Norwegian Jewel Review
4.0 / 5.0
Overall Very Good Cruise, but with Some Dubious Experiences
Review for the Mexican Riviera Cruise on Norwegian Jewel
otters92
2-5 Cruises • Age 50s
Rating by category
Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Service
Additional details
Sail Date: Mar 2016
Cabin: Mid-Ship Oceanview Porthole Window
Traveled with children
About a month prior to our cruise, I read a litany of recent negative reviews of the Norwegian Jewel. They said the ship was outdated and run-down and the staff was uninspired if not uninterested. I started to think that I had made a mistake in booking the cruise.
For the most part, my experience did not match the negative reviews I read. But there were some instances that made me question Norwegian's commitment to customer service.
The cost of the cruise was reasonable, especially for Easter week. Our cruise included the Unlimited Beverage Package that uncluded some decent whiskeys and mixed drinks, but amazingly, did not include bottled water. Norwegian doesn't need to offer Fiji water like Celebrity does with their Premium Beverage package (which is cheaper than Norwegian's) but they need to offer some bottled water.
Cabin Review
Mid-Ship Oceanview Porthole Window
Cabin OF
With 3 adults and a child, I was concerned the room would be too small. The room was fine. There was one fold down bed and on trundle bed, along with a queen size bed. The queen size bed was extremely comfortable. (We noticed that the staff was in the process of changing out many mattresses throughout the ship when we boarded. Maybe we had a brand new mattress.)
Storage was limited, but once we put our empty suitcases under the bed, there was plenty of room for everything. The shower was not cramped, although the toilet was. (This may be TMI, but when I sat on the toilet I had to take off my pants in order to be able to sit comfortably.) The small size of the toilet area may be a unique factor in this particular room; the wall behind the toilet seemed to slant inwards. We were at the very end of the hall, so it could be just this room.
The room was midship on the 4th (bottom) floor. When the ride got choppy on the last full day, we were thankful to be in this cabin. Also, we had easy access to the mid-ship elevator and stairs, not to mention being right next to the main exit. Surprisingly, there didn't seem to be an extra noise from the stairs with this location.
Port Reviews
Cabo San Lucas
We have traveled extensively in Mexico, and just wanted to find a local restaurant outside of the port area (which we did). The worst part about Cano is all the people hawking cigars and jewelry and shore excursions around the port. It was incessant. We had to walk 30 minutes to get through the gauntlet. Then, when we returned, we had to go through the same gauntlet again.
I know people need to make a living, but it seems the unabated salesmanship is making this port completely unenjoyable.
Mazatlan
We walked from the port to the cathedral, which is easy to do on your own. They have painted a blue line on the street to follow. There is a visible police presence along the walk. Additionally, a group of American ex-pats have taken it upon themselves to station themselves along the route to welcome and give directions to cruisers. The cruise ships cancelled stops at Mazatlan for a couple of year because of security and safety reasons. I have never felt safer in Mexico. Props to the tourism office in Mazatlan for making visible, consequential improvements.
Puerto Vallarta
Very safety conscious. Instruction from PADI certified instructors. It left me wanting more, which I may have to plan around for my next trip.
17 Helpful Votes
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