Jewel of the Seas Review
Rating by category
Additional details
This was my 6th cruise, and first on RCCL. I was traveling with my Mother. We have cruised together several times. This cruise went to Catalina Island, San Francisco (with overnight), Victoria, and ended in Vancouver.
Embarkation: We arrived at the pier rather late, so there was zero wait for embarkation. Luggage was also delivered well before dinner on departure day. We did find the muster drill to be less serious than is typical. Disembarkation was also efficient, although we had been assigned a 9:30 time and were getting the final warning all call at 9:15 (but I assume this would be a plus for most people, so no harm). Getting on and off the ship in ports was easy. There was a bit of a back-up to board tenders at Catalina, but the water was choppy so very understandable. Also beware that the security folks (port not RCCL) in San Francisco were being exceptionally strict with respect to any food (they had to discuss weather I was permitted to bring on Pringles in a sealed pack). We saw lots and lots of sourdough in the trash.
Public Spaces: We found the public spaces on the ship to be very nice, clean, and generally well apportioned. The Schooner Lounge was an especially nice spot. On the two sea days (one scheduled plus most of the next day - which I will explain below), we spent a significant amount of time in the solarium. We were shocked to be able to find deck chairs so easily, especially since weather precluded using any of the outdoor pool areas (save for a few brave polar bears!!). One drawback, the deck chairs (wooden slatted with cushions) were exceptionally uncomfortable. We brought out pillows to use. All-in-all, the public spaces certainly were the best part of the ship.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony
I have always booked a balcony or above, but never have I been in such a small stateroom. The mattress is actually curved to allow for someone to walk between the end of the bed and the cabin wall. With the beds split, this makes it very hard to move around. I have also never been in a cabin where a full-size suitcase would not fit under the bead. Our two suitcases ended up stacked in front of the sliding glass door. The balcony was standard and had a table which was nice (if only it wasn't so cold we could have used it to eat), and the closet space was reasonable. The bathroom was virtually unusable. It was so cramped and small, and the shower looked like when you got in you should yell, "Beam me up Scotty!" The paint was chipped, exposed metals were rusting, and the toilet had stains in the bowl. The trash can was a 1/8 hotel pan. Additionally, our remote hardly worked, the speaker in the room for announcements wasn't working, and all the English pages were missing from the Ships Services booklet.
Port Reviews
Catalina Island (California)
We just walked around and visited the shops. There is a fish and chip place at the end of the pier. If you find yourself there, get a Bloody Mary!!!!!