Norwegian Jade - Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships 2017 (Berlitz Cruise Guide) (2016)

Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships 2017 (Berlitz Cruise Guide) (2016)

Norwegian Jade

★★★+

Berlitz’s Ratings

Ship: 367 out of 500

Accommodation: 145 out of 200

Food: 240 out of 400

Service: 273 out of 400

Entertainment: 66 out of 100

Cruise: 276 out of 400

Overall Score: 1367 out of 2000

Norwegian Jade Statistics

Size: Large Resort Ship

Tonnage: 93,558

Lifestyle: Standard

Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line

Former Names: Pride of Hawaii

IMO Number: 9304057

Builder: Meyer Werft (Germany)

Original Cost: $390 million

Entered Service: May 2006/Mar 2008

Registry: The Bahamas

Length (ft/m): 964.8/294.1

Beam (ft/m): 105.6/32.2

Draft (ft/m): 26.9/8.2

Propulsion/Propellers: diesel-electric (40,000kW)/2 azimuthing pods

Passenger Decks: 12

Total Crew: 1,076

Passengers (lower beds): 2,466

Passenger Space Ratio (lower beds): 37.9

Passenger/Crew Ratio (lower beds): 2.2

Cabins (total): 1,233

Size Range (sq ft/m): 142.0-4,390.0/13.2-407.8

Cabins (for one person): 0

Cabins (with private balcony): 763

Cabins (wheelchair accessible): 27

Wheelchair accessibility: Good

Cabin Current: 110 volts

Elevators: 12

Casino (gaming tables): Yes

Slot Machines: Yes

Swimming Pools: 2

Hot Tubs (on deck): 6

Self-Service Launderette: No

Dedicated Cinema/Seats: No

Library: Yes

Onboard currency: US$

Norwegian_Jade_BerlitzCruiseGuide_EC

Entertainment and a casual lifestyle for the whole family

Overview. Norwegian Jade best suits youthful adult couples, single passengers, and families with children and teenagers who want upbeat surroundings, good facilities, a wide range of entertainment lounges and bars, and high-tech sophistication - all in a neat, highly programmed, and well-packaged cruise. But, although the initial fare seems very reasonable, the extra costs and charges can soon mount up.

The Ship. Built from 67 blocks, this is a sister ship to Norwegian Jewel. After service as Pride of Hawaii, it underwent a small transformation, gained a casino, and became Norwegian Jade for cruising in Europe and the Caribbean - though some interior decor elements from the ship’s former life in Hawaii remain. The interior decor is decidedly bright and cheerful, and it has a pod propulsion system.

Norwegian Jade’s interior focal gathering place is Bar Central - three specialty bars (Magnum’s Champagne/Wine Bar, Mixers’ Martini/Cocktail Bar, and Tankard’s Beer/Whiskey Bar) that are connected but have distinct personalities. They are located on the deck above the reception lobby. All told, there are a dozen bars and lounges on board. Other facilities include a casino, three meeting rooms, a chapel, card room, bridge viewing room, and the SS United States Library with original photography and material about America’s last ocean liner.

The dress code is very casual; no jacket and tie are needed, although you are welcome to dress formally if you wish. The ship is full of revenue centers designed to help you part with more of your money. You can expect to be subjected to a stream of flyers advertising daily art auctions, ‘designer’ watches, and many other promotions including poolside ‘inch of gold’ sales outlets.

A non-negotiable per person service charge is automatically added to your account daily; 15 percent is also added for bar charges.

Passenger niggles include waiting to use the interactive dining reservation screens in the public areas; lines for breakfast in the main dining spots, particularly before the shore excursions start; and poor service and hospitality in some areas.

Families. Children are well provided for, and have their own facilities, including a Kids’ Club; teens have their own disco, the Wipe-Out Club. More than 250 cabins have interconnecting doors - good for families with children. That means interior cabins can connect; outside-view cabins can connect; and outside-view and balcony cabins can connect. Also for families, many cabins also have third- and fourth-person pull-down berths or trundle beds.

Accommodation. There are many, many different price grades, determined by size and location. Although they are nicely furnished and quite well equipped, the standard outside-view and interior cabins are quite small, particularly when occupied by three or four people.

A small room service menu is available; all non-food items cost extra, and a 15 percent service charge is added to your account. Bottled water is placed in each cabin, but a charge is made to your account if you open the bottle.

Garden Villas. Two multi-room villas have great views over the pool deck and ocean. Each has a roof terrace and private garden, with open-air dining, hot tub, and private sunning and relaxation areas. They are among the most extravagant suites at sea today. Each has a living room with Bose audio-visual equipment (including a CD/DVD library), grand piano, wet bar, and refrigerator. Each has three bedrooms (king- or queen-size bed) with en suite bathroom and walk-in closet. Each Garden Villa measures approximately 4,390 sq ft/408 sq m - the ultimate in living space, exclusivity and privacy.

Courtyard Villas. 10 Courtyard Villas (up to 660 sq ft/61 sq m) share a private courtyard with its own small pool, hot tub, massage bed, and fitness room - all in a setting that is distinctly Asian. They also share a private Concierge Lounge with the two largest villas, as well as butler and concierge service. These units enjoy exclusivity - rather like accommodation in a gated community. The two Garden Villas each have three bedrooms with en suite bathroom, living room, dining room, and stunning views.

Owner’s Suites. Each of these five units (approximately 1,195 sq ft/111 sq m) has a large bedroom with king-size bed and audio-visual entertainment center, and a living room with dining area. The bathroom has a tub, separate shower enclosure, and powder room. Some Owner’s Suites can interconnect with Penthouse Suites.

Penthouse Suites. There are 24 of these, measuring up to 600 sq ft (56 sq m). They have a bedroom with queen-size bed, and living room with dining area. The bathroom has a tub/shower or separate shower enclosure. Some can be interconnect to a kid’s room with double sofa bed and a Pullman bed with separate bathroom with shower.

All villas and suites have a private balcony, walk-in closet, rich cherry wood cabinetry, tea/coffee/espresso/cappuccino makers, plus butler and concierge service.

Dining. Freestyle Dining has no assigned dining rooms, tables, or seats, so you can choose which restaurant to eat in, at what time, and with whom. In practice, this means you have to make reservations for a specific time, so ‘freestyle dining’ turns out to be programmed dining. Ten restaurants and eateries are spread over two entire decks. Some are included in the cruise fare, others cost extra.

The two main restaurants, included in the cruise fare, are Alizar (310 seats) and Grand Pacific (486 seats). Favorite Norwegian Cruise Line specialty dining venues include Cagney’s Steak House (176 seats), Blue Lagoon (a casual eatery serving American food and seating 94), and Le Bistro (a classic French restaurant, with 129 seats - check out the beautiful, and real, Van Gogh painting).

Paniola (100 seats) offers trendy tapas and salsa fare. Jade Garden (including a sushi counter, sake bar, and a 32-seat Teppanyaki Grill) has Southeast Asian cuisine. The 70-seat Papa’s Italian Kitchen has a long wooden table that creates a farmhouse ambience. Self-serve buffet-style meals can be taken in the Garden Café and its outdoor section. Extra-cost Lavazza (Italian) coffees can be found in the Aloha Café.

You can make reservations through the Freestyle Dining information system; plasma screens showing waiting times for the various venues are located in high-traffic areas.

Entertainment. The 1,042-seat Stardust Theater is the venue for colorful Las Vegas-style production shows and major cabaret acts. It is designed in the style of an opera house, spans three decks, and has a steeply tiered main floor and port and starboard balconies. Colorful, high-energy, razzle-dazzle production shows are ably performed by the Jean Ann Ryan Company.

Bands and solo entertaining musicians provide live music for listening and dancing in several lounges and bars. Throughout the ship, loud music prevails. In Spinnakers Lounge, a nightclub located high atop the ship with great ocean views on three sides, a Pachanga Party (a Miami South Beach rave) is held during each cruise.

Spa/Fitness. The two-deck-high Yin and Yang health spa complex, operated by the Steiner-owned Mandara Spa, is at the stern, with large ocean-view windows on three sides. There are many facilities and services, almost all costing extra. In addition, there is a 37ft (11m) indoor lap pool, hydrotherapy pool, two sit-in deep tubs, aroma-therapy and wellness centers, and mud treatment rooms, including one for couples. Spa treatments incur an 18 percent gratuity.

The fitness and exercise rooms, with Cybex muscle-pumping equipment, are located not within the spa, but at the top of the glass-domed atrium lobby. Included is a room for exercycle classes.

Recreational sports facilities include a jogging track, two golf driving nets (there’s a golf pro shop, too), basketball and volleyball courts, paddle tennis, mini-golf, oversize chess, and several sunbathing decks.