NCL Jade Vs MSC Fantasia

Hi Cruise Critic members,

I hope everyone is having a great day/night wherever they are.

I have been tasked with planning a 2015 European holiday for 12 people, myself included and i have suggested that we all go on a cruise.

We have specific dates that we must be in the UK for 2 90th birthday parties 4 weeks apart.

We can start the cruise any date after the 15th of January and we must be back in the UK by the 15th of February, preferably the 14th.

After quite a lot of research, I have found 2 main cruises that seemed to peek everyone's interests.

Option 1:

Ship: Norwegian Jade

from/to: Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy / Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy

Departure: 24 January 2015 for 11 nights

Ports of Call: Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; Livorno (Florence / Pisa), Italy; Monte Carlo, Monaco; Toulon (Provence), France; Barcelona, Spain; Valencia, Spain; Cagliari (Sardinia), Italy; Palermo, Sicily; Naples, Italy; Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy.

Option 2:

Ship: MSC Fantasia

from/to: Genoa, Italy / Genoa, Italy

Departure date: 29 January 2015 for 11 nights

Ports of Call: Genoa, Barcelona, Casablanca, Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Funchal, Malaga, Civitavecchia

Everyone is happy with both itineraries however as I have only ever been on Carnival (2), Princess (2) and P&O (2), I am unsure as what to recommend...

The trip will have the following people (shown in brackets for number of cruises)

Me (6)

gf (1)

parents (1)

sister (0)

sisters fiance (0)

gf's parents (0)

Uncle and Aunty (0)

Grand father and step grandmother (0)

I have been raving about how amazing cruises are so I kind of need to live up to this! What would you guys do????

Thank you very very much in advance!

Saw this review a while back...

Summary: We are avid cruisers having been on Holland America, Cunard, Royal Caribbean and Princess. The Fantasia was stunning with glistening bars and decor. However, the organisation is unbelievably chaotic. it started as soon as we arrived at the pier in Barcelona to check in. After wading our way through the crowds, with no system operating, we finally got on board. The meals offered a limited selection but what was on offer was well cooked and presented. However, the chaos and noise in the main buffet and dining rooms detracted from our experience too. There was no queue in the buffet restaurant - it was a free for all, with pushing and shoving with loud shouting, to get to the food. What with the announcements in several languages, with English always the least and last, and the intense noise on board, it was very difficult to know about anything happening on the ship. We have not sailed with MSC again after this experience.

happy cruising...

It's a different culture, of non queuing, in some Italian lines....in the way that you might be on a beach in Spain and think everyone's arguing, but in fact it's just a noisy way of speaking....it's a Med thing! ;)

We've had a happy winter cruise on Jade, with no problems; again the announcements are in several languages- which has never worried me. Do remember, though, that you're travelling from summer into winter- there might be snow around, and it can be very cold and windy on board at night in that part of the Med.

With the MSC cruise you'll be well south, in fact just off the west of Africa, so that is a plus, but you're also in the Atlantic rather than the Med, which could be a minus....

I'd be happy to go on Jade again, but I'd also be happy to go to the Canaries/Madeira in winter.

Think that we are leaning towards the Jade :) thanks for advice!

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Have a great time, but remember to bring something for rain and cold, especially if you're going on deck at night! ;) We always found Jade warm inside, and the crew a friendly lot.

We went on Fantasia a few year ago, what a lovely ship, we had no problems, its a big ship and we found everything went well. Cant say about the Jade we are going it this year.

Which ever you pick have a great time,

Haven't been on Jade yet going in June, have done PO, Royal Caribbean and msc, We went on Fantasia a few years ago, lovely ship probably the nicest ship we have been on so far, we had a great time couldn't knock the ship at all every thing went smoothly for us. Food good , clean and very helpful staff, the worst ive been on is PO Ventura would not go again,