Two weeks from the Gem

[zqvol]

Boarded this morning for two weeks, B2B Boston - Quebec - Boston. Easiest boarding I have ever had. Got out of the Uber at 10:50, and except for a small slow down at security and while the check in crew got our keys didn’t stop walking. We were in the atrium by 11:10, and they had already given up calling group numbers.  

[zqvol]

Nice lunch at Grand Pacific. All food served at the proper temp. Service was quick, but not rushed. Bar service was prompt. Server was efficient but didn’t stand out. No complaints so far. Cabins are supposed to be ready sometime after 2:30, according to the multiple announcements. 

[quillwercruisers]

Enjoy your cruise! Have not sailed on the Gem, so looking forward to your review.

[JSar]

I did the priority boarding last time I was on the Gem... super fast for sure. Walked straight to the counter for check in and was immediately told to go to the safety check and done within a few minutes. I am hoping my December boarding goes as smoothly as yours has (when I do NOT have priority boarding)! (Also Gem). I didn't have any negative experiences on the Gem... hope you can say the same. Enjoy!

[zqvol]

Cabins ready at 2:30. Bag hereby 3:00. Muster drill at 3:30.

 

i plan to make this review with short little blurbs. No long posts and probably no pictures. 

[DCGuy64]

Have a great time! I have always wanted to do a B2B. (We're almost doing one later this year, just 6 days between 2 cruises.) Enjoy the Gem, that was our first time with NCL and we loved it.

[zqvol]

14 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Have a great time! I have always wanted to do a B2B. (We're almost doing one later this year, just 6 days between 2 cruises.) Enjoy the Gem, that was our first time with NCL and we loved it.

My daughter is along this time. My wife and I did the same cruise pre Covid.  

[Landl cruiser]

4 hours ago, JSar said:

I did the priority boarding last time I was on the Gem... super fast for sure. Walked straight to the counter for check in and was immediately told to go to the safety check and done within a few minutes. I am hoping my December boarding goes as smoothly as yours has (when I do NOT have priority boarding)! (Also Gem). I didn't have any negative experiences on the Gem... hope you can say the same. Enjoy!

 

What is the Priority Boarding.  Never heard of it.

[JSar]

4 minutes ago, Landl cruiser said:

 

What is the Priority Boarding.  Never heard of it.

It comes with certain latitudes levels free... but you can also pay for it. It is one price for the entire room. It gets you priority boarding, priority disembarking, and priority tendering. It is nice to be able to bypass the regular lines. I was injured and barely able to walk and had bought a wheelchair before the cruise so my knees could heal. So - for me - it was more than worth it for the easy of getting on and off the ship quickly. That said - going forward I would not justify the cost for a ship the size of the Gem or smaller. But I did the Bliss without it and will never do that again. Regarding tendering, it MIGHT have been worth it if I hadn't had shore excursions at all the tender ports. When you have a shore excursion, they hold tender boarding while the tour groups pass. If you have ever been to a theme park - it is kind of like a "fast pass". 

[Landl cruiser]

4 minutes ago, JSar said:

It comes with certain latitudes levels free... but you can also pay for it. It is one price for the entire room. It gets you priority boarding, priority disembarking, and priority tendering. It is nice to be able to bypass the regular lines. I was injured and barely able to walk and had bought a wheelchair before the cruise so my knees could heal. So - for me - it was more than worth it for the easy of getting on and off the ship quickly. That said - going forward I would not justify the cost for a ship the size of the Gem or smaller. But I did the Bliss without it and will never do that again. Regarding tendering, it MIGHT have been worth it if I hadn't had shore excursions at all the tender ports. When you have a shore excursion, they hold tender boarding while the tour groups pass. If you have ever been to a theme park - it is kind of like a "fast pass". 

 

Thank you.   I had never heard of it nor had it ever been offered to me.   Probably because we are Ambassador and cruise in suites .

Edited Friday at 11:57 PM by Landl cruiser
spelling

[JSar]

2 minutes ago, Landl cruiser said:

 

Thank you.   I had never heard of it nor had it ever been offered to me.   Probably because we are Ambassador and cruise in suites .

It is something that you can add on during the online check in process. But yeah - maybe it is included for you? I don't know. 

[surfone]

We will board in Quebec next Friday.  This will be our 2nd time on the GEM.  We did a B2B out of Boston to Montreal and back 2 years ago on Holland.  Couldn't do the B2B this time.  Enjoy!

[zqvol]

Today is Bar Harbor. Our only purpose in going ashore was lunch. We had great lobster rolls at Stewmans on the Water. No tender tickets that I saw. When we went ashore at 10:30 no wait for the tender.

Edited Saturday at 06:13 PM by zqvol

[zqvol]

I have a great steward, Paulos. Who says they don’t do towel animals anymore. This was on my bed when I got back to the cabin this afternoon.

 

 

Edited Saturday at 06:15 PM by zqvol