NCL annouces new NCL Gem 12 day Med cruises in Oct - Nov 2007 and a Crossing Dec 3

[shoreguy]

New Press release from NCL.

 

http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/pressroom/pressRelease.html?storyCode=PR_110906

 

NCL adds five Mediterranean sailings to Norwegian Gem schedule

After delivery of the ship in early October, Norwegian Gem will sail five new Mediterranean itineraries. The ship will reposition from Dover to Barcelona on October 8 and visit Vigo, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Gibraltar; Naples; Civitavecchia (Rome); Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy; and Nice, France. On October 21, the ship sails a seven-day cruise roundtrip from Barcelona calling into Messina (Sicily); Civitavecchia (Rome); Naples; Livorno (Florence & Pisa), Italy; and Villefranche (Nice), France.

On October 28, November 9 and 21, the ship will sail three 12-day cruises roundtrip from Barcelona calling in Malaga (Grenada), Spain; Casablanca and Agadir, Morocco; Arrecife and Las Palmas in the Canary Islands; Lisbon, Portugal; Cadiz (Sevilla), Spain, Gibraltar; and Palma, Majorca, Spain. The ship will sail a transatlantic cruise from Barcelona to Boston on December 3.

Following a series of inaugural events on the east coast, Norwegian Gem will be home ported year-round in New York featuring a seven-day Bahamas & Florida itinerary in December 2007, February, March and April 2008.In January and February 2008, she will sail a series of 10- and 11-day Exotic Southern Caribbean itineraries roundtrip from New York.

[Cruising Ken]

Big decision, Dover - Barcelona. or Barcelona - Boston.:confused:

[hotspur]

Anyone know the itinerary for the Barcelona-to-Boston trans-Atlantic?

[electricron]

Very interesting, a trans Atlantic from Barcelona to Boston.

Why not sail directly to New York? Isn't the Gem supposed to replace the Dawn sailing from New York full time?

 

Could this mean it will eventually end up sailing from Boston? Say summer 2010 or so, when the two huge F3 class ships enter service, one each sailing from Miami and New York.

 

Maybe I'm suggesting much more than there really is, after all, it could be just a coincidence. Maybe the piers in New York will be occupied on that day. What do you think?

[shoreguy]

Very interesting, a trans Atlantic from Barcelona to Boston.

Why not sail directly to New York? Isn't the Gem supposed to replace the Dawn sailing from New York full time?

 

Could this mean it will eventually end up sailing from Boston? Say summer 2010 or so, when the two huge F3 class ships enter service, one each sailing from Miami and New York.

 

Maybe I'm suggesting much more than there really is, after all, it could be just a coincidence. Maybe the piers in New York will be occupied on that day. What do you think?

 

Read the whole release :D A good chance to show the ship off in Boston.

 

Following a series of inaugural events on the east coast, Norwegian Gem will be home ported year-round in New York featuring a seven-day Bahamas & Florida itinerary in December 2007, February, March and April 2008.In January and February 2008, she will sail a series of 10- and 11-day Exotic Southern Caribbean itineraries roundtrip from New York.

[deecsw]

So I guess I'm not going to be sailing on the Gem to Florida and the Bahamas on November 3rd, 2007. Good thing I have a backup. I haven't heard a thing from my TA or NCL. Guess I'd better ask for that deposit back.

[shoreguy]

So I guess I'm not going to be sailing on the Gem to Florida and the Bahamas on November 3rd, 2007. Good thing I have a backup. I haven't heard a thing from my TA or NCL. Guess I'd better ask for that deposit back.

 

Might want to wait and see what the offer is - Deal or no deal;)

[Cosmopolitan]

So I guess I'm not going to be sailing on the Gem to Florida and the Bahamas on November 3rd, 2007. Good thing I have a backup. I haven't heard a thing from my TA or NCL. Guess I'd better ask for that deposit back.

 

The Dawn did the Fla./Bahamas for sooo long from NY:eek:

 

It will be good if the Gem changes that itinerary:)

[weary traveler]

My bet is a few of those Boston-Philadelphia-Baltimore 3 day inagurals to showcase the Gem in the major markets outside of NYC before sailing from there..

[Maryfrei]

The Dawn did the Fla./Bahamas for sooo long from NY:eek:

 

It will be good if the Gem changes that itinerary:)

 

Ditto, I'm really hoping for a new summer itinerary:)!

[electricron]

The Dawn did the Fla./Bahamas for sooo long from NY:eek:

It will be good if the Gem changes that itinerary:)

 

How spoiled can New York passengers get? I can't believe that a 7 day Florida and Bahamas cruise ever gets boring. Look at the same 7 day cruise itineraries from Honolulu, but for three ships vs one. Look at the 7 or 8 day cruises from Los Angeles. Look at the 7 day cruises from Seattle. The Star has been doing the exact same 7 day itinerary for Alaska, and basically the same 7 or 8 day Mexician Riveria cruises longer than the Dawn. I'm not even going to discuss NCL's other homeports and ships, but I could. When faced doing the same itinerary, do different shore excursions. That's the easiest way to change a same itinerary into a different cruise experience.

 

Last year, NCL added Bermuda into the mix for the Dawn. Give NCL some credit to mix things up somewhat. Also, the Dawn had done Canadian/New England cruises, Western Caribbean cruises, and Eastern Caribbean cruises. If you're sick of Florida and Bahamas itineraries on the Dawn, try sailing its other itineraries at a different time of year, or sail on a different NCL ship. The Dawn isn't the one and only NCL ship worthy of sailing on. For the last year, the Dawn hasn't been the only NCL ship sailing from New York.

[deecsw]

I called NCL, and, of course, they deny any knowledge of the November 2007 Gem sailings being cancelled. I wrote to my TA and told her about this...she actually had her supervisor call me to tell me that NCL supervisors told her that the cruises are NOT cancelled.

 

THANK YOU FOR THE LINK TO THE PRESS RELEASE SHOREGUY, as it was the only thing that got them to believe me. The supervisor at my travel agency apparently "called all over the world for me," and FINALLY someone admitted that YES, this is true.

 

She was also told that 6 (yes, only 6) people have been assigned to call all of the reservationists and customers starting today and/or Monday to inform us of the change and make us other offers?

 

For me, the offer is useless, as stated that I cannot sail on any other dates next year. If they offer me a discount on a future cruise it would have to be for 2008!

[BarbCT605]

How spoiled can New York passengers get? I can't believe that a 7 day Florida and Bahamas cruise ever gets boring. Look at the same 7 day cruise itineraries from Honolulu, but for three ships vs one. Look at the 7 or 8 day cruises from Los Angeles. Look at the 7 day cruises from Seattle. The Star has been doing the exact same 7 day itinerary for Alaska, and basically the same 7 or 8 day Mexician Riveria cruises longer than the Dawn. I'm not even going to discuss NCL's other homeports and ships, but I could. When faced doing the same itinerary, do different shore excursions. That's the easiest way to change a same itinerary into a different cruise experience.

Your post should have started with your 2nd sentence.:rolleyes:

 

I think your first sentence is a bit rude to Cosmo. She was expressing her Cruise Critical opinion.

[electricron]

Your post should have started with your 2nd sentence.:rolleyes:

 

I think your first sentence is a bit rude to Cosmo. She was expressing her Cruise Critical opinion.

 

If you look at my first sentence carefully, you should notice I never answered my own question. But you did!

 

I have as much right as you to express an opinion, either in a statement or questioning form. It's extremely hard to feel New Yorkers pain of having to cruise the same itinerary all the time (which isn't true in the first place) when my local port is about to loose its one and only NCL ship.

 

When is NCL returning to Houston? Never?

[CruisinMK]

Of all the places I've been on a cruiseship I think bahamas was the one I'd be least excited about going back to. So I understand someone getting sick of it.

 

But hey if you live in New York you should try a bermuda cruise, or one of the 10/11 canada/NE cruises, those are great itineraries. Same with southern caribbean, if they are still doing that

[shoreguy]

When is NCL returning to Houston? Never?

 

 

When they don't have to sell cabins at as little as $299 per person to fill the ship. ;)

[electricron]

When they don't have to sell cabins at as little as $299 per person to fill the ship. ;)

Most Dream cruises fares sell for much more.

Here's this winters Dream fares from a web based web site, that doesn't include port fees and insurance, so the fares listed are actually lower than they really are:

Nov 25 $299

Dec 2 $299

Dec 9 $299

Dec 16 $399

Only three weeks have fares that dropped to $299, the infamous weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas that have the lowest fares every year.

 

How does that compare to other 7 day itineraries? Let's compare with the Sun sailing from New Orleans.

Nov 26 $399

Dec 3 $399

Dec 10 $349

Dec 17 $479

 

The Dream's fares are never lower than $100 than the Sun's.

 

Then compare their itineraries.

Here's the Dream's itinearies:

Sat Nov 11 Houston, TX

4:00pm Sun Nov 12 At Sea

Mon Nov 13 Progreso / Merida, Mexico 8:00am 4:00pm Tue Nov 14 Cancun (Playa del Carmen), Mexico 8:00am 9:00am Tue Nov 14 Cozumel, Mexico 10:30am 6:00pm Wed Nov 15 Belize City, Belize 8:00am 6:00pm Thu Nov 16 At Sea

Fri Nov 17 At Sea

Sat Nov 18 Houston, TX 8:00am

Here's the Sun's itinerary:

Sun Nov 12 New Orleans, LA

5:30pm Mon Nov 13 At Sea

Tue Nov 14 Costa Maya, Mexico 10:00am 6:00pm Wed Nov 15 Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala 8:00am 6:00pm Thu Nov 16 Belize City, Belize 8:00am 6:00pm Fri Nov 17 Cozumel, Mexico 8:00am 6:00pm Sat Nov 18 At Sea

Sun Nov 19 New Orleans, LA 7:00am

Two at sea days vs three. Four ports vs three. Seems logical that the Dream's fares should be lower. Then compare the two ships.

 

Dream stats:

Built 1991

Tonnage 50,760

Length 754 feet

Beam 94 feet

Passenger Capacity 1,748

Inside Cabins 166

Outside Cabins 703

Suites 18

Cabins with verandas 74

 

Sun stats:

Built 2001

Tonnage 77,104

Length 853 feet

Beam 108 feet

Passenger Capacity 2,400

Inside Cabins 293

Outside Cabins 675

Suites 54

Cabins with verandas 432

When the Sun was sailing from Houston last year, because New Orleans was closed, although many passengers took the opportunity to cancel their cruise penalty free, the Sun's fares never failed so low.

 

Be honest Shoreguy, which ship or cruise itinerary would you rather spend your money on?

 

 

 

[shoreguy]

All I can say is compare that to cheapest fare out of nyc on my next Dawn cruise $1157 pp cat N inside. It is all about the money;)

[Cosmopolitan]

How spoiled can New York passengers get? I can't believe that a 7 day Florida and Bahamas cruise ever gets boring.

 

Last year, NCL added Bermuda into the mix for the Dawn. Give NCL some credit to mix things up somewhat. Also, the Dawn had done Canadian/New England cruises, Western Caribbean cruises, and Eastern Caribbean cruises. If you're sick of Florida and Bahamas itineraries on the Dawn, try sailing its other itineraries at a different time of year, or sail on a different NCL ship. The Dawn isn't the one and only NCL ship worthy of sailing on. For the last year, the Dawn hasn't been the only NCL ship sailing from New York.

 

WOW!

 

Did I hit a sore spot:confused:

 

Did I say I found the Fla.,/Bahamas cruise boring? I have never been bored on a cruise.

Who mentioned "sick of Fla.,/Bahamas itinerary on the Dawn":confused: I know it wasn't me!

 

"The Dawn had done Canadian/New England cruises, Western Caribbean cruises and Eastern Caribbean cruises"

Thanks for that information.

We have already sailed the Dawn, Eastern Caribbean and the Dawn, Canada/New England.

 

"The Dawn isn't the one and only NCL ship worthy of sailing on"

You're right on that one...that's why we also sailed the Jewel out of NY:)

 

What I did say was....

"The Dawn did the Fla./Bahamas for sooo long from NY

 

It will be good if the Gem changes that itinerary"

[Cosmopolitan]

If you look at my first sentence carefully, you should notice I never answered my own question. But you did!

 

I have as much right as you to express an opinion, either in a statement or questioning form. It's extremely hard to feel New Yorkers pain of having to cruise the same itinerary all the time (which isn't true in the first place) when my local port is about to loose its one and only NCL ship.

 

When is NCL returning to Houston? Never?

 

Who said that:confused:

[Cosmopolitan]

When they don't have to sell cabins at as little as $299 per person to fill the ship. ;)

 

Thanks, I think you explained it ALL:)

[shoreguy]

Prices and Itineraries are posted for the Oct - Dec 3 Gem Europe and Transatlantic to Boston cruises.

 

https://seaweb.it.ncl.com/consumer/

[flyingpirate]

Lordy, they do want some obscene $$ for the owner's suite on the December 3 Transatlantic. :eek:

 

Way too much for a room with no doors, even if it comes with that new ship smell. ;)

[uneamie]

How spoiled can New York passengers get? I can't believe that a 7 day Florida and Bahamas cruise ever gets boring.

.

 

Hmm... What is boring to one may not be to another. I would not attribute that to being spoiled. I've been to the Bahamas and San Juan Puerto Rico 4 times by ship and by air and I can tell you that in no way do I want to go to either again unless it is a quick visit on the way to some other interesting ports.

I don't cruise just to cruise.....the ports are part of the whole package for us. We love NCL and hope they reconsider keeping their currant wide range of ports open to NYC departures...like why are they dropping the 10 and 11 day "western Caribbean" itinerary when the Gem comes? :confused:

Just because Houston is losing NCL ships does not mean the rest of us should have to feel overly privileged because of it. Your lose I feel...but it's a whole separate issue me thinks. :rolleyes:

[patval]

I just checked prices and to me they are par for what NCL charges for the Dawn, Jewel, and Pearl.

 

I just priced the December 3rd cruise and an Owner Suite at about 4200 and a Garden Villa at 10200 sounds about the usually price for them.

 

 

I was blown away with the prices for the cruises in Novemeber wow double the price just times everything in December by 2 and you wil the price. The Garden Villas are at 16500 and Owner Suites are at 8600:eek::eek::eek:.

 

 

Paul