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tigerlily
Casual Cruiser
| Joined: | Wed Jan 24th, 2007 |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 03:16 pm | 1st Post |
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I am not good at this but I will give it a shot. We have cruise NCL 13 times and Princes two times. We have enjoyed all our cruises.
We took the entertainment bus from south station right to the pier. We left at 7:00 and was at the pier around 12:30. We enjoy the bus as most everyting is done for us. The bus stopped about 4 stops to let people on which really did not take much time. We were happy with the service. On the way back, we stayed on the ship until the last call to get off and waited inside the pier for about 45 mins and then board the bus for home. It really was painless.
When we got to the pier, they directed us in line for the boarding process. There was no sitting down to wait for boarding. We were directed to the Lat. line. The regular boarding line was much faster than the lat. line. So much for that perk. The port lost power just as we were walking away from from checking in. Now that was luck.
The Gem is a beautiful ship. I thought the colors would be too much but it really worked well together. Very colorful. Some of the decor and funiture was way out there, but it made for some comfortable quiet sea days when it was too cold or windy to go out on the deck. A lot of people were sitting or reclining reading their books looking at the ocean. We enjoyed spinnikers during the sea days and at night. There are many pictures posted so I feel that I do not have to go into detail.
FOOD Ok this was a great improvement. We ate at the Magenta many nights and the Pacific a couple of nights. We enjoyed the Magenta much more as it was smaller and I feel the service was better. We ate at the Garden buffett during the afternoons and some mornings. The selection improved. However, I really enjoy fish and there was not too much of an selection of fish. We enjoyed the great out door part of the ship to. We did have reservations for the specility rest. but had to cancle becuse of my acid reflux problem. 
I was blessed with my chronic reflux problem through the whole cruise, so when I ate I suffered so I did not eat much. It was difficult to eat and do what we wanted to do at the ports. As for the drinks, I was unable to have any. My DH loves pina coladers and he said he has had much better. Two nights at Spinnkers, they ran out of mix. Now how can that be. You would think they would be well stocked or get some from another part of the ship. I guess it was more of a martini crowd. Oh yea, on the menu they usually have a daily alternative if someone was not able to eat what was on the menu, like chicken or fish. They did not provide that on the gem. One night Ron wanted to have something on the menu and I could not eat anything. I went thinking that I could order something like a baked potato or plain pasta. I was told that I had to order a day in advance. I was not asking for much as what I was asking was very simple. Oh well.....we went up to the buffett to find some pasta. Again, what I was able to eat was better than previous NCl cruises.
We did enjoy all the shows and game shows. We enjoyed the Quest and walking on the deck and bumping into people that we knew. It was a very relaxing cruise in many ways. I even did not mind the rough seas which was usually for me. We did not adventure out too far in port. We have been to the islands many times. The only regret I had was not being able to take advange of a tour in Barbados. I was not feeling up to it as the reflux seemed to take control reguardless the steady diet of nexium, zantac and tums. lol
The service was really good except out cabin stewards. They did our room ok but was not friendly. They did not intuduce themselves and when we asked for something it seemed painful for them.
Another disappointment is that they did not have a caribbean party on the pool deck. WE usually enjoy the activities. After all we were in the caribbean. This is the first cruise I have taken that they did not have one.Maybe I missed it but I do not think so. I can go on and on but in all it was a great cruise. I needed to relax and unwind. It killed me to not be able to go to the martini and margarita clinics and enjoy my frozen margarita on the deck. We did go to the VIP and captains party.I was able to talk a couple of sips of the drinks.
All and all we did enjoy the Gem. There will be other cruises to take par of all the liberations. I just was happy to be sailing and getting some much needed rest.
We did meet a lot of new people that we enjoyed talking to and made plans to meet in the spring. Oh yea this cruise did not go with out bumping into some very rude people. One example is at Spinnkers at 50s night when everyone was asked to stand for the village people, someone took my husbands chair. Good thing he did not sit down without looking. A man behind us told us that it was some woman in back of us. After looking at theese woman for 15 mins while my husband keep standing, they give him back his chair without saying anything. I am not a person to start conflict, but I would have liked to have. I had to bite my lip. There are rude people everywhere and someday they will meet up with someone who enjoys confortation. It is just not worth it to me.
Anyway, Beautiful ship, relaxing cruise....what else could have i wanted......my frozen margarita.  I will sail the Gem again.
Marie
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Catnip
Charter Member
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 03:57 pm | 2nd Post |
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| Thanks, Marie!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sounds like a good, balanced review.....both the good as well as the not-so-good. Good job! Last edited on Mon Feb 18th, 2008 04:00 pm by Catnip
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33 previous cruises..
Next up: Celebrity Solstice 1-09/Jewel of the Seas 3-09/ QM 2 11-09/ Queen Victoria 1/10
**Triangles Are For Losers!**
When only cops have guns, it's called a "police state"
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judy
Super Cruiser
| Joined: | Sun Feb 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | New York USA |
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Posted: Mon Feb 18th, 2008 07:32 pm | 3rd Post |
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Marie, nice review. Sorry to hear that your reflux had to act up while you were on the cruise.
I can't belive the chair story. Some people  
Okay, when's your next cruise and or vacation? I'm sure you're already in the planning stages. 
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Judy
NCL Pearl 5/24/09
We're sailing in the cold this time - 7 days in Alaska
NCL Jewel 10/30/09- 14 days in paradise
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hstrybuf
Founders
| Joined: | Sat Jun 17th, 2006 |
| Location: | Kansas |
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Posted: Tue Feb 19th, 2008 01:11 am | 4th Post |
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Thanks Marie! I very much enjoy reading each person's point of view of their cruise! About the specialty restaurants. Do you have to make reservations for each night in advance by hours? A day? Several days? Do you prefer them to the dining room or is there one on NCL ships? I know nothing but what I read here. One of these days I'm going to HAVE to try NCL! 
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Deb
"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My pics: http://community.webshots.com/user/hstrycrsr
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