Live from the NCL Jewel May 1-15, 2023 (caution: may contain grumpiness and sarcasm.)

[pjc49]

Yes, we decorated discreetly our door on NCL Jade. They stayed up all week.  But Gem took them down immediately.  I just wish they had told us.  But I still like NCL... Going again in August.

[UKstages]

18 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

That article is from 2019. 

 

yes, the article came out at the time the policy was introduced; the policy is still in effect.

 

enforcement is somewhat lax and seems to be left to the discretion of cabin attendants and, ultimately, the captain, in extreme cases.

[vacation44]

On 5/20/2023 at 2:49 PM, YVRteacher said:

 

 

Hubbard Glacier: shore ex through NCL

Hubbard Glacier Wilderness Explorer (little boat off the Spirit that goes closer to the glacier.) This is to replace the shore ex I had booked for my dad’s birthday that was originally the Tracey Arm Fjord that got changed to Endicott Arm that was then cancelled due to excessive ice.  If it happens, great.  If not, we’ll try again the next week on board.  The Hubbard Glacier shore ex is quite a bit more expensive than the Endicott Arm excursion.

 

 

Have you ever done this excursion before?   I did look on the list you previously posted in this thread and did not see it.

 

I have been going back and forth on booking it when we are on the Jewel in August and just booked it a few days ago.   

[df5250]

On 6/25/2023 at 12:08 AM, YVRteacher said:

For a post-cruise tour, NCL will have an option where you take your luggage and end up at the airport.

 

One of the Cruise Critic rules is you can’t recommend a tour you haven’t been on so this isn’t a recommendation but is a piece of research:

Grey Line offers tours where you can take your luggage on board with you. Their tours include a stop at Granville Island which is my #1 favourite place in Vancouver (I was there today!)

 

https://westcoastsightseeing.com/guided_tours/vancouver-city-lookout-tour/

 

They also offer a tour where you can’t store your luggage on board.
 

Thank you for doing this research for us! 😉 I noticed they have luggage storage service too!  I may have to rethink my Vancouver plans leading up to my red eye back to Boston in August!  I am currently booked on the NCL post cruise tour because of the luggage issues, and my latitudes discount and $50 excursion credit too… but now I have other options!!  Thank you for your awesome review too!! I’ll be on the Jewel SB from Seward after a six day land tour. This entire post and all the questions and answers was so helpful!!  

[YVRteacher]

@df5250

thank you so much! It was a wonderful cruise and a fun trip report to write.

 

Have you been to Vancouver before and would you consider spending a few days here before you fly home?

 

I love Boston! It’s such a beautiful, clean, walkable city. One of the best cookies I’ve ever had was at the Boston Chipyard.

[YVRteacher]

7 hours ago, vacation44 said:

Have you ever done this excursion before?   I did look on the list you previously posted in this thread and did not see it.

 

I have been going back and forth on booking it when we are on the Jewel in August and just booked it a few days ago.   

I haven’t. I have it booked for July 13.  I had it booked for the northbound journey on our next cruise but the itinerary changed due to Valdez being removed and our Hubbard Shore Ex was switched to 7:00am.  We don’t do mornings so I called NCL and made the booking for the southbound journey instead.  I will be doing a live trip report from the Spirit and will let you know how it goes. If you follow La Lido Loca Tony just did the excursion into (I think) Endicott Arm and he loved it.

 

Today the Spirit didn’t make it to Hubbard Glacier so I’m hoping that any fog that appears in the morning of July 13 will burn off by the afternoon. 

[df5250]

@YVRteacher. 
Unfortunately, I cannot stay longer  after the cruise.  I am already out of work two weeks for this trip during a busy time!  I am going to try to get the most out of my day in Vancouver this time, and hope I can make it back again to spend more time!

[YVRteacher]

Let me know if you have any questions!

[pjc49]

Thanks again for the westcoast reference.  Just talked to them and booked the Vancouver City and Lookout.  We will have to make our own way to the airport, but friends say the Rapid is good, fast and cheap...

 

[YVRteacher]

Yes, Canada Line to the airport is easy and efficient. I enjoy the ride. There are elevators at the stations and plenty of space on board for luggage. You can use the money you save for a fancy meal at the airport!

[pjc49]

That's great to know.  All 4 of us are 70... so I was kind of worried.  Not that any of us are packing heavy, but...  Hope to meet you on one of our trips.  This will be my 24, Larry's 9th , and the other 2 just 2, but I think we've got them hooked....

[ZeusLA]

I just booked the Jewel for a B2B on Aug 21 - Sept 4.    I'm going solo and looking forward to the experience.  It will be my first time in Alaska and my first time on NCL, though this is my 10th cruise and 3rd time going solo.

 

I was also considering the Canada line to/from the airport, as it seemed like a good value for a solo traveler vs a taxi.  It's just a bit farther to lug the bags to/from the ship but shouldn't be too bad.

 

Time to start planning my excursions etc.!    Thank you for all the detail and recommendations in this thread.   I am sure to do the Mendenhall Glacier and White Pass rail.   Feel free to mention any other "must do" items.   While I don't think there would be much difference, would there be any preference as to which B2B leg (NB or SB) to do them on as the ports are almost the same on each leg. 

[YVRteacher]

Hi @ZeusLA you’ll love Alaska on the Jewel!

 

I recommend booking whale watching with Jayleen in Juneau and doing the Bering Sea Crab Fisherman’s Tour in Ketchikan.  I always book the must-dos the first week of a B2B so if something happens there’s a chance for a do-over the second week.

[Dachgraf]

On 6/27/2023 at 7:40 PM, vacation44 said:

Have you ever done this excursion before?   I did look on the list you previously posted in this thread and did not see it.

 

I have been going back and forth on booking it when we are on the Jewel in August and just booked it a few days ago.   

On our tour, it must have been great to get so close to the glacier, as you can see in the photo.
We ourselves had stayed on the Jewel ...

[ihate2cruise]

On 5/3/2023 at 7:05 PM, YVRteacher said:

Day 3 Ketchikan

We zipped up to breakfast, were offered lattes and the world, had almond croissants with said lattes then Teo escorted us off the ship and right to the golf cart to get us to the mill.  Dad said yes to the golf cart.  Last year he would have said no.

We like organization and this was organized! Right to the end of the mill, met the person from the tour company and hopped on the bus.  All within three minutes of leaving the ship.

 

The crew have a safety drill and immigration (done every three months) today so they won’t be getting off until later this morning.

 

This retired Alaska state ferry has future aspirations to be a museum. For now, her cabins have been refurbished and people working at Ward Cove or doing tours are using them as summer accommodation.

 

The bus ride from Ward Cove to downtown Ketchikan was 15 minutes and scenic. No issues.  We both enjoyed the ride.  

Shore excursion time! Let me take you on board the Aleutian Ballad for the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour.  Put on your toques, dress in all the layers you have, eat a big meal and get ready for the adventure of your life!

There are 37 passengers and 5 crew aboard the Aleutian Ballad today.

We are going to the fishing waters in Annette Bay where the Tsimshian have sovereign rights.  Captain Dave has an agreement whereby 95% of what the Aleutian Ballad catches goes back to the Tsimshian people.  

 

The sun is bright, the snow capped mountains are glistening like diamond peaks, the calm waters sparkle and the seagulls greedily munch on herring. This day in Ketchikan could not be better!

 

So I talked to Dave (not Captain Dave-the other Dave!) and told him I was here for the octopus.  He said they are no octopus but he was winking the whole time.  He told me octopus have a delicate membrane that coats their entire body and that if people touch it, anything that is on their hands (soap, hand sanitizer, hand cream) gets on the membrane and it can be detrimental to the octopus.  I definitely don’t want to be an octopus detriment person so will be just looking at today’s catch.

 

Our first haul out included sea cucumbers, whelk, sea snails, many sea stars, a yellow floppy fish and a whole bunch of giant prawns.  The phenomenal crew made sure everyone had a chance to hold the creatures and that they were being treated with care.

 

Our second stop was eagles.  If you have done this tour before, you know what an experience this is!  I told my We have never seen anything like this, with hundreds of adult and juvenile eagles vying for herring.  Dive after dive showed us talons, dominance, catches, misses, swoops and dives.  This convocation of eagles mesmerized us with their hunting skills.  It was spectacular. 

 

Our next stops were different crab pots and the crew demonstrated the fishing techniques while intertwining stories of their lives plus crab fishing stories that all involved near death. 

In the dome pot rotten fish juice is in bait jars.  Our first crabs are box crabs and the crew call them little  transformers.  They have short extremities, a hard carapace and cute little faces.

 

When it’s time for the king crab pots, we learn that these crabs are Golden Alaskan King Crab (there are three types: gold, brown and red.) 

Females have 1000000 eggs and 1-10% of crab eggs come to fruition.

 

King crabs have two kinds of claws: a crusher claw and a cutter claw.  On most crabs the crusher claw is on the right but some are lefties.

Crabs can eject their legs! King crabs molt every season

The Predator movie character was inspired by a king crab. 

 

Captain Dave recalls in 1981 his quota was 300000000 lbs.  Last year? No crab. Why? There is a virus that got in to females and it destroys her eggs.

 

Then it was time for what I had been waiting for.  My eyes got all teary when they brought the octopus on board.  This is my first time seeing an octopus in the wild (well, there was that time in Hawaii when a guy came out of the ocean with one on the end of his fishing spear, but that poor octopus was not alive.) Today’s octopus was a young male (you can tell the gender by starting at the face, counting three tentacles to the left and seeing if the suckers extend all the way down the third leg.  Yes?  It’s a boy!  

 

My dad kept saying over and over what a fabulous excursion this was.  We have done so many, loved most but today’s far exceeded any other experiences and our expectations.  The crew are gifted story tellers, passionate about what they do, the captain’s story of his life and the boat’s history is so special. The galley crew were delightful, the animals already on board and freshly caught (then released) and the eagles just made the day so, so incredibly special.  I told my dad I would never forget this day and he agreed.

 

If you are doing a cruise to Alaska, this tour is not to be missed.  Absolutely incredible from start to end.  I just asked my dad what was his favourite part of the tour today.  He replied, “it’s hard to beat the feeding of the eagles.  That was spectacular. The whole tour was spectacular.”

 

When we left the boat, I told the captain much of what I’ve written here.  He hugged me with tears in his eyes and the other crew members hugged us as well.  What a day!!

 

What a wonderful adventure! What is the name of this excursion and was this NCl or privately arranged? I'm sorry if this was asked/answered already.... I'm so excited for our 1st Alaska Cruise on the Jewel this May for my "BIG" Birthday Celebration 😉

[BigRedFan]

2 hours ago, ihate2cruise said:

What a wonderful adventure! What is the name of this excursion and was this NCl or privately arranged? I'm sorry if this was asked/answered already.... I'm so excited for our 1st Alaska Cruise on the Jewel this May for my "BIG" Birthday Celebration 😉

Absolutely fantastic!  I am on the Jewel for Japan, the transpacific & the Alaska cruises this March/April.  I have this excursion booked and I can't wait!

Genzi

[YVRteacher]

12 hours ago, ihate2cruise said:

What a wonderful adventure! What is the name of this excursion and was this NCl or privately arranged? I'm sorry if this was asked/answered already.... I'm so excited for our 1st Alaska Cruise on the Jewel this May for my "BIG" Birthday Celebration 😉

This excursion is the Bering Sea Crab Fisherman’s Tour in Ketchikan. In 2023 I booked it privately and for our upcoming cruise on the Jewel I booked it through NCL. Yes, this excursion was so great we are doing it again!

[laudergayle]

@YVRteacher I just noticed the Hubbard Glacier small boat excursion is now showing up as an option for our 5/13 cruise.  Wow…it’s pricey.  With our Latitude discount and $50 pp credit it is still $628.  I realize this question is subjective, but what are your thoughts on the value of this excursion?

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, laudergayle said:

@YVRteacher I just noticed the Hubbard Glacier small boat excursion is now showing up as an option for our 5/13 cruise.  Wow…it’s pricey.  With our Latitude discount and $50 pp credit it is still $628.  I realize this question is subjective, but what are your thoughts on the value of this excursion?

Yikes.  Kind of scary when a single excursion exceeds the base fare of the cheapest cruise in the book.

[laudergayle]

16 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Yikes.  Kind of scary when a single excursion exceeds the base fare of the cheapest cruise in the book.

IKR… it’s really gone up in price I think.  Have you ever done such an excursion?

[ChiefMateJRK]

3 hours ago, laudergayle said:

IKR… it’s really gone up in price I think.  Have you ever done such an excursion?

No.  I did a Shroex for ~$250 because DD wanted to see an Oyster farm.  I'm a GOOD DF. 

[cruiseny4life]

14 hours ago, laudergayle said:

@YVRteacher I just noticed the Hubbard Glacier small boat excursion is now showing up as an option for our 5/13 cruise.  Wow…it’s pricey.  With our Latitude discount and $50 pp credit it is still $628.  I realize this question is subjective, but what are your thoughts on the value of this excursion?

I'm confused. Big surprise, eh? $628 for two, after the $50 pp credit or $628 per person after the $50 credit? If it's for two, I'd book it in a heartbeat...if it's for one...well, I'm thinking I'd still book it and rent out my house during graduation week. I'd be ok in a tent for a bit.

[vacation44]

6 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I'm confused. Big surprise, eh? $628 for two, after the $50 pp credit or $628 per person after the $50 credit? If it's for two, I'd book it in a heartbeat...if it's for one...well, I'm thinking I'd still book it and rent out my house during graduation week. I'd be ok in a tent for a bit.

 

12 hours ago, laudergayle said:

IKR… it’s really gone up in price I think.  Have you ever done such an excursion?

This past August/September it was $399 per person.  It ended up costing us $673.20 for two with the discounts.   We both thought it was worth every penny as the Jewel was not able to get anywhere close to the Hubbard Glacier.   We only booked it based on @YVRteacher.

[laudergayle]

9 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I'm a GOOD DF. 

I bet you are🥰

 

30 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

$628 per person after the $50 credit? If it's for two, I'd book it in a heartbeat

It is for two…lol, I guess my thrifty gene kicked in.  That, and we’ve already purchased three other excursions on the pricey side…but not nearly this high.

 

26 minutes ago, vacation44 said:

This past August/September it was $399 per person.  It ended up costing us $673.20 for two with the discounts.   We both thought it was worth every penny as the Jewel was not able to get anywhere close to the Hubbard Glacier.   We only booked it based on @YVRteacher.

Thank you for your first-hand experience…and, that you booked based on @YVRteacher reco.  On our first AK cruise on Bliss in May 2022, we had a similar excursion booked to do small boat to Dawes Glacier…at a price of $249 pp.  Unfortunately, there was too much ice and the excursion was cancelled.  The Bliss couldn’t even round the corner to see the glacier.  Here is a picture of what we saw☹️

[vacation44]

37 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

I bet you are🥰

 

Thank you for your first-hand experience…and, that you booked based on @YVRteacher reco.  On our first AK cruise on Bliss in May 2022, we had a similar excursion booked to do small boat to Dawes Glacier…at a price of $249 pp.  Unfortunately, there was too much ice and the excursion was cancelled.  The Bliss couldn’t even round the corner to see the glacier.  Here is a picture of what we saw☹️

 

Not a great picture, but here is what we saw.......