Is Jewel OTS great or not so good?

[FLUFFLULA]

Trying to decide on a cruise in August to Caribbean. We like RCI ships and Jewel is the only RCI choice in our time frame. Reviews of Jewel are mixed--some say it is very good, others say that the ship, service, food and etc. are not good. Jewel is smaller than other RCI ships we've sailed, but this cruise is port intensive (5 ports) so maybe the ship itself is less of a concern?

What to do???

[DonnaK]

Trying to decide on a cruise in August to Caribbean. We like RCI ships and Jewel is the only RCI choice in our time frame. Reviews of Jewel are mixed--some say it is very good, others say that the ship, service, food and etc. are not good. Jewel is smaller than other RCI ships we've sailed, but this cruise is port intensive (5 ports) so maybe the ship itself is less of a concern?

What to do???

 

We were on this ship last May. WE thought it was absolutely beautiful, and the Windjammer was the best of all the RCI ships we've been on, and of course, the itinerary is awesome. But, it was also our least favorite cruise. If entertainment/activity is important to you, as it is to us, this ship is very boring with the worst shows and lounge entertainment. The MDR (service and food quality) was also not up to usual RCI standards.

[Herrbeir]

We were on the Jewel last month and thought very highly of the ship. The common areas were all neat and clean. Cabins were satisfactory. Service was pretty good and the food was alright. We were also on a 5 port intinerary and we were so tired we never went to any of the shows. We can't really think of any reasons not to recomend it

[momofmeg]

I think it depends on what you like. I do but I am older. I will soon be 60. I am not a fan of RCI monster ships-they are too big and I am not going to use all the extra activities they have. Now if I had teen kids/grandkids traveling with me I would feel differently. You want your kids to be happy too.

 

I LOVED Jewel of the Seas and would cruise a radiance class ship in a heartbeat! They may be older ships but they are absolutely beautiful! I love riding in the glass elevators that give me a view of the ocean! their solarium area is so peaceful and kid free! Yea! It is a wonderful place to spend your sea day.

[sxphil]

Can't speak for the Shows as we never do them but we loved the ship

[deanna41]

Last time we were on it is was very nice. I like the Radiance class, it was clean, friendly staff, and enough for us to do. The shows were so so, but no one always likes every show.

[DarthGrady]

She still has her Seaview Cafe, which is a big plus. Makes up for the lack of the enhancements the other Radiance Class ships have gotten IMO.

[cb at sea]

None of the ships are what I'd consider "small"....it's still pretty damn big! We love the outdoor WJ seating, but aren't fond of the indoor Solarium....the roof is supposed to be retractable, but they never open it. So, tanning with the masses is required!

[BillOh]

Trying to decide on a cruise in August to Caribbean. We like RCI ships and Jewel is the only RCI choice in our time frame. Reviews of Jewel are mixed--some say it is very good, others say that the ship, service, food and etc. are not good. Jewel is smaller than other RCI ships we've sailed, but this cruise is port intensive (5 ports) so maybe the ship itself is less of a concern?

What to do???

 

I've done Jewel twice and my reviews may be part of the mixed message. The ship is great all around IMO. Before I cruised Jewel the first time I picked that cruise because the Radiance Class is the favorite of many people who have cruised them and other ships. I can see why.

 

My service, particularly in the dining room was great in 2012 and acceptable in 2014. The port intensive cruise is very enjoyable, especially for me who hadn't been to those islands before. Even with my nitpicking of some of the service of my last review, I still rank this as a great vacation.

[printingchick]

I was on the Jewel of the seas this past March. I booked Jewel because I so loved my 2010 cruise on Serenade of the Seas - Jewel's sister.

 

When I booked Serenade, it was for the itinerary. I thought I might be disappointed with the smaller ship, having previously cruised on Voyager and Freedom class ships. It was just the opposite. I loved Serenade and I loved the Jewel. You'll notice I've booked another cruise on Jewel in 2016.

 

Will you love Jewel too? Like momofmeg said, it depends a lot on what you like about cruising. I cruise primarily for the ports and opt for port-intensive itineraries. I don't want a lot of sea days. Not that I don't enjoy them, but I prefer to see more ports than to spend more days on the ship. Because of that, I don't NEED the ship to offer the wide variety of venues available on the mega-ships. I'm not going to have time to ride bumper cars, take advantage of the zip line, go ice skating, climb the rock wall, picnic in Central Park, etc.

 

Also, I really hate feeling too crowded. I recall attending the 70s party on Freedom - an event I LOVED on my previous Voyager class cruise. I got shoved and elbowed and bumped into so many times, I finally gave up on the event. You'd think the larger ships would feel LESS crowded, but not when there is a popular event that draws most of the passengers to one place.

 

I love Jewel (and the other Radiance class ships) because:

 

 

• I ABSOLUTELY LOVE to eat breakfast OUTSIDE. The larger ships don't have the outdoor area at the back of the Windjammer.
  
• I have always found the service on the smaller ships to be outstanding.
  
• I find the smaller ships to be LESS crowded, despite that seeming counter-intuitive.
  
• I prefer the Quest in the Safari Lounge, where everyone participates, rather than most of us merely watching the game.
  
• I love the 70s party in the centrum, where it's more like a big party than a show.
  
• I love the glass elevators, providing a view of the ocean between decks.
  
• I love the fact that the Radiance class ships are OUTWARD focused. Lots of glass to draw your attention to the sea. The mega-ships are more inward focused, drawing your attention to the ship's interior features.
  
• The smaller ships can go to ports that cannot accommodate the larger ships. And often times, that means the ONLY ships docked there are small ships. The islands tend to be far less crowded.
  
• I'm a bit older (50s) and my kids are grown and I tend to prefer to cruise with fewer small children. The Radiance Class ships are not a huge draw for families with children because they prefer to opt for the Shrek/Barbie experience, the FlowRider and all the other bells and whistles that keep younger passengers entertained at sea.
  
• Sure, it would be nice to see Chicago or Blue Man Group for free when cruising. But I understand seating for those shows needs to be reserved well in advance. The shows are not as impressive on the smaller ships (not saying they are BAD, just less extravagant), but I can go when I want to or not if I don't and I can decide at the last minute. I like that.
  

If any of these things sound familiar, you may love the Jewel as well. I can't imagine anyone not loving it...but I suppose the BIG ship enthusiasts can't imagine anyone not loving the mega-ships! :p

 

PS: My son, who has been on three cruises since he was 10 on both Carnival and Royal Caribbean (he will take his 4th in 2016 and will be 21), has always preferred smaller ships. He even felt the Voyager Class was bigger than his ideal. So it's not JUST us old folks who prefer the smaller ships.

Edited May 28, 2014 by printingchick

[momofmeg]

We took this very itinerary a few years back on the Serenade. We found it to be a gorgeous ship and it is far from small. We did the NCL EPIC which is larger and once aboard, we couldnt tell the difference size wise. We take ships for the ports of call, first. Everything else is secondary. I know we are never going to miss a meal so food is not a big concern. Shows are shows and so subjective. Cruises are what you make it. Nothing is perfect and never will be...

 

Lol! true 2400 PAX is hardly a small ship-it is only small in comparison to the monster ships. You are not going to zipline of the JOS lol! but that does not mean she is "boring" at all!

 

It depends on the OP. If the OP finds taking long walks around the ship, or quiet time at the solarium pool reading a good book on her nook boring becasue she wants to be on the wave rider, yes this is the wrong RCI ship. If she must see one ice show during the week, and misses doing ice skating for an hour or so in the mornings on sea days, if she will miss the Royal Promenade although there are still shops and lounges scattered around ship, even a coffee shop, then this is the wrong ship. If she wants to zipline on ship, yes this is the wrong ship.

 

Me, I do not have to have everything on a cruise ship that I find on land. In fact I prefer not to have all of that. I loved the radiance class. I wish RCI would make a few more of those ships. Surely there is enough of us who are 50 plus to keep them filled.

[notsomadhatter]

The shows were awful. AWFUL. Jewel was our first RCI cruise and we walked out after 15 minutes (never done that in my life), looked at each other in the hallway and burst out laughing. "What on earth was that?!" We tried another one after some nice folks at the CC Meet & Mingle said another was the best of the voyage. We went and sat at the back and lasted even less time.

 

Ship is a very nice size. She does great itineraries. You really feel like you're on the water.

 

The entertainment was lackluster. Everyone raves about the Seaview Cafe because it is the last of its kind but it's mostly fried food overload.

 

We enjoyed the food in the WJ very much. Good variety. The dining room's food was not as stellar. The layout in there was great and we never struggled to find a seat.

 

I hated, hated, hated the proximity of the casino to the rest of the main areas. The smoke in there was awful. The sports bar next to it reeked. The cinema next to that and all of its soft goods reeked. The "cinema" was also a joke. The musical variety was fabulous. Tons available throughout the evening in all different styles.

 

We prefer Disney's smaller ships but the drawbacks on this one were too much for us. RCI's Liberty was a huge improvement.

[FLUFFLULA]

Thanks for your very helpful comments and perspectives about Jewel. DH and I will make a decision this week--we hope!

[Paulette3028]

We had a great time on Jewel in the summer of 2013, when we did the Southern Caribbean out of Puerto Rico. Lots to do in the evenings around the ship....we stayed up later and later than we usually do....and loved every minute of it.

 

Plenty of Karoake!!!!! Some different pool activities....and food is food...it is very subjective, for me, I can always find something I like to eat....and if I order something I am not happy with, I order something else. Service and staff was excellent....but I have rarely found it not to be the case; even as the room stewards seem to have more rooms to take care of and the waiters have more tables in their section, than a few years ago.

[sippican]

We love the Radiance class ships; Brilliance was our first experience with these ships, Jewel was the second and we've booked our fjords cruise on Serenade!

There are so many positives, I can't think of a single drawback. As far as entertainment, we only went to see the hypnotist and he was fantastic.

The food was better than we've had on RC in the past and the dining service was exceptional. Jewel sailed full and we never felt crowded.

 

None of the ships are what I'd consider "small"....it's still pretty damn big! We love the outdoor WJ seating, but aren't fond of the indoor Solarium....the roof is supposed to be retractable, but they never open it. So, tanning with the masses is required!

 

The outdoor dining at the Windjammer is nice.

They did open the roof during our April cruise, however, there is such a limited opening, and so much shaded area in the solarium that it is not optimal for tanning. We love that area, it ends to be quiet, comfortable and relaxing.

[cw2go]

The shows were awful. AWFUL. Jewel was our first RCI cruise and we walked out after 15 minutes (never done that in my life), looked at each other in the hallway and burst out laughing. "What on earth was that?!" We tried another one after some nice folks at the CC Meet & Mingle said another was the best of the voyage. We went and sat at the back and lasted even less time.

 

Ship is a very nice size. She does great itineraries. You really feel like you're on the water.

 

The entertainment was lackluster. Everyone raves about the Seaview Cafe because it is the last of its kind but it's mostly fried food overload.

 

We enjoyed the food in the WJ very much. Good variety. The dining room's food was not as stellar. The layout in there was great and we never struggled to find a seat.

 

I hated, hated, hated the proximity of the casino to the rest of the main areas. The smoke in there was awful. The sports bar next to it reeked. The cinema next to that and all of its soft goods reeked. The "cinema" was also a joke. The musical variety was fabulous. Tons available throughout the evening in all different styles.

 

We prefer Disney's smaller ships but the drawbacks on this one were too much for us. RCI's Liberty was a huge improvement.

 

 

Agree 100%

 

Patty

[Langley Cruisers]

LOVE Jewel - love the outdoor aft WJ seating and the Sea View Café.

 

--->Off topic to notsomadhatter, I wonder if I might politely ask if you would amend your signature. Right now, your countdown clocks are placed horizontally and many of us have to scroll to read this thread because the board is "stretched out". If you were to simply type a space in between your clocks and then hit "Enter", they would stack vertically instead of horizontally. Would you mind? That would be great. :)

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[notsomadhatter]

LOVE Jewel - love the outdoor aft WJ seating and the Sea View Café.

 

--->Off topic to notsomadhatter, I wonder if I might politely ask if you would amend your signature. Right now, your countdown clocks are placed horizontally and many of us have to scroll to read this thread because the board is "stretched out". If you were to simply type a space in between your clocks and then hit "Enter", they would stack vertically instead of horizontally. Would you mind? That would be great. :)

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Odd! On my screen they are stacked two by two. I will amend. Thanks for the heads up.

Better I think. Now back to your scheduled discussion. :)

Edited May 28, 2014 by notsomadhatter

[Langley Cruisers]

I will amend. Thanks for the heads up.

Better I think.

 

Now it looks great! Thank you. :)

.

[tidygirl]

Thanks for your very helpful comments and perspectives about Jewel. DH and I will make a decision this week--we hope!

 

DH and I just did the Jewell April 19th we are in our late 40's.Yes the ship is smaller that some and my hubby missed the flow rider, but we still enjoyed our cruise. Loved the outside seating, I didn't think the shows where that bad though the 1st comedian wasn't very good and a lot of people left the show. we enjoyed the port intensive schedule also! We actually enjoyed the ports so much we are scheduled next April same itinerary and planning on taking our young adult kids with us!

[momofmeg]

LOVE Jewel - love the outdoor aft WJ seating and the Sea View Café.

 

--->Off topic to notsomadhatter, I wonder if I might politely ask if you would amend your signature. Right now, your countdown clocks are placed horizontally and many of us have to scroll to read this thread because the board is "stretched out". If you were to simply type a space in between your clocks and then hit "Enter", they would stack vertically instead of horizontally. Would you mind? That would be great. :)

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Langley, go to userCP and turn off signatures. If you want to see a person's sig, you click on their profile and you see them.

[Langley Cruisers]

Langley, go to userCP and turn off signatures. If you want to see a person's sig, you click on their profile and you see them.

 

Thanks, but I choose not to do that; I did that for a while but it was a little frustrating for me. I like to see the sigs to see what ship people are cruising on if they are asking something specific. I choose first to ask politely if they would consider amending their signature, and then I put them on Ignore if it doesn't work out. :o:)

 

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[momofmeg]

Thanks, but I choose not to do that; I did that for a while but it was a little frustrating for me. I like to see the sigs to see what ship people are cruising on if they are asking something specific. I choose first to ask politely if they would consider amending their signature, and then I put them on Ignore if it doesn't work out. :o:)

 

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I just go and click on their profile when I want to see, as in the instance you just mentioned-it does help to know, but those sigs including mine, can get longgg. I have amended mine to shorten mine several times to boot. I no longer list ships just cruiselines and the number of days I have cruised them to shorten the sig.

 

I do think it is helpful to have the sigs and not "bragging" as I had some folks tell me-lol ! I am a novice compared to many who post here-if I was bragging I would need to embellish a whole lot-lol! I just feel it is needed for when I ask a question about a certain line or ship and also when answering a person's question as you said.

[momofmeg]

I just go and click on their profile when I want to see, as in the instance you just mentioned-it does help to know, but those sigs including mine, can get longgg. I have amended mine to shorten mine several times to boot. I no longer list ships just cruiselines and the number of days I have cruised them to shorten the sig.

 

I do think it is helpful to have the sigs and not "bragging" as I had some folks tell me-lol ! I am a novice compared to many who post here-if I was bragging I would need to embellish a whole lot-lol! I just feel it is needed for when I ask a question about a certain line or ship and also when answering a person's question as you said.

 

Lol Langley! I just clicked on your profile- I did a pacific coastal on the Grand Princess last October. We also spent a few days touring wineries and seeing the redwoods post cruise. It was a great vacation! I definitely want to do a pacific coastal again!

 

We also are batting around doing a Baltic next year. Hubby is thinking of us also just doing a tour of Scotland and visiting Copenhagen before returning home as it is Copenhagen he particularity wants to see.

 

If we do a Baltic, Serenade of the Seas is my first choice.