Need Advice on Jade Cabin Selection

[teacherman]

We have never sailed on NCL, but have found an itinerary for Africa that we would like to do.  (S. Africa-Feb, 2022)   We are interested in a suite on deck 11.  I normally would not book a cabin located on a deck which is below so many restaurants and activity rooms.  Would appreciate any advice/information you may have if you have been on this ship/deck.  Did you hear a lot of noise?  Any suites you would recommend or NOT recommend?  ALSO,  is a suite that much better than a regular balcony, as far as space or any perks?   We normally cruise on Celebrity, RCCL, or HAL.   Any advice or information is welcome.   Thank you.

[complawyer]

need a little more info, but for now, are you planning on booking a haven suite, or what is called a club suite. if you're booking a "club suite" they are what were previously called mid-ship mini suites, and are just slightly larger than the balcony cabins. if you're booking a haven, it's anentirely different ball-game. which ever haven cabin you book, you'll be happy. i've been on decl 11 on some of theships, and had no problems, that being said, as long as the itinerary is interesting, and the price works for me, i'm happy.

 

however, in order to give you a better answer, i went to the ncl wewbsite. it seems t hat the onle real cruise from south africa is in december 2022 not feb. the feb cruise leaves from dubai and doesnt really touch s. africa.

[dexddd]

Most of the suites are under spa or other quiet areas except the last two port side aft are under gym.  I'd avoid those.  There are not many noise complaints about suites on 11.

 

Suites do get many more perks than balcony but also at a price.  Separate breakfast and lunch venue.  There was some talk about changes to perks late last year starting late this year but we obviously never got to see.

 

The suites on 11 are all two bedrooms and are fantastic with an amazing bathroom.

Edited December 25, 2020 by dexddd

[teacherman]

We are thinking one of the club suites, not a haven suite.  And, my mistake, the cruise is Jan 14 rt from CapeTown.  Our previously scheduled 2021 cruise on Azamara was supposed to be in Feb.  So, for you who have experience with this class of NCL ship, in your opinion, is the Club Suite much different from the regular balcony type cabin for a 12 night more port focused cruise?   Thank you for the responses.

[complawyer]

6 minutes ago, teacherman said:

We are thinking one of the club suites, not a haven suite.  And, my mistake, the cruise is Jan 14 rt from CapeTown.  Our previously scheduled 2021 cruise on Azamara was supposed to be in Feb.  So, for you who have experience with this class of NCL ship, in your opinion, is the Club Suite much different from the regular balcony type cabin for a 12 night more port focused cruise?   Thank you for the responses.

again, the club  suite were formally called mid ship mini suites.  if you check the ship, the clubs are a little bigger than the regular balcony. also, ncl throws in a bottle of sparkling wine and a free bag of laundry. they also offer free hors d-oeuvres, but im not sue if it's just once, or every day. that's about the only difference between the 2. the club gives  you both a little more breathing room.

 

as an aside, i personally like the port side of the ship. it has been my experience that when ever the ship docks, its always port side facing the pier. i like to take pictures from my balcony.

 

some ncl ships also have category "suites"  these come with butler and concierge and all the amenities of a haven, except the private pool area. they are of course more expensive than the club suites (these are not really suites per se) 

 

we have often stayed in the mid ship mini suites, and were quite happy and comfortable. we took our grandson, and he slept in the pull out sofa. all was well

 

regardless, of which cabin, you ultimately choose, have a safe enjoyable trip, and of course bon voyage!

 

 

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, teacherman said:

We are thinking one of the club suites, not a haven suite.  . .  So, for you who have experience with this class of NCL ship, in your opinion, is the Club Suite much different from the regular balcony type cabin for a 12 night more port focused cruise?   Thank you for the responses.

 

Thanks for clarifying the type of stateroom you're looking at.  First, it's very important to understand that, despite the name, a "club balcony suite" is not a suite in terms of the genuinely meaningful perks that "real" suites get on NCL (e.g., access to the suites-only breakfast and lunch venue; butler; concierge; priority embarkation and disembarkation).  NCL used to call these staterooms "mini-suites," but whatever the name, they are glorified balcony cabins.  Also, as you correctly observed in your first post, they are on Deck 11, and many if not most of them are under the noisy and potentially noisy public areas of Deck 12, including the pool deck.  Our preference is to have cabins above us and below us, so, as much as we love the Jewel-class ships (of which the Jade is one), Deck 11 is out for us.

 

For me, there's another negative to the "club balcony suites" -- the bathroom has a tub/shower combo, not a separate shower.  The tub wall is quite high, and climbing in and out can be a real problem for short people, and folks with knee or mobility issues, especially when the ship is feeling the "motion of the ocean." 

 

For the above reasons, we haven't sailed in a "club balcony suite," so I can't tell you from personal experience whether the extra room (compared with a regular balcony) would be worth what to me are the potential negatives.  I don't think the minor "perks" that NCL is now giving to the club balconies are worth much.  NCL's "free" sparkling wine is swill, and those afternoon "treats" are usually mysterious looking pieces of fish and other stuff you may not want to eat.  (And it's not as though there isn't enough food on a ship!) 

 

The times we've sailed on the Jewel-class ships when we weren't in a (real) suite, we've chosen balcony cabins on Deck 10, our favorite deck on those ships  -- cabins above and below.  Deck 9 is another option for that reason.

 

I know there are folks who enjoy the mini-suites, so I hope they will chime in and give you their personal experiences.

 

Enjoy whatever you decide! 
 

 

[teacherman]

I thank everyone for the very good information.   However, I just read a long detailed newspaper account of what is currently happening in South Africa with the Covid, and I doubt this cruise will even happen.