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

[mking8288]

We are in a taxi, heading home @ 9:05 .... ETA 30 minutes.

 

8:40 am thru security. 8:45 on the pier. 8:50 getting our luggage, 8:55 trru CBP w porter escort, 9:05 across 12th Ave & bags loaded. No wait for 2nd taxis waiting, plentiful of them. Toyota Prius heading toward LGA via WSH to RFK Bridge, then a little further.

 

At 9:25 our taxi just went past the LGA exit for terminal B, C/D - traffic is light, close to home ~ 10 minutes.

 

Safe trip home to all on our Roll Call.

Edited December 21, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

At our driveway at 9:37 pm, taxi fare came to $55.50 w toll, not bad + tips. DW said, home sweet home. 

 

Now, what's for lunch 😋 😲 🤗 

[Arzeena]

Thanks for a wonderful review and the pictures are WOW!

Some Cruise Critic buddies are waiting for your 1/5 Bliss review 😋 and some are waiting to see you and Susan onboard!

 

[Arzeena]

3 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

At our driveway at 9:37 pm, taxi fare came to $55.50 w toll, not bad + tips. DW said, home sweet home. 

 

Now, what's for lunch 😋 😲 🤗 

Noodle soup? with shrimp?

[mking8288]

Post trip thoughts about ground travel & our data usage - 

(Check "Lyft" App for fare - ride would be $57 w discount/promo, not counting tips but tolls included)  Our yellow taxi total came to $67, rounded up - tolls & tips. 

 

We are fortunate to get fast track/priority disembark, not everyone can do it - not easy with heavy/lots of luggage ... watching a mom with a child/stroller and a jumbo 28"+ rollerboard leaving the secured terminal area out to ground transportation - and for those flying home &  using area airports, it is still risky for a 11:30 flight.  From what we can see, the exit/service roadways into the airline terminals at LGA looked okay this morning.  A safer flight would be 12:30 to 1 pm regardless ... the lines for "yellow" tags weren't even called and going around the atrium, thru the Bliss Lounge & then back out to starboard side, out thru ship security to swipe & then the gangway when we made our exodus. 

 

Footnote - as we're crossing 12th Ave at W. 48th Street to the yellow taxi stand, there're at least a dozen "hustlers" offering ride, 3 or more flashing "UBER" on their smartphone pretending to be a ride-share driver ... they are NOT.

 

For this cruise, our cellular/4G LTE and sometimes 3.5G/HSPA data use - a little in Florida, mostly while at GSC and in Nassau, came to 850 MB, which will be charged thru Google Fi (T-Mobile/Sprint & AT&T as network and roaming partners as MNVO) will come to about $9 USD, taxes/fees included - on 3 different devices, very frugal & super reasonable charges.  

 

For our "unlimited" 5 days basic satellite WiFi data use on the GEM, paid $55 (offset by OBC) and consumed about 6 GB worth of much slower DSL at "old" analog, copper speed - only 1 devices at a time - (multiple ones registered) that struggled to reach 2 to 3 Mbps on download, with upload sometimes better.  

Edited December 21, 2019 by mking8288

[meatball_nyc]

Welcome home to a bright, sunny but chilly day in nyc. 

Thank you again for taking us on your relaxing (and WARM) cruise aboard the beautiful Gem this week. It’s been a fun way for us to escape😎 from a boring work week here before the holidays begin. 

 

Best wishes and a safe happy New Year to all. 

Off to find a good lunch, too. 

 

[WYB!]

Thank you for taking the time to post and for bringing us along on your adventure.

 

Safe travels & Happy Holidays!

 

- WhosYourBuddy

[mking8288]

3 hours ago, snorklinbarb said:

Loved every bit of your semi-live-turned live comments, tips, photos!

Have been on Gem many times but not in several years ... time to get packing for 20 nights ... NCL can showcase their whole inventory of menus!  Prime rib's got to be in there somewhere, no??  There's only so many times they can do striploin. 🙄 ... fun to "follow the shrimp" to see where they would pop up next.  Looks like you found them!😋

 

Happy Holidays and thanks so much for taking time to share your cruise with us!

 

Much obliged and thank you (and we extend our gratitue to everyone in following along) - I love to read about you lucky folks sailing soon on the Panama 20/21 days on the Gem.  That's on our bucket list to do in (most likely) 2021 as two early retirees are now ready to pack & go.  

 

Happy to know that the humor is/was a better way to be a not-so-serious "food" critic on cruise critic (unless auto-correct/spell check ... change it again to "good critic" to share our personal, highly subjective & sometimes not overly serious commentary about dining and eating on a mass cruise ships with 3,500 to 5,500 souls onboard (passengers, crews & officers - everyone eats their meals) 

 

NCL has 14 or 15 MDR menus that they rotate, and you are bound to find & choose from every one of them over 20 days.  MDR Lunch menu on sea days, when the dining room is open with everyone onboard, is where we find "issues" - but, they should / supposed to offer 1 or 2 lunch "specials" instead of the everyday, never-changing selections.  Prime ribs, no more, it seemed - not once, except in Specialty dining.  We don't expect Michelin star level gourmet dining onboard, even with an upgrade - but, will mostly bypass the hotdogs.  Otherwise, it's mostly all good - chefs on different NCL ships managed to do better on looks & taste, with the same grade/cut of beef, pork & chicken ... 

 

The joy and affordability to be able to take a cruise isn't a given, we missed one of our dearest SIL that passed this past winter, especially during this holiday season.  Sometimes, it's important to take 2 steps backward and look at the bigger life picture, appreciate the escape from daily challenges and sit back & enjoy ... always find something edible.  2020 is around the corner, maybe the newer menus will be rolling out and we look forward to learning about the changes (previewed already on the mega ships, I think).  

 

All those food pictures managed to bring quite a few smiles & laughs from some of you, then we've done our fun part in sharing our "adventure" on this "milky run".  Best wishes for the holidays and bon voyage for your upcoming cruise. 

 

[ColeThornton]

Great job on the review MKing.  Thank you and Happy Holidays.

[mking8288]

17 hours ago, Arzeena said:

I am REALLY hungry just reading this!!!!  I LOVE the noodle soups.

Will have to order ... authentic Shanghai style cuisine ( per the local Chinese community). And it is my favorite!

 

So, how was Shanghaiese noodles last night ?  Susan's smartphone has been ringing ever since we got home ... 

 

Kitchen remaining closed, chef on strike and concierge saying, let's eat out instead - once I catch up with the gossips on CC, something about 2 Carnival ships bumping into each other earlier this week.  Going to take a short drive to get some serious ethnic food in the neighborhood.  

 

It's funny that this semi live blog almost turned into a food critic review, not so much about critics in cruising - auto.spell/correct turned one of the post into being a "good critic" LOL.  

 

Well, it was a plain & boring chicken, shredded vegetable & rice noodles soup - in the buffet.  Bingo, it dawn on us - why not upgrade & make our own additions, viola - walk down the different "stations" & take what we like, add it to the soup bowl and instant success.  Now, if NCL would provide a choice of beef stock, pork stock and a vegetarian based broth or soup base - it would and should become a crowd pleasing option.  Possibly long lines for it - isn't that "freestyle" dining the NCL way.  

Edited December 21, 2019 by mking8288

[dexddd]

22 hours ago, mking8288 said:

@copper004 - Here's an angled view of that bar/lounge area, was up there this morning for a disembarkation info session.  As others said, not a good indoor spot for sail away as portside will not really be seen.  The Haven/suite team do use it at various times but it is not restricted, open to all. Given the weather, the Spinnaker Lounge on Deck 13 Fwd would be better, views of starboard & portside, plus forward.

 

Pool is open but no polar bears around, hot tubs are nice & warm - didn't see hot cocoa around, BYO ?

 

 

Hey, that top. Photo middle at top was our room last Gem trip.

[dexddd]

Welcome home and another great trip report.  I know how much time it takes.  We have about 90+ days for our next trip and no free wifi so likely silent on that one except in Port.

 

Your reports make our work week go quicker yet your food posts do us nothing but envy.  We do have one up on you though, all presents are wrapped.  How did Heidi serve you?

 

Have a great Christmas.

[bob brown]

"Bravo Zulu", Henry!   Another splendid trip report.   I love your particular style that is almost all about the ship, and not so much about the ports of call, with great tips, and timely answer's to questions.  I do know how much time that entails.

 

While I am on the Gem for the westbound Canal cruise, I'll try to answer some questions as well, but since I will only have about 60 minutes of internet time, I can't begin to promise anywhere near your comprehensive level...

 

Anyhow, thanks for the 'ride', and happy holidays!

[Nclgetawaymenhoney]

Thanks for taking the time out of your vacation for great review, we were on Bliss dec 13th so we watched the gem sailaway a good hour before we left thanks for the tip about the rocket launch we had a lovely view of it from spice h2o

[Arzeena]

27 minutes ago, bob brown said:

"Bravo Zulu", Henry!   Another splendid trip report.   I love your particular style that is almost all about the ship, and not so much about the ports of call, with great tips, and timely answer's to questions.  I do know how much time that entails.

 

While I am on the Gem for the westbound Canal cruise, I'll try to answer some questions as well, but since I will only have about 60 minutes of internet time, I can't begin to promise anywhere near your comprehensive level...

 

Anyhow, thanks for the 'ride', and happy holidays!

Have a great cruise Bob and Betsy.

Give a hug to Mary and Joe from me. We miss them a lot. Haven't been able to coordinate cruises but will maybe try to catch them on the Oasis in Oct.

[Arzeena]

2 hours ago, mking8288 said:

 

So, how was Shanghaiese noodles last night ?  Susan's smartphone has been ringing ever since we got home ... 

 

Kitchen remaining closed, chef on strike and concierge saying, let's eat out instead - once I catch up with the gossips on CC, something about 2 Carnival ships bumping into each other earlier this week.  Going to take a short drive to get some serious ethnic food in the neighborhood.  

 

Super!!!!!!!

This chef also goes on strike on day 1 of getting home....irrespective of who is getting home from where! LOL!😁

[mking8288]

1 hour ago, dexddd said:

... Photo middle at top was our room last Gem trip.

 

Ha, that's it. Fortunately, the roll call had plenty of Gem "veterans" that knew the ship inside out, top to bottom and there was no request to do a cabin crawl ... I would've taken the gang to crash your suite & insist on having a CC party upstairs. 

 

Here, check our lunch specials ... a treat by our twin nieces, one just inked a nice offer by a headhunter to switch jobs in the accounting & banking field. 

 

That's not even specialty dining ... how about that !! Just won't find these dishes, period, on most cruise ships in the mass market.

 

A tour of our small gallery showed that provisioning is needed, time to call F&B, find a butler, or else ... will have to find a concierge to arrange for dinner tonight & deliver it.  Life is better on a cruise ship.

Edited December 21, 2019 by mking8288

[Phemmett]

Thank you for the wonderful reviews. We just got on. Waiting to depart!!

 

One quick question did you here the people in the room next to you? We got on and we could here them. So loud!!

[mking8288]

30 minutes ago, Phemmett said:

... We just got on. Waiting to depart!!  ... did you here (hear) the people in the room next to you? ... loud!!

 

Hey, bon voyage and have a great time over 14 nights ... different MDR menus in rotation ... although, I got tired of French Onion soup as the everyday selection by the 3rd. time (and I love the soup, almost any soup, whether it's hot or chilled as intended when served)  Ask about the same every day MDR lunch menu on those sea days, and whether they can expand on the daily specials.  Someone on the Roll Call going to do a review, as I love reading them myself - we've done the East & West Caribbean routes - going to try to cross-off the southern route next/sooner or later.  

 

I see that ship is now backing up & underway, bon voyage and enjoy the warm weather ahead.  

 

As for hearing the next door neighbors, we "could" hear them sometimes, insulations aren't the best (no connecting doors) but never loud & they're mostly doing average conversation.  Hallway was quiet & ours being the 2nd. one to the midship elevators & stairs ... crew "store" and service closets, etc. opposite us with the interior passage, never bothered us.  

 

Perhaps, talk to the Room Steward to see if s/he can help; or speak to Guest Services & let them intervene if this continued into the late evening ... maybe leave them a simple, friendly note that "everyone can hear their excitement and if they can tone it down a click or two".  We once had "honeymooners" next door, woke me up at 4 a.m. and I'm usually not a light sleeper, especially after a long & busy day.  

 

P.S.  Please share w. the roll call group that the PC's in the internet cafe (Deck 12 Fwd in the library) has free access to the CC site to read/catch up on "gossips" here - cannot log-in & graphics/pictures do not display ... but can be accessed. 

 

1 of the 3 Acer PC/workstation -running Windows 10 was down or out of order.  Speed was slow even late in the evening but usable. 

Edited December 21, 2019 by mking8288

[njhorseman]

5 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Now, if NCL would provide a choice of beef stock, pork stock and a vegetarian based broth or soup base - it would and should become a crowd pleasing option. 

They had those options on the Escape in October...not all every day but one a day and rotated from one to another during the week. I was disappointed when all they had was chicken stock on the Gem.

 

Thanks for your trip report.

Edited December 21, 2019 by njhorseman

[njhorseman]

9 hours ago, snorklinbarb said:

 Prime rib's got to be in there somewhere, no??

Barb...no. The question was asked of the general manager at our Meet and Greet for the Dec. 2 sailing and he said no...not in the MDRs, not in O'Sheehan's and not in the Garden Cafe. Prime rib is only available in Cagney's.

[mking8288]

2 hours ago, Nclgetawaymenhoney said:

Thanks  ... were on Bliss dec 13th so we watched ... the rocket launch we had a lovely view of it from spice h2o

 

Everyone including you are most welcomed, just knowing that the info was timely & helpful and made me happy to be able to share.  Wasn't that SpaceX launch awesome - we finished our dinner just in time, went outside to the open deck, and, wow !!  We - quite a few of us on the Roll Call - weren't sure if you folks were still in the terminal & if already sailed (supposed to be 6 pm) and can still watch it just off the shorelines ... plus, the low cloud ceilings.  

 

Is there a trip report/review of your Bliss sailing for the 13th ??  We just couldn't figure out how the mega ship couldn't catch up and the weather/sea conditions were all that bad, only lasted 12 to 18 hours at most - Gem's captain charted a course, sailing closer along the coast down thru the Carolinas ... and, whether medical emergencies or mechanical issues were at play.   We almost book the Bliss instead of the Gem just to check out the extra bells & whistles.  

 

Now, we both resume following other sailings instead, on land ... 

[jaja]

50 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Barb...no. The question was asked of the general manager at our Meet and Greet for the Dec. 2 sailing and he said no...not in the MDRs, not in O'Sheehan's and not in the Garden Cafe. Prime rib is only available in Cagney's.

If I can jump in here...seems the prime rib has been replaced with "sirloin , loaded potato and creamed spinach." It was pretty good , in fact the spinach was MUCH better than Cagney"s !!

Thanks Henry,..for doing our M&G and it was a pleasure meeting you!!! 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, jaja said:

If I can jump in here...seems the prime rib has been replaced with "sirloin , loaded potato and creamed spinach." It was pretty good , in fact the spinach was MUCH better than Cagney"s !!

Thanks Henry,..for doing our M&G and it was a pleasure meeting you!!! 

I was annoyed when they took creamed spinach off the Cagney's menu. What steakhouse doesn't have creamed spinach as a side ? 

[mking8288]

39 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

They had those options on the Escape in October...not all every day but one a day and rotated ... disappointed when all they had was chicken stock on the Gem. Thanks for your trip report.

 

Thank you.  I also remember the old Sea & Dawn days, with the noodles station with more varieties of chopped/shredded vegetables.  Perhaps, they didn't retain some of the ethnic Chinese chefs from the Joy's China venture ... NCL seemed to get their Indian offerings right for passengers.  The executive chef appeared relative young and of India origin - I defer to Arzeena for her opinion on this.  Most items in Orchid Garden can be labeled as being Chinese or Amercanized Chinese dishes; and, seemed improved compared to 18 months ago - perhaps NCL kept some of the asst. chefs from the Joy's China market, deploying them to other ships in the fleet.  

 

While at sea, read your comments about disembarkation & spoken to others that arrived later than us for pier check-in ... lines out the door in the cold wind.  MDR closed despite the muster/safety drill being postponed for 1 hour with the late arriving pax (and delayed sailing ... large # of cruisers still checking in at 4 pm) (don't know for sure, probably/could be the groups and/or those using NCL Air, since airports were experiencing delays.)  Talk about the left hand doesn't know what the right was planning/doing and communication excellence, or not.  We know that NCL can, should, need to do better and work on that.