The TravelWives are officially back on shore! We're Shannon and Kahla, and we're here to give you all the specific, must-know, sometimes-hilarious details about our sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas. This trip was the perfect mix of relaxation, amazing food, and learning a few cruise hacks along the way.
Pre-Cruise Perfection: Hollywood Beach is a Must
Let’s start with the non-negotiable step: the pre-cruise stay. Cruising out of Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) is easy, but you absolutely have to fly in the night before. Kathleen and Kahla arrived early and stayed right in Hollywood Beach, FL. Seriously, book it! The area is fantastic, the Broadwalk is a whole vibe, and you can practically taste the ocean air already. It’s the best way to kick off a vacation and avoid travel day stress. Hollywood Beach Fl for the win, every single time!
The Good, The Gluten-Free, and The Great Service
The ship's service was outstanding, especially when it came to dining:
Gluten-Free Game Changer: For anyone with dietary needs, this is huge. The buffet even has a small gluten-free section and a few GF desserts. But the real win was being able to pre-order dinner for the next evening every night. Shannon was thrilled! Check out her detailed information about eating gluten free on Jewel of the Seas over at ClashyAdventures.com!
The Dream Team: We used My-Time Dining, but we requested the same incredible staff every night. A huge shout-out to Aldren, Donald, and Rajeeev, our amazing wait staff at Tides (Deck 4 and 5). They were excellent and made every meal feel special.
Unbeatable Room Service: Need a random item? They’re on it! We ordered an extra blanket and a deck of cards at 9:23 PM and they were delivered in a snappy 9 minutes!
A Tiny Night Light Hero: The small floor light that came on at night was a game-changer. Shannon was happy about this, as we both get up multiple times and it was much better than leaving the bathroom light on.
Ship Hacks & Heads-Up (The Stuff They Don’t Tell You)
We found a few essential bits of information every cruiser should know:
WOW Band Woe: Cameron brought his WOW wristband from a previous cruise, but unfortunately, it did not have the ability to be used on Jewel of the Seas.
CPAP Users Beware: There are no outlets near the beds. This is a big problem if you need a CPAP machine, so be sure to pack a non-surge protector extension cord!
App Times are Tricky: Always read the fine print! The times listed in the Royal Caribbean app were about 15 minutes off. For example, the app showed a drawing at 11:00 AM, but the description clarified the drawing was at 10:45 AM.
Single Soda Machine Struggle: There was only one Freestyle location at the back of the buffet. Of course, you can get a soda from the bar if you have the beverage package, but if you want the fun flavors or Zero Sugar options, you have to trek back there, which was kind of inconvenient.
The Coffee Package Catch: The Coffee Package+ appeared to be 50% off, but it's only good for 15 drinks. Just be sure to fully understand the details before you buy it!
Credit Card Holds: A very important warning: Keep an eye on your credit card charges after the cruise! Royal Caribbean placed holds on the card on file, then ran the full amount again after the cruise while the other charges were still pending. The holds will eventually drop off, but if you use a debit card, that money is on hold from your available balance.
The Fun, Games, and Fill-In Friends
It wasn't all eating and logistics; we had some serious fun, too:
Game Night: We kept ourselves entertained playing cards and a hilarious app called Imposter Who.
Fill-ins: This was supposed to be a girls' trip, but Cameron gladly filled in for Angie. Also, Kathleen had to fill in for Derek (as Cameron’s partner) when we played Spades!
Sports Lover's Delight: The Pit Stop (Deck 6 by/thru the Casino) looked like a great place to watch sports games.
Late Night Treat: You can grab popcorn at the movie theater if a show is happening! Don't take the popcorn (or any food) into the Casino though, it's not allowed, we learned that pretty quickly.
The Safari Club: This spot on Deck 6 Aft was awesome, hosting pool tables, a Chess set, and live bands.
We had an amazing time on the Jewel of the Seas and hope these tips help you plan your own amazing cruise! Now, what's your favorite smaller Royal Caribbean ship to sail on?
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