Norwegian Jade (how does it compare to other cruise lines)?

Please be honest, and only answer if you have been on both of these cruise lines. I have sailed with RCCL twice and loved both times, though I have not been back since 2000 due to raising a family. I have also sailed on Princess twice, and didn't care for them back in the early 90s, but really loved them in 2012. Also went on Celebrity once. (went on Carnival once because it was a free trip my friend won, but I did not care for it compared to all the others) So I'm planning a group cruise to the Mediterranean/Greek Islands, and Norwegian has the best perks for groups, but I have never sailed with them. I've heard some people rave about them, and others complain. I am not super picky, but I also don't want my group to be disappointed. Being that I liked or loved RCCL and Princess, will I be disappointed in Norwegian? Is their customer service really as bad as some complainers I read said it was? NCL offers two free perks (drink package, free internet, free tips, specialty dining, photo package, shore excursion credit, etc) with their rate, and the other lines do not include them.

Thanks for any advice!

The lines are similiar, it is the ships that are hard to compare. It depends on what ships you have been on with RCCL. Jade is a midship so you can't compare it to Allure or Harmony etc, but it is comparable to RCCL older ships. We do RCCL, NCL and Carnival and think they are all more a like then not. We were just on Jade in November and it is a nice, older mid ship. We love that you get the drink pkg so we can try new drinks out, wine at dinner etc. The food on all the lines is comparable and entertainment was decent. European cruises you will be off the ship more than on it, so it is more about the ports than the ship.

@tlreze makes some good points.

I’ve sailed CCL, NCL, MSC, HAL, and Celebrity. As mentioned, they’re all similar for the most part.

I’ve sailed in solo cabins (RCCL and NCL) and I’ve sailed in Suites (NCL Haven and MSC Yacht Club). Those will be the biggest differences in your exprience.

Never done Princess, nor have I sailed on the Jade. But, having sailed other “mid-sized” ships, I think the big differences are the inclusion/exclusion of the amount and kind of activities. Given the NCL Jade was just refurbished last year, it should have all the modern touches of the newer NCL ships.

Whether you consider it a blessing or a curse, the NCL Jade has capacity roughly ½ the amount the Epic and “Away” class ships are able to carry.

NCL does “free style” better than just about any other cruise line out there. Others have tried to mimic “open dining times and entertainment. NCL just does it better and more consistently well. Yeah, you’ll find little glitches here and there. But, for the most part, NCL has “Free-Style” down pat.

The other big differences? The elephant in the room is the fact that you’re sailing the Mediterranean. The “feel” is totally different than sailing in the Caribbean or Mexico, for example. You’ll have largely international passengers, much moreso than sailing from FL, TX, LA, NY, or CA. I love those experiences (just returned from a Thanksgiving Cruise on the MSC Meraviglia in the Mediterranean last year). Others can not adjust (or refuse to adjust) to different cultures and languages. Keep an open mind and embrace the others on your cruise regardless of where they’re from, and you’ll have a great and enriching time.

Onto the “perks”....NCL is doing quite a bit of that, these days....almost to the point where they’re moving to an “all inclusive” experience. Depending on cabin type, you’re probably going to receive the Adult Ultlimate Beverage Package) and/or the SDP (Dining package), and perhaps other goodies like $$ credits for internet service, etc.

Some of those you can read about here....

https://www.ncl.com/termsandconditions/promotions

Those are some nice perks, in my humble estimation.

Service on cruise ships are generally exemplary, at least from my experiences. I had some hiccups on my Celebrity Cruise (kind of surprising given they’re supposed to be upscale type cruises).

But, if you’re on a cruise with people waiting on your every want, ready to serve you, with service that rivals the best hotels in the world, how bad can it get?

I read a couple of recent threads about some less than stellar reviews....one on a repositioning cruise where it was known there would be some “work” on the ship being done. That’s unfortunate and NCL could have/should have done a better job highlighting what would be happening on the cruise.

The other is from someone in Australia who had some issues with baggage handlers (not NCL employees) that affected embarkation/debarkation and some glitches with Lattitudes (NCL’s repeat cruise program). By far, these are the exceptions rather than the rule with NCL.

Aside from the above, NCL does a yeoman’s job of keeping their ships up-to-date and clean. Their food and drinks are as good as any, regardless of the cruise ship/line I’ve experienced. Service is just as good, sometimes even better.

I’ve not been on a “mid-sized” ship (using that term loosely as the Jade, or my upcoming Gem ships do not seem “mid” anything) on NCL. I can comment on the entertainment on my other NCL cruises (Epic and “Away” ships). It was the best at sea. The only caveat I might offer is the fact that your cruise will be Europe focused. As such, their audience is much broader, and they’re likely to tilt the entertainment to cover a broader cultural audience.

I’m not loyal to any cruise line. But, I keep coming back to NCL because they are really good at what they do.

I can almost promise you’ll have a great time.