This cruise on Norwegian Jade was only our second cruise, with the first one being on Royal Caribbean. We had been told that RC was the only way to go so when we decided to book this it was with the expectation of "We paid half the price so we only expect half." We were so very wrong! While not as grand as the Freedom of the Seas, it was every bit as elegant, clean and fun.

We arrived in Houston and very quickly embarked...no lines, no struggles, no masses of people...just friendly people helping us get on board quickly. From the first person we met to the last, everyone was helpful and friendly. We got on board about noon and expected to have to lug our carry-on bag with us until 1 or 2, but we were pleasantly surprised to hear that our stateroom was ready for us. A nice Norwegian employee suggested we avoid the congestion of the mid ship elevators and directed us to the elevators at the front which were completely open. Our stateroom was a balcony room on the 10th floor. It was a little smaller than our first one, but the bathroom area was much bigger! We were happy to find that the toilet was in a separate space and that shower didn't resemble the tube at the drive-in at the bank! Dennis, our stateroom attendant, greeted us immediately and from that moment on called us both by name. Our room was clean and had plenty of room to unpack all our things. We had no issues with our room at all. Dennis's service was wonderful for the duration of our trip.

We found the Jade to have plenty to do and plenty of quiet spaces when we wanted it to be quiet and plenty of activity when we were looking for activity. Our favorite spots were the Spinnaker Lounge at the front of the ship and the outdoor eating area at the back. We had breakfast outside every morning and usually found ourselves there again to watch the sunset while enjoying a beverage and a snack in the later afternoon. Read more