Live From the Jewell 1/3/2016

[troyphoto]

Yep another Live From thread from TroyPhoto! I knew you'd be excited!

 

Some Disclaimers:

 

I'm practicing to be a grumpy old curmudgeon... (I'm only just past 50, but I feel it coming soon) ;)

 

I'll probably post to my blog first - since it's easier to upload photos there, then cross post the text - and link to the blog post so you can view images there.

 

I doubt we'll get off the ship... wife and I just spent a month (me 3 weeks, her, 5 weeks) in the LA area for her job assignment. We've been living out of hotels that entire time, driving rental cars, eating at any restaurant that sounds interesting, and walking all over the place. My poor feet (yes, Plantar Fasciitis :eek: ). So, we're planning on experiencing the ship, the weather, the always friendly Norwegian staff... and don't really care what port we stop in.

 

Oh, and the Unlimited Beverage Plan... nuf said. :cool:

 

I'll try to read through questions, and see what I can find out - but, be warned. We're down in "Steerage" (an oceanview on deck 5) ... I'll have no clue about suite perks, or which butler is on board. I'll encourage my other CCers to check this thread, and respond as they can to such questions.

 

Oh, and I'm extremely sarcastic. And snarky at times. Be on the lookout for winky faces in the posts.

 

So, once we get aboard, I'll check back here. Once we're on the expensive internet plan, I'll post/check this thread 1/day.

[Blizzard54]

Looking forward to following you cruise. We will be boarding next Sunday. We are also in an OV with UBP and may not go ashore. I am a little bit older version of you also with Plantar Fasciitis.

[troyphoto]

Looking forward to following you cruise. We will be boarding next Sunday. We are also in an OV with UBP and may not go ashore. I am a little bit older version of you also with Plantar Fasciitis.

 

I'll keep a deck chair on the promenade warm for you. I don't know if there will be any booze left though. :D

[roger001]

I'll keep a deck chair on the promenade warm for you. I don't know if there will be any booze left though. :D

 

Did our first UBP a month ago. Like damn stealing. Wow! Takes the worry out of having one...or two...or three...or whatever...or maybe a mimosa for breakfast..... Anyhow....... And we'll be on the Jewel again in a couple of months. So don't leave her in a mess.

[theloo]

So happy to hear you're doing this as we're with Curt on the 1/10/16 sailing. If you could please report on the entertainment, especially if the aerialist/Russians are still on board and how many shows they are doing, we'd be so grateful! If you happen to notice if there is a NCL staff sing-a-long (like they have on the Sun), could you report? Thank you!

[Blizzard54]

I'll keep a deck chair on the promenade warm for you. I don't know if there will be any booze left though. :D

 

I am sure they will restock in LA on the 10th In my younger days I would see if I could eat more that they would bring me. (2-3 entrées for dinner) Now I am more inclined to test to booze supply.

[GoAndHaveFun]

So happy to hear you're doing this as we're with Curt on the 1/10/16 sailing. If you could please report on the entertainment, especially if the aerialist/Russians are still on board and how many shows they are doing, we'd be so grateful! If you happen to notice if there is a NCL staff sing-a-long (like they have on the Sun), could you report? Thank you!

 

According to my brother who saw the aerialist show, they were indeed a Russian couple

[troyphoto]

We're on board in the great outdoors.

 

:D

 

I LOVE this ship

[Beachin2]

Following along. We board next week - our first NCL cruise after 20+ on RCL. Nice to drive to the port for a change.:D

[troyphoto]

No pics this time, just a recap

 

My ongoing battle with the coffee gnomes

 

My love-hate relationship with cruise-coffee has rekindled itself. How does one begin their day without some semblance of dark caffeinated warm brown love in a mug?

 

My wife can go all day without coffee. Not me.

 

As much as I look forward to getting on a cruise ship, I always dread the coffee. We had our first cruise just over ten years ago on this same ship. December of 2005. Back then, the Jewell was squeaky clean, with that new ship smell. Now, she’s still a clean ship. Lots of little updates have occurred in her most recent dry dock. But, the coffee… well… let’s just say that I love cruising, and dread the thought of having to get my morning pot of brown-caffeinated-gold from those damn coffee machine gnomes.

 

Good news, most of the “instant brew” dispensers in the Garden Café (buffet) have been upgraded to the grind and brew dispensers. Or, they stuck canisters of coffee beans on top of the machines and the coffee-gnomes hiding inside make a grinding noise, while snickering and diluting the hidden syrup when I push the button. The coffee gnomes in those machines are tricky little buggers. I know they take delight in making my coffee taste as much unlike coffee as possible.

 

While not as great as a fresh brewed pot, this “grind and brew” version is a step in the correct direction. It’s slightly better than used motor oil coffee from the diluted-syrup machines. Now that the gnomes have to actually work at grinding, and not just diluting gooey brown syrup, they’re probably even madder at me for complaining about the syrup coffee machines the past ten years.

 

So, I fill up my thermal coffee mug (using a fresh white ship’s cup that has not touched anyone’s lips.) I found that some the acidic taste that the short run grind & brews create can be cut by adding some hot water from the same dispenser. Hah! Take that, crazy coffee gnomes!

 

Perhaps the Jewell has always had the grind and brew machines, instead of the syrup machines. After a while, all of the buffets and their coffee tend to cloud up and merge in my memory.

 

But, coffee it is (or so I’ll pretend for now). Add to it a pile of bacon, some fried taters and a cup of yogurt (no blueberry, so I have to settle for raspberry), and we’ll call it breakfast.

 

Part 2: Dancing to win

 

Wife and I took advantage of the booking specials and chose the Unlimited Beverage Plan. (Most of) The booze is included, we just had to pre-pay the tips for the bar staff. That means wine at dinner and the show for me, and cocktails for the wife throughout the cruise. Let’s just say that adjusting to the several drinks a night is causing us to relearn how to avoid hangovers. A week of this and we should be drinking pros again.

 

Wife warned me, however, I’m not allowed to drive the ship if I have a glass of wine.

 

After dinner, we headed off to the kickoff show. The Jean Ann Ryan song and dance folks look like their usual good selves. This trip, we’ve got a comedic magician, or is that really a magical comedian? As long as he’s not related to the coffee machine gnomes, I’ll go to his show. His teaser portion of the show last night was good, a couple of twists, well planned, and funny.

 

Following that we went to Magnum’s lounge for music with Marissa. Her song list is tad shallow, but well rounded. The only area for improvement would be pre-printing her song list and distributing several copies. She had one handwritten list that we passed around. Which isn’t enough if she’s going to ask for requests.

 

In the past we’ve caught a few cruises with Jana Seale, and enjoyed Marissa’s vocals just as much. Marissa differs from Jana in having a more “upbeat” style. Jana does melancholy very well, while Marissa has a bit more “optimism” in her style. Definitely worth spending an evening or two with her music.

 

After that, we headed up to Spinaker. We caught the end of a short set from the party band, Next Stage, from the Philippines. The lead singer has a great stage presence and good range.

 

That was followed by the Sing it to Win game show… this was basically an excuse to get the dance floor full, while playing a modified version of Name That Tune. No prizes were given, except bragging rights. Team Fire faced off against Team Ice

 

Points were awarded for getting to the mic first to name the song, then each team had an opportunity to get more points by singing and dancing to the rest of the tune. The awarding of points was obviously designed, even to my wine muddled brain, to keep the contest close. Team fire won the night, but they had “Jeff from San Luis Obispo” who wasn’t afraid to sing, and knew every darn song.

 

Following that, the Cruise Director staff distributed raffle tickets. Tom the Assistant CD, announced that he’d draw a ticket, and whoever had the matching number could come up, select one of the staff members to dance-off with. My ticket ended with 702. As soon as I heard “dance off,” I slid my ticket over to wife.

 

She would have two chances to show her moves on the dance floor.

 

Fortunately, an extreme lack of rhythm and an inability to actually hear a beat means I’m not allowed to dance (or sing) in public. This one was all up to the wife. Like our ticket numbers ever get called. ;)

 

Tom went to the bucket and pulled out a ticket. He read off the numbers. I assumed that the first four digits would all be the same. Then I heard… “Seven… Oh… One”

 

Wife was squinting in the dark, both tickets held in front of her face, her glasses (for far vision) up on top of her head.

 

“That’s you,” I said, clapping her on the back.

 

“I’m trying to read these,” she replied still squinting.

 

“Going Once…” Tom called.

 

“Here,” I yelled, as I pulled my 702 ticket back, and pushed my wife up.

 

“Are you sure?” she asked as she rose. She dutifully marched down to the dance floor. Tom checked her 701 ticket. After introductions of name and where she’s from, Tom told her to choose one of the cruise staffers to dance with. She finally settled on Christian to be her dance “partner” for the contest.

 

Things went sexy and grinding quickly. The piece ended up with Christian crab walking across the dance floor, pelvic thrusting into the air, as wife shook her grove thing, back-peddling away. Not having an active dance-partner of a husband, she seemed a bit timid when it came to bumping and grinding with the cruise staff.

 

But, the rest of us had fun watching her avoid the amorous and exuberant Cruise Staffer, while still trying to keep things shaking.

 

She was rewarded with her goody bag: T-shirt, water bottle, flying disk, etc… and some jewelry from the Duty Free shop. A pretty good haul for shaking her groove thing with Christian the Crab Dancer.

[curtdesilets]

I am enjoying the travel log. We will be on the same cruise on the 10th, and quite frankly, cannot wait.

 

The "Coffee Gnomes" bit was priceless. We were avid Celebrity Cruisers, and their coffee for decades was the same type of syruppy tripe you describe. On the other end of the spectrum, their "Cova Cafe" had perhaps the best coffee imaginable. But low and behold, they didn't open until some un-gawddly hour like 8am! It was as if they were mocking our caffeine addiction! :eek:

 

-Curtis

Edited January 4, 2016 by curtdesilets
spelling

[troyphoto]

For having a "short" day of it, I sure wrote a lot

Blog post with some pics here:

 

An exciting day aboard. Our first sea day.

 

On an off-hand note, wife and I came out a rainbow behind the ship this morning at breakfast. I’ve made it the featured pic of this post

 

Normally wife gets up early and walks about 7 miles in the morning. But, a long month prior to the cruise at a temp job assignment with different stresses, put her in need of several hours of napping instead of walking. Also, chilly weather, (highs in the low 60s), choppy seas (8+ foot swells) and stiff breezes gave her even more encouragement to skip exercise that day.

 

After breakfast, I sat in the Great Outdoors portion of the ship, a covered outdoor café behind the buffet, and enjoyed the 60 degree (F) ocean breeze while I worked on yesterday’s blog post. Wife headed back to the room right after breakfast, got about an hour of light dozing in. That was fine. Our cabin steward was starting at the far forward end of the hallway. Looked like we were probably the last room or so on his list.

 

I remember sailing on the Jewell in her inaugural month 10 years ago. Back then, we had a senior and assistant room steward. They both stopped in and introduced themselves. Now, we rarely see our steward, and usually have to hunt them down to introduce ourselves and get their names. Out of all the changes in the cruise industry, the downsizing of the housekeeping staff is probably the one issue I most dislike. The attention to detail is still good, but the promptness suffers sometimes, as we’ll see here.

 

After first nap, she headed out for light reading before our Cruise Critic group meet and greet. I found her sitting in a window seat along deck 7 above Magnum’s bar. From there, we could look down and see Le Bistro where our M&G was to be held. After a bit I noticed the group activities coordinator hovering outside the restaurant with clipboard in hand.

 

I glanced at my watch and saw that we were under 15 minutes before the event time. I nudged my wife and said we should go down, so he wouldn’t be lonely, or shut the meeting down because no one was showing. I also knew there was a tray of cookies and a fresh pot of real brewed (non-coffee-gnome) coffee down there.

 

We picked up our tablets and headphone/ear buds and headed down. After name tags, another couple drifted in. Introductions were made. We asked each other’s Cruise Critic usernames. “TroyPhoto” I said as a look of alarm came over my face as I said the “photo” part. I felt on my shoulder. No strap. I looked at the table where we had placed our tablets.

 

“Oh, crap! I left my camera up in that window seat! Excuse me…” I said and ran back up the grand staircase. Not there. Don’t panic. Which window was it? Nope not in any of them.

 

Crap!

 

Back down to Le Bistro. Our Ship’s host (I’ll look his name up later, I left the officer’s list back in my cabin) was still there, clipboard in hand. I explained my dilemma, and gave him the make and model of the gear. He used his ship portable phone and called customer service. A camera matching mine had just been turned in.

 

I sprinted back up the stairs, and made the quick trek to the front. The walk to the desk was going to happen faster than the wait in line. I was about six people back. But, the line went smooth. The nice young lady who helped me asked me to describe the camera. I rattled off make, model, lens type… about the only thing I skipped were the serial numbers – which, contrary to popular opinion, I don’t have memorized.

 

She disappeared into the manager’s office, and came back with the camera, and a form. I filled out the form, thanked her profusely and headed back to the meet and greet.

 

Wife had already made friends with some folks. A few minutes after I returned and grabbed a cookie, the officers arrived, spread out and did their introductions.

 

Sin, the cruise director, who, as he says “was made in Mexico,” had us trained well from the variety show the night before. When he said “Hola!” we all responded back loudly “HOLA!”

 

Following the meet and greet, wife and I headed up to O’Sheehans for lunch. I had the fish n chips, she had the chicken potpie. The crust topper on her potpie was thick and flaky. My fish n chips was standard fair, in a decent sized portion. That’s one thing I’m happy with about NCL; they keep the portion size reasonable on their meals.

 

American restaurants tend to make dinner for two portions to give the clients left-overs for lunch the next day. On the ship, we don’t need that. No microwaves onboard (at least that we can use) to warm up left overs. That’s what the buffet is for.

 

Wife headed back down for a post lunch nap… but the room steward hadn’t made it to our room yet. He must have been on lunch, since we didn’t see his cart in the hall. She elected to read for a while up on deck, and check back in hopes that the room would be refreshed and she could nap without the nagging and impending knock, followed by “Housekeeping” as the door opened.

 

She checked back about 1:30… not yet. More reading…

 

I had left my camera in the room (so I wouldn’t loose it on deck again), and headed up to deck seven to grab a lounge chair. The sun was warming the starboard side, so folks were out playing shuffleboard, or lounging in the sun to drive away the chill of the still rough chilly ocean breeze. Any spray from the ship plowing through the choppy seas was quickly baked off.

 

I’m not a fan of direct sunlight, so I went to port, which was shady. It was also wet. I found a dry-ish deck chair and settled in to listen to some Alan Parsons Project (the instrumental works) as I gazed out at the waves. That’s my favorite activity. After a while, I’d read a bit from the current book on my tablet (currently, a history of Santa Monica, California). I wanted to stay out of the room, and let wife get her nap in. So I sat, and watched the waves, read some more, then watched more waves.

 

Finally, about 4:30, I headed down to change for dinner. Wife was still sleeping. I tried to be quiet, but she had awoken with the door latch turning.

 

“He didn’t get done with the room til 3:30,” she said as she sat up. “then, after I was laying down, he had to bring two more beach towels.” She didn’t look happy.

 

“Technically, we are in a cabin that sleeps four,” I shrugged it off. “He probably has to make sure there is one towel for every bed. Never mind that the murphy bunk is folded up, and the trundle bed is stowed under ours.”

 

She didn’t look happy, even with my pithy explanation, so, being a good husband, I let it drop.

 

Entertainment

 

We headed to dinner in Tsar’s – food was good as usual. Wife is slowly working her way through the pasta dishes, while I’m getting the various meat and taters dishes with the fancy names.

 

After dessert and coffee (hopefully, no coffee-gnomes involved with that cup), we headed to Magnums to watch Fabrizio tickle the ivories and sing lounge favorites. He’s got a good range, and broad song list. Our stay was just long enough to sip a soft drink before heading off to Bands On The Run musical show. Good as always.

 

Following that, we roamed bar city on 6 and 7. Fabrizio was singing Sinatra and Bublé classics. Which meant every chair in the vicinity was full. Wife wanted to check out Tally and Teri up in Fizz lounge. We stopped for a song, but moved on. They were in a Country hour, and I’m not a fan of country, so she only made me sit through one song. Tally and Teri have a strong “electronic” vibe. Steel guitar sound, with almost a techno feel from the little bit I heard. Made for even stranger Country music than I’m used to. Something about the typical twang of that genre getting twangier. But, I’ll leave that for the country music aficionados.

 

Instead, we headed off to the Crystal Atrium, and got a couple more soft drinks. Between the choppy seas, and both of us overdoing the Unlimited (alcoholic) Beverages the night before, we decided to stick to soft drinks for the night. Hopefully, we’ll eventually drink enough of the hard stuff to make up for gratuities that we had to pre-pay as part of the Unlimited Beverage promo. But – we figure that if not, we’re at least breaking even on what an unlimited soda card would have cost each of us by adding in what we would have paid for along with the soda.

 

After watching the cruise ship photographers for a while, and getting stern glances from the wife every time I critiqued how they were posing groups, we decided to turn in for the evening.

 

The steward hadn’t made it to our end of the hallway to provide turn down service. I’ll get along for a day without my little mint-chocolate candy. Maybe he’ll leave a double dose tonight (if we stay out of the room long enough for the turn down service.)

 

Yep. We went to bed early.

[bs209438]

Very entertaining review! We are on next week's Jewel cruise so are especially interested. Are the menus new? How about the a la carte ordering? Any pictures of menus would be much appreciated. Have fun!!

[magda5758]

...as long as my husband doesn't kill me for booking another cruise. Seems like we just returned from our 10/13-10/24 cruise on the Sun. I guess one would say that we DID just return. But that's what a non-cruiser would say. They simply don't understand. When there is a cruse that leaves a port 35 minutes from your home which my entire family of 4 can enjoy for less then $700 before taxes...how do you say no?

 

Well, you don't. You pull the kids out of school with the "they will learn more exploring the world then they will in school" excuse, nearly get murdered by your workaholic husband for not telling him you booked a fourth cruise in 13months and not purchasing travel insurance (he has not yet been told) and hope and pray that you can get a tan on said cruise while you are watching all of California drowned in the second of three torrential rainstorms.

 

All I want to know if it's sunny in Cabo!! And if anyone knows any really creative ways to break the news to my husband :rolleyes:

[mousemom]

No pics this time, just a recap

 

“Here,” I yelled, as I pulled my 702 ticket back, and pushed my wife up.

 

“Are you sure?” she asked as she rose. She dutifully marched down to the dance floor. Tom checked her 701 ticket. After introductions of name and where she’s from, Tom told her to choose one of the cruise staffers to dance with. She finally settled on Christian to be her dance “partner” for the contest.

 

Things went sexy and grinding quickly. The piece ended up with Christian crab walking across the dance floor, pelvic thrusting into the air, as wife shook her grove thing, back-peddling away. Not having an active dance-partner of a husband, she seemed a bit timid when it came to bumping and grinding with the cruise staff.

 

But, the rest of us had fun watching her avoid the amorous and exuberant Cruise Staffer, while still trying to keep things shaking.

 

She was rewarded with her goody bag: T-shirt, water bottle, flying disk, etc… and some jewelry from the Duty Free shop. A pretty good haul for shaking her groove thing with Christian the Crab Dancer.

 

Yep, that is our Christian:) Loving the review.

[Beachin2]

Where is a good place on the Jewel to watch next Monday nights college football championship game?

[Cruise_More_Often]

Troy, thanks for providing the link to your blog and your great pictures. Someone will eventually ask, so why not now ;) -- what type of camera(s) do you use?

 

We are going on this cruise a whole year from now, but I'm already reading anything I can find on it.

 

Love your writing style!

[troyphoto]

Where is a good place on the Jewel to watch next Monday nights college football championship game?

 

The Maltings bar deck 6 mid has sport on tv

[troyphoto]

Troy, thanks for providing the link to your blog and your great pictures. Someone will eventually ask, so why not now ;) -- what type of camera(s) do you use?

 

We are going on this cruise a whole year from now, but I'm already reading anything I can find on it.

 

Love your writing style!

 

Thanks. Canon Rebel 3 Ti with Sigma "vacation zoom" 18-250mm

 

But, remember it isn't the gear, but rather, the loose nut behind the camera that makes good images

[troyphoto]

Not sur about the menus, but they look different than I remember from the Sun a year ago.

 

Internet has been wacky today. Will post update with photos later

[chery4lbooks]

Great review so far! Can you post a picture of the new menu Chin Chin Restaurant. Can't find any updated version. Thanks in advance!

[amarvel]

Great review! How's the weather and seas?

[cruzsnooze]

enjoying your posts but thought you'd want to know the Jewel has one L. We'll be on her in 2 weeks, can't wait so tell me all you can about her.

Edited January 6, 2016 by cruzsnooze

[Blizzard54]

Where is a good place on the Jewel to watch next Monday nights college football championship game?

 

They should show in the daily program where it is available to see. I would guess they will have it on the outdoor screen and maybe in the theater.

 

I am more interested in the NFL playoff game that will be going on during embarkation. :D

[amarvel]

They should show in the daily program where it is available to see. I would guess they will have it on the outdoor screen and maybe in the theater.

 

I am more interested in the NFL playoff game that will be going on during embarkation. :D

And please let us know if they show it. We are embarking on superbowl and are assuming/hoping it will be shown :)