Please open if you've cruised with Norwegian cruise lines?

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j d

I've taken the Jewel twice this year, once in July 2008 (on the Baltic) and once in September 2008 (trans-Atlantic). I love the ship and the crew. I'm thinking of going back on-board in April. I am biased because I had a great time on this ship, and I love going on cruises anyway. Having said that, I hope I can answer your questions well.

1. Freestyle dining means that you can go to the dining rooms (Azura or Tsar's Palace, the 2 main dining rooms) with or without a reservation. You may go anytime between 6pm and 9 pm (those were the hours on my cruises) to have dinner. You are not assigned to a specific table for your meal each day, and your waiters are different each time. You may request a table for 2 or share with others, and you probably won't be seated with the same people each time, either. It's your choice when you enter the dining room or make your reservation. It's like going to a nice restaurant in your home town.

If you dine in Tsar's Palace, ask for Wayan as your waiter, if he isn't on vacation. He gives wonderful and friendly service.

If you are on Deck 10, just hope that Charlie is your stateroom attendant. He and his assistant Gary are fantastic!

It is all the people working on board that make your cruise a wonderful experience. The ports are nice, too.

2. All other dining rooms, except for the main dining rooms, have a service charge. I think it's $20 per person, but check that with your travel agent or go on line to NCL. The main dining rooms are included in your vacation package. Note that alcoholic beverages and sodas are extra charge everywhere on the ship.

3. Room service is free, but you should tip (in cash) the server who brings the service to your stateroom. I usually give $2 or $3 to the waiter.

4. Ther are no formal evenings such as on other cruise lines. Although they do have formal-type evenings, you are not required to dress up for dinner. You cannot wear shorts or jeans with a T-shirt and sandals to dinner at any time.

5. There are no secret charges. All purchases in the shop, tips of $10US per day per person, shore excursions, photo gallery, spa/salon services, alcohol and soda beverages, purchases from housekeeping (if you want to get one of their bathrobes, for example) and phone calls to home are all openly charged to your on-board account. If your pool towel goes missing and you don't inform your stateroom attendant, you'll find that charge in your account. If you take anything from the minibar, that, too, will be charged. All of this information is on their site and in your documents package. Read it carefully, and you'll have no surprises.

My ratings are:
Service: 5 - Everyone from stateroom attendants to waiters to shop assistants were, in my opinion, exceptional. They alwyas provided service with a smile, and because I'm genuinely interested in people, I had the opportunity to talk with them and to learn about their homelands and a bit about themselves. They are wonderful human beings, not servants to the passengers on board and shouldn't be treated as such. They have a hard job to do and they do it well, professionally and personably. Unlike other cruise lines, they are not distant, in my experience.

Food: 3 - While there is a good variety on the menu, it does get repetitive. The presentations are nice and the food itself is adequate. I am rather a fussy eater, but I was always able to find something good to have. I must say that food is not a major priority for me, so I do not judge restaurants solely on that criterion. Service is more important to me.

Entertainment: 3 - I do not often go to the shows on board a cruise, but what I saw was impressive for the most part. I do not want to sit in the theatre; I'd rather go to the casino or take a walk around the ship and on the decks outside. I go on a cruise vacation to relax and have peace. I find that on the decks watching or listening to the sea, or simply looking at the sky, whether it is day or night.

The internet cafÃ© is not free. I didn't use it, but I heard it was rather expensive. You could bring your laptop, but I'm not aware of charges. I never use the internet cafÃ©s on cruises - I'm on vacation and I don't want or need to be connected 24/7 while ona cruise especially. I go to internet cafÃ©s while in port if I want to check or send email, and that doesn't happen very often.

I hope I've given you some useful information. All cruises are wonderful vacations, but I really liked the service on board the Jewel. I went back on the Jewel a second time because I enjoyed the service from everyone on board. As I said above, I am planning to go back on board the Jewel in April to do a trans-Atlantic to Europe.

Enjoy your cruise and do...whatever, whenever!

EDIT: Some other people here have really criticized their cruises. If you bring certain expectations and they are not met, no matter what kind of vacation you take, you will not be satisfied with the experience. It would be better to stay home. If you think you'll find eveything "just like at home" in any other country, you will be sadly disappointed with any vacation you take.Travel with an open mind, live new experiences, and enjoy! After all, that is why people take vacations, isn't it?

I don't think we should compare ships and lines. There's good and bad with each. Paying more doesn't necessarily mean better, and going cheaper doesn't mean dreadful. Ships and cruise lines are as different and unique as cities and countries are. You might like one ship on one line and dislike another on the same line. Likewise, you might like one cruise line over another. It comes down to personal choices and how you react to and treat each situation.

Lew

Freestyle cruising means that you can eat in the any of the Main Restaurants whenever you want, there is no set dining time.

There is a service charge for the speciality restaurants from $10 - $25

Room service is free but you are expected to give the cabin attendant a tip.

They do have formal nights, usually on the sea days, when you have the, meet the captain, cocktail party, photographs etc.

There isn't any charges that are secretly added to your bill, all drinks carry a 15% service charge, the main items that boost your final bill are:-

Shore excursions
Bar Drinks
Photographs
Spa treatments
Anything you buy in the shipboard shops
Gratuities are added to your bill daily if you haven't prepaid them.

I think that freestyle dining has lowered the level of service and attention that regular cruisers are used too in the dining areas but elsewhere the service on board is as good as any other line I have sailed with.
The food is comparable with the other cruise lines in NCL's sector, you can always find something good on the menu that you can eat.
Entertainment is reasonable, some of the solo acts were overrated but the ships shows were pretty good.

There is a charge for the internet cafe but you can buy packages of 30 minutes, 60 minutes etc, if you just want to stay in touch with home. To be honest, it's pretty expensive for what is basically a dial-up service speed and only good for checking emails.

I have sailed twice with NCL, once in the Baltic on the Dream and once in the Caribbean on the Spirit and both were really good holidays. It all depends on what your expectations are.

I am sure that you will enjoy the experience but have a look at cruisecritic.com, where you will find reviews, comments, roll calls questions and tips on your ship and cruise, from people who have been there and done it.

luludoodie

UK reply. Just returned from a trip on Jade.

1. The theory is you can dine when you like at any time. The reality is the 2 "free" restaurants are always fully booked. You are then given a drink coaster that flashes/vibrates and they "call" you - UP TO 1.5 HOURS LATER.
We were in a suite and had a "priority booking" button on our phone so we could book ahead from 7am the day before. In reality this meant if you left it until 7:30 it was then always fully booked!
I think this is a deliberate ploy to get you to go to the speciality restaurants (cover charge up to $25/person) or the bar where you will spend a lot on drinks waiting for ever!
The final insult is that when we visited on our "booked" nights we could see when seated within our view range 6/7 empty tables - having watched them handing out the coasters to people in the queue!
2. Yes, see above.
3 Free.
4. No - remember it's freestyle!!!!!!!
5. Your $10/person compulsory gratuity added to your bill. so 7 days x $10 x 2 = $140 added to you bill!
Ship is excellent and well looked after.
How did we like it - we didn't!
Brits like their tea, but not with 3/4 hot coffee temp. water!
Shore excursions are overpriced and poor quality. We organised our own (some with with local guides) before going! Cheaper/better/saw what we want to/longer ashore.

Internet cafe - of course they charge (forgotten how much but not cheap!)

We have cruised 20+ times. Including P+O, Princess, Radisson down to 12 person converted trawlers (best cruise ever watching Walrus & Polar Bears!) and mainly go on 100ish guest ships now. Will never go on another big ship.

OK we are Brits so our tastes are different to US citizens! We may be accused of nitpicking but give us back 2 sittings dinners any day!

I hope you enjoy your trip!

Claire

1. You get to eat whenever and whereever you want (you dont have to reserve unless you eat in a specialty resturaunt)
2. Yes, specialty resturaunts charge for food
3. Yes, room service is free, ordered PB&J every night!
4. Um no unless you are going for a special event (i went for christmas)
5. it was all 5s and 4s

I LOVED my NCL vacation - it was amazing ignore the nasty reviews ... i think its around 75 cents per minute

Sorry, didn't go on the Jewel i went on the Spirit but i heard the jewel is pretty good!!! Have fun on your cruise

dave.greg

We went on Norwegian a few years ago and I was not impressed. And I'll never throw money away on them again. My list of complaints was endless. But the absolute worst was the food. We would go into the Freestyle dining ( Buffet) and I'd take five minutes picking through the rotten, not just old, but rotten fruit in the bowls just to find nothing worth eating. Day after day the same rotten apples in the same bowl. I guess it's just one way of cutting back on food bill.
That alone put me off on that cruise, and it made me see everything in a bad way. Norwegian!! never again!!!

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