Gem 4/28/2018 Semi-Live again, take #3 NY-Port Canaveral-GSC-Nassau, what's new !

mking8288 · May 6, 2018

Freestyle Dailies for Gem's 7 days -

Day 3 . scheduled arrival into Port Canaveral & docking is 1 pm, we're slightly early cruise in around 15 knots (if they "wanted" to be there in a hurry ... all ahead at 18 or 20 knots would do it) We began to picked up "reflected" cellular signals over the ocean water about 60+ minutes off-shore, voice calling & texting did fade in & out, solid signals 30+ minutes later as we near the shorelines & Coca Beach, better reception on port side, find an open deck or sit on your balcony if you wish to be "connected" AT&T's cellular signal slightly better initially over T-Mobile's 4G/H+

Plenty of ground shuttles vans & taxis outside, steps away from the ship terminals. RT to Coca Beach can be "booked" on the spot & the (same) vendor will charge it to your non-refundable OBC directly - $15 p/p round trip ... return ran continuously every 20-30 minutes. Free & decent WiFi & restrooms inside the Surf Shop with the adjacent Four Points Sheraton. McDonalds is 1 block away by the shopping malls, but their free WiFi was very, very - super slow, barely usable.

Edited May 6, 2018 by mking8288

mking8288 · May 6, 2018

Freestyle Dailies for Gem's 7 days -

Day 4 (Great Stirrup Cay, private island with BTC "roaming" cellular & WiFi services ) scheduled ... was missed due to strong north wind ... manager on the island in consultation with Miami HQ & ship's captain concluded it was unsafe to stop there & run tendering operation, thus, pax onboard were advised of decision to proceed directly to Nassau, arriving at 1 PM - only 2 other ships scheduled to dock there (that's better than waiting until 6 or 7 pm when other ships leave, and, most shops closed up)

modified Day 4's Dailies previously posted on this thread -

here's the direct link for it ...

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=55973019&postcount=64

Questions come up often here on CC about NCL's policies on drinking & gambling for those between the age of 18 and 21, and, some "house" rules, etc. Here, official written NCL policies, distributed as part of the Dailies to all guests. Guests are asked to leave all plates, cups, dishes, etc. inside the stateroom for pickup by RS or call Room Services - and, to please do NOT leave them outside in the hallway/corridor ... but, we still noticed some doing it, not all that bad. As for drinking straws, we got them with our Pina Colada still - just not with foundation Pepsi.

Edited May 6, 2018 by mking8288

mking8288 · May 6, 2018

Freestyle Dailies for Gem's 7 days -

Day 5 - Nassau/Bahamas ... nice to be on Google Fi's roaming, cellular H+/4G signal with "BTC" ... no need to hunt for "free" & unsecured WiFi, both on Android and data-only nano sim in factory unlocked iPhone SE, except for unspecific reasons - couldn't tether or get iOS 11.x's hotspot features to work properly to share the fast signal.

Yesterday afternoon, we took a shared shuttle over to Baha Mas casino resort, $5 p/p one-way. Shared ride over to Atlantas casino resort today, $4 p/p one-way ... extended family cruising together this time had never been to either. Their conclusions: payouts & odds for slot pays are better at both vs. ship's "returns", not a surprise to most, i.e. those $10 blackjack table.

All abroad time @ 5:30 pm. Ship sailing time for NYC @ 6 pm - and we actually left on time. Names of 3 guests were called/paged over ship's PA 3 times around 5:40 pm - 2 small groups were late coming back to the overnight stop in Nassau, driven back by the "free" shuttle bus at the pier & in a golf cart. Did not see any luggages unloaded or dropped off on the pier, remaining gangway was pulled from the pier's landings & we basically sailed on time - anyone that did not return by 5:30 pm, assumed & take full personal responsibility for missing the cutoff time in re-boarding the ship on time.

Today in the Stardust Theater - Blazing Boots, we saw it last May, skipped it, showtime at 7 and 9 pm (like most shows.) Plan your dinner accordingly & get there for seating 15 minutes early for good choice of open seating, otherwise, seats open on either side.

The next 6 hours at sea heading north on the Atlantic doing a little over 20 knots were the "rougher" part of this sailing, with moderate seas & waves of 11 ft. - being Midship on Deck 5, we felt little to moderate motion and by midnight, calm sailing conditions returned ... ocean waves at 5 ft. & remained a smooth ride for the rest of the 800 nm run to NY, doing mostly 15 to 16 knots, still managed to get into the city, very - very early at 3 am.

Edited May 6, 2018 by mking8288

mking8288 · May 6, 2018

Freestyle Dailies for Gem's 7 days -

Day 6 - 3rd. full Sea Day ... Cabin Crawl scheduled for CC members at 11 am, with members sharing their 2 BR suite, both in Haven & non-Haven (thanks, Pat & Jim and others ... we saw 8 different category of cabins in total, ending up in Haven's DOS 15000 with a reception/cocktail party, breathtaking views)

More tips: today is a good day to finish up buying those duty-free items, gift & otherwise, don't waste those non-refundable OBC ... or, apply the extras to CruiseNext certificate(s) if you don't you will be doing NCL again in next 4 years.

Ship's $19.99 stuffed all-you-can fit (wet) Laundry & fold Special deal offered was for yesterday ... paper bags still being used. We did our complimentary Platinum laundry yesterday, RS sent it out for us in the morning & got it back, neatly folded, smelling clean & fresh by the time we came back from evening dinner - what a surprise about the speed, maybe most decided to pack & take home all their dirty laundry.

Edited May 6, 2018 by mking8288

dexddd · May 6, 2018

Other than missing GSC, it looks like you had pretty good weather. Today for Gem rainy.

The late night buffet pretty sad to begin with not sure how much they could cut from the hot dogs, stale pizza, and a couple other items they used to have.

Otherwise, Gem is a great ship. We had Captain Lars on Dawn to Bermuda back in 2012. They were still doing the bridge tours back then and he spent a solid hour with us and the other families explaining things and talking about his storied career. What a classy, sincere guy.

mking8288 · May 6, 2018

Freestyle Dailies for Gem's 7 days -

Day 7 (last day at sea ... before homecoming to NYC, early Saturday pre-dawn arrival/docking announced, expected & reaffirmed based on Capt. Lars AM update from the bridge.)

It was a nice & smooth run, coasting about 15 knots off the coast of NC, not windy & comfortable temps around 70, heading toward VA/MD ... further out in the Atlantic, somewhere around 150 nm from shore (within easy range of USCG's nearest air station, in the event of a medevac, which we fortunately did not have nor heard any "codes" being called, except for crew only drills. While waiting on the top of GP MDR's stairs to get our group seated ... noticed a new (??) piece of wall-mounted equipment, red-boxed "AED" for medical/cardial emergencies, excellent - don't recall see that previously on the Gem (but seen that on the Breakaway's entrance to the Garden Cafe or buffet)

First time - tonight's featured show in Stardust is "Get Down Tonight" with the bonus officers & crew farewell, a must-see for new cruisers to NCL, 7 or 9 pm. We easily & finished luggage packing our two 22" expandable rollerboards early, and had them outside our stateroom for pickup by 9 pm (no later than 11 pm being the cutoff ... or else, DIY doing the Walkoff) ... As usual, Mrs. M overpacked for 7 nights, so the unworn ones went in together with the freshly laundry items into one bag.

Insider's tips: morning time, after a leisure breakfast is ideal to pickup & pay for any photo purchases as the lines will only get longer. Check those onboard accounts for proper credits & charges, and join the queues at Guest Services to resolve any questions ... view it on the free iConcierge App, under "Account Review" or in the stateroom's interactive TV system. Our CAS friends got some extra "bonuses" posted to their account, in addition to OBC previously issued ... they're happy & pleasantly surprised.

Tonight's MDR was busy packed & full early ... prime ribs being served again, portion sized seemed a notch smaller than last year (which is fine by me, not to meat lovers) and the joke about the Grill Combo mix was that they cooked & send what's left from the outdoor BBQ down to the MDR to unload ... drowned in a thick, dark red sauce. Chilled smoked salmon fillet was petite in size but nice - could've easily ate 2 to 3 entrees of the same, ha ha.

Airport transfer options from NCL, post-cruise for flights after 1 PM now expanded to include EWR, prices same as JFK @ $45 p/p - a good deal for "solo" travelers and LGA @ $35 p/p ... with special color luggage tags for disembarkation. IMHO, given NCL's recent track records for unorganized & chronic problems with ship arrival, book it only if flights are after 2 pm, to be on the safe side. For 2 or 3 travelers, a taxi ride or car service is a better & more direct option.

Final set of FS Dailies below -

mking8288 · May 6, 2018

... Do you know if that is the same menu every day then main dinning room is opened for lunch?

I wish I can tell you otherwise, others and I that love this class ships sailing NCL just hated NCL for continuing to do this - it wasn't always done this way.

Yulp, they use the same menu for 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, 7 days, 10 days, 11 days, 12 days, 14 days, and 15 days, etc. - it NEVER freaking change, not even ... even ... a single daily Chef's Special, just for a tiny bit of variety (yes, NCL ... and I hope your social media team is reading this & report/share that with corporate making the decisions, the chefs and F&B director onboard are helpless in making any changes !!! )

How difficult can that be ... to apply a little creativity as they clearly can do that with the AYCE buffet selections & choices, why NOT for the MDR daily for lunchen, as it's typically open only on sea days & for embarkation purposes. And, they now do it for the MDR Breakfast menu, rotating three (3) daily specials for the morning sit-down option ... one of the few places to get smoked salmon on a toasted bagel half (but, where is the cream cheese ... ask for extras to spread it around a bit)

DW and I now starting to look seriously at doing longer cruises of 10+ days, just trying to imagine the limited options on the ship with lunches, even we mix it up going to O'Sheehans as we are just not going to sit in the packed buffet with all the window chair hogs that hangout there from dawn to dust.

Also, I lost my "bet" in hoping that a new 2018 fleetwide lunch menu will be rolled out by now, starting with the Bliss and then to other ships - including the Gem. Much like ordering Chicken Noodles soup, getting a bit tired of the Chicken Pho (Vietnamese style) soup served daily when we do the MDR routines for lunch. Yet, OSH does offer a daily soup specials ... and I am not even speaking of the chilled soup that some of us liked & enjoyed.

Well, it is what it is - not indicative of a mass line going upscale, not looking at this from a Haven cruiser's point of view, just a generic & across-the-board perspective ... recognizing that food opinions & values are highly personal & subjective, like the impression most of us concluded with zero dispute, that just about everything served as too salty and high in sodium content.

Maybe, we should all start order special meals for cruising NCL and request menu planning with low sodium preparation ... that ought to send a loud & clear message. It's not airline catering by Sky Chef's hanger gallery operations, where nearly everything must be enriched with strong flavors, including sodium to make it edible when re-heated & served at FL 320 ...

Quencups · May 6, 2018

Thank you for your review, mking. I appreciate you taking the time to do it. Great tips!!!

mking8288 · May 7, 2018

Other than missing GSC, it looks like you had pretty good weather ... The late night buffet pretty sad to begin with not sure how much they could cut from the hot dogs, stale pizza, and a couple other items ,,, Gem is a great ship. We had Captain Lars on Dawn to Bermuda back in 2012 ... What a classy, sincere guy.

Aside from the disembarkation fiasco, something that I would've expected for the Breakaway & Escape ... this past week was otherwise a very good cruise. Weather was nearly perfect in my logs and just 6 hours of moderate sea conditons, waves of 12 ft. is really "nothing" to us ... wavelets to 5 ft. otherwise.

Most importantly, our dearest SIL with her grim diagnosis just 6 months ago is thankfully cruising with rest of close-knit siblings, in remission after aggressive interventions with newly approved post-clinical trial meds. Neither she nor the rest of us are in a hurry to rush anywhere.

Capt. Lars was great and went into details explaining the rationale & basis for skipping GSC in layman terms and not a beep here on CC about not able to tender. One of the highlights, thanks to CC members on the sailing, the cabin crawls, seeing both the non-Haven & Haven 2 Br suites plus DOS #15000, 2 Aft balconies, mini & regular balconies, OV & Insides.

Families wanted to see & compare both Nassau casinos, that was mission accomplished - that was Plan C in case we missed GSC & not just overnighting while berthed on the pier.

The Garden Cafe promptly shut down at 9:30 pm nightly and on that one late evening that I went upstairs to take a peek, it was setup in the Great Outdoors - windy & on the chilly side, with a very short list of available (left-over ??) items ... sad looking might just be the buzz words in describing it. I seemed to recall burgers, hot dogs & chicken wings being available just a year ago. Well, these cuts aren't exclusive to NCL with other mass lines doing the same or simlar.

The devil is in the details - some of the CC members sitting around our table mentioned not seeing a pen & small notepad on the desk/dresser table ... not deal-breakers. DW was happy that we packed "shower caps" for the shower. Options for ice cream ... it's Vanila & Vanila only, huh !!

It's good to be able to watch the Gem on live shipcam ... working again. Looks like the storm is behind them, sailing overnight into nice weather for Florida's arrival tomorrow. But ... GSC & Nassau is somewhat challenged due to threats from T-storms & showers, windy conditions appeared not to be a factor for tendering safety. Let's hope they can make it this week ... I figured that it was my turn to lose one, 4 out 5 in recent years are excellent & exceptional batting averages.

As for NCL not previously automatically issuing fully refundable OBC for missing GSC, now that you've mentioned it - I am not sure if they did that but our last "missed" island stop was many, many years ago ... last week, they're posted to everyone's stateroom account by the following day & shorex tours booked were credited back as well. It would've been nice to be on the island last week, just to see the construction progress lately - b/c that exclusive lagoon/Haven area to the west end was still, basically, a giant pit & nowhere near completion 6 months ago toward the end of the hurricane season ... hate to sound pessimistic about NCL's timeline on finishing it ... less than 4 weeks to official start of 2018's hurricane season, with above average activities.

Let me see if I can wrap up posting - tonight - some "technical" details & geek issues for the Gem, and observations during the past week, the goods & the bads ... our mattresses were excellent for sleeping, unlike last year's BA sagging pads.

The unsolved mystery ... remained, why folks hanged out all around the pool deck, photos taken from Haven's sundeck being more proof, just several swimming or actually playing in the pool itself ??

But, I can confirm that drinking straws are disappearing - fortunately, our Pina Colada still came with them without asking for one.

Edited May 7, 2018 by mking8288

mking8288 · May 7, 2018

Tech. section - Gem's WiFi systems, iConcierge Apps, SMS text messaging and use of cellular signals, tips & pitfalls, etc.

Gem currently offered the 3-tier Full Cruise Internet Options, including:

Unlimited Social Media Plan @ $14.99 per day

Unlimited WiFi @ $29.99 per day

Ultimate Premium WiFi @ $34.99 per day

VPN and video/audio streaming are only supported by the Ultimate Plan. The (basic) WiFi plan is good for email and general web browsing, along with support for most social media apps. Social Media plan is used to view, post & upload pictures and videos to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Snapchat, etc. In-App Chat for FB, Skype, WhatsApp & WeChat are supported ****

**** Footnote of mine/caution - please make sure that your devices' installed apps are current & most up-to-date as best as you can, as downloading newer updates/patches online will be both slow & can get expensive, especially if it is a major App upgrade or re-install - and, it is a feature not allowed if you are only on the Social Media plan.

Under NCL's Free At Sea or Distinctive Voyage promo offers, a 250 minute plan is valued at $125 and credited towards the purchase of either the Unlimited or Premium WiFi plans, as long as it is done by 10 pm on Day 2 - all of these plans limited to one registered or activated device at a time but can be shared among different devices.

Login.com is the URL to use to launch from the (mobile) browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Internet Explorer, etc.) to log-in and log-out of the system ... inactive device online will be dropped & disconnected after the system detected an "extended" period of inactivity - since the finite satellite bandwidth is shared dynamically.

Logout.com is the URL to sign out of the unlimited/timed plan to avoid being continuously connected - running down the "metered" minutes.

digitalseas.io - the alternate URL to log-in and log-out of the User Account, a summary screen is shown each time, displayed MB data/minutes used and remaining, etc.

(see a screenshot taken below as illustrative example)

In addition to PAYG plans at 99 cents a minute, a # of Mini Plans (non-premium, no streaming/VPN) are offered - with a billable one-time activation fee of $3.95 -

250 minutes @ $125

100 minutes @ $75

30 minutes @ $14.99 **

15 minutes @ $9.99 **

** offered only on the last 2 or 3 days

Alcatel-Lucent hotspots and Cisco hardware are deployed throught the ship providing both 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz WiFi signals - newer devices supporting 5 Ghz band and "ac" standards will enjoy a faster connection within the relatively shorter range of 5G signals. Same industrial grade wireless routers have been deployed on the Breakawy for a while, performance of the network itself is very good to excellent - subject to the limitations of satellite coverage while at sea.

Bottomline data/voice costs to us - for the past week, we used about 350 minutes of WiFi data minutes in managed sessions, logging off after use while at sea. In Florida, use 4G/LTE data from our home plans (AT&T, T-Mo & Project Fi) - thus free. For overnight stop in Nassau, BTC as Project Fi's roaming partner, another 325 MB worth of 4G/HSPA+ data and about 10 minutes of voice calling, billable at 20 cents a minute (not a typo) - our net cost is probably, additional $3.50 to $4 USD at most w. taxes, fees & surcharges.

Edited May 7, 2018 by mking8288

jessicak76 · May 7, 2018

Love your review and it seems you had a lovely time.

1) Am I reading this right that there is texas Hold 'um tournament only on the last day at sea?

2) Are the two dining rooms never opened for lunch? It seems their hours aren't listed on the "lunch " restaurants. Thanks in advance!

mking8288 · May 7, 2018

... Texas Hold 'um tournament only on the last day at sea?
2) Are the two dining rooms never opened for lunch? ...

We had a very good time on the Gem, our favorite class of ships in the fleet ... despite the disembarkation chaos, and, they are going to hear an earful, just got 2 of those online post-cruise survey for NCL, on the competency of their port facility management ... blaming CBP is just a deflection of their basic duties to NOT ignore known problems on the piers in passenger flows.

Tournaments are typically held on full sea days, I know they had slot, and blackjack tournaments earlier during the week ... whatever is listed in the Dailies. If you will be cruising her soon, check with the friendly casino crew and hosts about it, I'm sure they will cheerfully give you the details & sign you up. It's always busy in there, whenever we are in the area - to/from the Stardust Theater. Lots of CAS players checked in at the pier, easily 10% to 15% (last year's Gem sailing, agents checking us in said, closer to 20% ... LOL) Boarding sequence #5 - Platinum embarked ahead of them with #1, following escorted Haven & then Special Needs.

Grand Pacifica, MDR - deck 6 AFT via deck 7 open for lunch for embarkation (avoid the crazy & crowded buffet) and on Day 2, Day 6 and Day 7 (these 3 are full Sea Days) but closed otherwise. Rather than the buffet, consider doing O'Shehan's for a change of pace, never a long line to get seated or to wait, fast & friendly sit-down wait service ... pretty "hot" daily soup specials.

With midday arrival into PC, buffet is the option (also when tendering is a good for GSC ... and BBQ/beach food once ashore, watchout for the seagulls, hungry for edibles if you turn your back)

jessicak76 · May 7, 2018

Ok, thanks. I am staying on board in PC--but you're right-it's a mid day arrival.

Thanks for the tip about eating in the MDR as you board. That sounds like a nice option.

dexddd · May 7, 2018

Glad to hear your SIL is doing better. I remember you mentioning it awhile back.

Well, at least the question of the week from last week about the pool hanging out has faded into several pages deep but I'm sure something else will pop-up this week.

300dtc · May 7, 2018

Thank you for your review! Going on the Gem in September, how is the general condition of the ship? What was your favorite meal? Which was your favorite bar? Any tips that are specific to the Gem..thank you[emoji4]

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DuckTollerFans · May 7, 2018

I kind of like cooler water to swim, but for at last the first few days the pool's water was way too cold for even me. I got my swimming in at Cocoa Beach and Blue Lagoon. It didn't hurt that I had Mandara Spa passes which also satisfied my need to be IN the water. (I usually swim 2-3 times/week)

My favorite meal was probably our last dinner at LeBistro. Amazing filet with 5 pepper sauce (with a much fancier French name). I know a lot of people are fans of the chicken wings at O'Sheehans, but if you're from anywhere near Buffalo - including Rochester - they were tasty, just not "real" Buffalo wings. Clearly not made with Frank's sauce.

I liked the ambiance in the Grand Pacific a lot, perhaps the most of all the locations. When you walk down those steps into that beautiful room - what a visual. And the food was always good.

We got a couple of lunches from the Garden Cafe and took them over to La Cucino to avoid the crowd. So, when we finally made it there for one of our specialty dinners, found the setting so much nicer. I can't pinpoint exactly what they did for that change - it was noticeable though!

Our favorite bar(s) were the several along a row on Deck 6. All had nice seating areas so it depended how much you wanted to hear music or be more quiet. One night, my husband wanted to see a show that I didn't -- so I grabbed a Manhattan and sat in Maltings and read. It was very pleasant.

As for the general condition of the ship: it was my first cruise, and I thought the condition was fine. No spanking new, yet no real signs of wear and tear.

mking8288 · May 8, 2018

... Going on the Gem in September, how is the general condition of the ship? What was your favorite meal? Which was your favorite bar? Any tips that are specific to the Gem..thank you[emoji4]

Glad that these info, pix & tips are useful and helpful to those sailing soon, to get the most bangs for the dollars with a slight edge over the masses.

Gem just came out of dry dock about a year+ ago, this is the 2nd. time we're on her, looked nearly as good as any newer ships in the fleet, minus the extra bells & whistles, you aren't going to find any faults unless you really look very closely, knowing what to look for.

As one of our fellow CC Roll Call member just wrote, Grand Pacifica MDR is just beautiful & grand ... anyone with mobility issues can ride the AFT elevator down to deck 6, wheelchairs & walkers friendly. With the exception of Day 6 & 7, last 2 sea days ... there is no need to plan & make any dining reservations for parties of 2, 3, 4 and even 6 or 7, lots of tables easily (re)configured to get you seated quickly. See those highly prized windows seating for 2, either sides down the staircase ... not recommend if you get dizzy look at the seas in motion, our sailing was so calm that I forget what large waves looked like, really.

OK ... Insider's CC tips, exclusive for the Gem:

Spinmaker's Lounge is great for ocean watching, Deck 13 Fwd, above the ship's bridge. Sit in the forward area overlooking the ship's bow, and you will spot 110 volts outlet, good for charging smart/iPhone or iPad/tablet if you need a boost during the day (I use mine as a digital camera

On your way up there on a sea day, stop by the Bridge Viewing Room, Deck 11 Fwd, portside (open dawn to dust, usually) to wave to the on-duty officers behind the glass partition running the ship & check out the array of instruments. Gem's guardian "meraid" is there, read about its history & the lucky charms, bracelets and items that various Roll Calls brought along to add to the collection - bringing well wishes & keeping the officers, crews and passengers safe across the oceans.

The Bliss Lounge, deck 7 AFT - next to the MDR entrance, is used for variety of fucntions & open to all, unless closed for private functions - art auctions are held there. It's Karaoke in the evenings & all adults late night (and slot machines to play ... non-smoking) ... lots of ultra comfortable sofa & loungers. Bring a set of noise-isolation headset or in-ear buds to listen to music & read a book, an insulated mug for hot or cold beverages, etc.

The iCafe manager's desk is deck 7, midship - portside and 2 PC terminals are available there for public access & use (exercise usual care & safeguards as if using a library computer). The small library is quiet, deck 12 Fwd, starboard side ... had 3 PC terminals inside as well, not sure if it's still there now (didn't walk thru this time ...)