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The Norwegian Jade was built in 2006. It was renovated in 2017. It's 5 years newer than the Sun, which was built in 2001 and renovated in 2018. The Norwegian Sun will leave the fleet in 2027.
The Jade is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 965 feet long and 125 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 11-story building. Compared to the Norwegian Sun, the Jade is 19% larger in terms of overall tons.
Norwegian Jade holds 24% more passengers than the Sun based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Jade has less space per person compared to the Sun.
Norwegian Jade | Norwegian Sun | |
---|---|---|
Class | Jewel | Sun |
Gross Tonnage | 93,558 | 78,309 |
Length | 965 | 848 |
Beam/Width | 125 | 123 |
Passenger Decks | 11 | 8 |
Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,402 | 1,936 |
Crew | 1,307 | 906 |
Passenger to Crew Ratio | 1.8 | 2.1 |
Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 39 | 40 |
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Jade has fourteen different dining options like Moderno Churrascaria, Topsiders Bar & Grill, and Teppanyaki. Of those options, eleven are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eight options have an additional fee.
The Sun has one fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Los Lobos, Topsiders Bar & Grill, and Main Dining Room. nine of these restaurants are complementary and the other nine have an additional fee.
The Norwegian Jade has about the same number of dining options as the Norwegian Sun.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Jade might be a better choice then the Sun. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
Restaurant | Norwegian Jade |
Norwegian Sun |
|
---|---|---|---|
Included | |||
Jasmine Garden | ✓ | ✗ | |
Main Dining Room | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
Sports Bar | ✗ | ✓ | |
The Great Outdoors | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
The Pit Stop | ✓ | ✗ | |
Topsiders Bar & Grill | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
A la carte | |||
Atrium Cafe | ✓ | ✓ | |
Flat fee | |||
Cagney's Steakhouse | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
La Cucina Italian | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
Le Bistro French | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
Los Lobos | ✗ | ✓ | Learn More |
Moderno Churrascaria | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
Sushi Bar | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
Teppanyaki | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
The Norwegian Jade has 2 more bars than the Norwegian Sun.
Norwegian Jade | Norwegian Sun | |
---|---|---|
Atrium Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
Bliss Ultra Lounge | ✓ | ✓ |
Casino Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
Champs Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
Great Outdoors Cafe | ✓ | ✓ |
Java Cafe | ✓ | ✗ |
Magnum's Champagne & Wine Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
Mixers Martini & Cocktail Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
Sake Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
Spinnaker Lounge | ✓ | ✓ |
Sports Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
Sugarcane Mojito Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
Tankards Beer & Whiskey Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
The Champagne Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
The Pit Stop | ✓ | ✗ |
Topside Bar | ✓ | ✓ |
Windjammer Bar | ✗ | ✓ |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Jade and the Sun below.
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Norwegian Jade has a total of 3 pools and 5 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
Norwegian Sun has fewer pools than the Jade and the same number of hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Sun. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools are adults only on Jade.Norwegian Jade | Norwegian Sun | |
---|---|---|
Total Pools | 3 | 2 |
Pools - General Access | 1 | 2 |
Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
Total Hot Tubs | 5 | 5 |
Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 5 |
Hot Tubs - Adults Only | ||
Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 1 |
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. On the Jade, 60% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Sun, only 50% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
Norwegian Jade | Norwegian Sun | |
---|---|---|
Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
Cigar Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✗ |
Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
Learn more | Learn more |
Norwegian is a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Norwegian Jade will likely be more expensive than on Norwegian Sun.
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a Norwegian ship.
Norwegian | |
---|---|
Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 |
Tip added to drinks & services | 20% |
Soda Price | $3.50 |
Domestic Beer Price | $7.50 See drink menus |
Drink Package Price | 106 Learn more |
Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device |
*Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. |
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a More at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the More at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.
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