MITSUGIRLYS JEWEL OF A CRUISE review and pictorial

[mickev99]

Hi! A friend and I are going to the Western Caribbean in about 8 days on the Jewel and she wondered if the cabins have personal safes so I thought I would check in with someone who was just there!

 

Thanks for all the pics, so excited about our trip and you've inspired my picture taking.

 

I was in a mini suite and had one. You make up your own code when you first use it.

[Aunt Reexy]

Appreciate all the replies about the safe; I'll pass the info to my friend.

[theump]

Nope, no one mentioned that yet. I was wondering what they were called. I did just now look a mongoose up (even put in Jamaica mongoose) and the pictures I'm seeing "kinda" looks like it, but the pictures on the web, the mongoose has long legs compared to this one. This one had really short legs like a ferret and was really close to the ground. :confused:

 

Kim,

 

Look up otter. We saw some in Belize so might be what you saw in Jamaica.

 

The Ump

John

[JMHAM1]

The Suite we were in had two safes each. Hubby and I both had one in each room that would not lock at all and then he had one that locked then the battery in it died so he could not unlock it. Security had to come up and fix it. They were big tho. The DSLR camera, our document carrier and a laptop fit into one no problem.

[mommaof 3]

Hi! It has been an age since I've checked the boards, but as always love your reviews. Only on pg 3, but had to add my experience with the NCLEX, since I can't wait til I finish, lol.

 

I took mine exactly three months after my final. By the time they wait for graduation and the nursing board it was about 6 weeks to get the ATT and then another 6 weeks to get a slot within a couple of hours drive. That's the bad news.

 

The good news is, it wasn't that bad. I finished 75 questions in about 45 minutes and it shut off. I felt pretty confident, hard questions but very few that I wasn't familiar with. Paid the $8 and found out I passed in 2 days. Yay!

 

Unfortunately, NJ has a surplus of nurses currently, so I've been job hunting for 4 months now. :( A lot of my classmates have left for NC, TX & FL..but I cannot do that. I am starting an online BSN in a couple of weeks, hopefully that will change something on the job front. So sad to work so hard and want something so much and not be able to practice as a nurse.

 

Anyway, completely off topic, but I'd seen a few comments and had to add my experience. I am sure you will have no problem! I shall now returning to reading your review :)

[mitsugirly]

Just curious, did the room steward do all of these things with Trixie or did you do them?

 

Just curious, did you read my review? :p Because if you did, you'll know we had the worse room steward. ;) It was Trixie that moved herself daily, not the room steward. :D The only time he moved her was when he put her on top of all the towel animals that he laid on the table when he made the bed and also when he took her from the crabs mouth and put her on top of it when he put it on the couch.

 

Great review and thanks for posting all of the pics. We are leaving the artic tundra of Cleveland next week for a cruise on the Dawn.

 

I hope you get out of Ohio this weekend then because next week it's going below zero. :( I'm not looking forward to it ALL AT!

[mitsugirly]

 

Kim,

 

Look up otter. We saw some in Belize so might be what you saw in Jamaica.

 

The Ump

John

 

Hmm, the face of it really looked more like the mongoose. I guess I didn't realize that the mongoose has really sharp fang teeth like I'm seeing in the pictures online. YIKES. I probably wouldn't have gotten so close to it had I known that. :eek:

 

Hi! It has been an age since I've checked the boards, but as always love your reviews. Only on pg 3, but had to add my experience with the NCLEX, since I can't wait til I finish, lol.

 

I took mine exactly three months after my final. By the time they wait for graduation and the nursing board it was about 6 weeks to get the ATT and then another 6 weeks to get a slot within a couple of hours drive. That's the bad news.

 

The good news is, it wasn't that bad. I finished 75 questions in about 45 minutes and it shut off. I felt pretty confident, hard questions but very few that I wasn't familiar with. Paid the $8 and found out I passed in 2 days. Yay!

 

Unfortunately, NJ has a surplus of nurses currently, so I've been job hunting for 4 months now. :( A lot of my classmates have left for NC, TX & FL..but I cannot do that. I am starting an online BSN in a couple of weeks, hopefully that will change something on the job front. So sad to work so hard and want something so much and not be able to practice as a nurse.

 

Anyway, completely off topic, but I'd seen a few comments and had to add my experience. I am sure you will have no problem! I shall now returning to reading your review :)

 

 

Thanks so much for the compliment and I'm glad you're back to the boards to read my review. :)

 

Also thanks for the info. It seems like most people are getting in to sit for the boards within a month or two here. That will be fine with me. I will need some time to review and do a bunch of NCLEX questions online to practice. I'm so nervous about this last semester I can't hardly stand it. The good thing is, I will be having my clinical at the hospital I work for this time around and I'm hoping this will also give me an additional "in" maybe on that floor. I will be on the telemetry step down unit. A fellow co-worker (that I worked with while she was in Nursing school and is now a nurse for the last year) said that there's a lot of critical care patients up there when she fills in and it will be a great experience. I'm hoping that's the case. :)

[snorkelmom19]

Happy New Year to you and your family. Thanks for letting me escape the snow and cold for a little bit. Your review is excellent as usual. I think your underwater images are pretty darn good--I think it is the most challenging photography. I agree with you about the Spirit being a favorite--my wish is that it would come back to the US and be left in Baltimore so I could drive to it. Thanks again for the fun review.

[mommaof 3]

Hmm, the face of it really looked more like the mongoose. I guess I didn't realize that the mongoose has really sharp fang teeth like I'm seeing in the pictures online. YIKES. I probably wouldn't have gotten so close to it had I known that. :eek:

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for the compliment and I'm glad you're back to the boards to read my review. :)

 

Also thanks for the info. It seems like most people are getting in to sit for the boards within a month or two here. That will be fine with me. I will need some time to review and do a bunch of NCLEX questions online to practice. I'm so nervous about this last semester I can't hardly stand it. The good thing is, I will be having my clinical at the hospital I work for this time around and I'm hoping this will also give me an additional "in" maybe on that floor. I will be on the telemetry step down unit. A fellow co-worker (that I worked with while she was in Nursing school and is now a nurse for the last year) said that there's a lot of critical care patients up there when she fills in and it will be a great experience. I'm hoping that's the case. :)

 

I'm sure you will be just fine since you work at a hospital already. My problem is living in an area that is quickly going to BSN only RN's at many hospitals, and having been a stay at home mom for the last 12 years. In hindsight I should have tried to work as a NA/PCT during school, but our house also flooded the day before Nursing 1 started. So I was a bit busy, we moved 4 times in the first 8 weeks, dealing with the insurance and rebuilding, blah, blah. We finally moved back home permanently about 2 months ago.

 

Anyway Nursing 4 was a good semester, lots of critical patients, but it was the hardest for me. Listen to everyone's lungs who will let you! And I took the Kaplan in person review in June, it was worthwhile, review is very dry, but the practice questions prepare you well for the NCLEX. Practice LOTS of select all that apply! Good luck!

[ncklhaus]

Just curious, did you read my review? :p Because if you did, you'll know we had the worse room steward. ;) It was Trixie that moved herself daily, not the room steward. :D The only time he moved her was when he put her on top of all the towel animals that he laid on the table when he made the bed and also when he took her from the crabs mouth and put her on top of it when he put it on the couch.

 

Ha ha! My bad!:p That Trixie is a sneaky one.:D

[TryingCruising]

Thank you for sharing your review! I loved reading it over the past few freezing days and snowstorm we just had in the North East. We're trying to decide on a cruise for March. We visited these same ports on the Dawn last year and really enjoyed them, but maybe we need to check out the Jewel and New Orleans. Your pictures are fabulous and I appreciate you taking the time to share so many details.

[mitsugirly]

Happy New Year to you and your family. Thanks for letting me escape the snow and cold for a little bit. Your review is excellent as usual. I think your underwater images are pretty darn good--I think it is the most challenging photography. I agree with you about the Spirit being a favorite--my wish is that it would come back to the US and be left in Baltimore so I could drive to it. Thanks again for the fun review.

 

Happy New Year to your family as well and glad I could give you an escape from the winter weather. We have been hit pretty hard as well and my husband keeps asking me "Tell me why we live here again instead of Florida???" LOL

 

I agree, underwater photography can be very challenging at times, but what I find even more challenging is windows. :p Lighting can be my worse enemy and it's very challenging to have your subject lit up while still trying to get the colorful background (meaning in pictures where they are standing by a window and you can't use a flash or standing in the sunlight, like when I try to get a picture of my little one looking out into the ocean having her lit up and still be able to see the ocean instead of a white blur...gack!) and I struggle with this.

 

Either way, I guess I'll just have to keep cruising so I can practice more. :D

 

I'm sure you will be just fine since you work at a hospital already. My problem is living in an area that is quickly going to BSN only RN's at many hospitals, and having been a stay at home mom for the last 12 years. In hindsight I should have tried to work as a NA/PCT during school, but our house also flooded the day before Nursing 1 started. So I was a bit busy, we moved 4 times in the first 8 weeks, dealing with the insurance and rebuilding, blah, blah. We finally moved back home permanently about 2 months ago.

 

Anyway Nursing 4 was a good semester, lots of critical patients, but it was the hardest for me. Listen to everyone's lungs who will let you! And I took the Kaplan in person review in June, it was worthwhile, review is very dry, but the practice questions prepare you well for the NCLEX. Practice LOTS of select all that apply! Good luck!

 

Our hospital is already moving to no RN's and only BSN's. But they tell you that you have to have started working on your BSN within 4 years of hiring...so that's doable.

 

I have thought about taking the Kaplan crash course. A lot of people talk about it at work and in school. I guess there's several different types of these courses and everyone said they are extremely helpful. I'll definitely be taking one of them (even though they say they're around $400 for the 1 day crash course :eek:).

[mitsugirly]

 

Ha ha! My bad!:p That Trixie is a sneaky one.:D

 

Yes, yes she is. :D I failed to mention that we were picking up Sakari one night at the kids club and I had forgot to tell Trixie it was time to move and I darted out telling my husband to walk back to the room SLOWLY. Oops. Only one goof up during the cruise wasn't too bad, but I fixed it quickly. :p

 

Thank you for sharing your review! I loved reading it over the past few freezing days and snowstorm we just had in the North East. We're trying to decide on a cruise for March. We visited these same ports on the Dawn last year and really enjoyed them, but maybe we need to check out the Jewel and New Orleans. Your pictures are fabulous and I appreciate you taking the time to share so many details.

 

Thanks so much for the compliments. I really enjoyed doing the review and enjoyed doing the cruise so that I could do the review. hehe :p

[bacardi1224]

Just wanted to say that the Olympus tough is officially ordered thanks to this review. The bf's response: "you need ANOTHER camera???". :D

[Medtech2]

Hmm, the face of it really looked more like the mongoose. I guess I didn't realize that the mongoose has really sharp fang teeth like I'm seeing in the pictures online. YIKES. I probably wouldn't have gotten so close to it had I known that. :eek:

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for the compliment and I'm glad you're back to the boards to read my review. :)

 

Also thanks for the info. It seems like most people are getting in to sit for the boards within a month or two here. That will be fine with me. I will need some time to review and do a bunch of NCLEX questions online to practice. I'm so nervous about this last semester I can't hardly stand it. The good thing is, I will be having my clinical at the hospital I work for this time around and I'm hoping this will also give me an additional "in" maybe on that floor. I will be on the telemetry step down unit. A fellow co-worker (that I worked with while she was in Nursing school and is now a nurse for the last year) said that there's a lot of critical care patients up there when she fills in and it will be a great experience. I'm hoping that's the case. :)

Saw this. :)

 

http://jamaica-star.com/thestar/20090407/news/news1.html

 

Kinda cool

[mitsugirly]

Just wanted to say that the Olympus tough is officially ordered thanks to this review. The bf's response: "you need ANOTHER camera???". :D

 

Which model did you end up getting? LOL at the bf. :p

 

Saw this. :)

 

http://jamaica-star.com/thestar/20090407/news/news1.html

 

Kinda cool

 

 

That's hilarious (and it hurt my head to try to read lol). I looked up where Bull Bay is located and it looks like it's all the way on the other side and end of Montego Bay, so I would "think" it wasn't the same mongoose. But still a good read. :D

[fayfam]

Just wanted to say that the Olympus tough is officially ordered thanks to this review. The bf's response: "you need ANOTHER camera???". :D

 

We went looking at them today as well :) Which model did you get? I will be buying one closer to our trip to the US in April, then we can claim back the GST.

 

 

Mitsugirly - What model is your Olympus? Thanks for the heads up. The photos & review are fantastic. I can't wait to visit the Carribean.

 

Kerry :)

[Highboy90]

Great review and pics as always. Thanks! :)

[NayRN]

Happy New Year to your family as well and glad I could give you an escape from the winter weather. We have been hit pretty hard as well and my husband keeps asking me "Tell me why we live here again instead of Florida???" LOL

 

I agree, underwater photography can be very challenging at times, but what I find even more challenging is windows. :p Lighting can be my worse enemy and it's very challenging to have your subject lit up while still trying to get the colorful background (meaning in pictures where they are standing by a window and you can't use a flash or standing in the sunlight, like when I try to get a picture of my little one looking out into the ocean having her lit up and still be able to see the ocean instead of a white blur...gack!) and I struggle with this.

 

Either way, I guess I'll just have to keep cruising so I can practice more. :D

 

 

 

Our hospital is already moving to no RN's and only BSN's. But they tell you that you have to have started working on your BSN within 4 years of hiring...so that's doable.

 

I have thought about taking the Kaplan crash course. A lot of people talk about it at work and in school. I guess there's several different types of these courses and everyone said they are extremely helpful. I'll definitely be taking one of them (even though they say they're around $400 for the 1 day crash course :eek:).

 

My health system reimburses the Kaplan fee once we passed the boards....you may want to check into that!! 🏥

[OceanDreaming2]

Thank you for an awesome review/blog. I've read along and enjoyed your cruise. The Jewel is one of our favorite ships. We were going to be on her for 34 days this spring, but Norwegian cancelled it. :(

 

Anyway, did I miss something?

 

 

I will do one last post to summarize my thoughts of the Jewel and also of the cruise ports.

 

I haven't seen this summary.

 

Thanks again.

[mitsugirly]

We went looking at them today as well :) Which model did you get? I will be buying one closer to our trip to the US in April, then we can claim back the GST.

 

 

Mitsugirly - What model is your Olympus? Thanks for the heads up. The photos & review are fantastic. I can't wait to visit the Carribean.

 

Kerry :)

 

Mine is a 630 I believe. But, there are newer models out. I purchased mine on the Star in Dec 2012. It was all they had to offer at the time.

 

Great review and pics as always. Thanks! :)

 

You are very welcome. :)

[mitsugirly]

My health system reimburses the Kaplan fee once we passed the boards....you may want to check into that!! 🏥

 

My hospital won't even reimburse me for my classes. :( So I know they won't pay for the Kaplan fee either.

 

 

Thank you for an awesome review/blog. I've read along and enjoyed your cruise. The Jewel is one of our favorite ships. We were going to be on her for 34 days this spring, but Norwegian cancelled it. :(

 

Anyway, did I miss something?

 

 

 

I haven't seen this summary.

 

Thanks again.

 

No, you didn't miss it. I have been working every day and only able to get on in the late mornings and in the evening after returning from work (midnight) and by then my mind is shot.

 

Tomorrow is my first day off and I will finish then. :) Sorry about the delay.

[DCP]

Kim - stay warm - we're going to get cold here in Ohio!! (we're in Delaware, just north of C-bus)

[caissonqueen]

Great review as always Mitsugirly. I'm definitely buying an Olympus tough camera for my cruise next month. I have decided on Maya Key vs Little French Key in Roatan. LFK looks awesome but I want to see the amazing snorkeling and drop off again. :D

[mitsugirly]

Kim - stay warm - we're going to get cold here in Ohio!! (we're in Delaware, just north of C-bus)

 

I'm not looking forward to the rain today and then the snow that is going to be dumped on us tonight with the added temp drop. I will be a bakset case when I make it home tonight. Ugh. I'm in Grove city btw so we are close. :)

 

Great review as always Mitsugirly. I'm definitely buying an Olympus tough camera for my cruise next month. I have decided on Maya Key vs Little French Key in Roatan. LFK looks awesome but I want to see the amazing snorkeling and drop off again. :D

 

Good luck finding the perfect camera for you. I love my Olympus.

 

Maya Key is just so awesome for snorkeling. I miss it. :(