Day 1 - First Impressions
Having spent the summer living in student digs in London, I had been fervently looking forward to this cruise. In fact, I think that Kirsten and I talked about little else all summer. So upon arriving onboard the 'Norwegian Jewel', I mostly feared that nothing could live up to the expectations I had created.
We were met by our concierge, Alex, and given priority access to the lifts. We then rode up to the 14th floor (you have to insert your key card to have "penthouse" access) and entered the stateroom. We had several bottles of champagne awaiting us, as well as decorations and a cake congratulating Kirsten and me for graduating.
The Garden Villa is surprisingly large. Granted, the colour scheme is slightly reminiscent of Joseph's Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, but the amount of space is impressive. (Kind of like the TARDIS, it's bigger on the inside.) The suite has a large entryway that leads into the living area through one door, the private outdoor courtyard through another door, and the bedrooms through another. The living room has interesting features, such as a full size bar that has one of those cool under-lit tops like a table from CSI and a white baby grand piano. There's also a funky round sofa, some fantastic squishy chairs, and a large dining room table where we can have dinner from any of the Jewel's restaurants served for us. Did I mention that there is 24 hour room service, and a total of four professional barista coffee makers in this suite? (Why every room needs one, I am not really sure, but when you're staying in the Garden Villa, things like limits don't seem to exist.)
Kirsten and I decided to check out the hot tub in the private courtyard. The water was impressively very hot (I have been on other cruises where the tubs were pushing lukewarm at best). As the boat pulled away from the famous white cliffs of Dover, we sipped champagne in our hot tub and I mentally compared the experience to flying home in coach class, which was the alternative. Upgrade!
Jennifer then joined Kirsten and me in switching over to the hot tub in the 14th floor courtyard, which is open to only those in the Garden Villas and Courtyard Villas (the top 16 suites onboard). This courtyard has a glass ceiling, which made it a bit warmer considering that it is mid-September and we are off the coast of England. The centrepiece of the yard is a huge Bali-style lounging bed with a grass roof and white curtains. We were sure to claim it with our robes, but surprisingly enough, only a few other people came out to the courtyard during our time there. While we soaked in the tub, discussing the finer points of dirty martinis, our butler Ryan brought us a gorgeous plate of cheese and crackers. (Note: Any man who brings me cheese and crackers as I sit in a hot tub is my hero for life. Really.) I spread some soft cheese on a digestive, sat back, and reflected on how far I had come in the past few hours.
After living in student accommodation for the last year of my life, where the amenities included a bed, a desk, and (if you're lucky) a hot shower, it is mind-boggling to be sipping martinis and stretching out on leather sofas in a private living room. But hey, I'm not complaining. I'm just looking forward to the next few days…
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Read the other articles:
Days 7-11 Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and journey's end
Day 5 - Icelandic Saga
Day 5 - Straddling the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Day 5 - Steam and Snow in the Southwest
Day 5 - Golden Waterfalls and Pearls of Architecture
Day 5 – Iceland: Tour, Geology and Saga Museum
Day 4 - Cabin Fever on the HIGH Seas
Day 3 - Ruins and Treasure Hoards
Day 3 - Tastes of Shetland
Day 3 - Archaeological Mother Lode
Day 3 - Out and about in Lerwick
Day 3 - Lerwick town and harbour
Day 1 - Katherine's First impressions (you are here)
Day 0 - Outfitting the expedition
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