Just off Jewel - any questions

[sandancer]

Disembarked this morning following a 7 night cruise on the Jewel. Happy to answer any questions if I can.

 

 

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[Clarea]

Any discounts on drink packages, or drink cards for sale?

[GMCL]

Will be on Jewel on the 17th July. Did you catch any of the shows in the theatre. What was your impression of the entertainment in general around the ship. Any chance you could post cruise compasses. Thanks.

[andynalex66]

What did you do for port activities? How was the MDR options and entertainment? Did you do any pre or post things?

[Miryam1234]

Was it really so crowded and lots of chair hogs and no pool patrol as somebody claimed?

Going on the 24th of July cruise.

[IsanTom]

No more Park Cafe?

[Clarea]

No more Park Cafe?

Jewel never had Park Cafe, and they decided not to install one during the recent dry dock.

[sandancer]

Was it really so crowded and lots of chair hogs and no pool patrol as somebody claimed?

Going on the 24th of July cruise.

 

 

Yes. And the somebody who claimed was ME.

 

 

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[sandancer]

Will be on Jewel on the 17th July. Did you catch any of the shows in the theatre. What was your impression of the entertainment in general around the ship. Any chance you could post cruise compasses. Thanks.

 

 

Sorry, can't help with cruise compasses. We enjoyed the entertainment. Both production shows were good. There was a band called Zoots who were a lot of fun and played 60s music. They were a headliner show so don't know if they are still on. Classical guitarist was excellent. House band and orchestra both good.

 

 

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[sandancer]

Any discounts on drink packages, or drink cards for sale?

 

 

Not that I know of. A lot of people had a free drinks package. We didn't.

 

 

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[Clarea]

Not that I know of. A lot of people had a free drinks package. We didn't.

Thanks for the info.

[sandancer]

What did you do for port activities? How was the MDR options and entertainment? Did you do any pre or post things?

 

 

We did our own thing at all of the ports. No pre or post cruise activities. We had cruise transfers and did not spend any extra time in Rome (been there a few times). I have posted separately about entertainment. The food in the MDR was fine. We enjoyed all our meals in the MDR, we did Mytime and had no problems getting a table at 7.45 each night. The service was fine, although the wait staff were rushed sometimes.

We ate in Giovannis on the first night and it was excellent. Food and service first class.

 

 

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[fragilek]

which ports did you do diy and how easy did you find that to do.

 

Thanks for any info

[Bobal]

Yes. And the somebody who claimed was ME.

 

 

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I asked on your original thread whether you saw any improvements after 'Official Royal Caribbean' contacted the ship

[GMCL]

Sorry, can't help with cruise compasses. We enjoyed the entertainment. Both production shows were good. There was a band called Zoots who were a lot of fun and played 60s music. They were a headliner show so don't know if they are still on. Classical guitarist was excellent. House band and orchestra both good.

 

 

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Good to hear that. Thanks for your help.

[sandancer]

I asked on your original thread whether you saw any improvements after 'Official Royal Caribbean' contacted the ship

 

 

Sorry, missed that. I didn't go back to the thread after RC posted. We did not attempt to use the adults pool area after the first couple of days so can't comment on that. On the second sea day all of the sunbeds had towels on them by 8.30am. So the answer is no, didn't see any improvement. Someone told us that they had seen people putting towels on beds and then going ashore. Now, that really would have blown a gasket if I'd seen that.

 

 

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[sandancer]

which ports did you do diy and how easy did you find that to do.

 

 

 

Thanks for any info

 

 

Santorini. Tender port and not enough time to do much. Took the cable car to Fira. Really wanted to do the boat trip to Oia but couldn't risk it on the time we had.

Athens, HOHO bus which stops right outside the port. 20 euros each. Well worth it. Visited the Acropolis. There is loads of graffiti in Athens and it makes the place look neglected. It was everywhere you looked.

Kusadasi, port is right in town. Walked along the promenade and then went to the market to haggle with the stall holders. All good fun.

Chania, shuttle from the port 3.50 euros return to town. We loved Chania and plan to go back for a week next summer.

On boarding they keep passports until the end of the cruise. Make sure you get a photocopy as you need it if you visit the Acropolis.

It was very hot in all of the ports. Hats, high factor sunscreen and water are essential. I bought a parasol for 4 euros on the HOHO bus and I was very glad of it.

Hope all this helps.

 

 

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[fragilek]

Santorini. Tender port and not enough time to do much. Took the cable car to Fira. Really wanted to do the boat trip to Oia but couldn't risk it on the time we had.

Athens, HOHO bus which stops right outside the port. 20 euros each. Well worth it. Visited the Acropolis. There is loads of graffiti in Athens and it makes the place look neglected. It was everywhere you looked.

Kusadasi, port is right in town. Walked along the promenade and then went to the market to haggle with the stall holders. All good fun.

Chania, shuttle from the port 3.50 euros return to town. We loved Chania and plan to go back for a week next summer.

On boarding they keep passports until the end of the cruise. Make sure you get a photocopy as you need it if you visit the Acropolis.

It was very hot in all of the ports. Hats, high factor sunscreen and water are essential. I bought a parasol for 4 euros on the HOHO bus and I was very glad of it.

Hope all this helps.

 

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Thanks the info for Athens is great I would never have known to take a copy of passport and will definitely now not book a tour and use the HOHO .

 

Looks like the other ports are different to the ones we will do later in the year, We did some of yours on our last cruise in july and the heat nearly broke us:D. Next cruise is in sept so it is cooler.

 

A few years back we toured crete it was a great holiday. We did 5 days based near Elounda - visited Spinalonga (the island by Victoria Hislop, had to go after reading this book and it was amazing to see it), Agios Nikolaos (Elounda was our favourite area). The 5 days in the center- Kinosis Rethymnon Chanina. The 5 days in the south at the remote but beautiful villages some of which are only accessible by ferry.

Edited July 5, 2016 by fragilek

[DENNAS]

Santorini. Tender port and not enough time to do much. Took the cable car to Fira. Really wanted to do the boat trip to Oia but couldn't risk it on the time we had.

Athens, HOHO bus which stops right outside the port. 20 euros each. Well worth it. Visited the Acropolis. There is loads of graffiti in Athens and it makes the place look neglected. It was everywhere you looked.

Kusadasi, port is right in town. Walked along the promenade and then went to the market to haggle with the stall holders. All good fun.

Chania, shuttle from the port 3.50 euros return to town. We loved Chania and plan to go back for a week next summer.

On boarding they keep passports until the end of the cruise. Make sure you get a photocopy as you need it if you visit the Acropolis.

It was very hot in all of the ports. Hats, high factor sunscreen and water are essential. I bought a parasol for 4 euros on the HOHO bus and I was very glad of it.

Hope all this helps.

 

 

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Just curious- do they take Passports upon boarding on every Jewel sailing? Our 9 day next June starts and ends in Rome- going to Italy / Greece and Turkey-

Thanks.

[gagirl7143]

Usually we have only had passports taken when our first EU port was Barcelona. Did not take them in April on Jewel for transatlantic to Rome nor the follow on to France and Spain.

[sandancer]

Just curious- do they take Passports upon boarding on every Jewel sailing? Our 9 day next June starts and ends in Rome- going to Italy / Greece and Turkey-

 

Thanks.

 

 

It may be because of the Turkish port. You have to have a visa to visit Turkey and if you were to fly in independently you would need to purchase it online before you travel. We certainly didn't do it this time so maybe the ship arranged a visa for everyone. You could ask for your passport to be given back to you immediately after sailing from Kusadasi

 

 

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[fragilek]

It may be because of the Turkish port. You have to have a visa to visit Turkey and if you were to fly in independently you would need to purchase it online before you travel. We certainly didn't do it this time so maybe the ship arranged a visa for everyone. You could ask for your passport to be given back to you immediately after sailing from Kusadasi

 

 

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There is no visa requirements for cruise ship passengers- as long as they do not stay on land overnight (even overnight on the ship is ok). They did not take our passports of us last july - not sure why it is happening now.

[gagirl7143]

Turkey visas are not applicable to cruise ship passengers arriving on ship. You only need a visa if you arrive by plane, even to board same day. You do not pass exit customs without a visa at the airport.

[Miryam1234]

We have done two cruises from Italy (departing from Rome and Venice) which both stopped at Kusadasi. Nobody took our passports. But Finns dont need visa for Turkey , so that may be our explanation to keep our passports with us.

[sandancer]

We visit Turkey every year so have always needed a visa but this is the first time we have arrived by sea. There was no explanation offered as to why they kept the passports. They did supply photocopies for port visits. The only place we needed it was the Acropolis .

 

 

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