Jewel of the Seas was a beautiful ship although I do prefer the larger ships e.g.: Oasis, etc. The staff was friendly and helpful as always. Our cabin steward, Sandy was absolutely wonderful! Incredibly hard worker, kept our cabin in tip top shape and I have only wonderful things to say about him. He went above and beyond in his care of our family and always took an appropriate personal interest in our family.

We arrived in Rome a week early which I highly recommend especially if you're flying in from the states. It's a very long plane trip and therefore, take advantage of what you will see and experience in Rome. A few tips please for those traveling around Italy that I wish someone had told us! It is appropriate to tip when you are visiting a restaurant or using a taxi service, tour guide in Rome. We learned unfortunately by the end of the trip that although it is not mandatory to leave tips (Europeans may not) at the restaurants, that those of us that are visiting shows appreciation for their service. You do not have to leave an exorbitant amount, however, please, if paying by credit card, do not leave it on the bill. It is possible they will not see the tip. Pay for your meal by credit card and carry euros with you and leave cash with your waiter or waitress (unless they are the owners of the establishment). Also, you will see a customary amount added to the end of your bill. This is a small amount of euros that gives you the right to sit at the table and take your time (and I do mean that!). However, please keep in mind that most restaurants close at a certain time during the day to later re-open. You will be rushed a bit if it's close to that time because that's when the cooks/chefs/waiters sit down to eat. This is cultural and remember, we are the visitors in their country. Please be respectful of the culture.

I loved that the cruise stopped in Santorini and Mykonos. Beautiful places to visit! I'm not crazy about the last island we went to because all their was to do there was shop. The prices were much more expensive than on Santorini (which is not cheap) and that's probably because they know it's the last stop before your return. I would have preferred to stay an additional day in Santorini or Mykonos. Read more