Deck 8 is mostly staterooms, except from the mid elevators to the rear elevators, where the Blue Lagoon ( great fish & chips and crispy potato peels) and Tango's Tapas Latin Restaurant are located.
Decks 9, 10, and 11 are all staterooms, mini suites and suites.
Deck 12 & 13 are all public areas: i.e., the Garden Cafe` Buffet with so many service islands, that there are hardly any lines at all. Here are also the Teen Club Underground, Video Arcade, and the Splashdown Kid's Club. Toward aft here is the Ice Cream Bar (Vincent's favorite haunt) and Mama's Italian Kitchen (the decor is nice, but the food is still being tweaked after the menu change).
In the Garden Buffet there is a section reserved for children; let it be said, the child size accommodations do nothing for the prestige of a whole adult family sitting down there with one 12 year old child the size of an adult. Forward are the pools, and the Top Sider Bar. Also located here are located the Card Room and the bright Library, with comfortable yellow chairs and huge copper vases with green cymbidium orchids, but alas, it is only open with access to books from 9 - 11 am.
Deck 13 has Basket Ball and Tennis Courts and a lovely chapel with stain glass windows which seats 24.
Decks 14 & 15 have the very private Courtyard Villas and Suites.
There are a total of 10 Restaurants, 13 Bars & Lounges, 2 Swimming Pools and 6 Hot Tubs.
Norwegian Jewel Food & Service
Captain Tommy Stensrud has a very informative and gracious staff. Hotel Director Calvin Lodge cordially spent some time with us discussing the Jewel and her amenities. He arranged for us to meet Executive Chef Markus Reichl, from near Heidelberg, Germany, who is responsible for implementing the new menus. This is a huge task and he is doing a great job. We are fortunate to see these changes in NCL early on. We also met the very accommodating Restaurant Manager Victor Da Silva, who literally travels back and forth between all ten restaurants, plus several other venues like the snack bars, grills and coffee shops. He certainly knows his ship's offerings. We also spoke with Food & Beverage Director Denis Prguda. All of these very busy men kindly took time to discuss on board facilities with us. We really appreciate them all.
We feel that the new menus are just coming together and there are still some kinks to work out, but we have the feeling that there is great improvement in the right direction. There were flashes of brilliance, like the Gnocchi with Gorgonzola, arugula and watercress, and the apple fritters for dessert in the Tzar's Palace (seats 552) at lunch. The Azura Restaurant on Deck 6 (seats 310), it is a modern hotel style dining room, but it lacks the charm of the Tzar's Palace.
Cagney's Steak House ($15 cover charge per person, seats 176) walls have pictures of Calamity Jane and Cagney as prisoner # 15595. It is striking with Black and Red leather decor and carpeting with red and gold bulls' eyes. Very large white Shonwald German plates with gold rims are used. Appetizers we enjoyed were Oysters Rockefeller and Jumbo lump crab cakes; the N.E. Clam chowder which was excellent, and so was Cardini's Original Caesar Salad served with extra anchovies. Mary ordered the Surf and Turf after the Maitre D' Ramona told us the lobster had just come on board and was alive and kicking! No frozen tails here. It was excellent as was the filet of beef. Vincent enjoyed his 12 0z. veal chop, cooked to perfection, and Cagney fries. Dessert was NY Style Cheesecake and Mocha Creme Brulee`. We had excellent service from Jason and Philippe.
Le Bistro French Cuisine ($10 - $25 per person, seats 129), has a lot of ambiance with the voice of French songbird, Edith Piaf ("the little sparrow") in the background. Appetizers included Terrine de Foie Gras, Lobster & Scallop Martini (Yes, it is served in a huge martini glass, but no gin in sight!) and Moules Mariniere (Steamed Mussels in Sauvignon Blanc). Vincent had the Watercress Veloute` with frogs legs; he said it was good and Mary took his word for it, but declined to share it. She stuck with the traditional French Onion Soup --- AhAh! When the entrees arrived the waiters counted : Un, deux, trois, "Viola`" and the plates were simultaneously uncovered! Vincent had the Filet Mignon and Beef braised short ribs --- excellent. Mary tried the Canard a` l'orange (Duck). Then, we finished with Creme Brulee` and Apple Tartin. All served by the friendly Daniel and Corina. Maitre D' Elena was so kind she said call me and I'll make room for you any time. But, there were so many venues yet to try, and not enough time in the week.
Teppanyaki ($20 per person, seats 32) Japanese cooking show is a nice way to eat light. Chin Chin ($10, seats 158) the Thai/Chinese food venue serves a great shrimp and vegetable tempura, Pot Stickers and Spring Rolls. The Chinese Corn & Crab Soup was delicious. We had Sweet and Sour Shrimp, Beef & Broccoli and Sea food Fried Rice and delicious Banana Spring Rolls for dessert. To complete the Taste of Asia dining venue there is also the Sake Bar, where sushi and sashimi are served.
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