Jewel of the Seas or Adventure of the Seas

[sjpsoccer14]

My girlfriend and I are both in our mid 20s and we are trying to plan a cruise for next March. We absolutely loved the Oasis class ships and all they offer but we are looking for a change from the typical Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Martin / Labadee, Falmouth and Cozumel routes.

 

I have narrowed our choices between the Jewel of the Seas March 22, 2014 Departs From San Juan, Puerto Rico visiting Tortola, British Virgin Islands >> Philipsburg, St. Maarten >> Basseterre, St. Kitts >> Roseau, Dominica >> Bridgetown, Barbados.

 

OR

 

The Adventure of the Seas March 23, 2014 Departs From San Juan, Puerto Rico visiting Bridgetown, Barbados >> Castries, St. Lucia >> St. John's, Antigua >> Philipsburg, St. Maarten >> Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I.

 

Does anyone have any pros or cons for either ship or route?

 

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

-Charlie

[39august]

Either route is fabulous! Since you loved Oasis, I suggest that Adventure will be more your style. It is the larger ship of the two and a bit more active. On the other hand, Jewel is very elegant. You will be so busy with these ports that you won't be on the ship very much. So maybe go with the one that costs less??

[sjpsoccer14]

Either route is fabulous! Since you loved Oasis, I suggest that Adventure will be more your style. It is the larger ship of the two and a bit more active. On the other hand, Jewel is very elegant. You will be so busy with these ports that you won't be on the ship very much. So maybe go with the one that costs less??

 

Thank you for your help!

[Cruising89143]

Been on both ships and I personally would choose the Adventure due to the ship. I am not a fan of the Radiance class.

 

With that said, I would choose by itinerary since both cruises are so port intensive.

Edited April 11, 2013 by cruisingator2

[sjpsoccer14]

Been on both ships and I personally would choose the Adventure due to the ship. I am not a fan of the Radiance class.

 

With that said, I would choose by itinerary since both cruises are so port intensive.

 

Thanks Cruisingator! What didn't you like about the Radiance class?

[karena1]

My girlfriend and I are both in our mid 20s and we are trying to plan a cruise for next March. We absolutely loved the Oasis class ships and all they offer but we are looking for a change from the typical Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Martin / Labadee, Falmouth and Cozumel routes.

 

I have narrowed our choices between the Jewel of the Seas March 22, 2014 Departs From San Juan, Puerto Rico visiting Tortola, British Virgin Islands >> Philipsburg, St. Maarten >> Basseterre, St. Kitts >> Roseau, Dominica >> Bridgetown, Barbados.

 

OR

 

The Adventure of the Seas March 23, 2014 Departs From San Juan, Puerto Rico visiting Bridgetown, Barbados >> Castries, St. Lucia >> St. John's, Antigua >> Philipsburg, St. Maarten >> Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I.

 

Does anyone have any pros or cons for either ship or route?

 

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

-Charlie

 

Adventure is bigger with the promenade but Jewel is the Radiance Class so lots of glass and brass. I much prefer the itin on Adventure just b/c we love Antigua, St Lucia, SMX. But really either itin is great, you will love the Southern Caribbean. San Juan is by far our favorite port to sail from just b/c we love port intensive cruises and the Southern routes.

[Cruising89143]

Thanks Cruisingator! What didn't you like about the Radiance class?

 

The ship felt crowded both times that we cruised on the Jewel. I like the Royal Promenade and the Jewel does not have that. All small differences but I just like the Radiance class less.

[Traveling Library]

I've sailed both and prefer the Jewel. I enjoy the lots of glass and light, the outdoor seating at the Windjammer, and the Sea View Cafe. The Adventure is larger and has the Promenade Cafe with the not-to-be missed sunflower seed granola bars.

 

That being said, pick the itinerary that you like. Both are so port intensive that you really don't spend much time on the ship.

[kccrzr]

I'm with Traveling Library, I prefer the Radiance class over Voyager class for the reasons mentioned. That said, doesn't seem like you could go wrong with either choice.

[khm1]

My girlfriend and I are both in our mid 20s and we are trying to plan a cruise for next March. We absolutely loved the Oasis class ships and all they offer but we are looking for a change from the typical Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Martin / Labadee, Falmouth and Cozumel routes.

 

I have narrowed our choices between the Jewel of the Seas March 22, 2014 Departs From San Juan, Puerto Rico visiting Tortola, British Virgin Islands >> Philipsburg, St. Maarten >> Basseterre, St. Kitts >> Roseau, Dominica >> Bridgetown, Barbados.

 

OR

 

The Adventure of the Seas March 23, 2014 Departs From San Juan, Puerto Rico visiting Bridgetown, Barbados >> Castries, St. Lucia >> St. John's, Antigua >> Philipsburg, St. Maarten >> Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I.

 

Does anyone have any pros or cons for either ship or route?

 

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

-Charlie

 

Hands down, I would choose the Jewel. The itinerary is much better, IMHO. Also, I prefer the Radiance class ship. I have been on Both classes of ships, several times and much prefer the Radiance class. They are smaller (and more beautiful) but with a port intensive cruise, you won't miss the larger ship.

 

Tortola: take a private tour via catamaran to Jost van Dyke and have painkillers ( a delicious rum drink) on the beach at the Soggy Dollar bar.

 

Philipsburg: taxi or rental car to Orient Beach and maybe some shopping in philipsburg.

St. Kitts: Thenford Grey's "the tour" (fabulous!) or hike the rainforest

 

Dominica: my absolute favorite port of call! Take a tour with Levi of Bumpiing tours. You will swim through a gorge, climb a waterfall, soak in a hot spring under a beautiful rainforest jungle, and snorkel on the famous Champagne reef. An adventure lover's dream day!

 

Barbados: beach day on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

[sjpsoccer14]

Thank you everyone for your input. I am leaning more towards the Adventure because of the Royal Promenade but I have read a lot of great things about the Jewel too.

[printingchick]

You'll notice from my signature that I'm booked on Jewel, so I clearly chose THAT option. That doesn't necessarily mean it's right for YOU.

 

I've cruised on both Adventure of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas (sister to Jewel) out of San Juan and here's how I would compare them:

 

• Adventure is the larger ship, as others have mentioned. It has more of the "WOW" features typically associated with Royal Caribbean, such as the Royal Promenade and Ice Rink.
  
• Jewel is a smaller ship - no ice rink, no Royal Promenade and a significantly smaller main pool.
  
• Adventure will draw more families with young children. When my adult daughter (age 22 at the time) and I cruised on Serenade, there were fewer than a dozen kids under the age of 13 on our ship. We enjoyed the more adult-focused experience.
  
• Jewel has outdoor seating at the Windjammer, which I view as a HUGE advantage. I LOVE sitting ouside and watching the ship pull into port as I eat my breakfast.
  
• The Solarium Pool area on the Radiance Class ships are incredible. Again, the trade-off is that the main pool is a lot smaller than on the Voyager Class ships.
  
• Activities on the smaller ship are more intimate, which promotes more interaction between passengers. We LIKED this, as it made the experience more "friendly". The Quest will take place in the large lounge/small theater and will be played as teams of 6-8 passengers per team, rather than being primarily a spectator event as it is when held at Studio B. Passengers are PART of the 70s night party, rather than watching the performances on the balconies above the Promenade.
  

 

Both of these are GREAT ships! Adventure was my FAVORITE ship ever...until I cruised on Serenade, which became my new FAVORITE ship ever! You can't go wrong with EITHER option!

 

Keep in mind that both itineraries are very port intensive. You'll have only ONE sea day. If one itinerary is more appealing than the other, I'd recommend basing your decision on that, rather than the ship.

 

I've included a very BRIEF description of each port below.

 

Tortola, British Virgin Islands - All the Virgin Islands are gorgeous. Tortola is less-visited than St. Thomas, so you won't encounter the same crowds.

 

Philipsburg, St. Maarten - Very modern and tourist-focused. Half French/Half Dutch.

 

Basseterre, St. Kitts - Minimal development. Amazing views, historical sites, beaches. Monkeys out-number people on this island.

 

Roseau, Dominica - Very undeveloped. You NEED to book a tour or excursion to see the island. There's very little right near the pier. Incredible waterfalls, rain forests, natural hot springs, black sand beaches. Parts of Pirates of the Caribbean movies were filmed here. It's one of my all-time favorite ports of call and the main reason I chose the itinerary I selected for my next cruise.

 

Bridgetown, Barbados - Modern, wealthy, tourist-focused. Lots of beach resorts.

 

OR

 

 

Bridgetown, Barbados - Modern, wealthy, tourist-focused. Lots of beach resorts.

 

Castries, St. Lucia - Volcano, rain forests, Pitons, fabulous beach resorts.

 

St. John's, Antigua - I did a waterbased excursion here. Didn't see much of the actual island, but the kayak/boat/snorkeling tour I did was GREAT!

 

Philipsburg, St. Maarten - Very modern and tourist-focused. Half French/Half Dutch.

 

Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I. - Smaller, less developed sister to St. Thomas. Nice beaches.

[OTownNick]

I would choose based on itinerary first. You have seen he Oasis class, so I would recommend Jewel if the itinerary is a tie.. Only because its so different than the Oasis and Adventure. It's beautiful and gives you a more relaxed, less crowded, even romantic feel. We love ALL the ships, including Radiance class. Notice we have the Jewel booked twice in the next year. We are going more for the itinerary as our priority.

 

The March 2014 cruise we have booked has a unique itinerary- goes to Martinique and Dominica. Not many cruises go there

 

Overall the itinerary with Tortola and St Kitts is the one I would go with, whichever ship it is.

Edited April 11, 2013 by OTownNick

[BillOh]

Thanks Cruisingator! What didn't you like about the Radiance class?

 

An equal number of people will say this is their favorite class. I've been on both classes (2 voyager classes) There was things I like about both, and I can be happy on either and would let other factors pick ,but I'm mid 50s. The Voyager class is a little more younger friendly and I do like the outdoor solarium better.

[BillOh]

You'll notice from my signature that I'm booked on Jewel, so I clearly chose THAT option. That doesn't necessarily mean it's right for YOU

 

Outstanding message! I didn't have to make the choice because we are going again in May when I think Adventure goes elsewhere? I also loved the outdoor seating on Jewel. The Refurbishment doesn't make that go away does it?

[sjpsoccer14]

You'll notice from my signature that I'm booked on Jewel, so I clearly chose THAT option. That doesn't necessarily mean it's right for YOU.

 

I've cruised on both Adventure of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas (sister to Jewel) out of San Juan and here's how I would compare them:

 

• Adventure is the larger ship, as others have mentioned. It has more of the "WOW" features typically associated with Royal Caribbean, such as the Royal Promenade and Ice Rink.
  
• Jewel is a smaller ship - no ice rink, no Royal Promenade and a significantly smaller main pool.
  
• Adventure will draw more families with young children. When my adult daughter (age 22 at the time) and I cruised on Serenade, there were fewer than a dozen kids under the age of 13 on our ship. We enjoyed the more adult-focused experience.
  
• Jewel has outdoor seating at the Windjammer, which I view as a HUGE advantage. I LOVE sitting ouside and watching the ship pull into port as I eat my breakfast.
  
• The Solarium Pool area on the Radiance Class ships are incredible. Again, the trade-off is that the main pool is a lot smaller than on the Voyager Class ships.
  
• Activities on the smaller ship are more intimate, which promotes more interaction between passengers. We LIKED this, as it made the experience more "friendly". The Quest will take place in the large lounge/small theater and will be played as teams of 6-8 passengers per team, rather than being primarily a spectator event as it is when held at Studio B. Passengers are PART of the 70s night party, rather than watching the performances on the balconies above the Promenade.
  

 

Both of these are GREAT ships! Adventure was my FAVORITE ship ever...until I cruised on Serenade, which became my new FAVORITE ship ever! You can't go wrong with EITHER option!

 

Keep in mind that both itineraries are very port intensive. You'll have only ONE sea day. If one itinerary is more appealing than the other, I'd recommend basing your decision on that, rather than the ship.

 

I've included a very BRIEF description of each port below.

 

Tortola, British Virgin Islands - All the Virgin Islands are gorgeous. Tortola is less-visited than St. Thomas, so you won't encounter the same crowds.

 

Philipsburg, St. Maarten - Very modern and tourist-focused. Half French/Half Dutch.

 

Basseterre, St. Kitts - Minimal development. Amazing views, historical sites, beaches. Monkeys out-number people on this island.

 

Roseau, Dominica - Very undeveloped. You NEED to book a tour or excursion to see the island. There's very little right near the pier. Incredible waterfalls, rain forests, natural hot springs, black sand beaches. Parts of Pirates of the Caribbean movies were filmed here. It's one of my all-time favorite ports of call and the main reason I chose the itinerary I selected for my next cruise.

 

Bridgetown, Barbados - Modern, wealthy, tourist-focused. Lots of beach resorts.

 

OR

 

 

Bridgetown, Barbados - Modern, wealthy, tourist-focused. Lots of beach resorts.

 

Castries, St. Lucia - Volcano, rain forests, Pitons, fabulous beach resorts.

 

St. John's, Antigua - I did a waterbased excursion here. Didn't see much of the actual island, but the kayak/boat/snorkeling tour I did was GREAT!

 

Philipsburg, St. Maarten - Very modern and tourist-focused. Half French/Half Dutch.

 

Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I. - Smaller, less developed sister to St. Thomas. Nice beaches.

 

 

Thank you so much! This is perfect!

[Nvtitan89]

Radiance class ships are Royal Caribbeans worst designed ships in my opinion. The sun decks are tiny for Caribbean cruises, there is no WOW factor at all, and they feel crammed and small. The solarium is horrible. It is hot, humid, and not made for warm weather cruises.

 

Voyager class ships are almost flawless to us.

Edited April 15, 2013 by Nvtitan24

[voyager89]

Outstanding message! I didn't have to make the choice because we are going again in May when I think Adventure goes elsewhere? I also loved the outdoor seating on Jewel. The Refurbishment doesn't make that go away does it?

 

It does! I just learned this, actually since Jewel is the only one that hasn't "suffered" the refurb yet, it's the only one that keeps the seaview cafe and the outdoor Windjammer. I am not sure about the last one, but the Seaview cafe is being removed to place this Oasis class restaurants.

 

I had the same dilemma as you did (as you can see in my signature I have an Adventure countdown) but we ended up going for the Jewel which we booked just yesterday First I really wanted the Jewel but the price was way higher, so we went for Adventure thinking bigger ship / smaller rate, why are we even deciding? Plus I really didn't want to miss the Promenade (like you, I also did the Oasis) and I thought I would feel the size change a lot. So the Adventure went up a lot, and Jewel dropped a lot, so we went for the last one.

 

I was fine with either or, since in one hand, I didn't want to miss that many Oasis features including the promenade which was my favorite venue but in the other hand I also wanted to experience the feeling of a smaller, more luxurious ship. The centrum looks beautiful as well, and overall it looks like it will feel more of a mature ambience.

 

We are also on our 20's so this is perfect for us. I think the Adventure attracts more families while Jewel attracts more couples and groups. I have been watching pictures over and over as well as YouTube videos and I am soooo excited about it, I guess even more excited than I was for the adventure for some reason. Plus, I believe Jewel is newer :)

[imapost2003]

We recently booked Adventure for January. There are 5 of us in our 20's going and have never been on Voyager class. Excited to try that class as well as the ports. We did consider the Jewel but i liked the AOS itinerary a little bit better.

 

Been on Radiance class twice though and can say that they are very nice ships, outdoor windjammer seating is fantastic, nice casinos, and on the ships i was on the AC was on inside the solarium so it was cool. Also note that the Jewel is much newer than the Adventure. Also if you get a balcony room, the voyager class has 1/2 glass, 1/2 steel, while as the radiance class has full glass.

[bettyboop16]

I won't be much help in you deciding which cruise ship to sail. We decide to book the Jewel back to back Feb.2014 mostly because of the itinerary. We are trying RCI for the first time & have been on several other lines.

 

Southern Caribbean is our favorite to sail & I don't mind this being our 4th trip to St.Thomas & 2nd time visiting most of the other islands:).

 

I like the size of the Jewel & it can't be That! small to carry 2500 guest. We have been on smaller ships with about 1200 guest.

 

What ever you decide I am sure you will have a great time:).

 

Betty

[RetiredMailman]

My girlfriend and I are both in our mid 20s and we are trying to plan a cruise for next March. We absolutely loved the Oasis class ships and all they offer but we are looking for a change from the typical Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Martin / Labadee, Falmouth and Cozumel routes.

 

I have narrowed our choices between the Jewel of the Seas March 22, 2014 Departs From San Juan, Puerto Rico visiting Tortola, British Virgin Islands >> Philipsburg, St. Maarten >> Basseterre, St. Kitts >> Roseau, Dominica >> Bridgetown, Barbados.

 

OR

 

The Adventure of the Seas March 23, 2014 Departs From San Juan, Puerto Rico visiting Bridgetown, Barbados >> Castries, St. Lucia >> St. John's, Antigua >> Philipsburg, St. Maarten >> Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I.

 

Does anyone have any pros or cons for either ship or route?

 

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

-Charlie

 

My wife and I like all the ports and we have trouble deciding also so we will be doing a back to back in Feb. This is where we check into our cabin on 1 Feb and do one set of islands for 7 days then back to San Juan and pick up another load of fresh passengers while we shop downtown and then sail to a different set of isalnds on the next 7 days. Same cabin for 2 weeks. Then we get off at the end of the second cruise and have to come back to the real world. Like them all, like St. Johns, St. Croix, a lttle more but would consider living on any of the islands for a year or two. Hope it helps

[fridaythe13th]

I like both classes but for different reasons. If you like pool, there are two self-leveling pool tables on the Radiance class. I would probably pick by itinerary and/or price. We enjoyed both classes.

[suep]

We've been on Adventure, and also on the Serenade and Radiance. Next February will be our first time on Jewel. Like many have said, it's mostly personal preference. We did not care for the promenade area on the Adventure & Freedom; and we did not care for the metal surrounding the balcony on the Adventure. The Jewel will have the glass balcony. Our sons and their significant others will be with us on this trip and our older son actually suggested we go on the Jewel because he, too, did not care for the promenade and liked more of the glass and open feel to the ship (he's 29). We either like to try a different ship or different islands; our itinerary will take us to 2 new islands. No matter what you choose, I'm sure you'll have an awesome time!

[Richjoxyz]

They are both good ships and good itineraries.

 

I would pick based on price.

[whtevr]

It does! I just learned this, actually since Jewel is the only one that hasn't "suffered" the refurb yet, it's the only one that keeps the seaview cafe and the outdoor Windjammer. I am not sure about the last one, but the Seaview cafe is being removed to place this Oasis class restaurants.

 

I had the same dilemma as you did (as you can see in my signature I have an Adventure countdown) but we ended up going for the Jewel which we booked just yesterday First I really wanted the Jewel but the price was way higher, so we went for Adventure thinking bigger ship / smaller rate, why are we even deciding? Plus I really didn't want to miss the Promenade (like you, I also did the Oasis) and I thought I would feel the size change a lot. So the Adventure went up a lot, and Jewel dropped a lot, so we went for the last one.

 

I was fine with either or, since in one hand, I didn't want to miss that many Oasis features including the promenade which was my favorite venue but in the other hand I also wanted to experience the feeling of a smaller, more luxurious ship. The centrum looks beautiful as well, and overall it looks like it will feel more of a mature ambience.

 

We are also on our 20's so this is perfect for us. I think the Adventure attracts more families while Jewel attracts more couples and groups. I have been watching pictures over and over as well as YouTube videos and I am soooo excited about it, I guess even more excited than I was for the adventure for some reason. Plus, I believe Jewel is newer :)

 

How was your cruise? I have been on the Adventure and Allure of the Seas. This will be our first cruise on a "smaller" ship.:o