Our Frolic on The Baltic Aboard the Jewel

[SailorJack]

Did you go to any of the shows on board? We're they good? and cou;d you tell me who the CD is?

 

The shows were average - some better than others. There was a magician - same one as we saw on the Dream, the Anne Ryan Dancers, a Cirque de Bijou - a takeoff (obviously) on Cirque de Soleil, a country music night:eek:, and a pretty good instrumentalist.

 

The CD was a fellow Canadian from near Toronto - Soozy Atkins (I think that is her correct last name) and she was pretty good. She was active, you saw her all around the ship and she had a decent singing voice.

[carontori]

The CD was a fellow Canadian from near Toronto - Soozy Atkins (I think that is her correct last name) and she was pretty good. She was active, you saw her all around the ship and she had a decent singing voice.

 

Thanks SJ, didn't realize you we're a canuck!!!:D

[Bobbye]

I absolutely love your reviews! Just wish you'd cruise more often. Thanks for taking the time to give us all an enjoyable experience.

[7leagueboots]

Reading between the lines it doesn't appear you enjoyed Helsinki?

[old sole]

Kudos, SailorJack for another truly entertaining and informative review!

 

We'll be on the Jewel in September when she gets back on this side of the Atlantic. Glad to see you ran the noro bugs off the ship by the end of your sailing.

[sazzle99]

wonderful review - love your sense of humour!

[RareBird]

fantastic review! very funny and i enjoyed reading the whole thing.

 

one question - how did you arrange to have lunch with a Russian family? Part of the tour? Did you have a translator?

[SailorJack]

fantastic review! very funny and i enjoyed reading the whole thing.

 

one question - how did you arrange to have lunch with a Russian family? Part of the tour? Did you have a translator?

 

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Lunch was arranged by the tour company - Denrus. The guide served as our interpreter.

 

I think the lunch is unique to DenRus tours. I spoke with a number of people after we left St. Pete and none of the other tour groups had a similar luncheon. That isn't to say they there were no other tours that sponsored a lunch - I just didn't hear about any.

 

As I mentioned in my write-up, the lunch was really the highlight of the tour. We spent so many years in the cold war, it was a unique opportunity to see who we were really "fighting". Turns out they were nice people.

[SailorJack]

Reading between the lines it doesn't appear you enjoyed Helsinki?

 

Well, to paraphrase Will Rodgers...I never met port I didn't like. But, obviously, we all like some ports better than others. I just didn't see anything really unique in Helsinki...at least unique enought to write about. And, as the weather was not the best, we didn't spend that much time ashore.

 

All that said, others found the port fun and had a good time.

[fmax]

Sailorjack - I just found your Dream Review the other day then had to search out this one when i found out you had just cruised.

 

I've been reading these boards for 3-4 years and they're the funniest I've come across. My sister kept having to put the TV on pause as I was reading quotes from both reviews to her.

 

I know that on the Dream thread everyone is adamant that you should become a writer. Failing that, I suggest that you at least start an online blog... as I'm sure it would be an overnight success.

 

 

Fmax

[gardener718]

Well, Sailor Jack, I have to thank you. I read your review last night and I had a good laugh.

I was on the 5/29 sailing and I was the lady who never:mad: received her luggage (when picked up on my way back to Chicago I discovered my suitcase trashed and most of my clothes missing:mad: ) and was unlucky enough to share the Noro virus:eek: with whatever percentage of passengers and crew who had it.:( Probably more than reported.

Not my best cruise or time anywhere.

I have just finnished writing letters to all concerned and with the help of the travel agency got everything organized yesterday. Now I will have to just wait and see what will happen.:rolleyes:

I am hoping all will do the right thing.:)

I cannot have back what was lost or not experienced on that trip, but I still look forward to going on another cruise.

I am greatful for the people I met and the officers. staff and crew that tried to help with my misery.

I hope everyone else that suffered from the symtoms has recovered.

I will keep you all posted on my saga.

Thanks for all your good wishes.

Regards,

Marianne

[SailorJack]

Well, Sailor Jack, I have to thank you. I read your review last night and I had a good laugh.

I was on the 5/29 sailing and I was the lady who never:mad: received her luggage (when picked up on my way back to Chicago I discovered my suitcase trashed and most of my clothes missing:mad: ) and was unlucky enough to share the Noro virus:eek: with whatever percentage of passengers and crew who had it.:( Probably more than reported.

Not my best cruise or time anywhere.

I have just finnished writing letters to all concerned and with the help of the travel agency got everything organized yesterday. Now I will have to just wait and see what will happen.:rolleyes:

I am hoping all will do the right thing.:)

I cannot have back what was lost or not experienced on that trip, but I still look forward to going on another cruise.

I am greatful for the people I met and the officers. staff and crew that tried to help with my misery.

I hope everyone else that suffered from the symtoms has recovered.

I will keep you all posted on my saga.

Thanks for all your good wishes.

Regards,

Marianne

 

Marianne, I am so sory to hear about what happened. I know that it could not have been a good experience. The letter we received from NCL stated that "approximately 5 percent" of the ship suffered from the virus. As the capacity of the Jewel - passengers and crew is about 2500 that would make about 125 cases. I don't know what the ship reported to you, but that is a pretty hight number.

 

From my experience, NCL is pretty fair about handling situations, so I hope things work out for you.

[edYYZ]

haha that was great. we too enjoyed this cruise (and i also sat through some karaoke!). for the question about how to get to the vasa museum, theres a ferry/water bus stop right by the vasa that can take you from other parts of stockholm, if you dont go for a tour or hop on hop off.

 

btw ataxia is more poor/dysfunctional coordination (like being drunk) than not being able to move (like paralysis) :)

[Bennett'sCruise]

SJ: I'm heartbroken that we seemed to have missed you by one sailing. You were getting on as we got off ...

I have only read thru Day 5 of your review. I have a horrible pinched nerve in my back and it kills me to sit here and laugh so hard. I will have to print out your review and read it standing up ... can't wait! HYSTERICAL STUFF!

~dianne

[gardener718]

SJ: I'm heartbroken that we seemed to have missed you by one sailing. You were getting on as we got off ...

 

I have only read thru Day 5 of your review. I have a horrible pinched nerve in my back and it kills me to sit here and laugh so hard. I will have to print out your review and read it standing up ... can't wait! HYSTERICAL STUFF!

 

~dianne

 

Hi Dianne & Bill:

 

Hope everyone is well and has recovered from their trips.

 

Sorry to hear about your pinched nerve. I have suffered from the sciatic nerve being pinched and it is very painful. Have you had a muscle relaxant yet? Chyropractor (sp?). I tried both. Hope it passes quickly.

 

I read SJ's review last night and just laughed out loud so many times. I have to find his other review of the Dream.

 

Its good to laugh about things, even when what's happening, isn't funny at the time.

 

Marianne

[Cruzin2paradise09]

Great review!! Am going to look for your others - much needed on a day that started out crummy!

 

Thanks!

[lamwnfa]

Great review and very funny too.

 

We are on the Jewel on September and we are planning to do the train from Gatwick as well. You took the Gatwick Express to Victoria and then on to Dover from there? It sounds like it was easy?

 

Thanks

[wrp96]

Great review!! Am going to look for your others - much needed on a day that started out crummy!

 

Thanks!

 

 

Believe me, the review of his last cruise is a classic. Should cheer you right up!!

[Impala]

xxxx

[Impala]

Thanks Sailor Jack for another interesting and fun review. :cool:

 

Looks like the Captain didn't have to choose between running aground or hitting a barge on this cruise.

 

Which cruise did you enjoy more, the South American on the Dream, or the Baltic on the Jewel?

 

 

SailorJack forgot to mention that the Captain DID have to avoid a barge on this cruise when it drifted into our lane. That's a story I'll tell in my review when I finally have time to write it.

 

Your review is great, SailorJack. We had a great time in St. Petersburg with you and your lovely lady. I wish we had more time to hang out on the ship.

 

If we had known ahead of time that you weren't too up on the Queen's English then I would have arranged some lessons for you with Ginge before we left.

 

Please pass our best wishes onto SailorJane.

[WinnieinWA]

Thank you sailor Jack! I love reading your reviews and I LMAO over the forbidden manual or auto transmission question!:D

 

Thanks for taking the time to entertain and inform us.:)

[Carnac767]

Thanks for the enjoyable review. We had a wonderful time on our Baltic cruise last fall. My London-born wife was surprised to learn that they speak British in England now. She could have sworn it was English but she's lived in the Confederacy so long she's probably forgotten.

[SailorJack]

Great review and very funny too.

 

We are on the Jewel on September and we are planning to do the train from Gatwick as well. You took the Gatwick Express to Victoria and then on to Dover from there? It sounds like it was easy?

 

Thanks

 

It was very easy. The Gatwick Express was already at the station in the terminal, so we just stepped right on. The train to Dover was about 50 yards from the Gatwick Express platform and the wait was about 10 minutes.

 

When you get off the Gatwick Express just ask someone where the train to Dover is and they will point it out the right track.

[lamwnfa]

Thanks Sailor Jack...that's just what I was hoping to hear! Did you purchase your tickets all the way to Dover at Gatwick?

[SailorJack]

Thanks Sailor Jack...that's just what I was hoping to hear! Did you purchase your tickets all the way to Dover at Gatwick?

 

Yes, its one stop shopping.