2 Different NCL ships and Med. Itineraries to choose from! Opinions?

[etravel]

So for 2022, we are looking at the Jade or Gem on different Med cruises, that mostly feature Greek Islands...Any preference between those two ships? The Jade departs Athens does Kusadasi, Turkey; Patmos, Greece; Rhodes Greece; Mykonos, Argostoli, Kefaltonia; Corfu, Greece; Santorini, Greece...back to Athens...

 

The Gem sails out of Venice for Kotor, Montenegro; Corta, Greece; Santorini, Greece;  Argostali, Greece, and Dubrovnik, Croatia...

 

I know a lot of people are raving about Croatia these days...but any thoughts on the two itineraries...pricing on the club balcony suites are pretty similar...The Gem Slightly more. 

Thanks in advance for any tips or advice. 

[dexddd]

2 minutes ago, etravel said:

So for 2022, we are looking at the Jade or Gem on different Med cruises, that mostly feature Greek Islands...Any preference between those two ships? The Jade departs Athens does Kusadasi, Turkey; Patmos, Greece; Rhodes Greece; Mykonos, Argostoli, Kefaltonia; Corfu, Greece; Santorini, Greece...back to Athens...

 

The Gem sails out of Venice for Kotor, Montenegro; Corta, Greece; Santorini, Greece;  Argostali, Greece, and Dubrovnik, Croatia...

 

I know a lot of people are raving about Croatia these days...but any thoughts on the two itineraries...pricing on the club balcony suites are pretty similar...The Gem Slightly more. 

Thanks in advance for any tips or advice. 

They are same class and nearly identical so go by route.

[TrumpyNor]

I have done both itineraries and both ships and enjoyed it all. If I had to choose one cruise over the other, I would choose the Jade cruise - simply because there are 2 more ports to visit on that itinerary, so feels like that cruise gives more for your money.....

Edited September 28, 2020 by TrumpyNor

[Boxersma]

We did a similar 14 day itinerary of the exact same ports on the Jade last year of your second choice and loved it.  We enjoyed all the ports but Dubrovnik was my absolute favourite.  

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, etravel said:

So for 2022, we are looking at the Jade or Gem on different Med cruises, that mostly feature Greek Islands...Any preference between those two ships? The Jade departs Athens does Kusadasi, Turkey; Patmos, Greece; Rhodes Greece; Mykonos, Argostoli, Kefaltonia; Corfu, Greece; Santorini, Greece...back to Athens...

 

The Gem sails out of Venice for Kotor, Montenegro; Corta, Greece; Santorini, Greece;  Argostali, Greece, and Dubrovnik, Croatia...

 

The ships are similar so let the itinerary decide.

 

We should prefer Jade because it's a roundtrip but we should prefer Gem because it doesn't go to Turkey which we try to avoid.

 

If I have to choose I choose the Jade and just stay on the ship in Kusadasi. 

[SpainAlien]

I would choose Jade because I would love to go back to Turkey but we are doing the Gem itinerary because it is near impossible to get a flight to Athens from our region of Spain whereas we can get to Venice easily 

[farmersfight]

2 hours ago, etravel said:

So for 2022, we are looking at the Jade or Gem on different Med cruises, that mostly feature Greek Islands...Any preference between those two ships? The Jade departs Athens does Kusadasi, Turkey; Patmos, Greece; Rhodes Greece; Mykonos, Argostoli, Kefaltonia; Corfu, Greece; Santorini, Greece...back to Athens...

 

The Gem sails out of Venice for Kotor, Montenegro; Corta, Greece; Santorini, Greece;  Argostali, Greece, and Dubrovnik, Croatia...

 

I know a lot of people are raving about Croatia these days...but any thoughts on the two itineraries...pricing on the club balcony suites are pretty similar...The Gem Slightly more. 

Thanks in advance for any tips or advice. 

 

I've not sailed on either ship or any Jewel class ships for that matter. But for itinerary, I would pick the Gem for Venice, Italy and Dubrovnik, Croatia. Did a 12 day Med cruise on another cruise line that included those 2 ports. Famous Venice speaks for itself and in Dubrovnik, we visited a bar (google Cafe Buza) situated on a cliff side overlooking the Adriatic Sea. It was awesome!

 

Good luck with either choice.

[etravel]

5 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

I've not sailed on either ship or any Jewel class ships for that matter. But for itinerary, I would pick the Gem for Venice, Italy and Dubrovnik, Croatia. Did a 12 day Med cruise on another cruise line that included those 2 ports. Famous Venice speaks for itself and in Dubrovnik, we visited a bar (google Cafe Buza) situated on a cliff side overlooking the Adriatic Sea. It was awesome!

 

Good luck with either choice.

Thank you so much!!! I think that sounds fabulous! I have been to Venice once before and it's definitely an amazing city!!! And Dubrovnik sounds so cool as well! 

[BirdTravels]

We would pick the Gem.
 

The ships are sisters and are similar in most ways, so that does not impact our decision. 

 

We love Venice and would book a few days in Venice before leaving on the cruise. We just like to walk, and Venice is a very walkable city. 

[Travelling2Some]

You had me at "Venice" and the rest of the Gem's itinerary is more appealing to me as well.  As others have said, the two ships are nearly identical so it is the ports that matter.  To us the port of embarkation/disembarkation is most important because we will always spend extra time there.  I also much prefer Santorini to Mykonos.

[farmersfight]

3 hours ago, etravel said:

I have been to Venice once before and it's definitely an amazing city!!!

 

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

and Venice is a very walkable city. 

 

@etravel - you probably remember this, but if you get tired of walking in Venice there are many water taxi's that you can choose from. Also, a fun way to get from point A to point B in Venice.

 

Also - the one thing tourists in Venice want to do is take a gondola ride. We looked into it before the cruise and we found that taking a private gondola ride was expensive ($$$). But, you can still take a gondola ride that is much more reasonable in price but what they do is form a group of people and the group all goes on the same gondola. We thought it would be weird at first but we got used to it and still got to do the gondola experience in Venice.

[Travelling2Some]

49 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 The one thing tourists in Venice want to do is take a gondola ride. We looked into it before the cruise and we found that taking a private gondola ride was expensive ($$$). But, you can still take a gondola ride that is much more reasonable in price but what they do is form a group of people and the group all goes on the same gondola. We thought it would be weird at first but we got used to it and still got to do the gondola experience in Venice.

Or, for a bargain basement gondola ride take one of the traghettos.  These are the gondolas used as quick ferries across (rather than up and down) the Grand Canal.  Last time we were there I think they were 2 euros per person.

Edited September 28, 2020 by Travelling2Some
typo

[etravel]

1 hour ago, Travelling2Some said:

You had me at "Venice" and the rest of the Gem's itinerary is more appealing to me as well.  As others have said, the two ships are nearly identical so it is the ports that matter.  To us the port of embarkation/disembarkation is most important because we will always spend extra time there.  I also much prefer Santorini to Mykonos.

That is very true on the spending time before the cruise...we always try to do a day or two before the cruise as well...and I know I would love to show Venice to my husband since it's such an incredible city...Looks like it will be the Gem! 

[complawyer]

i would take the jade, hands down.  the itinerary is better, and unless you fly into venice a few days earlier, you wont see much of it. also, i have heard that lately venice is discouraging tourists. 

[4774Papa]

9 hours ago, dexddd said:

They are same class and nearly identical so go by route.

Both ships are about the same.

 

One route has more ports and departs for Athens.

The other departs from Venice.

 

If you haven't been to Athens, don't miss it.  However, taking a cruise out of Venice, you get a fantastic view of the city.

 

Dubrovnik is great, but so are some of the ports on the other cruise.

Still, I would pick the cruise out of Athens, especially if you haven't been to Athens.

[Budget Queen]

What’s important is OFF the ship.   YOU need to decide.     So do your homework and look at what each port offers.  Pick what you want to see and do.   Then rank your interests.      That should give you direction.  
 

 The ships are sister ships.   A few cosmetic differences that are insignificant.     I was on all 4 of these Jewel class ships.   Certainly very nice.   

[farmersfight]

11 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

Or, for a bargain basement gondola ride take one of the traghettos.  These are the gondolas used as quick ferries across (rather than up and down) the Grand Canal.  Last time we were there I think they were 2 euros per person.

 

Oh yeah, I forgot about these. Now I remember seeing numerous gondolas lined up at the side walls (pointed out to the canal) many with gondoliers standing in them looking like they were getting ready to "get underway". Those must've been the traghettos. Heck, I didn't even know (or maybe forgot) those were called traghettos, lol.

Edited September 29, 2020 by farmersfight

[pe4all]

We did the Venice/Croatia route summer 2019.  Spent 2 days pre-cruise in Venice.  Really, really nice.  Had a great time at every port. I try to never repeat cruises, but I would make an exception for this itinerary!

[Budget Queen]

14 hours ago, 4774Papa said:

Both ships are about the same.

 

One route has more ports and departs for Athens.

The other departs from Venice.

 

If you haven't been to Athens, don't miss it.  However, taking a cruise out of Venice, you get a fantastic view of the city.

 

Dubrovnik is great, but so are some of the ports on the other cruise.

Still, I would pick the cruise out of Athens, especially if you haven't been to Athens.

There have been reports of cruise ships are going to be docking elsewhere and not right in Venice? 

 

 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/news/cruise-ships-crack-down-venice-historic-centre-unesco-overtourism/

[Laszlo]

23 hours ago, etravel said:

So for 2022, we are looking at the Jade or Gem on different Med cruises, that mostly feature Greek Islands...Any preference between those two ships? The Jade departs Athens does Kusadasi, Turkey; Patmos, Greece; Rhodes Greece; Mykonos, Argostoli, Kefaltonia; Corfu, Greece; Santorini, Greece...back to Athens...

 

The Gem sails out of Venice for Kotor, Montenegro; Corta, Greece; Santorini, Greece;  Argostali, Greece, and Dubrovnik, Croatia...

 

I know a lot of people are raving about Croatia these days...but any thoughts on the two itineraries...pricing on the club balcony suites are pretty similar...The Gem Slightly more. 

Thanks in advance for any tips or advice. 

Dubrovnik and Kotor are great. I could easily spend another week in Dubrovnik. The food and the beaches were fantastic. Ships are almost identical

 

 

 

[etravel]

1 minute ago, Laszlo said:

Dubrovnik and Kotor are great. I could easily spend another week in Dubrovnik. The food and the beaches were fantastic. Ships are almost identical

 

 

 

Those are amazing pics!!! Thank you! Have to do some of the things you did!!!! 

[Laszlo]

1 minute ago, etravel said:

Those are amazing pics!!! Thank you! Have to do some of the things you did!!!! 

 

Thanks, that's my son at the Cliff Jump

[BermudaBound2014]

I've sailed on the Jade. Like the Gem she is a great size. Not too big. Not too small. Itinerary should be your deciding factor.

 

There is NOTHING like the sail into/out of Venice. It's spectacular. With that said, it is quite possible that by the time you sail ships will no longer be allowed in Venice and you will be departing from the nearby port. Even so, I'd take precruise/post cruise in Venice over Athens each and every-time. What a great decision to make :)

[farmersfight]

2 hours ago, Laszlo said:

Dubrovnik and Kotor are great. I could easily spend another week in Dubrovnik. The food and the beaches were fantastic. Ships are almost identical

 

 

 

 

@Laszlo - is that cliff jump at Cafe Buza? I think I remember that was another thing famous about that place. Major props to your son for jumping off that cliff; that would take real guts. It would take an awful lot of "adult beverages of choice" before I did that. Errrrr...actually, no, I would never do that no matter how many I had.

[Laszlo]

45 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

@Laszlo - is that cliff jump at Cafe Buza? I think I remember that was another thing famous about that place. Major props to your son for jumping off that cliff; that would take real guts. It would take an awful lot of "adult beverages of choice" before I did that. Errrrr...actually, no, I would never do that no matter how many I had.

I believe its the same place, I don't know about guts, he had a bunch of girls watching Lol

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Buža+Bar/@42.639252,18.1087058,209m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m8!1m2!2m1!1scafe+near+Buža+Gate,+Ulica+Iza+Grada,+Dubrovnik,+Croatia!3m4!1s0x0:0x6b76c778ca447932!8m2!3d42.6390529!4d18.108707

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6389953,18.1086742,3a,75y,318.09h,62.07t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipMqQZOf-QCVleUtn3TYTxdvZrtKLqFGYh2xz1c7!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMqQZOf-QCVleUtn3TYTxdvZrtKLqFGYh2xz1c7%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya70.131134-ro-0-fo100!7i7200!8i3600

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6390042,18.1087625,3a,75y,325.31h,76.54t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipMWjzw7LMQGvCPtLhAUfTpxrh8J5niVdZcRsBfN!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMWjzw7LMQGvCPtLhAUfTpxrh8J5niVdZcRsBfN%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya116.593376-ro-0-fo100!7i4000!8i2000

Edited September 29, 2020 by Laszlo