Jewel of the Seas - recent reports?

[Zutcorp]

I have never actually been to a real casino. Do you need physical currency og do you buy chips using your sea pass?

[krisko]

I have never actually been to a real casino. Do you need physical currency og do you buy chips using your sea pass?

 

US dollars is best, walk up to the table, slap down some $$$ and they give you chips. You can give them a sea pass card and they'll bill to your room but there is 5% fee.

[Clarea]

I have never actually been to a real casino. Do you need physical currency og do you buy chips using your sea pass?

On Royal ships, you cannot directly use your SeaPass card to play in the casino. You must use cash in US Dollars. You can however, get a cash advance against your SeaPass card at the casino cashier.

[Zutcorp]

Good to know. As you can guess I'm not a big gambler, but thought I might throw away some money if the mood strikes me. So I think i'll change a few dollars as well as the Euros needed for Rome/Port

 

Casinos are off limits for kids, right?

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

The tendering in Santorini easy - requires you to take a funucular/cable car up and down tomgo to towns... Don't miss the ruins of Akrotiri - go with a private guide. It was amazing!! if u are on an excursion thru Royal there are busses and you don't take cable car once off tender. The ports entire cruise were wonderful. we had a great CC group and many of us planned private excursions which everyone innour group enjoyed doing that way... so small excursion sizes and less cost than thru Royal. if you need recommendations of private happy to share names. cruise was very port intensive and I need a post cruise vacation. or at least a few days of sleep and no walking!!! If Motown and Tenors are on your cruise..... put those 2 shows on your list. ps - remember anything you buy on board has 22% vat added. on board they were discounting dinners in the speacialy restaurants by 30%. those also are suject to VAT. No liquor bottles on sale on ship. No tobacco products on sale on ship. I prefer larger ships but larger ships can't do all of the ports on this iten.

 

 

 

Do you have a recommendation for a tour company for that?

 

 

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[SpainAlien]

We have just got back from a fab tour of Athens and Corinth with Dimitris from Athens Tour Driver dot com

 

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[BEENSAILING]

Do you have a recommendation for a tour company for that?

 

 

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for Santorini - we used Kostas. Oia, Fira, winery, Akrotiri. fabulous!!!

santorini-private-guide.com

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

for Santorini - we used Kostas. fabulous!!!

 

santorini-private-guide.com

 

 

 

Thanks! I was referencing Mykonos, but I will look into this too.

 

 

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[Zutcorp]

Can you buy Specialty coffee in Windjammer, if we want that for breakfast, or do one have to swing by the coffee shop first? (are they close?)

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Thanks! I was referencing Mykonos, but I will look into this too.

 

 

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Sorry. You were right. Thanks for the info! I will look into them.

 

 

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[Hoopster95]

Another question on transportation to/from Oia. I will be on Jewel in August and we are in Santorini from 1:00 pm - 10:00 pm. Do you know how late the buses will leave from from Oia back to Fira? I would love to get a sunset picture from Oia, but I am worried about getting transportation back.

 

I'm in Santorini at end of August and have been studying doing exactly this for a long time trying to figure out how to do it. Note that 10pm means 9:30pm all aboard. Even with a rental car, you have to drive across the island, drop your car off, walk/run to the cable car and hope not as many fellow cruisers are doing the same, then catch the final tender. For you catchinga bus right on time, hoping there's no delays, hoping the bus doesn't turn you away because it's full, etc etc could cause a major panic. My sunset is scheduled for 7:52pm... then there's the 10-15min enjoying the colours change as the sun goes down farther. I'm pretty sure I can get to the cable cars by 9pm with a rental car or private driver, but only if there's no delays anywhere along the way.

 

I've decided that I'm not interested in taking a flight over to Mykonos if I miss the ship!!:o

 

I've personally decided to head back to Fira before sunset and book a restaurant on the cliff. Authentic Greek food & wine, then gorgeous sunset with Baklava & Ouzo!!! This way I can leisurely watch the sunset in full and head down the cable car by about 8:30-8:45 without worrying about transportation. Google image some Fira sunsets, they are beautiful as well

[Zutcorp]

Whats the shows like? Any that we should take care not to miss?

[Clarea]

Whats the shows like? Any that we should take care not to miss?

Typical cruise ship production shows, plus headliners (comedians, singers, magicians, tribute groups, etc.).

[Zutcorp]

I'm a cruise virgin, so I don't know what that is. But I guess we'll find out :-)

[Clarea]

I'm a cruise virgin, so I don't know what that is. But I guess we'll find out :-)

Traditional production shows on a cruise ship are usually themed (Broadway, pop, jazz, etc.) medleys of music with singers and dancers, typically around 45 minutes. A traditional ship (like Jewel) will normally have two or three different production shows that stay the same for years as it is very expensive to change the shows.

 

For me, the best part of the production shows is the excellent music from the live orchestra.

[Zutcorp]

Is there a way to get specialty coffee in the windjammer and/or the MDR or does one have to go by the coffee shop?

[h20cruzer]

What kind of shape is the ship in, just booked, any idea when last refurbished? Thanks

 

 

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[little britain]

What kind of shape is the ship in, just booked, any idea when last refurbished? Thanks

 

 

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Refurbished last year 2016.

They were revarnishing all the wood on the pool deck last week.

Some items like the sofas in the cabins do look a bit tired.

 

 

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[krisko]

I'm a little unclear on Jewel out of Rome. If I buy specialty dinner while in port I have to pay 22% VAT but if I pre-buy from home I don't have to?

[obxlover]

Hoopster95, thanks for your suggestion. Great idea about having dinner in Fira. This way I can see the sunset and not stress about getting back to the ship. Thanks for sharing.

[pilotswifey]

Following....we go in September! :)

[fabmag]

I keep reading about COMPASS what is it please

[BEENSAILING]

I keep reading about COMPASS what is it please

 

Cruise Compass is Royal Caribbean's daily activity newsletter - each night stateroom attendant leaves one in every stateroom (on the bed). Cruise Compass lists which floor restaurants and bars are on and times, a schedule of next day activities, if there is a time switch, if you are going into a port the name and phone number for the harbor contact, sometimes coupons and shopping maps/port guide. Cruise Compass also is available at guest services and in the Diamond/DiamondPlus/Concierge lounges.

[BEENSAILING]

I'm a little unclear on Jewel out of Rome. If I buy specialty dinner while in port I have to pay 22% VAT but if I pre-buy from home I don't have to?

 

Not only in poor, as you wrote, but the full time on the ship if you are cruising only to EU ports - a 22% VAT will be added to specialty dining (and shopping and spa) if you do on-board purchase. When we were on the Jewel in May out of Rome they offered many specialty dining promos and you need to decide if the promo price (and then add VAT) is something you are okay with. If you purchase specialty dining pre cruise there is no VAT added.

[cruisefan23]

Does anyone have the main dining room dinner menus?

 

 

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