Norwegian Jade Review
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My husband and I sailed on the Norwegian Jade in May 2015 for a 7 day cruise from Venice with stops in Turkey, Croatia & Greece. We had sailed on the Norwegian Epic three years ago and had a mini-suite but decided to upgrade to the penthouse on the Jade so that we could have the "butler" experience & I'm so glad we did! We also chose the aft cabin so our balcony was on the back of the ship and we had amazing views when leaving and arriving at ports. Also, there was very little to no wind on the balcony so we could sit back there day & night and be comfortable. The cabin was spacious with 231 SF and a 54 SF balcony. When you upgrade to the Haven or a suite, when you arrive you receive priority embarkation which means you don't have to stand in a long line to check in, they have food and drinks waiting for you while you get checked in and they you are personally escorted onboard by your concierge that is assigned to you for the cruise. We also were able to dine in Cagney's restaurant for breakfast & lunch. This isn't open to the public and surprisingly there was only about ten people in there at any given time. It is really nice to get away from the rat race of the buffet and eat at Cagney's. Also, when you go on shore excursions, instead of meeting in the theatre, we were able to meet our concierge next to Cagney's and be escorted to the bus before anyone else arrived. The butler was wonderful and would set up our food and drinks in the cabin so we could enjoy the sunsets as we left the various ports. Ok - enough about being spoiled by the butler & concierge - but seriously if you have the chance to upgrade to the suites or haven, go for it. You will definitely be very spoiled by the end of the trip.
The spa is awesome on this ship. It is the first time I have ever used spa services on a ship and I am so glad I did. They do cruise specials every day and the day I used the spa I received a facial, hot stone massage, foot and ankle massage and scalp massage for $149 plus 18% gratuity. The entire service was 75 minutes. Also, my husband just did a 50 minute hot stone massage and the cost was also $149. One of the best massages I have ever had and I go to the spa a lot!
We only went to one show on board so I can't really speak to how the entertainment is on board but everyone that went to the shows said they really enjoyed them. We had dinner at Le Bistro, Teppanyaki and Moderno. We really loved all the different meats at Moderno and Teppanyaki is great for your first night out so that you can meet some of the other passengers during the hibachi experience. I could have passed on Le Bistro. I think the food in the main dining room was just as good as Le Bistro.
Cabin Review
Penthouse with Large Balcony
The cabin was spacious and had a lot of plug in's that were 110 volts which is great coming from the U.S. so that we didn't need any adapters. The bed was super comfortable and we were able to pick out the types of pillows we wanted before the cruise started. The deck had a chair, table and lounge chair on it so it was perfect for the two of us. One night we were weren't feeling well and stayed in the cabin to watch a movie. The butler has a 2 page list of free movies they will bring to your room so that was great. He also brought us popcorn, shrimp and sliders as a snack :) The bathtub was spacious and shower worked well. The room had a makeup table outside of the bathroom which worked great. Closet was large and had plenty of hangars for all of our clothes. The room has a great espresso/coffee/tea maker and you can pick out before the cruise what type of coffee/tea you would like. The suite also had fresh fruit and flowers in it every day and the first day of the cruise there was a complimentary bottle of champagne. The bar area has champagne glasses so it was a great start to the vacation as we left Venice & had a toast on the deck. I would have loved to stayed on the ship for another week. I don't normally sleep well when I'm not at home, but this cabin was so quiet. When picking a cabin on a cruise ship, be sure to find out what is above you so you don't get stuck under a bar/restaurant part of the ship. I find that calling NCL directly and speaking to them about what you want in a cabin is very helpful. I would highly recommend the aft cabins for the great views off the balcony.