This NCL Cruise was a fantastic way to see highlights of South East Asia - having unpacked once. It was a special treat to have celebrated New Year in Singapore with watching 1.5 hrs of fireworks from the ship. Food and service was good. Ship was clean and well maintained. The premium of having a mini-suite versus a standard balcony on Deck 9 was not clear. IT connectivity and wi-fi was challenging on most days so a regional sim card could be the way to go.
Embarkation
2 out of 5
The Singapore Cruise Terminal experienced significant IT issues which resulted in a chaotic embarkation process. The queues extended throughout the terminal, and not much was done to streamline the crowd and minimise the incidence of queue-jumping. Once we were onboard, the rest of the process to collect luggage and get into our cabins was faultless.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
This was the second time that my family cruised on the NCL Jade and we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food offering. We dined in every outlet except "Modernos" and "Alizar". Each outlet was outstanding and very tasty. The Garden Café buffet was good - although we did tire of the same daily fare which Celebrity Cruises somehow appears to get right. Le Bistro remains one of our favourite restaurants and the food and service levels remain exceptional.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
The NCL Jade had its water slide removed as part of the 2018 refurb, and I can't say that we missed it. The ship is in good condition and we enjoyed those facilities on offer. The pools do get busy and there isn't much space to get away from the noise like there is on the Celebrity Solstice Class ships for example. The gym is good and well run - as is the spa.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Outstanding! We were onboard for 15 nights and attended probably 11 shows throughout the cruise. The quality and variety was exceptional - and I would rate even higher than our last cruise on Celebrity, and as good as our first time on the NCL Jade in the Med. The "Daily Show" hosted by the Cruise Director (on the TV) presenting activities was a fun touch.
Children's Programs
No kids
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Good service all round. Our cabin attendant was only average - not doing much to go beyond tidying the room daily. He failed to ever replenish the milk sachets for the coffee machine, despite numerous requests. When i pushed him he announced that they'd 'expired'. I eventually collected handful at the buffet to replenish myself.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship was very clean and well maintained.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The cabin suited our needs perfectly. It is situated under the "Teen Club" which would perhaps cause me to choose another cabin further aft. We stayed in 11,600 on the last cruise, and it was quieter and also well situated.
Ship tip
Pay the surplus charge for 'preferential embarkation/ disembarkation' if there is a lot of tendering on your cruise itinerary. The queue to collect tender tickets was painful and so was the wait every morning to get off the ship when called.
A long drive from the port. Distances between attractions further than what I'd assumed - so only managed to cover a handful of attractions on our own. Recommend the ships fully-hosted excursion for this port.
We took the shuttle to the central market, only to return to spend the day on the ship. The place is suffering from rapid investment and expansion by the chinese - not our cup of tea when on holiday.
We actually spent 1 day in Nha Trang before the second night here. Too much to see in one day - and I would've preferred to have seen more of the War Remnants museum than yet another chinese market on the ship-excursion. A long drive from the port.
Loved the British heritage combined with a clean, cultural city. Took the Hop-on Hop-Off bus to the funicular (which offered us speed-passes up) and really enjoyed this outing. Superb views of the Malacca Straights.
Again - loved the contrast between the British heritage and old sites, with the modern Petronas Twin Towers. A long drive through chaotic traffic - but well worth it.
Wow so informative! My sister and extended family is currently sailing on the Jade in Asia will be wrapping up their cruise this coming Saturday. Looking forward to listening to their experience. I have been following their cruise on shipmate app.
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