We have now cruised on almost all of the Jewel class ships: the Gem, the Jewel, the Pearl and the Jade. The Jade felt like a home away from home because the layout was so similar to the other Jewel class ships. We knew our way around without ever having been on the ship. The Jade is the perfect size. It never felt crowded, and there was always a quiet corner to get away from the crowds. Unlike the Breakaway, there were seldom lines for anything and you could always find a seat at the buffet. Sometimes we had to wait until 9:30 for dinner at the specialty restaurants, so book those early.

Embarkation in Southampton was seamless. We arrived around 1:00 and there was no line for checking in or security. We were on board within five to ten minutes....compare that to hours in New York boarding the Breakaway. I was also impressed with how easy it was to get a porter at Southampton. Again, this was a breath of fresh air as compared to New York.

We ate at Cagney's, Le Bistro, La Cucina and the Grand Pacific. The food at the specialty restaurants was of a much better quality than the main dining room. Service in the Grand Pacific was excruciatingly slow. It took about two hours or more for lunch and dinner. At lunch time, the Grand Pacific was only a quarter full and yet the staff encouraged us to sit with strangers. We didn't mind, but we don't know what was behind the push for this. It seemed unnecessary. The lunch choices in Grand Pacific got tired and boring fast. We were equally unimpressed with the quality of lunch at the buffet. We did enjoy breakfast at the Great Outdoors. That offers a smaller buffet outside, which most people had not discovered. So, it has a semi private feel. Read more