Norwegian Jade Cruise Reviews - Reviews

Norwegian "got it right" with freestyle dining and smooth boarding and debarking, but let's see if they are willing to take the next step and make "freestyle excursions" or at least–"freestyle information"–a part of there signature. So far, my experience with all cruise ships has been the same when it comes to helpful information for shore excursions: The "suits" are rude if you ask them about shore information. They say:  "No information" unless you sign up for a "ship" excursion. But here's the deal, to many of us, "freestyle excursions" are the most important part of the trip. Like others, I spent a lot of time researching, reading, checking Trip Advisor, and watching videos etc. but I needed a city map of each port which was not attainable until I left the ship. Norwegian could take a step forward and have those maps available on board, or at the very least, they could have one "displayed" so people could look at them the night before reaching each port. I realize the cruise is trying to sell "their" excursions, but I they would sell more once some people see the difficulty in getting around. Those of us determined to walk would be happy to see the layout of the city in advance so we could plan ahead. It's a small request that would go a long way. If you want five stars, offer what no one else does: "Freestyle Information."

The crew was the best thing about this trip. I've never met such friendly, competent people. Also, the entertainment blew us away. It was over and above anything we expected to find on a boat. We also really loved the food. We thought the buffet had higher quality food than pretty much any other buffet we've eaten at. The food in the complimentary dining rooms was about on par with the buffet (though the wait staff was exceptional). Since we had children with us we ate mostly at the buffet. Our little kids loved the splash academy and we appreciated the fun activities they got to do there. Our older child got a bad first impression of the teen club, Entourage, and wouldn't go back. (He was scolded by a counselor because of an innocent misunderstanding). The ports of call were a great way to see places we didn't want to ride trains through (Greece and Turkey). The weather was on and off but overall for that time of year we felt lucky. Our family's first cruise was a success!

Stateroom, mini-suite, spacious and comfortable. Cabin steward attentive and courteous.

Food in specialty restaurants good, but not a lot of variety.

Entertainment not very good. Poor production shows

Service acceptable, friendly but not overly effecient

This was our 3rd Norwegian cruise and first time on the Jade.  This reminded us why we enjoy Norwegian cruises. The Freestyle way of doing things is the way to go!. Embarkation was a breeze, debarkation was even easier. We chose to depart at the end of the cruise taking our own bags with us and it was the most pleasant experience of leaving a cruise we have ever had.  Getting off the ship on port days was also very easy. We never had to wait in a long line to leave the ship. We only did 2 shore excursions through the cruise line and were extremely happy with the way we were treated like adults and the meeting points for the tours were actually off the ship so we didn't have to spend extra time waiting in a lounge or the theatre for the entire group to show up so that we could all be herded off the ship at the same time. This has been an experience on other cruise lines that is an annoyance and waste of time.

We had the Ultimate Dining Package and Ultimate Beverage Package which also added to our enjoyment of this cruise. We chose to eat in a specialty restaurant each evening and our favourites were LeBistro and Cagneys. We used the buffet for breakfast most mornings and although it can get a bit chaotic because there are heaps of people in there, we found that we could carry our plates and sit in the restaurant that is LaCucina at night and avoid the crowds in the seating area of the buffet.  Because of the port intensive itinerary we only had lunch on board during sea days. The Blue Lagoon hit the spot for us during lunch as it was not overly crowded and the table service was a nice bonus.

We had an aft balcony cabin (not a suite) and were very happy with the choice. Great views and adequate size balcony and cabin for 2 people.  We were surprised there were actually 2 other beds in the cabin (a convertible 2 seater sofa and a small bed that comes down from the ceiling). In my opinion, the room would be quite crowded with 4 people in it.

Our cabin steward, Joseph, was really good and made us smile with his great towel animals every night.

The cruise director, Archie, was quite entertaining and "everywhere". I don't know how he ever gets any rest as we saw him at so many of the activities!

Norwegian shore excursions: We did the night cruise on the Bosphorus. Our meeting point was just outside of the exit at the terminal in Istanbul Because we were there in early March, it was COLD! We stayed on the top deck to get great photos & were happy we were rugged up with gloves, scarves, beanie caps and heavy jackets. The scenery was beautiful and it was an experience we will never forget. There were only about 30 of us on the entire boat, so it was not crowded.

We also did the Naples Herculaneum tour through the cruise line. The guide was good and explained many of the things we saw. It was a pretty big group and would have been more enjoyable with less people in the group. There was a stop at a Cameo "factory" sales showroom on the way back to the boat.

A wonderful cruise. Wish we were back on the ship right now!

The employees and staff are the most untrained and uninformative individuals  that we have encountered with Norwegian. The food was very bland and tasteless and food servers are lacking in orientation training. I believe it is a lack of management problem. Poor management

Food was great.....especially in the specialty restaurants. Cagney restaurant had "melt in your mouth" filets.   Service was superb.  Ports of call were very interesting.  A wonderful experience.

Great first time trip to Greece and Turkey.  Could spend a week or more in Istanbul alone.  We did learn that weather in that part of the world can be unpredictable, just like back in the states.  We had to skip one port in Greece due to high waves in the port.  One nice thing about NCL was that any time a port was missed the captain had staff hand out free rum punches for about an hour.  Nice little extra that other cruise lines could learn from.

Found this cruise on sale -- unbelievable price for a penthouse with large balcony -- and couldn't resist.  What a great decision.  This large stateroom came with butler and concierge service, priority embarkation/debarkation and overall fantastic service.  Also got free Ultimate Beverage Package, Ultimate Dining Package and several hundred dollars onboard credit with this offer. 

We had sailed on the Jade out of Rome last year and enjoyed the ship.  No disappointment this time either. 

Always looked forward to afternoon hors d'oeuvres/snacks left in our stateroom by our butler. 

We had no criticisms of any of the service onboard.  Great attitude by all crew!

The ship was immaculate, attentive but not annoying staff, food good to very good in the dining room, good in the buffet( too much chais, not enough seating), the ports were wonderful, the captain in bad weather did an excellent job keeping balance ont he ship and maximizing better weather.  My only complait.....NCL needs to be helpful in either giving FREE shuttles to the heart of the townsd they advertise visiting.

The Jade is an older ship that is still decorated for Hawaii -- rather gaudy for the Mediterranean.  However, the food was good (just no lobster), shows great, and ports exceptional.  Since the weather was cool, everyone stayed inside on "at sea" days.  The Card Room really needs to be restocked with games as there were very few available.  Movies and crafts (which most other ships no longer offer) were fun.  When the weather was too rough to go to Palermo, the captain sent many waiters around distributing free rum punch for about an hour.  The NCL excursions were very nice as long as you can understand English.  All in all, it was a very wonderful trip.

The Jade is a nice ship. Although the ship is in need of a makeup, i recommend the ship for those who are looking to experience different restaurants, itineraries and first timers. With regards to service, it can be improved. Especially if you have been on other cruise lines i.e.RCI, there are some noticeable differences in service. I like the itineraries on this cruise as I had not been to Turkey before. I also enjoy the ability to book a tour on my own with the cruise ship providing the transportation only. This was especially good for my party as two of my companions did not speak English, and would have been a waste of money had we booked a full tour. Other languages were available, but not in Portuguese.

I would definitely return to the Jade if they end up on different itineraries in the future.

I really enjoyed this cruise. Myself and husband went along with my mom. The room was wonderful and loved the 2bed/bath setup with the living space. The bathroom was absolutely wonderful in the master and the balcony was great too. Our room number was 11006. The service was exceptional. We had a personal butler and concierge which really came in handy with getting things handled apart from the masses. Definitely worth the extra money. The private breakfast/lunch dining experience was great as well.

The negatives I will say as far as food was the pizza service. I have done Princess cruise line and their pizza is top notch. Very disappointed that you have to pay for this rubberized pizza when it comes standard on Princess cruises. Another negative was the sound between the master and 2nd room. You can hear everything and the wall is very thin.  Other than this within the suite the noise was not bad at all.

Positives: The entertainment was top notch! Compared to Princess Cruise Line, it was extremely well. I enjoyed most shows and they were worth attending. Another benefit to being in a suite is the VIP seating which really came in handy when the general seating became crowded.

The excursions were amazing as well for the most part. We went on all excursions and the tour guides were pretty knowledgeable. 

If you decide to cruise with NCL I would 100% recommend a suite. Your experience will be 100xs better and the amenities pay for themselves.

Norwegian went above and beyond to make my 10 day cruise fantastic. The food was excellent, entertainment the best, cabin outstanding but the service & smiles of all staff made it the best cruise ever!

Love the varied Itinerary.  This was our first trip to Greece and Turkey.  My husband was skeptical of Turkey but ended up loving it.  We loved, loved Ephesus and were so impressed with Kusadashi as a port.  The overnight in Istanbul allows for a more relaxed experience.  Previously we took a Mediterranean cruise that visited 5 ports in 7 days.  Very exhausting and up early everyday for the excursions as most of the ports were an hour from the places you wanted to be.  This was much more relaxing as the ports were convenient to shopping and the sights.  Entertainment on NCL ships have proven to be very good and the food is also noteworthy.  We dine in the regular dining rooms, not the upcharge dining.  All the staff were extremely friendly and accommodating.     Truly a wonderful vacation.

1) felt like my pocket was constantly being "picked" for added charges...eg..bottle of water?!, transportation to the cities visited, pay for coffee outside of "restaurant" venues.

2) food quality was terrible...I can understand sub standard quality at the buffet, but I had biscuits and gravy in Alizar dining room...HORRIBLE.  Biscuit was stale and gravy tasteless..I would NEVER serve that to my family.  At the Blue Moon I had a brownie that could sub as a hockey puck.  Had dinner at the Brazilian restaurant all the meat was overcooked and dry.  Had dinner at the French restaurant, what was supposed to be a "lobster" tail was actually about 5 pieces of overcooked lobster in a burned shell with some artichokes.  And tor this an extra $10?  Cagney's steak house was ok, but my NY strip had a "mealie" texture. Best meal was breakfast at the Blue Moon....bacon (have to ask for it crisp) and eggs.

3) Service in some places was awful:  visited Medusa lounge nearly every evening with friends (10) and as the week progressed, service went down hill.  apparently the servers expected tips in addition to the 15% charge included on the bill.  It was like they were doing us a big favor.  One night at the Spinnaker, I had to hunt down a waiter to serve drinks, i found him happily spinning his tray and wandering aimlessly. And...don't ever get to the buffet within 10 minutes of closing...they'll practically grab the food right out of your hand...it was a race to the salad bar (I lost) and I won the chocolate pie tug o war.  Some of the "greeters" at individual restaurants were really cranky...I must say that ALL of thw waiters at Blue Moon were friendly and attentive...great group of fellows. Our cabin Steward was very nice and did a great job..friendly and attentive, but not pushy.

4) Entertainment:  Cruise workers put on a fabulous afternoon show..kudos to them.  But 50+ year old singers in the lounge?  Magic tricks?  aghghhg. hokey and felt like shows for OLD people. Smoking in the casino? Schmaltzy and amateurish

5 Miscellaneous:  And then $12/person daily service charges?  You pay your employees...I'll tip who I want to.  and finally...diembarking at the end of the cruise: AWFUL!!  disorganized, felt like being in a cattle car, arguments all over, people pushing, jumping line and being rude.  So...It felt like you were done with us...had made as much $$ at that point as you could and let's get these money machines off the boat and get some new ones on asap

ADDITIONAL CHARGES, FEES, SHOULD ALL BE CHARGED UP FRONT..NOT AT THE END OF THE CRUISE.

I'd suggest that you have somebody from a successful entertainment company advise you on how to do things right.  I've spent hours in queue lines at Disney and never realized it took so long, You want good food?  Get a good Director of Food services and a real chef to oversee your operations.  ...I would never recommend your line to anyone.

Although the itinerary of ports was great, there were many disappointments with this cruise.  The organization, or lack thereof, for getting people off the ship for the particular day tours was horrible.  Most people did not know what to do or where to go.  Also, the fact that there is no assigned seating for the dinning rooms is an unpleasant experience for a solo traveler, particularly the first few days until "friends" are made.  The room:  noise from a trombone practicing on a daily basis was disturbing; no lotion, no pen to write out the Room Service order; no pad of paper to jot down a note; queen bed had a crack down the middle for days until I complained; room service arrived 10 min. after the requested window, which made me late for assembly time for day tour; etc.  Back to the day tours:  most of the time there were no headsets, so only a few people were able to hear the guide.  Several times the guide did not have a proper "lolly pop" which caused people to lose sight of guide.  In Barcelona several elderly people were very distraught at being lost.  I happened to be "lost" as well and managed to get us all back to our tour guide.  I do not have pleasant thoughts when I think of Barcelona.  What a shame.  In Valencia our guide's English was so poor we gave up and tried to at least enjoy the beautiful scenery.  She should never be hired again.

I will not be traveling on Norwegian again, even if it were with another person. I will go back to the other cruise lines I have been on in years past.

I waited my whole life to visit Greece, and I loved the excursions I took.  I also loved my experience aboard the Norwegian Jade :)  I traveled alone, and met wonderful crew and guests that made my trip extra enjoyable.  There were just a couple things that I didn't realize until the end of the trip, so it didn't get my excellent rating.  I did not realize you could bring your alcohol to dinner with you until the last night of the cruise.  I had bought two bottles of wine delivered to my room, but was under the impression that I had to drink it in my room.  I would have saved a little money if I had known that I could bring it with me.  I also had a problem with the coffee pot in my room, and had issues for three days.   At that point I offered to buy a new coffeepot onshore for the room.  It was then replaced.  Other than that, my cabin steward was awesome, and I contacted Norwegian directly regarding the wonderful service. I loved having a balcony, and a mini-suite, although in the future I would probably skip the balcony and go for more room space, especially if I am traveling with another person. 

Wasn't sure what to expect...but Norwegian exceeded all our expectations...great atmosphere onboard, great facilities, inc very spacious spa and gym. (VIP full package only price seemed a bit unfair perhaps) Food was excellent at times, with the only complaint being perhaps a bit more variety needed in the "inclusive" venues. Staff were genuinely friendly and helpful. Our only previous experiences have been with Cunard, so this was very different, but almost as enjoyable.  I don't think it was as relaxing a cruise as previous ones...on Cunard you have quiet places and have to go somewhere to find some "noise". On Jade it was salsa music and action all round the ship and you had to search for that quiet area to get away from it all.

Entertainment on the whole was very good, with the odd mediocre performance.

Not sure if I'd be that keen to sail out of Venice again...all a bit of a palaver. 

I need my Cunard fix next, but will definitely try NCL again in the future

Our captain brilliantly dodged any bad weather and Venice and Greece,well...wow!!

Food and entertainment were good and fellow passengers were very personable and

interesting.The all-day vaporetto pass with rides to Murano and Burano following cruise

were spectacular. Corfu was wonderful, Santorini a postcard at every turn, and we took

the bus to Paradise in Mykonos (they asked if we wanted a round-trip ticket!!?).

Crusie itinerary was great and ports of call where wonderful.  SHip was OK but service on board was terrible.  This was our first experience on Norweigen and likely our last.  Have sailed numeous times on Royal Carribean and the service level far exceeds what we experienced on this cruise.