NCL Jewel Transatlantic 4-17-09

Any fellow FOD's on board? This is a deal that is hard to pass up!

I'm single, 40-something guy traveling solo (at least so far!). Check out the deals and join me on this great crossing! Let me know...:)

Any fellow FOD's on board? This is a deal that is hard to pass up!

I'm single, 40-something guy traveling solo (at least so far!). Check out the deals and join me on this great crossing! Let me know...:)

Hey Denman,

Nice to see you over here on this board too. I just posted over on the regular NCL Roll Call board. We may get several more people joining us over here by the time we sail. There are some great people that sail the TransAtlantic repositioning sailings in the spring and fall. Nice to meet you !! :)

Hey Jack! Glad to hear I won't be alone for sure! Looks like you have a lot of cruising under your belt...no pun intended! This will be my 5th, and I'm a bit freaked out that I made such a commitment for a long solo trip, but I'm feeling better already knowing some other guys will be on board. I tried to email you directly, but couldn't find a link. You can email me directly if you wish at denverdavo@gmail.com. I'd like to learn more about you and any other FOD's on board! Thanks!:D

Hi Denman and Jack, Howard & Derek here in sunny and very gay Wilton Manors, Florida. We will also be joining this cruise as the price is certainly right. Dereks' mom Ilse is also joining us as well and maybe a couple of other friends, though not gay. This will be our 15th trans-atlantic and as you can see, we love sea days. We're rather sorry that we can't stay longer in England as the deal doesn't allow that, but hey, what can you do for a really good fare. NCL is really great as far as FOD is concerned. We were just on a weekend cruise on them last weekend and it was really pretty good. I was very surprised. The "Jewel" is supposed to be a very neat ship, so I think everyone is gonna have a teriffic time.

Looking forward to meeting you both ,

Howard

I look forward to meeting you guys as well! Try to round up some nice single guys to join you from FL on the cruise! This will be my first TA...can't wait!

Hey Howard & Derrek,

I've heard good things about Wilton Manors and am anxious to hear more about your area once we're aboard the Norwegian Jewel. Like you, I also like NCL quite a lot and trust that the Jewel will live up to our expectations. Anxious to meet everyone once onboard.

Take care everyone! :)

Hi Jack, Wilton Manors has become sort of like ground zero for gay life in south Florida. We're gtetting quite a bit of attention from europeans as well. I know several snowbirds from Europe. I'l tell all when we meet.

Howard

Greetings Everyone,:D

Another local here, Pompano Beach. Looking foward to meeting all the FOD's for cocktails. Also traveling solo.

Ron

Welcome Ron !! Looks like there will be a nice group from Florida onboard the ship. Several activities are being planned over on the regual Roll Call board, if that interests any of you. Time is passing quite quickly for me and hope for all of you too !! :)

Hey Ron! Welcome to the thread! Looking forward to meeting all of you guys. At first I was traveling solo, but now my friend Derek will be joining me.

We'll be in cabin 11523...

Welcome to Ron and now Derek too. Interesting that there will be 2 Dereks' on board. Interesting because so few people spel their names that way. Anyway, I thought it was interesting. Boy, do I need this trip. Are you ready to party? At my age waking up is reason to party. Just joking, I'm only 62, but with whats going on in ouur country, I feel a hundred. See you all very soon,

Howard & Derek

Hello Guys, This cruise will be a belated celebration for me. I'll be 65 on March 22nd...1 yr cancer free...and 3 months from a heart attack! The good news, everything is in fine working order! I was able to get a balcony..cabin 9046. Will be looking forward to meeting everyone.

Ron

Hey Ron! Congrats on your birthday and your improved health as well!

I will be coming down from Denver the night before the cruise and staying with Derek in Pompano Beach that night. How are you getting to the cruise port in Miami? Maybe we can figure out a way to travel together. Derek lives at Palm-Air. Thank you!:)

Hey guys Al here just signed up yesterday looking forward to getting out of Vermont for a while. Going solo for the month after the trans Atlantic doing a Baltic cruise on Celeberity for two weeks. This deal was just too good to pass up and last time on the Jewel had a great time. We need to all go for the thermal spa and meet up. Although the cruise is very very well priced NCL

gets you on the dinning up charges and thermal spa!!! Beware!!

Hey Mountainguy! Looking forward to having you on board! How do you get so much time off for cruising? That's awesome! This will be the longest I've been away since right after college. Anyway, what is the thermal spa and what do they charge for it?

Hi Al, welcome to our group. Can we meet somewhere other than a paying venue? The opportunity for this cruise, based upon its pricing was the reason we booked this cruise. We will be trying a couple of the premium restaurants but for the most part we are restricting the amount of money we will be spending. "The times they are a hard.", well you know what I mean. If I remember correctly, they will have "FOD" meetings every night posted in their daily journal. Can we just meet where they post? Every little bit helps for us.

Thanks and welcome aboard,

Howard

Hey Howard and Derek...

I'm with you...won't be spending too much on extras. But, what is this "thermal spa" anyway? They don't charge for the hot tub near the spa, do they?

HI Guys, the thermal spa is the steam room, sauna, hot tub cold plunge and the tiled thermal beds all with a great view in the bow of the ship. The fee is $100.00 +/- kind of steep but we really enjoyed it each day.

Found the upgraded restaurants where not worth the extra charge food quality comprable to the regular restaurants. Open seating is nice but it does create waits for dinner all over. We had the FOD group every night by request in th enice piano lounge on deck 10. We also had the name FOD changed to GLBT as alot of the internationals and young ones had no clue to what friends of Dorothy is. Something to keep in mind when requesting a gathering each night. Al

Wow...I'm really shocked to see that NCL charges for this area. It is completely free on Carnival and Royal Carib. I wonder how they think they can compete? Is it really that much better than the other cruise lines? So the only free hot tubs are the ones on deck by the pools, huh? I guess I'll have to splurge on this "luxury", since I do make use of those areas...but only for about an hour a day or so.

Wow...I'm really shocked to see that NCL charges for this area. It is completely free on Carnival and Royal Carib. I wonder how they think they can compete? Is it really that much better than the other cruise lines? So the only free hot tubs are the ones on deck by the pools, huh? I guess I'll have to splurge on this "luxury", since I do make use of those areas...but only for about an hour a day or so.

I am not really an expert on the thermal areas on NCL ships, but, have heard that these relaxation areas on the larger ships are pretty nice. Holland America also charges extra for the 'thermal spas'. On the Norwegian Gem, which I assume would be the case on the Norwegian Jewel, these areas are premium areas and are in addition to the smaller spa areas near the fitness center. One area that I can comment on is the fitness centers on NCL, and they are as good or better than most cruise lines and are open 24-hour a day, something unique in the industry and a plus for me.

IMHO, the NCL experience exceeds many lines in several aspects of customer service & value.

Not much longer now !! :)

Hey Howard FOD they start it off then we have to ask to continue posting it.

Meeting up in the thermal spa is an additional time to get together hope we will all go to FOD as a great time to organize dinner plans and meet others.

And to answer other questions I dont think that the thermal spa is that much of an upgraded area as compared to other ships. Its a little annoying to have to check in at the spa and get a robe and locker key every time, and no upgraded toiletries they had lotion and that was it.

Cheers Al

Hi! I was wondering if any others might wish to share a ride to the dock from Ft. Lauderdale/Pompano? I know that CruisewithME2 (Ron) and others live up that way too, so just thought I might ask just in case.

I think I will be splurging on the Thermal Spa regardless of their charge for the week. I guess it's like $10 a day, huh? Some have said it is well worth it!

Can't wait for this trip!

Thanks for your replies on the other board, Jack...I'll get some Ginger. I suppose I could buy the wrist bands on board if I really needed those.

Thanks for your replies on the other board, Jack...I'll get some Ginger. I suppose I could buy the wrist bands on board if I really needed those.

Hey,

You're welcome !! :). Good decision, but, I've had really good 'weather luck' lately, so, I am hoping that it holds up for this sailing too.

Just in case, I have to remember to dig out those wrist bands and pack them too.

Hope everyone is doing well !!

Hey,

 

You're welcome !! :). Good decision, but, I've had really good 'weather luck' lately, so, I am hoping that it holds up for this sailing too.

 

Just in case, I have to remember to dig out those wrist bands and pack them too.

 

Hope everyone is doing well !!

Hey Jack, I just wanted to say hello. Darn, I wish I were on here with you guys but other factors changed my course. My friends, Bob and Don will be on this cruise as well. Make sure to say hello. Don is a Purser for CO. I was on the Jewel with them last year for the T/A to Dover. I see you are on the Legend. I was so close to booking that the only factor was the 5/20 date............what a pisser! In any case I hope you have fun. I did book the Celebrity Century for a 12 day Baltics on June 14.