Norwegian Jewel Review
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This was our 6th cruise on NCL, but our first transpacific. We chose it because of its itinerary, its length, and that it ended as an Alaska cruise, which we have always talked about doing. This combination of Asia, Pacific, and Alaska was perfect for us.
All the port stops in Japan were wonderful - Yokohama, Aomori, Hakodate and Otaru. The ship docked very close to town, and there was plenty to do in each place. Our most treasured experience was finding an onsen (hot springs bath, all nude, segregated by gender) in Hakodate.
We were not impressed with Petropavlovsk though. Access was by tender, which wastes a lot of time especially with old folks with bad knees struggling to get on and off. Prior to the cruise, we were told quite specifically that we needed visas just to roam around town, so the best thing to do was sign up for an NCL shore excursion. Turns out that the Russians will let cruisers with no visas into town, just can't go beyond the city limits.
Cabin Review
Mid-Ship Mini-Suite with Balcony
When we got on the Jewel in early May, it was pretty run down. The bathtub would not drain, so at the end of a short shower, we were standing in dirty water. A plumber came by to try to snake it, but it didn't really work.
In a Mini Suite, we got a chair instead of a stool, but the this chair's seat had lost all (I mean all) of the screws that held it together.
The TV was ok, however, unlike the newer ships, we could not get our personal account on it, nor could we book excursions or reserve dinner.
Our balcony was not acceptable. It had pipes running above it. It was obvious the pipes had been painted white several times, but there were rust areas (not just spots) all over. And each day, new flakes of white paint could be found on the deck.
I know that the Jewel is going in to dry dock in Singapore in October, but it would be nice if NCL refurbished their ships more frequently.
The Jewel, at the time we were there, was basically a rusty bucket.