Somehow we survived our cruise last week!

Just got off the Gem this morning and I am happy to report that despite all of the endless warnings of doom and gloom spouted by the naysayers on this board, not only did we survive but we even managed to have a great time.

Here is just a taste of what we were expecting after closely following the NCL board for a month leading up to our cruise:

Surly wait staff and indifferent crew

Rundown ships in need of renovations

An endless list of charges such as for room service, auto-gratuities at specialty restaurants, auto-gratuities on UBP drinks

Reduction in Latitudes perks such as elimination of free bottle of wine with specialty dinner, reduction to only one free bag of laundry per cabin

Limited choice of drinks under UBP

Every single one of the above concerns proved to be completely unfounded. I will write up and post a review of our cruise but I can honestly say that in our 20 plus cruises on four different lines, this was one of the best we have experienced. Please do not put much stock in the complaint threads that have taken over this board as of late, NCL is still a great cruise line. We all want a perfect vacation and while that is nearly impossible to achieve for every one of the two or three (or even four now) thousand passengers aboard these ships, the truth is that NCL does a pretty damn good job and you need to take these threads with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Glad to you hear you had a great time and looking forward to your review.

It sounds like you spent more time reading the doom and gloom posts than a reasonable person probably should.

Although your claim that these...

An endless list of charges such as for room service, auto-gratuities at specialty restaurants, auto-gratuities on UBP drinks

 

reduction to only one free bag of laundry per cabin

 

Limited choice of drinks under UBP

 

... are "completely unfounded" is utterly ridiculous. Each one of those things exist and are far from unfounded.

I'm glad you had a great time on your cruise and hope to see your review soon.

I feel the spirit of this thread. I haven't cruised NCL yet, but will be doing so within the next two months. I have seen enough of the nickle-diming moaning and groaning on other lines pages to know that a cruise is whatever you make it to be.

So glad to hear you had a good time! And thanks for the update on the current rumors....leaving for our cruise in three weeks:D

Oh wow that is great to hear. I am off in 3 days on the Jewel and i was beginning to expect the worst. I thank you, reading this makes me relax and look forward to my cruise. :):):):)

Everything is what you make of it! And, folks, you are on a cruise!! On the ocean, living a luxury most of the world couldn't even dream about! Can't wait to be on the gem... The wait is so long!

Don't want to start a flame war here, Triptolemus, but we just got off the ship this morning after a nine day cruise. We ate in every one of the specialty restaurants, took full advantage of the UBP program at the bars and ordered room service on morning. The only automatic service charge we paid was a mandatory $3.95 charge on the internet package. Again, there were none of charges that people have been bellyaching about for weeks now.

Everything is what you make of it! And, folks, you are on a cruise!! On the ocean, living a luxury most of the world couldn't even dream about! Can't wait to be on the gem... The wait is so long!

you will love the Gem, Is my favorite NCL ship and I have been on it twice.

don't be in a rush because once it comes is gone before you know it, just enjoy each day as it comes with more anticipation.;);):D

Have Fun....

Thanks, qtaromar1970!

Welcome back and thanks for the updates :)

Don't want to start a flame war here, Triptolemus, but we just got off the ship this morning after a nine day cruise. We ate in every one of the specialty restaurants, took full advantage of the UBP program at the bars and ordered room service on morning. The only automatic service charge we paid was a mandatory $3.95 charge on the internet package. Again, there were none of charges that people have been bellyaching about for weeks now.

I love Ncl and the gem!!! And the jewel and the ba!!!

But just to clarify...and I am sure I will be quickly corrected by a frequent unnamed poster. Lol. But are the charges everyone is complaining about currently only being tested on the ba and ga?

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Someone had fun on NCL ship!! Blasphemy!!!:eek:

Glad you had fun on the Gem!:)

I was on the Staten Island Ferry this morning at 8:15 and saw the back end of the Gem pulling up to go toward the pier. If I had been on the ferry before I probably could have taken a picture. :rolleyes:

We did the 10 day the beginning of March on the Gem, we love the ship and we love the crew, glad you had a good time.

Don't want to start a flame war here, Triptolemus, but we just got off the ship this morning after a nine day cruise. We ate in every one of the specialty restaurants, took full advantage of the UBP program at the bars and ordered room service on morning. The only automatic service charge we paid was a mandatory $3.95 charge on the internet package. Again, there were none of charges that people have been bellyaching about for weeks now.

I think if you calm down and quit accusing everyone of "bellyaching" we would learn that you probably received the UBP and UDP as a promo and the auto service charges were included and you simply never saw them. The room service program may not be completely rolled out yet, but it is there and is far from "unfounded".

No flame war wanted, but when you start referring to other poster's information as unfounded bellyaching, well, I hate to stay it, but you essentially started it.

Glad you had a good time, although I find your claim of having done so completely unfounded.

It's up to you of what and how you do your cruise, don't believe anything you read until you see it for yourself, if you go on at the very start with it in your head that the trip is going to be a nightmare then that's what it will be, enjoy every minute of it, I LOVE THE GEM as you can see how many times i have been on her:cool:

When you get a chance could you please post a list of the current officers both on the Bridge side and the Hotel side. Thank you. Glad you had a great time.

It's amazing to me that the 15-20 or so that want to make this a war about NCL and how bad it is have not cruised since the "changes" have started. Yet they insist on telling folks that have just sailed or are currently sailing they are wrong and it is much worse than they experienced. For most/many cruisers these "changes" will have little or no impact. For those that it does have an impact on, only they can decide if it is a problem. I've noticed that almost every positive comment on here or innocent question about NLC has one or more of them instantly jumping on to condemn NCL. Everyone needs to make their own decisions about this and let it die.

I want to thank the OP for posting their experience on this cruise.

Don't want to start a flame war here, Triptolemus, but we just got off the ship this morning after a nine day cruise. We ate in every one of the specialty restaurants, took full advantage of the UBP program at the bars and ordered room service on morning. The only automatic service charge we paid was a mandatory $3.95 charge on the internet package. Again, there were none of charges that people have been bellyaching about for weeks now.

As of now, only the Breakaway and Getaway have the room service charge. As you were on the GEM you wouldn't see it as it, at this time, does not exist on the Gem.

If you purchased the UDP prior to the auto gratuity for the UDP you wouldn't see it. If the UDP was a part of your promo you wouldn't see the auto gratuity either.

Same about the auto gratuity for the UBP that I mentioned about for the UDP.

No one ever reported that the bottle of wine wasn't still included with the Platinum perks. It has been mentioned that CAS no longer is giving a bottle of wine with their comped diner.

So, the fact that you were on the GEM and not the Breakaway and/or Getaway makes a huge difference in regard to your statement about gratuity for room service.

The fact that you probably either purchased the UBP and UDP prior to the new rules OR had it has a part of your cruise promo makes a huge difference as well.

Harriet

Glad you had a great cruise.....I'm jealous, wish I were cruising!!!

Looking forward to your review....going on the Gem in December. Glad you had a great time, I to have been concerned about some stuff I have been reading on NCL pages as well as Carnival. But DH and I always go with every intention of having the best time no matter what and are never disappointed :-)

Thanks for the "teaser" review! We are going on the Gem for the first time in September, so I'm looking forward to your full review.

It will make all the nay-sayers as crazy as the Church Lady at a sock hop, but be assured the rest of us like to hear from people who have actually been on a ship and experienced it!

As of now, only the Breakaway and Getaway have the room service charge. As you were on the GEM you wouldn't see it as it, at this time, does not exist on the Gem.

 

If you purchased the UDP prior to the auto gratuity for the UDP you wouldn't see it. If the UDP was a part of your promo you wouldn't see the auto gratuity either.

 

Same about the auto gratuity for the UBP that I mentioned about for the UDP.

 

No one ever reported that the bottle of wine wasn't still included with the Platinum perks. It has been mentioned that CAS no longer is giving a bottle of wine with their comped diner.

 

So, the fact that you were on the GEM and not the Breakaway and/or Getaway makes a huge difference in regard to your statement about gratuity for room service.

 

The fact that you probably either purchased the UBP and UDP prior to the new rules OR had it has a part of your cruise promo makes a huge difference as well.

 

Harriet

Thank you.

You what I like about the nay-sayers of NCL on this board? They make NCL look good once someone goes on the ship and see it for themselves how things really are due to all their negativity. Yes, there is some validity to some of their statements regarding some of the ships but overall, NCL is pretty good cruise line. For a cruise line that supposedly very heavy-handed with nickel & diming plus gazillion fees, they have alot of free varieties and options especially for meals but the nay-sayers will claim that that its poor quality and crummy service (its not)....

The nay-sayers are like NCL's twisted version of 'cheerleaders' - might as well call them the hater squad....