Jewel of the Seas Itinerary

What Jewel of the Seas's Autumn Caribbean Season Is Actually Like

Jewel of the Seas is a 2004-built, 90,090-ton Radiance-class ship that carries 2,144 guests and 859 crew. She was refurbished in 2024, so think of her as a woman of a certain age who has had some very tasteful work done. This autumn she splits her time. Fort Lauderdale gets a pair of short Bahamas hops. Then she settles into Tampa for a run of Western Caribbean sailings, with one long Eastern Caribbean detour in December. Here's what that means for you.

Weather and sea conditions

The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs through November 30. Per NOAA's climatology, activity peaks around September 10, so October is past the worst and November is usually quieter. "Usually" is doing some work, though. The October 27 departure still sits inside the season, and anything leaving Tampa in early November does too. Everything from December onward is clear of it, so December sailors can stop side-eyeing the weather app.

The bigger quirk is the Gulf of Mexico crossing. Late-autumn cold fronts, called nortes, can bring brisk winds and choppy seas. The Cozumel guides we read say they can also pause boat excursions there. Sea days on the Tampa itineraries are where you'll feel it most. If you're prone to queasiness, pack the remedy. Don't count on the weather being kind, because the Gulf has never once asked for your opinion.

What's actually on the schedule

Our own data doesn't list ports for these sailings. The calls below come from third-party booking listings, which sometimes disagree with each other. Confirm with Royal Caribbean before you book anything non-refundable.

We couldn't confirm ports for the December 16 four-nighter, so we're not guessing. We have standards. Low ones, sometimes, but standards.

Are the ports worth it?

• Cozumel: Reliable reef snorkelling and beach clubs. It's busy, but busy for a reason. Everyone else read the same guidebook.
• Costa Maya: A purpose-built cruise port, which is a polite way of saying it was designed with you and your sunscreen in mind. It's fine for a beach day, and the Mayan ruins excursions are the real reason to get off the pier.
• Roatán: The pick for anyone who wants more than a shopping strip, especially on the two six-nighters.
• Belize City and George Town: These usually involve tendering, so build in extra time if you're booking a tour. Nobody wants to watch their excursion sail off without them.
• San Juan, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Puerto Plata: The December 7 sailing is the only one here that feels like a proper island-hopper.

Which length suits whom

The 3-nighters from Fort Lauderdale are a taste test. The first one departs today, so that ship has sailed (literally), and the Oct 22 departure is only a few days out. If you're reading this and thinking "I could pack by Thursday," check Royal Caribbean or your travel agent for live fares. The 4- and 5-night Tampa sailings suit people who can't take a full week. The 6-nighters are the sweet spot if you want Roatán without committing to eight or nine nights.

The Dec 20 holiday sailing is the one to book early if you want Christmas at sea. The listings show Christmas Eve in Costa Maya and Christmas Day at sea, so don't expect a port that day. On October 19, icruise listed that sailing at $802 for an inside cabin and $1,338 for an oceanview, per person, including taxes and fees. The December 7 nine-nighter was listed there the same day at $1,021 inside and $1,161 oceanview, also per person. Fares move constantly, and holiday crowding and school breaks push them, so shop around.

What to pack

• Light layers. Tampa evenings and the Gulf crossing can be cool, especially in December.
• Reef-safe sunscreen and a rain jacket. Showers can pop up in any month.
• Water shoes for rocky beach entries.
• Check the cruise alcohol policy before you pack that celebratory bottle.

Cleanliness check

Jewel's most recent CDC Vessel Sanitation Program score is 99 out of 100, from an inspection on June 5, 2026. That's the kind of number you'd frame if you were a ship. You can compare it using our CDC inspection lookup. For ship details, see the Jewel of the Seas ship page.