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A few random thoughts after just returning from a Jewel Eastern Caribbean

publicpersona
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island lady "Live from...." Rare

island lady

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17 hours ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

Since January we’ve been on Jewel, then Serenade, and just got off Brilliance today.
So you can tell we love this class.  But out of the three recent cruises, we feel Serenade needs some TLC the most, although they all need some help.  I don’t care though, I just love these ships.

 

just wish they would not allow smoking indoors in the casino at all on these ships. The smell travels all the way up the Centrum at times.
 

 

Indeed...that is the one thing I don't like about the design of the Radiance ladies.  Could be easily solved by putting in a double door system at the entrance to the casino.  Why RCI does not finally stop this "smoke distribution" that funnels the smoke through the center of the ship...I am stumped.  

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island lady "Live from...." Rare

island lady

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9 minutes ago, jamon said:

Do you or someone you know that was on the Jewel mention how the Pinnacle or Diamond plus lunch was and what was the menu????

 

Just off Jewel B2B on the 11th.  We had "surf and turf" both lobster tail and filet for lunch.  Quite good.  🙂 

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jamon

jamon

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Thanks Island lady for the info...great news since some ships we have sailed on recently had strip steak which is not the same....hopefully when we sail in a couple of weeks it will still be the same as  you mentioned.

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lovesthebeach2

lovesthebeach2

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12 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Indeed...that is the one thing I don't like about the design of the Radiance ladies.  Could be easily solved by putting in a double door system at the entrance to the casino.  Why RCI does not finally stop this "smoke distribution" that funnels the smoke through the center of the ship...I am stumped.  

I’ve say it that in my post cruise comment too! Same with Oasis ships and smoke coming into MDR. Put in doors to keep it inside. you would think royal would want us healthy to keep cruising longer…

 

The captain on Brilliance was asked last week at the Top Tier event if he thinks Royal will ever stop allowing smoking in ships.  His answer was “ I hope so, because the only thing a Norwegian smokes is Salmon” 😁

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island lady "Live from...." Rare

island lady

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10 minutes ago, jamon said:

Thanks Island lady for the info...great news since some ships we have sailed on recently had strip steak which is not the same....hopefully when we sail in a couple of weeks it will still be the same as  you mentioned.

 

You are most welcome.  

 

I was actually surprised to still see the filet...AND that wonderful Chops wild mushroom soup.  Plus paired with a perfectly cooked...not dried out and overcooked (rare to find that) lobster tail.  Win..win..win.  🙂 

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cruise wizard

cruise wizard

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5 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

You are most welcome.  

 

I was actually surprised to still see the filet...AND that wonderful Chops wild mushroom soup.  Plus paired with a perfectly cooked...not dried out and overcooked (rare to find that) lobster tail.  Win..win..win.  🙂 

 

Hopefully they keep that same menu for our B2B2B that starts tomorrow!!!!

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island lady "Live from...." Rare

island lady

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9 minutes ago, cruise wizard said:

 

Hopefully they keep that same menu for our B2B2B that starts tomorrow!!!!

 

Enjoy your cruise Gary and Mary!   Just remember what I said about Chops breakfast....or maybe they have cleaned up their act....maybe.  

 

If not...do try MDR breakfast.  We always asked for two top in the back (quieter).   

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Mum2Mercury

Mum2Mercury

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On 3/12/2023 at 11:53 AM, publicpersona said:

Staterooms weren't ready until 2 PM - I don't understand this.

I'm sure it has to do with them having fewer stewards now.  Each one must "turn over" more rooms than in the past.  I don't see how they do it.  

On 3/12/2023 at 11:53 AM, publicpersona said:

Jewel needs a dry dock - There's just a lot of signs of wear and tear. On the other hand, everything was clean and well-kept as usual to the extent that it could be.

It is one of the older ships.  

On 3/12/2023 at 11:53 AM, publicpersona said:
  • Once a day service - I really don't need the room cleaned twice a day. Once our room steward started leaving a couple extra towels, I was fine with it. Where it got a little problematic was things that required a little interaction with the room steward

I'm concerned about things like this -- in my experience, a good steward makes a lot of good things happen, even if they seem invisible.  

On 3/12/2023 at 11:53 AM, publicpersona said:
  • The app - I do want a paper Compass each day, but the app was useful for a lot of things.

Yes, I always-always-always want a paper Compass.  It feels "more complete".  

On 3/12/2023 at 11:53 AM, publicpersona said:

CocoCay - We've been avoiding CocoCay for several years based on Royal's marketing of it as an amusement park of thrills and water park experience. As we remember CocoCay when it was simply an island with beaches, we didn't want to be disappointed. But it turns out, the water park serves as a kid magnet in one section of the island. Elsewhere, there are several excellent beaches with plenty of capacity of nice lounge chairs and umbrellas and ample services (food, restaurants, walking paths). We were fortunate enough to be the only ship there that day, and it being a small ship, but it seemed to me there was plenty of capacity to handle much more. Royal should do themselves a favor and feature pics of Chill Beach and South Beach as much as the water slides.

We loved Coco Cay, and I think we're in the majority.  I think they advertise the slides, etc. because those things bring in money, whereas we're 100% satisfied with the no-cost loungers at Chill Beach.  

On 3/12/2023 at 12:51 PM, voyager70 said:

Is this a recent change? I thought it was always 1:00 but no big deal waiting an extra hour.

I think the official time is 2:00, and they aim to open at 1:00 so you'll be happy that your service was better than expected.  

17 hours ago, jean87510 said:

great feedback.  thank you.

Yes, I definitely enjoy a nicely balanced review -- because real life is never all bad or all good -- which gives plenty of details.  This one was A+ with solid information.  

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jean87510 Great Review Rare

jean87510

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1 hour ago, jamon said:

Do you or someone you know that was on the Jewel mention how the Pinnacle or Diamond plus lunch was and what was the menu????

I think you may have tagged the wrong person but someone will probably answer.  Wish I knew the pinnacle lunch but that may be a while...😁

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publicpersona

publicpersona

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2 hours ago, jamon said:

Do you or someone you know that was on the Jewel mention how the Pinnacle or Diamond plus lunch was and what was the menu????

 

Looks like you got some answers from Pinnacles. I'm a mere Diamond Plus that is just halfway to Pinnacle. There was no special lunch or breakfast that included Diamond Plus.

 

The only event we were invited to was to come to the theatre and drink as many mimosas and proseccos that you could down in 45 minutes. I love a challenge. Oh yeah, they had officers on stage too.

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sjb317

sjb317

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29 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

 

Looks like you got some answers from Pinnacles. I'm a mere Diamond Plus that is just halfway to Pinnacle. There was no special lunch or breakfast that included Diamond Plus.

 

The only event we were invited to was to come to the theatre and drink as many mimosas and proseccos that you could down in 45 minutes. I love a challenge. Oh yeah, they had officers on stage too.

There was a lunch for D+ for those at 340 and above level, Cheers with the Officers.  However, we had the strip steak which my husband said was just ok.  It had shrimp with it and the shrimp looked amazing but he did not offer to share😂.

 

Sherri🙂

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island lady "Live from...." Rare

island lady

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1 hour ago, publicpersona said:

 

Looks like you got some answers from Pinnacles. I'm a mere Diamond Plus that is just halfway to Pinnacle. There was no special lunch or breakfast that included Diamond Plus.

 

The only event we were invited to was to come to the theatre and drink as many mimosas and proseccos that you could down in 45 minutes. I love a challenge. Oh yeah, they had officers on stage too.

 

D+ that are at that half way point "un-named" tier of 340 (used to be 350) get that lunch as well.  Sometimes it is combined with the Pinnie lunch, and most times is separate.  Usually same menu.  

 

 

 

 

 

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