First time on NCL...Any tips or secrets we should know about?

[Tangocherie]

Most definately try the martini tasting. It is such a good deal. Some ships also offer a 2X1 martini at around 6:00 pm or so. Check your dailies for the announcements.

 

Some ships also offer half price for the specialty restaurants. This is often on the first day. I'm also sailing with my 12 yo grandson on the Jewel in November. I'm sure he will have fun in the Kid's Club. Have a great cruise!

[jolgro]

Hi, We live in Europe (the Netherlands) and did our first cruise on the Jade in oct. 2010 We loved NCL and the freestyle concept. ( most of the cruise critic people are from usa I believe, so sorry for my maybe bad english grammar but I will try)

 

On arrival day avoid the buffet and go for the MDR instead.

 

I personally loved Le Bistro and they had also a jazz brunch at seadays, very good !

 

We departed from Barcelona; they add 15 % gratuity on the drinks + 8 % because of spanish taxes I believe it was. Don't know if it changed.

 

We go every winter to one off the Canarie islands and Lanzarote is our favourite. (Not this coming winter because of our planned cruise to panamacanal in april 2012)

 

Loved the chicken wings in the Blue Lagoon, they also served breakfast till 11am. Buffet always crowded but you can sit in the Italian restaurant at breakfast time, much more quiet.

 

Have a nice cruise and enjoy yourself

[jaz33]

Thanks for all the help and tips. You have all just whetted our appetite for this cruise :)

[Spannymammy]

Hi

Was wondering how much an average bottle of wine costs. We are spoiled here living in Spain, we can get good quality wines very reasonable, so are used to enjoying wine with our meal.....are we going to feel REAL pain with the prices :o

[mafig]

If the MDR is full, you can get a pager and they will buzz you when there's a table. The pager also entitles you to half price drinks (or maybe 2 for 1, can't quite remember.) we'd go when it's busy, get a pager, go to the bar and have a cut price drink, then when they buzzed us get another drink to take into the restaurant. Still at half price.

 

Sounds a bit penny pinching I know, but at their prices every penny counts!

 

 

I've never heard of this???? Is this just in Europe, or is it in the US too?

 

 

(we're penny pinchers, too;)).

[bramble1963]

hi, i see you are travelling with your grandson in nov, what sailing we are on jade 16th nov, with my 11yr old son,

[Paul_Manchester]

spannymammy - I have a drinks menu from 2009 when we were on the Jade - the following prices will probably make your eyes water - remember there is a service charge (12% I think)on top plus the prices will probably have gone up since then:

all 750ml

white wine

alois lageder pinot grigio benefizium porer $39

duckhorn suvignon blanc $54

ferrari carano fume blanc $42

alderbrook chardonnay $32

red wine

st francis merlot $34

king estate pinotnoir $42

merryvale cabernet ssauvignon reserve $64

rose

beringer white zinfandel $22

e guigal coyes du rhone rose $40

 

cost per glass varies from $5 zinfandel to $12.75 cabernet sauvignon reserve

 

I hope this is helpful

[SteveH2508]

Hi SpannyMammy

 

The wine prices will probably make you cry :eek:, considering you live in a wine producing country . Having said that, the prices are around about restaurant prices (at least in UK anyway) and the European wines seem to be better priced than than the US wines (at least on the Jade). I won't get into a discussion about which ones taste better (but I'm sure you can work that one out for yourself ;)). Suffice to say, the Gewurtztraminer is very good and very reasonably priced.

[Medtech2]

If the MDR is full, you can get a pager and they will buzz you when there's a table. The pager also entitles you to half price drinks (or maybe 2 for 1, can't quite remember.) we'd go when it's busy, get a pager, go to the bar and have a cut price drink, then when they buzzed us get another drink to take into the restaurant. Still at half price.

 

Sounds a bit penny pinching I know, but at their prices every penny counts!

Gee, no one told us about that! Sounds good!

[mafig]

Gee, no one told us about that! Sounds good!

 

 

I asked if that was true in the US also a few posts ago and no one answered if it was.

[Kim Fontaine]

I saw no mention of entertaiment: We started our cruising on the old Norway: Our 1st introduction to Jean Ryan dancers: We have been on many NCL cruises: some celebrity , Holland American and Carnival. nothing can compare to NCL shows as far as I am concerned: We often sail the 1st week of Dec. because of our anniversary date ( Dec. 4th): This has never been a "busy" with hassle time: I would give NCL meals a B+:

[LynneL]

Gee, no one told us about that! Sounds good!

 

I had also read on CC that the pager entitles you to a half price drink at the bar while you wait but while on the Jewel 1 1/2 years ago, I asked and was told that was not the case. That was my only NCL experience so not sure if different ships offer different specials, but I paid full price even though holding my little pager : (

[peg013]

I had also read on CC that the pager entitles you to a half price drink at the bar while you wait but while on the Jewel 1 1/2 years ago, I asked and was told that was not the case. That was my only NCL experience so not sure if different ships offer different specials, but I paid full price even though holding my little pager : (

 

I know there was a discount off drinks while you waited with the buzzer but I don't think it was 50% off, more like 25%, I think. This was on the Gem last year.

[HUNKY]

1. Don't overpack, laundry is very reasonable. Pressing is half price. Send out your clothes for pressing the first day, they will be back the next morning. It's Freestyle, not NOstyle.

2. Bring a power strip if you have many electronic toys (cell phones, iPad, laptop, camera, etc.)

3. Remember dollar bills for tipping porters, room service and shore excursion guides.

[suzequ]

Hello Jaz - I hope you have a fabulous cruise. You've gotten some good suggestions above, let me add...

 

Does anyone have any tips or secret we should know about NCL and particularly NCL Jade?

 

My Niece is 12 yo so will there be plenty to keep her entertained? We don't want to lose her for the whole cruise but I am sure she would love to lose us oldies if she had the chance :)

 

Particularly at the time of year you are traveling there are likely to be be lots of other young people, so if she wants to make friends/hang out this will be easy. On the other hand, if she likes to just relax and not do the "kid club" thing, being on a ship is really safe assuming you give her a few obvious rules. My daughter has been cruising w/us since she was 3; she's 17 now and knows the ships better than we do! We allowed her to set her own schedule so long she left us a note where on the ship she would be (we brought sticky notes for this and had a set place in the cabin the notes were to be posted), when she left/expected to be back. When she was young she wasn't allowed to charge anything - now it's the "reasonable charges" rule and anything unreasonable she has to pay us back for. (This has never been a problem.) We had a curfew time, but probably wont for the next cruise.

 

What are the drink prices like and do you have to have the souvenier glass?

 

Are the speciality resaurants worth it? I suppose what concerns me, and I know food is a very personal thing, but with so many speciality restaurants is it a case of the food in the 'free to dine' areas being very mediocre to entice people to spend more in the 'pay for eateries'?

 

We were on the Jade last year for a Med cruise. Le Bistro was excellent, as was the Asian restaurant (Jasmine, I think). The MDR was inconsistent, great one evening, average another. The MDR at breakfast tends to be less crazy than the buffet and quite good. And don't forget the Blue Lagoon! Free (except for a few items), surprisingly good and open 24/7.

 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks in anticipation.

 

Ian and Tracy (oh and Hayley, Steve and Megan...the first timers).

[jaz33]

Many thanks Suzequ and everyone else.

[810jw616]

Ian & Tracy,

I hope you have a wonderful trip! My husband and I are booked for this cruise in April of 2012 and would really appriciate it if you are able to post a short review of the islands. We are stumped trying to figure out what excursions to go on. Any input would be great!

Jolana

[PhilBiker]

The "Honeymoon/Anniversary" package is quite nice, and offers some value if you were planning on having dinner at "Le Bistro".

[jaz33]

Ian & Tracy,

I hope you have a wonderful trip! My husband and I are booked for this cruise in April of 2012 and would really appriciate it if you are able to post a short review of the islands. We are stumped trying to figure out what excursions to go on. Any input would be great!

Jolana

 

Will let you know although we plan to do our own thing in the ports.

[jaz33]

The "Honeymoon/Anniversary" package is quite nice, and offers some value if you were planning on having dinner at "Le Bistro".

 

We have already booked this. Very much a bargain :D