We just returned from an 8 day cruise on the Jewel of the Seas. This was our 4th cruise and 1st on Royal Caribbean. The ship is at first glance amazing to see but I couldn't help thinking the ship's a disaster waiting to happen due to staffing and design.

For example, if there was an actual emergency the entire aft of the ship was instructed to travel through narrow corridors to a central stairwell which I suspect would cause numerous injuries among the many passengers as they tried to find their lifeboat stations. We never even saw our lifeboat during the mandatory drill because we were instructed to go to a glass enclosed lounge with no apparent door to the outside.

There are only 2 elevator banks with the central bank serving as the only elevator for the rear half of the ship. Poor design placement of floor push buttons within the elevator typically resulted in all buttons being accidently pushed in a crowded elevator. To actually get on an elevator you had to carefully watch for a recessed door to open which all could not be viewed from one position. Read more