Review: Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas 9 day Greek islands Sailed: Oct 2019 Here’s my thoughts. Just got off the boat ! Note: I’ve cruised many times on most lines. Both as a couple and as a family. This was a mid aged couples honeymoon trip for us THE GOOD - itinerary ! Couldn’t beat the stops for the 9 night Greek islands. Trip was worth it for the ports and the ports are the #1 thing I booked based off of. ***So overall this boat is worth it because of its itinerary and I don’t know many other boats that had as good of an itinerary!! *** - schooner bar area is really nice. Classy. Where lots of people gather to mingle. Also where chopps is. Safari club. This was the nicest area of the ship IMO - chopps grill : was the nicest one I’ve been to on any RC ships. Intimate enough and very nicely decorated and the service was top-notch. Worth checking out even for one night. Recommend an earlier dinner time so that you can see the sunset because the view and windows are beautiful in chops Grill see if you can get a seat near them. - windjammer - some seating areas are really nicely decorated. - staff: no complaints Re any staff. Our waiter. Assistsnt waiter and steward were all amazing. Mohammed Arteum and Sugi - hot tubs: Although generally pretty full; was still able to get in one and they had several hot tubs which is better than most ships I’ve been on! - “the key”. Before boarding the ship I heard a lot of controversial information on if the key was worth it and my opinion is if you were going to fork out the money for the internet package anyhow then for the few extra dollars per day it’s worth it to get the key! Priority getting off the boat for Santorini was definitely worth it. Santorini was the only port where you really needed it and where they offered The key service. The key embarkation lunch by chops Grill (but not actually hosted in chops Grill) as well as the disembarkation breakfast was really nice. this was the first time I didn’t feel rushed off the boat. - steady boat: I felt the jewel was the most steady of a boat that I have been on not very much movement at all ! He stayed on deck 7 middle/ forward to ship. Inside state room. - weather: whoever said that October is the cold / low season for Greece is totally wrong! This was *the best* time of year to go!!! it was actually very comfortable in the mid to high 20s for touring and beaching. I would not want to do Greece in high season July or August with the hot weather and the double size crowds!! it was busy enough in October!!! - main dining room menu: no complaints here there was always lots of variety as well as some popular nightly favourites !! the spaghetti Bolognese. steak. Beef Short rib. cream of mushroom soup and the apple pie with ice cream where some of our favourites on-board. Once again the waiters were fantastic and always had what they knew we wanted in terms of drinks ready to go THE NOT SO GREAT - the entertainment was overall lame for my personal taste. Probably the most boring ship I’ve been on in terms of entertainment. (but that could be because it’s a European cruise with an older crowd?). Didn’t have the quality broadway style shows I personally prefer. I walked out of 3 shows after a few numbers Read Less

I’m a frequent cruiser (widow-60s), most often with RCL in the Caribbean. This was a bucket-list & 1st European cruise to celebrate my retirement. I was joined by one of my kids. We spent 4 days in Rome first, which was useful to adjust to the time difference. Ship: Service was fine, and ship was maintained well. Food: We really loved the Chef's Table, and our dinners at Giovanni's and Chops. We also had a Chops lunch on embarkation (note: The Key lunch was in the dining room not in Chops itself -- very few people were in the restaurant itself for lunh, and it was a nice way to kick off the cruise). Kid took advantage of coffee-card and enjoyed specialty coffees all week. The Mystery Theatre dinner show was lame, but we really enjoyed meeting our tablemates and the dinner. We ate breakfasts in the Windjammer, which were good. We tried both the Windjammer & MyTime dining (always seated quickly) for other dinners. RCL food has definitely gone downhill, but we enjoyed some very good and some not-so-good meals at both venues. There are two soda machines at the back of the Windjammer for use with the soda-card cups. One didn't work for a few days, but it did not appear that many people used them anyway. Entertainment: We skipped the shows (really -- a Celine Dion impersonator and a couple that makes shadow figures?). Maybe the shows were great, but after days of tours we were simply too tired to go. Lots of trivia and Karaoke, and some good music in the lounges and in atrium. The 2 Billiard tables were always in use. My Kid noted the basketball tournaments were canceled, but few people had showed up anyway. Ship condition: We thought the ship was in very good condition for its age. It had been a few years since I cruised on a small RCL ship, and it felt very cozy. I won $150 on two spins in the small casino (and stopped while I was ahead LOL), so I think the casino was fun. As someone else noted, the ship doesn't get washed down often and we observed dirty/salt-encrusted windows. Not surprising though, in view of the scarcity of water in many of the ports. Excursions: We took all RCL excursions, and only had 1 bad & 1 mediocre tour guide. Our guide for the bus tour of Naples only pointed out sites on the right side of the bus so people on the left side missed 90% of the things he pointed out. In Santorini, our guide for the Oia/Fia tou walked quickly before everyone was even off the bus and often talked to people who were immediately next to her. At one point she described the Santorini volcanos and said that the govenment could stop the above-ground volcano but not the one that was under the ocean. Okaaaaay. I didn't know that Greece is able to stop a volcano!!! By the end of the cruise, I had ended up skipping the excursions in Rhodes & Athens to stay on-board to rest due to strenuous walking tours the previous day (I did not ask for refunds). Santorini was a particular fitness-challenge whether passengers climbed down the 600+ steps to the port or waited in the sun for 1-1/2 hour for the cable car. Quite a few passengers stayed onboad the next day to recover. Overall, very satisfied - the fault was not RCL's, but my own for under-estimating how strenuous the trip would be. Passengers: A mix. Many retirees due to length & month of cruise, but there were also families incl. some young children. Primarily seemed to be Canadians & Americans, but we met a few other nationalities as well. Everyone was very friendly. Biggest take-away from this cruise is NOT about RCL, but the itinerary. I was totally clueless about the reality of the physical challenges of touring countries with so much history (and without America's ADA laws, which we take for granted). Descriptions of excursions disclosed fitness levels but I felt they underestimated how much walking would actually be necessary. I had bought a Fitbit, and routinely found I had walked 8,000-10,000 steps and climbed the equivalent of 10+ staircases on tours -- all in hot sun/80's temps over very uneven and hilly terrain. Tour guides seemed to race ahead. Archeological sites, picturesque villages built on the side of volcanos and historical buildings don't have elevators, benches to rest, etc. I found a folding cane to be useful as a walking stick. Despite the challenges, I'm thrilled that I went on this adventure and believe RCL made it a wonderful experience. Read Less

This was our 15th cruise on our 5th different cruise line (Celebrity, Carnival, NCL and Holland America). We’ve always liked Royal and went on this ship in February to the Caribbean and wanted to do a Mediterranean cruise. We flew from Canada the week before the cruise and spent three days in Munich and then four days in Rome. Took the train to Civitivecchia the morning of the cruise and started walking to the pier with 8 other cruisers. When we couldn’t find out how to get there, we realized we had to get on a port shuttle bus to take us to the cruise shuttle buses to take us to the terminal Very confusing port with insufficient signage to tell people how to get to the ship. Embarkation – Once we got there, the embarkation was very quick and smooth. Food – the food was very good everywhere, especially in the Windjammer. We didn’t go to any specialty restaurants as I found the food in the buffet and the dining room was great and had lots of variety. Ship – the ship is really nice. I like the layout of the Radiance class and have been on Radiance, Brilliance and the Jewel. The adult solarium pool is very relaxing and the outdoor pool is nice too.. I got a coffee card and had a special coffee (latte, cappucino) almost every day. Ports – we liked all the ports but Malta and Santorini were our favourites. I hadn’t heard much about Valetta but it was beautiful, clean, picturesque. We did a Segway tour and it was a blast. Entertainment – we don’t usually go to the shows but I found the one or two that I went to were as good as any other ship. Summary – Overall, I found the cruise to be great in every way and the itinerary (especially Malta) was everything we hoped it would be! Read Less

I choose this ship for the itinerary, goal was to see the Greek Islands without many sea days. I had read some poor reviews but we have to disagree with them! The ship more than met our expectations. We loved the size of the ship, it never felt overly crowded. We felt it was in fine shape and noticed staff always working on maintaining it. The crew were friendly and did their best to make our time great. We never had to wait for a table for anytime dining, which was much appreciated after long port days, don't know if we just timed it right though but never saw a long line. I really can't comment on shore excursions offered by the cruise line as we just did our own thing. For us onboard entertainment is not very important either, we mainly use the ship as a way to get from point A to point B but do enjoy the perks. We did go to a couple of production shows and found them to be well done with talented singers and dancers, quality costumes, sets and content. Read Less

With high hopes we boarded another Royal Caribbean cruise (this time from Rome), and as with other RC cruises, we were left wanting for more and better - although there were a few bright spots that deserve mention. We knew this ship was aging and had some low level reports around sanitary food handling and conditions, but we were still hopeful. However, the food quality was among our biggest complaints. Although the buffet for breakfast and lunch had a few bright spots, most of the hot food was lukewarm at best with little taste, and the cold food was not really cold. In the Tides main dining room service was spotty at best and food was mostly mediocre or not very good. Typically when ordering a glass of wine it took 5-8 minutes to get someone to take your order, and then you were lucky if you got the right order within another 5-10 minutes. There was one time the steward brought me a glass of chardonnay three times (within one hour) when I did not order a chardonnay. On a positive note, the meal in the Chops Grill (specialty dining spot) was pretty good. I say pretty good because my rib eye steak was thin and tough, while my wife's filet was very good. Even there the service was slow. One of the other specialty restaurants Giovanni's was pretty good, but again service was at a snail's crawl. The osso buco meal was very good though and all other food was pretty good. But it is a sad day when you have to pay extra to get a good meal on a ship, and this was a perfect example of that kind of situation. Around the pools there are signs posted about not leaving a chair for extended period, but almost every chair there was empty except for towels that reserved them. And there were a few kids in the 16 and older pool area for adults. Most of the service crew, including bartenders, maids, etc. were friendly and provided good service and were pleasant to be around. However, the people at Guest Services desk were obviously stressed and sometimes provided short, terse information that might or might not answer your question or concern. regarding shore excursions, we visited three locations (a forth was not completed due to high wind). The two we did through the ship were Very, VERY crowded, making for a less than stellar experience. For example, the day this ship chose to visit Santorini there were five other large cruise ships in the harbor. So an island with a total population of 15,000 had to deal with 12,000 - 15,000 cruisers on this day - something it is not set up to do - and not sure why RC chose that date to visit. At disembarkation the people that left the ship early were treated to blaring music in the main lounge area where they were waiting. When asking the attendants to lower the volume they just smiled. So overall, an average cruise on an average ship, with slightly below average food, good accommodations and average value for the money. We will go with newer ships with better food and value in the future. Read Less

We chose this cruise as it was going to the islands we wanted to see. The embankment was a breeze. We were on the ship within 15 minutes of arriving. The ship was in very good shape and very clean. We had a balcony cabin and was very nice. Comfortable bed and plenty of storage. The bathroom had a shower door which was nice and a medicine cabinet to store toiletries. I do not understand the complaints I read about the ship before we sailed. The food was very good in the Winjammer cafe. We had my time dining and the food and service were both good. Probably some of the best food we’ve had on a cruise and we have been on many. The one thing serverly lacking was the entertainment. The pool pretty much had nothing not even any music. The only day was the last day a sea day they had band and a few things going on. At night they have the shows which we don’t enjoy and that was it. No comedian. We went to the Skooner bar and listened to the singer, Michael and he was very good. The ports were good but very crowded. We loved Santorini and Athens. We were not able to tender to Mykonos so we missed that port which was a big disappointment. All in all we had a good time except not much to do at night and the pool activities were lacking. Read Less

Went on a family vacation August 2019 on jewel of the seas with Royal Caribbean. Spent 3 days in Rome, Italy before the cruise and to be honest that was my favourite part of our holiday. I would rate overall experience on the ship 3/5. Here are some of the pros and cons: Pros: •exceptionally friendly staff (especially during dining experiences, they always knew our names and usual orders) •food was delicious and plentiful •cabins were spacious and had a good layout •there were always activities going on throughout the day/evening (I highly recommend going the safari club for nightly karaoke) •staff was very welcoming and accommodating (especially our stateroom attendant) •there are lots of bars so it’s never a long wait for a drink •there are many seating areas throughout the ship so there’s always a place to sit •it was smooth and easy getting on/off the boat at the ports •beds/sheets were very comfortable •lots of elevators that are quick and efficient •the fitness center was exceptional. they have everything you need and there is lots of space. •tons of activities for kids as they have a “kids club” Cons •lots of wear and tear throughout the boat (very disappointing) •the solarium (adults only pool) closed very early at 845pm every night •the rooms and shared areas could have been cleaner as I did not find them overly clean •the main pool was closed in the day several times due to children contaminating it with bodily fluids •lots of games in the arcade were out of order or broken •windjammer cafe (the buffet) had limited seating lots of the days •some of the hallways had a old/unpleasant smell •rock climbing wall was only open for a few hours a day which was disappointing Overall I had a nice time on Jewel of the Seas, but would I choose this cruise again? No. Definitely needs some refurbishing and maintenance in the near future. I was very impressed with the staff and service aboard though. Great for families and children as there are many activities targeted towards a younger age. Read Less

About us- cruise is our choice when traveling. Love to be on the sea and visit different destinations daily! We have been on 20+cruises. We like aft balconies, good food and wine. We do not really frequent shows. First and foremost we had a wonderful trip- these are some details pros and cons. I read alot of reviews when i am planning a trip and i hope my details help you. We chose this trip because of the itinerary- how can you beat Rome and the Greek Islands. This was also our 35th wedding anniversary. We are platinum status on RCL. We flew TAP airline- love them used them 2 years ago to Barcelona as well !!! Car service to and from airport to hotel- Italy Private Excusions- prompt, polite- great job- they were recommend from Rome in Limo as they were already booked Pre and post hotel- Hotel Barocco -love this boutique hotel. Great service, lovely room, the best breakfast and sweet cappuccino. I could not wait to get back there post cruise for coffee. Upgraded our room and left beautiful wine and fruit. We were leaving at 3:30 am to come home and they offered a box breakfast to go- so sweet and great location. Ship- Ship is small, which is fine if you are not looking for all the bells and whistles of the larger ships. We had no issue with the size. Pool area- solarium pool had children in it. Staff- all super friendly working hard- great job Food- No please do not misunderstand- we did not go hungry. But the food in the dining room has declined. I requested a garden salad in the dining room and was told that Cesar salad was the only choice. Fish was over cooked and dry. Meats were over salted and tough. The hours of the dining room would change depending on port leaving long lines even for folks who had reservations- just not customer friendly. Bread and croutons were stale. Specialty dining was a step better- but not much. Scallop potatoes dry and over cooked- nothing seemed fresh. We went to both Chops and Giovanni's- Giovanni is lovely- i really wanted to like it but the food was so salty. The pasta was gummy. Deserts were mushy and tasteless. Windjammer was decent- liked the grab and go egg sandwiches on port days and the choices were plentiful. Sushi Class- What a great event! i had read a review of this before we left and decided to do it. 35.00 per person - but you get huge amounts of delicious sushi. This was not a demo you actually make the sushi and feel like you can do at home for family and friends. If you like sushi this is really fun. Bar service- we did have drink package- purchased on a special and found we probably lost money on it but enjoyed the freedom of not thinking about it. Bar service was good, drinks were good and the bartenders friendly and made suggestions to try new drinks. We particularly enjoyed the bartenders at Schooner bar after dinner. Vintages the wine bar was my favorite where Angeline the sommelier there was a delight to talk to about wine and travel. Ports- Santorini- Book the shore excursion Oia on your own!!!! I never book ship excursions but this gets you off the ship and to Santorini efficiently. Santorini is not easy to get in and out of. We used our SBC to buy it. We went to Oia and i got my photos (bucket list). We then went to Santos winery and did huge wine tasting with incredible views. left around 7:30 pm short line to the tram. I didn't even see donkeys. It is hot bring a hat! Mykonos- St James Beach Club-until 1:00 pm then back to town and walked around saw the windmills and had a late lunch right there overlooking the water. - Kazarma had wine and sandwiches and just relaxed. Very nice day. Athens- we hired Georges Taxi for the day- did this ahead of time and well worth 220 E for both for the day - we saw EVERYTHING. Ask for Kostas as your driver he is the best! He gave us so much information in the air conditioned car that we knew what we were looking at while out in hot sun. We saw Acropolis, changing of the guard, ancient agora, Olympic stadium, wonderful authentic lunch at a taverna, In the afternoon we visited the national museum- I asked Kostas for sweets and he brought us to a bakery with amazing baklava. Just a fantastic day- he wa the best. Katakolon- charming fishing village- walked around and shopped a little. Pre cruise- did a food tour with Rome Food Tours- wonderful guide, lots of walking and a nice selection of food. Post cruise- back to hotel Barocco and then toured the forum and coliseum. Feel free to ask me questions. Read Less

We chose this ship because we sailed on it in 2013 and were very happy with it except for the food but that was fine. When we saw the condition the ship was in and our cabin, we just couldn't believe it. It was tired, run down, dirty and very unattractive. RC removed some of the public areas and added cabins; therefore, the ship was overcrowded and understaffed. We met people who were showering with their shoes on because they were afraid of contracting some disease. Unbelievable. We don't understand what RC is trying to achieve by offering this type of cruising experience but we will never be cruising on these ships again. They do however a great job on their Oasis class ships. we liked the itinerary in the Greek islands and some of their excursions. Guest Relations was always very busy because hundreds of guests were complaining about something because practically nothing was right. Our Stateroom Attendant was amazing but most of the staff didn't really care. I guess the example comes from the top. The one responsible for the Excursions was extremely rude and didn't care about the passenger's satisfaction with a particular excursion. Some of the staff did the best they could with the resources they had. Royal Caribbean's senior management is lacking leadership and consideration for their passengers and personnel. We will never cruise on their small ships again and never suggest it to any of our friends or acquaintances. Read Less

After our first cruise on Symphony of the Seas we were worried a smaller ship would disappoint us. It didnt. We really didn't miss anything and thought the Jewel was lovely. The staff however is horrible in comparison. We only saw our cabin steward a couple of times. He was not interested nor did he remember our names. When we fist arrived the toilet seat was not clean, lipstick on towels and hairs in the bathroom sink. Not a great start of our Cruise. Overall we thought the staff was not very enthusiastic or happy. Didn't seem to care if food items in Windjammer were out and needed replacing. Dirty plates could stack up and be there for the duration of the meals. There were or course exceptions but overall staff seemed tired and not interested. Entertainment in the theater was low quality one of the guys couldn't sing at all. If this had been our first cruise we would have never gone again. Read Less

The Jewel of the Seas, although old was impressively maintained. Our cabin, 1102 had original fittings with the added new style flat screen TV. Slightly concerned being at the back of the ship we may experience soot on the balcony but we didn't. Noise from Windjammers above was apparent but not loud enough to bother us really. Sun unfortunately didn't hit the balcony much so the additional sunbeds included in the bigger balcony were not of much use to us. Entertainment was poor, and this I think is where the penny pinching is starting to show with RCI. We only had 3 bought in acts, the rest were staged by the singers and dancers on the ship. On the White Party night there wasn't even a show at all in the theatre! The Il Divo tribute type group were amazing but the magician and BMX rider (Yes I said BMX rider) were nothing impressive considering we were on a 4 star cruise ship! The Diamond Club, exclusively for Diamond and above members is nothing more than a corner of the sky bar sectioned off with partitioning. I have been in a number of Diamond Lounges on RCI and NEVER seen such a sad and unloved area - Diamond members not even worthy of a room, just a partitioned area shoved in the corner! We went once and didn't return for the rest of the cruise. I stupidly forgot shampoo and conditioner, also stupidly expected the shop to sell such things - No they didn't as the shop is so tiny it couldn't possibly stock essentials like that! There were no prices on anything in the shop, you are just expected to go to the till and pay up! I went to the Spa in search of shampoo and was faced with the Spa Manager who set upon giving me a 'Consultation' I told her I didn't want one just some shampoo thanks but she was determined and eventually decided I had dry hair with split ends and need to pay $90 for shampoo, conditioner and hair mask! The woman was vile and I politely told her I wasn't paying that and did she have any cheaper or I wasn't bothering, she miraculously produced shampoo and conditioner at the bargain price of $25. I didn't bother arguing the fact that my hair wasn't dry or split and in fact she should perhaps look in the mirror because hers wasn't anything Vidal Sassoon would claim to have touched either!! She was lucky I was tired from travelling and really needed the goods! Shortage of staff was apparent. We can remember times of waiters walking up and down in the theatre but not any more, get your own at the bar. Windjammers was similar, tables left uncleaned for the duration we were in and get your own drinks from the bar as no one will ask you. We regularly saw management mopping floors and cleaning tables as there is just not enough staff to cover the ship. Teenage children running around I gangs while presumably parents stay well away from them. Having done more than 15 RCI cruises on big ships and small, we would not return to them again. So many corners are being cut yet the prices continue to rise. Read Less

The itinerary was something we wanted to do, we did an B2B2B, starting on juli 2019. Our pick for cabin was an aft balcony, nr. 9658. We enjoyed that having an aft balcony was so quiet, we send several hours there if things got too loud at the main pool area's. After booking 1,5 year in advance this was a vacation we where looking forward too. The 2 weeks where as what can be expected on an Mediterranean cruise. Ship is fine but, after this vacation and after cruising on the bigger ships of the fleet we decided that this type of class is not for us, especially when you are cruising for 3 weeks on the same ship. We did Izumi and Chops the 2nd week and as always didn't disappoint. The rest of the dining we headed of to the MDR. We had a lovely lady from Ukraine, Tetiana, who got us the same table for 2 the whole 3 weeks! She was brilliant, sweet en so skilled, passioned en helpful in her job. We loved her! Our waitstaff, Ralph and Mondher where so great, we had a great time every night we went to diner. Now let's talk entertainment, remember, this is my opinion. We found the entertainment not good. The singer in the Schooner Bar, ieks, he didn't sing but shouted, couldn't keep a tone and had no interaction with the audience at the bar. We didn't go to any of the shows because we are not show people. The other venues with music (except 1 night in the centre with the JotS orchestra playing bigband! That was excellent) the music and shows wasn't't all that. Maybe we have to keep in mind that cruising in the caribbean is a whole other experience with the entertainment then in the mediterranean, but hey, we where cruising so al in al we did had a good time but where mostly in the Diamond Lounge before dinner. After diner we hung out at the bar in the casino. And then we have the too much Italiano part. Aargh, those people and their kids are annoying. Don't speak English, demanding that every crew member speak Italian and if they didn't they get furious. I walked on my toes that last week every time i encounter an Italian with their demands. The cruise director wasn't any better. She is a native italian and she forgot she works on an American Cruise line. If i wanted to hear Italian the whole day i might as well booked a cruise with MSC or Costa. This is the first time that RCL let us down in the last week and we will never ever cruise on the mediterranean, especially in summer. So done with that. We cruised on Harmony out of Barcelona in august 2016 and never had the this feeling like we do now. Overall we enjoyed our vacation but now we know that we never: cruise in the Mediterranean and never ever cruise the smaller ships for a B2B2B. Read Less

Celebrating our 50th anniversary we cruised Jewel with a mix of people in their 70s, 40s and grandsons 10 and 15 years old. We liked the itinary and also the size of the ship. We donot like those big mega ships. Our balcony cabin was nice, but some paint was needed on the outside. We knew the bathroom is rather small. The beds were very comfortable. Food in the Windjammer and in the Diningroom was very good. Enough choices on the menu. Our servers, Michelle from the Philipines and Keyshaw from Mauritius were excellent. Always friendly, interested in our taste and often they would bring some special food from the menu for us to taste. They worked very hard, but always enjoyed their work. Overall we found the music in the atrium as well as in some bars extreme and much too loud! Conversation was impossible. A reason to sometimes escape from a bar or the atrium. We took and paid for 8 people of our family as we celebrated our 50th anniversary. We were a little disappointed that we had to pay extra for a small anniversary cake and also not even a free (glass) of wine was offered for that occasion. . That would have been a nice thank you for us by RCCL. Our airline offered us a glass of champagne with a nice congratulations card, although it was a short inter Europe flight. Read Less

Oasis of the Seas We have been cruising since 1998. We usually cruise on Princess but have also been on Celebrity and Disney. This was our first time on RCCL. We did not choose anything about the cruise, ship, itinerary or time of year. We were invited to join a group of friends. Overall we enjoyed our cruise and the ports we visited. I research heavily on CC prior to a cruise so I’d like to give back to hopefully help someone else. Here are my thoughts: Embarkation Very smooth. I credit this not so much to RCCL, but to choosing to embark in Civitavecchia instead of Barcelona. Only 1/6 of the passengers embarked here which made for no lines. Ship HUGE! The largest we have been on. Motion was a non-issue. The first few days it did not seem like we were moving at all. The water was like glass. The last 3 days we had higher seas but still a very smooth ride. The ship did not feel like there were over 6000 passengers onboard. It is a beautiful ship. I fell in love with Central Park. Our cabin was on deck 8 so we frequently walked through it to get to the other end of the ship. Cabin We had a balcony cabin 8548. It felt small, but there was plenty of room to stow all of our belongings. I think part of the reason it felt smaller than Princess is because the bed is larger. We really appreciated the larger bed. Much more comfortable. The bathroom felt smaller too. I liked the shower much better on the Oasis. Especially the bar to use while shaving my legs. As far as decor, the furniture was stained and the cushions looked filthy. The ship is going in for an extended dry dock in a few weeks which explains the condition of the furniture. Having said that, it should not be allowed to get to this point before replacing. The balcony was average size with two arm chairs and a table. On Princess this category cabin would have had a footstool. I missed that. The dividers between balconies are not very private. Half of the divider is frosted glass with a wavy pattern. Shapes of our neighbors could be seen. Crew Wonderful overall. Most were very friendly and helpful. The one negative experience was at the service/pursers desk. On the second day we looked at our onboard charges on the TV. We saw that we had been billed for internet service. This was a surprise because I had purchased internet usage prior to the cruise. When we boarded we followed the instructions on the VOOM card in our room. We went to the the service desk to straighten it out. Fortunately I had taken a screen shot of the purchase. The man “helping” us initially acted like we were trying to get away with something. He kept say you were supposed to use the code that was given to you in your room. To which we kept replying there was no code given to us in our room. Nothing, nada. Finally a supervisor came over and quickly told him to remove it and to give us a VOOM code. Then as I was walking away I turned back and asked for a printed statement showing the removal of the internet purchase. The supervisor had to come back to show him how to remove it. HE HADN’T DONE IT! Thank goodness we didn’t need to return to the service desk again. Our cabin steward was outstanding. Food servers throughout the ship were efficient, pleasant and helpful. Entertainment Very good. There is no comparison between RCCL and Princess. Innovative performances - the ice show and the aquatic show were really good. We missed MUTS (movies under the stars) on Princess. We have watched the Academy Awards and football championship games in addition to movies over the years on MUTS. The smaller screens in the aqua theater on Oasis don’t provide the same experience. Food/Dining Realizing this is very subjective, here is our opinion. The food and dining experience was a big disappointment. Over the years we have seen food quality diminish across the cruise lines we have sailed. I understand trying to keep costs down, but I think there is more than that happening on Oasis. There was lots of pressure once onboard to pay extra to eat in the specialty restaurants. Because the included food was sub-par we were skeptical of paying extra for more mediocre food. Living in Southern California we have great dining options to choose from. In many instances not much more than the extra charge to eat in one of the “specialty” restaurants. We chose to save our money. The same food was served in every dining venue, with very little variation. The buffet had the most choices and was honestly better than the dining room at some meals. The dining room was in no way fine dining. It was like an average restaurant experience on land. Appetizers, soups and salads were lumped in the same course. We ordered everything at once, including dessert. For breakfast in the dining room we could choose a la carte or buffet. We thought if we chose a la carte the food would be cooked to order. No so! We watched as our server walked over to the buffet and plated our food from the chafing dishes. Bottom line, we did not starve, but we didn’t walk away impressed either. Final thoughts Because of the size of the ship we had to dock a substantial distance form the port entry in most ports. Only one port had a complementary shuttle service. We did our own tours in every port and had amazing experiences. It was difficult to find a quiet spot in the public areas. Because of this we used our balcony more than anticipated on such a port intensive cruise. The volume of the music...even in Central Park was really loud. The overall feeling was like being in a Vegas Hotel...especially in the Royal Pomenade. Lots of noise and sensory stimulation. Primarily for this reason I don’t think we will be returning to RCCL anytime soon. It is aimed at a younger demographic than us. It was fun to try a different cruise line, but for us, Princess is a much better fit. Read Less

We did both itineraries the Jewel offered:: Aug 4 was the Greek Isles (4 ports) & Aug 11 was 5 ports in the Western Mediterranean. Larger balcony rooms were sold out when we booked. We usually do Jr Suites or Larger Balcony rooms, so this room was tight, but adequate. The balcony was fine. First week we were forward starboard side. The forward elevators were easy access to the Fitness Center/Spa, the Solarium (which had Grab & Go breakfast if you didn’t want Windjammer crowds), the shops and the theater. Overall, the food was very good to excellent. We did Chefs Table the first night which was discounted—so fabulous! Dinner all other nights was in the Dining Room & it was a pleasure—varied menu, excellent service by waiters, delicious. If we were back from excursions, Lunch was in Windjammer, I’d give it a B—if you like Indian & Asian dishes you’re in luck. Breakfast was very good In Windjammer, just a little harried with the masses trying to eat quickly to get to meeting places for excursions. The Dining Room offered Brunch one morning approx 9:30-12:30–do it if you can. It was excellent! Excursions were mostly terrific. In Santorini, highly recommend RCCL Excursion: Wine Tasting (Santo Winery) & Oia. In Athens, we made arrangements on our own for a private tour/taxi with a great guy, Leonidas Abenakis & it was a fabulous day. Here’s his information: mobile phone +30 6972 112.468; email: tour@rideathens.com or www.rideathens.com Leo was very knowledgeable, gave us almost 2 hours at the Acropolis Museum (don’t miss it); city highlights; panoramic view from Lycabettus Hill; changing of the guard at Presidential Palace; Hadrian’s Arch; 2004 Olympic Stadium and more. He will tailor the tour to your wants. We had a blast with him! During week 2, I would also recommend RCCL Excursion in Ajaccio, Corsica—the Prunelli Gorges. It was a wonderful tour of the island, taking us into the mountains—beautiful country, lush hillsides, gorgeous lakes, quaint villages & Susanne was a wonderful guide full of history & anecdotes. Barcelona RCCL Excursion recommendation would be Gaudi’s Barcelona which includes the amazing Sagrada La Familia Cathedral, other Gaudi structures & city tour. Staff on the ship were so friendly, helpful—can’t say enough good things about everyone we encountered. It was a wonderful trip!! Read Less

2nd rate cruise line! Beyond terrible customer service (sent 4 emails with no response and several calls with no answer including a 54 minute call which I have a screenshot of); stained sheets on the cruise (I have a pic); 2 of our 3 excursions were horrible; hard beds; teenagers allowed in the adult only pool area but not kids; kids pool hours limited; 90% of the food on the windjammer deck was the same day in and day out; lack of smiles; little direction causing mass confusion when disembarking. Despite several attempts to be nice and work things out with RC, they would rather have a upset customer rather than attempt to repair the damage and win back their customer. Best way I can say it is once they have your money, good luck. A once in a lifetime trip to Greece was ruined by the inability of the staff and the company to be able to empathize and properly take care of their guests! Because they do not even want to attempt to win me back as a customer, I will never recommend them! Read Less

Our daughter was on a school trip to Italy, so we decided to meet up with her in Rome and take a family cruise to the Greek Isles. We choose Jewel of the Seas, because we like RCCL and sailed on the Radiance of the Seas previously (Alaska). I will say that so far the Radiance Class ships are my favorite of the RCCL line (I have been on Independence of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas, and Empress of the Seas as well). The ship is beautiful. Lots to do while easy to navigate. While all the usual accolades for Royal apply (very good food, great Piano player in the Schooner Lounge, very good Production Shows, etc.), what stood out for me was two new activities that I enjoyed immensely. The first was a Mystery Puzzle game that was professionally produced to be similar to current Escape Room type games. It was not an escape room, but a team game, where each team received an envelope with many puzzles that led to solving the mystery. Like I said, it was professionally produced and really awesome. Not easy, but not extremely difficult either. Took about an hour and was loads of fun. The second was a Murder Mystery Dinner, where the production entertainment team put on a play during cocktails and hors d'oevres where two mob bosses were about to combine their territory. One gets murdered. We went into dinner in one of the speciality restaurants, where clues were given throughout the dinner. At the end, there was a drawing from those who solved it correctly, with the winner receiving a champagne basket. Again, lots of fun. The first was no additional charge, while the second had a charge associated (but did include a great dinner in the speciality restaurant, including champagne and wine). The addition of these types of activities will keep me coming back to RCCL. The only reason I did not give this cruise 5 stars was the Itinerary. The ship gets 5 stars. The Itinerary, only about 3.5. If you really want to visit the Greek Isles, then this is a great way to do it...but be prepared for a grueling itinerary. We had one day at sea, followed by 4 port days, and ending with a day at sea. In general, the Islands are beautiful, but very hot and very crowded. Long days of touring with crowds, heat, and lines...and 4 in a row was a little more than we could handle. 1. Santorini: Definitely the most picturesque...but get on an early tender. Dress very cool, wear a hat and sneakers. Be prepared to wait in a line for 1-2 hours to get the cable car up and another 1 1/2 - 2 hours to get back down at the end. Be prepared to walk on very uneven cobblestones. 2. Mykonos: Probably the easiest port and also very beautiful. Classic white buildings. Beautiful seascape vistas. Good history. Cool breezes and no lines :) 3. Athens: Our least favorite. Crowded city. Very hot. Walking up the Acropolis is the highlight (you gotta do it), but go early and be prepared for a very slippery climb up ancient slippery marble. 4. Katakolon: Too pooped to visit the sight of the ancient Olympic games...choose instead to taxi to a nice beach. Read Less

We chose this cruise because the dates fell on the week of my birthday AND it left out of the port of Civitavecchia. We LOVE Rome so we had an excuse to visit again. We flew in the night before the cruise so that we could explore and relax. Embarkation was smooth. It took a total of about 20 minutes between checking in and getting onto the cruise ship. We booked excursions in Santorini, Athens, and Katakolon. We explored on our own in Mykonos. I vlogged all of the ports and shore excursions, so if you would like to see which excursions we booked, check out my youtube channel: Morgancita The ship was beautiful! We had an interior room which is always perfect for us because the only time we spend in the room is to shower and sleep. They had a movie theater which was nice on sea days (get there early or you won't have a seat). The pool always had music or some form of entertainment which was nice. They had a show every night and it was always something different which was great. The food was average and I say this because they didn't really switch up the options much in the buffet. The main dining room was also pretty limited. Not the worst food but definitely not the best. The highlight of our trip was meeting another mother and daughter couple who were from London who were EXACTLY like us. We spent the night of my birthday at a free silent disco party on the ship which was SO MUCH FUN! This is what I love most about cruising. You get to go to the most beautiful places and meet even more amazing people :) Read Less

I have cruised with RCCL before and convinced my boyfriend to try out cruising after my fantastic experience on Adventure of the seas last may. We were more keen on picking a good itinerary than ship, so we went with this cruise on the Jewel of the Seas. The embarkation in Civitavecchia went smooth and we went from taxi to the pool in under 30 minutes. Jewel of the seas itself is a very nice ship - the amount of bars, restaurants and entertainment is more than sufficient. We managed to always find spots where we felt very private. The ship was not as clean as I’ve experienced other ships - we kept seeing glasses, plates etc. in stairs and hallways from the night before way up after midday almost everyday. We eat at the main restaurant almost every night (expect 2). The restaurant was always very busy and even though you had reservations you could stand in line for up to 30 minutes. The food was great. We had my-time dining and shuffled between sections and waiters every night - which we didn’t mind. The issue though was that every waiter we came in contact with seemed tired, very unengaged and unmotivated - a smile was a rare thing and we couldn’t really find a consistency in the service that was provided. Every night in the dining room was very different from each other - and not in a good way - one night we even sat at our table for 20 minutes without even being greeted. Everything seemed to be in a rush and therefore the waiters probably didn’t have the time to provide the service RCCL normally do - which was a huge shame and ruin our dining experience. The last night of our cruise we had made reservations at chops grill - which was the best decision we have made on this cruise. Our waiter was lovely and the food was great! I would totally recommend to book some of the speciality restaurants onboard. The coral theatre is a Greta venue, the shows we saw were entertaining. About the service onboard I must say I was very disappointed. Most days we went around the ship and felt like an excuse for ourself (especially my boyfriend as it was his first cruise). The people in the lattetudes, most bars and in guest services were very nice and accommodating - while we, on the pool deck, very met with rude pool attendants. All in all most of the crew seemed very tired and unengaged (maybe it was the end of the contract for most of them, I don’t know) The itinerary for this crew was very nice - and we found some hidden gems in the Mediterranean we definitely want to go back to. We went into shore everyday - and really enjoyed this itinerary very much. I spend most of my cruise trying to explain to my boyfriend that what we experienced onboard Jewel of the seas was very different from what I’ve experienced before, and I know that I will have a very hard time convincing him of going on another RCCL cruise with me. Read Less

Our third time with Royal and first time in Europe, over all is good experience and port intensive cruise only one sea day. Got to build in your own off time to make it enjoyable. We explore all of the ports on our own using Rick Steve guide. Most of the port are pretty easy to explore your own and is much cheaper if you on the budget. The ship is huge and with 5000 plus people doesn’t feel very crowed. Make sure book your shows and reserved your dinning even for my time dinning. We found 2 or 3 place we really like and keep going back every day to relax. My only complaint was the food at main dinning room was bad, they give you large quantities but poorly cook. Some night we feel buffet was better option. All of the staff work very hard try to make you feel comfortable. Entertainment staff are great, but you can only pick few you really want to do and enjoy. You will not have time to do everything. Read Less

Port calls to Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Katakolon await you! Travelers will discover each island differs in its beauty, shopping, food, and activities. Recommend to reserve on board excursions especially in the area of transportation in order to fully enjoy each island. Port call for Rome requires the traveler to consider arriving a couple days prior to embarkation or staying after disembarkation in order to visit some of the amazing historical sites of Rome. Metro is your cheapest means of transportation in Rome. While the port calls for this sailing are truly amazing, the cruise itself is lame. The ship and cabins are clean and comfortable, but lacks its shine in décor. The ship offers a couple specialty restaurants coupled with cafes, the Windjammer, and the main dinning as it is with other ships from Royal Caribbean. While passengers will find the dinning service satisfactory, they will quickly discover that the entertainment and activities are unsatisfactory. The performance shows were average as they lacked vitality. The night clubs and other like events were short lived as they lacked participants and closed early. There are two cruising days that provided passengers with some day time activities, but most preferred to stay by the poolside and hot tubs. While each of the three pools offered space, the entertainment for the two adult pools were few and far between. Pre-arranged transportation from and to the airport is a must! While our family and friends experienced a smooth embarkation with pre-arranged transportation, the disembarkation and transportation to the airport were disorganized as Royal Caribbean staff redirected passengers incorrectly and elevators on the ship were jammed packed with anxious travelers needing to catch early flights. Overall, this sailing while on board was a disappointment compared to other ships and sailings of Royal Caribbean. The most amazing experiences took place at each port of call. Santorini, my favorite, one must dine while overlooking the Aegean Sea! Read Less

July 7 - 14, 2019 - Greek Islands. I can't say enough good things about the ship, the staff, cleanliness, activities, etc. Putting some misconceptions to rest. If you don't have a pillow top on your mattress, look under the bed (that is where ours was stored). Staff went above and beyond, were friendly and helpful. Room was set up as we requested. Food in the main dining room was awesome. Food in the Windjammer (only ate there for breakfast) was good, plentiful and abundant. Snacks in the Solarium was the same each day, but very good. The life boat covers on Deck #7 - were not an issue and didn't hinder our view. We did our own thing for excursions so can't comment. If there was one negative, it would be that the music at the pool could get a bit loud. You had to yell at people when talking to them. Everyone loved the evening shows. We only saw the Tango show and it was excellent. Fellow travellers attended all of the other evening shows and raved about them each night at dinner. We had the key. We were on the ship by 11:00 am and by the pool by 11:15. Signage for the key was everywhere. Had lunch at Chops - excellent.. Tendering in Santorini was easy (and the reason we got the Key). Wifi was good, no issues. We had an early morning transfer to the Rome airport on debarkation day so the Key was not used for debarkation, however luggage pickup was super easy. We also received two fruit baskets on one of the days. We asked why and were told because we had the Key. I had a massage one day and it was excellent. There was no blatant attempt to upsell. Read Less

We decided to do a month long European vacation which included a 7 day Mediterranean cruise. My wife and I and our 2 children aged 7 and 9 stayed in a grand suite with 2 bedrooms and my mother and partner in an owners suite. Having travelled on RCI and other cruise lines many times before, I was excited as this time I was taking my kids with me. Embarkation was fine although they couldn’t find my mothers partners luggage. We had to make a fuss to find it and the staff were extremely unhelpful in this regard. The ship was about to go for a refurb so I wasn’t surprised that the rooms were quite shabby and although clean, didn’t feel it. The good was that the kids had a blast however that is not unexpected on a ship of this size as the entertainment was excellent. The service from the crew was also very good. For the ports, they should drop Marseilles as it’s really a terrible port and city. The main issue with the ports was that probably due to the size of the ship or more likely trying to make more money, you are docked miles away from everything and RCI charges exorbitant amounts for transport. As an example in Marseilles they offer transport for $20 per person but they make no mention and actually go out of their way NOT to tell you that their is a free shuttle service. Yes it’s a 20 minute walk to get it but that’s just because you are docked so far away although other ships of a similar size are docked much closer. This really ruins most ports. The bad was that RCI has become a real rip off where they are charging less for cabins but almost everything is extra and at exorbitant prices. Drinks and food are ridiculous. Averaging $3-4 for a coke and over $10 for a single shot of alcohol. It seems that RCI thinks people are to be extorted. A refreshment package was $30 per day per person for coke, sprite etc all from a soda fountain. And this was waters down. The alcohol package was an astonishing $90 per day per person. Doesn’t seem much but that’s based on their exorbitant pricing. In the real world it’s criminal and a complete rip off. Excursions are the biggest joke. $500 on average for 4 adults and 2 kids under 10 for a simple bus ride, boat ride and train ride and then back on a bus. We priced the same excursion elsewhere and it was 80% less for exactly what you got. An 8 hour excursion of which you spent 4 hours traveling and 1 hour total with a guide. They were even to cheap to cut an hour off the trip by just staying on the train so we could enjoy more time on the boat. Another crime was the food. Absolutely shocking and we had access to the suite restaurants. In the windjammer food was stale, bad cuts of meat, over cooked pasta and felt like being pushed through the worst buffet known to man. The dining hall was not better. Same food just presented better. Every time food was cold and uninspired. Tiny portions made to look like it was special but wasn’t. Same in the coastal kitchen. Also our billing was incorrect and we spent ages having bills corrected as they overcharged. I would never recommend RCI to anyone and will never travel on the oasis as it’s designed to rip off the customer and take advantage of people by offering what they call “ value “ until you get onboard and you discover you could have gone on a better class of ship and probably paid less or even the same for twice the value. Celebrity, Seabourn and even carnival were far better. Check before you go as this is a joke Read Less

I bought 2 expensive suites for a very special trip for my family. I have cruised over 70 times in my life and can honestly say this is the worst, Boarding the ship they had my wrong room and they lost my partners bag and didn't even bother to look for it till I made a terrible Fuss. My suite was clean,. We had our own concierge, but due to the dinners and activities, they were always gone when I needed them, therefore I had to use the Guest Services . I have never in my life been spoken to so rudely, As you know as soon as you take a drink from a bar it is on your bill. However if you need a credit, it took 5 days and many hours to get the rude inefficient Guest services to attend to it. I was overcharged and when I asked for the signed receipts they could only produce 30% of them. they said their system is manual, funny but the charges are computerised. WATCH YOUR BILL. Beatrice is the only decent concierge on the ship. RCI is only interested in the money, they overcharge for everything you even have to buy ice cream and coffee I travel Crystal & Seabourn, all drinks everywhere including champagne are free Michelin chefs great shows and did not cost me more than what this 3rd rate ship did.. RCI prices for drinks are exhorbitant. they are so greedy that they even charge for water.. The staff on the ship are quite rude and only start smiling at you from the second last evening when tips are due. The pools are totally inadequate for the amount of people and dangerous as the floors are very slippery. . The excursions are awful, long bus rides as the ship being so big can only go to commercial ports which are far away from the nice places and by the time you get to the place you have so little time that it is a waste of money. The kids club is very good and the shows too. My grandkids loved the club and the shows. Bless Crystal and all who sale on her!!!!! Read Less

My wife and myself have just completed our second cruise with Royal Caribbean, This time on one of the smaller ships, it had good and bad points, The ship was very well run from the moment we arrived at Rome airport, RC staff took control of everything , luggage was taken and delivered to our cabin, transfers were on time and embarkation was smooth. The ship has some lovely areas lots of dark wood and never felt crowded, however there were areas that were very tired looking ie the outside area of the windjammer, this did not stop us from enjoying the area and we would have breakfast every morning in the sun but it needs upgrading soon. We ate in the MDR each evening, the staff like all the staff on board were efficient and friendly remembered our names and found time to speak each evening but the food while plentiful was not of a high standard I got the impression RC do the bare minimum expected as they want you to pay for the premium restaurants. We took two RC excursions, the first was Panoramic Cartagena don't waste your money the only interesting part was the Roman theatre, and it turns out that was two minutes and in view of the ship. I would recommend the Flamenco show in Majorca we both enjoyed it very much. The other ports of call we did our own thing as they were very easy to get around. All in All I would recommend this cruise because of the great staff but again RC spend some more money on the ship. Read Less