This is not my first time on RCL
Jewel of the Seas Cruise Review to Panama Canal, Central America
14 Night Panama Canal Westbound (San Juan To San Diego)
Sail date: May 02, 2015
Ship: Jewel of the Seas
Cabin type: Balcony
Cabin number: 9602
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 9 years ago
Review summary
I expected this cruise to be better than it actually was. On a cruise, one of the things you look forward to is the food. A crabcake should no taste like tuna, nor should a steak be 1/2 " thick. On the last formal night of the cruise where typically prime rib and lobster are served, you should not be served tiny shrimp and imitation lobster as an appetizer. The lobster tail was less than 4" long. You could eat it in 4 bites. The best meals that we had were in Portofino which has an upcharge. The Windjammer Cafe was too repetitious and overcooked the omelets.If you got a piece of toast to go with your breakfast and tried to butter it, it would crumble as it was more like melba toast than toast. We eventually only ate breakfast and lunch in the Dining room as you could get a good omelet for breakfast and a fabulous made to order salad and order an entree to go with it.
On the other side of the coin, the service was great. The waiters, bartenders and room stewards were extremely attentive. We did meet an angry husband whose wife was extremely sick and had called the guest relations desk and his needs were not met after almost an hour of waiting for some help.
The excursions bought from RCL were not worth the expense. Of the the tours which we took that were 2- parters, one was good and the other place was terrible. Passengers that booked a taxi and asked to be shown around the area not only saw more, but also paid a lot less. The next time we cruise, we will go on our own and not pay the cruiseship line for something that they don't even provide.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Children's Programs
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
We were Crown and Anchor members and never found the lounge. We also let them know it was our anniversary and we got nothing. No acknowlegement , no card, no cake even though it was listed on the web section of our profile prior to our actual sailing.