The Alaskan Jewel! Welcome Aboard….You don’t Exist!

[DisDance]

That balcony is perfect for Alaska, I can picture myself wrapped in a blanket in the lounger

 

[jenseib]

I do understand about that vacation high, Jen! I am still on one myself and you should see a LOT of pictures of our road trip to Italy soon.

And I did look into next year's offers for NCL and am looking forward to what they have to offer for 2017. We are still not decided if we want to do Scandinavia or Western Europe. TUI has a cruise to the British Isles which looks so tempting, but we still have quite some time to decide. Guess your report will help me decide.

OOOOOH! All those sound fun! I hope some day I make it to Europe....that's a bucket list for me.

Wow, that seems like a pretty random coffee maker. And kinda a waste of space?

I don't know anything about coffee, but I guess this is a super fancy one that is loved by many and a fabulous perk. It was a waste for us though.

Wow, that's a sweet suite I can't believe they wouldn't make it right right there on the ship. Absolutely unacceptable!

Jill in CO

It really was. But I tried not to dwell on the bad...did that after I got home! hahaha!

Aren't all cruise ship rooms that big? ........says the person who has never been on a cruise ship! But see what you've done now...... if I ever do go, I'll be expecting what you had!

That rug though........ It looks like pink pot leaves!

I wish! I had to laugh when Claire said it was small. Now she will really be spoiled and when we go back on DCL she will expect bigger rooms.

And yes...I thought that same thing about the carpet!

At least they finally got your cards right (although I would have been flaming mad!). My biggest peeve is when people in customer service don't know how to address your issue and resolve your anger. I assume you got to do a cruise survey at the end of your voyage. I probably would have asked for extra paper...actually I probably would have sent an email when I got home. By the way, you should have counted how many times they kept saying, "that's what happens when you upgrade the last minute."

I like your cabin space and bathrooms/vanity space. I like the cabinet colors. I thought the table looks cheap and the 2 chairs look cheap and uncomfortable for a suite. I was really irked about how little counter space you had in the suite.

DH and I would have put that espresso/coffee maker to good use! We also would have used the glassware and coffee cups. That's becau we are definitely coffee drinkers!!! Amy

They send out random surveys via email and I did get one...and was brutally honest!

I did like the dark wood and the space. The table looked very retro to me. I am not sure if that is what they were going for or not? LOL.

Yes from what I hear people love that machine....I wouldn't have a clue how to run it. I think our butler was supposed to show us how but she never asked if we needed help....and we didn't anyways.

That balcony is perfect for Alaska, I can picture myself wrapped in a blanket in the lounger

It was a fabulous location.

 

[jenseib]

In case you haven’t guessed it…our excursion tickets were not in our room. I would have to contact Florentina about that, but first I had to get Claire up to the pool before she died of heat!


While Claire changed into her swimming suit, I enjoyed the view from our balcony.


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The Blue Angels flew by once again and I tried for another shot.


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Once Claire was ready we headed back to the pool area.


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Cutting through the buffet area…which was our first glimpse of this area.


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I liked the setup, which was very similar to the Caribbean Princess, though it seemed to flow better.


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Once back to the pool deck we went in search of Skip.


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Décor wise, I was not impressed with the fake palm trees.


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We found Skip and he was now in charge of Claire while she swam. I told him I was going to head to Guest Services and see if they could find out if our dining and excursions were listed or not.


Of course when I got there, there was a line.


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I waited…not necessarily patiently, but I took a few pictures to pass the time.


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I finally made it up there and ask the guy if he could check. He asked my room number and of course….he couldn’t find us. I told him how we didn’t “exist” and he said let me try something else and then found us. He could not bring anything up, so he said I would have to go over to the dining desk and directed me to wait in line, while he stood next to the gal doing the dining and waited for me. There was a second computer there and I don’t know why he just didn’t pull it up on that, but he waited till I reached the front of the line and then explained that I needed to check my dining.


Of course not a single one was listed for us. That irked me as I made these the same day I paid in full.


I gave her my list and she went through and was able to get everyone but one and that one was only 15 minutes later, so no big deal. But that’s not really the point. They should’ve been there.


The guy then told me that I would have to go and wait in line at the excursion desk to find out about those. Of course it had a line too and it was now close to the Muster Drill time.


I had given Skip strict instructions to be sure he and Claire arrived on time and to just meet me there. I gave directions, but I knew they went in one ear and out the other so I told him to just ask if he couldn’t find it.


Our station was in Tsar’s, which is one of the main dining rooms.


Leaving the Atrium I passed through the photo area.


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To get to Tsars you have to go on deck 7 and then down half the stairs and its doorway is located in between the floors. Then you go down more steps, so it technically is on deck 6.


I found my spot and sat down.


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I was early but I worried about Skip and Claire finding it so I pulled out my phone to call them. One of the crew members yelled at me and told me no phones during the drill. Yep, I know that, but the drill hadn’t started…..heck hardly anyone was even in there at this point. And really lady…..you don’t want to mess with me right now. I continued my call and Skip answered and they were on their way, but just as I figured they really had no clue where to go. Eventually they did make it…Claire wrapped in a towel.


She told me how the water was super warm….like a hot tub and the hot tub was basically scolding hot.


The drill went off without a hitch and was probably one of the fastest drills I have ever attended.


As we headed out with the crowds I heard an older gentleman talking to his friend….it was so cute and he was obviously a new cruiser. He was remarking how he couldn’t believe a restaurant like this was included in free dining. He kept saying how he couldn’t wrap his head around all that was included. I do know a lot of first time cruisers often think they can only eat in the buffet or pay extra for the main dining room. So many are surprised that they actually do get sit down meals as well.


We headed back up to deck 7 and went outside. Everyone was working their way to 12 for the sail away and we just didn’t have the patience to deal with the crowds. 7 is the Promenade deck so we could see things from there.


Most of deck 7 is also smoking, so this became a favorite spot for Skip.


These people were all in line to tour the Navy ships.


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This was the area I had walked to this morning. See how close you can get to the ship!


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A quick look back, you can see that the designs on the doorway and side of the ship often coincided with what was located right inside.


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Up next…..Let’s get sailing!!!!

 

[bcwife76]

Oh wow, what a beautiful room! Sorry - SUITE!! Jealous ;-)

 

[dizneeat]

I hope that soon all the "rocks" in your road will be cleared and you can just enjoy your cruise.

Jen, I cannot get over how grown up Claire looks, what a beautiful young lady. Wasn't she just that sweet little one a moment ago?

 

[Caretames1]

I'm so glad you got it fixed and the photos are safe!

So happy to see you posting here. I hope the girls are doing well.

Me too! I know I have a lot of pictures on it, and yes I'm guilty of not backing up the last year. I wasn't taking too many pictures, camera is broken, so I didn't really think about it.
I bought a new camera 2 weeks ago, a Sony a77 ii. With a great lens. I'm really excited to really get some photos going with it.

I'm excited to be here too, and seeing some familiar faces
My girls are doing great! Sammy is working as a CNA in a fancy private facility, and as a hostess/fill in waitress at the supper club she's been at since she was 15. She got her own apartment and is doing very well.
Kadence is going into 6th grade tomorrow! She's enjoying her last year of cheer, and feeling out her tweeness. LOL

How are you & family?

 

[Caretames1]

I am so facinated by the Pikes Market pictures, I'd love to still through there and see the sights. Those crab legs were calling me!

I remember your obsession with the chandelier on the ship, I think I remember like 900 pictures. LOL

The glass was so beautiful. My favorite was the fall leaves looking glass in the glass ceiling room.

 

[Caretames1]

Oh Boy, not a great way to start the cruise! I would have been extremely frustrated, and close to snapping. They should have been more polite.

Your room, while I don't know cabins size either, looks huge! And I agree with the a bit outdated assessment.

Hopefully your sailing smoothed out!

 

[dolphingirl47]

I just saw the big brother to this one in Dubai. I thought it looked familiar, but I figured it was just because I had seen photos of the one in Dubai before. Now I realize that I actually remember it from Seattle.

I loved all the photos from Chihuly Garden and Glass, but I particularly loved the ones with the reflection of the Space Needle.

This was much different than any other ship I had ever boarded. You actually board the ship on the Promenade deck outside and then go in.

They do it like this on the Magic/Wonder when she sails out of Miami.

She said “Oh! You don’t exist!” and giggled. I giggled too but I really wasn’t feeling my giggle. She looked at my paperwork and said, oh well, I’ll take you back…sometimes when you are upgraded late your name doesn’t make it to the list. Um, no, I moved to this room in May. Everything I have done/had has had this room number on it. She didn’t seem too worried and led us to the lounge.

What a complete and utter pain. This is my worst nightmare.

It never showed up the whole cruise.

That is not on.

Finally our keys arrived and I looked at them. Sure enough neither our beverage package nor our dining package was listed on them. I mentioned this and was told that Concierge would print us up new keys. This made me nervous. Things were not going smoothly and there was no reason for this to happen.

I would have been frantic by that point.

We stopped so each family could get a boarding photo.

I really like that embarkation photo.

The whole issue was just handled spectacularly bad. I cannot understand how everything could go though wrong and take forever to fix. It is a credit to you that you stayed so calm.

Corinna

 

[DisDance]

The ships decor is perplexing, how old is the Jewel?

 

[jenseib]

Oh wow, what a beautiful room! Sorry - SUITE!! Jealous ;-)

It was nice and spaceous!! That was the most important thing to me.

I hope that soon all the "rocks" in your road will be cleared and you can just enjoy your cruise.

Jen, I cannot get over how grown up Claire looks, what a beautiful young lady. Wasn't she just that sweet little one a moment ago?

Luckily we got past the annoyance....though we still had a feel more bumps along the way.
Claire looks like a teen. I hate it. She is getting so tall...going to catch me soon and no one believes she is only 10 anymore. She used to be sweet....yep lately...well she can be sour!

Me too! I know I have a lot of pictures on it, and yes I'm guilty of not backing up the last year. I wasn't taking too many pictures, camera is broken, so I didn't really think about it.
I bought a new camera 2 weeks ago, a Sony a77 ii. With a great lens. I'm really excited to really get some photos going with it.

I'm excited to be here too, and seeing some familiar faces
My girls are doing great! Sammy is working as a CNA in a fancy private facility, and as a hostess/fill in waitress at the supper club she's been at since she was 15. She got her own apartment and is doing very well.
Kadence is going into 6th grade tomorrow! She's enjoying her last year of cheer, and feeling out her tweeness. LOL

How are you & family?

Yay about the new camera. That has to be so fun. Knock on wood I don't need to get one for a good long time.
So glad the girls are doing well. Doesn't it suck that our babies are not babies anymore.
Well Kadence cheer in highschool?

I am so facinated by the Pikes Market pictures, I'd love to still through there and see the sights. Those crab legs were calling me!

it was such a neat place. Fun to take photos and just to look around too.

I remember your obsession with the chandelier on the ship, I think I remember like 900 pictures. LOL

Probably 901! LOL

The glass was so beautiful. My favorite was the fall leaves looking glass in the glass ceiling room.

This place was just breathtaking. I am so glad we ended up going.

Oh Boy, not a great way to start the cruise! I would have been extremely frustrated, and close to snapping. They should have been more polite.

I held my tongue but Skip heard some of the comments I was making under my breath. hahaha

Your room, while I don't know cabins size either, looks huge! And I agree with the a bit outdated assessment

it was very big for a cruise cabin. I am not sure if they were going for the retro feel...or had a bad designer.

Hopefully your sailing smoothed out!

 

[jenseib]

I just saw the big brother to this one in Dubai. I thought it looked familiar, but I figured it was just because I had seen photos of the one in Dubai before. Now I realize that I actually remember it from Seattle.

I loved all the photos from Chihuly Garden and Glass, but I particularly loved the ones with the reflection of the Space Needle.

How exciting to see the big brother! His stuff is just so amazing.
I was going nuts when I saw the needle reflecting off the balls.

They do it like this on the Magic/Wonder when she sails out of Miami.

Yes. From what I gather the Jewel always does this and you enter right in the Atrium there. I am not sure if all the NCL ships to that or just the older ones.

That is not on.

Tell me about it. So annoying.

I would have been frantic by that point.

I really did well keeping calm. I had paperwork and I knew I was right.

I really like that embarkation photo.

I liked it too. Skip things pictures are a waste but I bought a package anyways. He about fainted when I told him the price. But really we didn't do much in the way of shopping the whole cruise. Just a few things here and there, so this was my splurge. (and no NCL Dooney's. )

The whole issue was just handled spectacularly bad. I cannot understand how everything could go though wrong and take forever to fix. It is a credit to you that you stayed so calm.

It was very bad. just one mistake after another. And I think they didn't think it was as bad as it was. If it had been someone else who flipped out on them it could have been even worse.

The ships decor is perplexing, how old is the Jewel?

perplexing is a great word. I believe she was put out in 2000ish. And had a light refurbed in the spring of 2014. I don't think they redid the rooms...at least I hope that they weren't.

 

[jenseib]

We decided to walk to the aft and look at the Navy ships and to watch them take the ropes off when it was time to sail.


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We discussed the different water level marks.


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Someone out patrolling the area.


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They had this bridge between the ships and we laughed that the net under it only covered half way. I guess you want to be on the right end if that bridge falls or you are going for a swim.


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We were watching this guy….which Skip called the Burly Dude.


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When it came time to take the ropes off a few others came to help, but Burly Dude did most of the work.


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And the ship dragged the rope back in.


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We find this interesting and enjoyed watching it.


The guys went to the next one and you can see Burly Dude is doing most of the work.


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A look back at the ship to show where we were standing.


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And Mount Rainier.


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We’ve got some movement!


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Uh oh….someone lost their shovel.


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Loved seeing the sailboat.


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At this point we decided to head up to 13 via an elevator and watch the sail away party.

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Holland America getting ready to leave too.


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And Princess was just ahead of us.


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Goodbye Seattle! See Ya next week!


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Right away Skip spotted a pool side buffet and was sure he needed to eat again.


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Music was playing and everyone was getting into cruise mode!


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I will admit I was feeling a little blue still. A few times I was close to tears. How could this dream vacation be starting out on such a sour note? I sucked it up though and said screw it….I am going to have a good time even if it kills me and I let myself finally relax and enjoy myself. I will worry about things later.


Up next….Let’s get this party started!

 

[mom2rtk]

Me too! I know I have a lot of pictures on it, and yes I'm guilty of not backing up the last year. I wasn't taking too many pictures, camera is broken, so I didn't really think about it.
I bought a new camera 2 weeks ago, a Sony a77 ii. With a great lens. I'm really excited to really get some photos going with it.

I'm excited to be here too, and seeing some familiar faces
My girls are doing great! Sammy is working as a CNA in a fancy private facility, and as a hostess/fill in waitress at the supper club she's been at since she was 15. She got her own apartment and is doing very well.
Kadence is going into 6th grade tomorrow! She's enjoying her last year of cheer, and feeling out her tweeness. LOL

How are you & family?

So have you backed your photos up yet? Sorry, had to pester. I'm pretty bad at it too. But a couple times a year I do clone my hard drive that contains my photos.

Congrats on the new camera! How exciting! I hope you post some photos on the DIS when you break it out.

Congrats to Sammy! It sounds like she's really finding her way. And LOL on Cadence "feeling out her tweeness". Say no more. We're 3 years ahead of you in that game, so I totally get that. Of course, it's not your first rodeo, but it is for us and this girl thing. Robbie just graduated with his Accounting degree and has started looking for a job. Timmy is a Junior this year and is still majoring in Chemical Engineering. Katie just started HIGH SCHOOL! Heaven help us all.

Doesn't it just seem like yesterday that Robbie and Sam were graduating high school? Sigh.

I hope you don't disappear again. I sure missed having you around. Any Disney plans in the near (or far) future?

 

[mom2rtk]

Love all the sights and sounds of departure day. Great shots of the navy ships!

What a first day. I hope you were able to shake it off an enjoy yourself.

 

[DisDance]

Looks like sail away is off to a great start! I love sail away, and leaving from Seattle is so Scenic. I would like to take an Alaskan cruise that leaves from Vancouver next time

 

[rndmr2]

Love the Sail away pics!

I don't know if you ever got out to the pool at night but those weird Palm "trees" opened up and became lights.

 

[Majordis]

Hi Jen. Can't wait to read your latest trip report. Not the welcome I would have wanted but kudos to you for handling it so well. I can't believe someone from NCL concierge didn't take control and fix everything for you as soon as they realized the mistake. Hope things improve. can't wait to see your Alaska pictures and hear about your suite life. Love all your trip reports

 

[sager1969]

Loving the report! Hope they made up the mess to you. You were handling that much better than I would! Can't wait to hear more. I would love to try another ship, but my "kid" (he's 15) does want to do anything other than Disney.

 

[JKSWonder]

I would have had a panic attack if I had to deal with all of that my first day.

We are sailing NCL in April and I now have made a note to myself to print every single piece of paper out. I mean, since you "didn't exist", couldn't they have given away your room? I mean, if someone wanted to upgrade at the port, could that have happened? I would have killed someone.

DCL would have handled it differently. Case in point, on our last Fantasy cruise, we were getting phone calls, some late at night, from an unknown stateroom from a caller who spoke Spanish. We kept trying to explain they had the wrong number, but the person didn't get it. After the third unwanted call, we went to guest services just to ask them if there was a way to block a stateroom from calling you. They said there wasn't, but they would see what they could do to take care of it. Not only did we not get anymore calls, but they left care packages in the stateroom as a "sorry for the inconvenience". Each kid got their own bag filled with stuff. Allison an adorable stuffed Piglet dressed like a pirate along with pirate coins, stickers, etc. and Michael a pirate hat, a sword, more chocolate, a bandana, basically a full on pirate costume in a bag. Not only was it awesome, it was totally unexpected! And they called to follow up to make sure everything was o.k.! Now, THAT'S service.

The only reason NCL is getting my money this time instead of DCL is strictly because of the budget. It was hard to pass up a week long Caribbean cruise for five people for $1,900.00 with a free beverage package to boot.

And the Chiululy museum...yep, never taking my whirling dervish son there. Mike and I also vowed never to take the kids to the Grand Canyon. Same reason.