical outlets on counter/dresser and two at TV, Telephone on nightstand, Hair dryer at counter/dresser, and small flat screen TV.  There is an empty refrigerator. My cabin steward, Maggie from Columbia was very good, the cabin was always clean.

Dining / Food / Bars
Huge difference for me with the Freestyle dining on NCL.  There are NO set dining times anywhere, but the option to dine in six or seven dining venues or six premium venues with an extra cover charge.  I really like the Tablecloths in the primary dining rooms…very classy compared to Carnival Cruise Line.  They also have one MDR with stricter dress code and one MDR with more casual dress code.  Something for everyone.  I like it.  The food was very impressive, but also different to me so change is good.  They did have a REAL steak, among other nice entrees offered every night on a set menu if you wished, or the daily menu that changes with special entrees.  Very impressive menus.  The pool deck BBQ on sea days is great.  Two 24 hour ice creme machines. There are 16 bars on board, my favorites were Shakers the martini bar and The Great Outdoors bar on Lido aft.

Crew / Other
Most crew were friendly, helpful, and efficient. The NCL iPhone App is wonderful, especially for checking your account balances.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CRUISES
Antiquia, Guatamala
Teppanyaki Restaurant
Costa Rica 8/1 Tour
Cagney’s Steakhouse
Tsar’s Palace Main Dining Room
Cabo San Lucas Day
Acapulco Day
Old & Colonial Leon in Nicaragua
Cartagena Columbia Excursion
Transit of Panama Canal
UBP

Panama Canal Certificate

MSC Poeisa Review 11.1.2010

MSC Poeisa Review

Just the Facts:
Cruise: MSC Poesia 10-day Southern Caribbean
Date: November 1-10, 2010
Captain: Giacomo Romano
Cruise Director: Anna
Weather: Very Good
Ports: Cozumel, Mexico—Puerto Limon, Costa Rica—Christobal, Panama—Cartegena, Columbia— Montego Bay, Jamaica

This is my first cruise on MSC, an Italian cruise ship operator, and many of my comments will be comparisons to more U.S. oriented cruise lines. There are a lot of differences.

Day 1--Monday November 1—Embarkation
We left the ranch about 7:00am to begin our new cruise adventure. We drove to Austin’s Bergstrum airport via FM roads, SH36, I-35 and toll road arriving about 9:30 am. This was perfect for our 11:00 am flight on Southwest Airlines. We like this very easy to maneuver airport and it will be an option for us on future travels. The flight went well and we arrived in Ft. Lauderdale about 2:40. After retrieving the bags we proceeded to the shared shuttle kiosk and arranged a shuttle ($11 pp) to Port Everglades. We were actually the only ones on the van and arrived at the MSC terminal in just a few minutes. The check-in went smooth as we were behind the initial crowds and we were on board by 3:30. We were very pleased with the travel taking just over eight hours from doorstep to ship.

Upon boarding we went directly to the cabin and dropped our carry on bags. We then went to the buffet as we suspected it may close soon. We just made it as it does close at 4:00 pm. We had a light snack: the roast beef, salads, and four cheese lasagna were excellent. We now needed to orient ourselves to the ship. It is very different from many cruise ships as there is no central focus or atrium area, but a series of smaller spaces. This is very different to us and an interesting concept. We took a quick walk around the lido deck then went back to the cabin to settle. Soon they delivered our checked bags (very quick service). They began announcing boat drill about 5:00pm. You still have to wear your life jackets and proceed to the muster area on this ship. We unpacked our luggage and familiarized ourselves with the cabin. It is a very nice balcony cabin on deck 9 and is very nicely decorated in dark blues and wood, a very classy look. There are a lot of drawers (not shelves) small sofa, and other little amenities that make it a premium cabin. The layout is nice with the bed on the entry/toilet side and the sitting area on the balcony side of the cabin. I like the layout much better than most cruise cabins. We had a short rest, reviewed the deck plans and Daily Programme then off to explore the ship before dinner. With no large central area the standard lounges are very large and the large lounges are huge. There are shops scattered on the deck between lounges and it really has a very good traffic flow. We really liked the Zebra lounge (photo right) decorated in zebra print and African motif. The Del Poeti lounge was also nice. Both lounges feature live entertainment. We were supposed to sail at 7:00, but didn’t get away until after we had gone to dinner. We have late dinner in the Il Palladio dining room. All the food is Italian and features a different region of Italy featured each night. An information card is on each table explaining the unique foods of the region. They also have two always available menus, one American and one Italian. Tonight was food from the Milan area of Italy. We mixed our choices from two of the menus and from the always AA menu: a Mediterranean Salad, Fruit, and Pasta Pomodoro, from Milan I had the Encrusted Pork Chop (excellent-and it had a much fancier Italian name) and the Marscapone for dessert. They also have chocolate and a different flavor of Gelato each night, tonight was banana. The gelato was just OK, but the Marscapone was the best I have ever had. They do have a premium gelato stand and I will sample that soon. There were no shows or events this evening, but all the lounges were very busy. After dinner we retired to the cabin for needed rest after such a busy day.

Day 2--Tuesday November 2—at Sea
It was smooth sailing overnight and we slept very well. I would have been late to breakfast, but the ships time changed overnight so we are now on Texas time. DW had room service and I ate in the Le Fontane dining room. They have a wide selection of items in the dining room, but the room service is very limited with only pastries, juices, and coffee. I had Eggs Benedict with bacon and potatoes. Very good, but very different. The ship activities are more traditional. No hairy chest contests or such, but Trivia, Italian lessons, Shuffleboard, etc. A bit more refined I would say. The lounge chairs around the two swimming pools filled early. The lounge chairs themselves are different with a small upper tent/shade to cover your face. We found a spot on the shady side this morning and enjoyed a nice breeze. We usually do a buffet lunch when on a cruise, but because of the reputation of the food on Poesia we had lunch in the dining room. A good choice as it was very good. They have a standard everyday menu for lunch with a daily special that changes. You can order just about any combination of pasta and sauces. I had Penne Pasta with cherry tomato sauce. DW had Mozzarella sticks with marinara. On the daily menu was a very nice grilled Sirloin Steak. The Gelato flavor today is mint, and it was better than the banana. After lunch DW found a spot on deck and did some swimming and had some deck time reading. The pools are fresh salt water and very comfortable. I explored some more of the ship and had some cabin time. We have had an excellent view of Cuba all afternoon. Our balcony is on the correct side of the ship to watch as we sail along the Cuban coast. Obviously MSC has a different relationship with Cuba as no other cruise line I have sailed has ever been this close to the island. The western portion of the north Cuban coast is very mountainous. We thought we would sample the room service. The room service menu is very limited compared to some cruise lines, but what we tried was very good. We ordered an egg salad sandwich, tuna sandwich, fruit platter and of course an antipasti plate. It took about half an hour for delivery, but a good option for late afternoon snack. We had some nice balcony time with our snack and watching the Cuban coast until it disappeared as we entered a rain cloud. We broke through the rain and clouds just in time for beautiful sunset. The feature show for second dinner seating begins at 6:45 in the Carlo Felice Theater (photo) and tonight was Euphoria. It was a very visual show and enjoyable. This is the first Gala or formal evening with a Gala night menu in the dining room. I had the Shrimp Cocktail (very nice with large shrimp), Shrimp Risotto (just OK), and the Prime Rib with Baked Potato and vegetables (very good). For dessert I had the Peach Melba. DW had an excellent Crepe with julienned vegetables, one of the better vegetarian dishes she has had on a cruise ship. We retired after dinner to watch election results on the cabin TV.

Day 3--Wednesday November 3rd—Cozumel, Mexico
The seas were calm overnight and weather is very nice. We arrive early in Cozumel and docked just after 8:00 am, well before our scheduled 9:00am arrival time. There are six cruise ships scheduled for Cozumel today so it will be busy. The ship’s Daily Programme said local time was one hour later so we thought we get off early and go San Miguel to take care of some business and beat the crowds. We soon found out that the local time was one hour earlier. Perhaps something lost in the translation? We took a taxi from the pier ($7) ending up in San Miguel an hour before Antonio’s barber shop would open. First stop was the 7-11 for our first diet coke in a few days. We soon did see our friend Nelly next door to the 7-11 opening her new shop, Caribbean Angel. She has nice paintings, pearls, and purses among other things especially jewelry. If you visit say hello from Ray. She can also direct you to places to see on the island and has even been an unofficial liaison for Americans stranded on the island. While DW visited and shopped I went to the Internet shop ($1 an hour) while waiting for Antonio's to open. Soon afterward I saw Martin, my barber, on the way to the bank. It has been a while since my last haircut so we exchanged greetings and planned to meet when he opened. I got a great haircut and Martin showed me the new location he will move to next month. He has cut my hair for almost five years and I will see him again in January. We had heard a lot of internet chatter about Wet Wendy’s a new margarita bar that I knew was near Nelly’s and she took us over to visit. They are remodeling with a very nice bar and an open air concept just off the main square. We met the owner and they will have reopened by the time I post this review. I look forward to visiting her in January and sampling one of her 20+ favors of margaritas. With our shopping and business finished we wanted to spend the day at a beach club. We were trying to decide between the Money Club and Buccanos and decided on Buccanos since DW was there just two weeks ago, I wanted to see it, and mainly because they have a swimming pool (photo at right). We took a taxi ($7) to Buccanos located north of San Miguel in the Zona Hotelera norte. The location is at the old hotel Caribe, but the hotel has not reopened since hurricane Wilma. All the open air restaurant areas and beach facilities are restored and very nice. They have a beautiful private beach and a designated snorkel area. The large freshwater swimming pool is very nice with good showers and view of the water. There are a lot of cruise excursions that visit here for either rock climbing or the snorkeling and I saw cruise ship towels from RCCL, Princess, and Carnival. I had a wonderful swim in the Caribbean and the pool. We ordered guacamole and chips and had a few beers and margaritas. Overall it was a wonderful afternoon. We took a taxi ($15-I thought too much) back to the International pier about 3:30 pm and looked at some of the shops and bought some diet coke on the way back to the ship for our scheduled 5:00 pm departure. We ordered some fruit plates and antipasti plates from room service and enjoyed some balcony time with a view of Cozumel and the Grandeur of the Seas docked next to us. Based on my contrarian cruise theory we went to lido to swim in the main pools while most were preparing for early dinner or sail away. There were only a very few in the pool and it was refreshing from the local heat and humidity. While we were in the pool they began to play Con te Partirò (Time to Say Goodbye) and I knew what that meant, sail away. Italian ships may not leave on time, but they do leave with a dramatic flair! After the song they began 3 long horn blasts that were returned by two of the ships docked near us (and I suspect with Italian crews). Very cool. We were docked next to a Costa ship once on a sail away and they played Time to Say Goodbye as they sailed away, but it was great to experience it on your own ship. Bravo! Show time was again at 6:45 and Extraordinaire was another good visual show with a few songs in this performance. Tonight’s region in the dining room is Sorrento and it is also Italian Day on board. I had a Mediterranean Salad and combined two entrees into a single. One entrée featured Sorrento Meatballs and another Fettuccine Alfredo and the waiter was able to make a Fettuccine with Marinara and Meatballs (excellent). Just what I was wanting for Italian Day! Sorrento is known for it’s Limoncello so the waiters make a presentation with the Limoncello Delight desert and sang some Italian songs. After dinner we went to the Pigalle lounge to watch some of the Mr. Italy contest, but retired soon to the cabin.

Day 4--Thursday November 4th—at Sea
Smooth seas overnight and the ship is sailing much faster than previous days. I had a nice dining room breakfast. The eggs seem to be true to order and not overdone as you find on many ships-no keep warm lamps I’m guessing. A new friend at our dining table is a Travel Agent and arranged for a tour this morning. We were able to see a suite, a handicap cabin, and an interior cabin. All very nice and the interiors have all the same amenities that other cabins including mini refrigerator and hair dryer. All the cabins are very well done. We looked to booking an excursion for tomorrow, but it was sold out. We had lunch in the dining room: Fried hearts of artichokes (different and good) Fucille pasta with tomato & mushroom sauce (very good), and a veal in mushroom sauce with rice. We had some rest full cabin time most of the afternoon with a lot reading and blogging. The show this evening was mini Italian opera called Grazie Maestro featuring music by Puccini. The soloists were tenor Aurelio Gabaldon and soprano Rosita Tassi Certainly not a show you would see on any other line than MSC. The regional Italian food this evening was from Florence. I had the Soup, Pasta Pomodoro, and a chicken dish with regional spices (good) and a very good Tiramisu for dessert. DW had a very good Cannelloni with three cheeses. We had a late walk on deck and some Gelato from the premium Gelato stand at the Mojito Bar before turning in for the evening.

Day 5--Friday November 5th—Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
The seas were calm overnight with a few more rolls than previous nights. We arrived about 9:00 am and it was foggy and misty early, but cleared during the morning. We were able to meet a private tour group from GreenWay Tours I had contacted by email before leaving and join the group for the day. We had a very nice small bus, a small group (13), and a good guide and driver. First stop was a jungle station for a ride in a jitney pulled by a tractor through the jungle and up a mountain. We saw a lot of plants and wildlife including Sloths and Dart Frogs (photo left). We also walked an elevated walkway for an up close look. Next stop was a banana processing facility. Costa Rica is the worlds 2nd leading exporter of bananas and this particular facility was a Del Monte unit. Next stop was a boat trip on the Tortuguero canals where we saw birds, butterflies, sloths, and monkeys. Following the boat ride we had some local fruit: pineapple, mango, and watermelon. We returned passing the beach area and dropped off next to the ship and the market area set up inside the terminal area. I wanted a bit of the local flavor and we ventured into the town of Limon area for just a few blocks. It was rough. They did have a serious earthquake in 1991, but the town is really third world. We returned to the area within the terminal, to look at the stalls and then returned to the ship. The show this evening was “Sam” as in Uncle Sam and featured American songs and dance, including a few from Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. The Italian region tonight in the dining room was Roma. I had the Roman style egg drop soup, Risotti with meat sauce, the Veal entrée, and Roman Pie for dessert. Probably the weakest menu of the cruise.

Day 6--Saturday November 6th—Cristobal, Panama
Weather was the same as previous day, cloudy but the rain held off until sail away. I had a dining room breakfast this morning as we were in no rush today. We really only just wanted to see the Panama Canal so didn’t want to do a tour. We hired a private taxi to take us to the Gatun Locks (photo) and we were able to see a couple of ships go through the locks. It was very interesting and certainly the thing to see if in the area. After the locks we got a quick tour of Colon, not impressed. Some friends went to Panama City and said it was nice, others said the Portobello tour was not good. Glad we kept it simple today. After returning to the port area and the adjoining shopping center we found a grocery and stocked up on diet coke and some snacks. I also got a new Panama Hat from one of the shops. We were back on the ship in time for lunch in the dining room. We did some swimming after lunch, had some cabin times, and tried to watch some NCAA football as only one TV channel carries American sports. The show this evening was Stars on Broadway. This was also the second Gala night and gala dinner menu. I had the fried shrimp, Italian Salad, Fettuccine Alfredo, Beef Sirloin (sliced) entrée with potatoes and vegetables, and Peach Helene for dessert (all good). DW had Pumpkin Rissato (very good) and Cheese Lasagna. We had a walk around ship and checked the lounges before retiring to the cabin.

Day 7--Sunday November 7th—Cartegena, Columbia
The seas were smooth overnight and we arrived in Cartegena early. We had breakfast in the lido buffet before leaving the ship and we dressed for hot weather. The humidity was very high and it was very hot even for us. There is a short walk to the cruise terminal (walk it as it is a waste of time to wait for the shuttle). Booking an individual tour here is very easy and fairly cheap ($20-30 pp) but in addition to the sites agreed upon you have to visit their emerald and souvenir shops It’s a good inexpensive way to see sights, but operators then have a captive audience. Our plan was to spend the day in the ‘Walled City’ or the old town so we took a taxi ($10) to the Plaza de los Coches (photo-right) the clock tower entry. The ‘Walled City’ is a designated historical area with very old colonial buildings, churches, museums, shops, restaurants and plazas. Plaza de Bolivar has the famous equestrian statue of Simon Boliver. We really had a great day going at our own pace. We really liked the St. Pedro Claver Church & Cloisters Museum (photo below), the Oro (Gold) Museum, and the Café San Pedro. The mojitos from Café San Pedro (photo below-yellow bldg) were very good and the coco pie (like a southern pecan pie, but with coconut) was very unique and very good. Some of the shops were closed as it was Sunday, but most opened at noon. The downside of the area is the number of peddlers pestering you see their merchandise. There are some with little displays on the ground on blankets that were fine, but the ones walking and following you around offering: free tours, T-shirts, etc. were annoying—They should clean that up or it will spoil a beautiful atmosphere. We went back to the ship about 3:30 pm and by chance had the same taxi driver. The cruise ship terminal is really one of the nicest I have ever seen. It’s very clean with beautiful trees surrounding, it also has: a gift area, a display of exotic birds, a small emerald museum, rest rooms, café, and duty-free area. To cool off we went to the pool on lido deck. It was refreshing, but got busier as more returned to the ship. We stayed on deck for sail away so we could hear the Italian sail away with flair! They actually sailed very close to on time and gave another salute when they passed the statue of Cartegena in the harbor. Back to the cabin to prepare for the Italian show in the theater. It was Cuore Classico Italiano with highlights from famous Italian operas. For us, this is a very different show and very entertaining. Dinner featured items from the Palermo Region, I had Fried eggplant lasagna , Fusilli pasta with tomato & eggplant (an entrée I had as second course), Chicken Marsala as the entree and Cannola stuffed with riccotta for dessert. This was the best of the regional menus, all items very good. This was a long day with a lot of walking so we retired soon after dinner.

Day 8--Monday November 8th—at Sea
Calm seas with just enough roll for a nice nights sleep and we did sleep late. The weather is very good, sunny skies with a few scattered clouds. We had an advance copy of our account status under the door this morning a good idea as you can not review on the TV. They do charge $12 a day for gratuities which is higher than other lines. We did a small buffet breakfast and we did a walk on deck. Cabin time for me this morning and DW did a line dance class on lido deck. We had a very nice late lunch in the dining room (veal cutlet). They had an afternoon show in the theater with classical Italian music called Music Forever featuring the soloists and classical trio. The regular 6:45 production show was Atlantis, the show was very colorful and featured the dancers, a soloist, aerial acts and more. The Italian region tonight at dinner was Polairmo, I had the Stuffed Zucchini (good), a Pasta with a pesto sauce (not so good), a veal entrée (just OK), and a lemon sorbet for dessert. A very easy and restful day.

Day 9--Tuesday November 9th—Montego Bay. Jamaica
Weather was typical for this week: cloudy and nice. We arrived in Montego Bay very early and they were disembarking by 8:00 am. I had breakfast in the dining room and DW had some items from the buffet. This was to be our ‘stay on board day’ that we now like to do on cruises, but we did go down to the terminal area and little village next to it. Nothing really to see or buy and we returned to the ship. We were the only ones in the pool for quite a while and that’s a benefit of SOBD. DW continued to swim, but I did go back on shore in order to use free internet as long as the battery lasted on my laptop. When I returned we went for a late lunch in the dining room (fish & chips) and then nap time before sail away. We went to the top deck to watch the sail away from Montego Bay. From there we could see that they pushed away just as they began the aria Time to Say Goodbye, then the three blasts from the ships horn. Very cool and the last time we will experience it this cruise. We didn’t attend the welcome party, but did attend the Farewell Cocktail Party. They served complementary drinks in the Zebra lounge and we discovered a new drink: a pinky-pinky. The Captain and officers toasted the passengers before the production show. The show, Follie Barock, was the best of the cruise with another eclectic show with the dancers, and various acts. The highlight was when the soloists sang Time to Say Goodbye and were then joined by all cast members and entertainment staff. This was also the final Gala evening, the third of the cruise. It was the best menu of the cruise as well. I had Spring Rolls, Greek Salad and a Surf & Turf of lobster and filet mignon steak. All were very good. The presentation of the Baked Alaska brought back experiences of cruises long ago. They were the old fashion flaming Baked Alaska and the waiters marched then through the dining room. (I didn’t see any carried on the head though) It tasted very good too. I was a fun evening.

Day 10--Wednesday November 10th—at Sea
It was a cloudy morning and seas were rolling, class two waves, they said at the morning announcements. Not too bad really. I had breakfast in the dining room, sampled the pancakes and they were good. If you have read some of my reviews it can be hard to find good pancakes at sea. The weather cleared and was very nice. We got a table on lido deck (lucky) and DW did some swimming and I used the internet as this was a ‘hot spot.’ I did finally purchase a internet package (100 minutes is $30) and you get a cable to have access in your cabin or you can find a ‘hot spot’ somewhere on the ship. We can again easily see the north coast of Cuba. We actually came right across the far eastern tip, but it was early in the morning, but we sailed along this part of the coast for 8+ hours. We had lunch from the lido buffet, they have a fresh pasta each day and a carving station. After lunch I used the balance of my internet time from the cyber café, the best ‘hotspot’ I found. The production show was highlights of previous shows, I think they ran out of shows on the ten day cruise. The region for our final dinner was Venice. I had a Fruit Plate, Pasta Pomodora, and the Pot Roast. Also the final Gelato and Lemon Sorbet. After dinner we packed.

Debarkation
We choose early debarkation and were told to meet at 7:00 am in the Zebra lounge and that was about the time we docked. We made it there about 7:10 and as we suspected there were not that many using early. It really went very well and we were off the ship by 7:40 a.m. We took a taxi to the airport ($18 with tip) and was there in just a few minutes. From the airport we could see the new Allure of the Seas dock. Our flight was at noon so we had plenty of time. We arrived in Austin, found the truck in remote parking and drove home to Bosque County.

Ship
The ship was built in 2008 and has a passenger capacity of 3600. There is no large central entry or point of focus in on the ship other than a small three level staircase atrium at reception. There is a series of larger lounges that are the main public areas. The dining rooms are similar with no central area, but a series of smaller spaces on a single level. Decks 5-6-7 have the public lounges, dining rooms, shops, etc. The Villa Pomppeiana or lido buffet is similar to most cruise ships. The public rooms and areas were all very well done with a lot of marble and pleasing colors. The Zebra Bar was our favorite. There are a lot of elevators with five sets. We had a daily announcement at 9:30 am. each morning. There are not many announcements (I like fewer), but when they do them they are made in many languages.

Cabin
We had cabin 9161 a category-10 balcony on Ungaritti deck. It has a nice couch and small sitting area. As mentioned the sitting area and dresser are on the balcony side of the cabin and the bed is towards the bath and closet. It has a standard three door wardrobe, one section is all drawers. Also in the cabin: robes, a very good hair dryer, number keyed code safe, drawers-not shelves in dresser, mini-refrigerator, flat screen interactive TV, two prints on wall, and a large floor to ceiling mirror. The bedding is not up to par with Carnival or RCCL, but adequate. The cabin lights are unique, you have to insert your key card into a slot by the cabin door in order for the lights to work. It also tells the cabin steward if the cabin is occupied. There are NO American television stations although some individual shows are on International channels.

Entertainment
The production shows such as Euphoria, Extraordinaire, and Aquarius were very visual shows with colorful costumes, dance, juggling, unicycles, balance beam, aerial acts, knife throwing, contortionists, etc. to cater to a multilingual audience. They usually had recorded music, but it went very well. The principal soloists, already mentioned, are very good and featured in all the Italian shows. They were very consistent with a production show every night (for those of us on late dining from 6:45 to 7:30 pm). The primary live musical acts were a three piece classical group and a three piece Italian folk group. The theater is very nice with large plush individual seats. The beautiful lounges had other musical groups or singers each evening.

Food
The dinners were very good. I have listed common names for the selections I made, but the menus had a beautiful description of all the dishes each night. The regional Italian menus are a wonderful idea. Since we weren’t familiar with all the Italian dishes and we wanted to try new things some of the dishes were hit or miss as far as liking or disliking them. It was fantastic experimenting with the various dishes. You could get a steak every night from the always Italian option on the menu if you wished. The buffet was fine, but not as good as many cruise lines due to fewer choices and limited hours. In fact the buffet is not open on Gala nights. I was told that room service was very prompt with coffee orders in the mornings. We used room service a few times and it was quite adequate. The off time snacks were sandwiches and PIZZA. The pizza was excellent. In fact all the bakery items were excellent, the rolls, the muffins, the croissants, and there was a different type of bread each night. This is a Pepsi ship, no coca-cola products. Ice Crème machines are located on lido deck and available most of the day. Drink prices seem to be less than other lines. The DOD (drink of the day) was about $5-6. You could also buy drink coupons for wine, beer, or cocktails and save a bit.

Ports
Our favorites in order: Cozumel, Cartegena, Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica.

Final
After re-reading this review it may seem that I am being critical on some points, but I only wish to emphasis differences from a European based line and an American based line. Not necessarily saying one is better than the other. A cruise on a non-American line may not be for everyone, but after sixty previous cruises we really enjoyed the differences and new things to experience. We would not hesitate to cruise MSC or the MSC Poeisa again. I would love to see an MSC ship in Houston's Bayport facility. Our favorite Italian phrases we learned: Ciao (chow), Cin Cin (chin-chin, a toast), and Keepa Go!