We booked this cruise because of the ports of call, and with only one exception--the substitution of Visby for Stockholm due to engine troubles--we were not disappointed. Because we missed Stockholm, we got a $200 shipboard credit. Which we used up within 48 hours. Oh well. We flew out a couple of days ahead of embarkation to see a bit of London and adjust to the time change (for us, 8 hours). We took the train from London to Harwich, thanks to recommendations of fellow CC members,which proved to be a good decision. The train station is literally steps from the cruise terminal--a very good thing for us, as my husband/sherpa was loaded down with luggage. The train was also quick, clean and cheap (about $82 for both of us, vs. $100 apiece for the ship's transfer). I have been on 10 to 11 previous cruises, most of which had pretty easy embarkation procedures, but the Jewel's was by far the best ever. It took no more than 10 minutes to hand in/fill out the paperwork, get our pictures taken and board the ship about 1:30 pm.

The ship: Our sailing had 2292 passengers, according to Capt. Stig, but it never felt overcrowded and we never had the long lines for food, ports or guest relations that I've experienced on other ships. The Jewel is well-laid out, with most of the public rooms easily accessible from the center of the ship. Strangely, there are no public aft elevators. The public spaces were beautiful, comfortable and lighted properly. (Some ships have too-bright lounges or eating areas, but I think they got it just right.) Because our cabin was mid-ship and on the 9th deck, it was relatively close to everything and we wound up taking the stairs a lot instead of the elevators. We found ourselves most often in the Schooner piano bar or Safari lounge (dance floor), next to each other on deck 6, because we liked their ambiance. The outdoor areas were spacious and inviting, but other than walking on deck occasionally, the weather prevented us from spending much time outside. It was often windy, wet or cold. The solarium was lovely but usually full.

The cabin: We had a big, beautiful, port-side balcony cabin. As others have said, the cabin had plenty of storage space, and so did the bathroom. This was our first time in a balcony cabin, and we loved it. Don't think I can go back....plus, the balcony was spacious too. The bed was comfortable, the cabin steward excellent (he even loaned us robes for the cruise), and it was a quiet part of the ship. The only negative was the TV, which was elderly, with poor picture quality, but why were we watching TV anyway? Read more