Jewel of the Seas v megaships

Hi

We're looking at a family holiday next year. My husband and son-in-law don't want to go on a mega ship with 5000 plus passengers in the Mediterranean in July. We have four grandchildren aged 11, 13, 13 and 15. Is there enough for them to do on the Jewel of the Seas? The ship is in port most days. Your comments are appreciated, thank you.

Cheryl

Less crowding on the mega ships.

More to do for the kids on the mega ships.

Flowrider and ice rink on the mega ships.

More "wow" on the mega ships.

Better shows on the mega ships

More bars/restaurants on the mega ships.

Little Britain > who has been on Jewel 3 times in 8 months.

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4 grand children under 15, definitely go for the bigger ships. Go for Voyager or Freedom class ships they might not be as big as you might think.

Less crowding on the mega ships.

More to do for the kids on the mega ships.

Flowrider and ice rink on the mega ships.

More "wow" on the mega ships.

Better shows on the mega ships

More bars/restaurants on the mega ships.

 

Little Britain > who has been on Jewel 3 times in 8 months.

 

 

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Completely agree.

I'm 35 going on 19-21.... I found the Radiance class, while it did have stunning views, to seriously lack in entertainment options for me.

I also felt significantly more crowded on the Radiance than I ever have on any Oasis class ship.

Completely agree. Whilst I did love the ports we went to on Jewel, I felt more overcrowding than I did on Voyager class and found less options for food/entertainment/bars etc. Would I do it again? Not sure. If the ports were good enough possibly, but I much prefer the Freedom/Voyager classes.

We've been on Brilliance (sister ship to Jewel) for 24 days in the last year. I did not feel crowded on this ship, except in the centrum when they have popular activities there. You will appreciate the low guest count when getting on and off the ship. One thing that Jewel has that the megaships don't have are the pool tables.

I love both ships and can enjoy them both. With the kids I'd go for the bigger ship. I've done 3 Oasis class cruises and 2 Freedom class cruises, but don't know if anything is different in the Med. The mention of 5000 indicates fear of crowds. I've never felt crowded on an Oasis class. The only time I felt crowded on a Freedom class was waiting for a tender.

We've been on Brilliance (sister ship to Jewel) for 24 days in the last year. I did not feel crowded on this ship, except in the centrum when they have popular activities there. You will appreciate the low guest count when getting on and off the ship. One thing that Jewel has that the megaships don't have are the pool tables.

I guess the Quantum class doesn't quite meet the threshold of a mega-ship?

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I guess the Quantum class doesn't quite meet the threshold of a mega-ship?

I think no one has mentioned Quantum class because the OP is considering a Med cruise and no Quantum ship is currently sailing there.

I would certainly pick the Jewel over any of the mega-ships. The Radiance Class ships are just the right size and layout IMO.

We'd pick the Jewel. The Jewel is our favorite ship of all the RCI ships we've sailed on. We haven't and don't plan on cruising on any of the so called megaships. The Freedom class ships are the biggest we will ever cruise on.

Yes- your grandchildren will have plenty to do and I think it will be great fun for all of you.

Soom people who recommend the Jewel, or any other smaller ship, often comment they would never cruise a mega ship. This is really unfair - how can they comment on something they have never experienced.

Have sailed the Jewel, Radiance and Serenade. Would take Oasis, Voyageur or Freedom class any time over the smaller ships, especially when sailing with my grandkids. There is just no comparison in terms of activities. Even after a long port day there is much more entertainment at night for all ages.

Bigger ships also seem less crowded because of better passenger flow, more elevators and open spaces.

Food is very subjective and I find to be pretty much equal, but again, if you are a fan of specialty restaurants, there are more options on the bigger ships.

I completely disagree with the opinion that kids would necessarily prefer a mega ship, particularly on a port-intensive itinerary. My kids have cruised with me over the years, at various ages, and they tend to prefer the smaller ships. They find them more "friendly," easier to navigate and they both LOVE being able to eat OUTSIDE on the Windjammer, which is possible on the Jewel.

I don't know what mega-ship you're considering, but in my experience, the larger ships can feel MORE crowded whenever there is a popular event taking place, drawing most passengers to the same location. I also don't like the idea that I need to book my show times and dining times/locations in advance on the mega ships. Particularly when traveling with children, I appreciate more flexibility.

You're sacrificing things like the ice rink, FlowRider and potentially attractions like bumper cars and anti-gravity tubes by choosing Jewel over a mega-ship. You'll still have the pools, rock-climbing wall, arcade, etc. If you'll be in port most of the time, how much opportunity will your kids have to make use of the attractions you're giving up? That's something you'll need to decide.

It's a tough call when you are traveling with children. I like to cruise because I like being at sea. The mega-ships seem more like resorts. Not that there is anything wrong with vacationing in a fabulous resort, but it's not really what I'm looking for when I cruise. If your kids have cruised before and are no longer impressed with seeing the sea all around them, maybe the Jewel would feel like a let down. You know your kids, so you're in the best position to decide. I just think there is a permeating opinion that kids prefer mega ships and I don't think that's necessarily ALWAYS the case.

The Jewel has an excellent Windjammer with outdoor seating options and a great staff. It is much quicker to get on and off the ship in port. This makes it a great ship for port intensive cruises when you get back to the ship and want a nice snack while enjoying sail away. Had great MDR experiences as well

Jewel has a nice solarium with indoor pool, but it is not the best warm weather ship. The single outdoor pool can be very busy on sea days. The entertainment is typical small ship / older crowd, but there should be enough to do. I wouldn't shy away from Jewel if you like the itinerary and price.

I can understand that this would be a tough choice. As a mother to a 10yr and 12yr old I would say that thebigger ships would definitely be better for them on a typical Caribbean cruise. However since this is a Med cruise and you'll spend less time on the ship during the day I can see how the ship may not be as big of an issue. There will be more options/activities on the bigger ships in the evening so if you are looking for those things then maybe hat is the way to go.

We have been on Oasis class 5 times and as others have mentioned the passenger is usually not that noticeable. The only exceptions would be on the pool deck on sea days and the parades in the Royal Promenade.

Hi

We're looking at a family holiday next year. My husband and son-in-law don't want to go on a mega ship with 5000 plus passengers in the Mediterranean in July. We have four grandchildren aged 11, 13, 13 and 15. Is there enough for them to do on the Jewel of the Seas? The ship is in port most days. Your comments are appreciated, thank you.

Cheryl

With all the varied replies here, I have a very serious question for you that I believe will determine your decision:

1. Are you doing a cruise with 4 children of that age just for the ship experience so that your grandkids can play around,
   
2. or is your main goal for this cruise the incredibly awesome itinerary that Jewel provides in the Med?
   

If 1) is your answer than Jewel will not give you what you and your kids need.

If 2) is your answer, I sincerely and humbly suggest you leave your kids at home so that you can explore the incredible ports the big ships just cannot provide at all. The Jewel provides very port intensive itinerary that in my humble opinion make no sense to bring 4 grand children with you if you are planning to keep them appeased on the ship.

I took my very experienced them- 12 year old son (he's been on more than 30 cruises) on Serenade of the Seas (sister to Jewel) around the Med. He loved the cruise. There was plenty to do onboard and it was a port intensive cruise. He loved the guided tours and had a wonderful time. Herculaneum, Orvieto, Taormina were his favorite experiences. He still talks about that cruise.

When our teen son traveled with us he loved the bigger ships. We did 3 Oasis class cruises and then did the Adventure to enjoy the Southern Caribbean itinerary. We enjoyed the cruise and new ports but overall felt disappointed by the lack of the “wow factor” in the ship. It felt small and was more crowded than our bigger ship trips.

We were on the Jewel for a 12 day Baltic Sea cruise several years ago. The ship size on that itinerary was less important to us as we were busy in port every day touring and pretty exhausted at night.

We did the Mediterranean cruise on the Liberty. Again, very busy days touring so less time spent doing things on ship.

The biggest thing they will miss may be the Flowrider - my son LOVED spending time on it.

We have recently sailed on Jewel with our 13 year old and 6 year old.

The 6 year old preferred Jewel to Allure/Harmony.

However; our 13 year old although she enjoyed it definitely preferred the bigger ships. The teen facilities are pretty small on Jewel. The were plenty of other teens just what was available wasn't quite as good.

Overall we loved Jewel; loads of bars and it a very pretty ship; but with the makeup of your party I would go for a bigger ship.

Just to add we went on a multigenerational trip on Allure and those who doubted they would like(Grandad especially) have booked to go on Oasis next summer :D

You might also consider how many people you want to be competing with in the ports once you disembark, and the size of the ports. Are you going to smaller towns? If so, 5000 people might be a lot to have to compete with for scenic views, cafes, etc. I've never been on one of these mega ships myself, but the thought of so many passengers getting off and inundating a port all at the same time really scares me away from them. Even with the smaller ships, the number is high relatively speaking. I'd say a smaller ship is preferable if you are stopping at many ports during the cruise.