The Norwegian Jade gets a rave review!
Tom and Deb just got back from their magnificent Egypt and Greek Isles cruise aboard the elegant NCL Jade. They brought their digital camera card over, so we watched a slide show of their awesome photos on my fancy-schmancy laptop.
Wow -- they were so impressive! The ruins and rugged beauty of Athens, the spectacle of the pyramids, the unique color quality of the Mediterranean waters, stunning views from their stateroom balcony, the mystery of the ruins of Ephesus, the charm of the waterside architecture so prevelant on the islands, and finally the excitment and allure of Istanbul. They truly had an amazing cruise adventure!
They were especially pleased with their stay in Istanbul. They stayed over another night there because the day the ship came into port was a Sunday -- and the Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays! It would be a shame to miss that, so we booked an inexpensive, yet quaint boutique hotel, and it turned out to be perfectly located with easy walks to the main attractions, fabulous views of the Mediterranean, and a charming cafe with an excellent menu -- in other words, perfect! They said the Bazaar is definitely a must-see, and they were so glad they took the extra time for it. It is a bit "touristy," but that was part of the fun.
Another favorite was Izmir, and the tour out to the ancient ruins of Ephesus -- such gorgeous countryside! They said the guide was a true expert in biblical history and really made it come alive. In fact, except for one guide in Alexandria, all the tours were excellent and the guides tremendously professional and knowledgeable. They went about on their own in Istanbul and some of the islands, and just had a great time everywhere. They felt safe, and the people were extremely friendly.
They enjoyed the tour of the pyramids and cruise up the Nile, but said if they had been able to budget more for it, they would have chosen the overnight in Cairo option, as several passengers who did said it was first-class all the way and they got to see an evening light/laser show at the pyramids.
As for the ship itself, it was gorgeous and the service and amenities really excellent. Friendly staff, good food, great wine list with reasonable prices -- they said they would recommend it to anyone. They usually prefer traditional dinner seatings, but said the Freestyle Dining gave them the opportunity to meet more people, which they did enjoy.
I'm placing some pictures below -- they are not Tom and Deb's, but they will give you an idea of some of the things they saw on their cruise...
