Just Back from Jewel SPRING BREAK ask away

[apk1389]

Just got back from a quick 5 night jewel sailing. Overall enjoyable sailing. Weather didn't cooperate as we had high winds most of the sailing and waves were bad too.

 

This is my first spring break cruise in a while, and for myself it was a ball. Unfortunate on the cruise a total of 60-75 were taken off the ship all college aged. Started with just shy of 20 in Tampa before we even left for drugs or alcohol. 40 were taken in cozumel for similar drugs and booze, but also disorderly conduct, which included small damage, fighting, or a new one I have never seen or herd of kids climbing from balcony to balcony. It was quite a scene watching them do this from up above the pool deck. Plus another handfull in costa maya.

 

There were others who were intended to be kicked off, but with no passport RCCL was not legally able to dump them off the ship.

 

The jewel had just below the threshold of where it becomes public for the number of cases of noro virus on board. Though there was a lot of people sick and confided to their cabin.

 

Overall all the only thing I wish for was better weather, it did rain in costa maya. The staff was wonderful as always, and a great cruise. Feel free to ask any ?s

[Familygoboston]

Welcome home...glad you enjoyed The cruise...I'm not sure I could have with so much drunk and disorderly going on! But I am very glad to hear that RCL was enforcing their guest conduct policies and putting people right off the ship.

 

I'm sure next week we will start seeing the posts for how terrible RCL is for kicking them off the boat and how they deserve compensation:

 

Thanks for the update!

[DarthGrady]

Apparently the noro outbreak was fairly serious. I got an email today with the following (I'm close with a local TA). It sucks because my wife and I will be on Jewel on Monday! Looks like embarkation will be delayed. :(

 

(Names and email addresses intentionally removed)

 

Subject: URGENT- CANCELLED SHIP TOUR: Ship tour Jewel of the Seas Monday March 12, 2012

To:

 

I AM SENDING TO MY FULL SHIP TOUR LIST. IF YOU ARE NOT SCHEDULED TO ATTEND THIS SHIP TOUR ON MONDAY, PLEASE DISREGARD.

 

Hello All, Please DO NOT GO TO THE PIER ON MONDAY MARCH 12!! I am disappointed to advise that Mondays ship tour is cancelled . the ship has reported a case of GI illness and will undergo a deep clean on Monday. We cannot board the ship for our tour. PLEASE pass this to anyone who was going to accompany you on this tour so they are sure to receive the message this tour is cancelled. I will reschedule for another day when space if available for the tour. I will announce when it is confirmed. My apologies for this inconvenience.

[SamFritz]

Just got back from a quick 5 night jewel sailing. Overall enjoyable sailing. Weather didn't cooperate as we had high winds most of the sailing and waves were bad too.

 

This is my first spring break cruise in a while, and for myself it was a ball. Unfortunate on the cruise a total of 60-75 were taken off the ship all college aged. Started with just shy of 20 in Tampa before we even left for drugs or alcohol. 40 were taken in cozumel for similar drugs and booze, but also disorderly conduct, which included small damage, fighting, or a new one I have never seen or herd of kids climbing from balcony to balcony. It was quite a scene watching them do this from up above the pool deck. Plus another handfull in costa maya.

 

There were others who were intended to be kicked off, but with no passport RCCL was not legally able to dump them off the ship.

 

The jewel had just below the threshold of where it becomes public for the number of cases of noro virus on board. Though there was a lot of people sick and confided to their cabin.

 

Overall all the only thing I wish for was better weather, it did rain in costa maya. The staff was wonderful as always, and a great cruise. Feel free to ask any ?s

 

We were on the Jewel a few weeks ago, pre-college break. I was very impressed with their enforcement of policy though. We saw some chair hog issues that were dealt with firmly and quickly. It seems to me that the Jewel is a well managed ship.

[apk1389]

Welcome home...glad you enjoyed The cruise...I'm not sure I could have with so much drunk and disorderly going on! But I am very glad to hear that RCL was enforcing their guest conduct policies and putting people right off the ship.

 

I'm sure next week we will start seeing the posts for how terrible RCL is for kicking them off the boat and how they deserve compensation:

 

Thanks for the update!

 

it was enforced but they were fair about everything. There were many of the college kids who snuck on booze and bought the soda package and were spiking there insulated cups. There were several security going around just asking to smell, and dumping the drinks. They were id ing people like crazy, so they were not liable for everything. Although many would complain, it was as others stated a well managed ship

[LadyGodiva]

My husband and I will be on Jewel March 26 - March 31. Is that spring break time for anyone, anywhere?

[ryano]

Wow! I didnt know RCI couldnt put people off the ship that dont have Passports? :confused: I hope they were confined to their cabin!

 

Anyway, Im glad you enjoyed your cruise but this is yet another instance that reinforces why I will NEVER take a cruise during spring break

[apk1389]

My husband and I will be on Jewel March 26 - March 31. Is that spring break time for anyone, anywhere?

 

not really anything of college. small percentage though. Though that is a bigger high school spring break week.

[apk1389]

Wow! I didnt know RCI couldnt put people off the ship that dont have Passports? :confused: I hope they were confined to their cabin!

 

Anyway, Im glad you enjoyed your cruise but this is yet another instance that reinforces why I will NEVER take a cruise during spring break

 

they said legally they couldnt as they would have no way of getting home. some were confided. one guy i meant had a secruity guard outside his room 24/7 not allowing him to leave. so some where room confided and others for easy term were "flagged"or were on a watch list, and were limited to activity on the boat.

 

my grandma on board said she would never spring break cruise again, this was her first time uring this time period

[bgjj04]

Us and another couple are sailing on Serenade from San Juan next Saturday. We're hoping that the 7-day itinerary, plus the requirement to fly from the mainland will keep the crazier spring breakers away. But we're all in our late 20's/early 30's, so we might just join in the festivities!

[paper1122]

It sounds like you had a lot of excitement, any chance you'll do a review!?!

[richrhon1]

My husband and I will be on Jewel March 26 - March 31. Is that spring break time for anyone, anywhere?

 

We are on the same cruise. I think most colleges are back in session but public schools in many areas are on spring break that week so I think there will be a decent amount of kids on the ship. We'll be on with our DS(13). We live in Ohio and most public school districts in our state are on break.

[TXSAIL]

Wow, we are on the Mariner tomorrow, Texas spring break. Should we just stay home ?:confused:

[yancycruiser]

We took our first cruise about 20 years ago and the travel agent we used told us emphatically to never cruise during spring break or anytime school is not in session. We followed that advice and from reading these boards for many years, I am glad we did.

[Cruzin-K]

Wow, we are on the Mariner tomorrow, Texas spring break. Should we just stay home ?:confused:

 

Well, I'd say it's a bit late to cancel, but I would prepare myself for a ship full of kids :eek:

 

You couldn't pay me enough money to cruise from the U.S. in March.

 

One of my co-workers is going on that cruise the following week. It may not have quite as many kids as this week, but there are still going to be tons. After all, different states have Spring break different weeks and I figure the entire month of March is going to have lots of kids on cruises. I tried to talk the guy out of going in March but he insisted because it's his 25th anniversary and apparently it must be celebrated the exact week :rolleyes: It's his first cruise ever and my feeling is that he's going to come in to work the following week and do nothing but complain about it. He's the type to complain complain complain about almost everything anyway.

[SRQfireman]

Interesting about the passport.....so if you're sick that's a different story?

I've heard of 2 different ways of getting off when you're sick...one is you're just so darn sick you have to get off......and the other is, even though you don't think you're very sick....we don't want to take care of you here.........so get off !!! soooooo......what if you don't have a passport in either of the these? Are the authorities gonna to "let you slide" ?

My point being.....if you're acting stupid, why can't they also kick you off ? (like #2 above)

 

I meant to comment about the spring break dates also.....as just mentioned, it can vary depending on where you're at. I'd guess from the 2nd week in March until about mid April is when I'm guessing spring break is around the country...so it's all a crap shoot of when you should/shouldn't go

[IndyCapt]

Apparently the noro outbreak was fairly serious. I got an email today with the following (I'm close with a local TA). It sucks because my wife and I will be on Jewel on Monday! Looks like embarkation will be delayed. :(

 

(Names and email addresses intentionally removed)

 

Subject: URGENT- CANCELLED SHIP TOUR: Ship tour Jewel of the Seas Monday March 12, 2012

To:

 

I AM SENDING TO MY FULL SHIP TOUR LIST. IF YOU ARE NOT SCHEDULED TO ATTEND THIS SHIP TOUR ON MONDAY, PLEASE DISREGARD.

 

Hello All, Please DO NOT GO TO THE PIER ON MONDAY MARCH 12!! I am disappointed to advise that Mondays ship tour is cancelled . the ship has reported a case of GI illness and will undergo a deep clean on Monday. We cannot board the ship for our tour. PLEASE pass this to anyone who was going to accompany you on this tour so they are sure to receive the message this tour is cancelled. I will reschedule for another day when space if available for the tour. I will announce when it is confirmed. My apologies for this inconvenience.

Any way to find out on Monday just how late boarding may be?? So we can save ourselves from getting there too early...

[krewzin]

Week of March 26th is public school spring break in tampa Bay area; most colleges are back in session at that time (Florida colleges are off this week) other than a smaller % on other coast. If there are more kids on the ship that week...at least they shouldn't be of drinking age.

[bigeagle12]

My husband and I will be on Jewel March 26 - March 31. Is that spring break time for anyone, anywhere?

 

http://www.tripsmarter.com/travelinfo/panama-city-beach/spring-break-college-university-dates-0

[krewzin]

http://www.tripsmarter.com/travelinfo/panama-city-beach/spring-break-college-university-dates-0

 

 

Thanks. Brevard Community College and Jacksonville State have spring break the week of March 26....hopefully they don't target Tampa and the Jewel! :-)

[orville99]

to the OP, we were on the Jewel 3/3-3/8 cruise as well, and while there were a lot of college kids on board (probably half of the passengers), and a few who got out of control, we found the vast majority to be very respectful, polite, and well-behaved. Four (not 20) were escorted off the ship in Tampa in cuffs for allegedly bringing drugs of some kind on board (as the story made the rounds on the ship, we heard the number increase every day, and by the last evening it was up to 30, and the drug of choice changed from mj to coke, to both, and from a small amount to enough to "distribute"), but we watched the four get escorted off from our perch in the Schooner bar, and that's all that left; several were escorted off the ship in Cozumel for smoking something in their rooms, and quite a few had to go down to the naughty room to retrieve their luggage (sans blenders/booze/mixers), but it was nowhere the drunken orgy that has been portrayed.

[lstiblier]

We too were on the 3/3 sailing of the Jewel. Have to cruise spring break because it's a family cruise- and last one is n last year at UF. Most were polite as stated above- it only takes a few to spoil the bucket!

We saw 4 removed from the ship just before sailing- escorted off in there bathing suits and bikinis- they were very drunk. Four others hand-cuffed and escorted with police for drugs. And then we heard about some of the other shenanigans during the week. RCI carded my kids every time we purchased a drink- even the 1st night before consuming a glass of wine.

To us the spring breakers were a minor inconvenience- and- yes- I did grumble at times. But we've had the same inconvenience with (very few) fellow passengers. My husband uses a walker and they would jump into the elevator in front of him-again- these were the exception.

RCI handled the spring breakers very well from what we could see.

We were on Navigator last year- and the spring breakers seemed alot more annoying then.

[lstiblier]

Oh- I meant to add- we saw NO signs of any illness on the ship. Only thing we saw were the barf bags on the stairs because of the ship's movement and high winds

[orville99]

Oh- I meant to add- we saw NO signs of any illness on the ship. Only thing we saw were the barf bags on the stairs because of the ship's movement and high winds

 

 

Neither did we. Crew didn't take any of the prescribed steps (i.e. serving food in the WJ; constant cleaning of railings and touchable surfaces), that we've seen on cruises where there was any GI illness. There was a lot of seasickness because of the rough seas (or hangovers), and the Captain came on when we left Costa Maya and suggested pax take medication if they were prone to seasickness.

[apk1389]

thats why I stated the ship was below the number of anything severe(as not all measures were implented). Even stated on here from a travel agent, this monday would be used as a deep cleaning date, due to illness. This was not a rant. I simply stated a few facts, received by the officers I knew on the ship as this was my third time onboard(in regards to those removed). I said I enjoyed the cruise completely and was simply stating there was GI as you could see many around my cabin were sequestered. my grandma got sick at one point and went for medication down and asked about the numbers who were sick, and also confirmed this with a officer.

 

The demographics were interesting on the cruise:

Under 17 - 108 or 5 %

18-20 - 253 or 11%

21- 24 503 or 21 %

25- 45 471 or 20 %

46- 54 365 or 15 %

over 55 674 or 28%

 

again extremely enjoyable, a memory I will have forever just like every cruise