On The Gem Now

[Sick of Snow]

We are on the Gem right now heading towards Florida. The ship is gorgeous, most of the food good, crew is for the most part helpful and friendly. My biggest complaint (other than I came down today with a doozie of a cold) NO SUN.

 

 

 

We left NYC and it was freezing. Coming in from NH, leaving in the middle of yet another snowstorm, I figured it would be warmer as we went South, so neglected to pack all kinds of warm things, such as mittens, wool hat, scarf. Well, could have used them. Wandering the streets of NYC Saturday morning was very cold, taking pictures as we left the port after we were on board was even colder.

 

 

Right now the tv station that tells about the ship says that it is 64 outside and that we are near South Carolina. The waves are “small” at 5 feet. I do not want to see these waves if they get bigger. We have an ‘aft’ room at the very back of the boat. We feel everything here. Drawers are opening up on their own and everything on the tables is rattling constantly. While we have been sitting in the Stardust Theatre you can hear something under us that sounds like huge balls rolling back and forth. Anyone know what that is ??? Not easy to walk around. We keep bumping into walls.

 

 

 

Had to laugh very hard this morning. We went to the Blue Lagoon for breakfast. Let me state that this was a HUGE mistake. I ordered the full breakfast, very afraid that I was going to have way to much to eat. I should not have worried. I ordered my eggs over medium, what I got was 2 brown things on my plate surrounded by what they called bacon. I told them to take the eggs away. From where we come from eggs are not brown (unless they are still in the shell) The bacon was nasty tasting. Also with this came baked beans, sausage, grilled tomatos and hash browns. The hash brown was a previously frozen patty about the size of a half dollar (very greasy), the tomato was a single slice that was cooked to a mushy consistency, the beans and sausage had me in hysterics. The beans came in a shot glass size container with the sausage stuck into the middle of them. All I could think of was that they were flipping me off. The pastries here were good, but not any different then the ones anywhere else. We ended up going to the garden café to finish breakfast. The food there is good and we can always find a place to sit.

Off to a show right now. Wanted to write and ask if anyone knew where our sun is ?????

[Leafpeeper]

You left the sun up north--along with the wind and the cold.

 

We are expecting warmer temps on Tuesday--along with rain of course.

 

Enjoy your vacation while we are all at work.

 

I would never think of ordering breakfast at the Blue Lagoon. I always think of that like a late night evening place for fast food. I like their chicken wings and fried rice or lomein with the cashews. I also like to take a slice of banana bread back to my cabin to go with my wakeup coffee on my balcony first thing in the morning.

[Leafpeeper]

What do you think of the Great Outdoors? It was our favorite spot on NCL Pearl. DH liked the outdoor bar with flatscreen tv's so he could catchup on sports scores on ESPN. I enjoyed sitting there in the afternoons reading because it was so quiet after the lunch crowd left the buffet area. That was always DH's time for the casino.

 

Have you wondered why they don't have movies on the big screen in the atrium instead of the Wii games? We watched Sunday football there but were disappointed that area was used for photographs in the evening instead of showing movies.

[scubacindy]

Hope you find that sun and send it back up the coast toward Georgia. I am sick of overcast and 38-44 degrees/ Not to mention the rain, lightnening and thunder last night!

 

I hear it may warm up to 64 here tommorrow and this is the South???

 

Cindy

[mbisson]

Note to self: If I sail the Gem don't have breakfast in the Blue Lagoon. Stick with the main dining rooms or buffet

[LOWTYD]

Our Roll call was wondering if your guys would actually mak it to Great Stirrup Cay Tuesday since there have been a few misses lately due to weather. If you have a chace, give us a yes or no on whether to make it our not.

 

Sorry about your "interstesting breakfast" Not what I would like to see first thing in the morning.

 

Hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise and the waters calm down for you. I am also in an aft (my first one) in 2 weeks. I've heard good and bad but mostly good.

[mbisson]

Hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise .

 

I'd really like to second that. Especially since it's your first cruise, I hope it fulfills your expectations!

 

(OP-BTW-on my sailings on ships with a Blue Lagoon, I did find it pretty good in the afternoons & late nights for cafe type foods so don't give up on it because of the breakfast failure)

[Ms belp]

Looking at the satellite overview on noaa.gov, it appears you are heading through overcast/rainy weather that extends down through Florida waters as well.

[slotaddict]

We had breakfast several days in the Blue Lagoon when we were on the Pearl. It was very good, omelets, bacon hash browns, the best part was window seat with no crowds.

 

 

But brown eggs, Yuck!!!!!!!!! I hope the sun finds it way to you.:D

[ROGER CT]

:cool: Have them ice up some beers 4 me . I will be on her (the gem) in 12 days (4/12).

Check out the breakfast @ the steak house I hear its great.

any other info would be great

 

thanks

 

:cool: sail on

[LadyBerard]

What category/deck are you in?

 

I'm sailing on the Gem next Feb. and am considering switching my aft AF because I am prone to motion sickness and although I've never gotten sick, have felt not so great on days where we've hit really rough seas (18+ feet) and every time I've sailed out of NY, we always have one day that it's pretty bad.

[Sick of Snow]

We did finally get our sun today :) Woke up and it had stopped raining finally, the seas were calmer and by the time we docked it was gorgeous out ;)

 

Florida was wonderful, a few showers but those last 2 minutes and then they are gone.

 

We are on deck 11. I did get seasick yesterday. I thought it was just this rotten cold, but when the guys came in to turn down the beds they told me that I had seasickness, then he left and came back with an apple which he told me if i ate it with the skin on it would help. I tried it along with taking a nap and it worked !!!

 

This is a mini suite at the absolute back of the boat. I personally would not do this again, but that is judging how i felt yesterday with the motion. I do not want to see 18 foot waves.

 

Beers are on tap :)

 

So far everything is a go for the Stirrup Cay Island. I was kinda hoping we could hit Nassau a day early .... my fingers are still crossed ;)

 

Any ?'s ask and I'll see what i can find out. We got a package of minutes so if I am good I will have enough to check emails once a day :)

[b7440]

We were on the Gem last week, the noise you hear while in the main dinner room is comming from the bowling alley above you in the Bliss lounge. Try it my daughter and I had a lot of fun!!

We have been on many NCL ships, the blue lagon is not a breakfeast stop. Try the main dinner room one morning, good food--no crowds.

 

I do miss the coffe machines at the back of the buffett and the great outdoors.

 

Hope you get to Stirrup Cay, I was sitting on my balcony watching the island come into view, then we sailed right bye it, and were in Nassaus by 1:30.

 

Have fun--

[Cosmopolitan]

[quote name=Sick of Snow;1402406

Had to laugh very hard this morning. We went to the Blue Lagoon for breakfast. Let me state that this was a HUGE mistake. I ordered the full breakfast' date=' very afraid that I was going to have way to much to eat. I should not have worried. I ordered my eggs over medium, what I got was 2 brown things on my plate surrounded by what they called bacon. I told them to take the eggs away. From where we come from eggs are not brown (unless they are still in the shell) The bacon was nasty tasting. Also with this came baked beans, sausage, grilled tomatos and hash browns. The hash brown was a previously frozen patty about the size of a half dollar (very greasy), the tomato was a single slice that was cooked to a mushy consistency, the beans and sausage had me in hysterics. The beans came in a shot glass size container with the sausage stuck into the middle of them. All I could think of was that they were flipping me off. The pastries here were good, but not any different then the ones anywhere else. We ended up going to the garden café to finish breakfast. The food there is good and we can always find a place to sit.

[/quote]

 

Not sure why you would dine at the Blue Lagoon for breakfast:confused:

Main dining room, buffet and room service are better choices.

Great Outdoors is great at any time of day/night.

[Cosmopolitan]

What category/deck are you in?

 

I'm sailing on the Gem next Feb. and am considering switching my aft AF because I am prone to motion sickness and although I've never gotten sick, have felt not so great on days where we've hit really rough seas (18+ feet) and every time I've sailed out of NY, we always have one day that it's pretty bad.

 

We've sailed 8 times out of NYC.

 

DH is prone to sea sickness...he did much better in the Aft., cabin than the Fwd.

I always do well, though our return to NY in the N'easter had me spinning but not sick.

 

If you hit rough seas, head down to a lower deck at the center of the ship - atrium;)

[Cosmopolitan]

We did finally get our sun today :) Woke up and it had stopped raining finally, the seas were calmer and by the time we docked it was gorgeous out ;)

 

Florida was wonderful, a few showers but those last 2 minutes and then they are gone.

 

:)

 

Happy to hear you have sun...enjoy and bring some sun and warm weather home with you:)

[chesquinn]

This is what we hit our second day out of New York on our 2/6/08 Gem Cruise.This is from our AFT Balcony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://community.webshots.com/photo/2464831960014708573JVYhKu

[Boston Banker]

Thank You,

We are sailing on 4/19/08 could you find out if they have Guinness Draught can, bottle or on tap? and Guinness extra stout bottle? Also where is the Texas Hold - Em table located in the Casino.

Thank You again

Sincerely

Boston Banker

P.S. Aside from our Kids who are in College close to the Canadian (Talk about Snow) Border. I have three things in life I love My Wife, Guinness and Poker in that order.

Thank You Again, Also do try Teppanyaki experience, you will not regret it.

[LOWTYD]

This is what we hit our second day out of New York on our 2/6/08 Gem Cruise.This is from our AFT Balcony.

 

 

http://community.webshots.com/photo/2464831960014708573JVYhKu

 

 

And did you feel OK?????:confused:

[Smellytoes]

And did you feel OK?????:confused:

 

We were back there once during Hurricane Frances. The seas were 42-47 feet. We felt fine. But once we had a cabin all the way in the front of the ship and some of us got sick in 7-8 foot seas:rolleyes: Moral of the story is take your Bonine/Dramamine or whatever anyway. You don't want to risk not feeling well when you should be having fun with me:D

[angeljt]

We're leaving on Saturday and happy to hear the sun is out. Hope it stays out!

Hope you're having a great time and have found better places for breakfast! :eek: The dining room breakfasts have always been very good, and they have great omelets at the buffet.

Have fun!!!

[chesquinn]

And did you feel OK?????:confused:

 

I left the cabin to go to the C.C. meet and greet and only about half of the C.C. came.We stayed in the cabin untill dinner time and it did calm down then but we did not have much of a appetite.This was the first time we were seasick on any of our seven cruises we should have taken our Bonine sooner.

[LOWTYD]

We were back there once during Hurricane Frances. The seas were 42-47 feet. We felt fine. But once we had a cabin all the way in the front of the ship and some of us got sick in 7-8 foot seas:rolleyes: Moral of the story is take your Bonine/Dramamine or whatever anyway. You don't want to risk not feeling well when you should be having fun with me:D

 

You're right! I need to make the CC M&G the next day! I always take bonine while in port in NYC "just in case" and the next morning for day at sea. JUST IN CASE. This is my first aft cabin so I want to make sure I am prepared for what comes my way, be it a 47 foot wave or a waiter with a a frozen drink with umbrella in it! If I get sick I promise not to spew off the balcony as I know you are somewhere right below me:eek: :D

[angeljt]

LOWTYD, we'll be heading your way again on Friday and then off to NYC Saturday morning. Hope you and Smellytoes will have a drink for me. I'll wave to you as we leave the ship and you're both getting on. Wish I could stay another week with you. :D

I'll try to do a live report in the mornings when I'm having my coffee or Bloody Marys.

I think the seas calm down in April, at least I'm hoping! ;)

[LOWTYD]

LOWTYD, we'll be heading your way again on Friday and then off to NYC Saturday morning. Hope you and Smellytoes will have a drink for me. I'll wave to you as we leave the ship and you're both getting on. Wish I could stay another week with you. :D

I'll try to do a live report in the mornings when I'm having my coffee or Bloody Marys.

I think the seas calm down in April, at least I'm hoping! ;)

 

WE'LL BE THE ONES DRESSED IN BEADS, BANDANAS, BOAS OR LEIS!

Hope you have a great trip. I know you have been looking forward to your cruise for sometime too!:) If you get a chance, I'd love to see a live report!

Take care,

Sandy