Jade VS Celebrity Infinity for the Greek Isles

[etravel]

Looking at the Jade or the Celebrity Infinity for Greek Isles next May/June, out of Athens both have pretty much the same itineraries with awesome ports...So leaning towards Jade, but has anyone done both ships/lines and any opinions? Will probably do a Club Balcony Suite on the Jade and the Aqua Class was pretty reasonable on the Infinity...they are both  a little older ships and Jade might have been refurbished not too long ago, where the Infinity was supposed to be but probably not until a few years down the road...There are some of the islands that the Infinity does seem to stay a little longer in port. So any thoughts on the two ships/lines? 

[Turtles06]

We've sailed on both ships and enjoyed our cruises on them. We also enjoy Celebrity and NCL, for different reasons. I would describe NCL as more "laid back" than Celebrity, or maybe describe Celebrity as a little more "refined," and the food on Celebrity, overall, as better than the food on NCL, but not necessarily meal for meal or even buffet for buffet. 

 

As you've noted, both the Jade and the Infinity are older ships.  They are both very comfortable ships. The Jade does have the fabulous Great Outdoors, which is one of our favorite public spaces on any ship we've sailed.  Personally, I have no interest in Aqua Class on Celebrity, as the Blu restaurant holds no great appeal for me.  YMMV.  If you do book the Infinity and don't book Aqua, I would suggest a Concierge Class cabin, which is larger than regular veranda cabins on that class of ship.  As for a Club Balcony Suite on the Jade, if you book that, please be very careful in terms of cabin selection, as many of those cabins are underneath the pool deck and other noisy or potentially noisy spaces. 

 

Without seeing the itinerary, I suspect it's probably a port-intensive cruise; if that's so, the itinerary might be the deciding factor for you.  Do you want to post it here so folks who have been to those ports can comment?

 

Enjoy whichever you decide!

[etravel]

20 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

We've sailed on both ships and enjoyed our cruises on them. We also enjoy Celebrity and NCL, for different reasons. I would describe NCL as more "laid back" than Celebrity, or maybe describe Celebrity as a little more "refined," and the food on Celebrity, overall, as better than the food on NCL, but not necessarily meal for meal or even buffet for buffet. 

 

As you've noted, both the Jade and the Infinity are older ships.  They are both very comfortable ships. The Jade does have the fabulous Great Outdoors, which is one of our favorite public spaces on any ship we've sailed.  Personally, I have no interest in Aqua Class on Celebrity, as the Blu restaurant holds no great appeal for me.  YMMV.  If you do book the Infinity and don't book Aqua, I would suggest a Concierge Class cabin, which is larger than regular veranda cabins on that class of ship.  As for a Club Balcony Suite on the Jade, if you book that, please be very careful in terms of cabin selection, as many of those cabins are underneath the pool deck and other noisy or potentially noisy spaces. 

 

Without seeing the itinerary, I suspect it's probably a port-intensive cruise; if that's so, the itinerary might be the deciding factor for you.  Do you want to post it here so folks who have been to those ports can comment?

 

Enjoy whichever you decide!

Yes, here is the NCL Jade: Depart Athens...Kusadasi, Istanbul, Volos, Mykonos, Rhodes, and Santorini,back to Athens...Celebrity Infinity: from Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Rhodes, Santorini, Hydra, back to Athens..The Infinity is on June 17, 23 the NCL Jade I'm looking at is May 28, 23...one difference I noted is that Celebrity is in Kusadasi and lot longer, 8am to 8pm, where NCL is 630 to 1230 (prob just long enough to see Ephesus I would think? So pretty similar, but thoughts on this? Good point on cabin selection too!!! We did consider the Western Med, (liked the idea of going out of Barcelona and to France, Rome, Florence, etc) but are leaning toward the Greek Isles..Decisions!!!!