Dorsey,
first of all welcome to Cruise-Chat.com.
May I ask whether you have booked this vacation through a travel agent specialized in cruises? I'm asking because it appears that you have made a booking knowing hardly anthing about the ship and the cruise line. Even without personally knowing the ship, a specialized travel agent should, no
must be able to answer virtually all of your questions. NCL's policies are very clear for all ships, and "Norwegian Jewel" is not an exception here. Hence, I am somewhat surprised about the "confusion" you describe.
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For example, are there the usual formal evenings which, I must say, we do enjoy?
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From The NCL web site:
Q. Are there any formal nights?
A. Yes, and they are optional. At least once during your cruise, one or more of the restaurants will host a formal dinner. There will be several other dining choices where resort casual attire is appropriate.
From the NCL web site:
SERVICE CHARGE
A fixed service charge of $10 per person, per day will be added to your onboard account. For children ages 3-12, a $5 per person per day charge will be added to your onboard account; there is no charge for children under the age of three. Our crew is encouraged to work together as a service team and is compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programs that the service charge supports. It is our earnest wish that you enjoy your Freestyle Cruise experience and that our entire crew in all areas of the ship will provide you with the standard of service for which NCL is known. Therefore, if you have any concerns about the service you receive during your cruise, please bring them to the immediate attention of our reception desk staff on board so that we can address any issues in a timely manner before the cruise is over.
Both NCL and NCL America have a structured guest satisfaction program on board designed to handle any concerns raised by our guests relating to the service or on board product quickly and efficiently. In almost all cases we are able to come up with a satisfactory solution to any issues which are raised and make sure our guests can focus on enjoying their cruise vacation. In the unlikely event we cannot satisfactorily resolve the issue through our guest satisfaction program, guests will be able to adjust the service charge according to the level of inconvenience they feel they have experienced. Our clear priority is to have the opportunity of resolving the issue, when it happens, to everyone’s complete satisfaction.
GRATUITIES
Unlike most other ships in the cruise industry, there is no required or recommended tipping on NCL America or Norwegian Cruise Line ships. Guests should not feel obliged to offer a gratuity for service that is generally rendered to all guests.
However, all of our staff are encouraged to "go the extra mile", and so they are permitted to accept cash gratuities entirely at the discretion of our guests who wish to acknowledge particular staff members for exceptional or outstanding service. In other words, there is genuinely no need to tip but you should feel free to do so if you have a desire to acknowledge particular individuals.
Also, certain staff positions provide service on an individual basis to only some guests. We encourage those guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities. For example, for guests purchasing bar drinks the recommended gratuity is 15 percent. Similarly, for guests using concierge and butler services, we recommend they consider offering a gratuity commensurate with services rendered.
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do we pay by credit card and what happens if we do not possess a credit card?
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From the NCL web site:
For your convenience, all shipboard expenses are charged to NCL's special onboard credit program. Sign up on the first day of your cruise, by establishing your method of payment with Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express®, Discover®, travelers checks or cash. If you choose to settle your account with cash, a deposit will be required in advance. You may also use your debit card; however, please be advised that NCL obtains pre-authorization which some banks may hold for up to 30 days.
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is the ship over-run by unruly children throwing things about and rubbing cholcolate into carpets which is then not cleaned up?
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Well, this is a somewhat strange question IMHO. The question is a bit like asking "Are cars red?" They are, sometimes, the answer could be. What I mean to say is that the passenger mix on a cruise ship can be very different for each cruise. I've been on cruises with 400-500 children onboard and you didn't notice them at all. I have also been on a cruise where half a dozen youngster troublemakers harrassed the whole ship. As you cruise is not during school holidays (and during spring break!) I highly doubt that the ship will be "over-run by unruly children".
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is the decor as tasteless and gaudy as I'm told it is?
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Now, this is totally a matter of taste. I have been onboard, and IMHO the decor is fairly chic and modern, even though it looks a little cheap in places. But this opinion comes from somebody who sees dozens of cruise ships every year and hence has lots of other ships to compare "Norwegian Jewel" to. What I didn't like was the fact there is no teakwood decking anywhere on board, even in the garden villas' gardens, and some surfaces used in a couple of public spaces (both indoor and outdoor) have a certain "cheap plastic" look. But those are little details only. Generally spoken, this is a bright, modern ship, with interiors tailored towards the taste of North American passengers, but without all too obvious Las Vegas kitsch.
If there are any more questions about the ship itself, I'd be happy to help if I can.
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