NCL Jade - 1/16/16 to 1/23/16 Nature's Wrath

[bluehawks47]

Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We will be on the Jade mid March and can't wait. Your review and pictures have us really ready to go!!

We are from St. Louis also!! Go Blues and Cardinals!!

[Linda the Book Lover]

I am so sorry your review has come to an end. The pictures, the descriptions and your wit let me feel like my DH and I sailed with you. I am glad your wife recovered. I look forward to your next cruise and another great review.

 

Thank you..:)

[doctoranna]

@pr0pel: There will be a line of cabs waiting outside the terminal when you exit. Cab to Houston Hobby for 4 of us ($50) was cheaper than the Super Shuttle ($70). I don't know the rates to IAH, though I know they are higher. We made the choice to fly Southwest to avoid IAH.

[Munstergal22]

Thank you soooo much for your very detailed review, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

We sail on the Jade from Venice in June with our 2 boys and we're very excited.

 

Enjoy your new grandbaby when he/she arrives. Very exciting times xx

[Oakman58]

Did you just hail a cab at the pier or did you have an arranged transport? How did it go? We've got a 1:30 pm out of IAH and trying to figure out the best way to get there.

 

There was a long line of cabs just outside the terminal building waiting for passengers. We grabbed a taxi van so he took the four of us and our luggage to Hobby Airport. The cost was $61 and some change.

[Huntingdon1701]

Great review. Thank you.

[LuciC]

Hi Oakmom58, We board the Jade this Saturday. Your report was just in time for me. I get sick on a raft in a pool, so I am a bit apprehensive, but know that we will have fun! Thank you for your details on the entire cruise. :)

[bgauger]

Hi LuciC, I will be on the Jade Sat Feb 6th also and am signed up for the meet and greet. See you there. I enjoyed this review and looked forward to each installment. I don't think our weather will be as volatile as Oakman58's, it looks like 60's in Houston and a little rain maybe, coming and going.

[Oakman58]

Well that’s very strange. In my first post on this thread, the very first picture was of the hotel we stayed at overnight, now it has been replaced with a photo of a young girl. Very strange indeed!

 

With the interest in the Jade I thought I’d post a few more photos. Since I’ve already posted a photo of the Grand Pacific dining room, here’s a photo of the Alizar.

 

 

 

The Tradewinds Gift Shops at the rear of deck 7 was larger than I expected with a very large selection of watches and jewelry. This photo only shows about half of the gift shops.

 

 

 

There are three bars on deck six but they are all right next to one another and to me it felt like just one huge bar. One thing I really liked when we were on the Dawn last year was the Red Lion Pub, it really had the look and feel of a real pub. Coming from the casino the first bar was Magnum’s Champagne and Wine Bar which flowed into Mixer’s Martini and Cocktail Bar and that flowed into Tankards Beer & Whiskey Bar.

A photo of Magnum's.

 

 

A photo of Mixers.

 

A photo of Tankards.

 

While I’m not the most experienced cruiser, I thought the spectator seating at the Sports Court was a little unusual.

[Oakman58]

Hi Oakmom58, We board the Jade this Saturday. Your report was just in time for me. I get sick on a raft in a pool, so I am a bit apprehensive, but know that we will have fun! Thank you for your details on the entire cruise. :)

 

I’m sure the weather we experienced on our cruise is the exception rather than the rule. Even so, it doesn’t hurt to have one of the over-the-counter drugs for motion sickness with you.

[seashells]

The Sports Court is NOT good for basketball which is an American sport. The net over the Court is low and more towards soccer playing.

We found that basketball players were somewhat disappointed with the low net covering the court.

[khell51]

I am on the Jade on the 2/13 sailing but having trouble finding the Maya Key excursion. Is it possible it is listed under a different name?

[bgauger]

Maya Key may have already been sold out. Only available through the cruise line per their web site and they fill up quickly. Very popular excursion. Maybe they can put you on a wait list. They stop advertising it when it fills up so you don't see it listed as an excursion. Have fun on your cruise. Mine leaves in 5 days!

[bluehawks47]

Oakman58, once again, great review!! Thank you!!

 

I have a strange question for you... do any of the bars have popcorn? We were on the Star a few years back and one of the pubs had a popcorn machine, but it was never running. Everyday, my husband would stop by to see if "today was the day", but nope, it never produced popcorn.

[pr0pel]

I am on the Jade on the 2/13 sailing but having trouble finding the Maya Key excursion. Is it possible it is listed under a different name?

 

We're on the same cruise and it's probably sold out like bgauger said. I booked the excursion in early Jan while it was still available. Try first thing on board at the excursion desk, they might reserve a few slots for on board bookings.

[Oakman58]

Oakman58, once again, great review!! Thank you!!

 

I have a strange question for you... do any of the bars have popcorn? We were on the Star a few years back and one of the pubs had a popcorn machine, but it was never running. Everyday, my husband would stop by to see if "today was the day", but nope, it never produced popcorn.

 

I didn’t see a popcorn machine at any of the bars or lounges on the Jade.

 

The popcorn machine you speak of was in the Red Lion Pub on the Star. When we were on the Star for our Panama Canal cruise in Nov. ’14 they did make the popcorn. Every morning on sea days around 10:00 AM a crewmember would make a large batch of popcorn and put it in bags. They would only make it once a day and once it was gone, that was it for the day. I was disappointed when we cruised on the Dawn, the Star’s sister ship, and they didn’t have a popcorn machine.

 

In the time since we sailed on the Star it has undergone refurbishment and the Red Lion Pub is no more. It was renovated and now it’s the 5 O’clock Somewhere bar. Judging from the photos I’ve seen it no longer has the look and feel of a pub, a shame in my opinion.

[hlb76]

Thanks so much for this review! I very much enjoyed it. I'm sorry to hear of your weather issues as well as your wifes illness. glad it did not impact your whole vacation.

[bluehawks47]

I didn’t see a popcorn machine at any of the bars or lounges on the Jade.

 

The popcorn machine you speak of was in the Red Lion Pub on the Star. When we were on the Star for our Panama Canal cruise in Nov. ’14 they did make the popcorn. Every morning on sea days around 10:00 AM a crewmember would make a large batch of popcorn and put it in bags. They would only make it once a day and once it was gone, that was it for the day. I was disappointed when we cruised on the Dawn, the Star’s sister ship, and they didn’t have a popcorn machine.

 

In the time since we sailed on the Star it has undergone refurbishment and the Red Lion Pub is no more. It was renovated and now it’s the 5 O’clock Somewhere bar. Judging from the photos I’ve seen it no longer has the look and feel of a pub, a shame in my opinion.

 

 

We were on the star in '13 and never saw the popcorn. Maybe they made it but was gone by the time we got there.

Oh well, I guess my husband will have to do without for a week. Maybe there will be a carnival going on at one of our ports or he can find a movie theater.

Thanks again

[dlynn0366]

I'm on the Jade March 5th & it's nice to finally see some reviews. Thank you so much for taking the time to post ..... I had more than a few laughs 😀 If I do the tequila tasting think I might take a seatbelt 😝

[dporter]

I am on the Jade on the 2/13 sailing but having trouble finding the Maya Key excursion. Is it possible it is listed under a different name?

 

We did this excursion on the 1/16 cruise and enjoyed it immensely. When speaking with staff they are NOT just for cruise lines. I am sure if you go to trip advisor or search Maya Key you could get a contact number to make a personal reservation.

 

Enjoy!

[Oakman58]

If I do the tequila tasting think I might take a seatbelt 😝

 

That line made me laugh out loud. A seatbelt is exactly what I needed on that excursion.

[mabones]

When we were on the Dawn in 2014 they had Popcorn at the Pub but it was always stale. Now I know why. If its made in the AM then by late afternoon early evening it can be just awful.

[Tim4065]

Without a doubt one of the best scouting reports I've seen here.. despite some rough seas, some rainy cool weather and a short bout of "seaflu" that your wife had, you both obviously enjoyed your time.. this wasn't your first rodeo on the sea and you give great insight of what my wife and I will experience in 2 weeks when we take our first cruise on the Jade.. thinking now I might want to try an upgrade to a suite from our balcony cabin.. I'm wondering if I should wait until we sail to ask for an upgrade or book now..I'm thinking if I wait it might be cheaper last second.. thanks again for your report.. oh, and next time you sail, you should try some beef..seems like you didn't have enough :-)

[Oakman58]

Without a doubt one of the best scouting reports I've seen here.. despite some rough seas, some rainy cool weather and a short bout of "seaflu" that your wife had, you both obviously enjoyed your time.. this wasn't your first rodeo on the sea and you give great insight of what my wife and I will experience in 2 weeks when we take our first cruise on the Jade.. thinking now I might want to try an upgrade to a suite from our balcony cabin.. I'm wondering if I should wait until we sail to ask for an upgrade or book now..I'm thinking if I wait it might be cheaper last second.. thanks again for your report.. oh, and next time you sail, you should try some beef..seems like you didn't have enough :-)

 

Thanks for the kind words; I’m glad you enjoyed my report.

 

I think I would try for an upgrade in the two weeks prior to your cruise date. That way if you upgrade to a suite it gives NCL time to fill the cabin you vacate and you would have a better chance for getting a good deal. That’s my opinion of course.

 

 

I hope you enjoy the Jade as much as we did.

[NMLady]

Without a doubt one of the best scouting reports I've seen here.. despite some rough seas, some rainy cool weather and a short bout of "seaflu" that your wife had, you both obviously enjoyed your time.. this wasn't your first rodeo on the sea and you give great insight of what my wife and I will experience in 2 weeks when we take our first cruise on the Jade.. thinking now I might want to try an upgrade to a suite from our balcony cabin.. I'm wondering if I should wait until we sail to ask for an upgrade or book now..I'm thinking if I wait it might be cheaper last second.. thanks again for your report.. oh, and next time you sail, you should try some beef..seems like you didn't have enough :-)

 

Do not wait until you sail since that is too late to book since passenger manifest must be turned in. Some cruise lines will accept a phone booking 24 hours ahead but I don't think NCL is one of those. Check suite prices now to see if upgrade is worth it. Sometimes prices go down, sometimes not.