Lost cruise virginity 1/30/15 on the GEM Long review

[KayFit]

Cruise experience

This was my first cruise and I had high expectations. Most of my expectations were met.

On January 30, 2015 we left our home right outside of Philadelphia about 7am to catch the 8am Bolt Bus to NYC. We were in NY a little after 10am. We took a taxi from the Bolt stop about 1 mile away from the pier but was stuck in traffic. The taxi was less than $15. We had to walk a little bit because we were let off across the street, Breakway was at the pier, and we were the next pier over.

Embarkation was a breeze for the most part. We arrived around 11am after dropping our bags with the porter and were on the ship around 12:30 I believe. We went straight to Guest Services and put cash on our account since we didn’t want to use our credit card and really didn’t plan on spending much either. Then we went off to the main dining room Grand Pacific where we ate lunch with two other couples at a shared table. The food was good to me. By the time we were done eating our cabin was ready. On the way to the cabin, our steward greeted us. We unpacked and then began exploring the ship to see where everything was and even went out on the deck although it was freezing cold in NYC. We begin moving about 5-5:30pm although it was supposed to be 4pm. We ate dinner at Magenta and I had an amazing steak that was one of the most memorable meals of the entire cruise. I really don’t recall most of the meals my boyfriend ate because the first few days and didn’t really care for the items he selected on the menu. The food eventually got better for him but overall I think he preferred the buffet then the dining rooms.

I enjoyed the freestyle cruising although I do not have anything to compare it to. I like getting dressed up when I want. I mostly wore summer dresses but I always felt comfortable. I also like eating when I want instead of a set time. We also could choose if we shared a table or ate separately. Most of the time we ate by ourselves. The main dining rooms were good. We preferred to eat at Magenta. We ate most days in the dining room for dinner. Lunch was probably split between buffet, outdoor grill, and occasionally Grand Pacific. Most of our food was good. Some of the buffet food was often cold but overall okay. I imagined the food would be a lot better than what it was but still it was good. We also ate at the Sushi Bar, Teppanyakki, and Lu Cucina. These were all good and worth the extra money.

I honestly can’t remember exactly what we did each day but we had a lot of fun. We went to Spinnaker Lounge just about every night for parties or game shows. This was my favorite entertainment on the cruise. I didn’t care for Bliss Lounge because it was always freezing cold in there and I had a sweater. We did go there occasionally for Open Mic Karaoke and the late night parties. We went to a lot of the dance classes held during the day and I learned some line dances, cha cha, and salsa. We went to several shows in Stardust Theater such as comedy, magic show, and the duo dancing. We gambled a little in the casino and I taught my boyfriend along with the dealers how to play craps. We had a lot of fun and kept a very busy schedule. Actually, we were so busy that I don’t think we relaxed as much as we even imagined for a vacation.

Debarkation was also a breeze. We decided to carry our own bags off. Therefore, we woke up in the morning and after getting dressed, went to eat in the buffet about 7:30am. The buffet was really crowded and we barely had anywhere to sit since no one was outside because of the freezing cold and freezing rain coming down in NYC. A few minutes to 8am we got our bags and headed to deck 7 and waited about an hour for the ship to be cleared. A little before 9am we walked straight out and to Customs. We got a taxi and headed to the Bolt bus station. We only paid $5 on the return trip because there wasn’t any traffic.

The ship itself was very clean and the staff was friendly. Our cabin steward Golfried was amazing and I wrote a vacation hero about his exceptional service. Dan Dan the cruise director is funny and made enhanced the trip. I would definitely get on the Norwegian Gem again.

Cabin

Cabin 8032 is forward starboard. The cabin was a nice size and had a hull balcony. I enjoyed the hull balcony because it kept out rain and skeet that briefly came down. It also allows for more privacy then regular balconies because you cannot see your neighbors. At times the cabin had a slight whistle noise coming from the balcony door but it was not loud or disturbing but definitely noticeable. This room also is not for people who are prone to seasickness. Our ship was very rocky during quite a few of our sea days and I would instantly feel very sick and have to go mid-ship which helped a lot. I could not be in the cabin when the boat rocked at all. Overall, this was a very good room. The room is close to the elevators and Stardust Theater but not close enough to hear noise. The room also is easy to get to the Atrium. I originally booked the BX category and received this B2 category.

San Juan – Tour with Ellis

The tour to El Yunque Rain Forest was very nice if you enjoy hiking and nature. There were some very beautiful views and a nice trail to walk. I enjoyed taking many pictures and walking through the waterfall. I would definitely recommend visiting the Rain Forest. After the rain forest, Ellis took us to a nice little shop that didn’t force us to buy anything. The shop had hand crafted art, soaps, and other souvenirs. From the shop, we went to the kiosks to eat authentic Puerto Rican food. The food was delicious and cheap. Behind the kiosks is a nice little beach that Ellis said mostly locals go to on the weekend. It was practically empty when we went on a Tuesday. From the kiosks, we went to explore a cave that was in the middle of a town. The cave was very interesting. After the cave, Ellis dropped us off back near the pier since we still had time left before all aboard. We enjoyed Puerto Rico.

St. Thomas – Godfrey Tours

Out of the four ports I went to on my cruise, St. Thomas was by far my favorite destination to visit. We booked a tour in advance that would give us time to shop downtown, then a 2-hour island tour, followed by 2 hours at the beach of our choice. We didn't do much shopping because that's not the reason we went on vacation, but there are many stores with great prices. You can even talk them down in prices if you are a good negotiator or sometimes they just offer to reduce the sticker price. The island tour was spectacular. We visited Mountain Top and received a free (included with tour) banana daiquiri, which was delicious. The view from up there was breathtaking. We then explored more of the island and went to Botanical Gardens. Later we had a choice of going to Magen Bay beach, which was crowded with six ships in port or Coki Point Beach. We choose Coki and had amazing time snorkeling near the reefs. The fish would literally eat out of your hand. We had some food from a vendor there, which I thought was extremely overpriced, and not worth it and drinks. The tour guide picked us up and dropped us off at the port. I would definitely visit St. Thomas again by cruise or even land.

St. Maarten – Taxi service with Nina

We arranged for a taxi with about 30 other cruise critic people in our roll call. The taxi took us to Simpson Bay beach, which was about 40 minutes from the port. There was a lot of traffic and the bridge opened up which added to the wait. We arrive at Karakters part of the beach, which is a restaurant inside an old school bus. They allowed us to use their chairs and umbrellas with the purchase of drinks. It felt like we were at a private beach. We enjoyed being here. The beach and water was nice, the drinks were good and so was the food. Later the taxi took us to Maho beach where we could see the planes land right over our head, take off, and have the jets blow us. This was a fun experience however; the beach was extremely crowded and only allowed for standing room only. We did not go in the water at all here but it looked like if you stepped off the sand you were instantly in above the waist water. We left the beach to go back to the port but was stuck in a lot of traffic and seen someone on a scooter get hit by a car. There were almost several accidents involving people on scooters. We were happy to leave. I am not sure if this were a place, I would visit other than on a cruise. My boyfriend didn't like this port at all.

Tortola – Cruise ship Excursion

We choose to do the cruise excursion due to the limited time in Tortola and having to tender. We caught a Speedy ferry directly from our cruise ship to Virgin Gorda. The ferry was about a 45-minute ride. It was very relaxing and full of about 100+ people. Once we were off the ferry, we got into open safari buses to where Virgin Gorda entrance was. The bus ride was about 5-10 minutes at the most. Once we were there, we had a choice to go two different paths. The first path is two the left and it’s called Devil’s Bay. This path was easy for us because we are in shape but it is a downhill hike for about 10 minutes that leads to a secluded beach. We stayed at this beach and then later walked through the caves. The caves a very beautiful and unlike any other experience I ever had. We got some nice pictures. The caves eventually became very crowded and there were lines to get through due to the tight spaces. We eventually ended up at the other beach, which was nice. We walked up the Spring Bay path to get back to the top. The Spring Bay path is 10 minutes of walking up steps. This is definitely the easier path to walk. I would like to visit more of Tortola since we didn’t ride through the island I don’t know what else is there. The baths are very nice and we took many pictures.

I’m sure I’ll think of other things that will cross my mind later, but feel free to ask any questions.

[david_sobe]

Welcome back and thanks for the review. Glad most of your high expectations were met. I love cruising now but my first cruise was a mixed bag. I did not learn to love it until my second cruise.

[KayFit]

Thanks, I'm not glad to be back. I'm ready to go away again. I'm not happy with the cold weather I came back to. Why was your first cruise a mixed bag?

[david_sobe]

Thanks, I'm not glad to be back. I'm ready to go away again. I'm not happy with the cold weather I came back to. Why was your first cruise a mixed bag?

Sorry for the welcome back then :eek:

I liked my first cruise but was in no rush to go again. Lots of crowds and such and all the extras that add up at the end. I was a newbie and never researched any cruise before.

Here is total irony. In March 2009, I was in my bed on the Jewel watching the NCL channel and they were promoting Epic and how it was going to hold almost twice the capacity of Jewel. I was like....what total nut case would be on a ship with 4200 people. Count me out. But just a year later I was on the Epic and then booked yet another Epic cruise and so far she is my favorite ship.

A vacation is about expectations but even more so on a cruise ship I was very naïve my first cruise. I remember being at the welcome aboard show and NCL staff came through with a can and said.."who wants to win a cruise?" I saw hands go up and I was like.... oh me too. So I put my hand up and they come over and put the can over to me to take something out. So I took some tickets out thinking it was my opportunity to win a cruise. As the show ended a guy came over to ask me for my room number. I had no idea why he asked me for that. Then I saw the gambling charges on my account :eek: I know it sounds so stupid but I felt duped :)

So with the CC board and learning more about cruises is how you learn to enjoy them more. When you get good advice, pick a good room and do your homework increases the risks of any pit falls while on board.

[KayFit]

Wow very interesting! I learned a lot from CC and that's the reason why I joined. I'm sure if I didn't read CC prior to my cruise I wouldn't of had such a great experience. From CC I was able to upgrade from inside to obstructed and then balcony all for less than $100 total. I learned so much from this site which really enhanced my trip.

[dshefter]

Terrific review. We sail on the Gem with the same itinerary next January. Did they have a lot of trivia games onboard? My wife and I enjoy doing trivia.

 

Did you use the bowling alleys? What was the cost?

 

We bowled on the Pearl in 2008, but were given free games through our Cruise Critic Meet N Greet with ship personnel.

[KayFit]

Thanks.

 

I believe they had trivia almost everyday at Magnums and sometimes at a few other places according to the dailies.

 

I'm not sure the cost for bowling. My boyfriend was given free games from a basketball tournament he played on the Sports Deck. We never went bowling though and I never seen anyone else bowling but it was announced that it was open.

[dshefter]

Thanks.

[callmebetty]

Thanks for sharing! I love the Gem and I love love love Godfrey and coki beach.

[KayFit]

You're welcome. Godfrey and Coki beach was definitely one of the highlights of the trip!

[antsnanny]

Thanks, I'm not glad to be back. I'm ready to go away again. I'm not happy with the cold weather I came back to. Why was your first cruise a mixed bag?

 

 

Great review! We were on the same cruise as you and like you Im not happy to be back struggling with snow and still more to come. I miss the GEM.

My first cruise was on the Costa Classic and we had the worst seas ever! I swore I would never cruise until friends talked me into trying one again. Well that was almost 60 cruises ago.

Im so happy your first cruise experience was positive, I think now you'll be hooked.

We really enjoyed the shows, we ate mostly at specialty restaurants which we love and felt the buffet food was ok but the food could have been hotter. We loved going to the buffet because the "Great Outdoors" is our favorite place on the ship so we always took our food out there. I opted for pizza when it came out or pasta, they were excellent.

We did do some serious rocking, I don't blame you for leaving your forward cabin for midship, it was really rocky up there. All in all, we were in some very big waves and the Gem handled them very well in my opinion.

Thanks for the review.

[KayFit]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the cruise as well. On the first sea day when we were really rocking, I thought that would be my last cruise ever. As the days went by I knew I would probably be cruising again before the end of the year. I do think I'm going to be hooked. I'm already trying to plan a cruise to Bermuda (or anywhere else) for my 9 year old daughter.

 

I loved eating breakfast in the Great Outdoors!!!

 

Which Specialty restaurant was your favorite?

[Janine]

San Juan – Tour with Ellis [/font][/size]

The tour to El Yunque Rain Forest was very nice if you enjoy hiking and nature. There were some very beautiful views and a nice trail to walk. I enjoyed taking many pictures and walking through the waterfall. I would definitely recommend visiting the Rain Forest. After the rain forest, Ellis took us to a nice little shop that didn’t force us to buy anything. The shop had hand crafted art, soaps, and other souvenirs. From the shop, we went to the kiosks to eat authentic Puerto Rican food. The food was delicious and cheap. Behind the kiosks is a nice little beach that Ellis said mostly locals go to on the weekend. It was practically empty when we went on a Tuesday. From the kiosks, we went to explore a cave that was in the middle of a town. The cave was very interesting. After the cave, Ellis dropped us off back near the pier since we still had time left before all aboard. We enjoyed Puerto Rico.

 

 

How did you get from the ship to El Yunque Rain Forest? And how much did it cost?

[judyf]

Love the review, going soon.

 

Did you stay at Maho all day? Where there chairs and umbrellas available. I was there twice but for quick visits and never paid attention.

 

Thanks for sharing?

[KayFit]

San Juan – Tour with Ellis [/font][/size]

 

The tour to El Yunque Rain Forest was very nice if you enjoy hiking and nature. There were some very beautiful views and a nice trail to walk. I enjoyed taking many pictures and walking through the waterfall. I would definitely recommend visiting the Rain Forest. After the rain forest, Ellis took us to a nice little shop that didn’t force us to buy anything. The shop had hand crafted art, soaps, and other souvenirs. From the shop, we went to the kiosks to eat authentic Puerto Rican food. The food was delicious and cheap. Behind the kiosks is a nice little beach that Ellis said mostly locals go to on the weekend. It was practically empty when we went on a Tuesday. From the kiosks, we went to explore a cave that was in the middle of a town. The cave was very interesting. After the cave, Ellis dropped us off back near the pier since we still had time left before all aboard. We enjoyed Puerto Rico.

 

 

 

 

 

How did you get from the ship to El Yunque Rain Forest? And how much did it cost?

 

 

I took a tour with Ellis. He picked us up. I found Ellis through recommendations on CC. He has a Facebook page called Tour with Ellis. His telephone number is 267-254-5555. He charges $150 total with a minimum of 3 people and maximum of 6. We paid $50 each because it was just my boyfriend, someone else from my roll call, and myself.

[KayFit]

Love the review, going soon.

 

Did you stay at Maho all day? Where there chairs and umbrellas available. I was there twice but for quick visits and never paid attention.

 

Thanks for sharing?

 

 

Thanks!!! I didn't stay at Maho all day. We got there around 1pm and by that time it was really crowded. I believe they had chairs and umbrellas but we also didn't stay there too long.

[judyf]

Thanks!!! I didn't stay at Maho all day. We got there around 1pm and by that time it was really crowded. I believe they had chairs and umbrellas but we also didn't stay there too long.

 

Thanks.

[KayFit]

You're welcome

[spidybabe]

Love The Gem and Godfrey. We have used him for the past 3 years.

Keep cruising....they just get better and better!!

[KayFit]

Terrific review. We sail on the Gem with the same itinerary next January. Did they have a lot of trivia games onboard? My wife and I enjoy doing trivia.

 

Did you use the bowling alleys? What was the cost?

 

We bowled on the Pearl in 2008, but were given free games through our Cruise Critic Meet N Greet with ship personnel.

 

 

I just read that bowling is $9 a frame. A few nights they did offer 2 for 1.

[antsnanny]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the cruise as well. On the first sea day when we were really rocking, I thought that would be my last cruise ever. As the days went by I knew I would probably be cruising again before the end of the year. I do think I'm going to be hooked. I'm already trying to plan a cruise to Bermuda (or anywhere else) for my 9 year old daughter.

 

I loved eating breakfast in the Great Outdoors!!!

 

Which Specialty restaurant was your favorite?

 

KayFit, we love La Bistro, the best steak ever! Next would be La Cucina and then Cagney's and we also really enjoyed the Orchard Garden. Good choice looking at a cruise to Bermuda, its awesome to stay in the same place for 3 days, especially a place as awesome as Bermuda.

[antsnanny]

Love the review, going soon.

 

Did you stay at Maho all day? Where there chairs and umbrellas available. I was there twice but for quick visits and never paid attention.

 

Thanks for sharing?

 

We actually did the ships tour to Maho beach around 10:30 and when we arrived there were plenty of chairs and umbrellas, a bar and a hotel and casino. I would recommend the early tour as the beach was filling up. We stayed for about 3 hours or so.

[judyf]

We actually did the ships tour to Maho beach around 10:30 and when we arrived there were plenty of chairs and umbrellas, a bar and a hotel and casino. I would recommend the early tour as the beach was filling up. We stayed for about 3 hours or so.

 

Thanks, we are going to grab a cab, deciding if we want to go to Orient in the morning for some parasailing and jet skies and then go to Maho for the planes or if we should just go straight to Maho and hang out there all day. Or do Bernards tour LOL Decisions :rolleyes:

[bluesea777]

dshfter:

 

In your signature please place a space line in every two 'future cruise countdowns' - you are placing all your future cruises on one line and we all have to scroll so far to the right (and to the left) when reading the posts in the threads you have contributed to.

 

Thanks!