Norwegian Jade

The 2006-built Norwegian Jade cruise ship is the 2nd of NCL Jewel-class liners, with sisterships Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Pearl.

History - construction and ownership

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is a subsidiary company of the shipping corporation Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH). NCL was founded in 1966, headquartered in Miami (Florida USA) and publicly traded (NASDAQ) company listed on NYSE (NYC). NCLH's major shareholders are the corporations Apollo Global Management (American), Genting Group (Malaysian) and TPG Capital (American). In 2017, the brand NCL had a worldwide cruise market share 8,7% (passengers) and 8,4% (revenue). NCLH (shipowner) owns the brands NCL, Oceania and RSSC-Regent.

The 2200-passenger ship Norwegian Jade has a similar exterior appearance to the Norwegian Star (operational since 2001) and the Norwegian Dawn (2002). However, the interior design and amenities are quite different and merit Norwegian Jade having a Jewel Class design. All dining and entertainment options are almost the same on all ship owned by NCL. The unique thing on Norwegian Jade is that the vessel is definitely international. There are people from different countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Mexico, Japan.

Cruise itinerary program

Norwegian Jade itinerary program is based on Mediterranean cruises from Rome and Venice to Turkey, Greece and the Greek Isles, and also to ports on the French and Italian Riviera coasts in the Western Mediterranean.

In 2017, for the first time ever, NCL homeported a ship (Jade) in Hamburg Germany. The itineraries were 6- and 8-night Western Europe, 8- and 9-night Norwegian Fjords, 11-night Norway and North Cape, and one 13-night Norway, Iceland and UK. Alternatively, roundtrip departures were offered from Amsterdam Holland and Southampton England.

In summer 2018, the ship had scheduled Norway, Iceland and North Cape cruises from Southampton and Hamburg. In 2018-2019, the ship offered Southern Caribbean itineraries from homeport Miami (Florida USA) - 11-day and 14-day roundtrip Panama Canal cruises from Tampa and Miami.

Following the Coronavirus crisis, in early-April 2021, NCL announced new schedules for the ships Jade (7-day Mediterranean-Greek Islands from Piraeus-Athens/starting July 25), Joy (7-day Caribbean from Montego Bay Jamaica/starting August 15) and Gem (7-day Caribbean from La Romana Dominican Republic/starting August 15). Previously, the boats were planned to restart as follows - Joy (October 19, 2021/Caribbean from Miami), Gem (Oct 29, 2021/Bermuda from NYC), Jade (January 2, 2022/South Africa from Cape Town).

NCL Jade ship's winter program December 2021 - January 2022 features NCL's first roundtrip itineraries leaving from Cape Town South Africa. The 12-day "Extraordinary Journeys" visit Namibia (Luderitz, Walvis Bay) and Durban, with overnights in Richards Bay and Cape Town.

Decks and Cabins

Norwegian Jade staterooms (1201 total, in 36 grades) include 360 Balcony and 417 Inside. Most cabins are sized 140 ft2 (13 m2). The largest is the Haven Garden Villa Suite (2320 ft2).

The boat has 15 decks, of which 12 are passenger-accessible and 8 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

All meals are open seating and the choice of food is quite unrivalled, including from a steakhouse and Tepannyaki to French, Italian, tapas, sushi, buffets and even a 24-hour cafe, complete with English breakfast. Alizar and Grand Pacific are Norwegian Jade's main dining rooms. Open seating breakfast and lunch are provided in one of the two, both are open for dinner, and walk-ins are welcome in the evening. An electronic system onboard Norwegian Jade cuts down on wait times and lines in the restaurants. Monitors throughout the corridors reveal how busy the eateries are, with a bar ranging from green (come on in) to red (crowded). This screen acts as an electronic hostess and lets guests know how long the wait is for a table for four, for example, and where parties are being accepted.

Follows the complete list of Norwegian Jade restaurants and food bars.

• Alizar Restaurant (forward Dining Room, complimentary, with Your Time dining)
• Le Bistro (French speciality dinner-only restaurant; reservations-only; US$20 cover charge)
• Jasmine Garden (Asian restaurant, dinner-only, complimentary since 2015)
• Sushi Bar (10-seat Jasmine Garden restaurant, a la carte); Sake Bar (inside Jasmine Garden)
• Teppanyaki (Japanese Hibachi speciality, reservations-only restaurant; US$25; open for Lunch and Dinner; features live cooking demonstrations)
• Grand Pacific Restaurant (aft-location Dining Room; complimentary; Freestyle dining)
• Blue Lagoon (buffet restaurant for fast food; complimentary)
• Bali Hai Bar & Grill (complimentary fast food bar)
• Cagney’s Steakhouse (speciality dinner restaurant for prime steaks and gourmet seafood specialities; reservations-only, US$30 cover charge per person and free Kids Menu)
• Bali Hai Bar & Grill (complimentary burgers and grills)
• Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse; reservations-only; US$20 per person cover charge; with outdoor seating waterfront area; moved to deck 13 during 2017 refit and outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass door entrance)
• La Cucina (Italian speciality restaurant; reservations-only, US$15 cover charge; with outdoor seating waterfront area); Papa's (Italian)
• Garden Cafe (complimentary buffet restaurant with various cuisine stations); Kid's Cafe
• The Great Outdoors (outdoor buffet restaurant, complimentary)
• Topsiders Bar & Grill (poolside, complimentary)
• O’Sheehans Bar & Grill
• The Pit Stop (poolside grill).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The 2-level Stardust Theater is the main venue for Broadway- and Vegas-style reviews. The entertainment options range from the standard song and dance review or cabaret to the more offbeat sing-along. There is a nightly variable 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. show, with one comedy or variety act and one standard Vegas or Broadway revue. One of the most exciting experiences is the crew variety show, always held on the final evening. High atop the ship is the secondary showroom, Jade's Spinnaker Lounge. It serves different purposes during the day. In the afternoon, passenger participation games take place. At night, The Second City troupe features a mixture of comedy, lounge music, and cabaret. The ship also has 7 jacuzzis and 3 pools (Sapphire Kid’s Pool). Entertainment options also include the NCL's FIREWORKS show (on each voyage), "Rock of Ages", "Cirque Dreams", "Illusionarium" (magicians show).

Additional amenities include: Complimentary 24-hour Room-Service, Supervised Kids Program ("NCL Kids"), Internet/WiFi Access, Laundry. NCL Jade tipping/gratuities are US$12 pp per day. Norwegian Jade cruise ship not only allows weddings on board - she has a chapel.

Follows the complete list of Norwegian Jade lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Stardust Theatre (1042-seat; features Broadway-style musical productions; two grand-shows per night)
• Bar City complex (Tankards Beer & Whisky Bar, Mixers Martini & Cocktail Bar and Magnum’s Champagne & Wine Bar); Cigar Bar; Topsiders Bar; Star Bar
• Medusa Lounge & Nightclub
• Spinnaker Lounge (394-seat, with floor-to-ceiling windows; serves as disco & night club); Java Cafe
• Aloha Atrium (2-deck midship hub area with a big-size LED screen, dance area and live entertainment)
• Atrium Cafe & Bar (speciality tea & coffee bar)
• Internet Cafe (24-hour); Art Gallery; Photo Gallery & Shop
• LifeStyles Room; Library; Card Room;
• Jade Club Casino
• Galleria Boutiques/Shopping Alley (tax and duty-free shops)
• Ying & Yang Spa complex (Thermal Suite, Snow Room, Salt Room, Medi Spa, Smile Spa, Treatment Rooms, Beauty Salon, Barber Shop); Body Waves Fitness Centre; Waikiki Beach Pool; Sapphire Kid’s Pool
• Tree Top Kid’s Club; Wipe Out Teen’s Lounge & Disco Club; Video Games Arcade
• The Haven area Courtyard Fitness & Spa complex (Villas-guests only, Steam Room, Gym)
• Rock Climbing Wall; Combined sports court; Jogging Track; Golf Nets; Shuffleboard, Giant Chess
• During drydock 2017 refurbishment was added O’Sheehan's Bar & Grill, Sugarcane Mojito Bar, The Cellars (Mondavi Family Wine Bar), Los Lobos Cantina (Mexican restaurant), The Pit Stop (poolside grill), Bliss Ultra Lounge.

• Between 2006 and 2008, this vessel served in the  NCL America company’s fleet under the name “Pride of Hawaii”. In NCL America's fleet, it had as a fleet mate the sistership Pride of Aloha (now Norwegian Sky).
• NCL Jade was christened on May 22, 2006, in a ceremony at San Pedro Pier in LA, California. The selection of Senator Inouye as "Godfather" of NCL Pride of Hawaii, was an innovative step by Norwegian since this role is traditionally played by women.
• NCL Jade ship is of the Jewel-class Norwegian vessels. Her sisters in the fleet are the NCL ships Gem, Jewel and Pearl.
• The initial intent was Jade to have a design similar to that of Pride of America but later was decided to be enlarged (NCL Jewel-design).
• In 2007 the NCL company announced they will permanently relocate the vessel from Hawaii due to substantial revenue losses. In early 2008 NCLH deployed the ship in Europe. Its last Honolulu departure was on Feb 4, 2008. The vessel went to dry-dock for some changes (new livery, casino, new name) to become "Norwegian Jade". However, she still keeps her Hawaii-themed interior decor (many flowers and landscapes throughout onboard venues and public spaces).
• NCL Jade's Inaugural Cruise (Maiden Voyage) was on February 16, 2008 (Panama Canal from Los Angeles to Miami). Ship's Captain is Frank Juliussen.

NCL Jade refurbishment 2017 review

Ship's 2017 drydock (March 7 - April 3) was in Freeport Bahamas and resulted in the following deckplan changes:

• Atrium's décor was changed. The old chandelier was replaced with a new one.
• Over 2250 new artworks were installed throughout the ship (including in all cabins).
• All staterooms were updated and upgraded with new furniture, carpeting, flat TVs, bed headboards (with USB outlets for device charging).
• The Haven suite complex' Haven Courtyard was refurbished (new finishes on outdoor deck areas, swimming pool, hot tubs). New deck furniture and cabanas were added.
• Main pool deck areas were also updated.
• Spinnaker Lounge (deck 13) was upgraded, as well as the Fitness Centre (deck 12, new TechnoGym equipment).
• The Haven suites and villas were all renovated with new furniture, finishes, wallpapers, carpeting, drapery, artworks.
• 2 new restaurants were added - O’Sheehan's Bar and Grill, Sugarcane Mojito Bar, The Cellars (Mondavi Family Wine Bar), Los Lobos Cantina (Mexican restaurant), The Pit Stop (poolside grill, deck 13).
• Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse restaurant) was moved from deck 8 to deck 13. The restaurant was redesigned and outfitted with floor-ceiling windows and glass-door entrance.
• Bliss Ultra Lounge (nightclub) was added on deck 7.
• All other onboard eateries were updated (new carpeting, artworks, upholstery, window treatments), including La Cucina (Italian restaurant, deck 12), Cagney’s Steakhouse (deck 13), Teppanyaki Room (deck 7), Jasmine Garden (deck 7), Garden Cafe (deck 12). Cagney’s Steakhouse now has additional seating and a new virtual fireplace. La Cucina has a new wine wall.
• During drydock 2017, NCL Jade was retrofitted with new "scrubbers" (exhaust gas cleaning systems). The new scrubber technology reduces the equivalent of approx 1500 tons of the poisonous gas Sulfur Oxide. Norwegian Cruise Line was the first cruise company retrofitting with a scrubber hybrid system vessels while in service. The new in-line scrubbers (5 units) are lightweight and able to operate in a dry mode, as well as in open and closed loops.

Drydock 2017 was part of NCL's "Norwegian Edge" program for fleetwide upgrades (2-year project budgeted USD 400 million). Each drydock costs around USD 35-40 million.

The list of deck plan changes after the ship's 2011 drydock refurbishment includes:

• (Deck 8) the new "Moderno" restaurant replaced the old “Paniolo’s”.
• Stardust Theater was renovated and technically updated and enhanced.
• All passenger and crew cabins were upgraded with new flat TVs. Wheelchair accessible rooms were also updated.
• The onboard Wi-Fi coverage was upgraded to shipwide.
• New aerobics room was added in the Spa-Gym complex.
• Among the other renovations are new carpeting and tiling, silk plants.