Back from the Jewel - mixed review

[imsulin2]

Gee, I really wish I could!! However, DD is presenting me with grandchild #1 at the beginning of March, so myself and my "cruise bucks" will be in Eugene, Oregon, at that time.

 

You work all your life to raise your kids to be "productive" citizens....and you had no idea what "productive" really meant!!

 

Sigh.

 

But..I'll be back in the fall of 2007!!

[Virginia Zees]

Sue,

I agree with everything that you said about the April 22nd sailing. That extra 5 pounds that I put on was really hard to loose.

 

We also experienced the same type of food and service on the Jewel 3 weeks ago, in fact DW was so disapointed we booked another 8 day eastern on Jewel :)

[Ottawa_cruise_man]

Children adapt. I think mom was more worried about the "time" than the child. As far as the kid fiendly food, organic or not, the OP SHOULD HAVE gone to the dinning room to make arragements for the food she wanted for her child. I realize her family did not want to eat there in evenings, but the staff WOULD HAVE accomodated her requests. She could have spoken to her head waiter and said, " We dont want to dine in in your beautiful resturant, we would like to either eat in the WJ or order room service. Is it possible for us to have ___________ fill in the blank. RCCL in my experience, will always try to accomadate.

 

In retro, maybe the OP should go to the dinning room on future cruises, the staff love to see the babies and will bend over backwards to please the little ones. YMMV

Finally! I was wondering if I was the only one that thought about this. Having never cruised before, I don't know what the dining room is like. As long as the kid isn't balling his/her eyes out that evening/morning/lunch, then I think it would be fine bringing kids that age in the dining room. If we have a little kid at our table, I know that I will be liking it. Might even take a little "pressure" off the perents.

To the O.P.: Time zone problems are your own. Every cruise line will do the same thing. If you cross the line, change the clocks. Next year, you won't have as much of a problem changing time zones by one hour for your child will be one year older.

By restricting yourself to those sources of food (no dining room and specialty restaurants), you put a dent in the fun quota of the whole cruise. I would have talked with someone in guest relations (or someone else in the crew) to get some advice. I truly don't believe that any other cruise line would have been more accomodating - especially since you didn't try out the other places. What about the specialty restaurants? Were they open at times convenient to your feeding schedule? I realize that there is a surcharge, but this is a cruise: live it up!

 

I will be going on the Jewel in February 2007 and I hope to have as good a time as others have had. Thanks for your reviews!

[bplazo]

As far as specialty restraunts, Portifions or Chops, normally do not allow children under 13.

[Cruising89143]

As far as specialty restraunts, Portifions or Chops, normally do not allow children under 13.

 

They do if they are at the 6:00 reservation period and no later. This was posted in the 12/02 sailing Jewel Compass.

[PhoenixCruiser]

They do if they are at the 6:00 reservation period and no later. This was posted in the 12/02 sailing Jewel Compass.

 

Same for our 10/26 cruise on the Jewel.

 

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[caviargal]

They do if they are at the 6:00 reservation period and no later. This was posted in the 12/02 sailing Jewel Compass.

 

Yes, this was also true on the 12-10 sailing and we saw a few high chairs (empty) when we arrived for our 8pm reservations, though only in Chops and not in Portofino.

[RareBird]

 

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)

 

You know, in all our cruises, we never had a problem getting a table for 2 in the dining room for breadfast, in fact, it was often a table for 4 just for the 2 of us. Yes, on last day of the cruise they will not give you a separate table, sometimes, when it's busy, they will say they won't give it to you as well. If you insist, they will ask you to wait for the next table for 2 to become available.

 

:)

[caviargal]

You know, in all our cruises, we never had a problem getting a table for 2 in the dining room for breadfast, in fact, it was often a table for 4 just for the 2 of us. Yes, on last day of the cruise they will not give you a separate table, sometimes, when it's busy, they will say they won't give it to you as well. If you insist, they will ask you to wait for the next table for 2 to become available.

 

:)

 

I have a lot of cruises under my belt as well, and have also never been denied a table for two during open sitting. I was quite surprised when we were told - on the 4th morning, not the last - that they were too busy.

 

We went back to the Concierge Lounge and enjoyed a nice, quiet breakfast.

 

I am not one to insist and simply expected to be accomodated, as I have always been in the past.

[DonnaK]

Ditto. Although I am not in service with the military or otherwise, I am a mom. Children adapt. I think mom was more worried about the "time" than the child. As far as the kid fiendly food, organic or not, the OP SHOULD HAVE gone to the dinning room to make arragements for the food she wanted for her child. I realize her family did not want to eat there in evenings, but the staff WOULD HAVE accomodated her requests. She could have spoken to her head waiter and said, " We dont want to dine in in your beautiful resturant, we would like to either eat in the WJ or order room service. Is it possible for us to have ___________ fill in the blank. RCCL in my experience, will always try to accomadate.

 

In retro, maybe the OP should go to the dinning room on future cruises, the staff love to see the babies and will bend over backwards to please the little ones. YMMV

 

 

This is what I was thinking as I read along with the thread. I've gone cruising with infants and young children before, on several cruislines, not just RCCL. We always ate in the dining room and never encountered a problem. The wait team went above and beyond to accomodate our needs, and it couldn't have been more comfortable or delicious. The maitre-d sat us at our own table, in an out-of-the-way location so the high chair wouldn't be in the way, and the babies wouldn't bother anyone. One night, the child was asleep, so we wheeled her into the dining room in her stroller, which we placed next to the table but against the wall. The waiter prepared her dinner to-go.

 

Now that my children, neices and nephews are grown, we always smile to see young families with infants/young children enjoying a meal in the dining room. Babies adapt, and only once have I ever seen a parent have to leave the dining room with a crying child to avoid disturbing other diners.

 

IMO - Avoiding the dining room was the OP's real problem.

[PH8]

I have a lot of cruises under my belt as well, and have also never been denied a table for two during open sitting. I was quite surprised when we were told - on the 4th morning, not the last - that they were too busy.

 

.

 

Wow!That is surprising.......we have always gotten a table for two ourselves...........Must have been packed!!:eek:

[critterchick]

We've also always gotten a table for 2 at breakfast if we ask for it, but there's always that moment of, "...I do not know, madame, we are very busy..." which I have to think is meant to make you say, "oh, never mind, then." I just smile and ask them to see what they can do and it has worked every time.

[alexkrn46]

I have found that room service is a place where English is a second lanuage sometimes I found it difficult to place an order. Also I would assume that 24 hour menu would be 24 hours. It would be challenging to travel with young children, perhaps Disney Cruiselines would be more accomidating.

[bplazo]

When my daughter was younger I tried staying home with her, it worked well. Started vacations with her when she was seven.

[caviargal]

Wow!That is surprising.......we have always gotten a table for two ourselves...........Must have been packed!!:eek:

 

Not even close. If it had been packed, we would have left before asking.

 

When at first they said they were very busy, and it was obvious they were not, my husband politely explained that we were on our honeymoon and preferred to be alone. He said he would see what he could do and prompty led us to a table for ten.

 

After two requests that were denied, it was easier just to go elsewhere.