Jewel of the Seas

Jewel of the Seas Theater and Shows

The Coral Theatre colonizes decks 4, 5 and 6. It opens occasionally during the day to host enrichment lectures, but in the evenings the multi-colored seats fill up for cabaret, Broadway recitals, magic shows and tribute performances. Jewel of the Seas shows are usually staged twice in the evening to accommodate for early and late diners. On the whole, the offering isn't that imaginative. It's bland and a bit old-fashioned. The odd act even came across as borderline amateur.

Daily Things to Do on Jewel of the Seas

Jewel of the Seas activities follow hot on the heels of breakfast, and the lineup is pretty traditional. Things like quizzes, line dancing sessions, beginner language classes and towel-folding demonstrations take place in various indoor venues like Schooner Bar, and at outdoor locations, such as by the side of the main pool.

The Jewel of the Seas movie theater on Deck 6 shows a combination of classic films and slightly more up-to-date flicks. Films are also shown on the open-air movie screen by the side of the main pool.

Alcohol is the theme of a lot of paid-for daytime activities. Depending on the length of your cruise you'll be able to book on to wine-, beer- and martini-tasting sessions.

Nightlife on Jewel of the Seas

Evening entertainment on Jewel of the Seas mirrors the daytime lineup in many ways. Quizzes take place in the bars, dancing takes place near the Lobby Bar and movies flicker on the screen on the Jewel of the Seas Cinema. Evenings on Jewel of the Seas have more of a soundtrack than daytimes, though. Guitarists pass the mic to live bands as evening turns to night near the Lobby Bar on Deck 4. Piano music lilts out most evenings in Schooner Bar, while karaoke and salsa are a regular occurrence in Safari Club.

The Jewel of the Seas casino offers the usual slots and gaming tables. Various tournaments are staged here, mainly Texas Hold'em. Smoking is allowed in certain areas of the casino.

Jewel of the Seas Bars and Lounges

The bars on Jewel of the Seas are anything but one size fits all. Each one has a different temperament. Some are quiet and low lit while others are louder and bright. The thing that unites them, however, is the drinks menu. With the exception of Vintages wine bar, there's not a great degree of variation in the tipples available at each of them.

Jewel of the Seas drink packages offer several money-saving options, ranging from all-inclusive alcohol plans to water-only packages.

Lobby Bar (Deck 4): This bar is corral shaped, so bartenders can serve drinkers at all 360 of its degrees. It's haloed by barstools and close to the Centrum dance floor and stage, which has a few tub chairs and a couple of sofas around the edge. The seats fill up fast here when there is live music on. Martinis are popular.

The Pit Stop (Deck 6): Checkered flag paneling, racing flags and flat-screen TVs showing sports make this bar deserving of its name. Barstools and tub chair seating are available.

Vintages (Deck 6): Plush red wing chairs frame the main bar area and its barstools were added in the 2016 renovations. Wine is sold by the glass and bottle here, and you can add cold meats and other light tapas-style dishes to your order for a couple of extra dollars.

Schooner Bar (Deck 6): Royal Caribbean's trademark Schooner Bar is decorated with sails and wood fashioned to look like the ribbed hull of a ship. You can sink into comfy sofas here or hang at the bar.

Congo Bar (Deck 6): The clue is in the name here. It's located at the aft of the ship and its floor-to-ceiling windows look out over the ocean. Passengers come to read their books here in the daytime, while it's the place to watch karaoke competitions and live music in the evenings.

Pool Bar (Deck 11): Right next to the main pool, this place serves beer, soft drinks, wine and cocktails to thirsty sunbathers.

Sky Bar (Deck 12): Overlooking the main pool, this is the place to go to get a beer, wine, soft drink or try the cocktail of the day, which range from Woo Woos to Mai Tais.

Vortex (Deck 13): The bar in Vortex nightclub revolves. It's surrounded by barstools, where tired dancers sit after their turn on the floor.

Viking Crown Lounge (Deck 13): Adjacent to Vortex, Jewel’s Viking Crown Lounge is a great spot for a quiet drink or reading a book during the day but becomes louder at night. Floor- to-ceiling windows offer panoramic views of the pool deck and the ocean.

Jewel of the Seas restaurants can be a bit of a game of roulette. The Windjammer buffet restaurant is consistent as a crowd pleaser. However, the main Tides dining room giveth one night and taketh away the next, especially when it comes to portion sizes. However, when disappointments with meals do occur, they are fairly forgivable thanks to the atmosphere and service in all eateries. The specialty restaurants, meanwhile, knock the proverbial ball out of the park, and are pretty reasonably priced.

In short, while Jewel of the Seas dining may not be top-notch, it is also not bad overall.

Special dietary needs, such as gluten-free and vegan, can be met in all eateries. If you don't see anything suitable on the menus, just inform your waiter.

Jewel of the Seas Included Restaurants

Those used to larger ships may find included dining options on Jewel of the Seas a bit scarce, but for a mid-sized vessel such as this, the two restaurants and one snack bar are often enough to accommodate all passengers. The only venue that can get a little bit crowded is Windjammer at breakfast -- expect to do a few laps before you find a seat, especially on sea days.

Free restaurants on Jewel of the Seas include the Main Dining Room, the Windjammer buffet, and Solarium Café, which serves pizza and wraps on Deck 11.

Tides (Deck 4 & 5): Jewel of the Seas' main dining room is split across two floors. Looks-wise, it's a bit The Great Gatsby. Curtains cascade from the top to the bottom floor to look like pillars, there's a waterfall feature at one end and a 1920s-style mural at the other.

It's open daily for open-seating breakfast -- when made-to-order dishes like eggs Benedict are served up -- and on sea days for open-seating lunch. At dinner, Tides offers Royal Caribbean's flexible My Time Dining program. Passengers can choose between assigned early or late dining or opt for flexible dining, in which you pick a preferred mealtime. With My Time Dining, you can change your reservations on a daily basis or just show up whenever you want. You're not guaranteed to get a table right away, but you won't usually have to wait long before you are seated. Those opting for My Time Dining will need to prepay gratuities.

The evening menu at Jewel of the Seas’ dining room has a theme -- such as pimento or pomodoro -- every day. There is always a pasta, fish and meat dish on the menu and a selection of "classics" that never change, such as sliders and New York strip steak. Vegetarian options include the likes of linguini and risotto.

The dessert menu features a few options that never change -- such as cheesecake and a cheese board -- alongside nightly specials like poached pears or baked Alaska. Sugar-free options are also available, although they're not that imaginative and usually amount to a bowl of sorbet.

As with other ships in the line, diners onboard Jewel of the Seas can order some extra-fee entrees, including Maine lobster, surf and turf, and a Chops Grille filet mignon.

There's also a three-course Vitality option for waist watchers, where the calories in the dishes add up to just 800 calories.

Windjammer (Deck 11): Jewel of the Seas’ buffet venue serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It closes between meals. It features a number of food stations, such as Hot & Tasty, Fresh from the Garden and Healthy and Sweet. The dishes are typical cruise fare -- think eggs, bacon, pastries and cold meats for breakfast, and pizzas, pastas and stews for lunch and dinner. The evening menu also tends to include a few regional dishes -- like gyros when you are near Greece, and on the whole it's tasty stuff; think decent pub grub.

Jewel of the Seas Windjammer is big and offers both indoor and outdoor seating – but if you don’t like to wait for breakfast, go at off-peak times, especially on sea days.

Solarium Cafe (Deck 11): Jewel of the Seas Solarium Café is a pocket-sized venue that serves rectangles of pizza and a range of sandwiches. It's open for lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks. Unlike many of its sister ships, Jewel of the Seas doesn’t have a pizzeria such as Sorrento’s.

Room service: You can fill out a card in your room and hang it on your doorknob to ensure that breakfast is delivered to your room in the mornings. Continental breakfasts are delivered for free, but other options – like pancakes or scrambled eggs – come with a convenience charge. Other snacks and larger meals are available 24 hours a day. The menu features dishes like hot dogs and quesadillas. These orders also come with a delivery charge.

Jewel of the Seas Specialty Restaurants and Other For-Fee Venues

Cafe Latte-tudes (Deck 5): This coffee bar serves up specialty a la carte coffees and sweet treats, like cookies and cakes.

Giovanni's Table (Deck 6); prix fixe: Added during the 2016 renovation, Giovanni's Table is a specialty Italian restaurant. It's got a contemporary bachelor pad look to it with leather seating, dark wood tables, and black napkins. The food here is of the cut-above variety. A starter option is a plank of antipasti. Main meals, meanwhile, include a fist-size filet mignon with a Barolo sauce, grilled prawns with garlic butter and Italian herbs, and braised veal osso buco. Desserts are brought around on a trolley, so passengers can chose the dish they like the look of best. Open for dinner only.

Chops Grille (Deck 6); prix fixe: This smart steakhouse features an open kitchen, stained glass-style wall murals and booth seating. The food knocks you right between the eyes. Starter options include plump, springy scallops and three-cheese roasted onion soup. Main meals include jumbo shrimp and a range of conversation-stopping steaks. Don't miss the truffled French fries as a side, either. Opens for dinner only.

Izumi (Deck 12); a la carte: This Japanese restaurant catches the eye with bright murals of Japanese carp and color-pop cushions on the seating. The menu is split into starters, salads, carpaccio, soups and noodles, nigiri/sashimi, signature rolls, hot rock/ishiyaki and desserts. The wine list, meanwhile, features seven different sake options and a range of Asian beers. Open for lunch and dinner.

Chef’s Table (Deck 6); prix fixe: Tucked away next to Safari Club, Chef’s Table is an exclusive five-course dinner experience that can be experienced by just a handful of guests per night. Menus are paired with a variety of wines and hosted by the ship’s Executive Chef. Food offerings may include scallops, lobster salad, baked pasta, soup, filet mignon and a selection of desserts.