I cannot overstate how disappointing this cruise was, in comparison to others we've taken (especially RC)! We had a truly awful time - had we not been at sea, we would have left early.

The Norwegian Jewel is too overcrowded for the amenities on board. There are not enough pools, hot tubs, deck lounge chairs, elevators, or even seating at the buffet for the number of passengers this ship takes on board. Everywhere we went it was impossible to get near anything and there was no order to anything. We did not go in the pools or hot tubs once the whole time - we couldn't get near them. We were never able to get a table at the buffet that accommodated the 5 of us who were traveling together. And trying to get an elevator was frustrating (we were traveling with a baby in a stroller so couldn't use the stairs). The wait for an elevator was excruciatingly long and often when the door opened it would be so overcrowded there was no room to get on so we had to wait for another. This overcrowding held true on the private island as well - not enough lounge chairs or cabanas to accommodate the number of passengers.

The buffet is mayhem - very confusing with no natural order or "flow" and very little seating near it. The food is mediocre at best and seemed to be the same thing every single day. And, curiously, there are no trays in the cafeteria which made it extremely difficult to travel with a child. I had to make my daughter's plate, then go back up to get her milk, then go back up for my own plate, etc. The drink stations were - more often than not - out of coffee, or out of milk, or out of something. Read more