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Great Cruiise by
Sharyn C. from Dunstable, MA Sailing date: Oct 2009Pros: The overall cleanliness of the ship and friendliness and helpfulness of the staff. Cons: There being no laundramat on the ship. We found no fault whatsoever with the ship and the staff. Ship QualityNo complaints. Dining/FoodQuality of food, restaurant, etc. was excellent. This time we chose to eat main seating, which was a little early for us. Otherwise no complaints with the main dining room.
One night we did eat in the Portofino Restaurant. The food was very good but the service was very slow. Other people came in after we did and were finished before we even got desert. Stateroom QualityEverything was perfect. Ship Staff QualityOur cabin stewartess was great. If we needed extra hangers or anything else, she brought them in a timely fashion. We always had ice and we loved her animals. Entertainment & ActivitiesAll the shows were excellent and the comedians were not obnoxious and vulgar to make people laugh. We liked that especially.  0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
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  "No lines!" by
don c from boston Sailing date: Oct 2009Pros: Shows Cons: When I didn't win at casino I hate waiting, especially on vacation. With 2100 people on board Jewel of the Seas, I thought there would be long lines boarding, eating and dismbarking. There were none; that's how well organized the whole experience was.
Everything was firsr rate. Dining room meals were gourmet. Production of "West End to Broadway" was better than most original versions of shows. Ship Quality
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Stateroom QualityLevel 3 was just utilitarian. Ship Staff Quality
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Bermuda Cruise by
Denise from Connecticut Sailing date: Oct 2009Pros: Everything was wonderful from the people to our room! Cons: The cruise ending This was our first cruise. The ship was beautiful! The people were ALL very nice and helpful. The decor was great and everything was very clean. Ship Quality
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Stateroom QualityWe had a room with a balcony, best money ever spent! Ship Staff Quality
Entertainment & ActivitiesThe comedian wasn't the best, best everything else was great. 0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
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IT WAS OUTSTANDING! by
Robin F from Las Vegas Sailing date: Oct 2009Pros: The onboard activities were so much fun! We felt very much a part of the party! Cons: The buffet food. It was the same thing pretty much every meal, everyday. This trip was great! My sister and i went and had the time of our lives. The cruise director did a great job and seemed to be having a great time doing it. I have been on a few cruises and this was by far the most involved staff and group of guests. We loved the games, and shows, and the music. it was so much fun and I would HIGHLY recommend this ship! We were so sad to say good bye! Ship Qualityvery nice. We had a Jr. Suite and it was beautiful! Stateroom Qualityso clean. very pretty, huge and comfortable! Ship Staff Qualityeveryone was very nice. We loved our steward Raul. Entertainment & Activitiesgreat times! 0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
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Funtabulous Cruise! by
Denise L from Indianapolis, IN Sailing date: Oct 2009Pros: We've taken many Royal Caribbean Cruises and each one has met or exceeded our expectations! Cons: We do prefer just a little bigger ship than the Jewel of the Seas, but it is still a very nice ship with lots of amenities. This was our second cruise on this ship, so we knew what to expect. It is a very nice ship, but just a little on the small size. The dining rooms are great and we love the pool tables and golf! Wish they had a couple more shuffleboards on the ship though. Ship Quality
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Unexpected pleasures by
A Traveler from Colorado Sailing date: Sep 2009Pros: Superior food quality, excellent facilities, treatment of repeat guests outstanding Cons: Description of ports for those not intending to use outings Having just come off a World Cruise Princess ship a week earlier on an ocean crossing for this ocean crossing back across the pond, we unexpectedly found that Royal Cruises had gotten many things right where Princess did not! Unlike Princess where food was served unseasoned and in masses, RC food was far superior in quality, daily choice and presentation. Perhaps with the exception of desserts (where Princess did desserts well but almost to the point of excess).
Daily evening cocktail hour in the top most lounges for consistent cruisers was a very nice touch and provided much greater opportunity for one set of cruisers to come to know other cruisers - far superior to the one night, one hour party that most cruise lines throw for repeat, frequent cruisers.
The ability to climb a rock wall, play miniature golf, smoke a cigar INSIDE and comfortably, and do many other things one typically finds on most ships provided a far superior environment to enjoy good weather or bad. The gym was much better equipped than Princess and the pool solarium provided a great environment in both good weather and bad with the area very well maintained.
RC surprised us and they deserve significant consideration, especially by frequent cruises who can expect the line to show their loyalty to past cruises in a real way. Ship QualityI generally didn't get the art on board, although some pieces were interesting. Dining/FoodBuffet food far superior in quality to some others. Good choice if you knew where on the ship to look. Stateroom Quality
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Entertainment & ActivitiesThis rating is based on evening entertainment. The ship available entertainment is good. 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Amazing Cruise by
Alex T. from New Castle, DE Sailing date: Aug 2009Pros: Beautiful Ship Cons: Only pros for this ship The Jewel is tastefully decorated and has a great layout that makes it easy to get around the ship. The centrum is absolutely beautiful. The staff were amazing and very friendly. I think since Royal Caribbean still allows you to pay tips in cash vs. being automatically deducted gives the staff more incentive. The shows on the ship were top quality and we were surprised by the intricate sets and range of performances. We fell in love with this ship and how well it was designed. Unlike other cruise lines that pack in multiple fee charged restaurants the Jewel had only two well placed ones. This left more room for open areas and created a more community atmosphere on the ship. Ship QualityGreat layout on this ship. We never felt crowded or that we couldn't find a quiet spot to ourselves. One of the cleanest cruise ships we have been on. Dining/FoodWe are one of the few who actually skip the main dining room on cruises. We enjoy seeing our food and choosing different items based on what we see. The Windjammer did not disappoint us. Excellent presentations every meal and great layout so you are not waiting in a line. Exceeded our expectations by far. Stateroom QualityWe had stateroom 3114 an ocean view with 3 people sharing the cabin. At first we were concerned about the pull down bed from the ceiling but actually found it more practical than a sofa turned to bed or a pull out sofa. It provided more room in the cabin and we never felt crowded or lacking in space. Amenities are basic for this level of cabin but who doesn't like their bed made for them. Not sure what is up with charging $12.95 to see a movie on demand. We found the movies played on the TV for free just fine when you were looking for down time. Ship Staff QualityWe can't thank the staff on the Jewel enough for such a wonderful trip and for their outstanding service. I injured my feet and the maintenance man Patrick went above and beyond in finding a working wheelchair. He even found a wrench to fix it when it broke. Staff literally carried me on and off the ship! Our cabin steward must be a ghost because no sooner did we leave the room and return moments later that it was cleaned and the beds made. What a wonderful man he was. Entertainment & ActivitiesOutstanding entertainment. On past cruises we have skipped out due to poor quality but on the Jewel we looked forward every night to what was scheduled. The one singer's version of a Queen song was spectacular. 
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Copenhagen, DenmarkFirst, skip a ship excursion. Copenhagen is easily walked from the ship. Plus bikes are free to use in this city everywhere so grab one and bike around the city. The Mermaid is right near where the ship docks. Walk along the water and the canals.
Don't Miss: walking around Helsinki, FinlandTake shuttle to city center and then you can easily walk to the Rock church and then just walk around the main historic area near the train station.
Don't Miss: Rock Church St. Petersburg, Russian FederationTake a ship excursion to avoid having to get a time consuming visa. Peterhof is not to be missed plus the Winter Palace (Hermitage). We loved our walking tour of the historic center on day two
Don't Miss: Church of the Spilt Blood Oslo, NorwayAgain, easy to get around. Ship docks right by the castle and city hall. Tram number 12 a 3 minute walk from the ship takes you right to Vigeland Sculpture park. Return to city center and you can walk to every other major site. A ferry takes you to the Viking Ship Museum.
Don't Miss: Vigeland Sculpture park Stockholm, SwedenTake the shuttle to the city center and again walk. It is a beautiful city.
Don't Miss: Old town and Royal Palace Tallinn, EstoniaSkip the excursion and walk 5 or 10 minutes to the old town. Then just explore and enjoy. This was the highlight of our cruise. What a beautiful place and we were so glad it was on the itinerary up against better known places. You will be amazed here.
Don't Miss: Old Town Center 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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An experience we will always remember by
Bill B. from NC Sailing date: Jul 2009Pros: the ship, the ports, and the staff Cons: if anything, the small showers This was a wonderful trip with a tremendous itinerary on a beautiful ship with a superb staff. The entertainment was very professional and the cruise director was just great. Our dining staff and steward were superb and met every need. We found everything about this ship to be top notch. Ship Quality
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Great Cruise! by
A Traveler from FL,USA Sailing date: Aug 2009Pros: Very nice staff and excellent shows! Cons: Small shower. And I mean small! This was our first time going to Europe and we loved the Jewel of the Seas. It is a wonderful ship with lots to do. It provided us an opportunity to view many countries in one trip. Wonderful Experience. Ship Quality
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Children's ProgramsThe kids club was great! My only wish would be that the age category 12-14 would be separate from the 15-17 and supervised more.
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Copenhagen, Denmark
Helsinki, FinlandGreat city! Would love to go again. Beautiful views and lots of history. Make sure you don't miss the city.
St. Petersburg, Russian FederationGreat Port and Great tour with lots of stops. Went to Pushkin and did the castle's tour. Lots of beautiful architecture and a very nice city. Need to go on a tour or get a Visa to be on your own.
Oslo, NorwayLOVED IT!!! Need to go back. Such a short time there, wished we spent more time at that port. So much to do, so little time!
Stockholm, SwedenBeautiful archipelagos. Don't do the ceramic museum tour or lunch at the barn. Total waste of time. Better off doing short archipelago and then head of to the town. It is quite lovely, wished we had more time.
Tallinn, EstoniaLoved the old world style and laid back atmosphere. Definitely a place to go again! Great scenery.
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Beautiful Cruise by
Mary C. from Burbank, Ca. Sailing date: Apr 2009Pros: Our waiter/waitress Nicolette from Romania Cons: Entertainment I was disappointed with Royal Caribbean this time. The cruise locations to the Panama Canal was great. They have really cheezed down their entertainment and fun activities, and this was my 6th cruise with them. The food was just average, some of it very good, but none of it excellent. They need to go back to chocolate on the bed, animals made each night and better entertainment. Come on a hermomica player (oh yuck) and your cruise directior playing his flute, very sad and boring. Ship QualityShip was clean, what I expect from Royal Caribbean. Really like the sea cafe but didnt find out about it until 3 days into the cruise. The Communication system was poor at best, felt like i was listening to announcements from a fast food drive through speaker. Dining/FoodThey need to go back to theme nights. The food was okay, the pasta was the best. One night I didnt like any of the food offered, but they always have black angus steak and a pasta to choose from. They no longer have a chocolate buffet at midnight for any of the days. Stateroom QualityJust did an okay job, wasnt really pleased at all. Had to ask for ice at least 7 times. I think 4 dollars to bring food after hours is too steep, more like 2 bucks after 1200 midnight since there is no longer a buffett. Very unhappy that chocolate is no longer put on your pillow. Room animals only made 3 times out of a 10 day cruise, very weak. Ship Staff QualityWaitress at dinner fabulous! Bar guys at show very weak, 3 different times ignore my order for diet coke since I had purchased the coke card:( The schooner bar had one bartender at night who was fabulous! The male we talked to, to book another cruise was not helpful and we ended up not booking something for next year, very disappointing! Entertainment & ActivitiesSomeone playing the hermonica and just that is not entertainment! We had JOhnny O playing some flute thing that was so horrible, he needs to play show tunes or something to get the crowd going. The tumbler and boy singers were very good. The rest was just okay, they need to use their choir group more, thye were pretty good.
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Cristobal, PanamaWas really good but the 8 hour trip is too long, do a shorter version. We had no time to shop at the port location or even look around. We got back at 545 and we had dinner at 6.
Don't Miss: The tour guides were great, and loved the city of panama. Cartagena, ColombiaReally like the tour into town, was worth the money and fun to do. Still gave you time on your own.
Don't Miss: Going to the Del monte plant, very interesting. Labadee (Cruiseline Private Island)The kayaka was fun. Too many vendors swarming you, I was really turned off for shopping, and i love to shop. The mats are a waste of time and cost, so is the walking tour.
Don't Miss: Do an activity it is a beautiful beach. George Town, Grand CaymanSave this place for shopping. Was disappointed they closed the shops at 2:30 but the parade was very nice.This is a high end place for beautifull items, purses, perfume, but watch the jewelry price some of it isnt that great.
Don't Miss: De bag man, sunglass man was the shops for us. Puerto Limon, Costa RicaThis was the best tour! Take the bus, train, and boat. They do it right. You are taken through the tropical forrest by all 3 means of transportaion and well worth it. Love the boat ride.
Don't Miss: Boat got to see, monkeys, sloths, bats, birds, lizards, and the ocean. Wonderful. 5 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
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