We embarked on the Jade in Venice on June 22. We had flown into Venice 2 days earlier and took a cab from our hotel (Hilton Garden Inn in Mestre). We were 5 adults and a baby with a ton of luggage (entire vacation was 3 weeks with luggage to match) and it was a little difficult to get all the luggage to the embarkation area, and it was very hot, but helpful staff alleviated some of the early confusion. I enjoyed seeing the large sign as we walked into the embarkation area: Relax - You Are On Vacation! Good reminder.... Since we were in a suite we had the priority embarkation so we were brought to a separate area after getting our cruise cards, and then brought up to the concierge area.

I, my husband, and adult son were in a 2 bedroom suite, and my married son, his wife and 1 year old baby were in the connecting mini-suite. Since they were with us they were allowed to join us for the priority embarkation and debarkation which made things much easier. The suite was wonderful - it was the first time, in over 40 years of traveling, that we had enough room for all our toiletries and clothes. And since we are inveterate overpackers and it was a 3 week trip, that's saying a lot. Loved the bathroom with it's multi-head shower. We had wanted a Haven suite but none were available at the time of booking, which turned out to be a blessing. If we had all squeezed into the suite, (which was the original plan, since it is supposed to sleep 6) it would have been a disaster. So the family suite with connecting mini-suite was just perfect. My younger son (age 27) was perfectly happy in the small bedroom, and the young family had their privacy in the connecting room. We were located on the port side very near the front of the ship, but seas were very calm, so movement wasn't a factor. And I didn't hear any noise whatsoever from the gym which was the floor above us.

Later in the week we went to the cocktail party with the Captain and officers for the suite guests in the Haven - mostly because I wanted to see what we were missing by not staying in it. I was spectacularly unimpressed. It's a very small area with a tiny pool and some chairs - not even loungers (although perhaps there had been some that were removed for the party). Two exercise machines (I believe a bike and treadmill) were just off the courtyard in an un-airconditioned and thus barely usable space. I was pretty glad that the suite we wanted turned out to be unavailable for us, since if we were all squeezed into that suite and the main benefit was that tiny courtyard it would have been a huge disappointment. Read more