MrMike45

Who is the current cruise director/staff? Sailing the Gem in October, assuming will be same staff

thanks all. i actually live right in the middle of JFK and LGA, but i wouldn't call the Grand Central or Belt Pkwy a beach lol. We've been to St. Maarten and have gone to Orient Beach (believe that's the most popular one). Truthfully, we didn't like it. Too many street (beach) peddlers. Literally, every 5 minutes another person offering to braid my wife's hair or sell us stuff. So figured let's do something a little different this time and check out the plane beach.

As someone else pointed out, only time we book shore excursions is stuff like swin with Dolphins or SeaLions. Have found that grabbing a cab right outside the pier is A) much cheaper, b) much quicker and C) much more enjoyable as every cab driver we have had on all our cruises has been nice and told us stories about their island. Of course I just jinxed myself with that.

Thanks all

Me and the wife are doing the 9 day / 4 island Gem cruise in October.

We have been to St. Maarten before, but in looking at the shore excursions, they have a beach trip to Maho Beach, which seems like is right next to an airport and the planes fly right over head. The picture on the website makes it seem pretty cool, so we're thinking of doing it, but my wife is wondering if it is going to be insanely loud and dirty.

Has anyone been?

Great, thanks for the help and advising on the rooms.

Me and my wife are booked on the 9 day cruise from NY in October.

We currently have a midship to aft Balcony room on the 10th floor. Thinking about upgrading to a mini suite, but it would be a front room on the 11th floor.

Can anyone tell me what the differences in the rooms are other than the square feet? Is the balcony bigger? Bathroom bigger? Where is the extra feet?

And if my wife is a little prone to sea sickness, is the mid to aft room a better choice?

Thanks

We are boarding the breakaway today. Any thoughts? We were planningto get to the pier around 10. Should we wait? Could the cancel our cruise?

So my wife read all this and told me to try calling again. If they could do something for us for the October gem cruise, we would have more leeway to spend more on this one (since final payment for oct cruise is due beginning of August). I laughed and said you just want to shop and gamble more, but did cold call CAS

Our October cruise in a mini on the gem was booked at $3300 all told. The CAS person I spoke to said something to the effect of "wow you guys gamble a lot and and have never called for any casino rates. Hang on a second"

Came back a minute later, said they comped up inside rooms and we would just need to pay an upgrade fee. I admitted to her that we were actually already booked but I would cancel with ncl and rebook thru CAS. She laughed and said I can make the adjustments. Will email you your new documents in a minute.

2 minutes later. Same room we were in...total cost for the 2 of us, $1598. Basically gave us a $1600 comp discount.

Thank you robin (and everyone) for the advice. Clearly will be using CAS for all future bookings

@Fishbait & @Skeeter

Thank you both again for your help and tips. We're psyched for this cruise so will take your advice when we get back and try to get a discounted/comped rate for the Gem cruise (yes it's a 9 day Robin) and if so, cancel our booking thru NCL. And am putting a note in my phone calendar (since I will likely forget) to ask to transfer points once on the Gem.

Either way, it's not like we're not going to gamble on this cruise...just used to casinos giving you some type of perk for us giving them money. So was a little peeved when the agent I spoke to basically said "sorry, tough" to me.

Thanks again, Mike

MrMike, when you get on the Gem have the host call and get your points transferred form the Breakaway to the Gem. I did the exact same thing this year. I supposedly had no points until the call was made. Just ask the guys on the Gem, they are great, Breakaway not so much.

Thanks for the tip...will try that on the Gem

So here's the update. What turned into a what the heck, let me try has now turned into me being fairly pissed off.

- I earned nearly 4000 pts last cruise. My wife a little over 2000.

- As this is not a "new booking" there is nothing they can do for us in terms of drink cards or perks

- If I earn 1000 pts, I will be able to move up to the next tier and earn a free drink card. But that drink card will not go into effect this cruise, it will only go into effect our next one. We each still need to earn 1500 pts this cruise for free drinks.

- Our next cruise is in October on the gem. The next tier/free drink card will not transfer as we have not been on the gem/gambled in their casino in 2 years.

I kindly told them that this is horse*****. That when you go to a land casino, you get free drinks for gambling. Further more, the cruises we take are 7-9-12 days...when we go to AC it's like 1-2 days. We spend WAY more in NCL casinos than AC casinos, yet we get comped free suites at the Borgata and Harrahs. So since this isn't a new booking...let's forgot this cruise. Our October one, we only have a deposit down. If I cancel today, and book thru Casinos at Sea, what type of deal could they give us.

"We can give you a free upgrade from an oceanview to a balcony room" was their response.

I kindly told them that's great, but we have a mini-suite booked. So can they give us a discount or another upgrade?

"No sir, sorry"

Can we atleast be guaranteed free drink cards?

"No sir, sorry. You haven't gambled on the gem in 2 years"

SMH...terrible

gonna give it a shot...thanks all

thanks...but wow, I didn't even thing to book thru Casinos at Sea, just went directly thur NCL and personal cruise consultant. Think it's too late (we leave in 2 days) to call and ask about the free drink card? I think I had around 3000 pts and my wife 2000

We were on the breakaway last year, and both myself and the wife got Casino cards and earned enough points for the free drink card while in the casino.

Same boat...but not sure how it works. Are our cards/points/free drink cards still valid? Or do we have to start over and get new ones when we leave Sunday on the Breakaway

I'll be on this cruise. Should be able to PDF copies of the dailes and stuff when we get back (if someone doesn't already beat me to it).

FYI Gambee has a phenomenal drink list and breakdown of pricing on her blog. The prices are the same fleet wide I believe. If link does not work google cruise with gambee drink list http://cruisewithgambee.com/norwegian-drink-lists/

On the printout/list provided by Gambee it has all the liquors and beers included in the package, but I see no wines lists. Are all types of wine included or are you subjected to only like the "house" white/red like if you went out to dinner. Top shelf liquor included so assuming all glasses of wine as well, but want to make sure for the wifey

oh well...stick with a bucket of miller lites and the drink of the day then and go to whatever the usual party is on the 1st sea day. thanks all

Nothing really. But I assume cruises that take place over Halloween, they have a Halloween costume party. And cruises that take place over St. Patty's Day, they have "green" party. Bermuda/Carib have nothing to do with either of them. Just figured they might have a party based on Cinco de Mayo.

Leaving for Bermuda on Sunday on the breakaway. Just realized that Monday will be May 5th/Cinco de Mayo.

Has anyone cruised during this time, ncl specifically I guess. Do they do anything special? Specialized party for that night. Or maybe half priced coronas or tequila :D

NYC - no warning signs on the beach in early April. Only found out about it on this forum shortly after return.:( None of our family got ill, or found the water unusual. :)

 

shof: I am guesstimating the walk from bus stop to the beach at 600 feet down slope on a decent side walk (wheelchair accessible, IMO), and to confirm flowers44, there was a van service to shuttle pax ($2 pp) back up to the bus stop when we were there.

How cold was the water? Leaving on Sunday, so will be a little warmer than when you went. Seems like air temp and water temp is the same on all the weather websites I check. But first hand report would be better.

How does one pronounce Sinan's name? With what does it rhyme? Is the emphasis on the first or last syllable? When I read it, I always say it like it rhymes with grinnin'. haha Or is it SiNON, like non-dairy creamer? Or SinAN, like kick the can?

C-non

I think

We have always booked directly thru NCL. The price of our May cruise dropped dramatically. So last week I called them. Person I spoke to immediately said she would take care of me, put me on hold to "talk to her supervisor" and then came back on the line.

We were in a balcony room on the Breakaway on the 14th floor w/ $50 onboard credit. They upgraded us to a mini suite, still on the 14th floor, and doubled our credit to $100. My wife said I should have haggled for more, but I wasn't complaining. Same floor we wanted, bigger room/balcony, and 2-3 more free drinks. Sold.

looks like i am going to miss Sinan :(. I had him on the Gem 2 years ago and was looking forward to having him again :(

Yeah was hoping to have him as well. I don't think a cruise director makes or breaks a cruise by any means. But we go to all the parties and shows and stuff, so see them alot. Don't think we've ever been on a cruise with Julie, but I'm sure she is great

Oh ok...thank you for the quick response

First time poster, and if this is someplace else, I apologize. Did a search and couldn't find it.

Me and the wife are going on the Breakaway on May 4th to Bermuda. We've been on the boat and 5 other cruises. The week before the Breakaway does the Florida/Bahamas run. We're on the first run to Bermuda in 2014.

I believe Dan the Man is the Cruise director right now. He's pretty good, we have had him before. But on his facebook page, Sinan says he is doing the Getaway now and the Breakaway in May. Sinan is the best cruise director ever. His is like a real life cartoon character with his laugh and antics. We're really hoping to get him.

Does anyone know if the staff changes when the itenararies do? So would Dan be on the Breakaway for the Bahamas run, and then when it switches to Bermuda, they switch and that is when Sinan will be there?

Thanks