Review - Jewel of the Seas May 1st Oslo-Oslo

[Fredrik]

WOW, is really the word I want to start off this review with. The wowfactor is everywhere on the Jewel. Having sailed twice with RCCL on the Navigator and the Splendour this was the first time on a Radiance class ship and I now realize why Radiance is such a favourite on the board. It´s just the best of two worlds. Lots of things to do like the Eagle Class, but with much more glass like Vision.

 

We booked this short cruise a couple of months ago and people have been bugging me since that we chose a trip going roundtrip Oslo-Oslo and basically just drifting somewhere in the Ocean not going ashore for two nights. Even though I love port days and all it has to offer, seadays can be great too and especially on a brand new ship. Not all passengers where too content about this fact... Heard a lot of complaints that it was "boring" and a week would be like death... I guess Scandinavians aren´t really that used to the entire cruise experience. Most people in Scandinavia take short partycruises that only last a night, and then you´re off to sober up Well let me say it this way, a lot of people were trying to sober up on the second cruiseday. Vodka is the preferred drink and at a fraction of the cost onboard people could not stay away. a couple of large companies (Cisco among others....) had bought large ammounts of staterooms and something tells me that had open bars at some times.

 

Well. The entire check-in was a pain and some people waited more than three hours just getting on the ship. Fortunately for us we were first in line, got on the first bus from the Hotel and on the ship just after the eleven. The ship felt deserted for a long time and we had time to both explore and relax in the Solarium. (Since a large part of the fullybooked cruise were at the bars at all times there were plenty of deckchairs everywhere, and especially in the Solarium).

 

Compared to our other sailings the Cruisecompass was a little thin not even mentioning the captains name, or any other for that matter. First nights show was WestEnd to Broadway and the show was good, but the performers were great. Sure had voices and it looked liked they performed this to perfection. The second night was a Brenda Cochrane who has appeared in Chicago on the WestEnd. Her medley of Piafsongs gave me gooosebumps. So far the best performance I´ve seen on a ship. She got standing ovations after the show and she deserved it. The cruisedirector is a totally different story. I can´t even remember her name and I don´t know if she covered for someone or something but she didn´t feel all that comfortable on stage. Very few people attended the shows, they were held up... You guessed it.... In the bars....

 

First night was casual and second was formal. We had brought the tuxedos we bought a couple of weeks ago, and it was nice to see quite a few people dressed up. We had perfect service in the diningroom. The first night we were the only ones at a table for twelve.... Second night we were joined by two guys from Norway. Something that definately added to the diningexperience was that we had the same assistant waiter that we had on our first cruise nine months ago. We had no idea his contract was up and that he changed to Jewel. It was so nice to see him again and we talked a lot more to him than our waiter. (They had a total of eight guests to take care of so you guess the servicelevel....) The menu was same as usual. Formal night was captains dinner so steak, no lobster for us.... We only dine in the maindiningroom for dinner. Windjammer is just too good for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast is usually up until eleven, but people slept in and kept coming well after noon for breakfast.

 

The cruised ended way to soon and I can´t wait until Brilliance in two months time. We´re forced to change our reservation that we have for Serenade this October and Jewel is on the top of our list right now. If you have any questions or comments, feel free....

 

Fredrik

 

Jewel of the Seas Oslo

Brilliance of the Seas West Med

Serenade of the Seas Panamacrossing

 

 

So far:

Splendour of the Seas Med Oct 2003

Navigator of the Seas East C. Jul 2003

 

[ssantow]

Fredrik,

 

Thanks for all the great info. We are not on the Jewel till December, and am so looking forward to it. Did you get any pictures?

 

Stan

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

"Cruising since 1987" but I lost track of all the cruises, and no one reads this section anyway...

Back to Back on the Jewel of the Seas 12/4/04 12/12/04

<img src = "http://www.bfndevelopment.com/cgi-bin/home/Members/CountDown/CountDown.cgi?User=4522&ID=456&Style=1&Code=17onLt" border = 0>

Until Jewel of the Seas 12/04/04(part one)

 

<img src = "http://www.bfndevelopment.com/cgi-bin/home/Members/CountDown/CountDown.cgi?User=4522&ID=457&Style=1&Code=V7K9Hh" border = 0>

Until Jewel of the Seas 12/12/04(part two)

 

Click here for the Roll Call for the Jewel 12/04/2004

 

Click here for the Roll Call for the Jewel 12/12/2004

 

 

[Fredrik]

We took a lot of pictures with our own camera. We had two formal ones taken by the ships phootographers, not that many did. Well, not a line like I´m used to anyway...

 

Fredrik

 

Jewel of the Seas Oslo

Brilliance of the Seas West Med

Serenade of the Seas Panamacrossing

 

 

So far:

Splendour of the Seas Med Oct 2003

Navigator of the Seas East C. Jul 2003

 

[cathykb]

Fredrik,

 

Glad you guys got to wear your tuxedoes - will be waiting for pictures. Sounds like you had a great time.

 

Cathy

[Fredrik]

Still haven´t got the pictures out of the camera yet, but as soon as I have the time I´ll post them on my website.

 

Fredrik

 

Jewel of the Seas Oslo

Brilliance of the Seas West Med

Serenade of the Seas Panamacrossing

 

 

So far:

Splendour of the Seas Med Oct 2003

Navigator of the Seas East C. Jul 2003

 

[madforcruising]

Hi Frederik,

 

thanks alot for your review. I can´t get enough from reading about JOS and looking pics of her.

Please let us know as soon as your pics are online.

Thanks again!!!

 

First pics of the undocking of the Jewel of the Seas:

http://community.webshots.com/album/125049819TVWuuS

 

Jewel of the Seas left Meyerwerft Shipyard

See Photos of River Ems passage

http://community.webshots.com/album/131001309cIkOdH

Jewel of the Seas - 05/28/04 Scandinavia / Russia / Baltic

 

Jewel of the Seas - 09/28/04 Canada / New England

 

 

09/2003 - Legend of the Seas Hawaii

06/2003 - Norwegian Dawn Florida and Bahamas

2002 - MS Columbus - Cruise to nowhere

2001 - Grandeur of the Seas Mediterranean and Transatlantic

2000 - Splendour of the Seas Transatlantic

2000 - Viking Star on the Danube River

1999 - Vision of the Seas Panamacanal cruise

1998 - Vision of the Seas Transatlantic

1997 - Crystal Symphonie to Mexican Riviera

1996 - Delta Queen on the Mississippi

1995 - Legend of the Seas to Alaska

[Honey's Gal]

Well, here you are. Thanks for the review. BTW, all this time and you never told us you had a website???

 

Looking forward to the pictures.

 

Dianne

 

Costa Carla 10/86

Costa Riveria 10/87

Song of America 10/88

Grandeur 10/98

Grandeur 10/99

Monarch 10/00

Rhapsody 8/01

Voyager 10/02

Grandeur 10/31/03

Serenade 10/18/04

[CAPinBoynton]

Thanks Fredrik, I too will be anxiously awaiting your pictures. Only 48 more days until I can take my own pictures of this wonderful ship! Needless to say, we are very excited.

 

 

 

See our reviews and pictures at Mike and Carol's Website

 

Costa Classica 3/94

Celebrity Mercury 4/98

Carnival Destiny 4/99

Crown Princess 7/01

Norwegian Star 11/01

Grand Princess 12/01

Sun Princess 3/02

Celebrity Constellation 11/02

Brilliance of the Seas 6/03

Navigator of the Seas 11/03

Jewel of the Seas 06/04

Tahitian Princess 02/05