Crusinmama Family Review of Gem to Bermuda 10/2-10/9 -The Suite Life with Dailies

[mitsugirly]

HAHAHA, here is the BEST part. It is located right between the Garden Cafe and the Outdoor Cafe so you can get food at ANY of the three buffets and then sit in the Kids Cafe and watch Nick Cartoons. :p lol

 

I posted these earlier, but for you, I will move them up again...

 

 

 

Thanks so much. I'm not sure how I missed those. Do you notice anything there? I only see adults. LOL

 

 

How much was it to go to the zoo? Love these pictures!!!!!!! :)

[onlysister]

I am glad I wasn't the only one to notice that. It doesn't even appear that they are there with a child. LOL.

 

Loving the review, Beautiful family.

[nikimouse]

HAHAHA, here is the BEST part. It is located right between the Garden Cafe and the Outdoor Cafe so you can get food at ANY of the three buffets and then sit in the Kids Cafe and watch Nick Cartoons. :p lol

 

I posted these earlier, but for you, I will move them up again...

 

 

 

 

 

I will happily go back to Bermuda on a Breakaway! I can't tell you how excited I am that NCL chose NYC for a brand new ship. THANK YOU NCL!!!!

 

 

why are there no kids in the kids cafe and just 4 kid less adults? lol

 

Love you review michelle and all the pictures! im sailing on the pearl, I hope it looks similar. I love pink so I like the decor onboard, its colourful, the suites are gorgeous!

 

did you go to the white hot party? id love more info and to see your pictures of that! and if you went in the bliss ultra lounge nightclub Id love to hear all about it. im really looking foward to the thallasatherapy pool on the pearl, does the Gem have that? those hot tubs looked pretty packed in your pics!

[russianmom]

Great review and AWESOME PICTURES!!!!!

 

I need another cruise asap:p

[crusinmama06]

wow--you went to BAMZ and back before lunch? that's amazing. i may need to revamp my plans for my own trip--i may be allowing WAY too much time for transportation. you know how hard it is to figure out how much you can do in a place you've never been? yeah--i'm having that problem. but your posts are really helping--so thanks!!!!!

 

Yep, we left right after breakfast, took a little over an hour to get there. Spent about 1.5 hours there. And then a VERY quick 20 minute ferry ride back (after a quick bus to Hamiliton bus terminal). THAT was the key. We should have done that on the way over. It would have saved me some headache.

 

Thanks so much. I'm not sure how I missed those. Do you notice anything there? I only see adults. LOL How much was it to go to the zoo? Love these pictures!!!!!!! :)

 

The kids were there, they were organizing the seats into a train off to the left...lol. But yes, adults DO sit in there when it is windy outside (as it was on this day). And there were only 51 kids onboard - so not many kids around on this cruise at all.

 

BAMZ is $10 for adults, $5 for kids :)

 

I am glad I wasn't the only one to notice that. It doesn't even appear that they are there with a child. LOL.

 

Loving the review, Beautiful family.

 

Thanks! Yep, the kids were there, just hiding ;)

 

did you go to the white hot party? id love more info and to see your pictures of that! and if you went in the bliss ultra lounge nightclub Id love to hear all about it. im really looking foward to the thallasatherapy pool on the pearl, does the Gem have that? those hot tubs looked pretty packed in your pics!

 

Yes, we did go to the White Hot Party but only for a few minutes. I will explain more later but the ship got really rocky that night and for basically the first time ever, my oldest started to feel a little sea sick so I had to go back to the cabin and hand out some bonine. I do have video of White Hot to come...

 

Yes, Gem does have a thallastherapy pool and MANY of the CC roll call people took full advantage of that. I didn't because of the kids. But I would have LOVED to! They all said it was WONDERFUL! I have the spa menu scanned. Give me a few minutes and I will get it posted.

[crusinmama06]

SPA MENU

 

[nikimouse]

thanks I cant wait to see more pics, keep em coming!:D

[crusinmama06]

DAY 5's Suite Snack - Cheese & Cracker Platter

 

 

And for tonight's entertainment - The Man From Mars - this is a DO NOT MISS show. It's a combination of comedy, acrobats, magic and he involves the audience (yes, he even got me into the act at one point, which my kids thought was hysterical)

 

The Kids Crew TAKE THE KIDS TO THE SHOW. I was a little worried that my youngest would be antsy, but the counselors assured me that they have never had any problems with the kids at this show and they were RIGHT. My kids were GLUED to the show (I sat nearby just in case).

 

This is a Cirque-style show and they are AMAZING. They fly out over the audience using only what looks like long sheets. One of my friends was joking to watch the curtains at home because my youngest may start trying to use them to fly around my living room.

 

If you see one show the entire cruise, THIS IS IT!

 

And I apologize for the POOR PICTURE QUALITY but no flash photography (or video) is allowed so I was dealing with very low light.

 

 

 

 

 

[crusinmama06]

DAY 6 DAILIES - Our Last Day in Bermuda

 

 

 

 

[crusinmama06]

{Sigh} Our Last Day In Paradise

 

I woke up to THIS View...

 

 

Our LAST day in Bermuda, so our plan was to stay in the Dockyard area. We went to the Clock Tower Mall. Stopped by the Pharmacy. Basically just browsed from store to store.

 

The kids LOVE palm trees so they wanted a picture with one (and talk soon turned to "Can a palm tree survive in PA?)

 

 

The traditional phone booth picture...

 

 

**Family Note** Outside Snorkel Park - there is a FREE playground for the kids to burn off some energy...

 

 

 

[crusinmama06]

SNORKEL PARK BEACH

 

In the interest of good reviews...lol...I paid the $5 (KIDS UNDER 12 are FREE) to get into Snorkel Park Beach just so I could look around and take some pictures for my good friends back here on CC. I had heard all about it on my last cruise but didn't have time to stop in. This time, I just had to see for myself.

 

My opinion, unless you have GREAT WEATHER and you have an extra day to kill, it really isn't one of the best Bermuda has to offer. Its obviously man-made for the cruise ship guests. It isn't protected from the wind/elements and it was VERY windy there. I can't imagine choosing to do this beach over any of the actual natual Bermuda Beaches - but that's just my 2 cents with $5 thrown in.

 

Here are the pics...

 

You enter HERE...

 

 

Under this Banner...

 

 

The prices...

 

 

The beach...

 

 

Bar Area...

 

[crusinmama06]

MORE FROM SNORKEL PARK

 

 

 

 

 

 

One worker here told my husband that they have the Snorkel Park Taxi - it's a wheel barrel that they load up 18 year old drinkers into and wheel them back to the cruise ship and drop them off after a night of drinking.

[mitsugirly]

 

 

 

The kids were there, they were organizing the seats into a train off to the left...lol. But yes, adults DO sit in there when it is windy outside (as it was on this day). And there were only 51 kids onboard - so not many kids around on this cruise at all.

 

BAMZ is $10 for adults, $5 for kids :)

 

And for tonight's entertainment - The Man From Mars - this is a DO NOT MISS show. It's a combination of comedy, acrobats, magic and he involves the audience (yes, he even got me into the act at one point, which my kids thought was hysterical)

 

 

 

Thanks for the info and I love the comedy, acrobats, magic shows. It seems like they must have one of these on every ship and I'm loving it. :D

[Mooder]

Thank you so much for this review. I am really enjoying the pictures! Would you mind saying what you paid to upgrade? I am booked in a B1 and that is an upgrade I would love to receive!! :D

[crusinmama06]

Thank you so much for this review. I am really enjoying the pictures! Would you mind saying what you paid to upgrade? I am booked in a B1 and that is an upgrade I would love to receive!! :D

 

I don't mind saying, it's not like I keep many secrets around here. ;):D

 

I got a call on the Monday before we left. It was $400 for the upsell. But there were 4 of us in the cabin and I was sailing on the "Kids Sail Free" Promotion.

 

Someone else got the call on our roll call, they were in another balcony category, there were 2 of them. They ended up being moved to the Penthouse just 2 doors down from us, they paid $350 for the upsell.

 

And for the Courtyard Access upsell (which I obviously said no to), I was looking at $900. My kids were seriously questioning me on this one all week long. Everytime the weather was a little shaky, they said "Well, we COULD have been in the courtyard swimming right now - $900 was a BARGAIN" So I said "Sure, which one of you wanted to take that money out of YOUR savings accounts?" and my oldest pointed at the youngest :p

[Mooder]

I don't mind saying, it's not like I keep many secrets around here. ;):D

 

I got a call on the Monday before we left. It was $400 for the upsell. But there were 4 of us in the cabin and I was sailing on the "Kids Sail Free" Promotion.

 

Someone else got the call on our roll call, they were in another balcony category, there were 2 of them. They ended up being moved to the Penthouse just 2 doors down from us, they paid $350 for the upsell.

 

And for the Courtyard Access upsell (which I obviously said no to), I was looking at $900. My kids were seriously questioning me on this one all week long. Everytime the weather was a little shaky, they said "Well, we COULD have been in the courtyard swimming right now - $900 was a BARGAIN" So I said "Sure, which one of you wanted to take that money out of YOUR savings accounts?" and my oldest pointed at the youngest :p

 

Thank you so much. How did you know I was wondering about the courtyard as well? ;) I have a month to go, but can't help but notice that there are LOTS of cabins still left on our cruise so I am thinking an upsell is possible. It will be a tough decision because we love the B1 and have sailed in them the lat 4 cruises. But I'd love to get a look at that courtyard.

[gaylemh]

DAY 5's Suite Snack - Cheese & Cracker Platter

 

 

Just curious- is that all they gave you as a suite snack for all 4 of you? :confused:

 

Love the review and seeing all the pictures. I will be on the Gem Easter week with my family.

[crusinmama06]

Thank you so much. How did you know I was wondering about the courtyard as well? ;) I have a month to go, but can't help but notice that there are LOTS of cabins still left on our cruise so I am thinking an upsell is possible. It will be a tough decision because we love the B1 and have sailed in them the lat 4 cruises. But I'd love to get a look at that courtyard.

 

Yes, everyone dreams of the courtyard.

 

ACTUALLY, I want to add...the suite guests ARE invited to the Captain's VIP Reception in the Courtyard/Haven (whatever you want to call it today). That event is held Monday, October 3 from 6:45 - 7:30 p.m.

 

We missed this because of our dinner reservations. :(

 

Just curious- is that all they gave you as a suite snack for all 4 of you? :confused: Love the review and seeing all the pictures. I will be on the Gem Easter week with my family.

 

Yep, that's it. I guess we needed to "Call Roy" as others have pointed out because they received "Subs, popcorn, Pitchers of Iced Tea" - like I said, he came to our cabin on the first night, intriducted himself as "Roy" and that was that. I did see him on the phone once walking on another deck. But generally other crew members dropped off the "afternoon snack" and there you have it.

 

Good thing we developed an addiction to the Blue Lagoon and had the ability to get there ourselves. :D I am sure the butler would have brought the wings to us - but it was just as easy when the kids were hungry to go get it ourselves.

[crusinmama06]

Behind the Pastry Shop in Bermuda, my husband sees a sign with a CRUISE CRITIC logo - it's called "Internationally Connected" and it says on the sign that they have better rates than the ships. I stayed disconnected for this cruise (it was PAINFUL, but I did it). So if anyone is looking to stay connected, you might want to look behind the Pastry Shop.

 

 

 

Now, this is one heavy anchor.

 

 

Last pic before heading back to the ship...

 

[crusinmama06]

What's that I hear? Oh yeah, that's right...It's the Blue Lagoon calling our names...

 

Tomato Soup....

 

 

More Chicken Wings...

 

 

Tuna Melt...

 

 

One happy child...

 

[yoyocruiser]

Agree with you on Snorkel Park. However, it is convenient, so we also ended up there and actually had a nice time! And we loved Blue Lagoon--LOL!!

[crusinmama06]

Back on the ship, we wanted to spend a little time in the hot tubs, but they are closed today on the "Main Pool" side

 

 

 

Which leads to a CRUSH - at one point I counted (I am not kidding) 11 adults and 7 CHILDREN in one hot tub next to the Adult pool. It was not pretty.

 

[crusinmama06]

Agree with you on Snorkel Park. However, it is convenient, so we also ended up there and actually had a nice time! And we loved Blue Lagoon--LOL!!

 

Yes, you are absolutely correct. I could see this be VERY appealing to anyone who wants to remain close to the ship. And if the weather had been better, I could see that it would have been very nice there. :D

[crusinmama06]

WALK OF SHAME (with video)!

 

The "ALL ABOARD" was scheduled for 4:30pm "Bermuda Time"

 

**NOTE** Bermuda Time is one hour ahead of EST - so we all had to move our clocks ahead the day before.

 

So the entire family heads back to the cabin to watch what we have now dubbed, the "Walk of Shame".

 

At 4:35, there were some stragglers. Then NCL accounced the name of a couple "If you are onboard, please call"...

 

I see the gangway is still out. So that means that we have some no shows. We wait...and wait...and wait

 

A little after 5pm, we see the ferry pull in and 2 crew members jump into a little car and ZOOM over to the ferry dock - they hurry the two passengers into the car and then zip right back over the ship and then those two passengers have to now take their Walk Of Shame to the jeers and cheers of the entire waiting Gem...

 

VIDEO HERE...Click on Picture to begin

 

[crusinmama06]

Day 6 is CHOCAHOLIC BUFFET NIGHT

Wow, this review really is focusing so much on FOOD...lol. So the snack for the afternoon, since it was chocolate night, we got two...

 

 

 

The CHOCAHOLIC & DINNER BUFFET was held in the Garden Cafe and of course, chocolate as far as the eye can see. We decided to go check it out and then quickly decided to just have dinner at the buffet that night. Yeah, real tough choice.