LIVE aboard the Gem 12/22-1/2 Holiday Cruise

[Kristall]

Day 3

 

We woke up, the ship started as we began the breakfast, to drive out of the harbour. The getaway was just gone, you could see her in the distance.

 

Breakfast at the Irish restaurant / pub. Everything fine - it seems a bit emptier, we are really early today - so get the food faster.

 

My wife got really seasick then. Tried everything (pills, wristband...) Till late evening. So no other dinner experience now 

 

Toilet problems: We have now 21:20, the toilets on Deck 8 midship (around the Irish) are not working till 17:20 around. The steward told us, they got a problem in the system - no toilet in the area would work. The same told us the guest service - no ETA of working toilet for now..

 

Lots of people dressed really nice this evening - maybe an American thing. 

We experience today more empty restaurants, I can't explain where all the people went. 

 

Weather outside is really chilly. Made a few pictures Friday - even with good winter clothes, not that easy - even for the camera.

 

At the evening the staff seems to be happy now, that everything is working, the ship is moving. Now they started asking if everything is fine and so on

[Figg1437]

I love that you all are going with it and still having a blast!  When we sail from New York at Christmas time we always find lots to do on our couple days before embarking.  I can imagine between being allowed off to do extra sightseeing and also all the fun of the ship- it’s still a great trip.  Hope the seas calm down and warmer weather is ahead. 

 

 

[ellewoods]

 3

Beginning of three full sea days. Our itinerary was scheduled for only 2 sea days down. Confused as to why we now need a whole extra day. In any event we are told we will now set sail directly for St. Thomas. There was a short pause this morning after leaving port for a medical emergency…appears NYPD and coast guard removed a passenger from the ship. 

 

The captain has advised we will have rough seas today and tomorrow. 

 

Spent the morning at the spa for a massage. As on all cruise ships be prepared for the hard sell. Otherwise a wonderful experience. 

 

Breakfast in the room today as I had an early appointment. First experience with room service in the Haven, they set a whole table with a white tablecloth just for my Raisin Bran and banana. It was truly unnecessary but service in here really is a step up. 

 

Quick lunch at the buffet. I think the selection seems smaller than past cruises but still plenty to choose from and the food is still very good. I see no change in quality from prior cruises. It is difficult to get a seat in the buffet however again I’m sure this is due to conditions outside coupled with a full capacity sailing. 

 

Morale seems to be up around the ship today. Not sure if that’s due to Christmas Eve (lots of festive outfits) or the fact that we are finally on the move towards warm weather. 

Cruise Director seems more lively today as well. Hearing reports that she was sick last cruise which could have led to her muted mood earlier in our cruise. 

 

It’s a very packed cruise and everyone is cooped up inside which is making for very crowded interior areas. Staff remains upbeat and helpful. 

 

Dinner tonight was in La Cucina. Food was delicious. Service was very good as well. Hearing a number of complaints about food quality on the ship and I’m just not seeing it. The food remains the same as I’ve had on the Gem in the past. The only thing I’d rate poor is the coffee, I am visiting Starbucks daily to remedy this. I am super picky and probably a snob when it comes to coffee though so if coffee is less important to you Im sure it’s fine. 

 

Just as a random note if it’s important to you. The Casino is pretty quiet on this ship compared to others. Table limits are high. I generally spend little to no time there so it doesn’t matter to me but I know some people care. 

 

Shows get crowded early as do most public lounges. If there is something you really want to see, get there early. There is always something going on in a lounge or theater. I’m sure the crew is eager to get people out on the pool decks but they are doing an awesome job keeping things fun while we are stuck inside. 

[ellewoods]

8 hours ago, njkate said:

Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

Dont understand why people are so disgruntled and miserable as this was totally beyond the control of NCL, hopefully now that ship departed the disgruntled will get into a better mood.

This is NY in December, the mid Atlantic can get ugly weather wise so it’s the risk one takes booking a cruise out of NY in winter

i agree. I think many people don’t really research what can “go wrong” before booking a cruise. We’ve sailed in the winter before, we’ve sailed during hurricane season. It can mean rough seas or missed ports, it’s a risk we take. Seas are still pretty rough, ship sort of looks like a bunch of drunks stumbling around. We all just say excuse me when we run into one another and carry on. It makes things just a little more interesting. 

[angalyse]

Love the updates  Glad to hear all the positives

[EllieinNJ]

Enjoying the review.  We are on the Getaway out of NY in February.

[CruisinMaterial]

Just wondering if any folks doing the live postings could confirm the meet up time and location for the solos gatherings nightly. Is it still at 5PM in Spinnakers?

 

Many thanks and Merry Christmas!

[ellewoods]

19 minutes ago, CruisinMaterial said:

Just wondering if any folks doing the live postings could confirm the meet up time and location for the solos gatherings nightly. Is it still at 5PM in Spinnakers?

 

Many thanks and Merry Christmas!

 It has been at 5:00 pm in Maltings 

[ellewoods]

Day 4- At Sea

 

Seas were extremely rough last night. I have used the patches for 20 years and have always been fine and last night was the first time they didn’t completely work. Made friends with my bed, thankfully since the addition of a mattress topper and some extra blankets it’s very comfortable. 

 

The outdoor decks were opened around lunch time today. The weather is warming up and the sun is out. Lots of festive Christmas outfits around the ship today. Most people appear to be in a good mood now enjoying a Christmas Day at sea. 

 

Spent some time in the Haven courtyard this afternoon relaxing. The roof is still on so it’s warm and comfortable inside. Very few people hanging around the Haven so it’s not at all difficult to get seat when you want it. 

 

Breakfast in Moderno this morning where they serve the Haven guests. It’s very good, there is a small buffet of cold items, pastries, fruits, etc. and then a full hot menu. It’s a nice quiet place for breakfast. 

 

Lunch in the Buffet. Again the food is very good. Have to fight for a table but the staff does all they can to help clear plates and tables as soon as someone is up. 

 

Dinner in Cagneys. We were supposed to be in port today and had an excursion planned so we made a late reservation. We were able to get in a little early. Food was good. Service even better. We ended up with our waitress from breakfast and each day, Racquel. She is so upbeat and provides great service. We love seeing her. We turned down dessert as we were way too full, Raquel insisted on calling our butler and having dessert sent to our room for dinner. 

 

Saw the Christmas show tonight. The production cast is very good, they put on a wonderful show. 

 

Seas have drastically calmed down since last evening. Hoping for weather warm enough to sit in the sun tomorrow. 

[pamrose228]

I’m on this cruise also. I am finding it quite boring obviously NCL didn’t prepare for the extra day at sea. The food is subpar and so is the service. Let’s hope it gets better, Right now we are somewhere in between The Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea.

 

oh I forgot the tv satellite was out until yesterday..

 

 

 

On 7/16/2021 at 9:36 PM, MadameCor said:

After thinking about it a bit more, I ended up reserving the Transatlantic cruise as well 🙂 

 

[angalyse]

Couple Martinis could fix all that

[Kristall]

Day 4- At Sea

 

 Sea got a bit more rough this evening. But weather gets better each hour. Around 10pm you got warmer air on Deck, than in the ship.

 

Because of the better weather, some even went into the half filled pools and the old "reserve a chair with a blanket" thing started.

 

Most people were in Christmas mood - saw good to strange clothes today.

 

Breakfast at the Irish - seems like they run out of hash browns. But everything else was good.

 

Lunch at the buffet then was chaotic. Food was several times empty, for me it seems they forget to plan the day. Paper instead of plastic glasses for water today.

 

Dinner at orchid garden. Well the guy was nice - but told us they close soon. Would definitely recommend the restaurant.

 

The shows are okay - but this guy gets boring. Every show the same jokes. 

Seems like they are not really prepared for so much sea days.

[cruiseat50]

On 12/24/2022 at 10:09 PM, ellewoods said:

 Just as a random note if it’s important to you. The Casino is pretty quiet on this ship compared to others. Table limits are high. I generally spend little to no time there so it doesn’t matter to me but I know some people care. 

If you have noticed what's the lowest blackjack table?  Also, minimum on roulette?  Here at the Hardrock in Tampa the minimum I saw was $25. 😒🤑

[ellewoods]

6 hours ago, cruiseat50 said:

If you have noticed what's the lowest blackjack table?  Also, minimum on roulette?  Here at the Hardrock in Tampa the minimum I saw was $25. 😒🤑

 Blackjack lowest limits when they first open in the AM is 15. Roulette are $2 per chip, 5 chip minimum I believe. 

 

I am used to Vegas Locals casinos where I can find $5 blackjack anytime of the day. I know I am not going to find that but have seen $10 tables on past cruises. 

[graphicguy]

Happy to hear you’re having a good time.  It’s been a while since I sailed her, but I really like the Gem.

 

Atlantic waters are always rougher than the Caribbean.  You have to be prepared for that.

 

Casino….table limits are usually lower during the day when it’s less crowded than they are at night when the casino is bustling.

[like2cruise33]

hi, glad you are finally sailing. I took the Xmas cruise last year .I have to admit that normally I would not take a winter cruise (will be on the Panama cruise in a few short weeks! ) but my PCC called and mentioned the NY to NY and my cruise withdrawal was high, so i booked. We stopped in Charleston SC - wore the same warm clothes I wore getting on in NY! Next stop Orlando - refused to wear winter clothes but it did warm up.

Nobody mentioned this - but last year the entire ship was decked out for Xmas, and in the lobby they had a beautify Xmas village. 

Of course the ship was empty, as was the TA in April/May on the GEM. And both had many crew in isolation. From what I heard only a few passengers were in isolation. 

I truly hope that the rest of the trip will be uneventful, warm calm seas, and great shore experiences.

I am glad to hear that the bars were open. In some cases the bars and casinos are closed while in NY waters.

[CruisinMaterial]

18 hours ago, ellewoods said:

 It has been at 5:00 pm in Maltings 

Ah they moved the location. I don't think that's going to work for the next voyage given the amount of solos! Hope they come to their senses and move it back to Spinnakers. Thanks for the info!

Edited December 26, 2022 by CruisinMaterial

[AwesomO]

Has anyone used the splash academy with their children? I'm curious what kind of activities they have available. I'm not keen on it, but I'm thinking we may need to bring our Nintendo with us (I know, I know. the controversy). But my kids are 5 and 9, and with the Gem having less entertainment amenities, and the potential for extra sea days (we have 4 already) since we're sailing out of NYC in February, just feel like I may need to come prepared. 

[Kristall]

Well what I see today, the first real warm day at sea:

 

- the understaffed crew, again. Cleaning on Deck 12 the pools. The stairs. Even or steward, does have no time..

- the washing service stopped, according to our steward the got a malfunction. So our washing bag stands..

- I hate those people who just put a towel on their chair and then leave...

 

 

Another report about the medical staff:

We were down on Deck 4 last evening, because my wife went even more sick.

After three hours (2500$) later she got the medication I asked for. 

That you need to go to their doctor and they don't sell or give away over the counter medication is hilarious. Good that our insurance pays for this.

About the staff - they got three nurses and two doctors down there, for staff and guests. In my opinion this is not enough. 

[ellewoods]

1 hour ago, like2cruise33 said:

hi, glad you are finally sailing. I took the Xmas cruise last year .I have to admit that normally I would not take a winter cruise (will be on the Panama cruise in a few short weeks! ) but my PCC called and mentioned the NY to NY and my cruise withdrawal was high, so i booked. We stopped in Charleston SC - wore the same warm clothes I wore getting on in NY! Next stop Orlando - refused to wear winter clothes but it did warm up.

Nobody mentioned this - but last year the entire ship was decked out for Xmas, and in the lobby they had a beautify Xmas village. 

Of course the ship was empty, as was the TA in April/May on the GEM. And both had many crew in isolation. From what I heard only a few passengers were in isolation. 

I truly hope that the rest of the trip will be uneventful, warm calm seas, and great shore experiences.

I am glad to hear that the bars were open. In some cases the bars and casinos are closed while in NY waters.

Yes, the cruise remains decked out for Christmas. All of what you describe is there. It is beautiful and very festive. 

[ellewoods]

44 minutes ago, CruisinMaterial said:

Ah they moved the location. I don't think that's going to work for the next voyage given the amount of solos! Hope they come to their senses and move it back to Spinnakers. Thanks for the info!

They may have moved in to a smaller location only for this cruise as a ton of families are cruising and likely the larger location is not needed 

[CruisinMaterial]

4 hours ago, Kristall said:

Well what I see today, the first real warm day at sea:

- the washing service stopped, according to our steward the got a malfunction. So our washing bag stands..

 

 

Another report about the medical staff:

We were down on Deck 4 last evening, because my wife went even more sick.

After three hours (2500$) later she got the medication I asked for. 

That you need to go to their doctor and they don't sell or give away over the counter medication is hilarious. Good that our insurance pays for this.

About the staff - they got three nurses and two doctors down there, for staff and guests. In my opinion this is not enough. 

Two things I find interesting here...

The laundry bags are not being picked up because of an issue with the washing machines? How is everything else getting washed? I know they have bigger industrial machines for most of the linens but they tag the personal clothing for a reason because they dump it all in together. Hope that gets fixed.

 

As for the ship's doctor situation, the smaller ships used to have one doctor who was on call 24/7 so having two is really a step up. 3 nurses total or three per shift? They're on at all hours to give 24/7 coverage to the facility, especially when someone is housed in there who needs it until they can be offloaded in whatever way necessary.

[Kristall]

About the washing bags I can only write what steward and info point tell me. It was the same with the toilet problems. Clogged pipe - needed to wait for around 6 hours.

We will talk with the steward later today, if he sees any option for our bag.. it's not even full, maybe half.. Clothes from our NYC visit and new shirts.

 

They have 3 nurses total. They also work in shift system.

Ellewoods mentioned an medical evacuation on day one or two, the one who looked after that patient was the same we had last night. Because we came in around shift change, we met every three (the first one - was the best, nice, you could understand her English and.. will she started singing when she worked on the PC).

They have something like a rotating shift system. So that two are on duty, one can sleep. But because they have several crew and guests in bed, they need to work overtime - crossing shift. They tried their best, but you could see - they were tired.

[snorklinbarb]

18 hours ago, pamrose228 said:

I’m on this cruise also. I am finding it quite boring obviously NCL didn’t prepare for the extra day at sea. The food is subpar and so is the service. Let’s hope it gets better, Right now we are somewhere in between The Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea.

 

oh I forgot the tv satellite was out until yesterday..

 

 

 

 

Since I'll be on B2B next month, the comments on subpar food and service are concerning.  Could you tell us a little bit more about that?  Any particular venues you would avoid or is this across the board?

 

For reference of comparison, it seems we were on the same 4/25/22 Escape TA together.  I thought the food and service were outstanding.  Should we considerably lower expectations on Gem?

 

I really like Gem and am looking forward to the refurb.  How did you find common areas and cabin?

Thanks.  Hope you enjoy the rest of the cruise.

[scaaty]

I think this thread shows how folks on the same cruise can have very differing opinions. That's why I take most reviews with a grain of salt. To me a cruise is what you make of it. Sure 'ship' happens, but you're on vacation, not cooking or cleaning. I like to just go with the flow.