What is 1st thing I should do once onboard Jade

[rbrugler]

The first thing you should do once on board is to kneel down and kiss the deck. Then do whatever you want.

[harz99]

Hello, I am new to NCL; first trip is 14 night on the Jade in May. What should my wife I do on 1st day and the 1st thing once we board. We plan to board around noon. Where should we go to have lunch? Are there any must do's on our first voyage? Thanks for any and all replies.

 

Blue Lagoon, deck 8 midships for lunch. Or as others have said, Grand Pacific MDR/Garden Café buffet - La Cucina is at the back of the Garden Café and always available as "overspill" seating for the Café due to not normally being used as a speciality resto at lunchtimes. FYI as regards eating in MDR's we find the service in Alizar to be better than Grand Pacific due to it being smaller.

 

The ship normally offers short orientation tours on embarkation days - check the daily.

[Iluvcruising2]

So I have a few questions about La Cucina. You took the above video on a sea day. No one was there for lunch? How crowded was the ship on your cruise? My cruise is May is just about sold out completely.

 

My cruise was sold out, all cabins were full.

 

However, I am not sure if the ship was at maximum capacity because I think not all cabins were full till the pax, i.e. some cabins can take 3 to 4 pax (e.g pullman beds, sofa beds).

[hawkeyetlse]

So I have a few questions about La Cucina. You took the above video on a sea day. No one was there for lunch?

La Cucina never seems to get crowded. Either people don't know it's an option or they don't want to be so far away from the main buffet area.

 

Our Christmas cruise supposedly had almost 3000 passengers :eek: (which I wouldn't have believed was possible, but that's what the Future Cruise Consultant said). But there was always plenty of seating available in La Cucina for breakfast.

[AF-1]

La Cucina never seems to get crowded. Either people don't know it's an option or they don't want to be so far away from the main buffet area.

 

Our Christmas cruise supposedly had almost 3000 passengers :eek: (which I wouldn't have believed was possible, but that's what the Future Cruise Consultant said). But there was always plenty of seating available in La Cucina for breakfast.

 

Thanks for the feedback. Did you every feel crowded with 3,000 passengers? I mean were all the venues crowded or you only saw people when you got on and off ship.

[AF-1]

My cruise was sold out, all cabins were full.

 

However, I am not sure if the ship was at maximum capacity because I think not all cabins were full till the pax, i.e. some cabins can take 3 to 4 pax (e.g pullman beds, sofa beds).

 

Did you every feel crowded with passengers or could you move around the ship without bumping into people everywhere?

[AF-1]

Blue Lagoon, deck 8 midships for lunch. Or as others have said, Grand Pacific MDR/Garden Café buffet - La Cucina is at the back of the Garden Café and always available as "overspill" seating for the Café due to not normally being used as a speciality resto at lunchtimes. FYI as regards eating in MDR's we find the service in Alizar to be better than Grand Pacific due to it being smaller.

 

The ship normally offers short orientation tours on embarkation days - check the daily.

 

So your saying to take a look at Blue Lagoon for lunch on Day 1. What deck is the Garden Cafe on?

[AF-1]

The first thing you should do once on board is to kneel down and kiss the deck. Then do whatever you want.

 

I was thinking of just kissing the teak railing; but I may look at your suggestion. Thanks for the feedback. Did you cruise on Jade?

[hawkeyetlse]

Did you every feel crowded with 3,000 passengers? I mean were all the venues crowded or you only saw people when you got on and off ship.

The ship felt bustling but the venues were not over-crowded. Sometimes there was a short line for the dining room but we never had to wait more than 10 minutes. The passengers on the Jade include a lot of Italian families that tend to do their own thing and don't seem to participate much in the activities (I guess because they're done in English, or for some other reason).

[harz99]

So your saying to take a look at Blue Lagoon for lunch on Day 1. What deck is the Garden Cafe on?

 

Deck 12 mid to aft.

[harz99]

One further tip. The theatre has two ways in on deck 7, however most people enter from the starboard (right) side due to the walk from midships being on that side of the ship.

 

For this reason it will usually be far easier to find a seat if you walk across the front of the lifts to the port side BEFORE entering the theatre, very much so if you are one of lifes habitual last minute people:D.

[hawkeyetlse]

So your saying to take a look at Blue Lagoon for lunch on Day 1.

The Blue Lagoon is great if you come back from port starving at 4pm. Or in the middle of the night after losing thousands of $$$ in the casino. ;) Otherwise, the menu is limited and boring and it never changes. You will have plenty of opportunities to have a snack at the Blue Lagoon throughout your cruise. In my opinion, the Garden Café buffet is a better choice at lunchtime, on embarkation day and every other day.

[harz99]

The Blue Lagoon is great if you come back from port starving at 4pm. Or in the middle of the night after losing thousands of $$$ in the casino. ;) Otherwise, the menu is limited and boring and it never changes. You will have plenty of opportunities to have a snack at the Blue Lagoon throughout your cruise. In my opinion, the Garden Café buffet is a better choice at lunchtime, on embarkation day and every other day.

 

Not quite right about the BL. The menu changes 3 times a day with breakfast served to 1100, lunch to 1700, and evening comfort food to late in the night.

 

Yes the same menus are served each day, but that is the same as in say, Le Bistro, the French style speciality restaurant.

 

The BL at boarding on embarkation day will usually be a haven of peace, and have seats readily available, which is why I recommended it in answer to the OPs question.

 

FWIW, when on ship for lunch we normally do buffet for a plate of hot food. then down to BL for a Chocolate Brownie and coffee. Not every day though;).

[hawkeyetlse]

You're right, the Blue Lagoon menu does change, but we are talking about embarkation day lunch here. It will be less hectic than the buffet, but not quite a haven of peace since it overlooks the Atrium (which is a zoo on embarkation day) and has people walking through all the time crossing from one end of Deck 8 to the other. The OP is booked in a suite, so they don't really need to look beyond Cagney's for embarkation day lunch (and every other lunch, and breakfast), do they?

[AF-1]

Hawkeyetise, You are probably correct; we will most likely eat in Cagneys for our lunch on departure; however, what other things must we do on departure day; like book dinner with the crew as someone mentioned; I didn't know anything about this; or what side of the ship has the best view of Venice for departure..Thanks for your feedback

Edited January 9, 2015 by AF-1
grammer

[jertom]

Go to the pub and find out if they have a drinkable beer.

 

Good one ! An oxymoron: drinkable beer on cruise ships ...:(

[harz99]

You're right, the Blue Lagoon menu does change, but we are talking about embarkation day lunch here. It will be less hectic than the buffet, but not quite a haven of peace since it overlooks the Atrium (which is a zoo on embarkation day) and has people walking through all the time crossing from one end of Deck 8 to the other. The OP is booked in a suite, so they don't really need to look beyond Cagney's for embarkation day lunch (and every other lunch, and breakfast), do they?

 

I can only speak from my own experience on the 13th December and 23rd December departures, and several previous cruises on Jade. As to the availability of Cagneys to suite guests - no mention of cabin type in post 1 so I didn't consider that option. I would of course expect the OP to make use of that facility!:)

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Forums mobile app

[AF-1]

I can only speak from my own experience on the 13th December and 23rd December departures, and several previous cruises on Jade. As to the availability of Cagneys to suite guests - no mention of cabin type in post 1 so I didn't consider that option. I would of course expect the OP to make use of that facility!:)

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Forums mobile app

 

I did forget to mention I was in penthouse suite aft. Sorry

[atomax]

My husband and I always go up to the gym and weigh ourselves so that we know where we started out. This way, if we see the pounds creeping up (and you know they will!), we know it's time to take that extra set of stairs up or down to wherever we are going. But since our W. Mediterranean itinerary is port-intensive, I think we will have plenty of opportunity to walk around and explore. So far, knock wood, we have never gained more than a couple of pounds on our cruises, and we always eat a lot!:D

[70054609]

Can anyone tell me how much a spa pass for a day is on the Jade?

Thanks

[Carnac767]

Jade is a great ship and you'll enjoy being aboard. You'll be escorted to your penthouse when you board. Even if it's not ready, you can still drop off your bags. Then head to Cagney's for lunch. If your escort is still with you, he or she will show you the way. Otherwise, head toward the midship's stairwell/elevators and go up to deck 13, where Cagney's is located. Check in with the Maitre 'd and you'll be seated. You have a concierge, so use him to make any dining reservations you need. After lunch, walk forward and go down to deck 12 on the starboard side. That's the right for you AF types. [emoji1]. Ask for a spa tour and you can decide if you want to buy passes. You probably will. Jade's spa is very nice. Down to deck 11 forward on the port side is a bridge viewing area. Then just roam about the ship, familiarizing yourself with her layout. The dolphins in the carpeting always face forward. You'll have your lifeboat drill/safety brief 30 minutes before sailing, then head to your balcony to drink your champagne and eat your chocolate-covered strawberries as the ship gets underway. Sometime during the day you'll meet both your concierge and butler. Normally you'll meet your concierge in the VIP waiting area prior to boarding. If not, he'll stop by your cabin. Likewise, the butler will stop by. The butler will deliver snacks every day at 1600. You also call him if you want to order room service from a specialty restaurant (another suite perk). Think of the concierge as the point man for everything outside the cabin and the butler for everything inside, except for housekeeping items. That's your cabin steward's AO. Also ask your concierge if you're permitted to sit in the reserved balcony in the Stardust Theater. There's a sign that it's reserved for Garden Villa and Owners' Suites guests only, but on every ship I've been on guests in all suites were seated there. But it's best to check first. The balcony isn't necessarily the best viewing area, but it's never crowded and it's easy to slip out quietly if you decide the entertainment is a dud. Have a blast and never forget that you're on vacation.

[AF-1]

Jade is a great ship and you'll enjoy being aboard. You'll be escorted to your penthouse when you board. Even if it's not ready, you can still drop off your bags. Then head to Cagney's for lunch. If your escort is still with you, he or she will show you the way. Otherwise, head toward the midship's stairwell/elevators and go up to deck 13, where Cagney's is located. Check in with the Maitre 'd and you'll be seated. You have a concierge, so use him to make any dining reservations you need. After lunch, walk forward and go down to deck 12 on the starboard side. That's the right for you AF types. [emoji1]. Ask for a spa tour and you can decide if you want to buy passes. You probably will. Jade's spa is very nice. Down to deck 11 forward on the port side is a bridge viewing area. Then just roam about the ship, familiarizing yourself with her layout. The dolphins in the carpeting always face forward. You'll have your lifeboat drill/safety brief 30 minutes before sailing, then head to your balcony to drink your champagne and eat your chocolate-covered strawberries as the ship gets underway. Sometime during the day you'll meet both your concierge and butler. Normally you'll meet your concierge in the VIP waiting area prior to boarding. If not, he'll stop by your cabin. Likewise, the butler will stop by. The butler will deliver snacks every day at 1600. You also call him if you want to order room service from a specialty restaurant (another suite perk). Think of the concierge as the point man for everything outside the cabin and the butler for everything inside, except for housekeeping items. That's your cabin steward's AO. Also ask your concierge if you're permitted to sit in the reserved balcony in the Stardust Theater. There's a sign that it's reserved for Garden Villa and Owners' Suites guests only, but on every ship I've been on guests in all suites were seated there. But it's best to check first. The balcony isn't necessarily the best viewing area, but it's never crowded and it's easy to slip out quietly if you decide the entertainment is a dud. Have a blast and never forget that you're on vacation.

Carnac767, thank you for your feedback. This is informative.

[AF-1]

For those who have sailed on NCL and the Jade. Since this is my first time; my question is this? Can I get away with casual clothes the entire cruise? I really don't want to pack a suit or jacket and tie. Freestyle is what I'm looking forward to. So please bring me feedback as to how casual this ship is. Thanks.

[SteveH2508]

I haven't taken a suit, jacket or tie on our last 3 Jade cruises. I take 2 or 3 pairs of chinos and some polo shirts for evenings.

[Carnac767]

For those who have sailed on NCL and the Jade. Since this is my first time; my question is this? Can I get away with casual clothes the entire cruise? I really don't want to pack a suit or jacket and tie. Freestyle is what I'm looking forward to. So please bring me feedback as to how casual this ship is. Thanks.

 

Yes, you can. That's one of the great things about freestyle cruising. I've always brought a tux for the European cruises, but only because it makes my wife very happy. It's a pain to drag all the extra stuff but it means a lot to her.

 

This is right from NCL's website: Dress cruise casual anytime during the day, in the buffet and in most specialty restaurants. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men. Swimwear is acceptable at the buffet and outdoor restaurant, but a shirt or a cover-up and footwear are required. Cruise casual is also allowed day and night on embarkation day. Wear smart casual if you are eating dinner in the aft main dining room (our more formal dining room) and in Le Bistro on cruises longer than five days. For women, it includes slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts and tops. For men, it’s jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes. Traditional Bermuda shorts along with long socks, loafers and a blazer are all acceptable on a Bermuda cruise. We want you to be comfortable, but tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded, with holes or tears and worn below the hips are not permitted in main dining rooms or specialty restaurants.

 

Aim High (Fly Navy :) )