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Ship Review by
Laura from East Stroudsburg, PA Sailing date: Aug 2007
Dining/Food
Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities
Children's Programs
7 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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   Disappointing by
A Traveler from St. Louis Missouri Sailing date: Jan 2009Pros: The ship was clean and well maintained, the room steward was very good Cons: Food was very average, (I prefer Applebee's), Freestyle cruising means standing in line and many extra charges I have been on about 8 cruises on different cruise lines before this cruise.
The "ship" is the sum of all aspects. The physical ship was great, however I was a little disappointed in the general management of the ship. For example, disembarking at the ports and taking tours always involved a mob scene and standing in line for a long time. Most restaurants require a $10.00 per person/per meal cover charge. After paying $3,300.00 for the cruise, I was disappointed they charge $2.50 for a can of soda.
All things considered, in the future, I will go to all inclusive land resorts. Ship Quality
Dining/FoodVery disappointing. Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff QualityMy roon stewards were great. As a group, the other staff I came in contact with were not very friendly. Entertainment & Activities
Collapse List of Ports
St. John's, Antigua
Bridgetown, Barbados
Road Town, Tortola, B.V.I.
Castries, St. LuciaI decided to walk around town instead of taking a tour, and I did not feel safe.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
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An amazing first time experience! by
Ayesha N Ansari from Brooklyn, NY Sailing date: Dec 2011Pros: I loved the food, shows, the wide selection of activities, as well as the staff ESP Sarah! (SHE CLEANED VERY WELL, HAD AN AMAZING PERSONALITY, AND WAS ALL AROUND VERY WELCOMING AND IMPRESSIVE) My overall impression of the ship was just amazing. I have never been on such an amazing ship before. It was everything I dreamed and more. The only thing I didn't like was that we never got off the boat to go to the Great Stirrup Cay and there really wasn't an appropriate explanation for that. I feel that we're paying to get off the ship and spend time on the island and we were deprived of that and I was very disappointed but it certainly did not ruin me trip. ^_^ Ship QualityShip size, layout, condition of public areas, decor, cleanliness, accessibility...STUNNING, AMAZING, A DREAM. Dining/FoodThe food was amazing. I really ate my heart out. The restaurants were exceptional and I honestly can't think of any meal that I ate that I didn't absolutely love. I loved the food!!! There was always a wide selection of foods, fruits, breads, YUM!! Stateroom QualityMy mini suite was very impressive. I don't believe the picture on the ncl website gave it any justice. My room was very spacious, the bedding was comfortable and clean. Everything was great. Ship Staff QualitySarah was amazing. The first day we got on the boat and were going to our rooms she greeted my boyfriend and me by our first name. I thought that was very impressive and it really made a huge impact on me. She was very welcoming, sweet, patient, and just seemed to be an over all amazing person. She was the best. In addition the overall staff was just amazing. Very friendly, helpful when needed, lively, and they really made me feel like I was at home. I loved it. Entertainment & ActivitiesThe shows were amazing. I have never had a love for dancing and singing until I went to the shows on this boat. Duo Elagia was amazing and Cirque Bijou was also amazing. Those were my two favorite shows. 5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Good for families. by
A Traveler from Albany, NY Sailing date: Nov 2011Pros: food, entertainment, customer service Cons: too many kids, not much to do during at-sea days, small and noisy pool area This is a great cruise for families with kids, but I do not recommend it for singles or younger couples. Kids EVERYWHERE.
For a ship of this size, I would've expected a larger pool area and more than 4 hot tubs. There was a sign next to the small pool that said "adults only", but it was never enforced. Music blared through the PA system or by a DJ near the pool. If you wanted quiet, you had to go up 2 floors to the "quiet deck." I would have preferred a separate quiet pool area just for adults. There was also no indoor pool area, so there wasn't much to do on cooler days.
Unfortunately, we couldn't go to Great Stirrup Cay because of high surf, so we had an extra at sea day. The staff did what they could to entertain during the at sea days, but it was still boring. Florida and Nassau were fun though.
That being said, the food and shows were great, as were the staff. Ship QualityThe decor was a little cheesy, but everything was clean and laid out clearly. Norwegian is big on cleanliness; there are antibacterial wash stations everywhere and "washy washy" girls who spray your hands when you enter the buffet. Dining/FoodThe food was great, both at the buffet, dining rooms, and cover charge restaurants. I especially recommend Teppanyaki ($25) for an awesome hibachi show. Make your reservations as early as you can, as Teppanyaki fills up fast! Le Bistro ($20) was also delicious. The chocolate buffet was disappointing; a lot of the desserts seemed pre-packaged and not fresh. Breakfast room service was also disappointing, as you can only get breads and fruit, not hot food like eggs. Stateroom QualityI had an interior stateroom, which for the size, had everything I needed. Big comfy bed, nice sized closet, bathroom, the works. My tall travel companion had a difficult time using the toilet, as there wasn't much room. Ship Staff QualityAll staff we encountered were courteous and willing to help with anything we needed. Entertainment & ActivitiesThe evening shows were outstanding! There was a stand-up comedian, magician/comedian, and an acrobatic duo. The cruise dancers/singers were also great, and the cruise director and his staff did a funny skit on the last night. It was cute. During the day, activities were lean.
Collapse List of Ports
Nassau, BahamasDon't Miss: Visit Dolphin Cay at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island! So amazing! Port Canaveral, FloridaI went to Cocoa Beach, which I only recommend if it's warm enough to swim. The beach itself is gorgeous, but the surrounding town is not particularly interesting.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Beyond Relaxing!! by
Candy from Treasure Island, Fl, USA Sailing date: Apr 2007Pros: The Freestyle cruising. The choice of restaurants and seating times was a real pleasure. We had 7 days to relax and unwind. We were pampered and treated so well that the shore excursions proved to be just a bonus. I could have stayed on the ship 24/7. We will definitely come back and bring our friends. Entertainment & Activities
Collapse List of Ports
Great Stirrup Cay (Cruiseline Private Island), Bahamas
St. John, U.S.V.I.Don't Miss: Nelson's Dockyard. San Juan, Puerto Rico
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Very friendly and relaxed. by
Kathy from Warwick, NY Sailing date: Jan 2007Pros: Freestyle dining. The staff was very friendly, the freestyle dining helped to make it relaxing - you didn't have to rush to make a scheduled dinner time. My teenager enjoyed the teen crew. Recommend making upgraded dinner reservations in the first day that you get onboard. Not enough deck chairs on days that we didn't dock - need to get to pool early to get a chair. Entertainment & ActivitiesActivities: They could have used more deck chairs by the pool.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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A great cruise! by
Sherry B from Binghamton, NY Sailing date: Jun 2012Pros: We liked that there were 4 stops on this ship and the entertainment was great! Cons: Unfortunately the food was not great! The ship is clean, the staff were all friendly. They really push the hand sanitizer, but in a polite way. The entertainment was fantastic! The major disappointment was the food- it was just ok. We really enjoyed the 4 stops. Ship Quality
Dining/FoodNothing special. We had dinner at the Italian place and it was awful- we complained to the management and they did not charge us for everyone (10$ per person to eat there). We also had dinner at Chin Chin- the chinese place and that was great. Overall- the food was a disappointment. Also- there were extra charges for things like cappucino or espresso after dinner. Stateroom QualityI was disappointed with the room's set up, primarily because when we booked through Orbitz I was assured that a cabin for 4 included 2 single beds and 2 fold down beds, but it turns out on the Jewel there are NO rooms with that set up. The best they can do for a family of 4 is 2 singles, a trundle bed in between the 2 singles and a fold down, so you have to crawl out of the end of the bed to get out. Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Nice Week!!! by
SLC in NJ from New Jersey Sailing date: Aug 2011Pros: You're on vacation Cons: An extra fee for almost everything A little tight around the pool, other wise space to move around.
Public areas could be a little cleaner, bottles floating in pool.
Ship QualitySeems to be well maintained Dining/FoodLe Bistro was very good, Teppanyaki was a poor value.
Otherwise all other included restaurants and eateries had great choices. Stateroom QualityHad inside cabin for 2 people, was enough, how long do you spend in it anyway. Ship Staff QualityAll put in lots of hours to make "things" happen. Entertainment & ActivitiesMost shows and entertainment were great. Children's ProgramsMy children used the teen center off and on.
Collapse List of Ports
Nassau, BahamasWent to Blue Lagoon on Salt Cay, very quiet.
Of course a visit to Straw Market, a Nassau must!
Great Stirrup Cay (Cruiseline Private Island), BahamasGreat beach!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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A wonderful cruise by
Roland from Miami,FL Sailing date: Mar 2009Pros: Our suite was great!! Cons: Hi co-payments for restaurant, having to pay for sodas. Overall we have to say the ship was really impressive, the staff was wonderful .Our stateroom was cozy .Lots of new storage elements have been aded, easy to unpack and fell like there was a place for everything. Ship Quality
Dining/Food
Stateroom Quality
Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & Activities
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Freestyle cruising is the only way to go by
Michelle from South Hadley, MA, USA Sailing date: Jan 2007Pros: Freestyle dining and no required formal nights. I have been on more than ten cruises with many different cruise lines, and in my opinion, Freestyle Cruising like Norwegian offers is the only way to go. You do sacrifice a little of the "elegance" of a set dining time, but it is well worth the flexibility. Food was very good, especially in the dining room. We are not buffet people, so we seldom ate at the cafe. The ship is spotless and well laid-out. My only disappointments were the high cost of wine (the least expensive bottle was $24 and they ran out of that one early) and the prohibitive cost of internet service (about $1 per minute for a very slow connection). Photography was a nuisance, but that happens on all ships. In summary, you just can't beat the value and flexibility of Norwegian Cruise Lines. Entertainment & Activities
Entertainment: Fantastic dance troupe. 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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