GEM Arrival to NYC delayed because of high winds.

[Gershep]

I feel bad for those that were supposed to sail out on the Gem, not a way you want to start your vacation.

[newbiecruiser25]

Had to quick switch my exursion for St Lucia to another tour company but I'm happy they didnt drop the two ports I'm most looking forward  too. And I'll get to visit both my aunties. 

[markf]

Unfortunately  the  web  cam  isnt  current 

 

[newbiecruiser25]

1 hour ago, mjkacmom said:

I’m sure NCL wanted nothing more than to be able to get passengers off and on. Long stretches of high winds like what started Sunday night and continued for 24 hours is not the norm here, I was traveling so I watched the forecast, it was originally supposed to end sooner. If you are going to be stranded overnight in NYC, unless there is a situation where folks are being trapped due to a situation stopping transportation, finding a hotel room is not difficult. 

Again people aren't complaining about them shutting down due to bad weather. It was their terrible customer service and lack of notification when all they had to do was send a mass text. I used to work hospitality and still work customer service for a major corporation.

[newbiecruiser25]

1 hour ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

I understand the frustration of the cruisers on both the sailings.   Things aren't always so easy to deal with as it may seem from the outside looking in.   So often in these types of situations the decision is a minute by minute thing which equals for the cruise lines who have to figure out the best thing to do they are damned if the do and damned if they don't.

 

Let me ask a question.   In a situation like this where they go down to the wire to make a decision is it their responsibility to find lodging for all the passengers on the next sailing?   How could they even do that at the last minute?

 

Just thinking out loud here.    I hope everyone who gets on board today has a wonderful trip and can make the best of it.

They made their call around 2. No reason the text and website notification should be come out hours later. People got notification from the port workers versus Norweigen. They should have also had someone contact the local hotels to inform them that people would be looking for rooms. The hotels were bombarded. 

Edited February 26, 2019 by newbiecruiser25

[tmgrry]

5 minutes ago, newbiecruiser25 said:

 They should have also had someone contact the local hotels to inform them that people would be looking for rooms. The hotels were bombarded. 

 

Not sure contacting the local hotels would have been feasible.  Do you know how many hotels are in NYC?

[Newleno]

22 minutes ago, newbiecruiser25 said:

Again people aren't complaining about them shutting down due to bad weather. It was their terrible customer service and lack of notification when all they had to do was send a mass text. I used to work hospitality and still work customer service for a major corporation.

cruise critic can be very helpful but a lot of time, i mean a lot, you are asking questions and talking about coffee, but what you get are answers and discussions about tea

[mjkacmom]

26 minutes ago, newbiecruiser25 said:

They made their call around 2. No reason the text and website notification should be come out hours later. People got notification from the port workers versus Norweigen. They should have also had someone contact the local hotels to inform them that people would be looking for rooms. The hotels were bombarded. 

Lol there are 107,000 hotel rooms in Manhattan, displaced cruisers wouldn’t have touched the available inventory.  No need to be within walking distance, take a 5 minute cab ride. I’m guessing many cruisers were also locals, cruising in cold conditions vs. flying to a warmer port.

[jennyct]

We were on that cruise - got off around 8 AM today, Tuesday, Feb 26. 

We had been told a few days ago that the course would be changed to avoid the worst weather. No problem, since we've actually been in a hurricane once. On Sunday, the captain announced that the ship would be late - docking at around noon - later than usual. We were told to leave the rooms by 11AM. So I was waiting with others in O'Sheehans when we realized the ship was turning around. At that point the announcement was that we would  try and wait for the winds to die down. 

Well, not too long after, the announcement came telling us that we would not be docking until the next morning. There were some hooting and hollering, as well as some angry and upset passengers. I overheard one couple lament that they had rescinded their prepaid tips and now had to face the room steward again. Others, like us, had only the clothing on our backs (personally, I like clean underwear). A few of us had important work meetings or kids missing school and we all felt bad for those waiting at the docks. 

The service was good in the restaurants, but I found the extra 'free' day to be bare bones. All the perks we had were non-existant and the unused liquor we purchased on board had been thrown away by then. No replaced soap, etc. unless you asked for it. Not complaining at all, just found it to be interesting. 

 

Oh, some poor teen had the misfortune of vomiting her breakfast in the disembarkation line in front of us and NO one was around to even clean it up or help her get through the line quicker!

Edited February 26, 2019 by jennyct

[Seanote]

23 minutes ago, jennyct said:

I overheard one couple lament that they had rescinded their prepaid tips and now had to face the room steward again. 

Karma can be a real stinker.

[Alegeeter]

29 minutes ago, jennyct said:

We were on that cruise - got off around 8 AM today, Tuesday, Feb 26. 

We had been told a few days ago that the course would be changed to avoid the worst weather. No problem, since we've actually been in a hurricane once. On Sunday, the captain announced that the ship would be late - docking at around noon - later than usual. We were told to leave the rooms by 11AM. So I was waiting with others in O'Sheehans when we realized the ship was turning around. At that point the announcement was that we would  try and wait for the winds to die down. 

Well, not too long after, the announcement came telling us that we would not be docking until the next morning. There were some hooting and hollering, as well as some angry and upset passengers. I overheard one couple lament that they had rescinded their prepaid tips and now had to face the room steward again. Others, like us, had only the clothing on our backs (personally, I like clean underwear). A few of us had important work meetings or kids missing school and we all felt bad for those waiting at the docks. 

The service was good in the restaurants, but I found the extra 'free' day to be bare bones. All the perks we had were non-existant and the unused liquor we purchased on board had been thrown away by then. No replaced soap, etc. unless you asked for it. Not complaining at all, just found it to be interesting. 

 

Oh, some poor teen had the misfortune of vomiting her breakfast in the disembarkation line in front of us and NO one was around to even clean it up or help her get through the line quicker!

 

Glad you're back safely! Our trip on the Gem was also extended a day in 2011 due to Hurricane Irene and I remember a similar "bare-bones" experience. For food options we could only go to the buffet or one of the dining rooms which was serving the "everyday" side of the menu. At least we weren't eating stockpiled spam! I do recall that we were not charged an extra day of service charges.

 

Hope you were able to enjoy your extra day at sea.

[jcann4444]

2 hours ago, jennyct said:

We were on that cruise - got off around 8 AM today, Tuesday, Feb 26. 

We had been told a few days ago that the course would be changed to avoid the worst weather. No problem, since we've actually been in a hurricane once. On Sunday, the captain announced that the ship would be late - docking at around noon - later than usual. We were told to leave the rooms by 11AM. So I was waiting with others in O'Sheehans when we realized the ship was turning around. At that point the announcement was that we would  try and wait for the winds to die down. 

Well, not too long after, the announcement came telling us that we would not be docking until the next morning. There were some hooting and hollering, as well as some angry and upset passengers. I overheard one couple lament that they had rescinded their prepaid tips and now had to face the room steward again. Others, like us, had only the clothing on our backs (personally, I like clean underwear). A few of us had important work meetings or kids missing school and we all felt bad for those waiting at the docks. 

The service was good in the restaurants, but I found the extra 'free' day to be bare bones. All the perks we had were non-existant and the unused liquor we purchased on board had been thrown away by then. No replaced soap, etc. unless you asked for it. Not complaining at all, just found it to be interesting. 

 

Oh, some poor teen had the misfortune of vomiting her breakfast in the disembarkation line in front of us and NO one was around to even clean it up or help her get through the line quicker!

Curious about a few things;

 

1- Were the specialty restaurants able to be booked?

2- Was the casino open all day?

3- Were the shops open all day?

4- Did the Ultimate Booze Package stay open/ and if so were you taxed for each drink.

 

Thanks

 

[newbiecruiser25]

4 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

Lol there are 107,000 hotel rooms in Manhattan, displaced cruisers wouldn’t have touched the available inventory.  No need to be within walking distance, take a 5 minute cab ride. I’m guessing many cruisers were also locals, cruising in cold conditions vs. flying to a warmer port.

They could've called the ones within walking distance which are the ones everyone was headed to first. At the one I was at the manager actually called around to a few hotels to help people find rooms after that hotel was at max occupancy. 

[Newleno]

4 hours ago, mjkacmom said:

Lol there are 107,000 hotel rooms in Manhattan, displaced cruisers wouldn’t have touched the available inventory.  No need to be within walking distance, take a 5 minute cab ride. I’m guessing many cruisers were also locals, cruising in cold conditions vs. flying to a warmer port.

Yeah that is pretty funny when people are left stranded and confused at the pier in a big city like nyc during a windstorm.  

[ColeThornton]

4 minutes ago, newbiecruiser25 said:

They could've called the ones within walking distance which are the ones everyone was headed to first. At the one I was at the manager actually called around to a few hotels to help people find rooms after that hotel was at max occupancy. 

 

 

Just curious.   Who are "they" at NCL who would do that?

 

I understand the frustration, as I said earlier, but I think you have unreasonable expectations.   The cruise lines can only do so much to help their customers and then the savvy traveler themselves have to adapt and overcome to less than ideal situations.   Haven't we all been through things like this?

[newbiecruiser25]

3 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

Just curious.   Who are "they" at NCL who would do that?

 

I understand the frustration, as I said earlier, but I think you have unreasonable expectations.   The cruise lines can only do so much to help their customers and then the savvy traveler themselves have to adapt and overcome to less than ideal situations.   Haven't we all been through things like this?

You say they can only do so much but the fact is they didnt do anything to help. Didnt even notify their customers directly until hours after they notified the cruise terminal.

[Surfsup2017]

34 minutes ago, jcann4444 said:

Curious about a few things;

 

1- Were the specialty restaurants able to be booked?

2- Was the casino open all day?

3- Were the shops open all day?

4- Did the Ultimate Booze Package stay open/ and if so were you taxed for each drink.

 

Thanks

 

I was one of the passengers who had the extra day on the Gem.  The Captain and crew on this ship were fantastic, noting that the storm was developing changing our northward course to hug the shoreline. I was sitting next to a window when I saw the ship do a 360 after the Verrazano Bridge and head back under the bridge and out to sea.  We overnighted out in the ocean somewhere, little impact from weather on the ship.  The specialty restaurants were open, they reopened the casino where I was able to recover my "losses", they had another day of sales in the shops, the UBP package was not only honored, but so many flocked to the bars that they double the bartending staff in the open bars!    In all, everyone made the best of it, the lounges were stocked with entertainment, the food in the main dining room featured the menu that was planned for the next cruise's first sea day (that morning I wistfully looked at that evening's menu and lamented that I was leaving before the turn of events).  Full breakfast this morning, for the most part it was a total party.

Now back to work! ugh.

[mjkacmom]

43 minutes ago, newbiecruiser25 said:

They could've called the ones within walking distance which are the ones everyone was headed to first. At the one I was at the manager actually called around to a few hotels to help people find rooms after that hotel was at max occupancy. 

Called them and told them what? To expect folks looking for hotel rooms? Just go on a. booking engine and find a hotel. It was windy, not a blizzard or hurricane. On shore worries are power loss or tree damage. 

[PTC DAWG]

3 hours ago, jennyct said:

We were on that cruise - got off around 8 AM today, Tuesday, Feb 26. 

We had been told a few days ago that the course would be changed to avoid the worst weather. No problem, since we've actually been in a hurricane once. On Sunday, the captain announced that the ship would be late - docking at around noon - later than usual. We were told to leave the rooms by 11AM. So I was waiting with others in O'Sheehans when we realized the ship was turning around. At that point the announcement was that we would  try and wait for the winds to die down. 

Well, not too long after, the announcement came telling us that we would not be docking until the next morning. There were some hooting and hollering, as well as some angry and upset passengers. I overheard one couple lament that they had rescinded their prepaid tips and now had to face the room steward again. Others, like us, had only the clothing on our backs (personally, I like clean underwear). A few of us had important work meetings or kids missing school and we all felt bad for those waiting at the docks. 

The service was good in the restaurants, but I found the extra 'free' day to be bare bones. All the perks we had were non-existant and the unused liquor we purchased on board had been thrown away by then. No replaced soap, etc. unless you asked for it. Not complaining at all, just found it to be interesting. 

 

Oh, some poor teen had the misfortune of vomiting her breakfast in the disembarkation line in front of us and NO one was around to even clean it up or help her get through the line quicker!

Funny about the jokers removing the room tips..serves'em right.  

[PTC DAWG]

16 minutes ago, Surfsup2017 said:

I was one of the passengers who had the extra day on the Gem.  The Captain and crew on this ship were fantastic, noting that the storm was developing changing our northward course to hug the shoreline. I was sitting next to a window when I saw the ship do a 360 after the Verrazano Bridge and head back under the bridge and out to sea.  We overnighted out in the ocean somewhere, little impact from weather on the ship.  The specialty restaurants were open, they reopened the casino where I was able to recover my "losses", they had another day of sales in the shops, the UBP package was not only honored, but so many flocked to the bars that they double the bartending staff in the open bars!    In all, everyone made the best of it, the lounges were stocked with entertainment, the food in the main dining room featured the menu that was planned for the next cruise's first sea day (that morning I wistfully looked at that evening's menu and lamented that I was leaving before the turn of events).  Full breakfast this morning, for the most part it was a total party.

Now back to work! ugh.

Hard to ask for much more than that. 

[Mimimatz]

According to Marinetraffic the next port will be Barbados on Saturday arriving 7:30 LT. Any idea how the rest of the itinerary will look like?

[NLH Arizona]

3 hours ago, jennyct said:

I overheard one couple lament that they had rescinded their prepaid tips and now had to face the room steward again.

This is really funny, hopefully they were able to sneak back into their cabin without the Cabin Steward seeing them.  Guess they were one of the ones who didn't tip in cash.

 

[PTC DAWG]

20 minutes ago, NLH Arizona said:

This is really funny, hopefully they were able to sneak back into their cabin without the Cabin Steward seeing them.  Guess they were one of the ones who didn't tip in cash.

 

Yeah, that entire let’s remove the DSC group, they all tip in cash.  LOL

[shof515]

1 hour ago, Mimimatz said:

According to Marinetraffic the next port will be Barbados on Saturday arriving 7:30 LT. Any idea how the rest of the itinerary will look like?

sea day

sea day

sea day

Barbados

St Lucia

Antigua

St Thomas

sea day

sea day

back to NY

[MookieNJ]

My wife and I returned today from our unexpected 11 day cruise on the Gem.  The captain and crew were wonderfully professional throughout the whole cruise, even more so over the last two days.  As stated previously, we received word on Sunday night that the ship would be arriving at 12:00 noon rather than 10:00am due to the forecast of strong winds.  Their original plan was to begin disembarkation around 2:00pm.  The staff distributed a new daily for Day 11 with morning activities planned.  They were playing a movie in the Stardust Theater, ran some game shows and activities,  and had Leo scheduled to sing at noon.  We headed down to the Atrium around 11:00am and it was absolutely packed.  The cruise director Claire was there and she looked concerned.  They got Leo up on stage shortly after 11:00am and he was playing songs that 99% of the crowd knew.  It seemed like he was trying to keep us happy and calm.  Unfortunately it was getting super claustrophobic in the public areas.  If I remember correctly, it was around 12:30pm that they announced that the weather forecast had worsened and that we could return to our staterooms to relax.  My wife and I felt very bad for our steward Armando, who had been amazing throughout the cruise.  He and his colleagues had just finished setting up all of the rooms on deck 11 for the new guests.  We dropped our bags off and went to have lunch.  They had switched the Garden Cafe over from breakfast to lunch, and O' Sheehan's transitioned from breakfast to lunch as well.  We went back to our cabin a little after 1:00pm.  Fortunately for the few hours around lunch time we were close enough to the city to have cell service.

 

Around 1:45pm they announced that we would be going back out to sea because it would be too unsafe for the guests, crew, and ship to attempt to dock with the strong winds.  The captain informed us that the new plan was to dock at 6:30am on Tuesday and begin disembarkation at 7:00am.  The only breakdown in communication at this point was that the newly updated afternoon/evening daily for Day 11 was only available in public areas from the crew.  My wife and I missed a few events in the afternoon that we would have otherwise done.  I'm not sure how difficult it would have been to have them distributed to the staterooms as well.  However, as previously stated, they reopened the entire ship on a regular schedule.  All of the bars, restaurants, and specialty restaurants were open like it was any other sea day.  The casino, shops, and thermal spa reopened.  The new "PBP" (Premium Beverage Package) continued for all guests.  On an aside, our keycards were stamped PBP and the embarkation staff did call it the Premium Beverage Package.  We confirmed with them that the benefits of the Ultimate Beverage Package and Premium Beverage Package were the same.  Back to Day 11 ... we were not charged tax on drinks as we were back in international waters.  They brought back one of the juggling acts to do a second show with new material.  Some of the bars and restaurants were beginning to run out of supplies, but just little things.  For example, my wife's caesar salad was made with iceberg lettuce, and they ran out of orange slices for drinks at O' Sheehan's.  Hardly an annoyance, but an interesting tidbit!  Everyone settled back in and seemed to enjoy the extra sea day.  My wife and I spent time reading before heading to the show, having dinner, and settling in to watch a couple of Leo's sets in the Atrium.  We did not receive a new bill based on the extra night, so no extra gratuities or daily charges.

 

Disembarkation today was a breeze.  With an early start at 7:00am, it seemed to be a lot easier to spread everyone out and get us off the ship rather quickly.  As we were leaving, we noticed what appeared to be a lot of luggage covered by some impromptu fencing.  We figured it might be the luggage of those who arrived on Monday for their scheduled cruise.  I would think it would have been extremely difficult to get back the checked luggage to everyone who had already dropped it off.

 

All in all it was not an ideal situation, but hats off to the captain, crew, and guests for making the best of it!  Bad weather happens, and I'm very happy that they chose to put safety ahead of everything else.