All things Jewel of the Seas!

[Merion_Mom]

Four whitlocks,

 

Thanks for the info. Can you share w/ me the website for edventure (or how you booked your excusions?). Yes, I remeber getting a couple of notices from RCCL about changes to itinerary, one of them involved the island changing b/c of the hurricane and the other was about when we'd be in Belize, the day was switched.

 

We are looking forward to the cruise but it's so overwhelming...these boards are a plethera of information...which is both a blessing and a curse. LOL

 

I highly recommend Major Tom for cavetubing in Belize. His website is http:// belize cave tubing DOT net (but type it normally)

 

In Key West, walk down to Southernmost Point. Enjoy the shops and sights along Duval Street. (all of this is free :)) Go to the Butterfly Conservatory http://www.keywestbutterfly.com. Pick up a copy of the free Key West tourist booklet, available in every store, it seems. There's a discount coupon for the Conservatory.

 

In Carmen del Playa, we went to Tulum. I enjoyed this excursion, and there is a beautiful beach there, but you have to be prepared - you have to carry all of your stuff from the parking area to the archaological site, about a kilometer, then carry it around while you tour in the hot sun.

 

In Cozumel, DO THE MEXICAN CULINARY EXPERIENCE!!!!!!

 

[JaneStarr]

The menu in the dining room is the least appealing on Friday night. :)

 

Hmmm...I'd feel funny skipping the dining room on the final night....just how "bad" are the food choices? ... We could always stick with the alternate selections....(thinking out loud here)

 

I've been trying to figure out what night to book Portofino's next week. I'm leaning towards 6:45 or 7 p.m. on Day 4 (Wed -- Belize, I think).

Here's my reasoning:

We have 2nd seating dinner and don't really like the pre-dinner shows. Day 4 seems to be a pre-dinner show. We could eat at P's and then go straight to the 9 p.m. show.

I also don't want to miss a formal night in the Dining room (which I believe are days 2 & 5 -- can you confirm?)

Does this make sense? DH & I are traveling with MIL in GS along with 2 other couple (French-only speaking Aunts and Uncles of DH's in their 70's). Only DH and I have cruised before, so feel responsible for getting them "hooked" on cruising :)

 

So, Carol, which specialty restaurant did you end up at? How did you enjoy it?

 

Is Andrea likely to remain onboard as Concierge for our 2/3 cruise? I sure hope so. We had her as Concierge on her "maiden" voyage in that position in the Baltics.

 

I'm hoping that she emails GS passengers in advance as her predecessor, Mpho, did in 06.

 

Jane

[BILL-WI]

...

I'm hoping that she emails GS passengers in advance as her predecessor, Mpho, did in 06.

 

Jane

 

Jane...

 

If Andrea is still on board, she WILL e-mail you. We were in a GS on the 1-11-2008 sailing (8 night) and she e-mailed us about 5 days before departure date.

 

Have a great cruise!

 

BILL

[JaneStarr]

Thanks, Bill!

 

Jane

[Celhubb]

Hi,

Does anyone know the Entertainment schedule for the March 8th Eastern sailing?

Thanks

[JaneStarr]

Andrea emailed us today -- 7 days before our sailing!

 

Jane

[booze brothers]

We were also on the Jan. 20th cruise with Carol. We loved Andrea and wanted to give everyone a heads up on her. She LOVES peanut butter M&Ms ~ not the peanut kind, it's got to be peanut butter!! Hee, hee, he. I'm going to stock up on them for our next cruise with her! Mimi:p

[JaneStarr]

We were also on the Jan. 20th cruise with Carol. We loved Andrea and wanted to give everyone a heads up on her. She LOVES peanut butter M&Ms ~ not the peanut kind, it's got to be peanut butter!! Hee, hee, he. I'm going to stock up on them for our next cruise with her! Mimi:p

 

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!

 

That's exactly the type of thing I love to give for a welcome "tip".

 

I'll be hitting up our local CVS first thing tomorrow. That will give me time to track them down, if they are hard to come by.

 

It's snow flurrying here in CT... Can't wait to escape. We leave for FL on Friday morning. Going to visit our grad student daughter before we sail.

 

Jane

[Nukesailor]

Hi, Merion Mom!

 

We are just off the JOS 1/20/08 Western Carib sailing. We also did the Eastern Carib last February on the JOS. A couple of quick thoughts:

the two production shows were the same as last year; however, there were a couple of differences. The West End to Broadway was better this year than last. The City of Dreams, the better show, in my opinion, was missing a couple of performers. In both cases, the lead female vocalist, Stephanie, has a fantastic voice.

 

Dining room meals, in general, were not as good as last year, with fewer choices. I "stole" the menu from the last night:

Starters - Fire roasted red pepper hummus; shrimp cocktail; spinach dip; roasted pumpkin and apple soup (good); onion soup; chilled forest berries and buttermilk soup.

Entrees - Grey Goose vodka and smoked salmon cream pasta; roasted turkey; grolled NY strip steak (acceptable, but not great); Indian vegetable curry. Chef's signature entree - Mahi Mahi tempura.

Alternative selections - Orecchiette with marinara sauce; broiled fillet of Norwegian salmon; grilled chicken breast with seasonal herbs; grilled black angus top sirloin with herb butter (doesn't sound exactly low fat :rolleyes: )

Dessert - brownie madness (pretty good); key lime pie (reported not as good as at the Blonde Giraffe in Key West); banana and crunchy nut parfait; low-fat strawberry shortcake; sugar-free key lime pie.

 

Art

[jillybabes]

Andrea likes any chocolate so if you can't find the peanut butter m&ms, any kind of chocolate will be good...Later, Jill:cool:

[fourwhitlocks]

Tarangia,

You can go to the thread about Playa Del Carmen - they are the tour we are taking in Playa Del Carmen.

it is edventure68 at hotmail dot com

Let me know if that doesn't work.

Maybe we will see you on the tour.

[Merion_Mom]

Hi, Merion Mom!

Hi, Art!!! :)

 

We are just off the JOS 1/20/08 Western Carib sailing. We also did the Eastern Carib last February on the JOS. A couple of quick thoughts:

the two production shows were the same as last year; however, there were a couple of differences. The West End to Broadway was better this year than last. The City of Dreams, the better show, in my opinion, was missing a couple of performers. In both cases, the lead female vocalist, Stephanie, has a fantastic voice.

I talked to Becky, and she said that one of the male dancers was hurt in a freak accident, so you are right - someone was missing.

 

Dining room meals, in general, were not as good as last year, with fewer choices. I "stole" the menu from the last night:

Starters - Fire roasted red pepper hummus; shrimp cocktail; spinach dip; roasted pumpkin and apple soup (good); onion soup; chilled forest berries and buttermilk soup.

Entrees - Grey Goose vodka and smoked salmon cream pasta; roasted turkey; grolled NY strip steak (acceptable, but not great); Indian vegetable curry. Chef's signature entree - Mahi Mahi tempura.

Alternative selections - Orecchiette with marinara sauce; broiled fillet of Norwegian salmon; grilled chicken breast with seasonal herbs; grilled black angus top sirloin with herb butter (doesn't sound exactly low fat :rolleyes: )

Alternative doesn't mean healthy - it means "if you don't like anything on tonight's menu, we have THESE!" ;)

This is also the night when the waiter brings a bowl of Caesar salad and serves everyone from it.

 

Since we slept in on Friday, we ate a VERY late lunch, so I wasn't very hungry at dinner time, so the fact that none of the entreés appealed to me didn't matter so much. I just asked Terrence to bring me a big plate of the Caesar Salad. :)

[Merion_Mom]

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!

 

That's exactly the type of thing I love to give for a welcome "tip".

 

I'll be hitting up our local CVS first thing tomorrow. That will give me time to track them down, if they are hard to come by.

 

It's snow flurrying here in CT... Can't wait to escape. We leave for FL on Friday morning. Going to visit our grad student daughter before we sail.

 

Jane

AND......Your first port of call, Key West, has both a CVS and a Walgreens. :D

[JP46]

Hi,

Does anyone know the Entertainment schedule for the March 8th Eastern sailing?

Thanks

 

Not sure of the entertainment, but we're on the same cruise. Come on over to the Roll Call thread and meet your fellow cruisers!:)

 

Judy

[JaneStarr]

AND......Your first port of call, Key West, has both a CVS and a Walgreens. :D

 

 

Funny thing is that I know that all too well. One cruise (Brilliance Panama??) I had to go to both to get a prescription filled for my nephew's asthma.

Did you know that the "CVS Pharmacy" (as the sign on the building calls it) nearest where we dock does not actually have a pharmacy? Strange but true Key West factoid. I ended up having Walgreens call our home CVS to transfer the script. (There is another CVS in Key West with a pharmacy, but Walgreens was a closer walk.)

 

Jane

[JaneStarr]

We were also on the Jan. 20th cruise with Carol. We loved Andrea and wanted to give everyone a heads up on her. She LOVES peanut butter M&Ms ~ not the peanut kind, it's got to be peanut butter!! Hee, hee, he. I'm going to stock up on them for our next cruise with her! Mimi:p

 

Mimi,

Andrea was THRILLED with my pb M&M's and assorted chocolates! She wanted to know "which little birdie" was the source of my info :) I'm sure you've heard from her by now. She remembers you quite fondly.

BTW, Andrea is also quite fond of Crown Royale. We added some to her "tip" from the shops onboard the last night. I also snagged a bottle for myself. Andrea got me hooked on one of her favorite drinks: a Washington Apple Martini. Too bad she doesn't have the ingredients to make it in the Concierge bar. (It's Crown Royale, Dekuypier Sour Apple Pucker and Cranberry juice. All she has of those 3 is the cranberry juice.)

 

Ask for an "Andrea Special Cosmo" next time you're in her bar. It's vodka and Cranberry (and a splash of sours, I think)...Yum!

 

We met with Inga (the C&A LA/Future Cruise consultant) fairly early in the cruise (10 a.m. on day 4-- Belize). We booked a "Nextcruise" and got the 2 Family & Friends certificates w/o any problems.

 

She also was able to go online and set us up with a Celebrity "Passages" certificate. The Celebrity program is a bit different. The non-refundable deposit is also $100 and never expires, but there are no Family/Friends certificates and the amounts of the onboard credit are figured differently. Celebrity bases the amount of your shipboard credit on the cost of your cruise fair instead of on the length of your sailing. Their maximum credit is $300 per stateroom (based on $7500 cruise fare) and the minimum is $50 (for up to $2500 fare). Royal Caribbean's onboard credit is between $50 & $200 based on the length of the cruise.

We plan to use the Celebrity program for a European trip. Since they tend to be very expensive and long, I think the "passages" program will work out fine for us.

If you plan to book a cruise onboard or a celebrity "Passages" certificate, make sure not to wait until the last day. The "NextCruise" forms can be filled out w/o Inga's help, but should be given back to her ASAP so that they can be processed. You will want to have time to check over your confirmation once it is delivered to your cabin.

Inga had plenty of time to help us early in the cruise, but she gets swamped on the last sea day (pun intended). They do provide her with extra help that day, but your paperwork will end up in a big pile and you may not have time to confirm it's correct and make sure you have 2 signed Family & Friends certificates. Inga was very nice and helpful!

 

We took all 7 members of our family plus another couple to Portifino's on Wednesday night (Playa del Carmen). Everybody was duly impressed with both the food and the service. The Captain was dining at a nearby table. Later, a group of officers came in to dine. One of my DH's uncles said "surely the ship is on auto-pilot now"

 

We really love Jewel of the Seas!

[i'm having trouble with this web-site getting it to "preview", so excuse any typos as I am going straight to "submit reply". I need to get back to laundry and unpacking]

 

Jane

[Merion_Mom]

Thanks for all the updates, Jane. I'm glad that you had a good cruise. :)

[JaneStarr]

Thanks for all the updates, Jane. I'm glad that you had a good cruise. :)

 

The only negative thing I can say about it is that 6 days is just way TOO SHORT!

 

I feel as if I "gave birth" to 5 new cruisers this week! My MIL and DH's French Canadian relatives were all amazed and a bit "shell-shocked" by the experience. One new cruiser said that his jaw hurt from smiling so much!

 

Jane

[lablvr2]

We did the 8 day on 1/26. I have nothing but nice things to say about the ship, staff and ports! Weather was great but the ocean was a little chilly as I am used to cruising in April and early fall.

 

Two issues that come to mind -

The coffee delivered to your room in the morning is actually better than the WJ coffee. Tried it there a few times and it had a burnt taste.

Steaks in Tides were not up to the usual RCI grade. I got one that I wouldn't eat. The waitress seemed to know there were complaints with them as well. It wasn't her fault....

 

After two Radiance cruises, one in a JS, I thought no other cruise could compare. Well, it did. I was pleased to read in Conde Nast prior to our departure that Jewel made such high marks. This was our first aft balcony and it was like heaven on earth - but don't tell anyone that! It was very hard to get that cabin over a year in advance! We missed all the shows but loved every night on the balcony after our casino time (brief) and walk to combat dinner.

 

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend or rebook her again!

[fun_one]

Lablvr:

Since you are just off the 8 day (we are going Feb 23rd - March 2nd) JOS, which nights would you recommend skipping the dining room to go to one of the Specialty restaurants? We plan to go to Chops the day we dock in San Juan but weren't sure what to do about Portofino's. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Also, if you would share anything you did at any of the ports that is worth doing, that would be great too.

 

Thanks,

Barbar

[dicechick]

Hi Fun One. We're also on the JOS on the 23rd. Come over to the roll call thread. There's a great group that's gearing up for this sailing.

 

Tracy

[oshkosh1]

Hi all,

 

Has anyone who sailed recently on the Jewel rented a Dect phone while on board? There has been some conflicting info on other threads.

 

Are they $25 each or $50 each?

 

Can you get more than 1 per cabin?

 

Are there more than 3 available for passengers?

 

Any help would be appreciated!

 

Tim

[sharonkrn]

We are saily on the JOS April 2009. We booked the family suite. Any stayed in one of those on this ship? I can't wait! Thanks for all the good information!

[Ron27]

Here's some pictures I took when we were on Jewel back in '05:

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/Ron92201/Jewel11105

[Gracie115]

Thought I'd bring this forward to see if there is new info about the Jewel out there. Can anyone tell me if they continue to serve the new seafood menu at the Seaview? Hope not, hate fried food.

 

We sail on 11/7/8 to the Panama Canal and can't wait.