Norfolk, Va visited by NCL Jewel

[hammsz]

I was driving over the bridge in downtown Norfolk today and saw an NCL ship in town, did a second take. I keep track of port calls here cuz i like ships. My baby the NCL Dawn has a port call here in about a week on her way to tampa, FL. The sandy storm kept the jewel from going other places. Theres a ton to do in this area! I hate that people talk bad about my area. This area has so much to do, depending on how long she is in port, the virginia beach oceanfront, Jamestown, Norfolk Navy Base, Downtown norfolks Macarthur Mall 50 stores you wont find anywhere else. Colonial Williamsburg is amazing people.

[Snowrose]

Loved Colonial Williamsburg when I was there!

[DMH15]

Have never been to VA. Love to visit new places.

[HokiePoq]

My niece is in town and she and her husband toured the Wisconsin and Nauticus at the waterfront yesterday. MacArthur Memorial is another closeby attraction. Hope they were able to line up trips to Williamsburg and/or Jamestown/Yorktown for the passengers.

[hammsz]

google colonial parkway, one of the nicest drives ever.

[KirkNC]

You know the saying, any port in a storm.

[caribsun]

Other then a few CCL itineraries why are no cruise lines sailing routinely from Norfolk ?

[camz]

Having visited Virginia on a couple of occasions, I would think this would be a nice port stop. Something different to switch things up a bit. :)

[DevCruise]

Other then a few CCL itineraries why are no cruise lines sailing routinely from Norfolk ?

 

It's funny, the first few years they did cruises out of Norfolk with no cruise terminal. Just dropped them off on the dock next to the museum. We had CCL, HAL, RCI all embarking here.

 

Then Norfolk invested in an actual cruise terminal. Now only CCL embarks here. A few other lines make an occasional port visit.

 

I'd love to see NCL make Norfolk an embarkation point, then I wouldn't have to fly to get on their ships. My only choice out of Norfolk now like you said is CCL.

[DevCruise]

I was driving over the bridge in downtown Norfolk today and saw an NCL ship in town, did a second take. I keep track of port calls here cuz i like ships. My baby the NCL Dawn has a port call here in about a week on her way to tampa, FL. The sandy storm kept the jewel from going other places.

 

I've got pictures of the Jewel. Tried posting them on here and gave up. Also planning to stop by and see the Dawn next week. The Jewel visit was unexpected due to their stop in Charleston, SC getting diverted due to Sandy.

 

 

Theres a ton to do in this area! I hate that people talk bad about my area. This area has so much to do, depending on how long she is in port, the virginia beach oceanfront, Jamestown, Norfolk Navy Base, Downtown norfolks Macarthur Mall 50 stores you wont find anywhere else. Colonial Williamsburg is amazing people.

 

Sorry, I live here and I still say the area sucks in terms of things to do.

[hammsz]

there are lots of things to do, if you have done all of williamsburg and all the museums/touristy spots then i can see how there isnt much to do, Im just speaking from a cruise port stop for people that visit for a day or two.

[tiyana4]

I was driving over the bridge in downtown Norfolk today and saw an NCL ship in town, did a second take. I keep track of port calls here cuz i like ships. My baby the NCL Dawn has a port call here in about a week on her way to tampa, FL. The sandy storm kept the jewel from going other places. Theres a ton to do in this area! I hate that people talk bad about my area. This area has so much to do, depending on how long she is in port, the virginia beach oceanfront, Jamestown, Norfolk Navy Base, Downtown norfolks Macarthur Mall 50 stores you wont find anywhere else. Colonial Williamsburg is amazing people.

 

It's so nice to know I'm not alone. I have been to some pretty remote ports and agree that there is enough in this area to constitute a "true" port stop. I actually spent my lunch hour at Half Moone admiring the Jewel. I ran into a lovely couple cruising from New York who had just taken the Light Rail and they were thrilled. I think they were just happy they had an opportunity to get off the ship. Other people I ran into were scurrying around using maps of downtown, others were shopping or taking the Naval Base cruise tour - so there are things to do.

 

Here is the link to the photos I took:

 

 

It's funny, the first few years they did cruises out of Norfolk with no cruise terminal. Just dropped them off on the dock next to the museum. We had CCL, HAL, RCI all embarking here.

 

Then Norfolk invested in an actual cruise terminal. Now only CCL embarks here. A few other lines make an occasional port visit.

 

I'd love to see NCL make Norfolk an embarkation point, then I wouldn't have to fly to get on their ships. My only choice out of Norfolk now like you said is CCL.

 

I would love to see this too! Too bad there's so much competition from Baltimore, NJ and NY.

[ClaireAndMike]

I grew up in Virginia. Hated it then, miss a lot of things about it now.

[SJ]

I too wish cruiselines would make norfolk or Charleston a port rather than Port Canaveral. Not we would even get off the ship next time we are there even though the port charges a pretty hefty port fee. E

[sdmike]

Jewel is now off Atlantic City heading north

[anthem]

Carnival Glory cruise out of Norfolk cancelled due to Sandy.

[CruisinMaterial]

Other then a few CCL itineraries why are no cruise lines sailing routinely from Norfolk ?

 

Exactly the reason why is now known. The cruise port terminal is behind a flood gate and if it should close, you've stranded a ship. That's what happened to Carnival Glory and now a cruise has been cancelled. That costs a cruise line MONEY! I don't think cruise lines would take a chance on originating a ship from a location that could be constricted by such means. A port of call is a different story but due to foreign flagging requirements that's not an easy port to get to a foreign port next from. :cool:

[DevCruise]

I would love to see this too! Too bad there's so much competition from Baltimore, NJ and NY.

 

Sadly, from what I heard, Baltimore is hurting for ships too.

[DevCruise]

Exactly the reason why is now known. The cruise port terminal is behind a flood gate and if it should close, you've stranded a ship. That's what happened to Carnival Glory and now a cruise has been cancelled. That costs a cruise line MONEY! I don't think cruise lines would take a chance on originating a ship from a location that could be constricted by such means. A port of call is a different story but due to foreign flagging requirements that's not an easy port to get to a foreign port next from. :cool:

 

That flood gate is a joke and not very hard to walk around. I was just there taking pictures of the Jewel when she ported. Doesn't even take a minute to walk around.

[hammsz]

we will get a storm like this once a year, those flood gates have been closed once in 5 years.

[jdough789]

It's so nice to know I'm not alone. I have been to some pretty remote ports and agree that there is enough in this area to constitute a "true" port stop. I actually spent my lunch hour at Half Moone admiring the Jewel. I ran into a lovely couple cruising from New York who had just taken the Light Rail and they were thrilled. I think they were just happy they had an opportunity to get off the ship. Other people I ran into were scurrying around using maps of downtown, others were shopping or taking the Naval Base cruise tour - so there are things to do.

 

Here is the link to the photos I took:

 

 

I would love to see this too! Too bad there's so much competition from Baltimore, NJ and NY.

 

 

Great pix.

Thanks for sharing

[brian99]

It's so nice to know I'm not alone. I have been to some pretty remote ports and agree that there is enough in this area to constitute a "true" port stop. I actually spent my lunch hour at Half Moone admiring the Jewel. I ran into a lovely couple cruising from New York who had just taken the Light Rail and they were thrilled. I think they were just happy they had an opportunity to get off the ship. Other people I ran into were scurrying around using maps of downtown, others were shopping or taking the Naval Base cruise tour - so there are things to do.

 

Here is the link to the photos I took:

 

 

Great pictures. We were on that ship and wanted to walk around Norfolk for a few hours but it looked like it could rain at any moment so we stayed on board and used the hot tub. :)

[tiyana4]

Great pix.

Thanks for sharing

 

Glad you enjoyed them.

 

Great pictures. We were on that ship and wanted to walk around Norfolk for a few hours but it looked like it could rain at any moment so we stayed on board and used the hot tub. :)

 

Thank you. The temps weren't bad Friday but it was overcast most of the day and misting rain off and on. Given the choice, I think the hot tub would have won me over, too.:D.

 

Really sorry you guys were affected by the storm.

[Noodle77]

Thank you for posting these pics, Tiyana!! I'm a Hampton Roads native and lived and worked in downtown Norfolk for several years, just blocks away from Nauticus and Towne Point Park! I live in the DC area now, and as it happens, am going on my first cruise on the NCL Jewel in November? It was so cool to see the ship in my old neighborhood! I think there's lots to do in the area and hope the passengers enjoyed their unscheduled stop.

[tiyana4]

Thank you for posting these pics, Tiyana!! I'm a Hampton Roads native and lived and worked in downtown Norfolk for several years, just blocks away from Nauticus and Towne Point Park! I live in the DC area now, and as it happens, am going on my first cruise on the NCL Jewel in November? It was so cool to see the ship in my old neighborhood! I think there's lots to do in the area and hope the passengers enjoyed their unscheduled stop.

 

You're welcome. We had a very exciting weekend with 3 ships in 3 days...the Enchantment was in briefly Thursday for a medical emergency, the Jewel unexpectedly on Friday, and the Glory disembarked pax on Saturday. I worked in the SunTrust building directly across from the terminal and loved to watch the ships come in. We would love to see more ships come to this area.