Post Last Modified – June 24, 2021
A Review Of Our 13 Day NCL Western Mediterranean Cruise
Its been a few years now, but I just wanted to share Our NCL Mediterranean Cruise with you. Our 13 night cruise on board the Norwegian Jade was simply fabulous, offering new and exciting ports of call each and every day.
Our cruise holiday seemed to go by far too quickly, as we took advantage of all the great shore excursions each and every day!
Norwegian Mediterranean Cruise Ship – Jade
The Jade was built in 2006 and has a crew of 1078. Passenger limit is 2402, making it a perfect size for our liking. Not too small and at the same time, not too big!
I am writing this to share our fantastic vacation with you. If you have been thinking about this type of cruise, I can honestly say, it is definitely worth taking.
In fact, I have a niece who worked on cruise ships for over 10 years, and she picked the Mediterranean destination on her last engagement.
Cruising on the Mediterranean in the summer months is like no other. With spectacular views and historical ports of call that are sure to leave you with lasting memories like we now have!
Mediterranean Cruises With Norwegian Cruise Line
Houses of Parliament London England
My wife and I accompanied with our two teenage children, began our journey flying non – stop from 🍁 Vancouver, British Columbia to London, England. Unfortunately, time only allowed us 2 nights in London prior to our cruise.
One could easily spend a week enjoying the many sites and attractions in the United Kingdom!
Downtown London England
We took advantage of the ever popular Hop On / Hop Off Tour Bus which was great, and at sunset, enjoyed a ride on the famous London Eye.
Definitely worth the ticket for the spectacular view of London, especially watching the sun setting during the ride!
London Eye Ferris Wheel
Europe Cruises With Norwegian Cruise Line
Boarding the Norwegian Jade in Southampton Great Britain
It was an easy train ride from downtown London out to the coast at Southampton. Ironically, this is where my father boarded ship when he was in the Canadian Navy during WWII.
From here we would head south, following his route to Gibraltar and then on to the Mediterranean where his ship also spent a great deal of time cruising, as well as in the Atlantic during war time.
NCL Cruise Ship Jade
Boarding was smooth and friendly, arriving just in time to head to the buffet for lunch! The ship was conveniently located just over the bridge from the train station, about a 2 minute taxi ride.
If it were not for our luggage, it would have been an easy walk to the ship!
Best Mediterranean Cruise With NCL – Itinerary
Royal Air Force Red Arrows
As we began sailing out of Southampton, we received a special treat from the Royal Air Forces beautiful Red Arrows, performing in the skies above. We could be so lucky!
Our 13 Night NCL Mediterranean Cruise Itinerary
✔ Day 1 Ship departs Southampton, Great Britain;
✔ Day 2 At Sea;
✔ Day 3 – Vigo, Spain;
✔ Day 4 Lisbon, Portugal;
✔ Day 5 Cadiz (Seville) Spain;
✔ Day 6 Gibraltar;
✔ Day 7 Malaga, Spain;
✔ Day 8 At Sea
✔ Day 9 Olbia, Italy;
✔ Day 10 Naples/Pompeii, Italy;
✔ Day 11 Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy;
✔ Day 12 Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy;
✔ Day 13 Cannes, France;
✔ Day 14 Barcelona, Spain.
First Cruise Port Vigo, Spain 08:00 am 05:00 pm
City of Vigo Spain
Arriving at our first port of call in the City of Vigo, we were excited to disembark and enjoy our day in Spain. This is a bustling sea side port on the Atlantic Coast.
Situated to the north of Portugal, Vigo is largely an industrialized city and dates all the way back to the Roman era.
NCL Cruise Ship Jade in Vigo Spain
With lots of history and things to see and do, we enjoyed a full but relaxing day in the city. We visited The Parque del Castro and Historic Fortress, and a lovely afternoon strolling along Vigos historic Old Town.
Vigo Spain’s Beautiful Side Streets and Old Town
Enjoying the Musicians and Sites of Old Town Vigo Spain
We all had a great afternoon enjoying the sites and sounds of Vigo on a beautiful summers day in Spain!
Second Cruise Port Lisbon, Portugal 08:00 am 05:00 pm
Beautiful Lisbon Portugal
A beautiful city and the largest in Portugal, we opted for the trip out to the historic town of Sintra.
Located just 28 kilometers from Lisbon, it is named a UNESCO World Heritage site for its cultural significance and outstanding natural beauty.
Sintra Portugal and the Moorish Castle
With the historic remains of the Moorish Castle a top the hillside and the charming town site, it was a lovely day enjoyed by all!
Third Cruise Port Cadiz (Seville), Spain 09:00 am 08:00 pm
Cadiz Spain Side Street
Cadiz is an ancient port city and the oldest city in Spain dating back to the 16th century. Here we chose the small historical city tour and then on to one of the famous beach side white villages surrounding Cadiz.
White Village Plaza Spain
A lovely full day spent viewing some of the historical sites in Cadiz. It was then on to one of the beautiful white villages located along the shores of Spain, spending the afternoon wandering the small streets and walkways.
One can easily find yourself getting lost walking along the towns small corridors and walkways!
We then finished the day enjoying some time on the beach and surrounding area.
One of the Many White Villages in Spain
It really was like walking through a maze. Each and every tiny side street looked the same. We actually had to ask for help to get back to where our bus was parked.
Fourth Cruise Port Gibraltar 08:00 am 05:00 pm
City of Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory situated at the south point of the Iberian Peninsula and entrance way to the Mediterranean Sea. A major shipping port and full of history, Gibraltar or more commonly known as The Rock, was great to finally see.
As a matter of fact, my father said during the War, this is where naval ships would often come for supplies. For duty free shoppers, Gibraltar is paradise!
There;s duty free shops galore and more in the town square!
Two Monkeys in Gibraltar
We enjoyed a Cable Car Ride to the top of The Rock with outstanding views and of course, surrounded by free roaming 🐒 Monkeys. They are protected here and are everywhere!
They may be great to see from us visitors, but appear to be quite annoying to most locals!
We also toured inside St. Michaels Caves. This is a system of limestone caves situated inside The Rock of Gibraltar, complete with an auditorium which has superb acoustics for live performances.
Finishing off our tour of this tiny seven mile piece of territory, we were taken to the Lighthouse at Europa Point.
Fifth Cruise Port Malaga, Spain 08:00 am 07:00 pm
Malaga Spain City View
Its hard to escape history on this cruise, with Malaga being no exception. Malaga is a very large and beautiful seaside city, offering visitors a number of museums and historical sites to visit.
Some of these include the 11th-century Fortress of Alcazaba and the Museu Picasso Malaga.
For those who love to shop, there’s the outdoor mall in the city as well to spend time browsing.
Musician in Malaga Spain
The photo above is just one of the many local musicians playing in the outdoor shopping mall in the city. Just another beautiful sunny summer day in the Mediterranean!
The Alcazaba Fortress of Malaga Spain
We enjoyed a tour of the city, along with the Fortress and then on to the small former fishing village of Nerja. Now a picturesque and popular seaside resort protected by the Sierra de Almijara Mountains, Nerja is also known as ‘The Jewel of the Costa del Sol’.
Picturesque Coastal Resort of Nerja Spain
It was about a 53 kilometer scenic drive from Mlaga, but well worth the visit. Our tour included a wonderful lunch at a cliff side restaurant with spectacular views!
Sixth Cruise Port Olbia, Italy 08:00 am 05:00 pm
Olbia Italy and Lighthouse
Once a quaint fishing village, Olbia is now the central starting point to some of the most beautiful beaches on the northeast coast and the sparkling Costa Smeralda.
This is a 56 kilometer stretch of magnificent coastline and beaches.
Crystal Clear Warm Waters at La Cinta Beach Italy
Our family loving every opportunity to spend time in water and on the beach, we chose the tour out to La Cinta Beach. A beautiful stretch of beach that stretches for 3.2 kilometers, with crystal clear warm water and a white sandy beach.
The beach is approximately 25 kilometers from Olbia, and was a perfect relaxing beach day in north-east Sardinia!
Seventh Cruise Port Naples / Pompeii, Italy 08:00 am 08:00 pm
Amalfi Village Italy
This was a fantastic day, choosing a full day 9 hour tour. Stops included Naples, the stunning Amalfi Coast and the Historic Site of Pompeii.
This was an amazing scenic tour which covered the stunning Amalfi coastline with its tight switchback roads and beautiful vistas along the way.
Stunning Views Along the Amalfi Coastline
We enjoyed an excellent sit down lunch high above Sorrento, with amazing views of the town and Bay. After lunch, we stopped for a stroll in town enjoying this lovely beach side village overlooking the Bay of Naples.
It was then to explore the Ruins of Pompeii.
Historic Site of Pompeii
This was an amazing tour walking among the Ruins of the Lost City of Pompeii. Be sure to see my latest posts and detailed photos of our 📸 Visit to Pompeii. It really is worth taking in, should you ever visit Naples.
It was definitely one of the highlights of our many tours and stops on this incredible cruise!
Eighth Cruise Port Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy 08:00 am 08:00 pm
The Colosseum and Arch of Constantine
Of course one of the main highlights of this wonderful cruise is visiting Rome and the Vatican. We opted for the full day tour including Rome highlights and city tour.
This included a guided tour of the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St Peters Basilica.
Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St Peters Basilica
Magnificent St Peters Basilica Inside
This full day tour included a morning drive to many historical parts of Rome. The Roman Forum, the Arch of Constantine and of course, the Colosseum.
A great full day spent in the Historical City of Rome!
St Peters Basilica
Ninth Cruise Port Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy – 08:00 am 08:00 pm
City of Lucca Italy
Yet another full day tour on this incredible cruise vacation!
First, we headed to the historic town of Lucca. We were free to walk through the old town and view its Medieval Towers, Ancient Churches and Lucca’s many other historic buildings.
Lucca really did give you a feeling of just how old many of these villages and cities surrounding Rome are. For example, we viewed a Romanesque cathedral dating back to the 12th century!
Leaning Tower Pisa Italy
It was then off to Pisa and to Miracle Square, with the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa and other beautiful structures in the plaza. It was a pleasant day, but only recommended if you simply Must See the Tower in person.
Tenth Cruise Port Cannes, France 07:00 am 02:00 pm
City of Nice France
Arriving in Cannes, we opted for the 4 hour bus tour, taking a very scenic drive from Cannes to Nice. A beautiful drive giving you a glimpse of the city, taking you along the Promenade des Anglais.
This is a three mile boulevard lined with palm trees along the Baie des Anges.
Nice France Side Streets
Stopping in Old Nice, we strolled along the shoreline and the Cours Saleya promenade. This promenade is lined with an outdoor market, various shops and restaurants.
We had an enjoyable afternoon experiencing the sites of this beautiful part of France.
Eleventh Cruise Port Barcelona, Spain 05:00 am
City of Barcelona Spain
Our cruise concluded in Barcelona arriving early in the morning. Our flight home worked perfectly to be able to take in a short city tour of Barcelona and then transfer on to the Airport.
Barcelona is an amazing city, but unfortunately we were only able to see but a glimpse of what it has to offer.
This was a wonderful cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines, and one I would certainly recommend to others. It was a busy cruise, full of fantastic tours and sites to take in at each and every port of call.
The crew were very helpful and friendly during the entire voyage. The meals in the buffet and dining room were excellent, with no complaints what so ever. We thoroughly enjoyed the dining area located outdoors on this ship, just off the buffet.
It was great having our meals and snacks outdoors in the open air, enjoying the beautiful sunny summer mornings and afternoons.
Norwegian Mediterranean Cruises In 2021 & 2022
Below, I have listed the Official Cruise Line website for your convenience. I’ve listed the page showing Featured Mediterranean Cruise Itineraries for the upcoming 2 seasons.
June 2021 Covid-19 Update
Thank goodness things are beginning to turn for the better around the world. Although limited, cruises are slowly happening once again in certain parts of the world.
For more detailed information, I’ve included a link to an excellent website page listing tentative reopening dates for your convenience. This post appears to be updated on quite frequently.
⚓ Cruise Lines Reopening Dates
Lets hope this Global Pandemic Crisis will be concluded before the start of the Mediterranean Cruise Season in 2022.
🛳 NCL Mediterranean Cruise Itineraries
Safe and Healthy Travels!
✨ Did You Know
“Ships Have Been Called (She) For Centuries. It’s A Seafaring Tradition That Began With The Earliest Sailors And Is Still Widely Practiced Today.”
Your thoughts are Always Welcome in the Comment Box Below. As well, if you enjoyed reading this post, please do share it with others by scrolling down ↓ to your favorite Social Media Button ↓.
🏝 Royal Caribbean South Pacific Cruise – Review
🌅 Carnival Cruise Line Caribbean Cruise-Review
🍹 Tips For Cruise Planning – First Time Cruisers
Don’t Forget It … Be Sure To Pin It!
2021, All Rights Reserved gr8traveltips.com
