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Just off Gem / Any questions?


odessy
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I'll be cruising on the Gem in June and it will be the first time on NCL so I'm not really sure what questions to ask but here's a few. Where is the best place to eat lunch on embarkation day? What time were the rooms ready? Where is the best place for sail away? How did the free style dining work? What else do I need to know as a first time NCL cruiser?

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I'll be cruising on the Gem in June and it will be the first time on NCL so I'm not really sure what questions to ask but here's a few. Where is the best place to eat lunch on embarkation day? What time were the rooms ready? Where is the best place for sail away? How did the free style dining work? What else do I need to know as a first time NCL cruiser?

We ate in the grand pacific and it was quiet, we got onboard around 1.

Buffet tends to be very busy this day.

We were able to get in our room by 2:30.

Sail away we were on top, because we wanted to get pics of bridge and Statue of Liberty.

Free style dining worked well, just show up in main dining room when you are hungry. We did few specialty dining nights and that was nice. The buffet tends to always be crowded u less you get there when it first opens or later on at night.

Best advice is to be friendly with everyone, make friends. Get involved in the silly activities, if you can get the UBP as a perk, that was a huge plus, I was able to sample a lot of interesting drinks,

Enjoy your cruise.

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Wines by the glass? Have they changed since last year(or recently)? I read somewhere they were adding some. Thanks.

There were a few different options by the glass. I tried there North South blend and it was very good. Not a huge selection but something that should please you.

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Was on the Gem a few weeks ago, I forget his last name, but the Hotel Director's first name was Richard.

Yes, same guy. His name was Richard, I met him at cruise critic meet and greet. Saw him around the ship a few times. Nice guy.

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Just got off board a few weeks ago.

Yes, they do show movies in the Atrium, and yes they do have painting classes.

Grand Pacific for lunch as soon as you board is a great idea. Obviously not as many choices but it gives you a quiet sit down lunch without all of the crowds upstairs.

Unless, it is a beautiful sunny day, then you should go up to the buffet and eat at the Great Outdoors Bar, which by the way, is the best place for sail away.

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I'll be cruising on the Gem in June and it will be the first time on NCL so I'm not really sure what questions to ask but here's a few. Where is the best place to eat lunch on embarkation day? What time were the rooms ready? Where is the best place for sail away? How did the free style dining work? What else do I need to know as a first time NCL cruiser?

 

The best place for lunch is to grab things from the Garden Cafe and to sit in La Cucina or the Great Outdoors if its open. Another option is to go to the MDR to have people serve you your lunch/drinks. They will make an announcement when the staterooms are ready. It is usually around 1-1:30 pm. Best place for sail away is all the way to the top deck to take pictures. Freestyle dining - show up at the restaurant to be in a line to be sit. If you participate in any of their trivia or staff activities, make sure to get the activity card with their signature. At the end of the cruise, you can redeem it for their pen, shirts, etc. depending on how many signatures/points you got. They will list the place where to go on the freestyle daily.

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Did they have painting classes?

 

Do they show movies? If so, where, the Atrium?

 

I don’t remember any paint classes.

Yes they have movies in atrium starting at around 10:30pm

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Thank you! about how long after sail away do you get to the Statue of Liberty?

 

I would say a good 20 minutes. We hit spinnaker lounge first then went outside to see bridge and Statue of Liberty.

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How was disembarkation? What time did it start? Thank you.

 

It was terrible. We were supposed to get in by 10, but got in around 10:30 ish. First was passengers with own luggage, around 11 ish, then they started calling color tags for people who put luggage out night before, at around 11:30ish

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10:30pm OMG I can't stay up that late! LOL

No I'm not an old lady, it's just that my toddler gets up at 6:30. [emoji23]

 

Haha same here, we stayed up late the last night onboard, my kids crashed by 9:30-10 every night.

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Definitely have paint classes. I believe there were 4 of them. Our friend took two classes.

Can’t remember CD’s name. She was very forgettable. Never saw much of her. But one member of the Activities staff, Rudy, was great. Energetic and personable.

Disembarkation started a little after 9am and went smoothly as far as I could tell.

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