Back from the Jewel - mixed review

[gkrebs]

This is our first cruise and my husband and I have lost more than 70lbs between us, so I'd like to know if on the Brillance, will we be able to order a salad of any sort from anywhere at lunch that does not come off the buffet?? We do eat almost totally organic, but understand that this is just impossible for any cruiseline to accommadate, but we'd like to stick to as healthy as possible but avoid the buffets if we can....any tips or advice?? thnks

 

Beth,

 

you and your husband will find plenty of ways to stay on the diets. Just stay away from the crepes in Solarium if they make them there as well as most of the deserts. Enjoy your trip. I always lose weight on a cruise. I never sit still long enough for the calories to take hold and my dw swears I eat like a horse when Im on a cruise.

[KillaFee]

Don't mind at all!!

I wanted to make the Key West meet up - but I ended up loosing track of the time!

 

I hated the bad weather in Cozumel, but with the number of ships we probably weren't going to get a good spot on Paradise Beach anyway :)

 

The time changes were the worst thing about the trip I think. We probably wouldn't have had such food issues if we didn't stay on CST time so long. I would have really loved more healthy choices though!! Am I really the only person who actually likes the taste of a couple of healthy dishes? It kind of defeats the purpose of turkey sausage if you cook it in grease.

 

I never saw the college kids (a good part of being in the room by 7:00!). We got full use of the bars though - in the early morning when ds woke up! they became his play room as we would take his toys there at 5:00 in the morning and play with him until breakfast.

 

Weather in GC was GREAT as was Costa Maya.

 

Several people mentioned the Captain being a no show so much. Even at the Captains cocktail party! I mean, I understand no hand shaking, but at least speak to the guests!!

 

To answer your question about you being the only one that enjoys a few healthy dishes, no you're not the only one. I am a strict vegetarian and have always found plenty of veggies available on Royal Caribbean ships. That being said, I've never had to pay attention to availability of food during special hours to accomadate a child, so I'm sure our experiences are different because of that. That is weird that they wouldn't let you just order veggies for the kiddo...I have moments like that too (not on cruises, but just in general in different environments with the exception of big cities) when I feel like the only things available are fried/meaty/covered in cheese....etc when all ya want is something fresh and simple or a friggin carrot to chew on! They do have a yummy avacado sandwich at the Seaview I thought....oh well better luck next time!

Laura

[PH8]

This is our first cruise and my husband and I have lost more than 70lbs between us, so I'd like to know if on the Brillance, will we be able to order a salad of any sort from anywhere at lunch that does not come off the buffet?? We do eat almost totally organic, but understand that this is just impossible for any cruiseline to accommadate, but we'd like to stick to as healthy as possible but avoid the buffets if we can....any tips or advice?? thnks

 

You can eat healthy and walk,walk,walk.............do not take the elevators..........makes a big difference!

[clm101798]

What I don't understand is the complaint about the breakfast room service. First of all even if you called at 5:15, if they open at 6 and delivered at 7:25 that is not more than two hours. Yes an hour and 25 minutes is still long but a lot of people on a cruise ship order room service for breakfast - the night before. If you call them 45 minutes before they start to deliver all these other people's breakfasts then you go on the bottom of the list and depending on how many people ordered the night before it may take a while.

[clm101798]

oops double post

[GoinCruisin]

It sounds like you shouldn't be cruising on any mass market cruise line... I would definitely try "moving up" as you said... you can't expect any mass market line to cater to all of your needs, or change things in order to suit you... You really aren't paying enough to expect/demand this type of attention. The coffee thing... would be like going to McDonalds and being upset that they wouldn't make you a Whopper... I mean, it's just a hamburger right??? They should know how to make it even though they are a completely different outfit right??? (see how silly it sounds???) Traveling with a toddler isn't going to be easy and from everything I've seen on these boards, you TRULY have to adjust your normal lives if you choose to bring your toddler/infant along with you, it sounds like you wanted the cruiseline to adjust to your schedule rather than the other way around... It's just not going to happen. You had options that you chose not to pursue... the dining room is much more accomodating, but YOU chose not to go there (then again, if your child behaves the way you said, it was for the best..., but that is not the cruise lines fault!! MANY toddlers do not behave that way, and do just fine in the dining room) Also, you mentioned getting upset about there rarely being steaks... then you mention "organic" and "healthy", none of the "steaks" are going to be either ;) So it sounds like you were flexible enough to eat non healthy, non organic steaks and lobster each night... but that might be where the flexibility ended. Some of your complaints are valid... if the menu indicated you could get doughnuts, etc at 5am, it shouldn't have taken 2 hours... I don't know... I never tried to order at 5am... I just think you were expecting far too much, just my opinion.

[PhoenixCruiser]

3 times??? I would have thought Boston and Bermuda were in the same time zone...

 

It wasn't in October. We changed it before and after Bermuda. The third time was due to day-light savings. This was on the 10/26 cruise :)

 

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[PH8]

It wasn't in October. We changed it before and after Bermuda. The third time was due to day-light savings. This was on the 10/26 cruise :)

 

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So I guess Bermuda and Boston are not the same time zone.............live and learn!! Thanks...........

 

Looks like the OP is now venting elsewhere since she didnt like we had to say.....

[lexxity]

I'm not surprised the OP has gone elsewhere! I have advised her to try Cunard next time. The staff could not have been better or more flexible, also the passengers were wonderful and thought that travelling with a small chid was a good thing to do. It's called broadening horizons, something some of you on here could do with doing if your attitudes are anything to go by.

[PH8]

Never mind..........so not worth it....

[caviargal]

I was on this cruise and it is hard to believe there were only 200 kids! I have never seen so many strollers on a ship and there were constantly kids racing up and down our hallway, oblivious to others. I had expected far fewer on a non holiday sailing.

 

We did not use the dining room (tried once at breakfast but were told they could not honor our request for a table for 2), Windjammer only once for lunch, no Seaview Cafe or room service. We booked Chops for 3 nights and Portofino for three, late hours as we prefer an adult dining room. We found Portofino to be great and Chops to be good but not consistent. We did not use room service and had breakfast each day in the Concierge Lounge. The staff in these three venues were very nice.

 

Internet service was not as slow as I remembered from the FOS and SOV and I was pleasantly surprised. I did, however, use it at less popular times.

 

We had a wonderful room steward who took very good care of us and our very nice Jr. Suite. We spent a great deal of time in our room and on our balcony, as the pool area was crowded and noisy, not something we enjoy. I found it annoying that they have now decided to take up precious pool and deck space with last minute t shirt and jewelry sales:(. It was already busy enough.

 

I agree about SBC coffee. I had coffee there once and ordered a cappucino and it had far too much milk, as much as a latte. I did not try another.

 

The fitness center was great and we had drinks each evening in the Champagne Bar before dinner. We did not check out the shows or any of the entertainment.

 

The ship is just beautiful and she looked even prettier for the holidays.

 

Alistair, the Concierge, was very helpful and professional. We did not use the lounge before dinner as many do, but loved having a quiet breakfast or a coffee there. It is not crowded during the day at all.

 

The Captain was very personable and we very much enjoyed the bridge tour offered on the last day to D+ members.

 

As for ports, we did not care for Tequila Beach in Costa Maya (that was the only time we noticed the kids from Univ of Georgia as they were drinking steadily and getting louder and louder as the day progressed). The bathrooms there were grungy and the drinks awful. I would not recommend it personally.

 

We opted for Playa Palancar in Cozumel as it is a quieter beach and we enjoy the ceviche there. It was not a pretty day but we stayed quite a while.

 

GC was the best port by far IMO and we had a fabulous day at the Ritz, a stunning hotel. We liked it so much we booked a long weekend there late this summer.

 

Key West is ok, but gets more and more commercial with each visit it seems. I prefer it as it was 20 years ago.

[Cruising89143]

Never mind..........so not worth it....

 

PH you're so right. I won't even go there.;) By the way, the OP has now moved over to the Family board and is stating that she is getting bashed here. Some folks never cease to amaze me. This person has been on RCI several previous times and she did not know how things on the ship operated? I do think that she should try Cunard. Sounds just like it would be the perfect fit for her. :)

[caviargal]

I agree that the OP had unrealistic expectations when it came to this cruise and would have been better served adapting to what the ship could provide to get what she wanted.

 

Although the Jewel was not the cruise we planned to be on (ours was cancelled with barely 4 days notice), we adjusted our expectations and customized the cruise to give us more of what we enjoy and as little as possible of what we don't like. The surcharge restaurants, our balcony instead of the pool for quiet time in the sun, etc. These were not things we expected to have to compromise on based on our original plans but they sure did make a big difference in our enjoyment factor. Going with the flow is the best option, IMO, to get the best experience for your own needs/tastes.

[dogsambam]

I have to be honest, after reading the original post, I freaked. This is our first cruise with our 1 year old. We are both very experienced cruisers, and know that crising with our little girl is going to be quite different. We even thought of doing the Queen Mary 2, but we were advised to stay away with kids. We also were told my many that we probably wouldn't like it either. As you can see from my signature, we are used to RCCL, Princess, and Holland America. We consistantly choose these lines becasue, obviously, we like them. I have heard such great things about the Radience class, and now I really am wondering. I thank everyone who has defended the ship, and gave positive feedback. I hope this ship is not different, but I have NEVER been on a ship that did not try to honor our requests. I hope we have a different experience, as we really are not, and never expect anything. We are going with a we'll see attitude. We are bringing extra baby food, and trying to cater to our daughters needs, without having to rely on unknowns from RCCL. I am so excited to go away and introduce my little girl to my wife and mine's passion. I think I may not read anymore on Cruise Ciritc until after we return, because I now have a fear about this trip which I did not have before.

[Cruising89143]

I have to be honest, after reading the original post, I freaked. This is our first cruise with our 1 year old. We are both very experienced cruisers, and know that crising with our little girl is going to be quite different. We even thought of doing the Queen Mary 2, but we were advised to stay away with kids. We also were told my many that we probably wouldn't like it either. As you can see from my signature, we are used to RCCL, Princess, and Holland America. We consistantly choose these lines becasue, obviously, we like them. I have heard such great things about the Radience class, and now I really am wondering. I thank everyone who has defended the ship, and gave positive feedback. I hope this ship is not different, but I have NEVER been on a ship that did not try to honor our requests. I hope we have a different experience, as we really are not, and never expect anything. We are going with a we'll see attitude. We are bringing extra baby food, and trying to cater to our daughters needs, without having to rely on unknowns from RCCL. I am so excited to go away and introduce my little girl to my wife and mine's passion. I think I may not read anymore on Cruise Ciritc until after we return, because I now have a fear about this trip which I did not have before.

 

I was on this ship the week prior to the OP and saw many kids in strollers. The families all seemed to be enjoying themselves. As long as you are not expecting the cruise line to change it's entire schedule to accommodate your child like the OP was then you should be fine. No matter what age we are, we all have to give and take at times in life and this is one of them. My bet is you will have a great time on this ship. I look forward to reading your comments on your return and most important, it's not what you ask but how you ask.;)

[wraithe]

I have to be honest, after reading the original post, I freaked. This is our first cruise with our 1 year old. We are both very experienced cruisers, and know that crising with our little girl is going to be quite different.

I have NEVER been on a ship that did not try to honor our requests. I hope we have a different experience, as we really are not, and never expect anything. We are going with a we'll see attitude. We are bringing extra baby food, and trying to cater to our daughters needs, without having to rely on unknowns from RCCL. I am so excited to go away and introduce my little girl to my wife and mine's passion. I think I may not read anymore on Cruise Ciritc until after we return, because I now have a fear about this trip which I did not have before.

 

The OP is still saying what a wonderful time she had on Legend except for her experience with getting food for her child. FWIW, if your child isn't so regimented that it can't get by without eating and sleeping on a rigorous schedule, I think you'll be fine. Like what you said above, I know my experience in the DR on 3 cruises and 2 RCL ships is the DR staff go out of their way to accomodate children.

[BuyReallyLow]

You can eat healthy and walk,walk,walk.............do not take the elevators..........makes a big difference!

 

Exactly what I was thinking! Takes care of two complaints at once (1) gaining weight/not eating healthy and (2) the wait for the elevators! Some need em' but a fraction of thost that actually use them!

[imsulin2]

I took DD and DS on the Jewell this past April 22, and I also have to say that I had a problem with room service, the Windjammer, and dining room service. I'm a very experienced cruiser (about 30 - for real!), and I cannot tell you how disappointed I was when our room servvice breakfast arrived on time! Now, admittedly, DS is 23 years old and shared a cabin with me. I was totally annoyed that I had to get out of bed, scramble for a few dollar bills for tip, and then wake DS out of a sound sleep, just because our breakfast had arrived on time! The fact that he'd spent the previous evenings in the disco and Casino had nothing to do with this. Fresh fruit, fresh juice, rolls, croissants, butter...ugh!! I had to force it down him, as I'd forgotten to bring Krystal and Taco Bell items with me. He hated it so much that we ordered room service breakfast every morning, and, unfortunately, it always arrived on time.

 

Now, DD (30 years old) , on the other hand, was sharing a lovely balcony cabin with her husband, and they complained that room service had the unmitigated gall to send three coffee cups with their room service breakfast, instead of only two. She immediately went down to Guest Services to complain, and it took an ungodly 10 minutes to rectify the situation.

 

We were completely appalled at being able to walk right into the Windjammer without having to stand in line. I mean, we had equipped ourselves with comic books, Walkmans, and portable DVD players (spending a fortune on them!). Not being able to use these items left a foul taste in our mouths, especially since we had planned on spending at least two hours in the Windjammer trying to find our favorite high-caloric, greasy, over-cooked items...and couldn't find any!! It was atrocious that we had to eat really good food, and it sucked. Big time!

 

We had actually debated about going to our reserved seating (late dining) in the dining room, because we had serious reservatiions about eating quality food. We gave it a try, and our suspicions were confirmed. I'd spent months assuring DS and DD that "cruise ship crap food" was the norm, and they were delighted! However, on the Jewell, we were completely disappointed. Hot quality food arriving on time?? Give me a break! I had to do a really fast lesson instructing them on the use of proper dinnerware. Good God!! I mean, these kids grew up eating Honey Nut Cheerios with extra sugar, overly-salted french fries, and Chicken McNuggets with their fingers! It was a total nightmare, and I still cannot believe that we ate in the dining room every night!

 

All in all, it was a lousy cruise. Foodwise.

 

Oops - forgot to add that I have five kids, travelled a lot with them when they were little, and never lost a minute's sleep over not being able to find yogurt or good oatmeal in Ireland/ Canada/Germany etc. for them!!

[PH8]

Sue-----------hope you got compensation for all you had to endure.........you deserve it.....:p

[hstrybuf]

Sue, what a great sense of humor! :D

[Cruising89143]

Sue, the best post on this thread. Thanks for the laughs.:)

[PhoenixCruiser]

Sue, the best post on this thread. Thanks for the laughs.:)

 

Agreed :D Glad to see you back on the boards and I hope you are feeling better :)

 

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[imsulin2]

Thanks, all!

 

Our Aprill 22, 2006 Cruise Critic 8-night Jewell cruise was one of the very best I've ever taken! Great ship, great food, great everything!! We had a blast!! Good for RCI and the Jewell!!

 

Feeling much better, and looking forward to my next cruise - whenever that may be!

[PhoenixCruiser]

Thanks, all!

 

Our Aprill 22, 2006 Cruise Critic 8-night Jewell cruise was one of the very best I've ever taken! Great ship, great food, great everything!! We had a blast!! Good for RCI and the Jewell!!

 

Feeling much better, and looking forward to my next cruise - whenever that may be!

 

Our 10/26 cruise on the Jewel was excellent as well, even if the weather and seas were horrible :cool:

 

Now start planning the next one Sue :D

 

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[wrp96]

Thanks, all!

 

Our Aprill 22, 2006 Cruise Critic 8-night Jewell cruise was one of the very best I've ever taken! Great ship, great food, great everything!! We had a blast!! Good for RCI and the Jewell!!

 

Feeling much better, and looking forward to my next cruise - whenever that may be!

 

Sue, are you certain you can't join us on the 2/10/07 Jewel. We need somebody like you to show us how "horrible" RCCL truly is.