Suite Jewel Pacific Coast Review with Pictures

[faymuiheng]

Loved your review. I have to admit, we love the suites as well. We generally try and book them. So far each time we did, it was on the STAR.

 

We need to experiment more.. :p

[mpcaruth]

Thanks for the great review! Loved the seafood pictures. Looking forward to our family cruise on the Jewel this winter.

[zounds]

Thanks very much for the time and effort it took you to post and for the great photos and martini info. We'll be on Jewell in Dec. (balc., not suite). Steve

[alrichards4003]

Thanks for the review. We will be on the Jewel in Dec in our first suite.

 

Loved the pics of Astoria. I used to live there and it's always good to see pics.

 

I hope you enjoy the suite as much as we did. Astoria was very picturesque, DH was surprised by all the Tsunami warning signs, but it makes sense. We live in hurricane zone and we could use more warning signs.

[alrichards4003]

Loved your review. I have to admit, we love the suites as well. We generally try and book them. So far each time we did, it was on the STAR.

 

We need to experiment more.. :p

 

Even though I said a one time only thing with the suite, I think we are going to have a suite for Pearl for Alaska cruise.

[alrichards4003]

Thanks for the great review! Loved the seafood pictures. Looking forward to our family cruise on the Jewel this winter.

 

My husband kept commenting on the amount of seafood I had. I try to eat local, and the seafood was great.

[alrichards4003]

Thanks very much for the time and effort it took you to post and for the great photos and martini info. We'll be on Jewell in Dec. (balc., not suite). Steve

 

Thanks, it does take a little longer to do a photo review, but I like reliving the vacation.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[pcreek]

Really enjoyed reading your review and seeing all your pictures!

 

We stayed in the 2 bedroom suite on the Jewel last year - only in the Haven. We had the same photo over the bed! LOL

I convinced my DH to do that, and I'd forgo the spa pass. Glad I did...it was the most awesome cruise EVER! :D

 

Seems like my DH is a lot like yours, always in front of the tv..or nose in kindle!

[Planmaam]

Even though I said a one time only thing with the suite, I think we are going to have a suite for Pearl for Alaska cruise.

 

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, yes! Like the saying goes, once in a suite, it's hard to go back to anything else!

 

We were in our first suite on our last cruise, and will be on the Jewel in December in another aft suite.

 

Love your review; I've never been on the Jewel, December is our first. Especially liked the pictures of the spa, since I plan to get a spa pass.

 

Also love the martini tastings!

 

Your pictures make me even more ready to be on that ship! Thanks.

[Planmaam]

I love sea days. I don't think I slept any later, but did not set the alarm and that is my favorite way to wake up. DH was still sleeping, and we planned on meeting up for bingo later, so I went to Cagney's for breakfast by myself. They asked where he has, later DH said he went later and they said I had been there earlier.

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

After breakfast I went to the spa. The Thalassotherapy Pool:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

The heated tile loungers:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

View from the chairs:

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

One quick question, how much was the spa pass on your cruise?

[alrichards4003]

Really enjoyed reading your review and seeing all your pictures!

 

We stayed in the 2 bedroom suite on the Jewel last year - only in the Haven. We had the same photo over the bed! LOL

I convinced my DH to do that, and I'd forgo the spa pass. Glad I did...it was the most awesome cruise EVER! :D

 

Seems like my DH is a lot like yours, always in front of the tv..or nose in kindle!

 

The Haven... I want to do it, our own pool and hot tub, unfortunately it is $700 more pp for the Alaska cruise, so not likely this time.

 

I figured if it made him happy to order blts and dvds then why not, he doesn't get the allure I find in gambling, so as long as we each enjoyed the week.

[alrichards4003]

One quick question' date=' how much was the spa pass on your cruise?[/quote']

 

It was $119 per person per week. I felt like it was worth it, I went everyday except embarkation. There was a woman who said she bought the pass for her husband and he wouldn't use it, it was too far from the room???

 

I think the martini tasting are great, informative and fun.

[alrichards4003]

It was time to leave, we consoled ourselves with the final breakfast at Cagney's.

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

They were refilling the fuel, it was still kind of chilly, but it would not stay that way for long in LA. Some final Lido pictures:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

This is Long Beach. We had the priority disembarkation and could wait in the suite area. Disembarkation was very smooth, especially since we had cleared customs in Oregon.

[alrichards4003]

We had booked the Loews Hollywood, I had a 15% discount on travelocity so it was under $200 a night, the location was amazing and the room was terrific, loved the space.

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

The pool:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

[alrichards4003]

Loews is at Hollywood and Highland right by a metro station and in front of the hall of fame stars.

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

We were going to the Museum Of Contemporary Art ("MOCA") according to the map a few streets away from the train station, we invariably went the wrong way, but at least that was flat, we finally started to climb hill st. (appropriately named) and it was a steep incline. DH said it was like the alpine climber on the price is right. I could not disagree, we stopped at what looked like MOCA to me.

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

This was not MOCA but the music hall.

[alrichards4003]

We walk to MOCA which was at least on flat ground (remember we are from Florida, it is flat, flat flat).

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

I really enjoyed MOCA, I always like museums that have both Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner.

[alrichards4003]

Next off to lunch at McCormick and Schmick's it was one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta, it is a chain, but we don't have one in Tampa, and I love their seafood.

 

My Cosmo:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

The remains of our fried calamari and DH Blackened Chicken Fettuccine

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

My BBQ shrimp wrapped in bacon over cheese jalapeño grits, yum

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

[alrichards4003]

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

Back to Hollywood Blvd. TLC Grauman Chinese Theater

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

[alrichards4003]

The walk of fame is amazingly crowded. The only picture was the one of Hilary Swank:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

[alrichards4003]

The Hollywood sign in the distance:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

We walked and took the sunset strip bus to dinner at Saddle Ranch Grill, DH said it was one of his favorite places. I thought bus trip would take longer so we were there 30 minutes early (6:30), we had tickets for the Comedy Store, but it didn't open until 8:30 so we had a lot of time.

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

The mechanical bull. One of the waitresses rode for a few minutes:

 

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

 

My margarita, I did not order a carafe it was how it was brought out.

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

[alrichards4003]

Appetizer: Jalapeno Mac and Cheese with Garlic Toast:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

Steak and Bake Potato. I kind of wanted fried chicken, but feel at a steak house you need to order steak:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

DH's Ribs and Fries, also served with Jalapeno corn muffins, and buttermilk biscuits. Biscuits were great.

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

 

They brought us a watermelon shot, to thank us for coming. We enjoyed it. Comedy Store was a block away. We were seated by 8:45. The chairs were horribly uncomfortable, the show was supposed to be 16 comics and we made it through about 10 and left at 11:30, both DH and I could not take the chairs. We took cab back to the hotel and we ran into Hollywood Bowl traffic and it took a while. I lived in Atlanta for 11 years and we all complained about the traffic, but LA has to be the worst I have seen.

[alrichards4003]

We went t Mel's diner for breakfast, meh. We then went to the Hollywood museum it was $15, but I thought it was well worth especially if you like older Hollywood, or horror movies, they have a dungeon area, with horror movie memorabilia including Hannibal Lechter's jail cell.

 

We then took the train to catch the weekend shuttle to Griffith Observatory. It was supposed to run every 35 minutes and we waited over an hour and one never came. Very few cabs ran in the area, so we went back to the hollywood and highland area and caught a cab to the Observatory, we went there and it was closed, which explained why no shuttle ran.

 

We decided to share a pizza at California Pizza Kitchen. My Sangria.

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

We split a BBQ chicken pizza. Good. I went swimming at the hotel pool. Nice and refreshing, especially since it was way too cold to swim in the pool on the cruise ship.

 

WE took the train and then walked to the Tiki Ti, but as it had 12 barstools, there was no room for us so we went walking and found the Public House, where they served beer and had college football on.

 

I had a pear cider which was light and refreshing:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

They had hundreds of beers from all over the world and DH had a bud light

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

[alrichards4003]

We went to Umami burger for dinner, amazing burgers:

 

Manly fries with cheese, bacon and onion straws, as I told DH what was there not to like:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

There drink menu was a little peculiar. They had Mexican sodas and only certain beers. My Mexican Sprite:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

 

DH had a chile burger and I had a truffle one, my picture of my burger was too blurry to see.

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

We then went to catch the bus to the Laugh Factory, one never came and we tried to get a cab and one never came. We were close to a grocery store and called a cab from inside. After we did that's when all of the buses started to come and then all of the cabs. We just went back to the hotel, it had been a long hot day and frustrating with transportation issues. I have taken public transportation all over the country and Europe and never had these problems, we just hit two bad spots in the same day. While we were waiting we saw Griffith Observatory shuttles running, so they obviously reopened it at some point during the day. Oh well, we saw plenty.

 

Tomorrow Champagne Brunch and Freestyle dailies.

[alrichards4003]

It was almost over. We were having Champagne Brunch at the Proud Bird near the airport before our flight left. It was a great meal to have before the several hours of flying.

 

They have World War II plane replicas outside the windows, where you could watch the planes land.

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

Champagne

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

Drinks and Breakfast foods

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

Seafood and Fried Chicken:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

Waffle and dessert:

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

[alrichards4003]

What a great meal, plus every time I turned around they were filling up my champagne. It was worth the money. Afterward we waited for our cab by the koi pool.

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

image by alrichards4003, on Flickr

 

After the indulgent meal the cramped seats and long flights-boo.