gem 1/19

[meatball_nyc]

21 hours ago, JIMESOPUS said:

Went to deck #11 viewing room about 1 hr ago, ETA is still listed as 0600 .. weather turning bad, rain has started and waves picking up. Day started at 72 now 65

 

 

Safe travels home. Thank you for your upbeat posts and happy you had a great cruise! 🥂

 

If anyone is parked at the pier, hope you have snow brushes and/or snow shovels!!

 

Stay Warm and Safe!

 

[Red-Sol]

21 hours ago, JIMESOPUS said:

Went to deck #11 viewing room about 1 hr ago, ETA is still listed as 0600 .. weather turning bad, rain has started and waves picking up. Day started at 72 now 65

 

Welcome Home Jim...I'm afraid the weather back here may not resemble anything you just had! Safe Travels back to home.🙂

 

[JIMESOPUS]

Final entry and thoughts about this fabulous cruise. From pier 90 to 88 and then ship, the crew have been outstanding, we have been thanked more times than I could have imagined. NCL could have cancelled this cruise based on a business decision but they didn't and we are very thankful for that. Service, pride and excellence was in full display. Entertainment for the most part was fantastic, never a dull moment. We got spoiled not waiting for a drink, table of our choice or even a elevator. Some of the crew will be leaving, they were at the start of the " restart " but the replacements have been here since 1/19 ( in quarantine for 10 days ). NCL has provide a safe envelope to guard against COVID but some of the PAX felt the rules didn't applied to them. Finally even the weather was great, don't know what tonight might bring, maybe will be in tonight before the storm. Stay safe and healthy    

[mking8288]

1 hour ago, JIMESOPUS said:

... Finally even the weather was great, don't know what tonight might bring, maybe will be in tonight before the storm. Stay safe and healthy    

 

It's a joy to keep up with your blog along the way, thank you & enjoy the rest of the cruise en route back to MCT later on.  Looks like the captain charted an excellent sea route to get ahead of the storm, blizzard warnings up along the Jersey coast but the Hudson Valley & points north of metro NY should be least impacted but this Nor-easter.  Gem appeared to be way off to the east of Ocean City, MD with all 4 engines going, should cross into NJ side by mid evening for, as you said, sailing into the NY area quite early.  Here in the Big Apple, latest forecast for snow to arrive around/after 11 pm and continue into Saturday evening, windy, calling for 8" to 12" then turning cold by the time it's done.  Suburban transits ***, namely buses to/from NJ will be impacted tomorrow and as usual, airlines cancelled some 2,000 flights tomorrow already - patience is the key, which seasoned winter travelers know & plan for.  

 

Otherwise, live shipcam showing sea conditions and waves to be good, maybe very light chops - but could quickly change over the next few hours.  It's very reassuring for anyone sailing soon that with crew rotations, the incoming ones are isolated first, minimizing the odds of being exposed & infecting others.  The 7 days positivity moving averages in NY area been trending down and that's good for cruising.  Have a great evening, mucho appreciated for sharing the observations onboard. 

 

*** Metro-North services to points in CT suspended for Saturday & reduced to hourly services on the Hudson branch, conditions permitting ... MTA commuters are familiar with their drills.  

Edited January 28, 2022 by mking8288

[lisa928]

Your updates have been great.  We are on the 2/18 cruise.  I know it may change but could you tell me which of the ports you actually got to.

[mking8288]

Welcome back to her NYC homeport - almost here, off Long Branch, NJ at just under 10 knots ... should easily breeze past Statue of Liberty before 3 or 4 am to safely dock at Pier 88 while pax sleep.  Dress warmly for the disembarkation - transportation in & around town is going to be a challenge but NYC appeared to not do badly, further out on the east end of LI, blizzard warnings are up.  Wind has picked up across town, only about an inch of snow thus far.  Sanitation & DOT's snow operations are ready ... it appeared. 

 

Great job & kudo to the Gem's bridge, officers & captain for safely bringing everyone back and in a hurry, ahead of this fast moving Nor-Easter storm.  

[JIMESOPUS]

@JaB80 we all 4 stops, the itinerary was changed before we left

[JIMESOPUS]

Well I'm back home and now able to upload some photos of the 4 ports

Puerto Plata port area ( first five ), Catalina Isle ( next 4 ), St Martin ( front street, 1PM ) and Jost Van Dyke

 

[JIMESOPUS]

Did someone say a empty ship, pictures taken during warm sea days and 30 minutes before bingo

 

[lisa928]

40 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

@JaB80 we all 4 stops, the itinerary was changed before we left

Thanks this is very helpful.  Curiosity question, when they cancel one port do they credit you back any portion of your port fees?

[mking8288]

56 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

Did someone say a empty ship, pictures taken during warm sea days and 30 minutes before bingo

 

Wow, nice to be uncrowded onboard - welcome home and to the winter wonderland with a mug of hot chocolate (or, Bally's) - excellent pictures & upload more ... 

 

Did you parked above the pier, had a quick and smooth disembarkation & managed to get home just fine (what time did they started the easy walk-off, etc.)  

[JIMESOPUS]

16 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

 

Wow, nice to be uncrowded onboard - welcome home and to the winter wonderland with a mug of hot chocolate (or, Bally's) - excellent pictures & upload more ... 

 

Did you parked above the pier, had a quick and smooth disembarkation & managed to get home just fine (what time did they started the easy walk-off, etc.)  

Got the OK to leave around 0745, the walk into the terminal was a nightmare ( forgot to use salt ), parked up on the roof which was plowed and sanded ( could have used that on the walkway ). Drive up the HH to the GWB was bad, that guy in the yellow taxi going sideways should buy new tires. Upper GWB was the last road sanded until the NY side of the Palisades Parkway, NYS Thruway OK, got home under 3 hours, normally the drive time about 2 hrs

[JIMESOPUS]

1 hour ago, lisa928 said:

Thanks this is very helpful.  Curiosity question, when they cancel one port do they credit you back any portion of your port fees?

didn't see any refund for the missed stop at USVI or Gran Turk but didn't see any charge for Catalina Isle

[shof515]

Due to the snow storm today in New York, The Gem will be leaving later tonight on a new itinerary. i saw this on fb:

2 sea days

Nassau

Sea day

St. Maarten

Tortola

Puerto Plata

2 sea days

[mking8288]

Update - Gem left Pier 88 about an hour ago, just went past VZ Bridge and now heading out to sea - night skies are clear, good visibility - just bone-chilling cold.  NYC got lucky as the bulk of the Nor-Easter missed "us" - got about 8.5" on snow on the ground here in NE Queens.  

 

Nice to be heading south to warmer weather - they are going to skip/miss GSC but as noted above, heading to Nassau as their first stop.  Happy, safe & healthy sailing to those onboard, including (Hi ...) Charlie - silverc243