Norwegian Jewel – Day 1 Recap

Greetings from onboard the beautiful Norwegian Jewel. Here’s the first of many updates on the latest ship to call Texas home.

Today was embarkation day, which I must say ran very smoothly. Last year I was on the very first sailing from the Houston Bayport Cruise Terminal and at that time there were certainly some slowdowns and clearly the port employees were still learning their duties. This time, the process was relatively painless with only a minimal wait in line to check-in and a short wait afterward for our boarding number to be called.

Once on the ship, it was off to the Garden Café for a nice buffet lunch. There was a nice variety of food including traditional favorites like hot dogs, pizza, burgers and sandwiches, plus a make-your-own pasta station, a stir-fry chef, fresh salads and fruits and a ton more. A nice way to start the cruise.

I was also surprised to hear that the staterooms were open upon boarding (about 12:30) even though they told us it might be 1pm or a bit after. Kudos to the crew for a quick turnaround.

I love the décor on this ship – especially the stateroom corridors. The aquamarine doors (I hope that’s the right color) work very well against the hallway wallpaper and carpeting. I don’t recall another ship with colored doors so maybe that’s why it’s so eye-catching.

I was pleased to find my bags outside my stateroom after lunch and took the opportunity to un-pack and freshen up a bit. Then it was off to the mandatory lifeboat drill. Yes, we all hate it, but they covered what needed to be said in a very efficient manner. Afterwards, I ran into some colleagues and we spent a while catching up.

For dinner tonight, I had the pleasure of dining with some Premier Custom Travel clients and we chose the more casual of the two main dining rooms (on Norwegian ships there are always at least two main dining rooms, one of which is always casual and the other is more formal, allowing you to have formal nights whenever you want or not at all). The Azura dining room is very nicely appointed and our food on night number 1 was fantastic. I’ve posted photos of all the menu options on our Facebook page but here are my choices from tonight:

Caesar Salad with anchovies and croutons
Meatballs with mashed potatoes and vegetables (yes, this was a main course choice and they were incredible)
Chocolate lava cake with strawberries

After dinner, it was off to the welcome aboard show, “A Taste of Things to Come,” which featured a preview of the various shows coming to the main theatre, including the production cast, the Nickelodeon Team, our comedian Sam Fedele and the senior officers. Later in the week we have a 70’s themed show, a Cirque du Soleil-inspired performance and a magic show, among others. I also hear that the production cast will be doing a Broadway Cabaret later in the cruise – I definitely want to check that out.

The shops and casino were open at the conclusion of the show, meaning we’ve reached international waters. I headed back to the cabin to write this quick blog and upload some photos, and then it’s off to some nightlife. What shall it be?

Music with Cover Stories, the ship’s cover band?
Karaoke Blast?
Late-night dance party?

Whatever the choice, I’d better make it an early night as tomorrow starts the real reason I’m onboard – a Seminar at Sea with Norwegian Cruise Line representatives.

More to come throughout the next seven days. Have something you’d like me to spotlight or feature in a photo post or blog? Let me know at chris@premiercustomtravel.com

Good night from amid all the oil platforms and tankers in the breezy gulf.

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