How Can I Go Back to Traditional Cruising?

[2boyzmom]

We are booked for an 11 night RCCL Jewel of the Seas Panama Canal next year. I should be so excited- but I am worried that it won't compare to our perfect cruise wer just had on the Norweigan Jewel. How can we handle dining every night in the same restaurant at a set time? Has anyone out there been on this ship?

[98Charlie]

Have not been on either the RCCL or NCL Jewel ships but can tell you that DH & I go back & forth between traditional and freestyle dining all the time.

 

We cruise NCL, Carnival, Princess, X & RCCL and enjoy each style of dining.

 

On traditional dining cruises we enjoy meeting new dinner mates and dining each night with them. On freestyle cruises we enjoy dining with just the two of us together or sitting at a table with new dinner partners each night to get to know even more passengers.

 

Dianne

[Host Kewlguy]

We are booked for an 11 night RCCL Jewel of the Seas Panama Canal next year. I should be so excited- but I am worried that it won't compare to our perfect cruise wer just had on the Norweigan Jewel. How can we handle dining every night in the same restaurant at a set time? Has anyone out there been on this ship?

 

If you don't want to eat in the main dining room every night at a set time you can always eat in the Seaview Cafe, one of the two specialty restaurants or in the windjammer.

[shark_bait]

You could hit the buffet a couple of nights, maybe a specialty restaurant here or there, eat dinner at port if time allows. These things could help "Mix" it up a little.

 

Haven't been on the RCI Jewel but almost booked it last year so I did alot of research on her. Looks like one awesome ship and it is on my short list of must get on ships. Even Cruise Critic has it rated as a 5 star, only 5 star rated ship by CC in the mass market line.

 

Have been on the Panamal Canal trip with Princess and it was our favorite cruise to date. One, it was a 10 day cruise:) , two, it gave us a taste of Costa Rica:) :) .We loved Costa Rica so much that we're going to there Christmas time for a landbase vacation.

 

This is a great itinerary on a super ship, I surely wouldn't let who I eat Dinner with or what I time eat Dinner interfere with my excitement. You'll have a blast.;)

[2boyzmom]

You could hit the buffet a couple of nights, maybe a specialty restaurant here or there, eat dinner at port if time allows. These things could help "Mix" it up a little.

 

Haven't been on the RCI Jewel but almost booked it last year so I did alot of research on her. Looks like one awesome ship and it is on my short list of must get on ships. Even Cruise Critic has it rated as a 5 star, only 5 star rated ship by CC in the mass market line.

 

Have been on the Panamal Canal trip with Princess and it was our favorite cruise to date. One, it was a 10 day cruise:) , two, it gave us a taste of Costa Rica:) :) .We loved Costa Rica so much that we're going to there Christmas time for a landbase vacation.

 

This is a great itinerary on a super ship, I surely wouldn't let who I eat Dinner with or what I time eat Dinner interfere with my excitement. You'll have a blast.;)

 

Yes- you are right. I'm sure it will be great. Just having separation anxiety from just reyurning off NCL Jewel last week I guess...

[bagelsnbrew]

I haven't been on jewel, but I've been on the identical Serenade of the Seas. By far our favorite ship. It's large, but still feels like a ship unlike the larger Voyager/Liberty class shopping malls at sea. The Schooners/ safari club area is my favorite spot on the ship. Sitting in a overstuffed sofa sipping a cocktail watching the wake off the back of the ship is a surprisingly enjoyable way to spend an evening. I can't compare it to NCL, were sailing our first NCL cruise in April

[cruizinwithkids]

We are booked for an 11 night RCCL Jewel of the Seas Panama Canal next year. I should be so excited- but I am worried that it won't compare to our perfect cruise wer just had on the Norweigan Jewel. How can we handle dining every night in the same restaurant at a set time? Has anyone out there been on this ship?

 

I'm sure there are a handful of posters who can tell you how happy you should be that you aren't sailing NCL again.:rolleyes:

[bfos]

We were on the Rccl Jewel last year and absolutely loved it. Some of the best staff we have ever experienced. The food was really good as well. I am certain you will have an amazing vacation. We were actually looking at this same itinerary. I would really love to see the Panama Canal. Cheers!

[dznymom]

I've sailed the Radiance of the Seas, sister to the Jewel of the Seas, and it was my favorite ship until I sailed the NCL Jewel this winter. Now I am torn about which I like better! Youshould be fine with dining if you mix it up with the specialty restaurants, as has been suggested here already. I know how you feel though - our next cruise is on Carnival <gasp> but it's with friends, so I know we will have a blast. But next time I am making them come on NCL with me! :D

[TonyFred]

The Jewel is a wonderful ship. Very comfortable. Not too big, not too little.

I highly recommend the Seaview Cafe. You will have to look for it...aft...top deck. They will fix any items to go also. On several occasions we went back there and got a couple of different items each and had a feast on the balcony of our cabin. It was very very good. But nothing fancy. Fish and Chips, great sandwiches, onion rings, great salsa and chips, etc.

I much preferred that to Johnny Rocket's on the Navigator.

[newmexicoNita]

We are booked for an 11 night RCCL Jewel of the Seas Panama Canal next year. I should be so excited- but I am worried that it won't compare to our perfect cruise wer just had on the Norweigan Jewel. How can we handle dining every night in the same restaurant at a set time? Has anyone out there been on this ship?

 

you will survive because that is a great cruise, but next time think before you book. LOL

[CastawayCruiser]

I understand how the OP feels. Every time I book a cruise I think maybe we should try RCCL or Carnival but I just can't do it!!! Unless I was travelling with a group I don't think I could do traditional again. To be fair our two experiences with traditional dining travelling as a couple weren't the best. Our first time we were seated at a table for 4 with Herb and Helen 80 year old retired teachers. While they were lovely people we were 30 and didn't have much in common - long week. Then the 2nd cruise we were seated at a large table with a family that criticized what we ate. Even though the pheasant was very little and the lamb was very young they were both delicious!! Freestyle has me hooked and I can't break the habit...

[98Charlie]

I understand how the OP feels. ......... To be fair our two experiences with traditional dining travelling as a couple weren't the best. Our first time we were seated at a table for 4 with Herb and Helen 80 year old retired teachers. While they were lovely people we were 30 and didn't have much in common - long week. Then the 2nd cruise we were seated at a large table with a family that criticized what we ate. Even though the pheasant was very little and the lamb was very young they were both delicious!! Freestyle has me hooked and I can't break the habit...

Wow! We love both Freestyle and Traditional. Our tablemates on traditional have always been "compatible".

 

The only time we ran in to a really obnoxious tablemate was on NCL where we seemed to be seated frequently with the same lady. Small town politician who had never won an election and was completely entralled by her party. Every conversation at the table wound up turned toward the policies of her party vs. the "demon" other party.:eek: We still had a fantastic time:D

 

Charlie

[dtiger]

The found the Jewel of the Seas to be an absolutely beautiful ship. I just loved the wood they had throughout the ship and in the cabins.

 

I think you'll be fine with the traditional dining and can always mix it up with the buffet some nights.

[newmexicoNita]

We are booked for an 11 night RCCL Jewel of the Seas Panama Canal next year. I should be so excited- but I am worried that it won't compare to our perfect cruise wer just had on the Norweigan Jewel. How can we handle dining every night in the same restaurant at a set time? Has anyone out there been on this ship?

I haven't been on it but have heard she is a very nice ship, lots of positive reviews. AS for going back to traditional dining? For us it hasn't been easy. We still use several means to decide what cruise is best for us, but if things are even close to equal we opt for NCL> Even with ships going to open dining there are not the choices and I am not satisfied with the way open dining is handled on other ships. That being said, we are not totally loyal to NCL, we love HAL for other reasons and enjoyed our Princess cruise though we certainly were not blown away.

 

Nita

[mbarnaby99]

I have to say I love freestyle dining but I have also taken two RCCL cruises and had a wonderful time. My biggest concern was with dining but I was suprised by what I good time I had. It seemed like RCCL tried to group similar people (age, single/married) together on my two cruises which made for a much better experience. Freestyle is hard to leave but I am sure you will still have a great trip.

[katiel53]

We sail RCI and haven't sailed on Jewel, but did on Brilliance & Radiance, sister ships of Jewel. The ship will be beautiful and the Panama Canal is awesome to see.

 

I bet if you put your mind to it, you won't have any problems with dining at a set time. If it does seem to be a problem, you could do the WJ, Seaview or the specialty restaurants. We absolutely love Portofino and go there a couple of times on each RCI cruise we take.

 

We have been on NCL Star so we know what the Freestyle dining is and we are going on Pearl in May. Although there is a difference in our usual cruises with Freestyle, we still enjoy NCL. Both are good. A lot of how your cruise turns out depends on your attitude.

 

If you go on Jewel with the attitude you won't like the set dining room time, then that's how it will be. If you go on with the idea that it's going to be great, albeit different from NCL, that too is how it will be. It's up to you.

 

Enjoy.