My husband and I chose to book this cruise to get a taste of Italy and Greece for the first time. We are both in our late 20s and have cruised with RCI many times, but had never visited the Med. Overall our experiences with RCI have been positive, but sadly we were disappointed with the Jewel of the Seas. Thankfully, the long port days at excellent locations saved the vacation.

Pros:

-Ports of Call: We absolutely loved every single destination we visited on this trip. Rome, Naples, Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Katakolon offered the perfect mix of breathtaking views, fantastic cuisine, and interesting culture and archeology. The ports were, by far, our favorite part of this trip. We booked shared/semi-private excursions at most ports which offered hassle-free transfers and local, knowledgeable guides. My only issue was our shortened time in Santorini (10am-5pm); with all the hype about the beautiful Santorini sunsets, I would have liked to be on the island a bit longer or at least get the opportunity to view the sunset over the cliffs from the ship. Read more