Just back from the Gem -- some miscellaneous comments

[coyote144]

thanks for your review and comments. Sounds like you didn't purchase a drink package. How much were the drinks? wine, beer and mixed alcohol drinks?

[4gomez]

I can only speak for myself. BAHAMAS ,COME ON? I'd rather drive into downtown YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO. Go to the REAL Caribbean if your going to spend your hard earned money.

[motleyfan]

I can only speak for myself. BAHAMAS ,COME ON? I'd rather drive into downtown YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO. Go to the REAL Caribbean if your going to spend your hard earned money.

 

What's wrong with the Bahamas? Trust me I've been to Ohio not a very nice place to visit. I won't even put it on the level of where I live sunny South Florida and as much as I love Florida Ford is definitely not on Bahamas level

[legion3]

What's wrong with the Bahamas? Trust me I've been to Ohio not a very nice place to visit. I won't even put it on the level of where I live sunny South Florida and as much as I love Florida Ford is definitely not on Bahamas level

 

Ford is definitely not on Bahamas level...lol

 

What has an American car company got to do with you insulting Ohio?

 

And sunny South Florida is only a so-so nice place despite you being there.

[Turtles06]

thanks for your review and comments. Sounds like you didn't purchase a drink package. How much were the drinks? wine, beer and mixed alcohol drinks?

 

Correct, we didn't have a drink package as we'd both have had to pick the same thing, and I rarely drink alcoholic beverages. We had, iirc, $200 OBC, and my spouse used that for her drinks, plus we ate one night at Le Bistro. I can't tell you the specific drink prices, but at the end of the cruise we had a balance due of $3.00. :)

[crayola1932]

I have never been on any of the really new ships. Is it really true they don't have a Promenade deck? I thought they had a place where you could still walk around and around the ship, it's just that there are cafes and such out there too. I depend on the Promenade deck to do a lot of walking and get my exercise. The jogging track just won't do, because it's hard to stay out of the way of the joggers.

[Turtles06]

I have never been on any of the really new ships. Is it really true they don't have a Promenade deck? I thought they had a place where you could still walk around and around the ship, it's just that there are cafes and such out there too. I depend on the Promenade deck to do a lot of walking and get my exercise. The jogging track just won't do, because it's hard to stay out of the way of the joggers.

 

I've been on a few new ships, and the trend with new builds, sadly, is to separate the passengers from the water. For example, on Celebrity's S-class ships (which are otherwise stunning, and which I love), on much of what would be the "promenade deck," the view of the water is obscured by life boats. You can still do plenty of walking, but it's not terribly inviting:

 

 

(Celebrity Eclipse, photo by turtles06)

[pixiedustdawn]

I have never been on any of the really new ships. Is it really true they don't have a Promenade deck? I thought they had a place where you could still walk around and around the ship, it's just that there are cafes and such out there too. I depend on the Promenade deck to do a lot of walking and get my exercise. The jogging track just won't do, because it's hard to stay out of the way of the joggers.

 

 

Gem has a promenade deck. Deck 7

[Turtles06]

Gem has a promenade deck. Deck 7

 

Indeed, one of the reasons I like the Jewel-class ships (including the Gem). But they are hardly "really new" ships, which is what crayola was asking about.

 

 

 

(Jewel, by turtles06)

Edited July 10, 2015 by Turtles06

[pixiedustdawn]

Indeed, one of the reasons I like the Jewel-class ships (including the Gem). But they are hardly "really new" ships, which is what crayola was asking about.

 

 

 

(Jewel, by turtles06)

 

 

True she isn't new, but wasn't sure how long ago Crayola sailed and since we are on a Gem thread, thought that is what they were referring to. :)

[crayola1932]

"True she isn't new, but wasn't sure how long ago Crayola sailed and since we are on a Gem thread, thought that is what they were referring to"

 

I'm sorry. In my question about the Promenade Deck, I was thinking about the Breakaway, Getaway, Escape? Do they not have promenade decks? If not, where do people who want to do a LOT of walking walk on sea-days? Perhaps I should ask this question on a new thread.

P.S. I am new to Cruise Critic (and any forum for that matter), and am having trouble figuring out how you all manage to quote segments of previous messages in your replies. I consulted the Help and the FAQs, and still don't understand what I need to do. Or should I be asking this question somewhere else?

[Turtles06]

P.S. I am new to Cruise Critic (and any forum for that matter), and am having trouble figuring out how you all manage to quote segments of previous messages in your replies. I consulted the Help and the FAQs, and still don't understand what I need to do. Or should I be asking this question somewhere else?

 

In the lower right below each post is a button that says "quote." If you want to quote all or part of that comment in what you want to post, just click that button. (This is instead of clicking the Reply button.) A box will open with that quote, and then you add your comment. If you don't want to include the whole quote in your comment, then just use your keyboard (backspace, etc.) to delete the unwanted text within the quote.

Edited July 10, 2015 by Turtles06

[fshagan]

In my question about the Promenade Deck, I was thinking about the Breakaway, Getaway, Escape? Do they not have promenade decks? If not, where do people who want to do a LOT of walking walk on sea-days? Perhaps I should ask this question on a new thread.

 

One of our big disappointments in the Epic was that there wasn't really a promenade deck where you could walk around the ship. Not even up top, above the pool area. You could walk back-and-forth on the jogging track on the port side of deck 6 or 7, but the view to the ocean was obscured by lifeboats like the picture shown earlier of a different line's ship. Up above the pool, you could walk back and forth on either the port side or the starboard side, but not on a long stretch around the ship.

 

The Breakaway and Getaway have the "Oceanfront" but that appears to be a dining / drinking venue and not a place to see the ocean and walk around. They have a short running track that is above the kid's pool area, I guess, and it requires about 8 laps to make up a mile. I guess you are supposed to feel like you are in a Vegas resort instead of on a ship at sea, which is the feeling we got on the Epic.

 

We're sticking with the smaller ships like the Gem for the time being.

[crayola1932]

One of our big disappointments in the Epic was that there wasn't really a promenade deck

 

The Breakaway and Getaway have the "Oceanfront" but that appears to be a dining / drinking venue and not a place to see the ocean and walk around.

 

We're sticking with the smaller ships like the Gem for the time being.

 

Thanks! That's what I wanted to know. Like you, I think we'll stick to the smaller ships.