Semi-Live limited Gem Dec 13, 2019 NY-Florida overnight, GSC & Nassau

[mking8288]

Here we go again, most likely a limited one with this milky run ... the good, so so and the hmmm.

 

On the way to Pier 90, Bliss is at Pier 88 doing almost the same itinerary.

 

Let's see how that Cagney compared too ...

with all the changes. Going to be interesting to chat on this later.

 

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[Turtles06]

Have a great cruise!  I'm looking forward to your reports.  We'll be on the Gem in three weeks.  🙂

[snorklinbarb]

I'll be on with Turtles06 as well so am very interested in your feedback.

Seems like it's been awhile since someone did a live/semi-live review of Gem.

 

I read on the "Who's Who" thread that Luz is heading to Gem as CD.  Could you let us know if she is onboard and if she will be there early January?  If she's there, don't miss her Tina Turner show!

 

Also I've heard that Metin will be GM.  Is he already on?  Really enjoyed meeting him on Breakaway.

 

Any comments on food and service in the DR's or specialties would be helpful as well.

 

Have a wonderful cruise!  We've done the NYC "milk run" a few times!

[Kdanemjm]

Following! We embark a week from tomorrow.

[mking8288]

Still disembarking pax doing self assist at 10:30 am, 3 lines thru security, tag/group #1 check in was quick.  Sitting & waiting in the lounge area.

 

Porter's bag check or drop-off is just inside the terminal, not curbside.  Plenty of heat inside, nice & warm.

 

Pictures inside P90 -. VIP and Haven Lounge, etc.

 

[mking8288]

Boarding appeared to be running late, crews on deck 7 doing safety drill training, maybe it's another USCG inspection ... alarm signals heard & PA announcement. 

 

VIP Haven waiting lounge ... getting busy inside as more arriving to check in.

[mking8288]

12 noon, Haven boarding now - keys distributed - via double doors toward gangway.  

 

We should be going next.

[copper004]

Be good to her! I will be boarding right after you disembark! Have a great time, looking forward to your reviews! 

[mking8288]

Issues w guest key cards being unreadable when swiped, delayed at the gangway. Need to stop at Guest Services to get a new one.

Staterooms not ready. Sign posted about ship full & no changes in cabin or upgrade. Strolled into MDR for lunch. Same menu as before, shrimps still on it. ...

Cellular signals really poor inside P90 and on the ship. Will upload menu & pix later from a better spot.

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[Beer Belly]

I'm curious on what to do at the Ports. We are going on the Bliss in April, plan on staying on board in Fla, Enjoying the beach at GSC (if we can tender), and in Nassau, Boss Lady is swimming with Dolphins at Blue Lagoon, then meet me for  Beach Day.

[mking8288]

Pix uploaded while we can, MDR & lunch menu ...



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[Turtles06]

@mking8288 What time is your sailaway?  Bliss was supposed to be 3pm, but she's now delayed to 5pm.   I see you both on the web cam, still docked. 

 

Have a great cruise! 

[mking8288]

Almost ready to sail, folks arriving & check-in late, still bringing things back to the ship from terminal.

Safety drill done at 3:30 instead of 2:30 pm for 3 pm scheduled sailing, more than 90 minutes late.



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[mking8288]

Large # of oversea cruisers onboard as large group (s) - that help explain and confirmed my guess earlier about the fewer upgrade bids being successful. Tour guide/escorted giving orientation walk around the ship to them in their native language.

 

Lights out inside Pier 90 now, we should be backing out soon to sail, was supposed to be 3 pm.

 

04:53 pm, we are on our way to Port Canaveral.

 

Luz is back from vacation as CD, Joey is Asst CD.

 

Pose comments & questions and will try to address them, metering our satellite WiFi.

 

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[mking8288]

We are leaving the Bliss behind.

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[mking8288]

Heading down the Hudson. Capt just advised to expect choppy seas & weather tomorrow morning near Cape Hatteras in the Carolina. We are ready !!

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[Katnisslove]

We just got off the Gem this morning 😞 wish we were still on her! Loved to listen to LM Cancio at night. We followed him around the ship. Lol. 

[FLAHAM]

Glad to see they still offer popcorn shrimp and my favorite open-faced tun salad sandwich for embarkation lunch in the MDR. 

[meatball_nyc]

Bon Voyage mking. 

We were this close to booking this cruise a few weeks ago, but a no go with my work schedule/vacation hours. Will have to renew my passport and wait until the new year. 

Enjoy the choppy seas for the next day or so and your “escape” on the Gem from the cold wet weather here. 

 

Safe Sailing !!

 

~Robin

 

[njhorseman]

3 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Luz is back from vacation as CD, Joey is Asst CD.

You're lucky. Ferdie, who was CD on our 12/2 cruise was hands down the single worst, most useless CD we've encountered in all the years we've been cruising NCL.  Anyone has to be better. 

 

The disembarkation announcements this morning weren't even made into some of the places where passengers were waiting, like the Garden Cafe. If my wife hadn't noticed that the disembarkation order was posted on the video screen outside La Cucina where restaurant availability is usually displayed we might have still been waiting for our color to be called. 

[AKR2011]

I almost booked this last summer! The price kept going down, but I couldn't convince my husband. These past couple months have been crazy, so it's a good thing we didn't move on this, BUT I am still jealous. You also get the old lunch menu in the MDR - which is superior in my opinion, but that's all being discussed to death already on the seafood thread. Anyway, I hope you can have an incredible cruise!

[bob brown]

Bon Voyage!

[mking8288]

Took an after dinner nap. 100 miles from NYC, 750 nm to PC, now at 21.5 knots, relative wind is ,50 knots or gale force. Wave 5 ft. 

 

On satellite WiFi, slow but working. There is now a multiple device discount offer $$.

 

Cabin is below Magenta MDR but quiet.

More tomorrow ... 

 

[Sand and Seas]

Interesting to see you still have the same MDR lunch menu we had on our last cruise.   Pics from the Encore are showing some changes to that.  We had a great cruise on the Gem in August from Boston so we are enjoying your pictures.   Hope you have a great cruise!

Thanks for taking us along☺️

[travelgals]

Curious, what is the native language? Sailed this itinerary oct 27 with a huge percentage of overseas non english speaking travelers too, which was a surprise, so wondering about change in NCL marketing.