Cruisers & Losers: NCL Gem Review Part 1

Pre Cruise Hotel

After a great deal of positive feed back from my Breakaway review, I felt it was my duty as a member of this illustrious community of world travelers and salty seamen, to continue the chronicling of my experiences upon the high seas. This time, my wife and I decided to leave the children be and venture forth into a world tossed frivolously aside in the heat of ignorant youth; the blissful realm of the unencumbered, childless couple. For this excursion into the mist of the past, we chose in light of the previous debacle aboard the Breakaway, to book passage aboard the Norwegian Gem from May 13th until the 20th of that same month.

We decided to splurge a bit and flee our lives a day early, dropping the children off with the in-laws and getting a hotel in New Jersey just across the water from the big apple via the George Washington bridge. And, to follow in the exemplary foot steps of our first commander and chief, I can not tell a lie; It is far less glamorous on the other side of the Hudson. We arrived at the Hilton Garden Inn at Ridgefield Park. We went to the desk to check in and book a time for the limo service to usher us to the port in the morning. The young woman working the desk seemed surprised that we were asking about the onsite parking and cruise port transit. With very flat affect she handed a paper to fill out to cement a departure time. We wished to arrive at the port at 11am, but the form was unclear on whether the time section meant the time of departure from the hotel or the time we wished to arrive at the ship. When we asked for clarification, she simply said "Oh yeah, just write 10".

Exhausted from a brutal drive along congested highways that stretched the time of arrival from three to four and finally five hours, as the discount android Siri continuously informed us that we were on the fastest route despite mounting 20+ minute delays. So, we signed and took our bags to the room for a brief siesta in a soft bed in a quiet room. Well the bed was soft enough.

It was approximately 6:08 Casio time when I first heard the sound of something slamming loudly against the wall opposite our bed. At first I thought someone had closed a draw forcefully or leaned too hard against the bed post on the other side of the wall. Then I heard it again, and again, and again louder and louder, with rising momentum. If there had been any doubt at that time about the cause of the disturbance it was abated with the sporadic burst of obscene sounds and language coming from the couple next door. Thoroughly offended and brought to awkward stunned discomfort, we decided about twenty minutes in that we would seek a dinner option and leave the room promptly.

Looking at the possibilities we settled on White Castle. I had heard tales told of the small steamed burger offerings of NJ, but had yet to indulge. We arrived at the fast food chain unknown in our native land of New England. I was very hungry after the ride in and look immediately for an order to fit the bill of an LSA man such as myself (Large Sized American). I ordered the number 9 which was 20 burgers with two fries and two onion rings. We sat down in the nearly empty restaurant dividing the food at our usual 2 to 1 ratio. Let me say if you are not a native of NJ White Castle is a mixed blessing. I found the burgers delicious...maybe a little too delicious, even as I type these words my mouth waters. I can hear the NJ siren calling me back to the castle walls...

After finishing the meal and ordering some more to go. We headed back, certain that the two next door occupants had spent their energy and would thus allow us a good night sleep, that we might awaken refreshed for our day of embarkation. The next morning, we woke early and went downstairs to await our limo. The driver arrived taking the bags from us and threw them in the trunk of a large sedan ushering us in quickly, then pulling away from the curb with a sharp jerk toward the seaport and the official start of our vacation.

I remember your last review and it had me in stitches. This one looks to be just as good. I don't particularly like White Castle burgers here in New Jersey. To me they taste "mediciny".

This will be interesting! Following.

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You had me at salty seamen.

Your writing style is quite amusing; however I do hope you are posting in jest about

White Castle...it is far inferior to say many other hamburger venues.

Looking at the possibilities we settled on White Castle. I had heard tales told of the small steamed burger offerings of NJ, but had yet to indulge. We arrived at the fast food chain unknown in our native land of New England. I was very hungry after the ride in and look immediately for an order to fit the bill of an LSA man such as myself (Large Sized American). I ordered the number 9 which was 20 burgers with two fries and two onion rings. We sat down in the nearly empty restaurant dividing the food at our usual 2 to 1 ratio. Let me say if you are not a native of NJ White Castle is a mixed blessing. I found the burgers delicious...maybe a little too delicious, even as I type these words my mouth waters. I can hear the NJ siren calling me back to the castle walls...

 

After finishing the meal and ordering some more to go.

Your writing style is quite amusing; however I do hope you are posting in jest about

White Castle...it is far inferior to say many other hamburger venues.

You certainly know how to sell Jersey. Following.

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Well the bed was soft enough.

 

Then I heard it again, and again, and again louder and louder, with rising momentum.

 

Thoroughly offended and brought to awkward stunned discomfort, we decided about twenty minutes in that we would seek a dinner option and leave the room promptly.

You had me at salty seamen.

Too soft, 20 minutes, and salty seaman.:eek: The word selections are so wrong but yet soooo right. :')

Very interesting start. I would have ran out of the room after 1 min of that noise!

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Ahhhhhh.....you had me at White Castle!! As a metro-Detroiter who was raised on 6 of those sliders every Sunday, I will say they are the best burgers!!

I love White Castles and even their chicken sandwiches are great. Quite a few grocery stores and club stores sell them.

Salty seamen!

Following.

Thanks for part 1.

Great start! Love a good salty seaman tale!

Wanted to read your review of the Gem because we were on the Gem the week after you and wanted to read your take on the cruise. HOWEVER, you really got my attention with your short review of White Castle!! I love White Castle! Grew up hanging out at the Castle in the Bronx two or three time a week all through HS and college. The burgers, aka "belly bombers" and the onion rings are the best! We do have one out here on Long Island but sadly, now that I am more mature, White Castle is a once a year experience because it takes my gastro and waistline that long to recover!

OP, please come back.

Cruisers & Losers: NCL Gem Part 2

Day 1 pt 1: Embarkation

The first day had officially began. Still a bit tired from the trip in, and the questionable accommodations of the hotel, we met our driver. He was an older gentleman of slight build, but insisted on taking our bags and opening the door for us. For this I was relieved, as I didn't feel like doing such things myself as I was on vacation. After several minutes of struggling with the cases, he entered the drivers seat and pulled away from the curb, our destination the sea port. I think that it is important to note that I am a man of Rhode Island, and in the ocean state we take pride in our cautious approach to the road; obeying laws and being considerate of our fellow drivers. I don't fault the gentleman driving, but I will say that the line between New York and "Little Rhody" in terms of vehicular operations is stark indeed.

The man weaved in and out of traffic as my stomach leaped about wildly to and fro. He darted along the lower part of the GW bridge, and then with whipping force, down the Hudson toward our destiny. My wife gripped my wrist as we narrowly avoided cars, trucks and mini vans. The ride itself couldn't have been more than ten minutes, when by all rights it was suited for twenty. At last we reached the port. We exited the sedan, pulses racing. The driver struggled to get our bags, this time I did assist. I gave an abnormally generous tip of precisely one fat Lincoln and thanked god that we had survived.

The sky was grim as we walked into the port. A line was formed and ran to the door. This is a common occurrence as you my dear fellow travelers know. However, the embarkation process was slow... painfully slow. Perhaps it was a staffing issue, perhaps it was the ill preparedness of the uninitiated sea fairer. I know not, in any event we stood in line for hours as the herd grind'd unsteadily forward. I grew weak with hunger and fought to unzip my carry on for the blessed relief of a packaged snack. My ankles ached under the harsh burden of stagnation and the growing ireful chatter of my cruising contemporaries. At long last it was our turn.

The woman serving us, it would seem, was fed up with the last party she was with, leaving us to take the critical fall out. She gave us a once over and said "Documentation please." Seasoned as we were, it was already in hand. The young woman looked over the papers and our state issued id's, as she struck hatefully at the keyboard before her. We then had our pictures taken for general ship purposes such as shore excursions, and the well exercised yet shrewd use of the glorious drink package. During this interaction I noted several huffs and one full blown eye roll. At last, we were ushered through to have our cruise photo's taken before moving directly onto the ship, as our group number was called long before us. A bit tired, but hopeful we made our way up the ramp to the ship for a much anticipated first day aboard the Norwegian Gem... as the rain began to fall with a steady fierce momentum...

Fineaswine - did you use their park & cruise package? What time did you leave for the terminal?

Indeed ragincajun76 we did make use of the park and cruise. We left for the peer at 10 and arrived about 15 minutes later. I would say that over all it was a good investment. Although we were a bit on edge from the ride itself, there was no anxiety about making the boat on time.

Cruisers & Losers: NCL Gem Part 3

Day 1 Pt 2: First Day Impressions

Finally aboard the Gem, we made our way to lunch post haste. The wait had taken more resources than a large bag of fun sized bagged snacks could ever hope to replenish. As shrewd travelers, we had long since made our plan of first day attack, our place of dinning as per my insistence was paramount in those considerations. Knowing that the lure of the buffet would work its sirens call on the uninitiated and child weighted families aboard, we decided that our destination would therefore be the Grand Pacific dining room. As predicted it was barren upon arrival and we were quickly seated near the rear window to look upon the dreary weather we would soon leave far to the aft.

Our waitress took our orders promptly and soon we were joined by more and more fellow cruisers. A family of four was seated next to us; a pair of sisters and their daughters. They asked us where we were from and if we had cruised before, the usual small talk as we waited for our meals. Once our appetizers had arrived and we began to eat however, one of the women at the adjacent table called for the waiter. She asked if there were animal product based ingredients used in her appetizer. There were as she had ordered the tartare. The woman then said boldly, unapologetically and righteously that she was a vegan and if she could speak to someone about the dining room menu. With that, the waiter said that he would return and did so with a man clothed in the navy blue finery of a supervisory position. The supervisor assured the woman that a fitting substitute could be found, even going so far as to offer her his extension should she have need of any accommodations not within the standard menu as provided. Satisfied, the woman thanked both the waiter and his supervisor, before deciding to just take some of the chicken nachos from her red faced daughters plate...chicken nachos...

The welcome aboard show wouldn't be for a few hours and by the time we had finished our lunch, the cabins were ready. We had chosen to get a suite near the elevators for ease of access. The room was cramped, we had never sailed without a porthole window, the absence of which was a bit disorienting. I made sure to keep my Casio close at hand so as not to lose track of the daylight. We took a short nap until the sound of our cruise director, a man named Mark came over the speakers telling us that we would need to participate in the mandatory life boat drill. At this point in my cruising career, I must say I find the process a bit unnecessary. I am well aware of when the time has come to spring into action in an emergency. Not to sound elitist, but after two long years of die hard loyalty to NCL, I have achieved silver latitude status and am well on my way to gold. Leave such trivialities to the bronze. With a sigh upon the buzzing of the international distress alarm, we made our way to assembly station G2 AKA Magenta. Crew members seemed to have difficulty gaining the rooms attention as it took fifteen minutes of repeated sweeps by staff to get passengers to shut off their cellular devices. Once all was in order, I watched the demonstration put on by the highly energetic ship staff, eager to dispense concise information should the unthinkable and unlikely occur.

The ship had pulled out of port with a rocky start, the skies dark and weeping. It would be a while before the welcome aboard show set the stage for the weeks entertainment. A storm was brewing on the horizon and the Gem sailed defiantly forward, day ones itinerary still well intact.

You're slacking Fineaswine!

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Is that it? :(

Is that it? :(

Hope he's OK!