welove2cruise2014 Posted October 16, 2019 #1 Share Posted October 16, 2019 We just used a CruiseNEXT deposit to book a Gem cruise from Boston in October 2020. It was sort of a last minute decision (as last minute as one can be while booking a cruise a year out, LOL) and while I told my PCC what cabin category we wanted (Aft Facing Mini Suite with Balcony), I am waiting for the actual cabin assignment. I'm excited to have this to look forward to! It's funny, we are paying for 3 in a mini-suite on Gem, just slightly less than what we paid for 3 in a suite on Dawn last year. Yes, I am fully aware that we don't get any of the suite level perks with the mini. We'll be sailing with our then-4 year old. Anyone have any recent comments/feedback on Gem (that have stayed in mini suites in particular), that they would like to share? This will be our 5th NCL cruise, first one not on the Dawn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffd64 Posted October 17, 2019 #2 Share Posted October 17, 2019 20 hours ago, welove2cruise2014 said: We just used a CruiseNEXT deposit to book a Gem cruise from Boston in October 2020. It was sort of a last minute decision (as last minute as one can be while booking a cruise a year out, LOL) and while I told my PCC what cabin category we wanted (Aft Facing Mini Suite with Balcony), I am waiting for the actual cabin assignment. I'm excited to have this to look forward to! It's funny, we are paying for 3 in a mini-suite on Gem, just slightly less than what we paid for 3 in a suite on Dawn last year. Yes, I am fully aware that we don't get any of the suite level perks with the mini. We'll be sailing with our then-4 year old. Anyone have any recent comments/feedback on Gem (that have stayed in mini suites in particular), that they would like to share? This will be our 5th NCL cruise, first one not on the Dawn! What's not to love about an AFT cabin, mini-suite or otherwise! You'll have a great time 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger001 Posted October 17, 2019 #3 Share Posted October 17, 2019 21 hours ago, welove2cruise2014 said: We just used a CruiseNEXT deposit to book a Gem cruise from Boston in October 2020. It was sort of a last minute decision (as last minute as one can be while booking a cruise a year out, LOL) and while I told my PCC what cabin category we wanted (Aft Facing Mini Suite with Balcony), I am waiting for the actual cabin assignment. I'm excited to have this to look forward to! It's funny, we are paying for 3 in a mini-suite on Gem, just slightly less than what we paid for 3 in a suite on Dawn last year. Yes, I am fully aware that we don't get any of the suite level perks with the mini. We'll be sailing with our then-4 year old. Anyone have any recent comments/feedback on Gem (that have stayed in mini suites in particular), that they would like to share? This will be our 5th NCL cruise, first one not on the Dawn! Love the Dawn. But the Jewel class ships have the excellent Great Outdoors and the deck 13 forward Spinnaker observation lounge/bar that the Dawn does not have. Like both of those extras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWebby Posted October 17, 2019 #4 Share Posted October 17, 2019 Hey there, first time cruiser here, doing the Gem OCt 16-23 2020 out of Boston. Which dates are you going? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esm54687 Posted October 17, 2019 #5 Share Posted October 17, 2019 We love the Gem..... we are also committed to the B1 family (aft balcony). 10668 is our go to cabin. You will LOVE the aft facing room and how quiet it is and the morning smells from the bakery. Remember.... when returning make sure to stay alert that last afternoon / early evening as the ship enters Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary. We have done the Bermuda trip 5 times and each and every time there has been a spectacular marine show of whales, dolphins and some sharks (one great white this year). Pack binoculars to really see but everything is visible with the naked eye too. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellwagen_Bank_National_Marine_Sanctuary 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorabo Posted October 18, 2019 #6 Share Posted October 18, 2019 Aft facing minisuites are overrated. Noise from great outdoors above 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BallofGoof Posted October 28, 2019 #7 Share Posted October 28, 2019 On 10/17/2019 at 12:21 PM, esm54687 said: We love the Gem..... we are also committed to the B1 family (aft balcony). 10668 is our go to cabin. You will LOVE the aft facing room and how quiet it is and the morning smells from the bakery. Remember.... when returning make sure to stay alert that last afternoon / early evening as the ship enters Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary. We have done the Bermuda trip 5 times and each and every time there has been a spectacular marine show of whales, dolphins and some sharks (one great white this year). Pack binoculars to really see but everything is visible with the naked eye too. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellwagen_Bank_National_Marine_Sanctuary We are in 10668 next October! I was thinking of trying to upgrade to 10664 or 10164 (if we can afford it - lol), or do you think 10668 is big enough and the view is good? I know it's aft, so duh, the view is good 🙂 Just curious about noise from adjoining cabins... our last cruise was on a different line and we had a corner aft that was divine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esm54687 Posted October 28, 2019 #8 Share Posted October 28, 2019 23 minutes ago, BallofGoof said: We are in 10668 next October! I was thinking of trying to upgrade to 10664 or 10164 (if we can afford it - lol), or do you think 10668 is big enough and the view is good? I know it's aft, so duh, the view is good 🙂 Just curious about noise from adjoining cabins... our last cruise was on a different line and we had a corner aft that was divine. We loved 10668 that we're booked in it again for May 2020. We did not suffer from any noise, soot, or disruption at all. They were painting during the week and we received $50 OBC because they used a day in Bermuda BUT we could've said no.... not inconvenienced at all as they were in at 9am and done by 3. We had plenty of deck room that we had 2 loungers, 2 chairs and a table The suites are a little bigger but the cost vs amenities didn't make it worth it for us...... NCL Gem 10668.mp4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BallofGoof Posted October 29, 2019 #9 Share Posted October 29, 2019 Thanks, esm54687! I was thinking the same (cost of upgrade vs. what the amenities are), and I just don't feel like the extra $1500 will be worth it. We spend time on the balcony, not in the room, and that balcony looks like it has plenty of space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Turtles06 Posted October 29, 2019 #10 Share Posted October 29, 2019 On 10/18/2019 at 11:21 AM, jorabo said: Aft facing minisuites are overrated. Noise from great outdoors above With the caveat that I have never stayed in one because we don't book staterooms that are under noisy public spaces, I was going to point out to the OP what you just did -- that the aft-facing cabins on Deck 11 on the Gem and other Jewel-class ships are under the Great Outdoors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Turtles06 Posted October 29, 2019 #11 Share Posted October 29, 2019 On 10/17/2019 at 12:21 PM, esm54687 said: We love the Gem..... we are also committed to the B1 family (aft balcony). 10668 is our go to cabin. You will LOVE the aft facing room and how quiet it is and the morning smells from the bakery. Important for the OP (and anyone else) to realize that staterooms on Deck 10 have cabins above and below, whereas Deck 11, as pointed out above, has the Great Outdoors (outdoor bar and buffet, chairs, tables, all day long and into the night) right above on Deck 12. Deck 10 on the Gem and other Jewel class ships is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Turtles06 Posted October 30, 2019 #12 Share Posted October 30, 2019 A couple of photos for the OP of the stern of the Jade, a sister ship of the Gem. At the top of each photo is the Great Outdoors on Deck 12, and below that is Deck 11. (BTW, the balconies of the aft-facing Deck 10 cabins are larger [deeper] than are the balconies on the other decks. As a point of reference, the woman in the middle of the first photo below is standing on the balcony of 10668.) (photos by turtles06) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now