ncl jade greek islands cruise

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Review of the Norwegian Jade: 7 Days in the Greek Islands (Athens, Crete, Rhodes, Mykonos, Katakolon, Corfu, and Santorini)

I've said before that because I didn't travel very much until 2017 or so, I like to hit many different places in one trip to see as much as possible. However, during  our vacation to Mexico , my husband realized how much he enjoyed being able to unpack and stay in one place, and he really wanted another vacation where we weren't constantly on the go, lugging suitcases. A cruise was our compromise -- we'd be able to visit multiple locations, but without having to pack and unpack or deal with all the time and costs involved with moving cities or countries. So we booked a week around the Greek islands on the Norwegian Jade -- and we loved  it! 

Note: This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

The ship itself was an experience -- there were so many different restaurants, activities, and entertainment that you could wander the ship every day and night and find something new or different in every room. In fact, I almost wished we'd had a sea day (or 2) so that I could really make the most of being on board. And I loved waking up in a different location every day and seeing more of the country than I would have otherwise if I'd planned our itinerary myself. The only negative aspect was wanting  to do things in each city that we didn't get to, either because we had to prioritize other excursions or because the logistics were too difficult in such short time on land -- but on the other hand, the cruise helped clarify which islands I definitely want to go back to.

We loved cruising so much that while on board, we put down deposits for 2 more! I have wanted to do an Alaskan cruise for years, so we are definitely going to do Alaska for one of them, and are now trying to decide between Norway or Africa for the other one, although my husband is also pushing for the Mediterranean.

tips and advice:

• Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) offers freestyle dining , which means "y ou can dine when and where you want, with no fixed dining times or pre-assigned seating." I really liked this because all of our days were different and we got hungry at different times each day, and not sharing tables especially makes more sense right now.
• Put sunscreen on before leaving the ship and bring it with you, especially if you're not planning to return to your room all day.
• Check the hours for restaurants on land -- I created general lists for each city of places that looked good, but some of them were only open for dinner.
• Greece's pipes are very old, so always check the bathroom for any signs about where to deposit toilet paper (in the bowl or trash can) and never throw anything else in.
• I didn't opt to pay for the ship’s Wifi because my phone plan has always included international data. However, due to a recent merger, my plan changed, and I spent the first 48 hours out of the U.S. trying to figure out what was wrong. So always check your plan before travel! Even once the issue was resolved, my service was touch and go in some of the less busy islands and out on the water.
• NCL does have an app and offers a Wifi option that's free for the app, and the ship also provided a daily newsletter with helpful info about each port, including weather expectations. I read through each newsletter and appreciated them, but I wish the NCL app had showed the weather, since I didn't have reliable service to use my own weather app. (If it did, I couldn't find it.)
• We got slightly unlucky with weather -- though it was 70s-80s, it rained a few times, and it wasn't quite as brilliantly sunny as we were expecting. That said, I was still glad we went in October, because Greece is busiest from May to September and I wouldn't have wanted the ship or the cities to be more crowded than they were (especially in Oia). 
• There were so many cats all over Greece!! Way more than we saw in Rome .
• I really enjoyed being able to hear all the different languages being spoken by the passengers on the ship.

packing list:

• Day outfits (dresses, shorts, shirts, jeans)
• Night outfits (dresses -- since dinner is a little nicer)
• Exercise clothes
• Swim suit + cover-ups
• Raincoat + light jackets
• Sun hat/baseball cap
• Pepto-Bismol
• Hair products + tools
• Hair ties, headbands, + hair scarves -- I had read that Greece was very windy, so I wanted things to keep my hair out of my face.
• Nail polish + nail polish remover pads from CVS -- I love painting my own nails but hate having any chips, and these pads take off even my red polish easily.
• Hanging make-up organizer and toiletry bag -- I ordered this one from Amazon (affiliate link) and LOVED it -- not only did it save counter space, I didn't have to pull everything out at once.
• Comfortable walking shoes and sandals -- no high heels (discouraged on the boat and not worth it on land)
• Adapters (although the ship did have American outlets)
• We left D.C. on a Friday night, landed in Athens on Saturday, and boarded the Norwegian Jade on Sunday, which would be our home away from home for a week. Upon arriving back in Athens the following Sunday, we flew home on Monday. We flew Turkish Airlines both ways, which was incredible  and the nicest experience I've ever had in the air. (We did choose to upgrade to business class on the flight to Athens, and I've never felt so pampered; I think the airplane bathroom was nicer than mine at home!)
• Sunday: Athens (depart 11pm)
• Monday: Heraklion, Crete (arrive 10am, depart 7pm)
• Tuesday: Rhodes (arrive 7am, depart 4pm)
• Wednesday: Mykonos (arrive 7am, depart 4pm)
• Thursday: Olympia (Katakolon) (arrive 8am, depart 5pm)
• Friday: Corfu (arrive 7am, depart 3pm)
• Saturday: Santorini (arrive 12pm, depart 9pm)
• Sunday: Athens (arrive 6am, off the ship by 8:30am)

where to eat and drink:

Our cruise package included 2 specialty dining options in addition to the general restaurants, so we chose Le Bistro (the French restaurant) and La Cucina (the Italian restaurant). I loooved Le Bistro and could have eaten there every night. I wish we could have also done sushi and/or the steakhouse!

FYI: A staff member recommended we make our reservations as soon as possible  because places would fill up and we'd have a harder time getting the reservation we wanted if we waited.

what to do on the ship:

Here's what we especially enjoyed...

• The pool and hot tub
• I was particularly impressed by how much live entertainment there was, rather than just music being played over speakers. (That being said, much of the hallway and elevator music was 90s, which I loved.)
• Justin Golan, the piano bar comedian/beat boxer  -- he's hilarious  (and raunchy!)
• Bingo (I won $83!)
• Blazing Boots show. Highly,   highly  recommend this show. It was   incredible . I was blown away by the choreography and the male and female performers, and I would have paid money to watch it again. It was definitely sexually charged -- I think I'd describe it as a tamer Magic Mike meets country Coyote Ugly?  The songs/artists included Carrie Underwood, "Save a Horse" by Big & Rich, "Mean" by Taylor Swift, "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line, "Bartender" by Lady A, "Girl Crush" by Little Big Down, "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" by Shania Twain, "Redneck Woman" by Gretchen Wilson, and "Country Girl" by Luke Bryan.
• The jogging track/sports activities

COVID Precautions

• Vaccination was required in order to book the cruise. All passengers had to provide proof of vaccination. (This meant that there were no children, and very few teenagers, on board.)
• We took a test in the U.S. before our flight and within 72 hours of boarding the ship.
• We were required to take a test and wait for results immediately before boarding the ship. (This was handled by Norwegian at the port and went very smoothly.)
• Temperature checks took place upon boarding after each port.
• Due to EU regulations, masks were required indoors on the ship except when eating or drinking. (This wasn't the case when we first booked, since every passenger was vaccinated, but it was out of the ship's hands once the EU implemented a mask mandate.)
• Many restaurants off the ship required that we show our vaccine cards in order to eat and drink.
• We were required to take a test within 48 hours of debarkation day. (This was handled by Norwegian on the ship and went very smoothly.)
• We were required to take a test within 72 hours of our flight back to the U.S., and fortunately we were able to use the ship's since it was within the allotted time.

Embarkation Day: Athens, Greece

Day 1: Heraklion, Crete

Upon disembarking the ship, we quickly came upon a Hop On Hop Off bus, so we decided to do it. (We have loved taking similar buses in Rome , Paris , and Sydney .) At the Koules Fortress, we bought tickets to tour it. Afterwards we walked around the city for a bit before having lunch on the rooftop restaurant Herb's Garden. The waitress was very friendly and brought us raki on the house (though I wasn’t able to finish mine).

After lunch, we wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to move around, so we walked to the Cathedral of St. Minas, before getting back on the bus and heading to the Palace of Knossos for a tour.

On the ship that evening, we saw the Blazing Boots performance. I have no musical talent so I'm always amazed by others' ability to sing and dance.  I'm sad we didn't manage to see it any other night --  I wish they offered the show on DVD, I would definitely buy it! 

• Herb's Garden (rooftop drinks and lunch)
• Kastella Tavern

what to do:

• Koules Fortress 
• Old Town 
• Natural History Museum of Crete 
• Cathedral of St. Minas 
• Palace of Knossos 
• Morosini Fountain in Lion Square 
• Ammoudara Beach 
• Day trip to nearby cities and beaches

Day 2: Rhodes, Rhodes Island

The boat docked at 7am, so we wandered from the boat around the port, then walked through the medieval city of Rhodes. We were so early that it was very  quiet at 8 and 9am, with almost all the shops closed, but it was nice to have the streets to ourselves, and there were plenty of signs pointing out landmarks and detailing the history of the medieval city of Rhodes. We decided to walk to the Acropolis of Rhodes (about 2 miles) and then rested there for a bit in the shade, people-watching, before returning back to the main area.

We had time before our lunch reservation, so we headed to a rooftop garden to overlook the city. When the waitress asked for our order, I panicked and instead of ordering an aperol spritz, I accidentally ordered ouzo (which is 40% alcohol and even came with a little pitcher of water to help dilute it) -- which I made my husband drink, haha!

I wanted to see the Temple of Aphrodite (which turned out to be ruins I'd actually walked past earlier without realizing -- whoops!) and the Lady of the Castle (which was unfortunately closed on Tuesdays -- bad luck!), and then we headed to lunch at Romios Restaurant. Rhodes was definitely much busier at this time, as people had started their day and I think a few more cruise ships had arrived.

At one point during lunch, we felt the remnants of an earthquake in Rhodes! At first we couldn't tell if we were just feeling residual swaying from being on the ship. We also got lucky with rain -- it started while we were eating lunch and held off while we were heading back to the ship.

• To Megiston Taverna
• Romios Restaurant
• Louis Restaurant
• Marco Polo Cafe
• Explore the medieval city of Rhodes 
• Visit the ancient Acropolis of Lindos 
• Drive to Agios Pavlos Beach (St. Paul's Bay) 
• Monolithos Castle

Day 3: Mykonos (Chora), Mykonos

We signed up for a selfie tour through our ship! Over the course of 5 hours, this tour took us through Mykonos Town and Little Venice, the beaches of St. John and Kalafatis, and Ano mera and a farm for a wine tasting. It was a great way to see so much of the island in just one day, ensuring that we didn't spend all our time in one area, and it was nice being able to follow someone around rather than wander on our own or determine to go. Once back on the ship, we had dinner at La Cucina, one of the specialty restaurants.

FYI: If you're signed up for this excursion (or a similarly long one), be sure to check what's included, eat beforehand, and bring snacks. We didn't get back to the ship until 3pm or so, and the wine tasting provided a few snacks but nothing significant and there wasn't time to purchase anything more.

• Nice n Easy
• Pepper Mykonos
• Kounelas Fish Tavern
• Caprice Bar
• Katerina's  restaurant and cocktail bar
• Passo Doble cocktail bar
• Negrita bar and nightclub
• Scorpios (beach club)
• Nammos (restaurant and beach bar)
• Hibiscus (gelato)
• Ninnolo (gelato)
• Old Town and Little Venice
• Paraportiani Church
• Scuba dive the Peloponnese wreck
• Visit one of the beaches
• One of the beach clubs
• Party -- our selfie tour guide mentioned that Mykonos is known for its party vibe (whereas Santorini is more laid-back)

Day 4: Olympia (Katakolon) , Greece

• Jimmy's Taverna (which had great Wifi and I thoroughly enjoyed my gyro)
• Ancient Olympia
• Beaches (Plakes Beach is closest and Lime Beach Bar has high ratings; Agios Andreas Beach is most scenic)
• Shop (because prices will be low here compared to other islands)
• Temples of Hera and Zeus
• Katakolon Fun Tourist Train

Day 5: Corfu, Corfu island

We had a late start, despite the ship arriving in Corfu at 7am, so we decided to ride another sightseeing bus. We stopped to take photos with the CORFU letters and to look out over the airport runway and walk-path to Mouse Island. We got off again at the windmill to explore a bit and then decided to walk from the windmill to the Old Fortress to stretch our legs, especially since we'd been less active the day before because of the weather. After touring the fortress, we walked back to the port to board the Jade .

• La Famiglia
• Abakas Mezedopoleio
• Venetian Wall
• Old Fortress
• New Fortress
• Drive to Ambelonas winery
• Achillion Palace
• ATV safari guided tour
• Boat tour of caves
• Cape Drastis
• Canal d'Amour
• Spianada Square
• St. Spyridon Church
• Paleokastritsa Beach (and  La Grotta Lounge and Pub and  Angelokastro Castle )
• Porto Timoni Beach
• Hike Mount Pantokrator

Our ship was scheduled for Santorini from 12noon until 9pm. Unfortunately, we got a late start because of weather, and because it was another tender situation, we didn't get to Fira until 1:30pm or so. We then took a boat taxi to Oia that left at 2pm, so we didn't arrive in Oia until 2:30pm. 

Upon arriving in Oia, we walked around, took in the sights, and took photos before grabbing a late lunch at Skala. 

There was a ship excursion to hike the volcano (and swim in the hot springs), but it started right away (at 1:30pm), and I wanted to see Oia first before hiking or swimming.  So instead I told my husband we should immediately go to Oia, take photos first, and then walk back to Fira, a 10km walk. I thought  leaving for Fira at 5pm would give us enough time, but u nfortunately, I didn't really think through the logistics. Because that didn't take into account 1) we actually weren't positive about the time of the last tender to get back to the ship; 2) we were frequently stopping to make sure we were on the right path; 3) we weren't confident we knew where in Fira to map our directions to catch the tender; and 4) the sun setting meant that we'd be in the dark for the end of the hike. The uncertainty caused most of my stress: For example, we were reasonably sure we were supposed to go to "Fira Old Port," in which case we had a 15-30 minute buffer... but if that wasn't the right location, we might not have had time to figure out where to actually go and then get there.

Soo I panicked that we'd miss the tender and the Jade  would leave without us. I kept sprinting ahead of my husband before remembering my data service was poor and he was the one with the map. Fortunately my husband is the most brilliant man I know and navigated us to the port without a hitch (well, minus me sprinting down the donkey path dodging piles of donkey dung in the dark)! I arrived at the port at 7:35pm and we were able to catch the 8pm tender. So (since we made our ship) now I can unequivocally say the hike is absolutely worth it, just make sure you plan it out better than I did!

• Zafora (Fira)
• Rakadiko Meraki (Fira)
• Argo  (Fira)
• Cafe Galini (Firostefani)
• La Maison (Imerovigli)
• Le Moustache  (Imerovigli)
• Confetti Dessert Boutique  (Imerovigli)
• Lauda  (Oia)
• Red Bicycle (Oia)
• Kastro Restaurant Oia (Oia)
• Ambrosia restaurant  (Oia)
• Roka  (Oia)
• Lolita's Gelato  (Oia)
• Sunset Taverna  (Ammoudi)
• Dimitri's Amoudi Tavern  (Ammoudi)
• Alali Restaurant  in the Astarte Suites Hotel (Akrotiri)
• Why Not! Souvlaki
• Boat tour (Vista Yachting or Santorini Yacht Cruises were recommended to us)
• Santo Winery or one of the other wineries (since grapes grow differently on Greece due to the volcanic soil and lack of rain)
• Visit the Akrotiri ruins
• Visit one of the beaches -- which vary colors (red, black, or white) due to the volcanic mix!
• Cliff jump at Amoudi Bay
• Walk the 10km (6.2 miles) between Fira and Oia
• Hike the volcano or caldera trail
• Swim the hot springs (but only wear something you don't mind getting stained by the water!)

Day 7: Athens, Greece

The ship docked in Athens at 6am on Sunday, and we were off the ship by 8:30am. We were staying near the airport because  we had an early morning Monday flight, so we dropped our things off at the hotel and then went back out to explore.

We visited the Acropolis first, and when we were leaving, we spotted a sightseeing bus, so obviously we hopped on. After completing the entire route to look at the sights and listen to the guide, we got off at the square to eat at A is for Athens. This rooftop restaurant overlooked the Monastiraki Square, so we explored the area, walking through flea markets and people-watching before taking the bus to the Panathenaic Stadium. 

We went back and forth on whether we actually wanted to buy stadium tickets and were actually walking away when I decided we needed to do it, and I'm so glad we did! It was a self-guided audio tour and actually very interesting, with great views of the Acropolis in the background. 

We were honestly kind of beat by that point so we decided to head back to the hotel in order to eat there and decompress before our flight the next morning.

• Brettos Bar
• Funky Gourmet
• To Kati Allo (I don't believe there's a menu -- I wanted to do dinner here but was too tired)
• Nice N Easy
• Varoulko Seaside
• Orizontes 
• A for Athens rooftop restaurant and bar
• Athens Gate Hotel 
• GB Roof Garden Restaurant at the Hotel Grande Bretagne
• Acropolis of Athens -- including the Parthenon, Erechtheion, Temple of Athena Nike, and the Propylaea
• Temple of Poseidon or Zeus
• Climb or ride the cable car at Lycabettus Hill
• The ancient agora of Athens and the Temple of Hephaestus
• Walk the P laza neighborhood
• Areopagus Hill for view of the Acropolis
• Visit Philopappos Hill
• Panathenaic Stadium

What an excellent blog! Very well-written. My research for the Norwegian Jade Cruise brought me here and I am lucky to have found this article. I feel I have already been with you on this trip after reading this. I found all the details and information I was looking for. The detailed itinerary, photographs, tips, etc. everything is very helpful. Thanks Sarah :) Keep up the good work!

Thank you so much for your kind comment! I had the absolute best time on the Norwegian Jade, and I'm glad my review could be helpful. I am actually going on the Norwegian Encore next month to Alaska and can't wait! Hope you booked the Jade and are headed somewhere fun, too!

I agree with ‘Unknown’! This blog gave much of the info my husband and I were wanting. Thank you for taking the time to pass on all this information.

OMG THANK YOU! This blog is incredible and contains a level of detail that I have been looking for! I have never cruised before and am concerned about getting seasick. Can you tell me if the cruise was rough at sea or if you did anything to prevent seasickness during your cruise?

Hi Michael, thanks so much for reading and for your comment! I'm glad it was helpful! So I packed Dramamine and Pepto-Bismol because I was afraid of getting seasick, but neither my husband nor I ever took them because we never felt sick. And this was in spite of having unexpectedly rough seas one night -- but this was VERY unusual for our itinerary (we went last fall during a week when Greece was getting hit with basically unprecedented thunderstorms), it was more funny than rough, and even then that was only one night despite unusually bad weather all week. I did feel residual swaying for a day or two after we disembarked the final day, but it went away after a day or two. We went on a cruise a few months ago to Alaska, on the Norwegian Encore which is bigger than the Jade, so most of the time we couldn't even tell we were moving and I didn't experience residual swaying at all afterwards. And the water was extremely calm, no roughness at all. In general, the bigger the ship, the less you'll feel movement. When are you going, and on what cruise line/ship? Very excited for you - Greece was my first cruise and now I can't stop planning for our next one!

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Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) Greek Island Cruise – Norwegian Jade

We booked in late October 2021 and would be arriving on the ship in November 2021, a mere two weeks later. So, planning had to be done quickly, but in all honesty most of the time preparing was focused on the four nights we were spending in Athens after the cruise. We have detailed this in our guide on visiting Athens which will give you everything you need to know.

For a trip which was so last minute that we barely had any time to plan anything, it was an incredible experience and we’re eager to tell you about it. This guide to the Norwegian Jade Greek Island route will provide information on the ship itself, food, drink, the facilities and what activities you could enjoy if you booked it as well.

We specifically took a route which stopped at

Olympian/Katakolon

All of these were places we wanted to visit, but we have to admit being incredibly excited about Mykonos and Santorini.

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Norwegian Jade Cruise Ship Statistics

So, let’s start with some facts about the ship which was built in 2006 and was refurbished in 2017.

• It weighs 93,558 gross register tons,
• The ship can take 2,404 people,
• It is 294 meters in length and 38 meters max beam (the width of the ship at its widest point),
• There are 1,037 crew on the ship.

As you can see it’s a pretty big ship and there is plenty for you to do on there. But we’ll start at the point we arrived in Athens, because we imagine most of you will be flying into Athens international airport.

Getting to and From the Cruise Terminal in Piraeus

• Buses – Bus route X96 (express) goes from Athens airport to Piraeus, Drapetsona and then back again. A bus departs every 30 to 40 minutes and it takes about 60 minutes to get there. Tickets cost 6 Euros per person, per trip which makes this the cheapest of the options.
• Trains – This is the option we chose on our journey from the airport to Piraeus. You will find the train station across the road from the airport, and it is clearly marked. If you tell the attendant at the ticket office that you are going direct to Piraeus, they will tell you what platform to go to and the time of the next train. There are two sides to the platform, one being the metro and the other the suburban train; again, they are clearly sign posted. Once you get on the train you simply stay on it to the end which is in Piraeus, and it will take about an hour. The cost per ticket is 9 euros each way, so a little bit more than the bus. But the trains are pretty comfortable, and they felt safe when we were on them, which was at night. The only problem with both the train and bus, is that once you reach your destination you then have to find transport to the port or your hotel. We really struggled to get a taxi or Uber from the train station and had to walk 20 minutes to the hotel. Now that doesn’t seem too bad, but it was at night, on uneven pavements and then a huge hill. So, as you can imagine we were exhausted at the end of it, especially as we had just flown in. You may be able to flag down a taxi just outside the station, but if not be prepared for a walk.
• Taxi / Uber – We took a taxi after the cruise from the port to Athens city centre and then from the centre to the airport. Both times it worked out to be much more expensive than public transport, but of course it was more convenient. You will find that most Uber drivers are also taxi’s and as such don’t be shocked to see a yellow taxi rock up. The journey from the airport to Piraeus can take between 40 and 90 minutes, depending on traffic and it will cost you between 50 and 60 Euros. The Uber app will tell you how much the cost is, but if you’re getting a taxi then make sure you ask before you get in.

You may be heading straight to the cruise terminal, if so we highly recommend making sure you have transport all the way there. We stayed in Piraeus the night before we set sail in the Phidias Piraeus Hotel . It was perfect for us for the night because it had plenty of shops and restaurants around. The staff were friendly, check in was quick and easy, and the room had recently been renovated so was nice and modern. There is a small lift, so you’ll probably need a couple of trips to get your cases up. But they have a free shuttle from the hotel to the cruise port which saves a few pennies.

Booking and Checking in Process for the Norwegian Jade NCL

Once you have booked you will receive confirmation via email and details as to what you need to do before you arrive. It will include pre-picking a time to board the ship, watching an emergency protocol video, uploading a picture for security, and completing passenger information. This can be done 2 weeks in advance, but online check in closes 3 days before you embark. You can of course complete the check in procedure when you reach the port terminal, but it means your boarding process will take longer.

We also had to register with the NCL approved Covid 19 testing company, so that we could be tested at the cruise port before we proceeded onto the ship. Our trip was November 2021, but obviously this can change so make sure you read any emails sent to you thoroughly.

The actual check in process was simple, even with all the covid elements. Staff were informative and friendly, and you were simply moved from one section to the next. We had to wait to get tested, then complete the lateral flow test, wait for the results, check in for our room key, go through security and then we could board. It sounds a lot but we felt quite relaxed throughout, and each step was streamlined.

What’s available on the NCL Jade?

This was the biggest cruise liner we have ever been on, because previously we have only ventured on smaller Caribbean cruises to places like the Bahamas.

The ship has 15 decks, and you board on the 4 th level, so everything you need is pretty much above that. The main floors are deck 7 which has restaurants, bars, shops and one of the entrances to the theatre. Deck 6 also has bars and restaurants; it is where the casino can be found and also has an entrance to the theatre. Deck 12 is the buffet restaurant, fitness centre and also takes you out to the pool area. But we’ll go through a full inventory of the facilities so that you have everything you need to know beforehand.

Here’s a small breakdown on the range of cabins available on the Norwegian Jade.

• Inside Cabin – This was the standard of room we stayed in, and it was a lovely size with plenty of wardrobe space.
• Oceanview Cabin – Very similar to the inside cabin, but with a porthole view of the ocean.
• Balcony Cabin – In general they tend to be larger rooms, but the main selling point is the balcony and view. You can enjoy watching the waves roll past as you sit and relax in your room.
• Club Balcony Suite – Has the beautiful ocean view and balcony, but you also have a sitting room which gives you extra space to spread out. It also has a luxury bath and shower.
• Suite – Pure luxury with an aft-facing balcony, a queen-size bed and sofa bed. Some have a living and dining area with butler and concierge service.
• The Haven – Located at the top of the ship, with large bedrooms, luxury bath and shower, a living area, dining area, private balcony and access to a private courtyard, plus a butler and concierge service.

Restaurants and Speciality Dining

• Moderno Churrascaria – Brazilian food
• Cagney’s Steakhouse
• Garden Café – Buffet Restaurant
• The Great Outdoors – Buffet Restaurant
• La Cucina – Italian Restaurant
• Topsiders Bar and Grill – Pool Side Snacks
• Jasmine Garden – Asian Resturant
• Atrium Café – Cakes and Pastries
• Alizar – Main Dining Restaurant
• Grand Pacific – Main Dining Restaurant
• Le Bistro – French Cuisine
• O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill
• Spinnaker Lounge – At the top of the ship, so you can expect incredible views.
• The Atrium Bar – This is quite a central spot on the ship, but in all honesty we didn’t really feel a comfy vibe there. It was next to guest services and as such can get busy and there were better bars. They serve the usual drinks, plus coffees and pastries. You will also see live music performed during the evening.
• Jade Club Casino Bar – For those of you who fancy a tipple as you’re playing your favourite slot machine.
• Magnum’s Champagne and Wine Bar – Perfect if you’re after some bubbles to finish your day at sea. Magnums has an extensive list of wines and champagne which would suit even the biggest connoisseurs out there. It’s also next to the live entertainment, so an ideal spot for those of you after a chilled night.
• Mixers Martini and Cocktail Bar – If you’re looking for something a little fruitier for your drink, then head to Mixers. We were impressed by the range of cocktails that was offered on board.
• Sake Bar – Next to the Jasmine restaurant and although it is only small, it offers a number of Sake options.
• Bliss Ultra Lounge – Has more of a night club vibe to it, so as you can imagine there’s plenty of low lighting. Karaoke was held here most nights and DJ’s or live bands played.
• Java Café and Bar – For those of you in need of a caffeine hit, the Java Café serves frozen coffee, espressos, cappuccinos, teas, pastries and cookies.
• Sugarcane Mojito Bar – Another option for the cocktail fans out there.
• The Pitstop – One of the two options on the top deck for those of you who like a tipple as you catch some rays. They offer a wide range of options including cocktails, some of which are frozen and delicious.
• Topsiders Bar and Grill – Very similar to the Pitstop, just a bigger bar and closer to the pool. You have an excellent range of beers, spirits and cocktails.
• Tankards Beer and Whiskey Bar – They have a great list of whiskey and beer, plus it’s close enough to the live entertainment that you can hear it, but far enough that you can still chat.
• The Great Outdoors – This is both the buffet restaurant and a bar, so grab some amazing food and a tipple of your choice and check out the scenery.
• O’Sheehan’s – The Irish bar is mainly a restaurant, but there is a section for anyone who simply wants a drink.

Daytime – Generally on NCL the dress code is quite relaxed with most people wearing swimming costumes, shorts, flip flops and t-shirts. Obviously if you’re going into the buffet restaurant then wear something over your swimming costume and bare feet is not allowed.

Evening – Most people who have never cruised before imagine ball gowns and tuxedos. Those days are long gone and instead you simply dress smartly. So, no beach wear, just more of the clothes you would wear to a restaurant or on a night out.

Additional Facilities on the Norwegian Jade Cruise Ship

• Blazing Boots – Which is a tribute show to classic country pop songs, so you will enjoy a wide range from tear jerkers to those favourites which get your feet tapping.
• Elements – A show based on the four elements Earth, Air, Wind and Fire. This was the second show we saw and in all honesty, we didn’t think it would be our kind of thing, but wow. There are acrobatic elements to the show, but we won’t say anymore and ruin it for you.
• Palace of Lights – Sadly we didn’t see this one, but it is themed on 1950’s Cuba with salsa and mambo, and incredible music.

Perspectives Studio – This is a professional photography studio where you can have portraits taken to capture the memories of an incredible holiday.

Professional Portraits – Very similar to the studio, expect you’ll find the photographers located around the ship with varying backgrounds. There is no cost to sitting and having your picture taken, then you can go and check it out afterwards to see if you want to buy it. On every cruise we have taken, the staff will photograph you as you board the ship. It’s simply a step to get through as you embark, and you can purchase the photo as a holiday souvenir.

Art Gallery – Yes you read that correctly! There was quite an extensive range of pieces from varying artists. We would recommend that you take a look early, because you will be surprised by how many pieces were sold.

Basketball/Volleyball/Tennis Court – Our cruise had a port every single day, so most of the time the court was empty, but we did find the occasional person playing basketball.

Business Centre and Meeting Rooms – They offer the Scalzi Bridge rooms, the Academia Bridge room, and the Rialto Bridge room for any business meetings.

Card Room – For those of you who love a little competition, why not head to the card room and play some games. There is plenty to choose from including board games and chess.

Cigar Lounge – Within this area you are allowed to smoke in public, but what makes it extra special is the fact that the Cigar Club is a relaxed space. They offer a number of premium cigars and spirits such as cognacs, so if this is your thing then why not treat yourself.

Entourage Teen Club – The ship caters for the youngsters too because they have their own space away from parents. Made to imitate a surfer’s paradise, the teen club has lots of things to do, including video games and air hockey.

Fitness Centre – With incredible views out of the side of the ship, the fitness centre has both cardio and weights equipment. It is one of the better equipped gyms we have seen on our travels and is open from 6am to 11pm. There is always someone available for assistance and they are great for advice on technique.

Hot Tubs – There is an incredible four hot tubs on the NCL Jade, and they are heaven! Especially after you’ve had a long day walking around sightseeing, it’s bliss to soak your weary bones in the warm bubbles. Of course, they can get busy, but we found that during the day when you are ashore and people were on excursions, that most of them were empty.

Internet Café – You can purchase Wi-Fi on the ship, but it is pretty expensive. We had free roaming for Greece, so when we went ashore it was fine to use our contracted data. It was only at night when the ship was at sea we didn’t have any internet, which was fine for us. If you want to contact people at home but not purchase any additional packages, then you can use the internet café.

Jade Casino – We’re not professionals, but we like to dabble every so often. The Jade Casino is an impressive space with a bit of everything from Roulette, Blackjack, Craps, slots, and Poker. There is a raft of slot machines with minimum deposits to suit all types of bettors. As you can imagine the best way to credit is via your room card.

Jogging/Walking Track – Found on the top deck and circling around the tennis/basketball court is the jogging/walking track which we used a few times.

Library – If you’re looking for something to read, forgotten your book or finished the one you brought, then fear not because NCL Jade has its own library with a great selection.

Mandara Spa and Salon – A beautiful relaxing spa with several treatment options including massage and nail treatments.

Pool – Located on deck 12 this is one of the larger pools we have seen on a cruise ship, and it was the perfect way to cool down in the Mediterranean sun. Topsiders Bar and Grill is located next to it and servers walk around taking drink orders, so you don’t even need to move from your sun lounger.

Sapphire Kid’s Pool – This is a kid’s section for little swimmers which has a shallow pool with a slide.

Spa Thermal Suite – The perfect treat for those of you who are after a relaxing holiday. This form of sauna helps your body detox and improves circulation.

The Chapel – Available daily for anyone who wants to use it, but it can also be used as a meeting room.

Video Arcade – With a great range of games, this is the perfect pitstop for those of you after a bit of fun.

Shopping – It may be a cruise ship, but that doesn’t mean you cannot shop till you drop. This is what’s available on board:

• Effy Jewellery – Is a fine jewellery brand.
• Galleria Shops – A range of duty-free items, including jewellery, handbags, alcohol and perfume.
• The Galleria Boutique – Forgotten your bathing suit or you need a need t-shirt? Then head to the Galleria for a great range of clothing.
• The Photo Gallery – they have a range of items such as cameras, binoculars, camera accessories, frames, and photo souvenirs.
• The Tides – If you are thinking about your next cruise already, then head to the Tides and see what deals they have to offer.

NCL Jade Food and Drink

No matter your food preferences, we are sure that the Norwegian Jade will be able to accommodate you. We are predominantly plant based and as such asked what NCL vegan options were available in the buffet restaurant each day and the following day for evening meals. In all our experiences of cruising and travelling abroad, we have never eaten so well and so much. If you have any special food requirements, then head to the main restaurant on the first day and inform them. They will either take the information or they will tell you where to go.

We went to the Jasmine restaurant where a food specialist took our details and entered it against our room. This meant that for every meal they were aware and could prepare a dish especially for us. We would pick what we wanted to eat during our meal for the following evening and enjoyed varied dishes such as burritos, curries, chillies and stir-fry’s. Starters ranged from tomato bruschetta, soups, and spring rolls. The dessert was always a fruit plate, because sadly they didn’t have anything cake based for us to enjoy.

Within the buffet restaurant we informed the chef about our preferences, and they walked around and pointed out what was available to us. This was ideal and we didn’t realise how much we could have, especially those of you who love a good curry.

If you’re not limited food wise then boy are you in for a treat, because they pretty much offer everything you could want. The buffet restaurant has a multitude of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then add in the main restaurant which has an array of starters, mains, and desserts. Finally throw in the speciality restaurants and it can all become quite overwhelming. Even in the bar areas such as O’Sheehan’s and Topsider’s, you can grab a burger and fries or a sandwich. To give you some examples they had stews, soups, cheese toasties, omelettes, pizzas, lasagne, sandwiches, cakes, salads and so on and so on. Pretty much something to suit everyone’s palette, even a sushi bar!

When it comes to drinks again there are so many options its difficult to list them all. The bars have an array of cocktails, wines, beers, and spirits, which will vary depending on which one you’re at. Within the buffet restaurant you can enjoy fruit juices or an alcoholic beverage; we loved the white wine. But you also have coffee and tea places dotted around, with options such as green tea being available.

Activities on the Cruise Ship

Every night when your room is turned down, an activities sheet is left called ‘Freestyle Daily’. It will provide information on the port that you will visit the following day, including if it is a tender port or not. But it will also list the activities for the following day with the time and where to go on the ship, including live music, games, shows and any offers or competitions.

The list is too extensive for us to put here, but to give you a few examples, there was live music every night on a number of spots on the ship. You had DJ’s day and night, karaoke in the bliss lounge, bingo every night, and then extra activities such as learning Spanish, yoga lessons, wine or whiskey tastings and singles mixers. There’s pretty much something for everyone, all ages, so you’ll never be bored.

Places Visited During NCL Greek Island Cruise

The best part of European cruises is that most cruise ships dock in the main towns, so that you can simply walk in to explore. Unlike Caribbean cruises where you have to book an excursion to really see the place you’ve visited. So, we opted to just get off the ship and have a wander, rather than booking the excursions. But we will give you an idea of what is available on each stop, just in case you would rather do more than see the local town.

We found the prices of excursions to be quite steep, especially in comparison to the Caribbean options. At the time we looked (November 2021), transfers to the beach alone were 33 euros which to us didn’t seem worth the money.

We’ll give you a little information on what each port had to offer and the main excursions. You can then decide what is best for you on your holiday.

Known as the Ibiza of the Greek Islands, Mykonos offers a party atmosphere during peak season with its many nightclubs. Of course, this isn’t going to be a focus for people on a cruise ship, so what else does Mykonos have to offer?

You will dock in Tourlos which is close to Mykonos Town, but unlike the advice we had read before we went, we strongly advise that you do not walk to the town. There is a free shuttle bus provided to and from the town, and both are obviously sign posted. The actual walk is quite a distance, and it can be on roads with no pavements, so save some time and just hop on the bus.

Within Mykonos Town you can enjoy the iconic row of 16 th century windmills, Paraportiani Orthodox Church and Little Venice. There are quaint tourist and jewellery shops, plus plenty of restaurants and bars to stop and relax for a coffee.

What makes Mykonos Town so beautiful is the endless rows of whitewashed houses, with little blue doors. The iconic images we normally associate with Santorini. Most people from the ship followed each other along the same tourist route to the windmills at the end.

We did the same, but on the way back wandered further into the town through the little streets and took the most beautiful pictures. Mykonos is a photographer’s dream, with bougainvillea draped everywhere and sleepy local cats whiling away the hours in the midday sun.

In all honesty we didn’t feel like we needed an excursion and most of the excursions were in the same areas we walked too anyway. So, it depends if you’re after an in-depth history of the place or you simply like to walk about and take it all in.

If you’re definitely interested in an excursion, then here are a few of the more popular ones.

• Let’s Take a Selfie – Take the perfect selfie in Mykonos to share with family and friends,
• Made in Mykonos – Sample locally made products such as cheese, yoghurt, beer and organic dishes.
• Delos: Birthplace of Artemis and Apollo – The birthplace of the Goddess Artemis and God Apollo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Mykonos on Foot – A walking tour exploring the beauty of Mykonos, both lifestyle and history.

Just a couple of extra tips for those of you who decide to wander around the town. Firstly, look out for Petros the pelican who tends to hang around Little Venice. He’s famous for posing with tourists as they take a selfie or photo and has now become an icon of Mykonos Town. Secondly try and bring smaller notes when you get your Euros, it helps when you are buying any touristy bits in the smaller shops.

One of the lesser-known islands on our cruise, Patmos is famous for being the place where the disciple/apostle John had his visions as told in the Book of Revelation of the New Testament. It was also where the book was said to be written.

To visit Patmos you will have to board a tender boat to sail over to the shore, which is really easy. The port is small, and it leads into a little town of shops, restaurants and bars. Its quite nice to wander around for an hour or so and look at the shops.

If you’re interested in heading further afield then at the top of a hill is the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian. This was built in 1088 and has elaborate frescos and chapels, plus there is a museum in connection to the monastery.

Between the Monastery which is in Chora and the port town of Skala, you will find the Cave of the Apocalypse. It is meant to be the location where John the disciple wrote the Book of Revelation.

If you’re interested in excursions in Patmos, then there are two that NCL offer, and they both involve a tour of the cave and Monastery which are both UNESCO Sites. If you prefer to go yourself then you can get a taxi from Skala to the Monastery and the driver will wait for you for an hour; the cost is 40 Euros. We had read that you can walk to the monastery but from speaking to people who attempted it, it was too dangerous as there was no proper pathway.

The best part is the fact that Rhodes Town is a 10-minute walk from the cruise port, so you don’t need any buses or tender boats. Just outside the port you will find taxis and a hop on hop off bus. The bus route is only small, but they are pretty good options for getting around a new area and learning about what you are seeing.

We loved wandering around Rhodes Town, not only was there plenty to do, but it was incredibly beautiful and perfect for those Instagram pictures. But if you want to try one of the excursions then here are a few offered by NCL;

• Highlights of Rhodes – Begins at the old port of Mandraki and tour historic sites around the island.
• Ancient Lindos and its Acropolis – Head to the ancient town of Lindos and visit the beautiful acropolis.
• Traditions of Rhodes and Home Visit – Board a coach through the New Town of Rhodes, along Mandraki Harbour and Fort Nicholas. Up to Monte Smith hill for views of the ancient stadium and the Temple of Apollo. Then a visit to Koskinou to a home decorated with local art ceramic plates and observe the techniques of the potter’s craft.

This is the capital of Crete and is known as a port city, due to the massive dock and marina. Within Heraklion you will find two monuments, the Palace of Knossos and Phaistos Palace. Around the cities Venetian port is a 16 th century fortress called Koules and within the walls you will find Turkish and Venetian fountains.

Because the cruise port in Heraklion is so big you cannot just walk off and into the town. There is a free shuttle bus back and forth, similar to when you disembark in Mykonos.

Some of the excursions available in Heraklion via NCL are;

• Go Local, Cretan Village of Krousonas – Explore the village of Krousonas, including the St Irene of Kroussonas Monastery.
• Knossos and Village Life – Explore the village of Knossos and the village of Arolithos to see how people lived in the past.
• Scenic Agios Nicolaos – Head to Elounda and stroll around the resort town of Agios Nikolaos, with a bustling harbour, restaurants and shops.

When you port in Katakolon you will have the opportunity to visit Olympian, the site of the first Olympic Games which took place in 776 B.C. The journey is about 40 minutes by bus, and you will arrive to an ancient ruin of pillars and statues. The site includes the Temple of Zeus which is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

If you haven’t booked an excursion on the ship then you can either get a taxi or a bus, there are plenty available. Next to the cruise port is a small town with a few shops and restaurants. There is also a little beach nearby, which is nothing spectacular, but we saw a turtle on the beach as we strolled along. Within the town you can jump on a little train which takes you around the local area for a cost of 6 Euros.

Some of the excursions available through NCL are.

• Olympia and Archaeological Museum – Visit the Olympic Stadium, Temple of Zeus and the Archaeological Museum.
• Olympia and Wine Tasting – Not only will you visit the Olympic site, but you will also go to a family-owned vineyard and tour the winery. You will have a chance to taste the wines produced by the Kanellakopoulos family.

Because Santorini doesn’t have a cruise port you have to take a tender boat to the port of Skala, also known as the old port. This is at the base of the Caldera Cliffs in Fira which is the capital of Santorini. To get from the bottom of the cliff to the top you have three options.

• Get the cable car,
• Walk the 587 steps from Skala or Fira,
• Ride on a donkey up the steps.

If you’re energetic and fancy the walk then good for you, we normally take on the challenge, but we took a different route. We would recommend not using the donkey option and the cruise ship prewarn passengers that it is unsafe. Not only can the saddles be loose and as such you can fall off, but the donkeys are seriously mistreated by their owners. This really only leaves one final option if you’re going directly to Fira, but in all honesty it is so much fun and the views are incredible.

We took the cable car on the route back and it cost us 6 Euros, so you’re looking at 12 Euros for a return ticket. The total journey is 4 minutes maximum, and it will take you right into the shops, so you don’t have to walk very far.

Before we went on the cruise, we researched places to visit in Santorini and was told that Oia was the place to go. Oia is where you will see the whitewashed houses and blue roofs, but it is further up the island. A taxi will take about 30 to 40 minutes and we were told it was an average of 15 Euros each way.

When we arrived, we saw a company with a fast boat to Oia, now we will prewarn you, we waited ages to leave. The company won’t begin the journey until the boat is full and then we didn’t find it that fast, but it was a better option than getting a taxi. We paid 20 Euros in total and that included the boat, a bus from the dock in Oia to the top of the cliff and then a bus from Oia back to Fira. If you were a couple that is a total of 40 Euros, but the taxi route would be 30 Euros minimum. There is a steep walk from the port in Oia to the bus pick up so it would be impossible for anyone with health issues or mobility problems.

When you reach the main touristy spot in Oia you will be happy, because it’s as beautiful as the pictures. Most of the stepped areas are private sections specifically for the hotels, so just be careful where you are wandering. There are lots of shops and restaurants to spend time in, but the streets are small, and they got busy quickly. Bear in mind we travelled there in November, so we can imagine it’s bedlam in peak season.

We just wandered along and took a raft of pictures and then grabbed a drink, before heading back on the bus to Fira. The capital of Santorini is pretty big and has so much to offer the shopaholics out there, so make sure you leave plenty of time before heading back to the ship. There are lots of churches and museums if you fancy gaining some knowledge about the island itself. But we just enjoyed the sunshine and the chance to stroll around.

There are a number of NCL excursions in Santorini, including:

• Let’s Take a Selfie – A tour guide will show you the best spots to take the perfect pictures and add in a little history as you go.
• Santorini’s Musical Heritage – Visit Pyrgo’s a little village where you can discover how Greek musical instruments are made. The you will head to a local winery and sample a selection of wines and local delicacies.
• Greek Style Celebration – Opa! – Head to Oia and visit a renowned Greek restaurant with incredible food, wine, music and dancing. They will perform ‘Zorba the Greek’ whilst breaking plates whilst the bouzouki plays.

Hopefully we’ve covered everything you will need whether you have booked this trip or not. As we mentioned above, we booked the cruise very last minute and so did less preparation than normal. Also, we had the covid element to contend with, such as additional paperwork. But upon reflection now we have returned from the trip, including staying in Athens, it was all so easy.

Boarding the ship was straightforward, the food and drinks were incredible and that’s with dietary restrictions. The staff went above and beyond for us, and the room was bigger than we expected. Then add in the incredible ports, with many being simple walks away from the ship and you have the perfect vacation.

The only negative we found and it’s a personal opinion, is that the excursions were pretty expensive. When you compare them to the Caribbean cruise options; simply going to the beach was 33 Euros each which seemed excessive to us. But again, we didn’t feel the need to book any, but we would still recommend taking a look at them and seeing what you think. Just as a side note the winery tours tend to be pretty early starts, so be aware that you’ll be drinking alcohol earlier than normal.

If you decide to book, or you have already booked, then we wish you a wonderful time and please tag us into your Instagram pictures, we love to see your adventures.

• CruiseMapper
• Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Jade

Cruise line Norwegian Cruise Line

• Miami (Florida)
• Port Canaveral (Orlando, Florida)
• Tampa (Florida)
• Vancouver (BC Canada)
• Whittier (Alaska)

Norwegian Jade current position

Norwegian Jade current location is at North West Atlantic Ocean (coordinates 26.47013 N / -78.91273 W) cruising en route to US PCV > BS NAS. The AIS position was reported 1 minute ago.

Current itinerary of Norwegian Jade

Norwegian Jade current cruise is 4 days, round-trip Summer Of 99 And Beyond Cruise . The itinerary starts on 27 Apr, 2024 and ends on 01 May, 2024 .

Specifications of Norwegian Jade

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

Norwegian Jade Itineraries

Norwegian jade review, review of norwegian jade.

The 2006-built Norwegian Jade cruise ship is the 2nd of NCL Jewel-class liners, with sisterships Norwegian Gem , Norwegian Jewel , Norwegian Pearl .

The vessel (IMO number 9304057) is currently Bahamas- flagged (MMSI 308416000) and registered in Nassau .

History - construction and ownership

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is a subsidiary company of the shipping corporation Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH). NCL was founded in 1966, headquartered in Miami (Florida USA) and publicly traded (NASDAQ) company listed on NYSE ( NYC ). NCLH's major shareholders are the corporations Apollo Global Management (American), Genting Group (Malaysian) and TPG Capital (American). In 2017, the brand NCL had a worldwide cruise market share 8,7% (passengers) and 8,4% (revenue). NCLH (shipowner) owns the brands NCL , Oceania and RSSC-Regent .

The 2200-passenger ship Norwegian Jade has a similar exterior appearance to the Norwegian Star (operational since 2001) and the Norwegian Dawn (2002). However, the interior design and amenities are quite different and merit Norwegian Jade having a Jewel Class design. All dining and entertainment options are almost the same on all ship owned by NCL. The unique thing on Norwegian Jade is that the vessel is definitely international. There are people from different countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Mexico, Japan.

Decks and Cabins

Norwegian Jade staterooms (1201 total, in 36 grades) include 181x Suites, 360x Balcony, 243x Oceanview and 417 Inside cabins. Most staterooms are sized 140-160 ft2 (13-15 m2). The largest accommodations are the 3-Bedroom The Haven Garden Villa (2320 ft2 / 216 m2, with terrace sized 1035 ft2 / 96 m2).

The boat has 15 decks , of which 12 are passenger-accessible and 8 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

All meals are open seating and the choice of food is quite unrivaled, including from a steakhouse and Tepannyaki to French, Italian, tapas, sushi, buffets and even a 24-hour cafe, complete with English breakfast. Alizar and Grand Pacific are Norwegian Jade's main dining rooms. Open seating breakfast and lunch are provided in one of the two, both are open for dinner, and walk-ins are welcome in the evening. An electronic system onboard Norwegian Jade cuts down on wait times and lines in the restaurants. Monitors throughout the corridors reveal how busy the eateries are, with a bar ranging from green (come on in) to red (crowded). This screen acts as an electronic hostess and lets guests know how long the wait is for a table for four, for example, and where parties are being accepted.

Follows the complete list of Norwegian Jade restaurants and food bars.

• Alizar Restaurant (forward Dining Room, complimentary, with Your Time dining)
• Le Bistro (French speciality dinner-only restaurant; reservations-only; US$20 cover charge)
• Jasmine Garden (Asian restaurant, dinner-only, complimentary since 2015)
• Sushi Bar (10-seat Jasmine Garden restaurant, a la carte); Sake Bar (inside Jasmine Garden)
• Teppanyaki (Japanese Hibachi speciality, reservations-only restaurant; US$25; open for Lunch and Dinner; features live cooking demonstrations)
• Grand Pacific Restaurant (aft-location Dining Room; complimentary; Freestyle dining)
• Blue Lagoon (buffet restaurant for fast food; complimentary)
• Bali Hai Bar & Grill (complimentary fast food bar)
• Cagney’s Steakhouse (speciality dinner restaurant for prime steaks and gourmet seafood specialities; reservations-only, US$30 cover charge per person and free Kids Menu)
• Bali Hai Bar & Grill (complimentary burgers and grills)
• Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse; reservations-only; US$20 per person cover charge; with outdoor seating waterfront area; moved to deck 13 during 2017 refit and outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass door entrance)
• La Cucina (Italian speciality restaurant; reservations-only, US$15 cover charge; with outdoor seating waterfront area); Papa's (Italian)
• Garden Cafe (complimentary buffet restaurant with various cuisine stations); Kid's Cafe
• The Great Outdoors (outdoor buffet restaurant, complimentary)
• Topsiders Bar & Grill (poolside, complimentary)
• O’Sheehan's Bar & Grill
• The Pit Stop (poolside grill).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The 2-level Stardust Theater is the main venue for Broadway- and Vegas-style reviews. The entertainment options range from the standard song and dance review or cabaret to the more offbeat sing-along. There is a nightly variable 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. show, with one comedy or variety act and one standard Vegas or Broadway revue. One of the most exciting experiences is the crew variety show, always held on the final evening. High atop the ship is the secondary showroom, Jade's Spinnaker Lounge. It serves different purposes during the day. In the afternoon, passenger participation games take place. At night, The Second City troupe features a mixture of comedy, lounge music, and cabaret. The ship also has 7 jacuzzis and 3 pools (Sapphire Kid’s Pool). Entertainment options also include the NCL's FIREWORKS show (on each voyage), "Rock of Ages", "Cirque Dreams", "Illusionarium" (magicians show).

Additional amenities include: Complimentary 24-hour Room-Service, Supervised Kids Program ("NCL Kids"), Internet/WiFi Access, Laundry. NCL Jade tipping/gratuities are US$12 pp per day. Norwegian Jade cruise ship not only allows weddings on board - she has a chapel.

Follows the complete list of Norwegian Jade lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Stardust Theatre (1042-seat; features Broadway-style musical productions; two grand shows per night)
• Bar City complex (Tankards Beer & Whisky Bar, Mixers Martini & Cocktail Bar and Magnum’s Champagne & Wine Bar); Cigar Bar; Topsiders Bar; Star Bar
• Medusa Lounge & Nightclub
• Spinnaker Lounge (394-seat, with floor-to-ceiling windows; serves as disco & night club); Java Cafe
• Aloha Atrium (2-deck midship hub area with a big-size LED screen, dance area and live entertainment)
• Atrium Cafe & Bar (speciality tea & coffee bar)
• Internet Cafe (24-hour); Art Gallery; Photo Gallery & Shop
• LifeStyles Room; Library; Card Room;
• Jade Club Casino
• Galleria Boutiques/Shopping Alley (tax and duty-free shops)
• Ying & Yang Spa complex (Thermal Suite, Snow Room, Salt Room, Medi Spa, Smile Spa, Treatment Rooms, Beauty Salon, Barber Shop); Body Waves Fitness Centre; Waikiki Beach Pool; Sapphire Kid’s Pool
• Tree Top Kid’s Club; Wipe Out Teen’s Lounge & Disco Club; Video Games Arcade
• The Haven area Courtyard Fitness & Spa complex (Villas-guests only, Steam Room, Gym)
• Rock Climbing Wall; Combined sports court; Jogging Track; Golf Nets; Shuffleboard, Giant Chess
• During drydock 2017 refurbishment was added O’Sheehan's Bar & Grill, Sugarcane Mojito Bar, The Cellars (Mondavi Family Wine Bar), Los Lobos Cantina (Mexican restaurant), The Pit Stop (poolside grill), Bliss Ultra Lounge.

Itineraries

Norwegian Jade itinerary program is based on Mediterranean cruises from Civitavecchia-Rome and Venice to Turkey, Greece and the Greek Isles, and also to ports on the French and Italian Riviera coasts in the Western Mediterranean.

In 2017, for the first time ever, NCL homeported a ship (Jade) in Hamburg Germany . The itineraries were 6- and 8-night Western Europe, 8- and 9-night Norwegian Fjords, 11-night Norway and North Cape , and one 13-night Norway, Iceland and UK. Alternatively, roundtrip departures were offered from Amsterdam Holland and Southampton England .

In summer 2018, the ship had scheduled Norway, Iceland and North Cape cruises from Southampton and Hamburg. In 2018-2019, the ship offered Southern Caribbean itineraries from homeport Miami (Florida USA) - 11-day and 14-day roundtrip Panama Canal cruises from Tampa and Miami.

Following the Coronavirus crisis, in early-April 2021, NCL announced new schedules for the ships Jade (7-day Mediterranean-Greek Islands from Piraeus-Athens /starting July 25), Joy (7-day Caribbean from Montego Bay Jamaica /starting August 15) and Gem (7-day Caribbean from La Romana Dominican Republic /starting August 15). Previously, the boats were planned to restart as follows - Joy (October 19, 2021/Caribbean from Miami ), Gem (Oct 29, 2021/Bermuda from NYC ), Jade (January 2, 2022/South Africa from Cape Town).

The ship's winter 2021-2022 program (December thru February) was canceled. It featured NCL's first roundtrips from Cape Town South Africa . A 12-day "Extraordinary Journeys" included visits to Namibia ( Luderitz , Walvis Bay ) and Durban , with overnights in Richards Bay and Cape Town. NCL Jade restarted operations on March 3, 2022, in the Mediterranean.

Norwegian Jade - user reviews and comments

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Norwegian Jade ship related cruise news

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Other Norwegian Cruise Line cruise ships

• Norwegian Aqua
• Norwegian Bliss
• Norwegian Breakaway
• Norwegian Dawn
• Norwegian Encore
• Norwegian Epic
• Norwegian Escape
• Norwegian Gem
• Norwegian Getaway
• Norwegian Jewel
• Norwegian Joy
• Norwegian Pearl
• Norwegian Prima
• Norwegian Sky
• Norwegian Spirit
• Norwegian Star
• Norwegian Sun
• Norwegian Viva
• Pride of America

Norwegian Jade Wiki

Between 2006 and 2008, this vessel served in the NCL America company’s fleet under the name "Pride of Hawaii". In NCL America's fleet, it had as a fleet mate the sistership Pride of Aloha (now Norwegian Sky).

The NCL Jade ship was christened on May 22, 2006, in a ceremony at San Pedro Pier in LA, California. The selection of Senator Inouye as "Godfather" of NCL Pride of Hawaii, was an innovative step by Norwegian since this role is traditionally played by women.

JADE is of the Jewel-class Norwegian vessels. Her sisters in the fleet are the NCL ships Gem , Jewel and Pearl . The initial intent was JADE to have a design similar to that of Pride of America but later was decided to be enlarged (NCL Jewel-design).

In 2007 the NCL company announced they will permanently relocate the vessel from Hawaii due to substantial revenue losses. In early 2008 NCLH deployed the ship in Europe. Its last Honolulu departure was on Feb 4, 2008. The vessel went to dry-dock for some changes (new livery, casino, new name) to become "Norwegian Jade". However, she still keeps her Hawaii-themed interior decor (many flowers and landscapes throughout onboard venues and public spaces).

JADE's Inaugural Cruise (Maiden Voyage) was on February 16, 2008 ( Panama Canal from Los Angeles to Miami ). The ship's first Captain was Frank Juliussen.

NCL Jade refurbishment 2017 review

Ship's 2017 drydock (March 7 - April 3) was in Freeport Bahamas and resulted in the following deckplan changes:

Atrium's décor was changed. The old chandelier was replaced with a new one.

Over 2250 new artworks were installed throughout the ship (including in all cabins).

All staterooms were updated and upgraded with new furniture, carpeting, flat TVs, bed headboards (with USB outlets for device charging).

The Haven suite complex' Haven Courtyard was refurbished (new finishes on outdoor deck areas, swimming pool, hot tubs). New deck furniture and cabanas were added.

Main pool deck areas were also updated.

Spinnaker Lounge (deck 13) was upgraded, as well as the Fitness Centre (deck 12, new TechnoGym equipment).

The Haven suites and villas were all renovated with new furniture, finishes, wallpapers, carpeting, drapery, artworks.

2 new restaurants were added - O’Sheehan's Bar and Grill, Sugarcane Mojito Bar, The Cellars (Mondavi Family Wine Bar), Los Lobos Cantina (Mexican restaurant), The Pit Stop (poolside grill, deck 13).

Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse restaurant) was moved from deck 8 to deck 13. The restaurant was redesigned and outfitted with floor-ceiling windows and glass-door entrance.

Bliss Ultra Lounge (nightclub) was added on deck 7.

All other onboard eateries were updated (new carpeting, artworks, upholstery, window treatments), including La Cucina (Italian restaurant, deck 12), Cagney’s Steakhouse (deck 13), Teppanyaki Room (deck 7), Jasmine Garden (deck 7), Garden Cafe (deck 12). Cagney’s Steakhouse now has additional seating and a new virtual fireplace. La Cucina has a new wine wall.

During drydock 2017, NCL Jade was retrofitted with new "scrubbers" (exhaust gas cleaning systems). The new scrubber technology reduces the equivalent of approx 1500 tons of the poisonous gas Sulfur Oxide. NCL was the first cruise company to retrofit with a scrubber hybrid system vessels while in service. The new in-line scrubbers (5 units) are lightweight and able to operate in a dry mode, as well as in open and closed loops.

Drydock 2017 was part of NCL's "Norwegian Edge" program for fleetwide upgrades (2-year project budgeted USD 400 million). Each drydock costs around USD 35-40 million.

NCL Jade refurbishment 2011 review

The list of deck plan changes after the ship's 2011 drydock refurbishment includes:

• (Deck 8) the new "Moderno" restaurant replaced the old “Paniolo’s”.
• Stardust Theater was renovated and technically updated and enhanced.
• All passenger and crew cabins were upgraded with new flat TVs. Wheelchair-accessible rooms were also updated.
• The onboard Wi-Fi coverage was upgraded to shipwide.
• A new aerobics room was added in the Spa-Gym complex.
• Among the other renovations are new carpeting and tiling, silk plants.

• Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Jade - Athens Greek Islands Freestyle Dailies

By KeithJenner , April 25, 2022 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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KeithJenner

I've just scanned and uploaded the freestyle dailies from last weeks 7 day Greek Island cruise.

This is not the itinerary which heads out to Israel, but I think that this one is boing done a few times during the Summer. Hope it helps.

Day 1.pdf Day 2.pdf Day 3.pdf Day 4.pdf Day 5.pdf Day 6.pdf Day 7.pdf Disembark.pdf

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Thank you. It appears that on day 1 (embarkation) there was no MDR open for lunch. Was that correct?

35 minutes ago, kochleffel said: Thank you. It appears that on day 1 (embarkation) there was no MDR open for lunch. Was that correct?

I expect so as we were on the week before and it was also not open for lunch on our embarkation day, its our normal location for lunch on day 1.

This looks like a really fun trip.  Lots of onboard offerings and entertainment.

Thank you for these!

So helpful for planning! Headed out June 5, can’t wait 😀

6 hours ago, kochleffel said: Thank you. It appears that on day 1 (embarkation) there was no MDR open for lunch. Was that correct?

I can’t say for sure, as we just tend to head to o’Sheehans on embarkation day. I didn’t even look to see what else was available.

But given that they didn’t the week before it doesn’t surprise me.

@KeithJenner

Thank you for today's rib-tickling laugh.   I was looking at your Day 7 Freestyle Daily.

I loved the information about the "Donkey walk"; but the English was atrocious.   Then I looked further and found this:-

I see that NCL still refuses to use a proof reader for their Freestyle Daily.    JEPARODY  in the heading and  Jeopardy in the description. 

Reminded me of the person  we came across,  "ANOYNMOUS", on one cruise.   They did correct it later in the cruise to "ANONYMOUS".

willetstravel

Thank you for these Keith!  Enjoyed traveling along with you and followed you on IG.  I was checking out the Sunday Daily and it lists Bar Services (hours) for the first day.  Was it mentioned anywhere that they can't serve until well after disembarkation or people just found out when they got on board?  

21 hours ago, willetstravel said: Thank you for these Keith!  Enjoyed traveling along with you and followed you on IG.  I was checking out the Sunday Daily and it lists Bar Services (hours) for the first day.  Was it mentioned anywhere that they can't serve until well after disembarkation or people just found out when they got on board?  

We just found out when trying. As far as I can tell there was no official announcement or mention made at all.

• 2 months later...

Thank you for these!  We just booked this for May 2023. I know it may change a bit but we’ve never cruised NCL so it’s nice to get an idea of how they do their dailies.   

One question - the specialty restaurants have some that are a’la carte & othered that are just the cover/up charge. We’ve sailed Celebrity & those are just the upcharge, so how does a’la carte charge work with the specialty dining promo?

25 minutes ago, pugrads said: Thank you for these!  We just booked this for May 2023. I know it may change a bit but we’ve never cruised NCL so it’s nice to get an idea of how they do their dailies.    One question - the specialty restaurants have some that are a’la carte & othered that are just the cover/up charge. We’ve sailed Celebrity & those are just the upcharge, so how does a’la carte charge work with the specialty dining promo? thanks!

Basically your meal is covered in the a la carte restaurants although you are restricted to one entree. There are a small number of menu items with an upcharge mentioned on the menu. We very rarely have any charge when using the dining package, although as an example I did have crab cakes in Cagneys on this trip which is an upcharge item ($5 extra I think).

On 4/26/2022 at 10:26 AM, willetstravel said: Thank you for these Keith!  Enjoyed traveling along with you and followed you on IG.  I was checking out the Sunday Daily and it lists Bar Services (hours) for the first day.  Was it mentioned anywhere that they can't serve until well after disembarkation or people just found out when they got on board?  

We just disembarked yesterday. No announcements but you’d see them subtly remove the stand-up signage from the bars once it was “time” 🙂

7 hours ago, vanchelle said: We just disembarked yesterday. No announcements but you’d see them subtly remove the stand-up signage from the bars once it was “time” 🙂

The question you were responding to was regarding the temporary situation we had back in April where there was no bar service on embarkation day until the evening after we had left Athens.

Are you saying that these issues have returned?

17 hours ago, KeithJenner said: The question you were responding to was regarding the temporary situation we had back in April where there was no bar service on embarkation day until the evening after we had left Athens.   Are you saying that these issues have returned?

Yes, this was the situation on the Jade very recently for my sailing June 19-26. My TA had learned from NCL that this is indeed a “thing”  so we were ready for it. I posted an actual picture of the signage at the bars on another post. 

CruisinMaterial

These are great. The itinerary for later in the year is a bit different but some of the ports are the same. I wish we were staying in Mykonos as late as you did!

6 hours ago, vanchelle said: Yes, this was the situation on the Jade very recently for my sailing June 19-26. My TA had learned from NCL that this is indeed a “thing”  so we were ready for it. I posted an actual picture of the signage at the bars on another post. 

Did you have the beverage package?

6 hours ago, CruisinMaterial said: These are great. The itinerary for later in the year is a bit different but some of the ports are the same. I wish we were staying in Mykonos as late as you did!

The Jade is doing various itineraries through the year. The cruises either side of ours were different.

4 hours ago, KeithJenner said: Did you have the beverage package?

Yes, so we could get anything that was included on our package but no option to “pay extra” for say, the chocolate martini which is over 15$. We also couldn’t buy anything at Java Cafe in port as the regular beverage package doesn’t cover those coffees.  Otherwise, we could order drinks and show our card on beverage package and they weren’t even running it through computer, providing a receipt. 

1 minute ago, vanchelle said: Yes, so we could get anything that was included on our package but no option to “pay extra” for say, the chocolate martini which is over 15$. We also couldn’t buy anything at Java Cafe in port as the regular beverage package doesn’t cover those coffees.  Otherwise, we could order drinks and show our card on beverage package and they weren’t even running it through computer, providing a receipt. 

Aah, ok, yes that is as expected. I thought that you were saying they were back to the no bar service thing. 🙂

13 hours ago, KeithJenner said: Aah, ok, yes that is as expected. I thought that you were saying they were back to the no bar service thing. 🙂

No-the bars are just “only open/servicing those with the berate packages” while in Greek Ports. 

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