We sailed on the Jewel the last week of Jan. 2014 out of San Juan. My girlfriend and I are 40 years old. We are not picky travelers and we do not expect to be pampered and treated like royalty on the cruise ships by the workers who are probably making 5 bucks an hour. If you are that type of person, this review isn't for you. We pick our cruises primarily based on the itinerary, not on the ship. We don't go cruising to watch shows, go zip-lining, ice skating, or putt putting on board. If you do, the Jewel likely isn't for you.

The Jewel is an older ship, however, it is very clean. While some of the furniture was dated (couches in staterooms, for example) it was still all very functional and clean. Our TV was an old tube model, not a flat screen. (Funny thing for people who complain about the style of TV: the ships don't receive HD signals and a you get a better picture on an old tube TV vs. a flat screen when receiving a standard definition signal). We were in stateroom 1604, an aft balcony on the 10th floor. The balcony is very big (I measured it at roughly 100 sq. ft.) and has a great aft view. Windjammer outdoor seating is right above. We heard very little noise from above (no more than one hears in any other cabin). It is a long walk from the stairs/elevators to 1604. We are in good shape and the walk was nice to burn off some extra calories. The only downside to the distance was when you wanted to "zip back to the room to grab...." Not a huge deal, but the location isn't very convenient. All in all, I wouldn't get the aft again. We didn't think the view was anything special and the location is out of the way, but that's just us.

The service was excellent all around. The entire ship was clean and tidy. There were almost never crowds anywhere (exceptions: around the pool while at sea and the Windjammer at breakfast). The bars were fun and plentiful. Chops was amazing! Portifino was very average. Read more