WYB!

If you slip me $10 I'll find you a chair.

That being said, ships are sailing pretty empty and currently there are no chair hogs or lines for almost everything.

Safe travels,

- WYB

In reality, I think I received it during my online checking for my trip in January 2022.

While I can no longer access my NCL online checkin (as the trip already happened), I remember I couldn't complete the online checkin process without completing creating a eurofins account.

Have you completed your online checkin with NCL?

Access Code I was provided is: 45507

3 minutes ago, MaryLS said:

Do you know the website to create a Eurofins account?

https://www.nyc.eurofins-mylabport.com/account/login

- WYB

NCL knows exactly who I am and who you are based on your handle.

It is also very possible that because of my review of my NCL Jan 2022 voyage on the Gem, NCL was able to identify me and this is their way of saying “hey, thanks for the review”.

Again, I haven’t contacted anyone about anything.

- WYB

It would be extremely easy for NCL to find out my booking based on my postings. (Hint: I travel onboard with a bicycle).

On the contrary, I’d like to believe this refund was on purpose and NCL sees it as positive advertising, which hopefully will encouraging more people to book a B2B cruise with NCL and actually take that cruise as opposed to cancelling or postponing. Anyone could also have easily done this same booking as I wrote about it in the roll call in Dec of 2020.

I’ll also report if NCL changes their charges on my CC but I haven’t called anyone (Not NCL nor my TA) since I returned home. I haven’t even unpacked or processed my photos yet.

Safe travels,

- WYB

Oh I c, I usually drop my bags off at pier 88 and then return my rental car at Avis @ 43rd and 9th Ave.

Upon disembarkation I’ll pick up a rental car from Avis and then from the port 88 pick up my baggage along with with my traveling companion.

I’ve found it cheaper to do (2) one way rentals rather then parking at the pier.

A representative of eurofins performs the collection.

Remember to create a eurofins account and register your cell phone number with them so you get a text when your test results are ready, otherwise you will need to pay attention to the number you are assigned.

Why not just drop off your bags with the porters at Pier 88 before entering the parking lot?

Thanks!

Just as a reminder, these 2 voyages (1/9 & 1/19) were originally booked in Dec 2020 as 1 reservation in a O4 (Family Ocean view cabin) and using 4 CNC and 30k in BoA points using a Meta upgrade to a (BA) Balcony Cabin.

The 4 CNC's that I originally used on this voyage also have returned to my account, plus the CNC's I just purchased in Jan 2022 are in my account and my purchase for them were refunded to me.

ie CNCs in my account NCL now: (1 Expires Jan 2023, 4 Exp Jan 2024, and the newly acquired expire Jan 2026).

- WYB

Hi everyone, reviewing my cc statement and it seems I got back every charge from both voyages.

Back in 2020, I originally booked both voyages (1/9 & 1/19) as 1 reservation.

Voyage 1 departed on the 09th and was "cancelled" on the 13th of January 2022, returning to NY on the 19th.

Voyage 2 departed on Jan 19th and returned on the 29th.

Today, on my CC statement I saw my shipboard charges on 1/31 which matched my onboard account when I left the ship on 1/29.

But when i went to check my cc statement today there is a refund dated (2/1) and the amount covered every charge from both voyages.

That includes a refund for the: speciality dining, daily gratuities, shore excursions and purchases of cruise next certificates for both voyages!

(ie I bought a few cruise next certificates, they refunded me the purchased of all the cruise next certificates I purchased and the cruise next certificates i just purchased 2 weeks ago appear in my account).

Anyone else?

- WYB

So checking my CC transactions today (5 days after disembarkation) and upon review, all charges for both (B2B) voyages have been refunded.

This includes all expenditures for speciality dining and cabin gratuities, ship excursions and shop purchases.

The only "purchase" that remains from these voyages were my cabin charge in the casino. That being said even the 5% charge for the casino  cabin charge was refunded.

For those that were in the CC meeting on board (1/9 or 1/19) I did that thing that I said I was going to do and somehow my overall charges came out $100 less then what I actually took out.

- WYB 

Everyone not doing a B2B should be off of the ship and collecting their bags by 10:00AM.

I hope to post a review of the last 5 days of the cruise soon.

The short version is: yeah, I would do that all over again.

Meanwhile my CoVid tests all came back negative (2022: Jan 05th, 09th, 18th, 19th & 31st)

If there was something I was going to do differently it would have been maybe to bring my gravel bike instead of my folding bike, however it also might have been an issue for disembarkation during the winter storm in NYC on the 29th...

Attached are the Freestyle Daily’s from the Jan 19-29th:

That was also an interesting snow storm to come home to…

1 hour ago, natefish95 said:

Really appreciate your thoughts so far! I'll be on the Gem in a few weeks and I'm looking forward to being back onboard NCL! Are you traveling solo? If so, how have the nightly solo meetups been if you've gone to them? Also, can you sit at a bar indoors? I love sitting at the bar and chatting with the bartenders and missed that on Royal Caribbean. 

So just briefly the solo meetings that occur at 5:30PM are/were also used for additional CC meet ups and are relatively well attended.

safe travels,

wyb

Fort Louis - Marigot, St Marteen

We are currently back in St Marteen.

Let me know if any questions.

Attached are the daily schedules from the 2022 Jan 09th - 19th voyage from the NCL Gem:

Jan 9th - 29th 10 day voyage x 2 b2b

So as I write this for me it’s day 15 and I’m currently having dinner in the grand pacific dining room. 

The short version is that I’ve enjoyed these past 15 days, I haven’t caught COVID and I would do this trip again.

The longer version…

I had booked this B2B voyage in December of 2020. As many other, my voyage for Jan 2021 had also been cancelled and I was on the fence about cancelling my voyage the day before it was suppose to sail from NY. I had sailed previously on the NCL Gem (2018, 2019 & 2020). I also sail with other cruise lines too but nothing since 2 years ago, but I’ve spent the most time at sea onboard the NCL Gem.

96 hours before departure I took and received a PCR COVID test and it came back negative. I also usually book with 3rd party travel insurance and if it had come back positive, my insurance would have engaged.

This voyage departs from NYC’s west side pier 88 (48th & 12th Ave) but a rapid test was offered and required at pier 90. If as requested you preregistered with eurofins, you will be notified by text message to your phone with your results if you are negative. If you test positive you will hear people calling out your test number. If you didn’t register you cell phone number with eurofins you will need to pay attention to the TV’s in the room to see your number flash by when ready.

Upon completion of the COVID testing phase you will then receive a wrist band and proceed to pier 88 for the normal Checkin process.

Boarding the ship will begin once the previous voyage’s passenger count reaches “0” with border protection (which was around 10:30AM). The crew has been wearing masks while on board and are also not allowed to leave the ship for shore leave. I myself have been a mask when indoors and remove it when I’m either in my cabin, eating or off the ship and alone in a public space. When using the gym on sea days I will keep my mask on when I’m exercising or in the steam room. I will also using the cleaning wipes available in the gym to wipe the machine both before and after use.

I believe the current cruise loop the Gem is doing is the “10 day Caribbean” from 2022 Jan - April or May. The Jan 09th voyage was the 1st in the loop. The normal stops would be: Grand Turk, St Thomas, St Martin,Tortola & Puerto Plata along with 4 sea days. There were around 850 passengers sailing on this voyage.

It was in the afternoon on day 2 that the CD “J” announced that Grank Turk and Tortola would be skipped and out new destination would be St Marteen, where we would now arrive on day 05 (a day before we were scheduled to arrive). So we would have at least 4 sea days and 2 less ports. I believe it was at this time that “Amiee F” contacted USA today to report the “nightmare experience”. I’m really sure what she was thinking at that time but I had a totally opposite experience.

The crew on board continues to work hard cleaning the ship continuously as well as keeping guests entertained and safe. While there haven’t been many menu changes in the regular restaurants the quality and presentation has increased. There have been changes to the speciality dining restaurant menus (both items and pricing) but anywhere you eat will still be an enjoyable experience. Prices in the speciality restaurants have increased for all items but that will only effect a la cart dining and the free meal for platinum latitude members. I enjoyed the lobster Thermidor more in Le Bistro when it was only a $10 up charge before it was a $30 up charge.

In the Orchid Garden restaurant, I do like the appetizers and desserts offered but not the entrees. So what I like to do for this restaurant is order several appetizers and then complete my dinner in the garden cafe when it’s Asian night there.

The evening shows have been entertaining. There is only 1 main show instead of the previous 2. I believe that is due to attendance size. The comedian from the 1st voyage remained on for the 2nd voyage but there haven’t been any main cast production shows on the 2nd voyage. I believe that is also due to attendance which on the 2nd voyage is around 600.

The 2 days that we had in St Marteen were great. The 1st day we did the open top bus St Marteen tour which made 4 stops (2 highlights, 1 rum factory & 1 cheese shop) with recorded narration along the way and was covered using the shore excursion credit. I had spent 2 weeks in St Marteen before the hurricane stuck the island 3 years ago so I knew my way around fairly well. When the excursion returned to the ship I brought my

bicycle out and rode around Phillipsburg. Im glad to see that the Yoda guy was open and has rebuilt shop after the hurricane but even though there were 6 ships on port there were few people walking along Front street. But there was also street construction going on, on front street too.

Still it was a great day in St Marteen. Around the time we were scheduled to depart St Marteen (7:15PM) the captain announced that we would be spending the night docked here. Then around 9:00PM we received notification that the remained of the cruise was cancelled and we would be returning to NYC after departing from St Marteen but at the time we didn’t know when we would be arriving back to NYC. It turned out that also due to a storm we would be arriving back on the same date as planned (Jan 19th). We were also informed that we would be getting a full refund as well as 50% off our next booked voyage as well as more onboard credit.

Making friends while on board was easy. Both with my fellow passengers as well as the crew. The crew in every department really has gone out of the way to remember my first name and greet me by Mr (first name) where ever I walk by. I’ve been trying to remember their names as well but it’s difficult to keep everyone’s names in my head especially when they are all wearing similar uniforms.

On the way back to NYC we stopped in the Bahamas to do a crew exchange. There have been several rumors that they were transferring crew that had COVID to another ship however I don’t believe that to be the case. In order for the crew to begin working on a ship they will need to spend at least 7 days in quarantine. This means that the crew who comes on spends their first 7 days isolated in an inside cabin without the ability to leave the cabin and still require to be tested negative before they can leave quarantine. Rather then do crew exchange in a port it was easier and more economical to do it at sea or in this case in the Bahamas which is also closer to Miami. The next voyage on the Gem (on the 19) has 200 less passengers then the voyage on the 09th. End of contract and crew allocation makes more sense to do and since we also had the blown schedule seemed like a logical move. The people that were operating the tender were most likely residents of the Bahamas and are required to wear that protective gear in order to make this transfer possible. While you may want a full complement of crew on board, you don’t need to if your passenger complement is around 25% of capacity.

The day before we arrived back in NYC (18th), those that were doing either a B2B or requested or required a COVID antigen test for travel reported for the test on the afternoon. There were about 40 people that were in line that included the performers who were staying onboard for the next voyage. Results were then available for pickup on a document after 5PM from sick bay.

On the day of the 19th, US customs and border protection met those that were sailing B2B onboard to just check our passport information. There were about 25 of us and the check took only a few moments to complete once the e process began.

Once the disembarkation process began those doing the B2B had the option to stay onboard or get off. If you got off the ship you would need to get another COVID rapid test at pier 90 before getting back on the ship. If you opted to stay onboard you didn’t have to get another COVID rapid test.

I opted to get off the ship and run some errands. Before leaving I asked my cabin steward if he wanted anything while I was out and he said chips and pork rinds, so that’s what I got him. Note that (while I’ve done it in the past) you can bring food in factory sealed bags onboard but due to “maritime law” you can not bring cooked foods from say jolliebee (40th & 8th Ave). But I had brought onboard food from McDonalds before. Also remember the crew can’t leave the ship. If you are looking to get your cabin steward a gift bring an assortment of potato chips and you will also have room to bring stuff back home.

There are QR codes on the table which let you view the menu on your phone. I’ve been using the free app called “Big” to place my orders in the MDR and speciality restaurants. Basically it makes texts big on your phone. I leave the message up and the waiter comes by to read it.

Examples are:

2 grapefruit juice, 1 cranberry juice, 1 orange juice

Yogurt Parfait, Smoked salmon bagel, eggs Benedict, bacon, hash brown potatoes

Thai spring rolls, New England clam chowder, Cobb salad, Parmesan crusted pork chop

Water refill, same glass is fine. Thank you

ahi tuna tartare, oysters Rockefeller, lobster bisque, porterhouse (medium rare), garlic mushrooms, Parmesan dusted truffle fries

Lunch was great. Thanks!

In closing, we still haven’t made it to Turks and Caicos or St Thomas. But we did make it to Puerto Plata and Catalina island in the Dominican Republic. I’m looking forward to the remaining 5 days, which includes our return to St Marteen and our visit to Tortola.

My advise is if you have any concerns at all you should cancel but I don’t think you should be afraid as you might miss one awesome low capacity cruise. Be adaptable, patient, prepared, cautious & aware but not afraid and you’ll have a great time. Also treat the crew well and don’t be like Aimee. 

For additional information check out the roll calls for the Gem 2022 Jan (09th or 19th) for stuff written by me.

Stay well & Safe travels,

Who’sYourBuddy?

I’m still on the ship and enjoying my time. Looking forward to this voyage and not sure what overall discount I will eventually receive.

Stay well.

WYB

Oy vey!

They are currently doing crew exchange.

this is our current position.

most departments on board have fewer members. For the production cast I think there is 1 fewer male dancer in the last show so it’s 15 down from 16.

The production shows are back on and they have been as entertaining as ever. They haven’t missed a beat.

They only perform 1 show a night but I think that is because passenger attendance is low. We could all fit in the theater but only about 40% (200 people) are going to the show.

- WYB

I’m on the gem and we will be arriving back to NYC on the 19th of Jan.

There is no outbreak on board and I’ve been having a great time.

The destinations are worried and have closed their ports to cruise ships.

safe travels,

wyb

The gym on the Gem has been pretty empty. It’s me and the crew and most of the stations have been pretty empty. I am riding the station bike with a mask on and I wipe it drown both before and after using it.

safe travels,

wyb 

I think the OP has other issues to worry about then updating the outcome on CC.

They will update when/if they can.

safe travels,

- WYB