gem questions

[giddy2travel]

so we may go on the gem in january instead of the jewel so here are my questions: which restaurants are included in the fare?

Karaoke? if and where?

what is there to do in jan on the sea days and how soon til you hit warmth?

oh yeah we are leaving from NYC...super city

I can't wait there are around 20 of us...good times

thanks you are all very helpful

[shof515]

I gather up this information to slowly prepare for my first gem cruise next sept.:

Complimentary Dining: Grand Pacific Main Dinning Room; Magenta Dinning Room; Gaden Cafe/ Kids Cafe Buffet; Great Outdoors Outdoor Buffet; Blue Lagoon 24-Hour Eatery; Topsiders Bar & Grill (Main Pool Bar & Grill); Bali Hai Bar & Grill (Alternate Pool Bar & Grill); Tequlia Tapas Bar; Java Cafe Coffee Bar; 24 hour room service.

Specialty Restaurants (Cover charge applies): Le Bistro (French); Orchid Garden (Asian); Teppanyaki (Teppanyaki); Cagney Steakhouse (Steakhouse); Tequila (Latin/Tex Mex); Sushi

[sebas030]

And as for weather on the first sea day, well you can have a light coat or a warm sweater in the afternoon of the first sea day. And on your second day you are in Florida ( I guess you make the Florida/Bahamas trip ) so it is ok with a t-shirt on.

 

On your way back the first sea day is chilly but still ok and the last sea day is much colder ( hope for sunshine and find a nice spot with no wind , like near the exit of the spinnaker lounge on the right side of the ship, and enjoy :D )

[Groliv]

We sailed on the Gem (she's a beauty !!) out of NYC in March, and we had a cold sail-away day. Day we came back a week later was beautiful though (go figure !) ;)

Our first port of call was Port Canaveral, and our beach day excursion was cancelled due to lack of participation. So we simply stayed on the ship.

It was sunny, but cool ! It was only around 65 degrees, so we didn't swim but made plenty of use of those hot tubs :)

While laying in the sun, we were alright. Others walked by with jackets on, and asked us how we weren't cold... guess those drinks of the day helped !! We loved the Italian restaurant, and my favourite was the asian one.

[sebas030]

See my opinion in blue in the text :

 

 

I gather up this information to slowly prepare for my first gem cruise next sept.:

Complimentary Dining: Grand Pacific Main Dinning Room;SLOW SERVING ON BREAKFAST but good food Magenta Dinning Room;Went the only for lunch on embarkation day and it was very good Gaden Cafe/ Kids Cafe Buffet;For breakfast and lunch you can use La Cucina ( specialty restaurant) for extra seating and food is very good also Great Outdoors Outdoor Buffet;Great place for breakfast and GREAT view Blue Lagoon 24-Hour Eatery;It was so so bad ( fish and chip and panini :eek: ) Topsiders Bar & Grill (Main Pool Bar & Grill);Did not eat there but looked good Bali Hai Bar & Grill (Alternate Pool Bar & Grill);Did not eat there Tequlia Tapas Bar;Didn't go because it shares the same kitchen than Blue Lagoon Java Cafe Coffee Bar;Coffee is ok but not extra 24 hour room service.Didn't try it

Specialty Restaurants (Cover charge applies): Le Bistro (French); Worth the extra $$ Orchid Garden (Asian);Didn't try Teppanyaki (Teppanyaki);What a show, superb food ( you can order double what you want BEFORE the show starts, ex: filet mignon or shrimp, do not hesitate) Cagney Steakhouse (Steakhouse);WOW just do it Tequila (Latin/Tex Mex); Sushi;Very very good but you have to order complete rolls of each so you might end up with 30 pieces of sushi but only 5 kind of sushi.

 

And you forgot La Cucina ( italian ) We went 2 times, very very good , a steal for the price :p

HAVE FUN

[giddy2travel]

thanks very good info we're doing a Caribbean cruise so we'll hopefully be warm most of the time but I imagine even a cold day on a cruise is better than a good day at work so it's all good.

oh yeah any word on if there is karaoke and where it is on the gem?

thanks again you wonderful dedicated cruisers that you are. ;)

[Got Tequila?]

thanks very good info we're doing a Caribbean cruise so we'll hopefully be warm most of the time but I imagine even a cold day on a cruise is better than a good day at work so it's all good.

oh yeah any word on if there is karaoke and where it is on the gem?

thanks again you wonderful dedicated cruisers that you are. ;)

 

We've been on the GEM 7 times and they had karaoke on every cruise, but things may have changed since last January.

 

The JEWEL does have private karaoke rooms.

[giddy2travel]

excellent my gang will be happy

:p

[terrirus]

We sailed on the Gem (she's a beauty !!) out of NYC in March, and we had a cold sail-away day. Day we came back a week later was beautiful though (go figure !) ;)

Our first port of call was Port Canaveral, and our beach day excursion was cancelled due to lack of participation. So we simply stayed on the ship.

It was sunny, but cool ! It was only around 65 degrees, so we didn't swim but made plenty of use of those hot tubs :)

While laying in the sun, we were alright. Others walked by with jackets on, and asked us how we weren't cold... guess those drinks of the day helped !! We loved the Italian restaurant, and my favourite was the asian one.

 

 

I was wondering if you could tell me where the best place to be by the pool is? We are sailing on the Gem next week and would like a quiet seat outside by the pool. I did not see and adult pool available. Thanks Terri

[FuninWB]

Can anyone tell me why the Gem and the Jewel are priced differently if the ports are the same?

[bakerintn]

If you mean really quiet, then you don't want to be around the pool, because there will often be live music by the pool and people yelling back and forth ("honey, please bring me a towel").

 

The Gem has two pools, one with water slides. That one is the kids pool, but it is very close to the "adult" pool, so some kids noise is everywhere on the pool deck.

 

There are many places to be in the sun on loungers or chairs that are not around the pool...search those out. One deck above the pool deck and you will be further away from the noise...sitting upwind (typically toward the front of the ship) from the pool will also help with the pool noise on those decks.

 

There is a sun deck forward on deck 14 and deck 15 has a "freestyle sun deck" (topless area) if you prefer.

[dominos124]

im leaving January 22nd to go on the gem, cant wait!!!

[terrirus]

If you mean really quiet, then you don't want to be around the pool, because there will often be live music by the pool and people yelling back and forth ("honey, please bring me a towel").

 

The Gem has two pools, one with water slides. That one is the kids pool, but it is very close to the "adult" pool, so some kids noise is everywhere on the pool deck.

 

There are many places to be in the sun on loungers or chairs that are not around the pool...search those out. One deck above the pool deck and you will be further away from the noise...sitting upwind (typically toward the front of the ship) from the pool will also help with the pool noise on those decks.

 

There is a sun deck forward on deck 14 and deck 15 has a "freestyle sun deck" (topless area) if you prefer.

 

Thanks for the info. Do you know if they have specialty coffee available? We were on princess and bought a coffee card to get latte, etc.

[Nyc2tropics]

im leaving January 22nd to go on the gem, cant wait!!!

 

Me too cant wait!!

[asylum575]

Can anyone tell me why the Gem and the Jewel are priced differently if the ports are the same?

 

 

Gem departs Saturday, Jewel on Sunday. I think Sunday is a more desirable departure day.

We're sailing on 12/25, Christmas and returning New year's day. The Jewel on the next day was $200pp more

[SusanLouise]

Gem departs Saturday, Jewel on Sunday. I think Sunday is a more desirable departure day.

We're sailing on 12/25, Christmas and returning New year's day. The Jewel on the next day was $200pp more

 

Really? That's bizarre! We were originally booked on the Gem and switched to the Jewel a couple of months ago because it was less expensive.

[shof515]

Really? That's bizarre! We were originally booked on the Gem and switched to the Jewel a couple of months ago because it was less expensive.

 

Just checked the lowest for the Gem is 1099 for Dec 25 and the Jewel is 1219 for Dec 26..Hmmm..

[cruzndiz]

Just checked the lowest for the Gem is 1099 for Dec 25 and the Jewel is 1219 for Dec 26..Hmmm..

 

That has nothing to do with the ship or the ports, and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that traveling ON Christmas Day is much less desirable than traveling the day AFTER Christmas

[camz]

Gem departs Saturday, Jewel on Sunday. I think Sunday is a more desirable departure day.

We're sailing on 12/25, Christmas and returning New year's day. The Jewel on the next day was $200pp more

 

We were on the New Year's Eve Cruise on the Gem last year. It is an amazing time! Celebrating the new year on a ship is the place to be. The ship was decorated for the holidays and looked great. NCL put alot into the new year's celebration. There were different parties all over the ship. By the pool, was the biggest celebration. Ice sculputures in the shape of 2010 were lite up. The band kicked the new year in with hats, noise makers, and champagne for all. The captain counted down the new year on the loudspeaker and activated the ship's horn at midnight. Now I am ruined for all future new year's eves. lol Have a great time! :)

By the way, the Gem is a beautiful ship and has lots of extras to keep sea days busy. While in Florida, we took the airboat excursion, which was a great experience as well, lot's of fun.

[camz]

Just checked the lowest for the Gem is 1099 for Dec 25 and the Jewel is 1219 for Dec 26..Hmmm..

 

This is an expensive time of year to travel. The holidays are always way more expensive. However, it is an exciting time to travel!

[giddy2travel]

Thanks for the info. Do you know if they have specialty coffee available? We were on princess and bought a coffee card to get latte, etc.

 

yes I need to know about this coffee thing too!

Do they serve cappuccino anywhere and are they extra?

on carnival you could have them free with dinner but charged at the coffee shop...guess where I had them?

coffee card?does this exist...hmmmm i may need this!:D

[njhorseman]

yes I need to know about this coffee thing too!

Do they serve cappuccino anywhere and are they extra?

on carnival you could have them free with dinner but charged at the coffee shop...guess where I had them?

coffee card?does this exist...hmmmm i may need this!:D

 

NCL used to offer complimentary cappucino and espresso in their dining rooms, but discontinued that practice early in 2010. They're still available, but for a charge. NCL doesn't have a coffee card.

[terrirus]

NCL used to offer complimentary cappucino and espresso in their dining rooms, but discontinued that practice early in 2010. They're still available, but for a charge. NCL doesn't have a coffee card.

 

bummer, I really enjoyed getting a chai or latte, each morning, oh well. sacrifices! lol

[bob brown]

The machines that used to give free Espresso and Capuccino are still in the lido buffet, but now they only dispense regular coffee. However, they make a better cup than the other machines. They grind the beans rather than use syrup. Their coffee has a distinctive bit of foam on top when you first pour it.

[giddy2travel]

The machines that used to give free Espresso and Capuccino are still in the lido buffet, but now they only dispense regular coffee. However, they make a better cup than the other machines. They grind the beans rather than use syrup. Their coffee has a distinctive bit of foam on top when you first pour it.

well that sounds good fresh ground beans is always a good thing..

thanks