Fantastic itinerary.

Item: Jewel of the Seas
Rating: 4
Author: paggers

Jewel of the Seas Cruise Review to Europe - Mediterranean

paggers

Contributor Level: Purser

303 Days Till Next Cruise

Cruises: 4-6 cruises

Reviews: 2

Helpful Votes: 65

Overall rating:

4 out of 5

9 Night Greek Isles (Rome Roundtrip)

Sail date: May 20, 2019

Ship: Jewel of the Seas

Cabin type: Inside

Traveled as: Family (older children)

Reviewed: 5 years ago

Review summary

We really enjoyed this cruise. The itinerary was fantastic and we met some great people. Having been on Harmony last year Jewel is quite small in comparison. Although we found Harmony too big we found Jewel too small and missed the promenade. If you are going on this ship I would recommend a cruise with a packed itinerary to minimize sea days. That said, it’s a lovely ship and the staff were amazing. I heard a lot of moans about the food in MDR but we honestly couldn’t fault it.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Very quick and easy.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

All of the food in the MDR and Windjammer was excellent.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

If you like the bigger ships you may find this one a bit quiet.

Entertainment

3 out of 5

They were ok.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

From the minute we got on board until the day we left the service we received everywhere was nothing short of excellent.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

It’s an older ship but doesn’t show it in the main areas.

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5

Never had an inside cabin before and won’t do one again. Nothing wrong with it, just not for me. Plenty big enough with good storage and the room attendant kept it very clean.

Ship tip

It’s a holiday. Don’t go looking for things to moan about. Enjoy yourself!!

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Messina, Sicily

2 out of 5

Just had a mooch around town. Seeing the clock in the main square at noon is pretty cool but the hawkers got too much.

Thumbs Up 0

Valletta, Malta

5 out of 5

Loved this port. Went to Mdina (wonderful). Then took the elevator up to Messina.

Thumbs Up 0

Mykonos, Greece

5 out of 5

Did our own thing and loved it. Very pretty and wonderful food.

Thumbs Up 0

Santorini, Greece

5 out of 5

This place is utterly stunning. Took a bus to Oia, really recommended it. But... when we got off the ship you have a couple of options. 1. Take the cable car up the mountain. 2. Take a boat to Oia and they provide a bus back. We were traveling with my 84 year old mother in law. Luckily she is quite mobile, if you are with someone who isn’t as mobile you may be better off with a ship excursion.

Thumbs Up 2

Piraeus (Athens), Greece

5 out of 5

Booked a private tour. Sun Express bus. Brilliant. Acropolis was amazing and had a great lunch in Plaka.

Thumbs Up 4

Naples, Italy

1 out of 5

Hated it.

Thumbs Up 0

Disembarkation

5 out of 5

Just walked straight off the ship into our cab.

1 Comment

JohnsonL 5 years ago

Glad you enjoyed the cruise and the ship although it is not as energetic as the larger RCI ships. We still enjoyed the great service, outstanding views, beautifully appointed Safari Club, Schooner Bar, Zanzibar Lounge, etc. We thought it ideal for our excursion filled 9 day Mediterranean cruise and also for a more relaxing Southern Caribbean cruise. We also barely found interest in Naples, but, using it as a gateway to Positano, Sorento, Capri, Pompeii, and Herculaneum I believe is its strength.

Thumbs Up 0

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Other reviews of this sailing

Misrepresentation

Great Mediterranean Cruise

Excellent Greek Isles Cruise