We took our cruise the week of 1/24/15 thru 1/31/15 to Cozumel, Belize City and Trujillo. I wasn't sure what to expect as we had only been on one previous cruise with Carnival. I will say that I was pleasantly surprised! I loved sailing with NCL. The Embarkation and Disembarkation processes were so smooth and easy, and we were able to drop our stuff off in the room even before it was fully ready so that we could go get a bite to eat and explore the ship. The customs line on the way home went by really fast and we were in our car before we knew it!

Prior to the trip I had read a few reviews that talked about the ship being run down, but I didn't get that impression. Sure, there were places where you could see some wear and tear, but for the most part it was very well kept. All of the carpets were new and the staff worked hard to keep things looking good. The free-style cruising was right up our alley. We purchased the Ultimate Dining Plan, but next time I will do without and just pay for 1 or 2 specialty dinner nights. We loved Cagney's Steakhouse and Teppanyaki Hibachi Grill. The Italian restaurant, La Cucina, was good but I don't know that it was worth paying extra for. Our room was well spaced with a large closet, plenty of shelves and drawers and space under the bed for our suitcases. We have stayed in a Balcony Room before and we did so again. It is really nice to be able to open the door and let in some fresh air when things get stuffy. Orlando, our Steward, went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of. The staff of the Jewel were so friendly and you really felt like you got to know them by the end of the week, especially the cruise director, Jamie and the assistant cruise director, Leslie. The entertainment on board is abundant. We really enjoyed some of the shows, specifically the Duo Deja Vu (the Russian acrobat couple) and the Cirque show. We also enjoyed a few of the comedy acts.

We took advantage of one of the sea days to visit the spa for some treatments. I have worked at a spa so I have some high expectations. Our couples massage and my facial was worth the money, but the pedicure was not. I would not spend what they charge for that again! And although I know that they are encouraged to make product sales, I didn't enjoy the guilt trip I felt like I received for not buying everything they were pushing, especially with how pricey the items were (on top of the already pricey services I'd paid for)!! Read more