Gem review - very good and really bad!

[danceman]

Danceman:

20. This is the first ship I've seen have reduced tipping rates for kids...half price....therefore it was the first time I've left the kids tips on our account as i usually have them taken off. Shame on you for taking off the tips, just to save money. For someone who has been on hundreds of cruises, you should realize just how important this money is to the people who work so hard for it. Some huge % gets sent back to keep their kids fed, too. Also, ALL NCL ships follow the same tipping / service charge structure....it's not ship-by-ship.

so are you saying that ncl's reduced rate tipping for children is wrong? ....surely you arnt criticising them?

 

6. Multilanguage announcements! All the time and usually in 3 or 4 languages....it was the Costa ships all over again! No, it was Europe.

Not all ships sailing from European countries have multilanguage announcements.

 

8. No free Sauna ...you had to pay to go into the spa to use a sauna. There's a free sauna in the gym change-room. Across from the free steam room.

There was no sauna in there....only a steam room ....which was out of order!

 

....the bit about hairy spaniards rubbing shoulders with me in the pool....well, might be ok if you are a woman but im a man....and i aint going bragging to my mates and making conversation topics about it with them!!! Good job. The only thing missing from the earlier post was something homophobic. Now you've covered that too.

Sorry, im not homophobic....my dog is gay!...and i use hair wax on my hair!

Each time i worked on Crystal Symphony, my contract was for 9 months sailing back to back cruises....i also did the same on Norwegian Dream for two contracts so i just rounded it all up to over 100 cruises...i cant really say the exact number......but id say i have more experience than you!...and i write about both the good and bad.

 

As for the rest of your post, i cant even be bothered to answer it....just get over yourself and lose that chip off your shoulder!

[kernow]

First of all let me say that I've never been on NCL so I can't comment on the ships at all. I happened upon this thread because I often check out all the boards to see what people think as we're always open to try something new.

When I saw this thread I just had to read it as a couple of years ago we had the pleasure of being tablemates with Danceman and his family on Splendour of the Seas and I do think some people on here are being a bit hard on him.

 

I read the review with no preconceived ideas and thought it sounded fair. There were plenty of positives as well as negatives. Having met Danceman I know that he has a wicked sense of humour and alot of the comments that people have taken offense at were meant tongue in cheek.

 

We'd love to cruise with Danceman and his family again sometime, doesn't sound like it will be on NCL though :D :D :D :D :D :D

 

Julie

[sjbdtz]

First of all let me say that I've never been on NCL so I can't comment on the ships at all. I happened upon this thread because I often check out all the boards to see what people think as we're always open to try something new.

When I saw this thread I just had to read it as a couple of years ago we had the pleasure of being tablemates with Danceman and his family on Splendour of the Seas and I do think some people on here are being a bit hard on him.

 

I read the review with no preconceived ideas and thought it sounded fair. There were plenty of positives as well as negatives. Having met Danceman I know that he has a wicked sense of humour and alot of the comments that people have taken offense at were meant tongue in cheek.

 

We'd love to cruise with Danceman and his family again sometime, doesn't sound like it will be on NCL though :D :D :D

 

Julie

 

 

He may well be funny, but to me he's a guy who:

 

- judges by race (poor Spaniards)

 

- stiffs the crew the tips for his kids, because $50-$60 / day is "too much"

 

- puts towels on chairs & goes on excursion, then complains about chair-hogs;

 

- can't abide the idea that not everyone speaks english

 

- is afraid of his "mates" finding out he brushed up against another man in a swimming pool. (and a hairy one, at that!)

 

- complains that there's too much "touting"

 

- complains that people on the cruise are too low-budget (another word for low-class?) :rolleyes:

 

- complains about all the things on the cruise which are too expensive

 

- brings 3 kids & complains at the number of kids on the cruise

 

 

 

Doesn't sound like a great sense of humour. Sounds like a whiner.

[Jackielan]

I`ve never read such childish rubbish in all my life as in this thread - for goodness sake, cruise more and roam the boards less.

 

If I were a first time cruiser prowling the boards for info on my future holiday, I would more than likely run the the travel agency and cancel my trip out of fear of meeting some of you guys in a dark corner of the ship.

[newmexicoNita]

I`ve never read such childish rubbish in all my life as in this thread - for goodness sake, cruise more and roam the boards less.

 

If I were a first time cruiser prowling the boards for info on my future holiday, I would more than likely run the the travel agency and cancel my trip out of fear of meeting some of you guys in a dark corner of the ship.

You obviously have no idea about these boards or how and why they work?

 

 

Nita

[*Wink*]

I`ve never read such childish rubbish in all my life as in this thread - for goodness sake, cruise more and roam the boards less.

 

If I were a first time cruiser prowling the boards for info on my future holiday, I would more than likely run the the travel agency and cancel my trip out of fear of meeting some of you guys in a dark corner of the ship.

I bet there's many times cruisers opt to not join a roll call because of what they read on these boards. ;)

[Fabian52]

Was this cruise a two week from Barcelona to Barcelona with stops in rome, Greece, Turkery, Egypt and Malta? We are looking at this cruise for perhaps Nov. 2009. If you travel during the summer there is always going to be alot of children. That's why we are picking Nov. or Dec. when school is in.

NCL is not top of the line but we always enjoy our cruises when we take NCL. We are going on the NCL SUN in December to South America. Hopefully we are not going when school is out but if it is then get a balcony, keep to yourselves, eat in your cabin, take your own tours and sleep alot. Ha...just kidding.

As far as Carnival goes we did a 1 week in April of this year and it was the best food we ever had. It was the friendliest crew we ever had so there is alot to be said about alot of the mass cruise lines.

Happy cruising:)

[SailAways]

Wow!

 

I found the review OK. It seems to be a completely honest opinion according to the OP. I do sense a bit of humor, albeit a little tasteless at times.

 

It is difficult to imagine being able to find so many things to complain about though.

 

Seems it would be so much better to remember the events which made for a wonderful holiday with family.