We sailed on the NCL Jade Western Mediterranean Cruise January 25 - February 6, 2009. This was our first experience sailing with NCL. We choose the cruise for the ports, and the ports did not disappoint. However, the food on board in the free dining areas did disappoint.

We have sailed on Celebrity, Carnival and Royal Caribbean before and found the food on Celebrity to be excellent, on Carnival very good, and on Royal Caribbean good. We would rank the food on NCL as fair. You'll have to pay extra to fine imaginative and quality food on the NCL Jade.

Our best meals on the Jade were in the pay-for-dining Le Bistro. In fact, the Jazz Brunch, offered only once during the cruise, was outstanding. Read more