Jewel of the Seas ???

[emmac25]

Well, I have spent months researching and researching as this is my first ever cruise and all I can say is I am 4 months out from my cruise and massively overwhelmed!!!

 

So as I first-time cruiser getting totally bogged down in all the details, can you folks help me out.

 

Any absolute must d's (or do not's) while cruising.

 

Any tips for the Jewel? We are booked in an oceanview stateroom, which I am now second guessing my decision at not having a balcony. I would like to be able to "watch" the ports both when we arrive and depart to take pictures, where can I best do this?

 

Do you suggest RCL planned tours or venture on your own? I'm a little bit shocked at how much everything costs :(

 

Not sure why I let everyone talk me into going on this cruise!

 

We are doing the Southern Caribbean cruise, can I use USD in all the ports or carry some "local" cash?

 

Is wi-fi available in the staterooms?

 

Thanks in advance for any help, advice, tips etc!

[clott]

Ok just breathe. It will be fine. This is your first cruise so I can tell you now you will not do everything that you want to do but that's ok gives you a reason for another cruise. Lol

Now you can use US dollars in all ports, we have done ship excursions before but we tend to do our own. We just enjoy that more. If you go to the port of call board you will find a lot of great recommendations and tips. Just relax and enjoy. You will have a blast. Any day not cooking or cleaning or working is a great day for me.

[Goes Cruising]

You picked a ship that is definitely a crowd favorite! There are so many people on this board, me included, that consider this class of ship our favorite. There are views from everywhere, the staff is great. To me, this is a true cruise experience.

 

Well, I have spent months researching and researching as this is my first ever cruise and all I can say is I am 4 months out from my cruise and massively overwhelmed!!!

 

So as I first-time cruiser getting totally bogged down in all the details, can you folks help me out.

 

Any absolute must d's (or do not's) while cruising.

 

* Explore the entire ship!

* Read the Compass (daily news letter). Everything you want or need to know is in this.

* There is a great outdoor eating spot behind the windjammer that many miss the 1st time.

* There is a movie theater.

* There are also the coolest "floating pool tables" on the Radiance class ships.

* Track your expenses (spa, alcohol, casino, etc). Don't let it build up to a nasty surprise on the last day.

Any tips for the Jewel? We are booked in an oceanview stateroom, which I am now second guessing my decision at not having a balcony. I would like to be able to "watch" the ports both when we arrive and depart to take pictures, where can I best do this?

Many of the bars and lounges have really nice views. The pool deck and above have really, really nice views. You can easily find a spot to watch the ships comings and goings, possibly made even better with a drink of the day in your hand :D

 

Do you suggest RCL planned tours or venture on your own? I'm a little bit shocked at how much everything costs :(

* RCL tours are safe and require little effort on your part, especially if you are already a bit overwhelmed. You don't have to do something big in each port. Pick one or two things you really want to do, then scale back on other ports. Have you checked in on your roll call? Possibly others have some private excursions planned you can join in on.

Not sure why I let everyone talk me into going on this cruise!

Cruising is not for everybody, but boy, if it's for you your gonna be hooked! Great itinerary, great ship!

We are doing the Southern Caribbean cruise, can I use USD in all the ports or carry some "local" cash?

 

I have not done Southern Itinerary, but I've cruised the Med and other parts of Europe. Tour operators and such usually will take good old USD. Port shops and such usually will as well. Your Visa card is universal. I will say, you might want to warn your bank you are traveling or they may shut you off at an inopportune moment.

 

Is wi-fi available in the staterooms?

 

I haven't been on the Jewel in almost a year, but it was not available then.

 

Thanks in advance for any help, advice, tips etc!

 

Relax, and plan on having a great time!

[printingchick]

Well, I have spent months researching and researching as this is my first ever cruise and all I can say is I am 4 months out from my cruise and massively overwhelmed!!!

 

So as I first-time cruiser getting totally bogged down in all the details, can you folks help me out.

 

Any absolute must d's (or do not's) while cruising. Read the Cruise Compass, your daily newsletter, and circle/highlight the activities you want to be sure not to miss. You absolutely CAN'T do it all, so you will want to prioritize. The Quest Show and the 70s Party are favorites of mine, as is the Dancing Under the Stars Buffet. The nightclub on the top floor (Vortex, I think) has a revolving bar and is surrounded by windows. A great place for music, dancing and VIEWS!

 

Any tips for the Jewel? Take some time to walk around and explore. The radiance class ships are beautiful - my favorite class. Definitely eat breakfast outside. There is an outdoor dining area, accessible toward the back of the Windjammer. That leads into your next question...my daughter and I ate breakfast outside daily, where we could watch the ship pull into port as we sipped our coffee. It was LOVELY!

We are booked in an oceanview stateroom, which I am now second guessing my decision at not having a balcony. I would like to be able to "watch" the ports both when we arrive and depart to take pictures, where can I best do this? You can watch the ship pull in and out of the port from any of the outdoor decks. We enjoyed watchign the ship dock from our outdoor breakfast table each day.

 

Do you suggest RCL planned tours or venture on your own? I'm a little bit shocked at how much everything costs :( A visit to the Port of Call boards is in order. Privately booked tours are typically much less $$ than those through the ship. Some islands really require you to book something. One of my two favorite Caribbean ports is Dominica. It's an incredible rain forest covered island with amazing waterfalls, natural hot springs, black sand beaches and breathtaking views. Parts of the 2nd and 3rd Pirates of the Caribbean movies were filled there. If you don't book an excursion of some sort, you'll see nothing but the pier. Not much to see there. (If you're visiting Dominica, I recommend checking out Bumpiing Tours. You can't go wrong with ANY of his cruise ship passenger tours and the prices are EXTREMELY reasonable.)

 

Not sure why I let everyone talk me into going on this cruise!

 

We are doing the Southern Caribbean cruise, can I use USD in all the ports or carry some "local" cash? All your ports will take US$, unless Guadeloupe is on your itinerary. I believe they can be a little sticky about that and prefer Euros. All other ports will accept dollars. In fact, if Tortola is on your itinerary, it's their currency...even though they're part of the BRITISH Virgin Islands!

 

Is wi-fi available in the staterooms? I prefer to escape on my cruises, but I believe packages are available for a fee. Someone who prefers to stay more connected can answer for you.

 

Thanks in advance for any help, advice, tips etc!

 

I'm on Jewel out of San Juan next year, but have cruised on her sister, Serenade out of San Juan previously. I've done my best to answer in red above. You'll have a GREAT time. RELAX!!!

 

If you let us know what ports you will be visiting, people will be happy to offer suggestions. As mentioned earlier, the port of call boards are HUGELY helpful. You can also join your cruise's roll call to meet your fellow cruisers in advance. They are likely to have advice or be looking for people to create a group to book a popular tour/excursion at a discount.

[negc]

Well, I have spent months researching and researching as this is my first ever cruise and all I can say is I am 4 months out from my cruise and massively overwhelmed!!!

 

So as I first-time cruiser getting totally bogged down in all the details, can you folks help me out.

 

Any absolute must d's (or do not's) while cruising.

 

Any tips for the Jewel? We are booked in an oceanview stateroom, which I am now second guessing my decision at not having a balcony. I would like to be able to "watch" the ports both when we arrive and depart to take pictures, where can I best do this? All of the glass on Jewel will make it possible to see the ports from throughout the ship but if you want to be outside to get pictures, you might want to go to the helipad or to the pool deck or sun deck where there is plenty of open space from the bow to the stern.

 

Do you suggest RCL planned tours or venture on your own? I'm a little bit shocked at how much everything costs :(

It depends on what you want to do and if it is simply a sightseeing or shopping tour or a visit to a nearby beach, you can probably do it much less expensively on your own. Simply get off the ship in port and there will be any number of guides willing to take you where you want to go and the prices may be less than a ship sponsored tour to the same location. If it is something that involves a facility with limited capacity or a destination that is a distance from the pier, you may be better off biting the bullet and paying the rate that the ship is charging.

 

Not sure why I let everyone talk me into going on this cruise!

I suspect that at the conclusion of your cruise you will be thanking them.

 

We are doing the Southern Caribbean cruise, can I use USD in all the ports or carry some "local" cash?

US currency is accepted in all of the Caribbean islands and so there is little or no advantage to converting your dollars to local currency. For larger purchases the use of a credit card will offer more protection in the event that you have a problem with any of your purchases.

 

Is wi-fi available in the staterooms?

Jewel does not yet have wi-fi available in all staterooms but there are a number of "hot spots" throughout the ship where you can access the internet once you have set up an account and established an amount you are willing to pay.

 

Thanks in advance for any help, advice, tips etc!

 

Enjoy your time on the Jewel. She is our favorite ship and the ship's personnel are wonderful and always working to insure that your cruise is top notch.

[emmac25]

Wow, thank you everyone!! I AM looking forward to it, but like I said just a little overwhelmed. 121 days to go!

[clott]

What is your cruise date

[renee1222]

Just returned from the Jewel about a week ago....

 

You have chosen a FABULOUS ship! The staff were wonderful, the ship was clean, and plenty of fun activities!

 

You must purchase a wi-fi package (or pay by the minute) and hot spots are located up and down the centrum area as well as most areas on deck 11, the solarium and pool deck. There is no Wi-fi in the staterooms.

 

The heli-pad is accessible and a great place to view while the ship is entering/leaving port. There are also some great areas on the upper decks 12 and 13 forward to view from.

 

The love & marriage show was the best directed show I have seen on a cruise. Our excellent cruise director was Dennis Charles, but I think he might be going on vacation in March...not sure when he will be back on.

 

The only show we were disappointed with was City of Dreams. It was just "weird" and not our thing. Our tablemates even agreed with us. All of the other shows were excellent.

 

Don't miss out on the SeaView Cafe located on Deck 12 above the Windjammer. It's no extra charge and has a variety of salads, sandwiches, soup, onion rings, wings, fish & chips. It's a great place for lunch or late afternoon snack.

 

Have a great trip!

[mjldvlks]

Not sure where your OV cabin is, but when we were on Jewel we chose an OV [we are all over the board, balconies, OVs, a JS and even one inside] and we were very pleased. Plenty of room [actually more than the E balcony we had on Radiance]. Nice sized window. Here is a picture [cabin 3134 to be precise]:

 

 

I agree with the above. Look for an outdoor venue for sailaway. Trying to take pics through the windows can take some above average equipment and skill. If you are using an auto focus point and shoot, it may try to focus on the window [particularly if there is water on the endow as in the day it was Stormy and I was trying to show the rough seas] and not get the sharp image you want.

 

Jewel is a great ship. Enjoy your cruise. Don't try to fill every minute, get at least some relaxation. Remember it is physically impossible to do everything. I also agree that you should explore the whole ship. My rule of thumb is that if the door is open and no sign indicating otherwise, it is open to the public.

[emmac25]

What is your cruise date

 

may 25th

[emmac25]

Not sure where your OV cabin is,

 

We are on deck 4, 4546 or something like that. Mid ship :)

[Rodie H]

Relax. You will either love cruising or not. After each cruise I need to be taken off kicking and screaming!!!

 

The Jewel is a great ship to start this experience. I've been on her three times, and two on her sisters.

 

As for ports, go the the section where ports are listed. You may very well be able to do those stops on your own. On your own is less expensive and with time you'll get to where you'll know whether a ship excursion is worth the additional cost. Usually on island stops there are many taxis or vans with itineraries you can choose and perhaps others willing to share the expense. Haggle a bit. Enjoy!

 

If you can upgrade fine but don't worry about that, you may decide to do another cruise or cruises and then you can get the balcony. :cool:

[starlake]

The Jewel is a beautiful ship and I think you will really enjoy it.

 

As a new cruiser, the best advice I can give you is try to relax and don't try to do everything.

It is fine to plan some things to do in port, but sometimes it is just nice to get off and walk around without a plan.

Just go with the flow, take it slow and easy and enjoy your time.

[BeancounterUSA]

I agree, it can be overwhelming for a first time cruiser. Somehow, you found your way to this board, so that means you're doing pretty good for a first timer.

 

It's important to plan for a cruise instead of just showing up. And it's hard to plan for the unknown.

 

Here is a review I did of a Southern Caribbean itinerary on the Serenade a couple of years ago: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1243348&highlight=beancounterusa

 

The Southern itenerary is a port-intensive cruise compared to most. Don't feel like you have to plan a pricey excursion on each island. Maybe just get off the ship and shop, or take a taxi to a beach, or something similar on one or two of the stops.

 

When I was a first timer, I did all of my excursions through the cruise line in order to reduce the risk for problems. As I became more experienced, I got the confidence to book excursions through private operators after hearing reviews on this board. That's the key: don't do anything you haven't read about on here if you are going to use a privare operator.

[justcrusn]

We just cruised on the Jewel of the Seas, aside from a few cabin quirks, totally LOVED the ship! For instance our assistant waiter Dennis: On the first night my son (with the soda package) asked if he could please bring TWO cokes, as he was extremely thirsty.

 

Every night on the cruise,without asking again TWO cokes were brought to our table!

 

It was almost funny, one night he said "Dad I'm not that thirsty tonight but I don't want to hurt his feelings by returning one so I drank it anyway".

 

We loved the ship, loved the staff, loved the food, loved sailaway from Tampa, all was excellent. The pool tables are unbelievable if the seas get a little rough. They look like they are moving all over the place, but the balls are perfectly still. You have to see it to believe it!

 

I think others have answered your questions but I wanted to re-assure you this is a top-shelf experience. I wrote a mini-review just recently about the ship, first time I have ever done that.

[Familygoboston]

Dont be overwhelmed! jewel is such a nice manageable ship! There is very little to pre plan outside of your activities on shore. Luckily, because Jewel is small, it often docks right near the main "area" on each island (check this by looking at google maps of the port.) Many ports you can just wander into town and get a feel for the place. For a few ports that offer things that interest you, you can splurge and do a ships excursion. If you want to " go on your own" and easy thing to do is go to a resort or public beach by taxi on your own. On the port boards you can find the popular beaches and what is offered there.

 

Everything else on board Jewel is easy, there are 2 shows a night, and you can only attend the one that isn't happening during your dinner time. Nothing to schedule, just eat when they tell you and wander into the show. Check out the cruise compass to what else is going on (like love and marriage) that you might like to do. Drink, gamble and shop in moderation and you should not bust your budget!

 

Hope you have fun! I love Jewel and will be cruising her again soon!

[PhoenixCruiser]

The Jewel is a beautiful ship!! Excellent choice for your first cruise :D

 

###

[Langley Cruisers]

When you go to the Windjammer buffet, find a table outside. It is fantastic. Only a very few RCI ships have outdoor aft seating and there is nothing like it. :)

 

The snacks at Lattétudes coffee bar are free (included in your cruise fare) so don't be shy about asking for a couple of cookies or one of the fabulous sunflower seed granola bars. The beverages there will cost you money, but the snacks are included. Just a heads up. ;)

 

Have fun.

[clott]

Awesome you are on our cruise. We have a roll call started for this cruise and sign up for the meet and mingle. That is where we all get together one day on the cruise. It's a chance to meet everybody you have talked to for the past couple of months. Usually has a few snacks there and someone from the cruise line there. Just another chance to meet new friends..

[UNV-IT!!!]

I haven't sailed jewel. Yet. I leave in June. I have done brilliance and radiance and loved them both.

[kitty1]

The Jewel is one of our favorite ships. We have sailed on her twice and will be sailing on her again later this year.

 

Relax and enjoy your cruise.