This was our first RCI cruise and we went as part of a group. The Jewel is a great sized ship with nice layout but a little past the point it should have been upgraded. RCI seems to do a lot to get more out of less, squeezing margins tighter to increase the bottom line. The good thing is that service has not suffered as the service in dining room, Windjammer and in the bars was very good to exceptional. Our main disappointment was the food in the dining room. Our entire table of 8 was in total agreement that the selection and preparation was abysmal. Appetizers cold (when they shouldn't be) and laughably sized (scallops the size of your small fingernail-maybe). Two people tried the steak (hand cut strip) and it was thin enough to read your menu through. Good thing about the size is that it was horrible - devoid of flavor but with plenty of stringy sinew. Interesting that you could "upgrade" your meals from the premium menu at the bottom left corner of the menu. Again, cutting corners for margins and attempting to get passengers to spend more for what I believe should originally be the quality provided. Our Junior Suite was a great layout and the attendant exceptional but it was under the Windjammer and the sound of carts being rolled on the hard tile floors above was pretty much always there.

The food in the Windjammer was good but traditional buffet fare. The Seaview Cafe on the 12th deck had the best food we experienced. Casual but freshly prepared and a good menu.

The stops were nice but interesting in their selection - Sunday in St Thomas the shops closed early, Monday in St Kitts was election day and the ship advised no liquor sales on shore (many were open regardless). St Maarten was good but in Martinique it was Carnivale and the entire town was closed up the morning of arrival. Barbados was great on the final stop then a day at sea back to San Juan.