We really enjoyed the NCL Jewel. This was our second NCL cruise and first on the Jewel. It was a large ship but not overly large. We never found ourselves bored or lacking activities. The food was delicious even though we didn't dine at any of the specialty restaurants. The staff was friendly and entertaining.

We stayed at the Pacific Inn in Seal Beach, CA the night before our cruise. It was a nice hotel and for $20 brought us to and from the ship even though I believe that feature has since changed. They allowed us to park both of vehicles there for the full 7 days and avoid the parking fees at the World Cruise Terminal. This was well worth it for us. We got another night to have fun and relax without having to stress the morning that we boarded.

We purchased our cruise with "sea perks" and received the unlimited drink package. Since we were with 2 other couples and no children this was a very good option for us. We have only ever sailed on NCL and have always had the package. Last time we paid for it and this time it was included. This is a great selling point for us since we are there to have a good time. This made us come back to NCL instead of trying another line. Read more