Norwegian Gem Minisuites - yay or nay?

[browniegirl]

14 hours ago, April42749 said:

If you are short, you won't like the bathtubs.  They are hard and scary (nothing to hang on to) to get in and out.....very high wall.

I am not short so should be okay.... I think I remember these from being I a mini many years ago on the Jewel.  But was a lovely cabin.

[dcipjr]

We're in 11510 in the Gem in less than three weeks.

 

It looks like it's under the Spa steam rooms so hopefully it won't be too noisy. We've never had a minisuite before—we've cruised in an inside, oceanview, balcony, aft balcony, and a suite, but never a minisuite. We booked it this time because we're cruising with a toddler—so the extra space (for a pack-and-play) and the tub will come in handy. 

 

I can report back afterwards, provided our bid to upgrade to a 2BR suite doesn't pan out. 🙂

[browniegirl]

Just now, dcipjr said:

We're in 11510 in the Gem in less than three weeks.

 

It looks like it's under the Spa steam rooms so hopefully it won't be too noisy. We've never had a minisuite before—we've cruised in an inside, oceanview, balcony, aft balcony, and a suite, but never a minisuite. We booked it this time because we're cruising with a toddler—so the extra space (for a pack-and-play) and the tub will come in handy. 

 

I can report back afterwards, provided our bid to upgrade to a 2BR suite doesn't pan out. 🙂

Oh that would be awesome!!!  We had a toddler in our minisuite on the jewel about 11-12 years ago and it was great.  We also had a playpen and we took a little blow up pool for our deck and she played in that haha.... loved it!!!  She is almost 13 now and prefers the haven lol...yikes!

[dcipjr]

2 minutes ago, browniegirl said:

She is almost 13 now and prefers the haven lol...yikes!

 

Don't we all. I made the "mistake" of calling the upsell desk before our cruise on the Escape in 2016, and got our first taste of the suite life. We have successfully upgraded or bid up for each of our cruises after that (granted, only one per year).

 

We're hoping our bid gets accepted this time too, since we'd love to have that extra bedroom and living room, but a couple days ago, our sailing suddenly went from having several suites available to being no longer listed on NCL's page—so our luck may have ran out. We'll see!

 

Honestly, suite or minisuite, we are good either way. We'll be happy just having someone else do the cooking and cleaning for a few days, and being somewhere warm.

[zmmrzm]

We are booked in MA 11084 for February 24th 2020. Does anyone know how this cabin is for noise? Hoping it's not noisy after 11 or midnight.

[MotownVoice]

On 2/14/2019 at 12:14 PM, Beachin2 said:

 

We were in 11614 and were assured several times by NCL that the cabin was under the seating area of La Cuchina after we questioned using the deck plans.  Wrong!  Was directly under the galley wash area which functioned all night, every night. 

 

No sleep for 3 nights (and GS insisted every night & morning that there was not 1 open berth (class up or way down) anywhere on the ship to move us to.  At our first port (Puerto Vallarta) we said we were packing to leave the ship, and would fly home as no sleep certainly isn't healthy.  Was informed by GS that we couldn't leave as MX Immigration wouldn't allow that since we had no MX visa.  Showed them our permanent MX visa (own property in MX) and that pretty well shut off that argument.

 

By some divine miracle or engineering marvel MS 11550 opened up (was dusty, nobody had been in there) and we were moved early afternoon.  Slept most of the next 2 days.  That cabin is under the tables on the pool deck, but was quiet enough at night to sleep.  Left the ship once (Mazatlan) for about an hour just to go ashore.  Never left the terminal.  Were too tired to do anything else.  We left the ship exhausted at the end of the trip.

 

The poor location was one thing - lying to me face to face multiple times for 3 days was something unforgivable.  They basically stole our vacation.  Nobody even bothered to say they were sorry for ruining the trip.

 

Letter to corporate has not received a reply.  Figure that is pretty typical.

 

Beware of your cabin choice on this ship.  Do not absolutely trust the published deck plans.  Make sure you are 4 or 5 cabins away from noise sources to eliminate the inaccuracies of the published plans.  Finally, I'd have a hard time at this point believing those folks if they told me the sky was blue, so watch your 6.

 

As always, YMMV.

Wow.
So let me see if I have this right.
You couldn't sleep.  You told them.  They found you a new cabin.  So you're never using NCL again.  Is that about right?
It wasn't "by some miracle" they found you a new stateroom.  It was just good customer service that you were too busy picking out who were the "liars" on board to appreciate it.

It's so easy to differentiate the people who give bad reviews without turning it in to some kind of emotional apocalypse, and those you can tell are just used to barking at people to get what they want.

[Blueberry89]

We’re in 11516 on the Gem over Christmas. The link posted before showed it was under the fitness centre. I’m hoping it’s under the change room portion - anyone know?

[Wedgie23]

18 hours ago, MotownVoice said:

You couldn't sleep.  You told them.  They found you a new cabin.  So you're never using NCL again.  Is that about right?
It wasn't "by some miracle" they found you a new stateroom.  It was just good customer service that you were too busy picking out who were the "liars" on board to appreciate it.

I think the 'lie' the poster is referring to is being told multiple times there was not another cabin available in any category only to have the story change once they stated they were leaving the ship at port and had the means to do so. 

 

Of course guest services could have always contacted the dock yard, had an extra cabin air lifted to meet them in the ocean. Spent the next two days working tirelessly to weld it to the side of the ship, hook up plumbing and electrical, furnish and decorate it for them. In that case I most certainly agree with you.

 

If however an air lift cabin wasn't on stand by then I believe the poster is assuming they had (at least 1) empty cabin all along but GS did not wish to go through the headache of moving passengers and their accounts so GS chose to lie.

 

In either event I'm under the opinion that truly 'good customer service' would be not maintaining state rooms where there have been frequent complaints from past guests about all night noises coming from crew which prevent sleep entirely for the voyage. If that actually was the case. 

[CUTIEPYE]

hi - We are sailing on the Gem May 24, 2020.  Our cabin number is 11021.  Any info on the noise or the lack of would be

greatly appreciated.  Thanks for any information

[dznymom]

I just got my upgrade bid to a mini on the Gem.  It's under the kiddie pool & I have some concerns, but I am going with an open mind and will report back when we return.  I am still excited!

[MotownVoice]

9 hours ago, Wedgie23 said:

"... If that actually was the case..."

Now you're catching on.

[dznymom]

I just returned from the Gem.  We were upgraded to 11558 which was under the Kiddie pool.  A previous poster said they had lots of noise but we found it was very quiet.  The only time we heard anything at all (a little bit of sloshing) was during the day and it wasn't much of anything and didn't last long.  We were extremely pleased with the location, and really like the extra storage and larger balcony so it was a great upgrade for us.

[zqvol]

If you look at the deck plans OP's cabin is clearly under the kitchen area for the buffet. I'm not sure why OP could not see that but it is very obvious.

 

If you want a minisuite on Gem you are on deck 11 so pick carefully, and examine the deck plans yourself. I suggest cruisedeckplans.com

[MimiShark]

I'm going on the Gem in March of 2021...booked 11132. I just came across this post and am now wondering if I should try to get something different. Anyone sail in this mini suite? I'm going to take a closer look at the deck plans but would love to hear thoughts of anyone who stayed in this room. 

 

Thanks! 

 

Okay, it looks like I'm going to be beneath the Garden Café/Great Outdoors area. I would still like to hear anyone's input/experience. 🙂

Edited August 7, 2019 by MimiShark
Added text.

[Paul Bogle]

11132 is located under the seating area at the back of the Cafe. I haven't stayed this far back but we did sail in 11120 on Pearl and noise was never an issue. Since 11120 is closer to the busier part of the buffet I think 11132 should be quite also. 

 

We liked 11120 because it was close to the stairs/elevator. What I would like less about 11132 is the extra walking being so far aft. If the extra steps are not a concern I think you will really enjoy the cabin. The mini-suites on the Jewel class ships really are a step above the standard balcony cabins for the reasons mentioned earlier in this thread.

[MimiShark]

2 minutes ago, Paul Bogle said:

11132 is located under the seating area at the back of the Cafe. I haven't stayed this far back but we did sail in 11120 on Pearl and noise was never an issue. Since 11120 is closer to the busier part of the buffet I think 11132 should be quite also. 

 

We liked 11120 because it was close to the stairs/elevator. What I would like less about 11132 is the extra walking being so far aft. If the extra steps are not a concern I think you will really enjoy the cabin. The mini-suites on the Jewel class ships really are a step above the standard balcony cabins for the reasons mentioned earlier in this thread.

 

Thank you!!!! I will keep this reservation as it is then! Last time I was on the Gem I was with family and we had inside staterooms. Now that I'm turning 50 this October and trying to practice lots of self care, I've embarked on a solo cruising adventure! I'm going to Bermuda on the Encore in May of 2020...my first ever balcony stateroom. Then since the 20% off was too much to resist, I booked the Gem for a return to the Caribbean in 2021...solo in my very own Mini suite. Another first! lol 

 

I'm looking forward to peace and time alone, but not opposed to making new friends either. I'm an avid hiker, so some extra steps are not too daunting for me. I plan on using the stairs all the time anyway...kinda balance out the calories I'll be eating and drinking. lolol 

 

Thanks again! 

[Turtles06]

17 minutes ago, Paul Bogle said:

The mini-suites on the Jewel class ships really are a step above the standard balcony cabins for the reasons mentioned earlier in this thread.

 

Personally, I don't think they are "a step above" the std balcony cabins when it comes to the bathroom.  The bathroom in the mini-suites has a tub/shower combo, whereas there is a regular shower in the standard balconies.  The tub is very narrow (I imagine it's okay for kids), and has a high side to step over getting in and out, and you still have to have to contend with that even if you just want to shower.  If you are short, it's more of an issue, especially on a moving ship.

 

 

[tallyho8]

I booked 11510 last year as we thought a mini-suite would be much larger than a balcony and have extra room for my wife's scooter. It did not seem any larger than the regular balcony rooms that we had been booking. The only difference we saw was the bathroom was larger because it has a tub instead of a shower. We both like showers and my wife had a very hard time stepping up into the tub and standing up in there. We will be sure not to get a cabin with a tub again or to spend the extra money for a mini-suite.

[RealSoxFan]

Nay, 11064.  Extra space and larger deck were great.  Only noise was from construction of new cruise terminal in Bermuda.  Best cabin steward ever.  Room made up by time we returned from breakfast,

Bathtub giant step in and out.  Dangerous.  Never again.

[DinaS]

On 2/19/2019 at 8:25 AM, dcipjr said:

We're in 11510 in the Gem in less than three weeks.

 

It looks like it's under the Spa steam rooms so hopefully it won't be too noisy. We've never had a minisuite before—we've cruised in an inside, oceanview, balcony, aft balcony, and a suite, but never a minisuite. We booked it this time because we're cruising with a toddler—so the extra space (for a pack-and-play) and the tub will come in handy. 

 

I can report back afterwards, provided our bid to upgrade to a 2BR suite doesn't pan out. 🙂

 

Hi - I didn't see that you ever reported back (sorry if I missed it).   We have 11510 booked for a 12 day Caribbean cruise for next year, and were wondering about the noise.  That was the only minisuite available that we would consider because it looks like it is under the steam rooms.  We did one a couple of years ago under the pool area, and vowed never again after all the chair-dragging very early morning.

 

Any word on noise?  

 

Thanks so much!

[dcipjr]

On 11/25/2019 at 11:43 AM, DinaS said:

 

Hi - I didn't see that you ever reported back (sorry if I missed it).   We have 11510 booked for a 12 day Caribbean cruise for next year, and were wondering about the noise.  That was the only minisuite available that we would consider because it looks like it is under the steam rooms.  We did one a couple of years ago under the pool area, and vowed never again after all the chair-dragging very early morning.

 

Any word on noise?  

 

Thanks so much!

 

Hi @DinaS, our bid for the 2BR suite was accepted, so we didn't wind up sailing in 11510 after all. We were in 11006, and that was quiet as can be.

[DinaS]

1 hour ago, dcipjr said:

 

Hi @DinaS, our bid for the 2BR suite was accepted, so we didn't wind up sailing in 11510 after all. We were in 11006, and that was quiet as can be.

 

That answers my question.  I also found a tour of the fitness center, and it looks like the weight room is directly above 11510.  We're going to switch to 11004, since it's available and it was right next to your very quiet suite 🙂

 

Thanks again!!!

[dcipjr]

40 minutes ago, DinaS said:

 

We're going to switch to 11004, since it's available and it was right next to your very quiet suite 🙂

 

I think you'll be happy! Enjoy!

[curleyjane]

has anyone stayed in 11082?

[zmmrzm]

20 minutes ago, curleyjane said:

has anyone stayed in 11082?

We'll be in 11084 on Feb. 24th so hopefully there won't be too much noise.