Experienced cruiser but new to NCL

Hi Guys,

So I'm not new to cruising, though compared to some of you I suppose I probably still am, I've been cruising for a decade now and almost exclusively on Royal Caribbean. Then recently I saw a really good deal on a little 2 night / 3 day mini-cruise on the Jade.

It seemed like a great chance to check out a recently refurbished cruise ship, and dip my toes in the NCL waters...

So I'm looking for some tips and ideas to check out for this very brief cruise, to get the best of NCL. Every cruiseline has it's secrets like Royal Caribbean's Honey Stung Chicken and inside hot tubs etc. What do I need to know cruising NCL and if you like specifically on Jade?

If it helps I'm a young(ish) *cough* gay guy from the UK. I like cocktails, good food, and late night dancing - along with stargazing and sunsets!

Go!

2 nights/3 days? Sounds like a party/booze cruise. I can't say it would be a good way to determine whether you'd like NCL. Just mho.

2 nights/3 days? Sounds like a party/booze cruise. I can't say it would be a good way to determine whether you'd like NCL. Just mho.

I don't think this one will be too bad. I suspect it will have a lot of people like the OP who will use it as an intro to NCL now they are back in the UK. That seems to be how NCL are marketing it.

I'm sure there will be some of the party crowd on board as well, but not as much as many short cruises.

Is this the Hamburg trip? Seems popular.

The Jade's a nice ship, although I was last on her pre-refurb. Best place to get cocktails, if it's warm, is The Pitstop overlooking the pool. Queues are much shorter than the bar next to the pool. Inside, there's a whole series of bars next to each other on deck 6, all with a good offering - just work your way along.

You should try Cagney's or Le Bistro for the food (extra charge).

Dancing will be in either the Spinnaker lounge, which is a great place at the bow, or the Bliss lounge - although to be honest they weren't all that lively when I was on there. But a different set of passengers could be more enthusiastic.

Ask at the desk if they have a LGBT meeting. Every ship I have been on has had one. Its a great way to meet up with "out" crowd. Believe me, as a gay man, you will not feel alone on NCL. Even without the LGBT meeting, you will find others

Ask at the desk if they have a LGBT meeting. Every ship I have been on has had one. Its a great way to meet up with "out" crowd. Believe me, as a gay man, you will not feel alone on NCL. Even without the LGBT meeting, you will find others

Likely no need to ask at the desk. It's usually posted in the Freestyle Daily.

2 nights/3 days? Sounds like a party/booze cruise. I can't say it would be a good way to determine whether you'd like NCL. Just mho.

It's not a booze cruise, it's a 2/3 day taster which is the first leg of a much larger cruise - and Hamburg where we get off is hardly party central ;) I wanted to do the larger cruise but the boyfriend couldn't get the time off work.

Am I right in thinking that, unlike RCI, you have to pay to access steam rooms, saunas, etc?

Where's the best place to stand on the Jade (Jewel-Class(?)) ships for sail-away? On the RCI ships I'd usually go up to the helipad right at the bow of the ship.

Any must have signature NCL cocktails?

 

Am I right in thinking that, unlike RCI, you have to pay to access steam rooms, saunas, etc?

 

Where's the best place to stand on the Jade (Jewel-Class(?)) ships for sail-away? On the RCI ships I'd usually go up to the helipad right at the bow of the ship.

 

Yes, you can book ahead online and get a discount compared to buying on the ship, when they might have sold out anyway. However, it seems to have gone up to £40 for that cruise, which I wouldn't say is very good value.

Jade has a viewing platform up front which is good, but you can generally get good views from any of the open-air decks. If you want to look back at Southampton then the Great Outdoors is a good place to sit and eat/drink at the same time.

Take me with you and let's stargaze together ;)

Likely no need to ask at the desk. It's usually posted in the Freestyle Daily.

The gay / lesbian meetings are called "Friends of Dorothy" on the Freestyle Daily.

2 nights/3 days? Sounds like a party/booze cruise.

Actually, it's not. It's part of a longer Norwegian fjords cruise with 2 departures... one in Southhampton and one a few days later in Hamburg (I board in Hamburg).

Hamburg where we get off is hardly party central ;)

You've evidently never been to St. Pauli and the Reeperbahn!

You've evidently never been to St. Pauli and the Reeperbahn!

Ha! Excellent point :cool:

Hello young cruiser!

Here's the top things I think you should know before cruising with NCL: http://cruisingisntjustforoldpeople.co.uk/2016/12/04/8-things-ncl/ We've built a young cruisers community and would love you to be a part of it, keep in touch. :-)

As far as must have cocktails you MUST have a mango meltdown and a raspberry mojito! [emoji7][emoji7][emoji7][emoji7]

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Thanks Eletace, I'll check that forum and those cocktails out for sure!