Jewel Transatlantic 9/19-9/30 Daily Diary

[SLMS]

Safely Arrived in London

After the long lines of check-in and security at LAX, we had a nice flight over on Air New Zealand, although their weight and size rules for carry-on luggage meant that we ended up having to check them in (fortunately they all arrived with us at Heathrow). DH really hates the whole Cattle Call nature of air travel; however, after some sparkling wine before dinner and a couple of glasses with dinner, he began to enter that vacation frame of mind. We got a couple of tickets for the Hotel Hoppa bus when we arrived at Heathrow and rode it over to the Sheraton Heathrow. After a nice shower and a bit of relaxation, we walked over to The White Horse Inn for some Fish & Chips and a nice cold beer. The White Horse Inn is, a "16th Century English Pub where good food and a warm welcome is guaranteed." We discovered this place two years ago and the Fish & Chips was as good as we remembered - YUM! We also had a couple of Ringwood Best Bitters, a local brew and quite good. Tonight we’ll just rest and do our best to get our bodies into the correct time zone.

First Day Aboard the Norwegian Jewel

We had a very nice included breakfast at the Sheraton Heathrow (it was all the cold selections, meats, cheeses, hard-boiled egg, pastries, cereal, fruit, coffee etc.) and at 45 Pounds for the room & breakfast, it was quite the good deal. After packing up, we got on the Hotel Hoppa and found ourselves back at Heathrow by 9 a.m. NCL still had us listed as coming in today at 11 even though I called to tell them we were coming in before and would be taking an earlier transfer - however, no problem - we got on the 9:45 bus and were on our way to Dover. It was a pleasant drive, countryside with cows, horses & sheep. Check-in was also fast and easy (it "pays" to be a Latitude member or past cruiser with NCL). We dropped our hand luggage in our rooms and met our room steward, Armando (seems very pleasant) before exploring the ship. A little later we had small and tasty lunch at the buffet (Sushi & salad for DH, Sushi, Paella & a small Caesar Chicken Wrap for me). After lunch our luggage arrived in our room, so I unpacked while DH showered. Oh, I should mention that NCL has now added the nice touch of providing a glass of Bubbly when you board. I previously ordered the Anniversary Package so yummy chocolate dipped strawberries and a bottle of champagne were waiting in our room. We ended up taking the bottle with us to dinner, which we had in the smaller of the two main dining rooms. DH had Gravlax (Salmon Tartare), Caesar Salad (for some odd reason they serve it with smoked turkey), Red Snapper with Gumbo Rice and Mocha Cheesecake plus an Espresso. I had Country French Vegetable Soup, Caesar Salad, Turkey Milanese with Parmesan Polenta (I gave DH a taste and he said it was the best Polenta he had ever eaten) - I'm thinking it was made with cream & Parmesan and not the normal water method). My dessert was a Raspberry Almond Torte with Chocolate Ganache frosting and I had a Cappuccino. I have to mention that we have never been on a cruise with so many people in wheelchairs - even at 60, DH could be on the younger end of the passenger list or for that matter me at 58.

A Day at Sea

The new bedding on NCL is pretty nice; however, our time clocks are still adjusting so we're still not sleeping through the night. We got up around 7 and DH went for a walk. However, he had to walk outside because the Fitness Center turns off the treadmills from10 p.m. to 8 a.m., which made DH say "then they shouldn't call it a 24-hour fitness center." Fortunately for DH, we are having an exceptionally nice day for September in the North Sea. We had a light breakfast, oatmeal for DH and an Egg White Mushroom omelet with turkey sausage for me. I went to the Cruise Critic Meet & Greet, where I had the opportunity to talk with the Cruise Hotel Director and meet some of the other folks who have been posting for months on CruiseCritic.com. I grabbed a small lunch from the Indian selection in the Garden Buffet and found that I was very sleepy. It occurred to me that I was on vacation, so I took a nap! After my nap, I checked out the Ship's Library and played a bit of Bingo. Then it was time to get ready for dinner (yes, there is a lot of food on a cruise ship, as if you didn't know). Tonight is "Formal or Not Night" and we dressed up just a bit and had our dinner at the Asian Fusion restaurant, Chin Chin, which offered a 1/2 off special tonight and reduced their additional charge to $7.50 per person. We had Crab Wontons, Steamed Dumplings, Singapore Street Noodles with shrimp & pork in Yellow Curry, Spicy Fried Grouper and Schezwan Braised Beef. It was very good, especially the Singapore Street Noodles. Although we were disappointed in the Braised Beef, this was a “signature dish” and the beef was not really tender. My dessert was very interesting, three little Creme Brulees, one was ginger, another was green tea and the third was red bean. DH had a warm pancake with caramelized bananas and coconut ice cream. The ice cream was fantastic, the pancake was too thick and it probably would have been a better dessert if it were just the ice cream and the bananas or if it were served in a crepe. We had German Beer with our meal, since we were having spicy dishes. The beer is named Fruh and it is one that we never had it before. It was quite good and went well with our meal. Tonight's show was one of their Production Numbers called "Band on the Run." It was based on 70's music and mostly it was just loud. Although I have to say that the lady gymnast was quite limber. Tomorrow we'll be in Lerwick, Shetland Islands!

Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland

We were awakened by the announcement that Tender Tickets were being distributed, so we got ready a bit faster than usual, picked up our tender tickets and had breakfast at the buffet. DH had Granola & yogurt; I had scrambled eggs, grilled tomatoes and a small piece of hashed browns. I refuse to eliminate all temptation! Lerwick is the capital of the Shetland Islands and is on the largest of the Shetland Islands, called Mainland. It is inhabited by 7,000 people and our ship provided 2,500 visitors! The sun was shining when we started out and we began by walking from the city center, up the hill, past a garage that used an overturned boat for the roof until we got to the Arthur Anderson Homes, which he built for the widows of Sailors and Arthur Anderson High School. Arthur Anderson is probably the most famous person born in Lerwick. He was the son of a fisherman and he was a founding partner of P & O Lines; he's often called the father of cruising. Therefore, all of us who enjoy cruising owe him a big debt. We turned around from our walk up the hill and went back through the city center to see Fort Charlotte. It was built in 1665 to protect against the Dutch Navy; however, the Dutch burned it down in 1673 and it was not rebuilt until 1782. It still has cannons protecting the harbor. Up from the Fort was the Town Hall, home to some beautiful stained glass windows. Although we only got to see one of them because the main part of the hall was closed for a private function. We kept going to the Shetland Museum, which has exhibits for 5000 years of habitation and culture. People have been living on this island since the Stone Age. The museum was quite interesting and it was free. They had a special exhibit about the remains of a man found in a Peat Bog back in 1951. They know, from the coins in his pocket and the style of his clothes, that he died around 1700. However, that's all they know and they have a project to learn more. Lerwick is cute and picturesque; however, I cannot imagine living so far off the beaten path. We experienced about 5 minutes of light rainfall. Then again, it's Scotland in September. After a bit more walking around, we took the tender back to the ship. I had a late lunch in the buffet, once again going for the Vegetarian Indian selection. DH then did his 3 mile walk because the 3 hours of walking in town were not at a proper pace. I did a bit of reading, relaxing and just walking through the ship until it was time to get ready for the evening. We had dinner in the larger of the two main dining rooms. DH had Tortilla Soup, Greek Salad, the Monkfish dinner, plus an added Salmon Fillet and Apple Bread Pudding with vanilla ice cream. I had Black Bean Soup, Greek Salad, Chicken in Garlic Sauce and Banana Split Cheesecake. Amazingly, all but my salad were on their Cooking Light menu. After that we went to the evening's entertainment, which was a Banjo player. He played everything from Banjo standards, to Broadway, to Marches, to his own compositions and even the Classics. Very entertaining. We are experiencing just a touch of rocking and rolling on the North Sea tonight.

A Lost Day at Sea

The ship was really rocking and rolling last night, which is to be expected in the North Sea. However, I never knew just how many sounds could be heard during this type of experience. We were both feeling just fine and unaffected by the rough seas until we got up and showered. I don't know if it was the act of standing up, the hot water, the small enclosed nature of the shower, the motion of the ship or some combination thereof; however, DH got a bit dizzy and I got a bit queasy. We took some Dramamine and rested a bit. Then we had a light breakfast of just a couple of muffins plus, at least for me, some Herb Tea. I then played some Bingo. Unfortunately no winning cards; however, I received an extra 10 minutes on the Net for just playing, so not a bad deal. Bingo was over around 12:30 p.m. and that's when, notwithstanding the "less drowsiness formula," both of us got hit with the drowsiness that can be caused by Dramamine. We ended up sleeping almost 4 hours; hence, this has become the lost day at sea. We got dressed, walked a bit around the ship, which isn't that easy although it is rocking substantially less today. We went to dinner at the smaller of the two main dining rooms. DH had Vietnamese Summer Roll, Tomato Bisque, Coq au Vin and coconut cream pie with a side of vanilla ice cream. I had Tomato Bisque, Caesar Salad, Gnocchi in Pumpkin Creme Sauce (this was a bit bland) and Vanilla Flan. Another sign that we're still a bit off, we didn't quite finish our bottle of wine. We took it back to our room for later. The Canapes under the Anniversary Package were delivered today. We didn’t eat them. A bit of shame since a couple of them have a big dollop of caviar and that's not inexpensive. The evening's show, a combination Latin Music & Comedy Duo, was disappointing. Oh well.

Reykjavik, Iceland

We woke up around 7:30 a.m. to find ourselves in a rather cold Iceland, about 42 degrees according to the Ship's Front Desk. We got ready and had breakfast. DH had Lox, Bagel & Cream Cheese; I had Cinnamon Raisin French Toast and a sliced Banana. The ship is docked in the Industrial part of the port, so we checked on our options, which included a shuttle to the City Center or a Hop On Hop Off bus with a recorded "tour." The season for the Hop On Hop Off bus actually ends on September 30; however, they are running this bus on any day a cruise ship is in town. We took the Hop On Hop Off option given that it gave us an overview of the city in its one hour loop. We sat on the bus for one loop, which took us by the building where Reagan and Gorbachev began the "beginning of the end of the Cold War" went passed the largest church in Iceland, which is not the Cathedral, only to find it covered in scaffolding plus a couple of universities and the main hospital. There were also stops at the Perlan, which is the large Hot Water container turned into a tourist attraction with a museum, nature walks, a restaurant, which we are told is overpriced and the path to the Hot Beach, which due to Geothermal activity always has warm water. We got off at the stop for the City Center and began to walk around. We found the building where they used to store Falcons before shipping them to European Aristocracy, the building (we think) from which all other houses in Reykjavik are numbered and the Tourist Center to make sure we were in the right place. We continued on our walk and saw the Parliament building, which is a small two story grey stone building, the open area in front where people protest, the oldest timber building in town, the Cathedral, which is quite small and the City Hall, which is kind of space age in design, but has a lovely pond with geese and ducks. It started to rain, a bit heavy, so we ducked into City Hall and checked out the large 3-D map of Iceland. Unfortunately, nothing was marked on the map. We went up the main shopping street and back down to the harbor area to have a Hot Dog at the place voted the Best Hot Dogs in Europe. The hot dog was made from lamb and was quite mild. What made it tasty was the fried onions and the remoulade sauce plus the fact that it was steamed in beer. We strolled a bit more in the City Center, where we also saw some steam vents, which are designed to release some of the geothermal pressure before we re-boarded the bus. We stopped at the Perlan and took some photos, including ones of the steam rising from the Hot Beach. Reykjavik is cute in the Old Harbor - City Center area. The rest of the city is rather like institutional in design or perhaps something like a planned city of the Soviet Era. Next visit to Iceland will have to be the Natural sites like the Great Geyser and the Golden Falls. Back on the ship we had a pre-dinner drink of the wine we did not finish last night. We decided to eat at the Italian Venue, which was half-off on port days for the first hour, so only $10 additional for both of us. We had a lot of selections from the Antipasti trolley, including tomatoes with Buffalo Mozzarella, marinated peppers, all kinds of Italian cold cuts, Parmesan with sun-dried tomatoes and for DH lots of anchovies and sardines. We then split what they called a California pizza, which had sausage, goat cheese, artichokes, peppers and pine nuts and was quite good. DH had Salmon Scallopine and I had Spinach Cannelloni. We also shared some Pasta Pesto, which was disappointing as it really seemed to be Basil flavored oil without Parmesan or Pine Nuts. All of this was followed by Tiramisu and Canolis plus some Cappuccinos. We enjoyed this evening's entertainment, a comedy Hypnotist. The funniest bit was the man he convinced that he had lost his "rear" so that he could not sit down.

A Lazy, Occasionally Rainy & Cold Day at Sea

We woke up around 6:15 because DH is trying to get a Sunrise photo and he thinks he needs to double his walking activity because the 15,000 steps in Reykjavik didn't count because they weren't at a steady aerobic pace! I stayed in bed while he walked so that we went to breakfast around 8. This morning we ate light, DH had Oatmeal with raisins and sliced banana and a bran muffin. I also had a bran muffin and some sliced melon. DH read his financial magazines while I focused on the spy thriller I checked out of the ship's library. DH went back to the room to nap while I played morning Bingo. I had lunch in the buffet, heading straight for the vegetarian Indian selections and took a late afternoon nap myself while DH went to use the treadmill for his second walk of the day. This means I missed afternoon Bingo and saved some money. The weather is around 45 degrees and occasionally raining so there is not a soul to be found on the pool deck or walking the promenade. I briefly walked outside to get from the library to another part of that deck, which is also the pool deck and that was enough of the outdoors for me today! Of course, since everyone has to be inside and the ship is full, things seem a bit crowded. We ate in the smaller Main Dining Room tonight. DH had Chicken Soup with pasta and root vegetables, Caesar Salad with his requested extra anchovies and Duck with green beans and potato croquettes. I had Cream of Asparagus Soup, Citrus Couscous Salad and the duck entree. My dessert was Apple Strudel with vanilla ice cream and DH had Strawberry Rhubarb Compote with Vanilla ice cream. Tonight's entertainment is a male vocalist, Chantz Powell, he’s only 22 and he’s very good. He also tap dances and plays the trumpet.

A Cold Day at Sea

Another Day at sea as we cross the Atlantic on the way to St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. The sun is out today so even though it is still cold, there are people who are bundled up and sitting out on deck plus we were able to walk on the Promenade Deck today, provide we wore our jackets or a sweatshirt. DH got up early as he is still trying to catch that magical Sunrise photo and after he took the first of his 3 mile walks, we set out for breakfast. DH had a "real breakfast" today: 2 eggs over easy on wheat toast plus turkey sausage links. I had a cheese & mushroom omelet made with egg substitute and a blueberry muffin. After breakfast, I played morning trivia on a team with a couple of Brits and two Texans. The male Texan is a member of the Bowler's Hall of Fame, his name is Skee and he had that Southern Gentleman way of speaking to his wife, always calling her Barbara Ann and asking her what she wanted to do next. I also played Bingo; however, I have yet to win. As is my norm, I had a bite of the Indian luncheon selection from the Buffet and then DH and I went to the Latitude Party. This is a special party for people who have cruised with NCL before and we were provided with our choice of adult beverages on the house ranging from champagne, wine, beer, Kahlua, rum punch and even a Martini, if you knew how to ask. I spent most of the rest of the day reading. However, DH and I met up for the language lesson of the day, which happened to be Tagalog. He's still trying to learn how to say "Ingat" correctly!!! That "ng" is just the bane of his existence. I attended the Sabbath Services and we had dinner thereafter. We both had the French Onion Soup and we split an order of Thai Noodles as our appetizer. DH had the Stuffed Turkey Breast entree and I had Tilapia with Capers. We also both enjoyed Blueberry Crumble for Dessert. DH topped his off with an extra scoop of vanilla ice cream. We decided to skip the evening's show, which is a salute to Country Music. This is not exactly DH’s favorite genre. We are looking forward to being in port tomorrow and to get a chance to stretch our legs on land.

The Best Laid Plans

Today was supposed to be our day for exploring St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, the oldest city in North America. However, high winds and a shallow harbor full of rocks made that impossible as the port was closed today. Therefore, we are speeding our way to Halifax and will arrive around noon tomorrow. We'll have the afternoon, an overnight and all of Monday in Halifax. Perhaps we will also roam the city across the Harbor, which is Dartmouth. They arranged some additional onboard activities and DH even joined me at guessing the TV Theme songs. I know that we would have done better had my brother been with us since he can still hum most of those TV Theme songs (too much time in front of the TV as a kid). They did 40 of them and some guy got 33 correct; the Asst. Cruise Director told him "you need to get out more." Other than that it was a day of reading, relaxing, eating and for DH, lots of walking. Although all his walking was inside, it was cold and windy out on deck. I had a hard time even opening the door to the deck due to the wind. Breakfast was Pancakes for DH and a waffle for me. As usual, DH did not have lunch, so I was up in the Buffet eating the Indian vegetarian selection. We used the dinner at Le Bistro tonight that I got via purchase of the "Honeymooner's Package." It included a bottle of House Merlot and a special cream cake for a second dessert. We both had the French Onion Soup au Gratin. It was richer and had more cheese than the version we had last night in the main dining room. We also both had Roquefort Frisee salad with figs and candied walnuts (this should have had more Roquefort in it). DH had Bouillabaisse and I had the Rack of Lamb, which was just outstanding and very tender. We had Chocolate Fondue for Two for dessert (this was before our special cake). We are really stuffed tonight. It was all very good. The crew show is tonight and there is a comedian performing so we shall check them out.

At Sea & an Early Arrival in Halifax

Since we could not get into St. John's yesterday, the Captain got us into Halifax early. We arrived today around 1 p.m. and we will overnight and have a full day here tomorrow. We began our day for breakfast. This time I was the healthy one having oatmeal and a sliced banana. DH had Broiled Kippers and grilled onions with a toasted bagel. I attended morning Bingo; unfortunately, I did not win, nor did anyone else win, the $5,000 jackpot for getting a cover-all in 46 numbers or less. I kept to my habit of having a taste of the Indian vegetarian selection from the luncheon buffet and it was around 2 p.m. before we were off the boat and strolling downtown Halifax. The last time we were here, we were unable to visit the Public Garden, which I believe is the largest Victorian Garden in North America, because it had suffered hurricane damage. Therefore we made a beeline for the Garden, although we had to stop for DH to take photos of interesting buildings, including the Government House, and also a few in The Old Burying Ground i.e. the Town's cemetery from 1700 something to 1844. The Garden is quite pretty, with a lovely Gazebo, fountains and lots of duck, plus at least one very speedy chipmunk. Back on the ship we had an early dinner so that I could attend the Kol Nidre services that were held tonight in the ship's chapel. DH had Creamy Corn soup and I had Iceberg wedge with Blue Cheese (not as good as the version of that salad made by our cousin, Debbie, as the ship's version did not use all those lovely chunks of cheese that she uses). We shared the risotto made with olives and goat cheese as a first course, which DH followed with an Eggplant Cannelloni and I followed with Chicken Parmesan. DH had carrot cake and ice cream and I had chocolate cheese cake. I then attended Kol Nidre services and we met up later for the evening's entertainment. The weather report says it is going to rain tomorrow; however, we shall hope for the best.

Halifax

We woke up very early because something was making the ship really rock even though we were safely docked and not even at sea. Perhaps it was the heavy winds or maybe a cargo ship was being unloaded nearby. DH went out for his walk and had a solitary breakfast in the Buffet since I was fasting for Yom Kippur. We got off the ship around 10 since nothing really opens in Halifax before 10. There are shops in one of the neighboring Port Pavilions and we checked them out before boarding a bus named FRED. FRED stands for Free Rides Everywhere Downtown. The bus runs a 40 minute loop through downtown Halifax with stops at most of the historical sites including taking people up the hill to the Citadel, which is a fort from Colonial times. Since it was raining and we had seen most of the sights when we were here four years ago, we just stayed on FRED until we were back at the port. It started to really rain, so I took the opportunity to go to the Pier 21 Exhibit/Museum. Pier 21 was the Ellis Island of Canada and it was the entry point for more than a million immigrants to Canada. DH spent his time comparing prices in the shops while I was in the museum and we bought a few things to bring back with us. He also bought me a present because 36 years ago today was our first date. It’s no wonder I’m still with him, how many men are this romantic and thoughtful? The rain finally let up so we walked along the waterfront passing the Marine Clock, the Historic Properties and Timothy Tugboat among other places. We had to be on board by 3:30 p.m. so we got out of our wet things and got ready for the evening. I attended the Yizkor and Concluding Services for Yom Kippur and then met DH for Dinner, which is when I broke my fast. DH had Hot & Sour Crab Soup, Salad Nicoise and a Seafood pasta with a whole lobster tail. I had a Spinach Turnover, Salad Nicoise and Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb. It was all quite yummy and followed by Lemon Pie for DH and Flourless Molten Chocolate Cake for me. We both got a bit decadent and had vanilla ice cream to top it off. Now we are waiting for the evening's entertainment and the Chocoholics Buffet, which is being held tonight (it is a once a cruise event). Tomorrow we shall be at sea, then in NYC and on a flight back to LA on Wednesday. Guess all good things come to an end. Tonight's show was amazing. They called it Cirque Bijou and they had acrobats, gymnasts and dancers performing in midair. Quite something on a rapidly moving ship.


A Final Day at Sea

Today was probably the best weather of the whole cruise; such is life. This gave us the opportunity to walk the decks and check out the outside facilities, most of which have been closed due to weather on this cruise. We had our final "sit down and be served" breakfast this morning. DH had both Lox & Bagels and a mushroom, green pepper & herb omelet made with Egg Beaters. I treated myself to Biscuits & Gravy, something I never eat at home. I played Bingo once again and did not win nor did I win the free cruise raffle. Guess that means we're paying for the next vacation ourselves! Both of us read, walked, relaxed and prepared ourselves to return to a world where we are not waited on hand and foot. In the afternoon we attended the Honeymooner's & Anniversary Party. This was part of the package I got DH for his birthday. They served Cake & Champagne. The longest married couple was 50 years and the shortest married were the couple of actual Honeymooners. Tonight we ate at the larger of the two main dining rooms. DH had Clam Chowder, an appetizer serving of Eggplant Parmesan and Tandoori Chicken. I had Prosciutto & Melon, Artichoke & Fava Bean Salad and the same chicken. DH's desserts were Strawberry Napoleon and Chocolate Bread Pudding. I also had the Bread Pudding plus some vanilla ice cream. It has been a decadent eating adventure. Tonight we are packing up, watching the guest talent show and heading to bed.

The Return Home

We are back at home after a long, but relatively easy, day of traveling. We got up around 5:30 a.m. so that we could view the "sail" into NY Harbor. It was prior to Sunrise so Lady Liberty was still lit up quite nicely and we could see the beginning of Daybreak behind the NY skyline. In preparation for our return to the real world, we had a healthy breakfast of Oatmeal with raisins & sliced banana. We were off the ship around 10 a.m. and through Immigration & Customs and in a cab to JFK very quickly. Since our flight was not until 3:30 p.m. and apparently there were no other flights around the time we arrived (a bit before noon) so we checked in very fast. It was even very fast going through Security. Absolutely no lines. We grabbed a Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich from the Balducci Market in the terminal and also had McFlurries at the McDonald's. Finally, we boarded the plane, had a nice easy flight, got our luggage quickly and were on our way home in "two shakes of a whistle." So here we are back in the real world where we have to cook and clean up for ourselves, what a shock to the system!

[DMH15]

SLMS- thank you for your very thorough journal. I was on a 2007 TA on the Jewel and took a long look at your itinerary. My mom and would have been crushed to miss Newfoundland, where my dad's ancestors landed from Europe. Sounds like you had a nice cruise.

[goldmom]

Great job on the journal. We've been wanting to do a trans-Atlantic or re-positioning cruise and I really felt as if I were on the trip with you. Makes me want to do one even more. Glad you had such a great trip, although I'm sorry you couldn't get into St John. Also, big kudos to you for fasting while on a cruise. I'm impressed with your self control!

[sjnyc323]

Great review. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[BikerAl]

Thanks so much, I really enjoyed your diary. As a previous poster said, it just makes me want to do a transatlantic soon.

Al

[tony@stanton19.freeserve.]

Thanks for posting that. We were also on the cruise and it brings it all back.

You should have joined us all for the Farewell dinner. There were over 60 of us.
the guy that won the TV Theme Trivia was one of the Roll Call too.

I will put a note up when I put my pictures on Webshots although they are not that good because the weather was so miserable