Gem review - February 8-17

[kjbacon]

This was a terrific vacation with a great job done by the crew of The Gem. The end was not so great with weather issues but this review is to concentrate on the good stuff.

 

We drove to Manhattan and used Park Right for our car. Highly recommend this for the convenience and the savings. Plus, no snow mountains to deal with like they had on the pier!

 

Embarkation was a breeze. We had priority boarding and the lounge for waiting was large and comfortable. There was a table filled with nice snacks and beverages. We met our concierge, Pearl, who is a tiny little dynamo who we just loved. Best concierge that we have ever had and one of the nicest people you will be lucky enough to meet.

 

The crew was exceptional. Warm and friendly, hard working and professional. The ship is immaculate, a little tiny bit worn here and there, but clean as can be and very comfortable. Our cabin was island bright and perfectly cared for .... a shout out to Danilo for being so friendly while taking such great care of everything.

 

Breakfast and lunch at Cagney's throughout the week was always a treat. We thought that the quality may have slipped just a bit from last time but that means it went from excellent to very, very good. Selection also seemed to be cut back just a little. Service was the best we have ever had with a shout out to Karel, our hostess and Joseph, our server.

 

Food overall was extremely good. We are foodies so we ate everywhere at least once and found both MDR's to be better than we remembered. Portions are smaller which is a plus, less waste and the chance to try more things. Our fave meals were Moderno and Le Bistro. If you enjoy lamb chops, you will never have better than Moderno. The salad bar (more like an appetizer bar) was one of the food highlights for me with so many good things to sample. The open air atmosphere detracts we think and the rumored moved to upstairs adjacent to Cagney's will be an improvement. Atmosphere at Le Bistro is lovely, hold the slight smell of smoke from the cigar bar next door. The duck, filet mignon, and scallops were perfectly delicious.

 

The buffet is large with bountiful selection. The most impressive part though is how clean it is kept. The aft outside seating was our favorite and the perfect spot for afternoon cookies and other tasty snacks. The lovely hostess (can't think of her name) who stood at the door (seemingly 24 hours a day) singing Washy Washy Happy Happy, keeping everyone disinfected, may have been the most well known person on the ship. What a personality, wow!

 

As just mentioned, the smell of smoke from the cigar bar was unpleasant throughout Magnum's and the entrance to Le Bistro. It was just down the corridor from the casino which is extremely unpleasant in terms of the smell of smoke. What was disturbing was that very few gamblers were smoking but many people were gathered at the side by the windows smoking thus turning the casino into a smoking lounge. This could use improvement.

 

One of our favorite parts of the day was the Mandara Spa which we joined on day one and we felt worth every penny. We loved the heated jet pool (can't think of the name) and the loungers. Beautiful area to retreat to and relax. We also enjoyed the gym, another beautiful area and with plenty of modern equipment. The track outside of Cagney's is really a nice spot to get in a morning work out (for a good excuse to eat a couple of extra desserts).

 

Our ports and excursions for the most part were great. We loved St. Thomas and if you can, take the excursion to Cas Cay for kayak, snorkeling, and hiking. This may well be the very best excursion that we have ever done. We also very much enjoyed San Juan but would have strongly preferred an earlier day. The excursion to El Yunque Rainforest was a good one but rushed because of the late hour. We were surprised at how much we enjoyed Samana since there is some bad press out there. The island is so visibly lush that it almost looks fake! We did the Rainforest Hike to Cascades and would happily recommend it to anyone. Climbing the hill is physically demanding but if you are up to that, do this excursion. We did not care for St. Martin or the SeaExplorer excursion that we took.

 

Shows and activities were okay to good but not the best part of the experience.

 

Disembarkation was a breeze for us. We did the priority walk off and thought it was very efficient and convenient.

[jms68]

Great review, thank you. We will be on the Gem on March 17 and can't wait to get away from the snow!!

 

One question about the spa...was it crowded on the sea days (ie. Hard to get a lounger)...we are trying to decide if it will be worth the extra $$

 

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[kjbacon]

We never hit crowds at the spa. We usually went very early though, about 8:00 am when they opened. Occasionally went in the late afternoon. We really felt it was worth the extra $$. There are large, well appointed locker rooms with complimentary robes to use, plenty of towels, and beverages like herb tea. Soothing music playing and an amazing view! Hope you have a great cruise!

[Cruz35]

Thanks for the update - may I ask how much the spa pass was for the 9-day trip? Also, what time did you dock back in NYC - our itinerary for next week still says 10:00 return.

[jms68]

Hmmm...very tempting! We are morning people also so this is very helpful.

 

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[kjbacon]

The spa pass for the 9 day was $189 pp.

 

We were docked in time for a 7:45 priority walk off. We were back home, suburb of Philly, by 10:15!

[meatball_nyc]

Thank you for the nice review!

 

Sounds like a great cruise :)

 

 

 

~Robin

Norwegian Breakaway July 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

[RichNY]

Thanks for the review, we love the Gem.

 

How did you get back and forth to the pier from Park Rite ???

[kjbacon]

It's so easy. You make a reservation. When you arrive at Park Right, one of them hops in your car with you and directs you to the pier. At the pier, they help you with your luggage and off they go in your car. When you return, you can walk over (its only a few blocks) or take a cab. They reimbursed us the $5 cab fare but check, that may only be for cruises longer than 7 days. One of your party can walk over and another of your party can wait with the luggage.

[RichNY]

It's so easy. You make a reservation. When you arrive at Park Right, one of them hops in your car with you and directs you to the pier. At the pier, they help you with your luggage and off they go in your car. When you return, you can walk over (its only a few blocks) or take a cab. They reimbursed us the $5 cab fare but check, that may only be for cruises longer than 7 days. One of your party can walk over and another of your party can wait with the luggage.

 

Thanks for the reply.. I usually park at the pier but maybe its time for a change. Their prices are going up and up. With any luck we shouldn't have any snow concerns in March but the way this year is going who knows ?? :D :D

[socsthecat]

We were on the same cruise.

 

We are also "foodies" and we thought the food and service in the MDR was so bad the first night we bought the UDP and never went back. I wasn't going to tolerate another 8 days of bad food and service. It was terrible, 2 different entrees, both really really poor quality.

 

Some of the specialty restaurants are very good, some are very average.

 

I'm going to write a proper review when I get time. It will be a long time before I go on NCL again.

[piginmud]

The spa pass for the 9 day was $189 pp.

 

We were docked in time for a 7:45 priority walk off. We were back home, suburb of Philly, by 10:15!

 

 

Out of curiosity, what does the spa pass give you?

 

Thanks!

debbie

[piginmud]

One more question... how much did they charge for bingo?

 

Thanks :)

debbie

[Irene7]

Thank you for the review. It seems that the Gem is a much loved ship. We are booked on the Gem but for May of 2015, and the refurbishment will be complete by then and she should be like new again. Can't wait, although it is a ways away.

[RoobyDoo]

kjbacon,

 

Thank you for the review! No doubt you will not get nearly as many responses as your other now-infamous thread, but at least the posts here will be friendly ones! :)

 

I was on one of the Gem cruises last month, same itinerary. I had thought about doing the El Yunque rainforest excursion in San Juan, but I too was concerned that the 3pm to 9pm port stay would be a bit late and would make a rainforest tour not so enjoyable. Instead we did the City Tour, which included a very enjoyable walk through the Castillo de San Cristobal and then through the streets of Old San Juan. But in retrospect, we should have just gotten off the ship and did the walking ourselves (not far from the pier) instead of doing the paid excursion.

[RoobyDoo]

Thanks for the update - may I ask how much the spa pass was for the 9-day trip? Also, what time did you dock back in NYC - our itinerary for next week still says 10:00 return.

 

We were docked in time for a 7:45 priority walk off. We were back home, suburb of Philly, by 10:15!

 

To add to this reply about the return docking time: It will vary a bit. I was on one of the Gem cruises in January. The ship arrived at the pier between 7:30 to 8 am, but we had to wait for tugboats to clear away some of the ice chunks near our pier. The priority walk-off started a little after 8am. Then the disembarkation of those with checked-in luggage began about 9:45am. I was in one of the first groups. The line out of the ship was long but moved briskly. Took a few minutes to find our luggage from the common area. Going thru Customs went quickly. The big mess is outside the terminal, if you have to wait for a pickup.

[kjbacon]

We only played bingo a couple times so hopefully I remember correctly that the 2 best packages were $39 (3 cards) and $49 (6 cards). They ran some specials too, I think, so save your bingo receipt since that gave you $10 off at one of the later games.

 

Loved the spa! The fee gives you access to the locker rooms, robes, towels, light beverages like tea, loungers (heated tile or regular), sauna, steam room, whirlpool, heated jet pool, and some of the best views on the ship.

 

RoobyDoo, thank you for your friendly note :) Everything got so messed up with that and just spiraled out if control. Next time I'm up sick and shook all night, I will run away from any device that I can post on till I get some sleep!!

[doodlesinkentucky]

Thanks for the great review~!

 

Debating on the spa pass. Had one on Princess last cruise and we did like it.;)

 

Nice to hear the MDR food was good and smaller portions is nice. I eat too much when they give me more.

 

One question, what time did you go to the port? We have priority since we have a PH but dont want to sit in the waiting area too long. What time did you arrive and did you get on fairly quick?

[gelo7]

Nice review.

[piginmud]

We only played bingo a couple times so hopefully I remember correctly that the 2 best packages were $39 (3 cards) and $49 (6 cards). They ran some specials too, I think, so save your bingo receipt since that gave you $10 off at one of the later games.

 

Loved the spa! The fee gives you access to the locker rooms, robes, towels, light beverages like tea, loungers (heated tile or regular), sauna, steam room, whirlpool, heated jet pool, and some of the best views on the ship.

 

RoobyDoo, thank you for your friendly note :) Everything got so messed up with that and just spiraled out if control. Next time I'm up sick and shook all night, I will run away from any device that I can post on till I get some sleep!!

 

Thanks for the info!! Isn't every passenger allowed to use the sauna, steam room, and whirlpool in the spa? I just got off the RCCL Voyager and we went right in. Wondering if it's different on NCL?

 

debbie

[kjbacon]

No, it's a charge item but we just loved the spa and thought it was well worth it. Plus, another good thing about the charge is that the spa area stays peaceful and uncrowded.

 

About the food, I do realize that everyone has different tastes but I'm surprised the earlier poster was so harsh regarding the MDR. We found it to be pretty darn good and our service was never bad. It's true that it was not as good as the pay restaurants but it was a reasonable slot in our rotation.

 

I forgot to mention earlier how much we enjoyed La Cucina this time, better than it was years ago. The service there was not as speedy as some of the others, but the food was delicious. The bread service with dipping oils is outstanding!

[cherylroslyn]

This was a terrific vacation with a great job done by the crew of The Gem. The end was not so great with weather issues but this review is to concentrate on the good stuff.

 

We drove to Manhattan and used Park Right for our car. Highly recommend this for the convenience and the savings. Plus, no snow mountains to deal with like they had on the pier!

 

Embarkation was a breeze. We had priority boarding and the lounge for waiting was large and comfortable. There was a table filled with nice snacks and beverages. We met our concierge, Pearl, who is a tiny little dynamo who we just loved. Best concierge that we have ever had and one of the nicest people you will be lucky enough to meet.

 

The crew was exceptional. Warm and friendly, hard working and professional. The ship is immaculate, a little tiny bit worn here and there, but clean as can be and very comfortable. Our cabin was island bright and perfectly cared for .... a shout out to Danilo for being so friendly while taking such great care of everything.

 

Breakfast and lunch at Cagney's throughout the week was always a treat. We thought that the quality may have slipped just a bit from last time but that means it went from excellent to very, very good. Selection also seemed to be cut back just a little. Service was the best we have ever had with a shout out to Karel, our hostess and Joseph, our server.

 

Food overall was extremely good. We are foodies so we ate everywhere at least once and found both MDR's to be better than we remembered. Portions are smaller which is a plus, less waste and the chance to try more things. Our fave meals were Moderno and Le Bistro. If you enjoy lamb chops, you will never have better than Moderno. The salad bar (more like an appetizer bar) was one of the food highlights for me with so many good things to sample. The open air atmosphere detracts we think and the rumored moved to upstairs adjacent to Cagney's will be an improvement. Atmosphere at Le Bistro is lovely, hold the slight smell of smoke from the cigar bar next door. The duck, filet mignon, and scallops were perfectly delicious.

 

The buffet is large with bountiful selection. The most impressive part though is how clean it is kept. The aft outside seating was our favorite and the perfect spot for afternoon cookies and other tasty snacks. The lovely hostess (can't think of her name) who stood at the door (seemingly 24 hours a day) singing Washy Washy Happy Happy, keeping everyone disinfected, may have been the most well known person on the ship. What a personality, wow!

 

As just mentioned, the smell of smoke from the cigar bar was unpleasant throughout Magnum's and the entrance to Le Bistro. It was just down the corridor from the casino which is extremely unpleasant in terms of the smell of smoke. What was disturbing was that very few gamblers were smoking but many people were gathered at the side by the windows smoking thus turning the casino into a smoking lounge. This could use improvement.

 

One of our favorite parts of the day was the Mandara Spa which we joined on day one and we felt worth every penny. We loved the heated jet pool (can't think of the name) and the loungers. Beautiful area to retreat to and relax. We also enjoyed the gym, another beautiful area and with plenty of modern equipment. The track outside of Cagney's is really a nice spot to get in a morning work out (for a good excuse to eat a couple of extra desserts).

 

Our ports and excursions for the most part were great. We loved St. Thomas and if you can, take the excursion to Cas Cay for kayak, snorkeling, and hiking. This may well be the very best excursion that we have ever done. We also very much enjoyed San Juan but would have strongly preferred an earlier day. The excursion to El Yunque Rainforest was a good one but rushed because of the late hour. We were surprised at how much we enjoyed Samana since there is some bad press out there. The island is so visibly lush that it almost looks fake! We did the Rainforest Hike to Cascades and would happily recommend it to anyone. Climbing the hill is physically demanding but if you are up to that, do this excursion. We did not care for St. Martin or the SeaExplorer excursion that we took.

 

Shows and activities were okay to good but not the best part of the experience.

 

Disembarkation was a breeze for us. We did the priority walk off and thought it was very efficient and convenient.

 

 

I am glad that you had a great vacation and that you didn't have to plow out your car when you got home, the port parking situation sounded like a complete disaster....I felt so sorry for those people because I would have been on of them. I can just see myself starring at the ground and trying to use a taco bell "spork" to dig out my car......

Edited February 21, 2014 by cherylroslyn
question had already been answered

[Heytoots]

I am glad that you had a great vacation and that you didn't have to plow out your car when you got home, the port parking situation sounded like a complete disaster....I felt so sorry for those people because I would have been on of them. I can just see myself starring at the ground and trying to use a taco bell "spork" to dig out my car......

 

LOL!!! Having a crummy day so far, and then, this made me laugh out loud!!! Thanks! :)

[kjbacon]

I am glad that you had a great vacation and that you didn't have to plow out your car when you got home, the port parking situation sounded like a complete disaster....I felt so sorry for those people because I would have been on of them. I can just see myself starring at the ground and trying to use a taco bell "spork" to dig out my car......

 

Ok, that is just hilarious .....

[jms68]

One more question for you kjbacon...we are trying to decide how much to pack (we are both notorious over packers lol). Do you remember approx when on the 9 day they did the laundry special?

 

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