We were celebrating with our adult children and had limited travel flexibility. The kids wanted a cruise, so we reluctantly agreed. We were convinced, based on a past trip to Alaska on a different cruise line, that we were signing up for a giant boat with lots of lines and crowed excursions, and we had stereotyped our fellow travelers. Boy were we delightfully surprised! The Jewel of the Seas is a medium size ship with an top notch service oriented crew. Our balcony stateroom was spacious, the food and fitness facilities were excellent and we enjoyed the sunsets and entertainment. We stopped at a different port most days and did everything from hiking jungles to snorkeling and kayaking. We felt welcomed by at every port by the locals and good about helping the local economy with recovery from the 2017 hurricanes. It was a delightful experience and we shocked all by suggesting we plan another cruise with RC.