Norwegian Jewel

Just got home last night from sailing on the Norwegian Jewel for 9 days. My parents and I flew to Miami on the 11th of December and stayed overnight at the Homewood Suites right by the airport. On the plane they showed the movie "Ghost Town" which was funny.





On the 12th of December, we embarked on the Norwegian Jewel. We stayed in cabin 5063. We ate lunch in the Tsar's Palace Dining Room, where I had a tropical fruit salad, wild mushroom and garlic risotto, and peach/blueberry cobbler, which were all good. The muster drill was nice because all we had to do was sit in a restaurant and not go stand outside on the deck like Carnival does theirs. After the muster drill, they had a sailing away party on deck 12, where my Mom tried to learn to do the Electric Slide. We ate dinner in the Azura Dining room, where I had chilled peach soup, jerk chicken, and vanilla souffle. We went to Karaoke in the Fyzz Lounge, but the same people kept singing over and over again, which was kinda annoying. The show for the night in the Stardust Theatre was comedy magician named Jean Pierre, who was hilarious and did some awesome tricks.



On the 13th of December, it was a day at sea, so we pretty much just looked through the shops, sat up on the Sun Deck, and went to the shopping talk. For dinner in Tsar's, I had a Caesar salad, Orzo pasta, and a fruit tart. The show for the night was the Jean Ann Ryan Company's production of "Band on the Run," music from the 1970's. After the show we went up to Spinnaker Lounge and watched the Newlywed Not So Newlywed Game hosted by the cruise director Rich.



On the 14th of December, was our first port day in Samana, Dominican Republic. Because most of the shore excursions were beach breaks, we decided just to walk into town and look through the flea market. It seemed like a very poor country. It was really sad seeing all the children trying to sell sea shells and shine people's shoes just to earn some money. On the boat's movie channel, they were showing "Fred Claus" which I thought was cute. For dinner in Tsar's, I had chilled melon soup, spaghetti carbonara, and banana split cheesecake. The show for the night was an improv show put on by the Second City comedy team on board the ship. It's the same Second City troop, that is based out of Chicago, and has many alumni who went on to star on SNL.

On the 15th of December, we were in Tortola, which is part of the British Virgin Islands. Our tour didn't begin until 1 pm, so we spent some time before our meeting time to shop at the strip mall next to the dock. We went on "Island Secrets" bus tour, which stopped at many hillsides and let us take pictures of the valleys and seascapes below. For dinner in Azura, I had prime rib and vanilla/caramel flan. The show for the night was comedian Joe Yannetty, who made up jokes as he asked people in the audience what they did and where the lived. There was one couple, who had houses both in Palm Springs and Chicago, and only lived together in one of them for two weeks out of the month. There was another couple who had been married for six months, and were already in preventive marriage counseling, which the comedian had a field day with. I watched "Mamma Mia" and "The Love Guru" on the cabin station, and I liked Mamma Mia, but thought the Love Guru was dumb.

On the 16th of December, we were in Antigua. We took the "Nelson's Dockyard and Island Drive" tour. We stopped at Shirley Heights, The Blockhouse, and then the Dockyard. Our tour guide was an American who had been living there since 1975. She was kinda annoying and made a huge fuss when her hand got hurt by the door, cause she wrapped her microphone around the door handle and the door was on automatic. She made the bus driver feel like he had murdered her firstborn. After the tour, we shopped at the stores next to the dock. For lunch in Tsar's, I had chilled Wild Berry soup, Baked Penne Pasta, and a fruit plate. When the boat sailed away, we sat in the deck chairs on deck 7 for a while. We also went and looked through the shops on board again. For dinner, we ate in the buffet called The Garden Cafe.

On the 17th of December, we were in Barbados, which we have been to before. We were going to visit a couple, who my dad is friends with, who are serving a mission there, but the wife had a heart attack the week before and had been sent back to the states. We booked the "Coast to Coast" tour, which visited St. John's Parrish, the Rocks at Bathsheba, and the Edgewater Inn. For dinner in Tsar's, I had an Island fruit plate, Tandoori Chicken, and Berry Panna Cotta. The Jean Ann Ryan Company did their second production on board called "Country Gold," where they performed songs by Garth Brooks, Gretchen Wilson, Clint Black, and Reba McIntyre. Then I went and participated in Evening Trivia.

On the 18th of December, we were tendered into St. Lucia. We had to meet our tour in the Stardust Theatre and put on the same tender together. We booked the "Between the Pitons Catamaran Cruise," which lasted 5 hours. They served us a creole style lunch, while stopping at various fishing villages to let us take pictures. When they stopped the boat near the beach, some vendors came up to the boat on their surfboards, and tried to sell snorkel equipment and sea shells to us. For dinner in Azura, I had Florida Citrus, Roasted Turkey, and Strawberry Souffle. Before the main show, Second City did another Improv show. The main show a crew talent show with the cruise director's staff performing in Fountains, where they dress up in togas and spit water at each other, trying to portray famous water fountains. It was hilarious.

On the 19th of December, was another day at sea. We sat by the sapphire pool on the sundeck for a couple of hours. For lunch in Tsar's, I had fruit filled pineapple, fish and chips, and a cranberry apple crisp with cinammon ice cream. I watched the documentary "American Teen" in the cabin, and thought it seemed fake like The Hills or Laguna Beach. For dinner in Tsar's, I had the chilled strawbery soup, Surf and More Surf with Linguini, and a flourless molten Chocolate Cake. The show for the night was the Jean Ann Ryan's company performance of "Cirque Bijou," a Cirque Du Soleil show with contortionists, ballroom dancers, breakdancers, Celtic dance, and acrobats. This was the best show on board. After the show, they had all of the crew members come up on stage to say goodbye to us.


On the 20th of December, was our final day at sea. In the gift shop, they had their t-shirts on sale for 3 for $30 and most of their necklaces on sale for $10. For dinner at Tsar's, I had the chilled Black Cherry soup, Turkey Scaloppini, and a Raspberry Almond Torte. The farewell stage show, brought back Jean Pierre, Joe Yannetty, and Barry John for a final performance. It was pretty good.


On the 21st of December, we were back in Miami. We ate breakfast and then disembarked from the ship. Norwegian's disembarkation is much better than Carnival's, because it only took a half an hour. We took the Alamo shuttle bus t rent a car, and then drove up to Ft. Lauderdale to go to the Sawgrass Mills Mall, which has been a favorite of ours for the last few years. We stayed at the same Homewood Suites by the airport.

On the 22nd of December, we flew home with a layover in both Detroit and Minneapolis, which was a long day, and I was glad when it was over.


Overall, I still like Carnival the best. Their food is better and their rooms are 4 feet bigger, they have more activities during the daytime, and the crew seems nicer. I did like the fact that Norwegian sprays people's hands with hand sanitizer when they get off and on the ship, as well as entering the dining rooms and buffets.