Norwegian Cruise Line a Pleasant Surprise

Over a period of many years, I have been fortunate enough to critique a wide variety of cruise ships from budget lines to ultra-deluxe. I have experienced and endured a few very poorly managed ships and enjoyed some incredibly outstanding cruises. Personally, I am not an avid cruiser so port-intensive itineraries with a minimum of sea days are my cruises of choice. The years of covid put a big dent in the cruise industry. During that time, the waters off the coast of Florida were dotted with over 100 cruise ships with just enough crew to keep the ships afloat and maintained. Cruise lines took the opportunity to send older ships to scrap yards and refurbish others. At the conclusion of the covid epidemic cruise lines were offering incredible deals to get their ships filled and out on the high seas again.

It was our first day on board and we were standing on our stateroom balcony with a glass of wine before departing from Athens, enjoying the view over the myriad of Greek passenger ferries on their way to many of the 227 inhabited islands of the Greek Archipelago. We had not started off with the right frame of mind traveling to Athens, Greece to board the Norwegian Jade cruise ship from Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL). 

Last year we booked with NCL because the cruise line offered a very interesting itinerary with several ports in the Black Sea including the intriguing cities of Constanza in Romania, as well as Varna and Nessebar/Bourgas in Bulgaria. Shortly after we had made payment and were in penalty for canceling, NCL changed the itinerary completely.

As a result of the war in Ukraine, the stops in Romania and Bulgaria were eliminated. It is understandable that the cruise line should minimize risk to their ships and passengers. However, when we wanted to cancel, we were told we were now under penalty and that would not be waived despite the major changes to a cruise that now no longer offered the itinerary we booked the voyage for. It was obvious that few would be passengers were interested to book the new itinerary as Norwegian Cruise Lines dropped rates several times right until departure. And they were not willing to refund those who had paid the higher rates nor would they issue shipboard credit. Consequently, we embarked on our journey with a rather negative attitude towards Norwegian Cruise Line.

Upon arrival from the US, we spent a restful night in the very pleasant Port Square Hotel conveniently located at the Athens harbor of Piraeus. Arriving at The Norwegian Jade the next morning, the check-in organization was fast, efficient, and friendly. The Jade is an older ship in NCL’s “Jewel Class” that is part of their fleet of 19 vessels. Built back in 2006 and extensively refurbished in 2017, it is considered an average size by today’s standard with a maximum of 2,402 guests and 1,037 crew. Just last year it had another smaller upgrade and cleanup in drydock, and it certainly shows. 

What immediately caught our attention was the overall cleanliness of the ship. I never saw even the smallest spot of rust anywhere and there was no dust nor stains on carpets because the crew was constantly cleaning. They were extraordinarily friendly greeting passengers with direct wide-eyed bright smiles. Some higher-class and more luxurious cruise lines could certainly learn from the service on board. The Jade offers sixteen dining options including French, Italian, Brazilian and Asian. There is literally something for everyone. The buffets for breakfast and lunch offer an astounding variety and once again were kept spotlessly clean. The organization on the ship was outstanding as well and there seemed to be ample space everywhere. We never stood in line for anything. However, it must be noted that many passengers I spoke with and loyal to NCL said that this was not the case on all ships.

Quite a few people had come across the Atlantic on the Norwegian Dawn and, according to them, the food and service could not compare to our Jade experience. 

I also heard people complain about the new Norwegian Prima. “A spectacular ship with 

beautiful venues, but service and organization were lacking.” I was able to visit several categories of staterooms and they had comfortable layouts. In our club balcony suite, we were once again surprised with unexpected extras. The bathroom was small, but it had a bath and shower. Our room steward was very pleasant and efficient and was practically always available. The entertainment venues were so numerous that one passenger told me she had no time to go to a sit-down dinner. And the last evening’s show brought all entertainers together in a fabulously choreographed evening with spectacular lighting.

One concept I have never really understood from Norwegian Cruise Lines is their upscale and semi-private “Haven Deck.”  Personally, if I were going to spend a lot more money on these accommodations, I would prefer to go on a Regent Seven Seas or Silversea cruise where top-shelf service, dining options and amenities are consistent throughout the ships.

Overall, the experience aboard the Norwegian Jade was way above expectation and I compliment Norwegian Cruise Lines. I do reflect back with fondness of people like Ray, the Filipino bartender in O’Sheehan’s Bar, who addressed us by name after the first evening and had our drinks ready when he saw us coming, or the hostess in my favorite restaurant, the Grand Pacific, who also greeted us by name and always managed to arrange a nice table for us. It was one of the regular restaurants on board without supplemental cost, but we always enjoyed good food, great presentation, and superb service. 

Ewout Rijk de Vries and his wife, Jill, brought America Travel Arrangements to Marco Island 40 years ago. They specialize in high end small adventure tours and small safari groups for clientele all over the world, but also are experts on high end cruises with the help of longtime assistant and friend, Michelle Wegman. In combination with his writing and photography, Ewout has visited 100+ countries. Please direct your comments or questions to ewout@photodevries.com as he likes to hear from readers.