A Ma'am and 2 Ma'amettes week on the Jade

[medicalma'am]

We had stopped by the casino bar on the way back because bar service was SLOW everywhere.

 

The pool was crazy busy! The hot tubs were FULL of kids. You couldn't get a drink there. We waited at a bar for service and left. We were so glad we had the use of the Haven and the Spa.

 

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=FGLZ6hs0Ob8

 

I got a glass of olives and olive juice and a glass of tonic. I made a gin and tonic and had the other for making a dirty Gin martini later.

 

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I think he brought cookies too.

 

Seas were still rough

 

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Edited March 5, 2016 by medicalma'am

[Kfamilycruise]

Loving your thorough review. Thanks for taking the time! Best mother in law ever!

[medicalma'am]

We enjoyed another sunset from our suite

 

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I had my martini before dinner

 

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We had the best restaurant service this night in Cagney's. Our waiter and another waitress took time to talk with us and we really enjoyed that. Maybe it was because we had such late reservations, 9:00 pm.

 

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[medicalma'am]

Thanks kfamilycrise! I am enjoying doing it.

[medicalma'am]

The meal was fabulous

 

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Natalie had the baked potato soup

 

 

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Edited March 5, 2016 by medicalma'am

[medicalma'am]

Natalie had the buffalo steak

 

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And the famous Cagney's fries. YUM I just couldn't eat it all

 

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The seas had calmed completely by late afternoon. It was a gentle ride now to go to sleep to. We were not happy thinking that tomorrow would be our last sea day before arriving home.

 

 

[medicalma'am]

Again we woke up and had a nice breakfast in Cagneys. We went to the Spa and did our 'circuit'.

 

Lunch was also in Cagney's. I had the swordfish burger with only the bottom bun. I was beginning to suffer from "Too Much Cruise Food" or just "Too Much Food".

 

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The seats looked comfortable, but what ARE these things?

 

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Decoration to look like we are undersea???

 

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Edited March 5, 2016 by medicalma'am

[medicalma'am]

We got drinks and decided to head up to the Haven.

 

Mojito

 

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The pool today was just a crowded as the day before and we had our own little....well....Haven.

 

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Edited March 5, 2016 by medicalma'am

[medicalma'am]

We had late reservations again in Le Bistro. We had tried to have a light lunch and wanted to try the Sushi Bar. It was not crowded at all when it opened at 5

 

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Natalie and Samantha are pros with chop sticks

 

 

I.......am not. Can I just have a fork please?????? No I muddled through. I took out much of the rice, I should have just asked for less rice in mine.

 

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=agFa79T8xuM

Edited March 5, 2016 by medicalma'am

[medicalma'am]

I took more pictures here and there

 

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The captain made his one and only announcement this afternoon. He said that there was fog expected in Galveston Bay in the morning. For that reason we would be arriving to Galveston by 10 pm and travel up the Bay to arrive at the Port of Houston by midnight.

 

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Here is the sushi that the Ma'amettes had...

 

 

 

 

 

[medicalma'am]

For those wine lovers, here is the complete wine list.

 

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Edited March 5, 2016 by medicalma'am

[medicalma'am]

Well, before dinner, sadly, we got out those suitcases and started packing. I got mine about half finished. The Ma'amettes got all their's done before dinner. I guess I just did not want to face it.

 

They were ready first and went out to have a drink before dinner.

 

 

I met them at the area outside of Le Bistro where they were enjoying the entertainment.

 

 

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I chose to have salmon

 

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[medicalma'am]

French onion soup

 

 

Natalie had ice cream that had to be sugar free. She had not asked for sugar free. Did we look like we needed sugar free??? She decided that anything would improve it and poured some of her wine into it.

 

 

I tasted it. It was GOOD!

 

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Tonight we had the cutest towel animal

 

 

 

[medicalma'am]

We woke up our last morning very sad. I was not looking forward to the drive home.

 

 

Eggs and bacon, the Lavazza French Press coffee

 

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[medicalma'am]

We met Omar the Concierge in the Japanese restaurant and I gave him his tip and thanked him for all he did for us during the week.

 

Omar.....I had no problem with him but the Ma'amettes did. He had a habit of 'dropping in' in the afternoons. The first time it did not surprise us as it was the first day and he was welcoming us. The second time my daughter in law heard the doorbell ring and rushed to get her shorts on before he used his key to let himself in. :eek: She had the couch that made into the bed, in the living area. She was always the one there closest to the door when he came. It really bugged her. :( He had a key and used it. Again and again. :confused: He may have thought that when she said "Just a minute" that she was saying "come in". Ya think???? :mad: Looking back, I wish I had told him that first day that if we needed him we would call.

 

Omar led us off the ship......

 

Soon we were walking off and we had to say goodbye to the wonderful Jade.

 

 

 

[medicalma'am]

The Ma'amettes thought that I needed this souvenir.

 

 

We were able go get our luggage really fast as it was in the priority section. Then we got in line for Customs and Border Control. We were 'Suite Special' no more. We were in line with the masses. lol In no time we were on our way to the car

 

This is our sentiments exactly at that point

 

 

I was kind of hoping that one on the Ma'amettes would drive home....nothing doing. Look who was driving.

 

We drove about an hour to Screenma'am's house for a pit stop and decided to have lunch with them. Everyone wanted MEXICAN FOOD, yeah!

 

[medicalma'am]

To sum things up, we loved the Owner's Suite. It was so worth upgrading to it. I am spoiled forever by that suite. The front balcony was not what did it for me. The large side balcony is where we spent most of our balcony time. The view out the front was great though. The UDP for all of us and the UBP for the Ma'amettes were great benefits. We NEVER would have gotten the UBP and gotten our $$$ worth if it had not been free when I booked the cruise.

 

This cruise was a graduation gift to my daughter in law for her Master's in Counseling. It was a relaxing reward for all her hard work over the last three years of graduate school. Relax we did! It was different than any other cruise I have ever taken. I had a cruise with my DH in '09 that was similar, just in an inside cabin on the NCL Spirit. It did not have the luxury factor for sure.

 

We all three got along incredibly all week long. I feel that it brought us even closer together as a family too. I LOVE THOSE GIRLS! :D

 

The Haven was peaceful get away when the pool deck was crowded, but we really did not use it much. The Spa was wonderful, as always. I think the Ma'amettes loved it too.

 

being able to drive to the port is SO awesome. I wish NCL were not pulling out of the Port of Houston. In fact, Princess is pulling out also and the city of Houston is trying to decide what to do with it. One of the ideas is to turn it into a training center...for what, I don't know.

 

The ship is great. I would like to sail her again after the dry dock to see the new decor. That is, I hope they have a new decor planned, just to get rid of all the ceiling flowers, Hawaiian motifs, and such. The Jewel class ships always feel like home. My home away from home.

 

Until the next cruise I will miss home.

 

[Cruise-mom]

Fantastic from start to finish, thank you again :)

[Lisalk12]

Thank you for an amazing review! Headed out next Saturday.

[wizdiz]

Thanks for the great review! Hurry up and take another cruise so I have another review to read :)

[Bluesmania]

Your cruise was over 7 days - your review was over 9 days - LOL

 

It sounds like you had a great time.... Thanks.

 

Blues

[Linda the Book Lover]

I so enjoyed your review and I am sad it is over. It was as if I joined you on your cruise. I will keep my eye out for your next review. I will try and write a review of our Jade cruise but no promises. :)

[MudbugsTherapist]

I am glad that you reviewed it just in time for me to start packing... 2 weeks until I am on the Jade!

 

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[mommie_2_3_krazy_teens]

Your review was most awesome! Thank you for answering not only mine, but all of the questions that people asked of you! Each of your adventures sparked more interest and sometimes questions.

 

1. We have the UDP as well (booked back in April 2015) and...when you were in specialty restaurants, were all of the food items on the menu included in your package? Were the waiters able to explain what was included and what was not?

 

2. Little French Key: I am interesting in knowing who you booked through and how it all worked. Tendering has me fearful of non NCL excursions...also we have excursion credit to use at each port....just thinking out loud with that. Please share who you booked through and any tips you might have for us.

 

3. Elevators...were they fast and plentiful? I have a disabled daughter who can manage a couple flights of stairs, but being on the 14th deck, she will need to use elevators for anything on the 10th deck or lower. I am curious if you have any comments on this?

 

4. Every time you posted a video link, I would get an error when I clicked on it. It would say something along the lines of having to create a YouTube channel? Do you have any idea what I need to do to view your video?

 

Thank you again! :) For everything!

[MudbugsTherapist]

I can help with the LFK question. We left our port later, just before lunch, and we took the cab to LFK. No reservations, no plan. They took care of us without any hesitation. And the staff would come around and announce when it was time to go for each ship, like "Carnival Freedom 30 minutes!" This gave us time to get back, as well as about an hour to shop in port (if we wanted to.)

 

Both private tours that we booked (LFK and cavetubing.bz) pride themselves on making sure that no guest has ever missed their ship. In fact, they usually have you back about an hour early.

The other thing that I do, before I leave the ship, is that I set a countdown timer on my phone with the number of hours we are in port. That way, it doesn't matter if I am on ship time, local time, or central time, I only look at the timer to see how much time I have left in port.

There will always be a panicking person next to you who is an hour early, wanting to get back to the ship with 2 hours to spare.

And the partiers will try to tell you that there's PLENTY of time, because they are an hour late.

Keep your own timer, and ignore everyone around you.

 

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