Just returned from 4 Nights on the Jade

[niborHS]

My sister-in-law and I were looking for an inexpensive getaway that worked well with her vacation schedule, and the 4 night on the Jade worked perfectly. Our cousin decided to join us, and we figured that for 4 nights, we could manage in a balcony cabin, with the small sofa turning into a bed. It is definitely tight, but it worked! We chose the Sailaway rate after figuring out the other choices for more money. We decided that the food would be fine without specialty dining, and we wouldn't drink enough to warrant the unlimited beverage package where we would be charged $19.80 for gratuity. We ended up with cabin 9138, which was a great location and easy to get to, and it cost us each $432. We had to miss the private island because the seas were too rough to tender, so they credited us all $23 in port fees, so actually it was $409. 

 

I felt that the ship was in excellent shape. There were none of the things I have seen on other ships in the past few years, like chips of paint everywhere, worn carpet, etc. Everything to me was in tip top shape. The Grand Pavillion Dining Room was beautiful, service was very good, pretty much no complaint, except that the sauce served with whatever we had the first night was a little salty. Alizars has the same menu, but is not as large, and people seem to dress down even more for that. One dish at Alizars had a hair in it, and the wonderful Assistant Maitre 'D, Bhye Massood, addressed it perfectly, letting us know that he would speak to the executive chef, and took our room number. By the time we came back to the room, there were 2 bowls of fruit and a bottle of wine waiting. The next night, he found us in the Grand Pavillion, and asked about how everything was, and wanted to make sure all was OK. Maybe he was happy that we took it all in stride, but he did the right thing, and it was greatly appreciated. One night we ate at Jasmine Garden, one of the complimentary restaurants, and it was very nice, appetizers were very good, small portions on the mains, but as you know we could have ordered more. The service was not great, but could have been more of a language barrier than anything else, the waitress didn't seem to totally understand us. One night we went to have appetizers only at Jasmine Garden at 5 pm, then had dinner at 7 at the Grand Pavillion. The wait for the restaurants were between 5 and 25 minutes, not a problem at all because they gave us a pager, we went to a nearby bar area to have a drink and listen to whoever was performing, and never felt as though we waited too long. We were originally thinking of bringing on bottles of wine and paying corkage, but we did not, and there were various bottle of wine for $33 that were quite acceptable. If we didn't finish the bottle, the corked it and held it for us. A few times we brought glasses of wine with us to the show after dinner. 

 

The show the first night was a variety show. the comedian on board was excellent. He performed for only about 15 minutes the first night, but the other performers who were doing a Mama Mia singing and dancing program were pretty bad. The 2nd night as a full show of the Comedian, Landry. Again, I thought he was hysterical. The 3rd and 4th nights were different Cirque du Soleil type performances, which were very good. The 4th night were only 2 people, and were pretty amazing. After the late show on the 4th night, Landry did an adults only comedy show, that was really not too raunchy, and again very funny. There were various singers performing around the ship from about 5:00 on, some better than others, but all enjoyable enough. The day we boarded there was a band by the pool, and they were really not good, the singer sounded more like listening to Karaoke. 

 

Overall, something I would definitely think of doing again, which is I suppose the best compliment. 

[La Princesa]

Great review! thanks! do you remember if they had a toga party on the jade??? and were the shows done twice every night or just 1 show? I am wondering to  plan my dinner time.  and was there a white party???  thanks

Edited January 29, 2019 by La Princesa

[Sailing12Away]

Thanks for this review. We'll be sailing on the Jade next month as well. We picked it due to the low price and perfect time period between when we'll be sick of NY winters and before my sister-in-laws wedding. No ship or cruise line is perfect, and the small issues you had were nothing that to me would make or break a trip, similar to how you handled them. The fact that the crew overall seemed so attentive to correct them is also welcoming.

 

How was the pool area? Overly crowded with fighting for space, or not too bad? Did you need reservations for any of the evening entertainment, or was it just first come first seated?