Rare AmericanMom Posted January 25 #1 Share Posted January 25 (edited) This post was recognized by LauraS! "Congrats on your first "Live from..." Thanks for generously sharing your time at sea with everyone at Cruise Critic! See your post featured on our: Click: . . When you return, please consider submitting it to the site for publication as well: Click: Write a Review" AmericanMom was awarded the badge '"Live from...."' Hola, Puerto Rico!!! In anticipation of our multi-island cruise, we thought we'd kick start with an early visit to beautiful Puerto Rico. Last time we were here, there was a hurricane in the area so we were limited in activities. In fact, the bars weren't even serving drinks (ya, it was very sad!) So this time we're taking advantage of the non-huricane season and spending a couple days in the sunshine. We checked in to the Casa Wilson Inn, a small boutique hotel in San Juan, near Condado, and headed out for food. We found a great area with a couple restaurants and a terrific spot called Miramar Food Truck Park. There's a wide variety of offerings including local PR food, Mediterranean, Thai, Pork, Mexican, Poke Bowls and even a cocktail truck - something for everyone. There are lots of both shady and sunny places to sit and dance music to keep your energy up. Dad and Hubby opted for Pollos Scharneco right across the street. Mom and I chose the Que Tostones truck for PR food. It was all excellent: definitely worth the 15 minute walk from the hotel. Tomorrow... The Bacardi Experience! Edited January 25 by AmericanMom Photos 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AmericanMom Posted January 26 Author #2 Share Posted January 26 (edited) From Que Tostón food truck Edited January 26 by AmericanMom Added name 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havin'fun Posted January 26 #3 Share Posted January 26 Enjoy your cruise - following along That food looks delicious! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AmericanMom Posted January 26 Author #4 Share Posted January 26 T-1 Puerto Rico - The Bacardi Experience. Do this! Absolutely! Our tour guide was Alondra (♥️) and our experience could not have been better. She's funny, informative and personable. After our welcome cocktail, we took an open jeep tour of the facility and then went inside to make cocktails. We learned how to make mojitos and piña coladas the right way. The experience was a lot of fun and, of course, the drinks were amazing. They also offer food on site. This was a great way to start the morning! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AmericanMom Posted January 26 Author #5 Share Posted January 26 Appetizers at Bacardí. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisegirl1976 Posted January 26 #6 Share Posted January 26 Enjoy ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clochette Posted January 26 #7 Share Posted January 26 What a wonderful start to your cruise, looking forward to following you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseguy1016 Posted January 26 #8 Share Posted January 26 (edited) We've done the Bacardi tour twice. It was lots of fun both times. Looking forward to your review, especially your impressions of Trinidad & Tobago. Edited January 26 by cruiseguy1016 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AmericanMom Posted January 27 Author #9 Share Posted January 27 End of T-1…. After the Bacardi Tour, we spent the afternoon walking in Old San Juan. What a beautiful city. Lots to see and places to eat and shop (and no aggressive sales people that we run into often throughout the Caribbean). We’ve been before so we didn’t visit the Old Fort but it was always looming large in the background. We found Paloma Park where alllllll of the pigeons come to eat and hang out with visitors. What a sight!! The views from here are also amazing and worth a look. Later we went to a SuperMax Supermarket to pick up wine for the ship. Then found a great local spot called El Camerón for dinner close to our hotel. It’s where the locals eat so they don’t speak a lot of English here. But they had a nice parking lot and even offered valet parking if desired. The food was great and I finally got my mofongo. 💃🏽 Mom and dad shared a gorgeous seafood paella. Hubby had bass with coconut sauce. They also have a full bar and great service (but speaking a little Spanish helps). Headed back to the hotel for the last night to get ready for embarkation day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AmericanMom Posted January 27 Author #10 Share Posted January 27 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AmericanMom Posted January 27 Author #11 Share Posted January 27 Day 1- Today's the day!!! We're happily onboard. We upgraded to The Key so we've already had an awesome Chops lunch in the Main Dining Room and have gotten into our stateroom. Our bags are already here and it not even 2 pm. As soon as we boarded, we headed to Chops restaurant on Deck 6 to make our specialty dinner reservation; one came free with our travel package. This our 17th cruise and we've done them all before so we chose Izumi since it has the most variety. I don't eat meat (everyone else in my party does) so I'm usually regulated to the same dishes in the restaurants on board since the menus don't really change much. Then we had lunch and checked in at our muster station (no one wants to be called out on the PA system for holding up the ship!) 🤣😮📣. Now we're headed up to the Diamond Lounge so Mom and Dad can book another excursion and so we can get a few issues resolved. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AmericanMom Posted January 27 Author #12 Share Posted January 27 First drink onboard... Shaken Piña Colada from the Pool Bar ♥️!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiseguy1016 Posted January 28 #13 Share Posted January 28 (edited) What time did you board? Do you know when boarding started? Edited January 28 by cruiseguy1016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfcathorse Posted January 28 #14 Share Posted January 28 can you find out if your captain is Capt Trond Holm or Capt Michael Lindberg. The concierge in the DL can find out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AmericanMom Posted January 28 Author #15 Share Posted January 28 We were told that boarding was not until 11:30 but they actually started taking bags at 11. I will find out who the Captain is for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare SteelCityCruiser10 Posted January 28 #16 Share Posted January 28 2 hours ago, wolfcathorse said: can you find out if your captain is Capt Trond Holm or Capt Michael Lindberg. The concierge in the DL can find out It’s Trond Holm. He started last week. We just got off Jewel. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare SteelCityCruiser10 Posted January 28 #17 Share Posted January 28 Have a great cruise! We just got off this morning & had a great time. Cheers 🍻 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AmericanMom Posted January 28 Author #18 Share Posted January 28 (edited) End of Day 1 - It’s been a whirlwind! It felt like the day flew by! We met sooooo many awesome, fun, friendly people today. Hubby and I are wearing shirts with the trip itinerary on them and lots of people stopped us to ask about them or compliment them. Hubby came up with the idea and I made the shirts. We’re glad they were good conversation starters. After lunch we walked the ship a bit and then hung out in the Diamond Lounge (now called the Crown Lounge) with Mom and Dad. We watched the sail away party from above, even though we weren’t actually sailing away just yet. After cocktails and snacks, hubby joined the free throw contest on the sports deck. As soon as that was over, it was time for dinner. Our waiters are Eliseo and John and they are great. Eliseo is all business but John has a light and fun personality. Dress was casual and the dinner menu was a bit of everything - the Sail Away menu. Apps and entrees were good; no complaints. Mom wasn’t crazy about her dessert which was a soft rice crispy treat with peanut butter. Our daughter is a pastry chef so my choice of key lime pie, a dessert that she makes soooo well, was a bad one because it didn’t compare to hers. It was probably good but not for me. We topped off the evening by checking out the Vortex nightclub. The music was great, the dance floor was packed and the drinks were flowing at the revolving bar. It was a great way to end the evening. Everyone on this ship really knows how to have a good time. If today is any indication, this is going to be a great vacation. Edited January 28 by AmericanMom 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AmericanMom Posted January 28 Author #19 Share Posted January 28 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare RobInMN Posted January 28 #20 Share Posted January 28 8 hours ago, AmericanMom said: Wanted to compliment you on your shirts! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AmericanMom Posted January 28 Author #21 Share Posted January 28 (edited) Thank you, @RobInMN! Edited January 28 by AmericanMom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasts Posted January 28 #22 Share Posted January 28 Would love to see some pictures of the Crown Lounge. We will be on the Jewel in December. Thanks so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AmericanMom Posted January 28 Author #23 Share Posted January 28 4 hours ago, texasts said: Would love to see some pictures of the Crown Lounge. We will be on the Jewel in December. Thanks so much! I'll get those for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare AmericanMom Posted January 28 Author #24 Share Posted January 28 Day 2 - At Sea Day and Formal Night. Today was absolutely gorgeous. Not too hot, low humidity and gorgeous sunshine. We slept in this morning because we were out late and also because it will be our last opportunity for a while. We have excursions planned for almost every stop this week. When we finally got ourselves together, we grabbed coffee in the Crown and hung out for a bit waiting for the Windjammer to open at 11:30 for lunch. In spite of the fact that the Jewel is a small ship, it has one amazing amenity: you can dine Al fresco next to the Windjammer. There is a great open air deck where you can eat and gaze at the waves. So even after lunch, we lingered a while just soaking in the rays and appreciating the day. We walked the ship a bit and caught up with Mom and Dad where we gathered to watch the Bellyflop Competition. It's always a lot of fun. Then Hubby and I went to the Casino. No big winnings yet but there's still time 🤣 Then we all split up. I went to the Schooner Bar where they were playing trivia and spent some time reading. No idea where everyone else went but I get the feeling there may have been a nap or two. Haha! At 4:00 we collected again to watch the Chiefs/Ravens game 🏈. Hubby collected some popcorn from The Pitstop (which was packed) and we settled in front of a small tv in the Schooner Bar. There are EXCELLENT drinks in the Schooner Bar, by the way. They have a menu with some original concoctions worth a try. We loved what we had from there. Looking out at the sunset from our balcony, I could see Dominica in the distance (I didn't know which island it was, I Google mapped it!) The sunset over the water was glorious. 🌅 Game over; we're dressing for dinner. There were already lots of sparkly outfits gracing the decks before we came upstairs. I always love to see folks in their finest. More after dinner!! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherful59 Posted January 29 #25 Share Posted January 29 (edited) @AmericanMom Great idea for the shirts. I will be back on Jewel in July and can't wait as I really enjoy the Radiance class of ships. Nice pictures. Following along, have a great time!! Edited January 29 by Cherful59 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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