Norwegian Jewel Review
Rating by category
Additional details
The good: drinks, bar service, cabin service, food service (but not universally food quality) embarkation, disembarkation. Five for free.
The mediocre: food everywhere except Cagney's and La Cucina (and the one lunch we had in the main dining room). Especially the oily yellow lab that passes for low-rent velveeta, which is as close to cheese as you get in an omelette or on a burger. Also, the Irish bar has nachos comprised of stale yellow chips, smothered in oil cheese and bacon bits? Why don't you step that game up to potato skins or chips and some real cheese? Also, $35 a glass for Veuve Cliquot? Puh-leez. You can keep it at that price. Balcony cabin seemed a little small, but that's because it's almost 1/2 bed. They could stand to widen them by about 2 feet for ease of passage.
The bad: excursion markup is pretty extreme. The ship seemed even more maze-like than my previous cruises, with 6th and 7th deck dead ends at the main dining rooms.
Cabin Review
Mid-Ship Balcony
Nice view. Ok size. Could stand to be about 2 feet wider.
Port Reviews
Seward
Did the ACT bus from Anchorage to Seward, with stops en route at Wildlife Conservation Center and Exit Glacier. That was a good trip, but the center is really just a little ranch. Got a couple of decent pictures of the brown bears. Wolf and moose were less compliant. The glacier is a short hike and pretty unremarkable.
Ketchikan
Scheduled for Misty Fjords flightseeing but weather was uncooperative. Had beer at the classy Arctic Bar instead.
Vancouver
Vancouver is larger than I remember. You can get a day pass for the train system for about $8 US. Bicycled around Stanley Park for $20 each. Finally found the particular native art we were looking for on Granville Island. Had more Tim Horton's (eh), and fancy tea. Canadian Brewhouse is good for beer, sports, and bar food, if you're so inclined. Also, they have poutine at A&W in Gastown!