Unhappy on the Gem Transatlantic now ...

[juried]

We are currently on the Gem Transatlantic and I am not very happy. The ship itself is lovely, most of the staff is very friendly and the seas have calmed down after a rough few days. We loved the first 2 ports Ponta Delgada and Lisbon. Wonderful, just perfect, really.

After re-reading my post here, I am concerned that I might sound like a spoiled brat and get flamed to bits … but this is my situation and I truly believe I have every reason to be upset…

My problem is …. I hate my cabin and even though I am trying not to let it ruin my “European Adventure” it is having a most negative effect on my vacation.

So please allow me to explain my situation and vent a bit….

We have a cabin Category AC which is considered a “Penthouse” suite and is located at the very front of the ship. Now I had only booked this cruise about 30 days ago, and I took the highest category available at the time, except for the Garden Villa. We have sailed in the Garden Villa 4 times in the past (Dawn and Jewel) but since it was only the 2 of us, we had no need for 3 bedrooms. I wanted a Category AB or AA but none were available. However, when I booked I was told I would be “waitlisted” for a higher category cabin and if one should become available I would be able to upgrade, at an additional cost of course. So diligently I watched the travel websites, checking back at least twice daily to see what cabins were still being offered, only to find lower category cabins and the Garden Villa. I called NCL and my travel agent daily, almost to the point of harassment. My reason was this. I booked my suite in haste. On the NCL website the AC sounded perfect, plenty large enough for 2 people, with a huge balcony and VIP services (butler, concierge) which I enjoy. But after reading the boards, I got nervous when one poster mentioned he was in the cabin directly above mine and was unable to open the cabin door and use the balcony during the cruise. I have a touch of claustrophobia (never clinically diagnosed, but I notice that I hold my breath in elevators and have on occasion freaked out in a carwash) I absolutely need to have air and see daylight. Also why bother having a balcony if you cannot use it? Over the phone an NCL rep assured me “No madam, you can of course use your balcony during the cruise” and like a dummy I believed her.

My Cabin Number 9502 is located at the very front of the ship. I instantly read the notice on the balcony door about keeping the door closed while at sea and I got upset. The sign on the door reads All Capitol Letters on the sign: “ WARNING – DANGER STONG WINDS, OPEN AND CLOSE DOOR WITH EXTREME CARE FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY, OPEN ONLY WHEN THE VESSEL IS IN PORT. TO AVOID DAMAGE KEEP THIS DOOR LOCKED AT SEA. I tell my butler no way can that be the case, he says I can open the door with caution and to be careful not to let it slam loudly and disturb the neighbors or cut my fingers off… yeah ok, thanks pal. (Note about the balcony door/s. It is not a lovely sliding glass door like a regular balcony but 2 doors, the interior is nice solid high gloss wood much like the rest of the cabin but when you open this door you are faced with a large heavy insulated metal structural door resembling something from a WWII naval movie. This door is truly hard core, weighs about a ton and not easy to open. Once open it locks in place, so that is good. There is also a 6 inch lip at the bottom that you need to step over to get onto the balcony, not a big deal unless it is dark and you forgot to step up and you fall face first … ouch, I might not have fallen if I was able to put a friggin light on, you must keep the drapes closed and the balcony dark or the light can reflect above you, no kidding, the sign reads: “Due to the bridge being above your suite, we kindly ask your cooperation in the evening (whilst at sea) by keeping the drapes closed. This is due to the light from your suite reflecting onto the bridge, minimizing night vision) No big deal here, since the door is too heavy to open, especially with winds forcing it closed, the winds are too much for me stand outside and the sign tells you not to go out there anyway… jeeesh. Truth be told, for its limited usability, the balcony is the best part of the cabin, it is about the same size as the cabin and has a 6 foot sofa, end table, 2 lounge chairs, 2 upright chairs and a trunk to stash the cushions in while at sea all made of lovely beige rattan (or faux rattan?) A lot of deck furniture for 2 people. It is very nice looking and quite comfortable. My glorious Red Sox Banner fit perfectly on the railing and a sunbathing (whilst in port) topless neighbor to boot. Also now that we are in Europe it is great to have your coffee out there in the AM, go on your excursion and return to toast the city goodbye as we cruise out, until we hit such speeds that you cannot stand out there any longer…

I am not happy with my cabin and the whole balcony situation. I beg my concierge on day one, for an option, telling her I am on the so called waiting list for AB or AA but at this point I would even downsize to an AE or a balcony just so I can keep the door open. …. She calls me back the next day and tells me only the Garden Villa is available for 26k,well on the website it said 22k … hmmm something not quite right there. But no thank you, I do not need the Garden Villa.

Now, like I said, we are located at the very front and the wind going across the Atlantic was fierce and I was unable to use my balcony. I am not a stupid woman, true I did have an inkling that facing the ocean would limit my usage … but not make the balcony entirely useless. I thought perhaps some imaginative engineer had designed these cabins to allow accessible balconies while at sea? IE: I do not know how electricity works, but I do know how to use it, nuff said.

Cabin: There are some good things about this cabin … it is just not what this thread is about. I will go into detail with my review, after the cruise.

My cabin is next to the corner cabin category AA, it has a connecting door in case someone wants to rent both, anyway these AA neighbors (the non-topless ones) smoke and we do not, however we could smell the smoke all night and it was just gross. I complained to my room steward but what can you do? Perhaps this is just a design flaw? All I know is my husband drinks Guinness and this particular dark demon magically turns from a liquid to a gas, if you get my meaning (another reason why fresh air is so vital) and perhaps my smoking neighbors were getting a bit of his methane…? One likes to think so anyway, also after chatting with these neighbors, we’re told that they were supposed to be in a category AC (same as me) but upgraded 2 weeks prior to the AA. (unreal, there were NONE available, remember?) I cannot get fresh air into my cabin, so I am in hell. (I did figure a way to not quite close the outer door and then close the inner door, giving me a constant tiny stream of “whistling” fresh sea air, annoying, but at least I can breath)

I hate this cabin.

To top it off we met this lovely couple from San Diego at the Meet and Great. Very nice folks who jumped on the boards at the last minute and they booked their very first NCL cruise just 2 days prior to sailing date. Good for them. I am a last minute type of person myself, the irony being, when they called to book, they were upgraded to a Category AA for only $1600 additional. Good for them! Great for them, really, I mean it! I love when someone gets a great deal. But this has sent me over the edge. I am a silver Latitudes member, what does that mean…? Nothing, absolutely nothing at all, it is all BS. I was on no wait list, they blew me off every day, I have spent over 150k on NCL cruises and sadly this will be my very last cruise on NCL. I feel tricked and lied to. I am actually deeply hurt. I was a true NCL cheerleader, expounding the virtues of Freestyle throughout these boards and various other message boards, blogs and while vacationing elsewhere or RV’ing across the USA. After I told my husband about this “couple in the AA that JUST booked” my DH tried calling the Hotel Director and first had to explain the situation about requesting an upgrade to 2 fledglings and then had to make an appointment to see him later that day. And so he did meet with the Hotel Director and my DH told him how unhappy his wife is (sorry dear) how she called and checked the website daily, touch of claustrophobia, smell of smoke and unfairness of not being offered an upgrade (let me explain this correctly, we would never expect a free upgrade we are very willing to pay) while others new to NCL were offered such upgrades and most importantly our history with NCL, our cruises are very expensive to be sure, but our onboard expenses are enormous (bar bill, excursions, shopping, tipping). And to his credit Mr. Julian Blackenberry gave my husband about 10 minutes of his highly valued time, he had other guests waiting after all ... and not quite a quote but to paraphrase: …“ by the way the only thing open is the Garden Villa and it is $17K additional. So sorry the price comes directly from Miami, we do not control such things and there is one other couple considering this as well.” Oh goody.

I still do not need the Garden Villa, but I guess what I had hoped for was a reasonable alternative, maybe they could have put a bit of effort into helping me out or at least made it look like they tried … perhaps bumped an AA, AB or A2 into the GV and offered me the upsell to the AA, AB or A2?

This should be the trip of a lifetime, even though I did not book this cruise until 30 days prior, I have researched these ports and dreamt about this trip for a very long time.

I understand that this is my fault, buyer beware and all that. I am the fool who booked this AC cabin, I should have done more homework. But in my defense I will say that I trusted NCL when they said I could use the balcony, I trusted the TA when they told me daily that no AA or AB’s were available. But still I am going to try and not let this ruin my vacation and most importantly my husband is quite comfortable here and wishes that I would let it go already. Just being able to write it out helps. Thanks for listening….

Oh and the best news, the horrible cigarette smell has been eliminated (for the most part anyway) by the very creative use of masking tape….it looks like crap, but it did the trick. Well done Mr. Blackenberry, thank you. This is another good tip for “what to bring” masking tape!

Did I mention how much I hate my cabin? You can say it could be worse, I could be in an inside cabin, but no that would never happen. I would not cruise without a balcony. I just would not have booked at all.

I know, I know, it is not life threatening, keep it in perspective and all that, but I cannot help but feel used and taken advantage of. NCL already had me booked. Bird in the hand and all, so I think it must have been a conscious business decision to just offer the upgrade or upsell whatever you call it, to the new folks.

Enjoy your day,

Juried

[Ms belp]

Take a breath and calm down! Would you rather be here in Dallas, watching an old movie and doing laundry, getting ready for work tomorrow?

[NCL_Cruiser]

Let me be the first to say...

 

Wah!

[Ms belp]

What a rant! I feel sorry for her husband. From what she said, he's trying to have a good time.

[NCL_Cruiser]

What a rant! I feel sorry for her husband. From what she said, he's trying to have a good time.

 

And that she expected the poor NCL rep who makes $9/hr plus bonus and has probably never seen an NCL ship live to know she wouldn't be able to her forward facing deck when the ship is speeding through the ocean at 20-24 knots is downright silly. At least her TA should have warned her. I'm sure the NCL reps she talked to have no idea, as they're used to working with people who are booking side-facing cabins...not the few premium cabins on the ship.

[jannandjohn]

I am not very happy. I am concerned that I might sound like a spoiled brat

 

oh, really???????

 

We have a cabin Category AC which is considered a “Penthouse” suite and is located at the very front of the ship. I instantly read the notice on the balcony door about keeping the door closed while at sea and I got upset. The sign on the door reads All Capitol Letters on the sign: “ WARNING – DANGER STONG WINDS, OPEN AND CLOSE DOOR WITH EXTREME CARE FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY, OPEN ONLY WHEN THE VESSEL IS IN PORT. TO AVOID DAMAGE KEEP THIS DOOR LOCKED AT SEA.

.... when you open this door you are faced with a large heavy insulated metal structural door resembling something from a WWII naval movie. This door is truly hard core, weighs about a ton and not easy to open.

 

if you knew about the Dawn and the rogue wave hitting cabin 10502, you would appreciate that DREADFUL door.(windows broke, but door stayed shut)

 

BTW.. I HAVE STAYED IN 10502 ON THE JEWEL....AND THE PEARL

....AND LOVED IT!!

[NCL_Cruiser]

oh, really???????

 

 

 

if you knew about the Dawn and the rogue wave hitting cabin 10502, you would appreciate that DREADFUL door.

 

BTW.. I HAVE STAYED IN 10502 ON THE JEWEL....AND THE PEARL

....AND LOVED IT!!

 

Guess she's disappointed in the fact that she has no chance of being swept away, or at least being able to be part of an unsuccessful class action lawsuit.:rolleyes:

[Ms belp]

Guess she's disappointed in the fact that she has no chance of being swept away, or at least being able to be part of an unsuccessful class action lawsuit.:rolleyes:

 

I'm not trying to be mean, but she sounds like a young, spoiled brat. My guess is late 20's to 30's, that doesn't understand what a gift she has been given. My parents were never able to cruise, or even go to Europe for that matter. They saved their money, such as it was, and it was only through their frugality that I have been blessed. There isn't a day that goes by when I'm on a cruise that I don't thank them. Be happy you are able to have the luxury of ANY cruise.

[greatdanemom]

Hang in there, Juried! Try not to focus on your cabin. Get out on the main decks and hang around with interesting people. Keep yourself busy outside of the cabin and go back there when you're dog tired and ready to sleep. I'm also claustrophobic and really learned how bad it can be on a recent Empress of the Seas cruise in a tiny, tiny interior cabin. I actually woke up with a panic attack in the middle of the night. Really horrible! I just did my best to minimize my time in the cabin. Focus on all of the other good things on the cruise.

 

To the other posters on this board, please go easy on her. Juried is a really nice person that we encountered on a previous TA on the Jewel of the Seas. She's just having one of those frustrating moments that just seem insurmountable when you're out in the middle of the ocean. She's honest and open and I bet she's also a fast typer when she's upset. ;)

 

Best wishes to all...just trying to help everyone keep perspective.

[resurgam]

:) the lady has made a point in that she was informed that she would be able to use the balcony whilst at sea (I must admit I would have thought you could but never thought about the speed etc) but finds that it is not practical to do. I guess they have spent alot and it must be frustrating to not be able to use a product that you have paid for. Equally frustrating that others have aqquired the cabins that you yourself had requested after finding out the patio could not be used. Can you not request a reduction in the cost of the cabin?

I would agree with her partner and just enjoy the other perks that they have due to being in a suite. Lastly thank you for the post as if ever I am lucky enough to afford a suite cabin at least I now know which one not to go for :)

[Curly-Q]

I looked at her past cruises, and one would think her cruising experience would give some kind of clue what a forward facing balcony would be like. I can't stand to be on forward facing open decks during cruising, I feel like I'll be blown away! Personally, I prefer to research and plan my voyages. Waiting close to departure date will sometimes save money, but you get the "leftovers."

 

As for the smoking smell (or other smells :eek: ), that can ruin anyone's experience (the sense of smell is powerful). Several lines are forbidding smoking in all cabins (mostly for insurance reasons), but it can have a side benefit. (Not trying to start any argument here, just an observation.) Also, keep in mind, a balcony on ship is a very nice feature, but it wasn't all that long ago they didn't exist. That's why you stroll the open decks! :cool:

[QuickieGlenn]

I could not even finish reading the OP post

I guess she was chained up in her room

Maybe she should have went with the GV

[tomko2]

I can fully understand why this lady is so upset. I am claustrophobic and being denied access to my balcony would send me into a tail-spin. :eek: I understand the ship's requirements and would never argue that point however I feel that the OP was misled -- seriously misled. The cabin should not even be listed as a balcony cabin or at a minimum it should be listed as a balcony cabin with major restrictions.

Kathy

[logcabin]

I'm surprised... If the OP has sailed NCL ships several times and knows about them, visits these boards, etc. she would have known that the front facing balconies are almost useless on sea days. That's why the AC's don't sell as well as the other suites. I always tell my clients the front suites are nice but don't expect to use the balcony on sea days. A little research goes a long way.

[2fingers]

I really wasn't in your corner until you said you were a Red Sox fan. :) I now agree with everything you said. ;) :D I sincerely hope you both enjoy the rest of your cruise, after all, it's not about the cabin it's about meeting new people making new memories.

[7SeasLover]

Unless you have been in one of these lovely rooms, it's hard to fathom. We haven't had the pleasure of staying in such a room, but have attended several parties.

 

The restrictions, ugly door (but oh so necessary) are just a few reasons why I always book aft (preferably stern) penthouses. OP is accustomed to different things. Such a stateroom would be distressful.

 

OP, assuming there are not other rooms to be had other than GV, just focus on the good and leave the door issue to an adventure (although unpleasant for you) and experience. Now that you've experienced it, you know what not to settle for next time you book a few days in advance.

 

I book our penthouses often over a year in advance so I can have my pick. Worth it to me. We sail on the Jewel on May 5 in 9670 on the Jewel. A much smaller penthouse, but the view is oh-so-fabulous!

 

I hope you can get past this issue and have a wonderful time!

[crazymomoffive]

So sorry for your disappointment. I can feel it in your words and although I could never afford the type of cabin you are in I still understand being excited about something and then have it just not happen.

Thats not being a spoiled brat that called being let down and its human regardless of the type of cabin we can afford.

 

Please try to focus on the positives at this point. Your cabin must have a couple. The cruise itself, as a previous poster mentioned has got to be an amazing adventure. You have ALOT of people here wishing they were where you are right now bad balcony and all. Although the topless sunbather doesnt really interest me much :p

 

Good luck to you and please enjoy your cruise...and think about us 'poor' people who don't even have the option of a balcony.

[CC Help Michell]

I'm sorry you are having a miserable cruise. What I can't figure out, however, is why you booked this cabin when you knew from posts here that you might not be able to open the door when the ship was underway? This is the type of complaint here that often gets the reply "sorry you didn't find us before your cruise, or you would have known about this." If you were a brand-new cruiser, or new CC member, I could see the issue.

 

But you are an experienced CC member and you DID know about this. You admit as much in your first paragraph (you'd read it here, about the cabin directly above yours). You even started a thread about exactly this question here at CC and received a lot of input -- http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=13941916#post13941916. Apart from you finding the door heavy, you seem to have been told all of this information back in March, in your previous thread about this. For what it's worth, I agree with you, that the restrictions on balcony use in those cabins makes them a not-great choice for a TA... way too many sea days.

 

But you are the one who booked it! You put down your money, knowing you wouldn't like your cabin (because you were wanting/expecting an upsell offer). You state that you called the NCL reps to get their take on this hugely important question, and accepted their answer rather than what folks who have "been there, done that" have posted here on the boards.... I don't get it.

 

Without commenting on your "spoiled brat" thing, I will say that to me your post reads like you booked a cabin you really didn't want (for good reasons), and you're upset because NCL didn't offer you an upsell (when they did to other pax you've met onboard). As platinum level Latitudes, surely you know that you should NEVER book a cabin you wouldn't be happy with (a guarantee, a lower category hoping for an upsell, etc.) -- because if you get what you booked, then you got exactly what you paid for -- a cabin you won't like.

 

I will also say that when folks ask "how do I get an upsell" they are often told "don't call NCL, they'll call you -- they get upset if you bug them." Let's see, during your cruise you've found 2-3 people in higher cabin categories than you, and they received them during the weeks when you were calling NCL daily, "almost to the point of harassment." I'd say the folks advising "don't call them, they'll call you" are correct.

[chrisbd1]

When we've gone to the Caribbean, the Atlantic winds are fierce. It would stand to reason that the situation would be magnified on a TA. Once OUT OF THE OPEN OCEAN, I would think that usage of the balcony would be less a bother. I'm not sure where the OP thinks anymore cabins will come from. If they are sailing, I assume that there are other people occupying any AA or AB's or any other cabin for that matter. The way I understand it, the Up-Sell Fairy gets first dibs on getting people in higher cabins and she/he has a go to list. The list is not based on number of cruises. Not bothering the Fairy keeps you on the list. Bothering the Fairy keeps you off the list.

 

As far as availability, some travel agents have an inventory of rooms and those rooms are not viewable on NCL's system, so the NCL rep may have been telling the truth. If you have a travel agent who has a good relationship with NCL, I think you have a better chance of getting occupying newly available rooms. I'm NOT sure of it, of course. Of the four cruises we've taken, I've been contacted for Up-sells 3 times. I'm obviously on the list, even though my last 2 cruises were booked directly with NCL.

 

OP, I really think you'll be happier with your cabin once you get out of the open ocean. If a rouge wave hits, you'll be happy that those doors exist :)

[Goldryder]

OK so this wasn't a forward facing balcony cabin, but I am guessing the experience would be similar...

 

I was on NCL Crown circumnavigating Cape Horn in late 2005. Myself and 2 other passengers decided to go stand on the prom directly below the bridge...ie at the front.

 

Everyone else was down at the stern or along the sides.

 

Anyway...I found it to be an absolutely amazing experience being literally pinned to the ship's superstructure by the high headwind, then as we turned to the right, I stepped out to take a photo of the Cape Horn rock formations. Right at that very moment a 40ft+ wave smacked the left side of the bow with the anticipated results...lets just say I discovered just how cold it was and how salty it was ;)

 

The two other passengers standing there were in hysterics as I wriggled back into the relative calm of the doorway that we had inhabited.

 

I eventually wandered back down the side of the ship to the stern.....comments of 'oh...I see you had a proper christening at the Horn, then'...all the other passengers brave enough to venture to the stern were christened with a soup ladle full of seawater...I had the wave and by 'eck it was totally incredible.

 

However....back on tack to this thread...as much as the experience up front was an unmissable experience, I don't think I would go so far as having a balcony cabin at the front. Down the side, maybe, but the front is great as a one off experience but not for an entire cruise.

[7SeasLover]

 

I was on NCL Crown circumnavigating Cape Horn in late 2005. Myself and 2 other passengers decided to go stand on the prom directly below the bridge...ie at the front.

 

Right at that very moment a 40ft+ wave smacked the left side of the bow with the anticipated results...lets just say I discovered just how cold it was and how salty it was ;)

 

Well, at least you got to SEE the Cape! We hit such rough seas after the Falklands that we never saw the Cape. We hit hurricane force gales that literally blew apart our Owner's Suite balcony! First time I ever placed a 9-1-1 call on board.

 

We were NOT in a forward facing stateroom. We were starboard.

[Goldryder]

Well, at least you got to SEE the Cape! We hit such rough seas after the Falklands that we never saw the Cape. We hit hurricane force gales that literally blew apart our Owner's Suite balcony! First time I ever placed a 9-1-1 call on board.

 

We were NOT in a forward facing stateroom. We were starboard.

 

My camera did not survive the salty onslaught, so took another photo of Cape Horn from the side with my digital....this is what you probably missed....

[stingray195]

For most of you that respond to the original posting, from what I read, her main complaint is with her TA or with NCL reservation program. You totally missed what the poster was complaining about…prior to her sailing, she called daily for a change in room to where the TA or NCL said there was none available…a couple of people were able to get the other cabins she was told her not available. An explanation as to why those individuals were able to obtain those rooms would more than likley satisified the OP. Her complaint has nothing to do with her age, being spoiled or whatever you people seem to jump on when some one criticized NCL. As the owner of two businesses catering to the public (Convenience Store Owner) I know the importance of the customer “NOT always being right” and I take the word of the people that work for me over the customer. Usually the customer is misinformed or outright wrong, but after talking with them over their problem they always return to shopp with us. As for this poster, I can see her concerns and can understand if she never uses NCL again.

[Got2Cruise]

Let us know how the rest of your cruise goes. . .

[coka]

Juried, I feel bad for you regarding your balcony situation. I hope that everything else is going well and that you feel better after writing/venting your situation here.

 

I do not want to suggest putting you in an unsafe situation, but is it the warning sign that keeps you from using the balcony? I had the warning sign on my last two penthouse cruises and I went out there anyway. The only times I did not was when they had the forward promenade deck closed off to passengers. I also closed the big door when I went to bed as I did not want to wake up on the ceiling should a rogue wave hit...

 

I remember also the request to close the curtains. I closed them but the times I did not I kept most of the lights off. That might help with your claustrophobic tendencies.

 

I know you are frustrated and hopefully you can reach a tolerable decision on using the balcony. It should get better when you are not in the middle of the Atlantic anymore.

 

Hang in there,

 

Coka