NCL - Gem (I concierge question)

[toekneec]

Hi guys - for those who cruised on the Gem before, how effective was iconcirrge the app?

 

- did it show daily activities accurately? (So I can leave the daily in the stateroom)

 

- can u use it to book restaurant reservation without issue?

 

- can u book entertainment without issues?

 

I know the above 3 function should work but read elsewhere that a lot of people experienced problems with it

 

Thanks!

 

 

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[mking8288]

One of our nephew just came back from the GEM and he was on the Breakway last year. In brief: iConcierge using ship's free inTRAnet WiFi is okay but slow, supposingly fleetwide upgrade like the BA but still, worst than functional compared to BA.

 

Listing & info on the iConcierge App are best considered an abstract and nothing as detailed as printed Freestyle Daily, not enough info shown. Solution - take pictures of the dailies if don't want to carry the paper one along, zoom in & scroll to see on your device.

 

We are less than 60 days out and there's still availabilities for the 2 MDR's - reservations are not accepted once onboard, you do it on a walk-in basis. It's not a *Away class ships with 4,500 to 5,000 pax max'ed out - around 2,500 2,700 pax at near lifeboat capacity - no need to book, really.

 

It's been our experience that, except on Day 1 or Embarkation, whatever open slots & times available are released and taken/filled up by the late afternoo or evening ... unless you are fine with a 9:30 PM dining reservation.

 

Main shows are FCFS, no reservations taken or needed, arrive as early as 30 minutes prior to when the doors are opened, and for good choice of seating, be there no later than "T" minus 15 minutes.

 

The most important & free feature on the App is the ability to view itemized charges posted to the On Board charges dailiy. Download the free App, signal is strong enough to get it activated while inside Pier 88 or 90 while waiting to board - but you really don't need it as much ...unlike the *Away class ships.

[toekneec]

One of our nephew just came back from the GEM and he was on the Breakway last year. In brief: iConcierge using ship's free inTRAnet WiFi is okay but slow, supposingly fleetwide upgrade like the BA but still, worst than functional compared to BA.

 

Listing & info on the iConcierge App are best considered an abstract and nothing as detailed as printed Freestyle Daily, not enough info shown. Solution - take pictures of the dailies if don't want to carry the paper one along, zoom in & scroll to see on your device.

 

We are less than 60 days out and there's still availabilities for the 2 MDR's - reservations are not accepted once onboard, you do it on a walk-in basis. It's not a *Away class ships with 4,500 to 5,000 pax max'ed out - around 2,500 2,700 pax at near lifeboat capacity - no need to book, really.

 

It's been our experience that, except on Day 1 or Embarkation, whatever open slots & times available are released and taken/filled up by the late afternoo or evening ... unless you are fine with a 9:30 PM dining reservation.

 

Main shows are FCFS, no reservations taken or needed, arrive as early as 30 minutes prior to when the doors are opened, and for good choice of seating, be there no later than "T" minus 15 minutes.

 

The most important & free feature on the App is the ability to view itemized charges posted to the On Board charges dailiy. Download the free App, signal is strong enough to get it activated while inside Pier 88 or 90 while waiting to board - but you really don't need it as much ...unlike the *Away class ships.

 

 

Thank u!

 

But making reservation for specialty dining restaurants via iconcierge is seemless and easy to use?

 

 

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[mking8288]

... But making reservation for specialty dining restaurants via iconcierge is seemless and easy to use?

NCL only release a fraction of the available seating space for advanced/online dining reservation and the rest are held, some given priority to Haven and/or suite guests.

 

iConcierge App hasn't been updated in 16 months by its developer and that's BAD as it's what I consider work in progress and still buggy, no reminder ability or ways to check on already confirmed reservations ... good old pen/pencil & sticky's to keep track of day/time. Almost all of the recent reviews & reports that I've seen here (since the supposingly fleetwide upgrade last July) suggesting that it's still bad to very bad, sluggish and much worst than expected, improved from "before" but it's meaningless. Paid WiFi inTERnet is said to be almost useless, taking forever to load a page.

 

When we're on the BA, one of the hostess told us they don't even bother with taking cancellations anymore nor update their online system for changes in availability, don't ask me why & the rationale - might or might not be true. It's also a staffing issue with no having enough wait staff to rotate and cover all the available seating at any given time.

 

Odds are that, if you rather wait & book onboard, you need to use that on Day 1 or all the available spots will be gone and on hold again ... unless you have access to the concierge to help.

 

At this moment, I see good availability for both Cagney & LeBistro, so we will likely not book until we board ... same for LaCucina (seating for 104) Unless you are with a bigger group & prefer to lock in the times, this goes back to the "Freestyle" way - whether we sail with 2, 3 or 4 ... it's seldom a problem to get our own table by doing a walk-up & waiting no more than 10 or 15 minutes. If you go at 5:30 PM or 6 PM, you only wait is usually just the line of people in front of you - waiting to be escorted to their assigned tables.

 

Plus, you can also do this from the comfort of your interactive stateroom TV, using the TV remote to scroll & confirm - and, it displayed more info than a typical 6" or 8" tablet screen, without bifocals.

[toekneec]

Very helpful thanks!!

 

 

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[purepixie67]

HI, I was on the Gem last month, and managed to make excursion bookings and restaurant bookings on iConcierge with no issues. It is not, however, easy to read the menus for the different restaurants.

You do not need to book entertainment.

[shark5]

Do I actually have to make a reservation for the MDR on the Gem each night?

 

I thought I could just go there whenever I want to have dinner..

 

thanks

sharkman

[purepixie67]

Not for the MDRs, just the other restaurants like Cagneys.

We were given a pager at Magenta one night, and waited 20 mins for a table, but normally walked straight in - there was only two of us

[shark5]

Not for the MDRs, just the other restaurants like Cagneys.

We were given a pager at Magenta one night, and waited 20 mins for a table, but normally walked straight in - there was only two of us

 

 

 

 

Whew, thanks..I thought that would defeat the whole "freestyle" idea.

 

sharkman

[VideoTech]

....Concierge App hasn't been updated in 16 months by its developer and that's BAD as it's what I consider work in progress and still buggy, no reminder ability or ways to check on already confirmed reservations ... good old pen/pencil & sticky's to keep track of day/time. Almost all of the recent reviews & reports that I've seen here (since the supposingly fleetwide upgrade last July) suggesting that it's still bad to very bad, sluggish and much worst than expected, improved from "before" but it's meaningless. Paid WiFi inTERnet is said to be almost useless, taking forever to load a page. ....

 

Agreed. We have never had a good experience with the iConcierge app. Messages are delayed or never delivered. Phone calls don't work reliably (and only go to the cabin phone anyway). Billing information lags way behind...best to go to the customer service desk for that.

 

The app only seems to do one thing reliably and quickly: Deliver sales advertisements from NCL to your phone. It sure does that well...and of course, I'm sure that's the real purpose of the app.

[shark5]

how about using those apps on the iPhone like WhatsApp or viber on the ship for texting my partner during the day?

 

thanks

sharkman

[toekneec]

how about using those apps on the iPhone like WhatsApp or viber on the ship for texting my partner during the day?

 

thanks

sharkman

 

 

What's app, line, viber all requires Internet data in order to send msg. If u do not pay for NCLs data plan then u can't use it

 

Or get international data from your own phone carrier and see how much it cost

 

 

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