auntierobin

I hope that this is only temporary, we love the navigation channel, it's about the only thing we ever have on in our cabin. When we are in the cabin it is always playing. Say it ain't so NCL!!!

A possible inexpensive solution to check into is to book all 6 into the suite, if it holds 6, and then book an inside across the hall for the extra sleeping and bathing. This way everyone has paid for the suite perks, but you also get the room you need.

Haven't done it myself, but I think I read that someone had.

I have done it, and I think that Cheryl has done it. It has to be an adjoining cabin, get a reservations supervisor on the phone and explain that you would like to make the adjoining mini-suite a 3rd bedroom for your cabin. What I do is then book it under my name since the suite is under my name also, and as stated book all 6 in the suite. Did this last year on the Gem.

We certainly are going to have a good view of the transit!!

Being from Chicago too, I feel your pain. We fly out several times during the winter and always worry about whether we will get out, a couple of times we have been on the last plane out of O'Hare. But I digress the point of my post is that it's just not winter you have to worry about.

Last summer we were sailing the Gem out of NYC with our niece (a graduation present for her) and had a 9:00 am flight the morning before the cruise. Well, we sat at O'hare until about 11ish because of thunderstorms, finally took off and make it to NY airspace and begin to circle and circle and circle (the wind was too strong to land) - then we are told that we are going to Pittsburgh because we are low on fuel (something you love to hear thousands of feet in the air!). We get there get fuel and sit in Pittsburgh for 3 hours waiting for clearance along with about 4 other diverted planes, about 6 we are given clearance to take off again for for LGA, we get there and we start circling again. At this point we are worried that we will even make the cruise. At last! about 8 we landed and got to our hotel (downtown) about 9:30.

The moral of this story is fly in a day or two early no matter what time of year! If you live in Chicago - make it at least 2 or 3!

We booked our September 2014 Panama Canal Cruise in December 2012, since then our cabin has gone up $2200 per person, am I happy? Heck yeah! Am I going to call and offer to pay the difference - No! Bottomline I was happy with the price that we booked at (EBF fare) and unless there was a big difference in the new price I would not bother.

That's awesome, thanks a lot guys!!

It looks like several of the filet pictures are from LeBistro, I recognize the blue cheese stacked potatoes with the filet which is their specialty. Which by the way is one of my favorite meals, being from Chicago we know a decent steak when we have one. I am trying to find my pictures to add to the mix. Great thread to start Islanders!

Great review! Makes me miss the Jewel.

You're lucky IMHO Ruth is the best!

It was available on the Star in September as well. I expect it to be on the Gem next week.

I wonder why they took it off just the Jewel then? We have a 28 day cruise coming up on her this year, and that might make me switch.

I am heartbroken that NCL discontinued their ship's info channel, we were just on the Gem in June and it was there as it has been on the Jewel, Pearl, Star, and Sun in the past. As a matter of fact that is the channel we usually have on in our cabin.

It's shame that they discontinued it, it's good to know though, now we will bring some DVDs.

I think I have an extra one at home, I will check when we get back this weekend. If I have a extra I will be more than happy to send it to you.

We were on the Gem in a 2bdrm suite a couple of months ago and our cards were purple (we are platinum) as they were on the Jewel in a penthouse. Last year on the Jewel in a penthouse our cards were metallic, so you just can't tell. One time we sailed in a mini-suite and those cards were purple also. There is another big thread currently going about card colors and the info there is that Haven gets metallic, others it's random.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1952235

Just checked the qpsmarine site and of the ships shown, the most expensive was at $135 millions and it is in Greece. Wonder what happened to the Sky listing?

First, let me tell you that at that time of year there are not likely to be very many manatees around, they usually head to warmer waters for the winter.

Let me backtrack a little here. We usually go to Florida in the winter for a couple of weeks and have been trying to do the kayaking with the Manatees. We have never gone because of the fact that the manatees are elsewhere in the winter. They usually start heading back in March-April. We finally got to see them last June on our NCL cruise on the Gem.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I didn't want you to be disappointed.

The good news is that it is easy to get to Cocoa Beach, there are shuttles running from the pier.

And why would they take the Gem all the way from NYC to San Francisco? Seems silly wasting half of the 13 days she is scheduled off traveling from NYC to San Francisco and back.:confused:

Inquiring minds want to know.

Schedules will be out next month. I would assume the same ships to Alaska, but could very well be wrong.

This might not be what you are looking for, but before all the shows either the CD or someone else comes on stage to make announcements/introduce the show. You could have a banner or sign made up for them (banner would take two people, but would be easy to smuggle aboard in your luggage) to hold up on stage (make sure you are sitting in the front row)asking your girlfriend to marry you (be sure and include her name on the banner/sign)and when they do get down on one knee with the ring. You would have the added bonus of the possibility that they might record it since they record most entertainment to be shown on the stateroom tv's later. Jenny the HD is terrific and would most certainly help with this.

Wonderful pictures!

Great review! A Med cruise was low on my priority list, but just moved up some notches.

Can't decide between 3 - Dan the Man, Sinan, and Simon Murray.

Have had a couple of them more than once, and still can't make up my mind - those are the three best IMHO.

We have had one stinker who when we had her on another ship was upgraded to OK. And one whose name I don't even remember - what does that say?

Was that Simon Murray? If so he is the Entertainment Director, he's in charge of all the shows, and music on the cruise. Dan is in charge of the passengers activities. This split responsibility design started with the Epic, with all the different shows and music venues, it would have been too much if you included the different passenger events (bingo, white hot party, things of that sort) in the job description of CD. Hence the position of Entertainment Director was created.

Dan is from the Jewel, we have sailed twice with him, and I cannot say enough good things about him. He is very good in our opinion, you are always aware of his presence, but not in an annoying way (like constantly on the PA system, like some others are), Dan has an energy that is more chillaxed than frantic, but don't mistake that for anything other than what it is - a CD that absolutely knows what he is doing.

He's very personable and takes the time to talk to everyone.

It's a shame they took all the really good people from the Jewel, Hugo, Ruth, Dan, just to name a few. We're on her for 28 days next September and we will mostly certainly miss them.

Not sure much was accomplished by calling ahead.

 

1. Don't understand the advantage of knowing the concierge's name before you arrive.

 

2. Feather pillows banned? I guess that is good if you have allergys.

 

3. Stopping at one of the numerous bars to grab a beer is too much trouble?

 

4. Refrigerator emptied? That is really an issue? Fridges are so small not much fits in them anyway.

 

 

Promises on the phone are easy to make. Having those promises fulfilled is a different story.

We have always had our requests fulfilled, of course they aren't ridiculous requests, in fact they pretty much align with Nalagh's.

1. In our travels we have had wonderful concierges and ok concierges, knowing that we will have one of our favorites adds to the excitement of the anticipation of the cruise.

2. I need extra feather pillows and my husband need hypoallergenic.

3. We enjoy sitting on our balcony for sailaway, and having my wine and DH

beer already there makes it much more relaxing than fighting the crowds for drinks to have to then take back to our suite.

4. You can fit way more that you think in those fridges.

I had Darius too, very nice man, and we got everything we asked for.

Bottomline - it's a great program and I hope that it continues.

Great review and pictures, we have been to Alaska 3 times and while it's only been a year since the last trip your review makes me miss it badly enough that I have just booked a cruise to Alaska for next year. Your descriptions of your excursions have inspired us to try them. Great job!!