TVs and movies on The Gem

[Young@heart25]

Do all the staterooms now have the new TVs? What channels are offered? Are any movies free or are they all pay-per-view? Can portable DVD players be hooked up easily? I know we won't be too concerned with any of that, but we're traveling with our 3 kids who might need a little TV break now-and-then.

 

Also, do they ever show movies in the atrium? I know they sometimes have movies for the younger kids in the kids crew, do they offer any for the teens?

Thanks in advance for any responses :)

[Hopes4]

Do all the staterooms now have the new TVs? What channels are offered? Are any movies free or are they all pay-per-view? Can portable DVD players be hooked up easily? I know we won't be too concerned with any of that, but we're traveling with our 3 kids who might need a little TV break now-and-then.

 

Also, do they ever show movies in the atrium? I know they sometimes have movies for the younger kids in the kids crew, do they offer any for the teens?

Thanks in advance for any responses :)

 

I see a lot of people looked but no responses, so while I'm sure others know with more certainty, at least you'll have a clue until they wake up. ;)

 

The channel selection is limited and the same shows will run again. And again. And again....

 

From what I remember, there were only like 2 free movies.

 

Can't remember from the Gem, but the Jewel did run movies a few times in one of the lounges, I think it's safe to say the Gem does as well.

 

As for hooking up a portable DVD player, I seem to recall someone saying it is possible but it is hard to get to the inputs

[johnql]

Here's an excerpt from my review of my Gem sailing (Jan 2012):

===========================================

 

TV

Here’s the channel guide for the ship’s tv:

 

21 – Onboard Information

22 – Navigational Information

23 – Bow Cam & Announcements

24 – Safety

25 – Restaurant Information

26 – Shore Excursions & Cruise Rewards

27 – Shopping

28 – Onboard Activities

29 – Fox News

30 – MSNBC

31 – ESPN

32 – E (Entertainment) Channel

33 – BBC World News

36 – Favorite Shows

37 – Onboard Services

39 – Classic Movies

 

Some of the stations faded in and out depending on the ship’s reception (weak signal, poor signal, no signal).

 

Channel 36 showed reruns of popular tv shows (e.g., Friends, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Two and a Half Men, etc.). Channel 39 showed popular, older movies (e.g., Raiders of the Lost Ark, My Fair Lady, Something's Gotta Give, etc.).

 

Surprisingly, unlike past cruises, there was no printed channel guide provided. Nor was there a printed schedule of the "Classic Movies" that would be aired on the cabin tv. Both of these were provided in the past.

 

They did show several movies on the big screen in the atrium - not the greatest venue for a movie mainly because of the noise factor. Movies included: Just Go With It, Unknown, Definitely Maybe, Tron Legacy, Something Borrowed, Battle Los Angeles, Inception and Arthur. Get there early - the best seats are gone 15-20 minutes before showtime.

 

In addition to being able to check your shipboard account on the tv, the interactive channel (accessed via a button on the remote) also offered the ability to purchase duty-free liquor (very limited selection). You could also order pay-per-view movies - regular movies for $9.99 (a few were $9.95, go figure) and adult movies for $14.99. There were 50+ regular movies and 20 or so adult movies available. Parental controls were also available.

 

===========================================

 

As for the tv itself, the connections were in the back, not very easy to reach. No HDMI, just RCA connectors.

 

If you're interested in my full review, here's the link:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1553721