Please help...Is this Upgrade Worth it on the GEM

[DeRon]

Hey guys, would love everyone's help and thoughts on this, especially if you have stayed in this stateroom or category (SE), as we have never been on a NCL ship before.

 

We had a balcony guarantee booked. They called yesterday and offered an upgrade to the Penthouse SE (Room # 9502 on the Gem) for $400 more. I jumped on it and was thrilled, but there are a few things bugging me since I've had time to check it out.

 

Pros:

This "Penthouse" is 266 sq ft (although great, I would think a "Penthouse" would be larger...ha) and the balcony is 244 sq ft (which is huge!!). We also are now considered "suite" guests and get suite perks like butler service, concierge, Cagney's breakfast and lunch, priority embarkation and disembarkation, champagne, and a coffee/capicinno maker in the room.

 

Cons:

This suite is on the very front of the ship, so there isn't the normal sliding glass door. It's the weird, secure steel "ship" door that can be locked down to prevent leaking in rough seas. Also, going to Bermuda in Oct (9th), will the seas be super rough... and will there be too much movement on the front of the ship? We are also concerned that although we have a huge balcony, maybe it cannot be enjoyed as much as a smaller one due to the wind on the front of the ship during sailing.

 

We did make the upgrade, just wondering is overall it is not worth the $400 ($390 to be exact).

 

Thoughts??:confused:

[Got Tequila?]

Hey guys, would love everyone's help and thoughts on this, especially if you have stayed in this stateroom or category (SE), as we have never been on a NCL ship before.

 

We had a balcony guarantee booked. They called yesterday and offered an upgrade to the Penthouse SE (Room # 9502 on the Gem) for $400 more. I jumped on it and was thrilled, but there are a few things bugging me since I've had time to check it out.

 

Pros:

This "Penthouse" is 266 sq ft (although great, I would think a "Penthouse" would be larger...ha) and the balcony is 244 sq ft (which is huge!!). We also are now considered "suite" guests and get suite perks like butler service, concierge, Cagney's breakfast and lunch, priority embarkation and disembarkation, champagne, and a coffee/capicinno maker in the room.

 

Cons:

This suite is on the very front of the ship, so there isn't the normal sliding glass door. It's the weird, secure steel "ship" door that can be locked down to prevent leaking in rough seas. Also, going to Bermuda in Oct (9th), will the seas be super rough... and will there be too much movement on the front of the ship? We are also concerned that although we have a huge balcony, maybe it cannot be enjoyed as much as a smaller one due to the wind on the front of the ship during sailing.

 

We did make the upgrade, just wondering is overall it is not worth the $400 ($390 to be exact).

 

Thoughts??:confused:

 

$400 seems like a very reasonable upgrade amount, and we would have taken the offer. The Suite perks are great, and you will be spoiled....of course remember to figure in your extra tips for the Butler/Concierge that go along with a suite.

 

The cabin is nice, and having that large balcony to enjoy why you are in Bermuda will be awsome....I would enjoy a meal one night out on the balcony, delivered by your butler. The butler will set up the table with a tablecloth and it will be very romantic.

 

Along with your cabin you will get a bottle of champagne, and 1 bottle of water. You'll also recieve afternoon snacks in your cabin, and get invited to the VIP party with more free drinks.

 

It will be a memorable cruise for you, and I don't think you'll regret the $400.........and you will probably be spoiled and want to sail in a suite from now on. :)

[DeRon]

Thanks for the quick reply! Do you think there is any merit to my concerns about the wind and movement on the front of the ship?

 

Thank you!

[WildcatRock]

Hey guys, would love everyone's help and thoughts on this, especially if you have stayed in this stateroom or category (SE), as we have never been on a NCL ship before.

 

We had a balcony guarantee booked. They called yesterday and offered an upgrade to the Penthouse SE (Room # 9502 on the Gem) for $400 more. I jumped on it and was thrilled, but there are a few things bugging me since I've had time to check it out.

 

Pros:

This "Penthouse" is 266 sq ft (although great, I would think a "Penthouse" would be larger...ha) and the balcony is 244 sq ft (which is huge!!). We also are now considered "suite" guests and get suite perks like butler service, concierge, Cagney's breakfast and lunch, priority embarkation and disembarkation, champagne, and a coffee/capicinno maker in the room.

 

Cons:

This suite is on the very front of the ship, so there isn't the normal sliding glass door. It's the weird, secure steel "ship" door that can be locked down to prevent leaking in rough seas. Also, going to Bermuda in Oct (9th), will the seas be super rough... and will there be too much movement on the front of the ship? We are also concerned that although we have a huge balcony, maybe it cannot be enjoyed as much as a smaller one due to the wind on the front of the ship during sailing.

 

We did make the upgrade, just wondering is overall it is not worth the $400 ($390 to be exact).

 

Thoughts??:confused:

 

First, I think you received a fair price for the upgrade due to the perks you'll receive as a suite guest. We've found that priority embarkation is one of the wonderful perks of being a suite guest as there's no waiting in line and the whole embarkation process goes pretty quickly. You'll also love Cagney's. Make sure you use the concierge for dinner reservations as you'll get priority seating as a VIP. The whole suite experience is wonderful and you'll probably be hooked on the whole suite life.

 

You did hit on the one main drawback of staying in a penthouse at the front of the ship - when the is underway you can't have your balcony door open, and you probably won't want to be on your balcony due to the wind. Also, if you have rough seas, you'll definitely feel it at the front of the ship. If you're someone who uses their balcony a lot, even when the ship is underway, you may find it very difficult to enjoy your balcony as much as if you were staying on the side of the ship or aft. But, you can still have a great time using your balcony such as having the butler set dinner up for you while in port, or breakfast from Cagney's.

 

Overall, I think you'll enjoy your suite experience (there are more perks that I haven't mentioned), and you received a very fair deal. Congrats and enjoy your cruise - you'll love it!!

[Got Tequila?]

Thanks for the quick reply! Do you think there is any merit to my concerns about the wind and movement on the front of the ship?

 

Thank you!

 

There is a rail on the deck, and if you sit in certain areas on the deck the wind is blocked from what I remember. These cabins do tend to feel the movement more than any other locations...didn't bother us at all, but it could bother some if the ship was in a weather pattern.

 

You do have to turn your lights off on the balcony at night at sea, because the light affects the bridge's ability to see....but you can still use the balcony in the evenings.

[SuiteRose]

You are correct to be thrilled!! That is a GREAT deal!! We were lucky enough to get an upgrade to a front Penthouse on our December 2008 cruise. I had the same reservations about the door and balcony off the front of the ship. The door is kind of heavy but we had NO problem with it. The suite perks are worth so much, $400 is a bargain!!!

 

The Penthouse rooms are a very nice size... if you compare them to the regular balcony cabins you'll be very happy, they are MUCH bigger. Make sure you read all you can about suite perks on these boards because from what I read recently, there were some first time suite guests that weren't told about some of the perks and only knew because of reading about them here.

 

NCL really knew what they were doing by giving us that complimentary upgrade, as we have booked two suites since!! Once you get bitten by the "suite" bug, it's hard to get over it.

 

We have gone to Bermuda in October (I was really hoping to be on this sailing but DH wanted to wait til January since he is a bricklayer). The seas weren't too bad. Since the weather is warm, you'll be fine on the balcony, and also since you'll be in port for such a long time, that balcony is PERFECT!!

[whenisthemidnightbuffet?]

Stayed in this cabin and sailed in April, somewhat similar to October weather out of NYC and based on that experience would have to say, you made the right choice! We loved this cabin and were able to use our balcony, first day was too chilly for sunning out there but by day 2 we had our coffee in the mornings while the ship was underway and laid out in the afternoons, wind was not a problem since the balcony is so huge you can sit further back from the rail where the wind is diminished and on the hotter days the breeze generated by the movement was a welcome addition. We did have a smooth sailing since we enjoyed wonderful weather and we were sailing to the Bahamas, not Bermuda, and of course this will have an affect on the experience so hopefully the weather will be cooperative. You will love this cabin and for less than $200 per person you got yourself a great deal. Enjoy

[russianmom]

I agree with the others. Great upgrade!!!

 

You will love the suite perks- we, of course, are hooked.

 

It may be windy during transit but think of those 3 glorious days while docked in Bermuda. What better to enjoy breakfast, relaxing, cocktails, dinner etc from your balcony.

 

Enjoy and please report back on your experience:)

[perkydebrajean]

Reading all of these responses eases my mind!

 

My daughter and I are going on our first cruise next June and have booked #10000 in the front of the ship. I was beginning to wonder if I made a mistake or not. My main reason for booking that room was because of the larger room and the balcony being in front. I could use a good breeze in June!

 

Someone had mentioned in another post somewhere that while the ship is underway, don't have the balcony door open and then open the main door to your room or it will blow everything around. But they said that they were able to sit out on their deck even while the ship was underway.

 

Be sure and post again after your cruise and let me know how it goes!

[fergusonvt]

I think you were very smart to take the the upsell. That is a great amount and I wouldn't be overly concerned being in the front of the ship. We in the very first mini-suite on the starboard side (not right on the bow but very close) and had the same type of door on our E. Caribbean in Jan. and I have motion sickness and was fine. The motion wasn't bad at all. Have a great cruise and enjoy your suite perks. I'll experience that for the first time in Jan.

[SuiteRose]

Reading all of these responses eases my mind!

 

My daughter and I are going on our first cruise next June and have booked #10000 in the front of the ship. I was beginning to wonder if I made a mistake or not. My main reason for booking that room was because of the larger room and the balcony being in front. I could use a good breeze in June!

 

Someone had mentioned in another post somewhere that while the ship is underway, don't have the balcony door open and then open the main door to your room or it will blow everything around. But they said that they were able to sit out on their deck even while the ship was underway.

Be sure and post again after your cruise and let me know how it goes!

 

Yes, don't open the balcony door and then your room door. We left one afternoon and didn't have the balcony door secured we came back to a tornado in our room when we opened the cabin door. Really is no big deal, just something to keep in the back of your mind. We sailed in that cabin in December so it was quite chilly while at sea. June is another story. If you sit on the balcony, the wind will go up over you.

[tunseeker1]

Having White table dining in you room is great, as is the ability to get full room service.

Nice price also.

[Sam The Cat]

My first cruise on NCL was on the Dawn #9502 a month after a rough wave destroyed several cabins and causing flooding. We started out with 9500 which was not ready and was switched to 9502.

 

We loved it especially with the perks A crew member while sailing back to NYC came in closed the bulk head door and put up a sign not to open the door. We had waves for 2 days that appeared to hit the bulk head door after clearing the storm we reopened the door and enjoyed the sun shine

[SilentHill]

Hey guys, would love everyone's help and thoughts on this, especially if you have stayed in this stateroom or category (SE), as we have never been on a NCL ship before.

 

We had a balcony guarantee booked. They called yesterday and offered an upgrade to the Penthouse SE (Room # 9502 on the Gem) for $400 more. I jumped on it and was thrilled, but there are a few things bugging me since I've had time to check it out.

 

Pros:

This "Penthouse" is 266 sq ft (although great, I would think a "Penthouse" would be larger...ha) and the balcony is 244 sq ft (which is huge!!). We also are now considered "suite" guests and get suite perks like butler service, concierge, Cagney's breakfast and lunch, priority embarkation and disembarkation, champagne, and a coffee/capicinno maker in the room.

 

Cons:

This suite is on the very front of the ship, so there isn't the normal sliding glass door. It's the weird, secure steel "ship" door that can be locked down to prevent leaking in rough seas. Also, going to Bermuda in Oct (9th), will the seas be super rough... and will there be too much movement on the front of the ship? We are also concerned that although we have a huge balcony, maybe it cannot be enjoyed as much as a smaller one due to the wind on the front of the ship during sailing.

 

We did make the upgrade, just wondering is overall it is not worth the $400 ($390 to be exact).

 

Thoughts??:confused:

 

At least someone on our cruise is getting up-sell calls! None for me :(

[JMHAM1]

I would have jumped on that with both feet! I can only hope we have to make a similar decision for our Jan cruise. Enjoy then come back and tell us all about it!

[DeRon]

Thank you for all your replies! We did jump on it, and we are so excited now!!

[SFO-F/A]

This is a steal of a deal! Congratulations! You will love it!:D

[coka]

Thank you for all your replies! We did jump on it, and we are so excited now!!

 

Congratulations! A very good bargain. Have a wonderful cruise,

 

coka

[DMH15]

Have not cruised in a forward suite yet. But I def would for a Bermuda cruise. Those days docked should be heaven.

[DeRon]

Actually, we stayed in the SE cat , but our cabin # changed. I think we will like even better. Thanks everyone!

[mmastroserio]

My wife and i have the same suite. When are you going if before our cruise the first week of november please send pics.

[DeRon]

My wife and i have the same suite. When are you going if before our cruise the first week of november please send pics.

I sure would...but we switched cabins...to 10500. It's still a AE and I will post pics when we return.

[bonvoyagie]

I think that you have nailed both the pros and cons of these cabins on the head. You can't control either the weather or the seas, but I think that you will take every possible chance to enjoy the balcony. We are in an SF catagory next summer in AK - love those aft cabins. When we first sailed in a suite (also aft and to AK) we talked with some of the folks who had the forward suites (owners and penthouse) and while they liked the forward view, they did not get as much out of their balconys except in port as they were both cold and windy. BTW we also paid around 400.00 for the upgrade - at that time the Penthouse we were in was twice as much pp as the balcony we we gave up. The Butler, treats, and special treatment - which have gotten much better over the years.

 

I think you made the right choice - make the most of your cruise.

[mw4357]

You'll love it, the wind isn't so bad that you can't enjoy the balcony. The angle of the "railing" makes the wind rise , I found that laying on the chaise lounge was great no matter how windy.

You MUST have dinner on the balcony at least one night in Bermuda set it up for sunset time and you'll never forget it.

Great bargain for all you'll receive but you will never want to cruise NCL without booking a suite again.

Enjoy

[doodlesinkentucky]

Hey guys, would love everyone's help and thoughts on this, especially if you have stayed in this stateroom or category (SE), as we have never been on a NCL ship before.

 

We had a balcony guarantee booked. They called yesterday and offered an upgrade to the Penthouse SE (Room # 9502 on the Gem) for $400 more. I jumped on it and was thrilled, but there are a few things bugging me since I've had time to check it out.

 

Pros:

This "Penthouse" is 266 sq ft (although great, I would think a "Penthouse" would be larger...ha) and the balcony is 244 sq ft (which is huge!!). We also are now considered "suite" guests and get suite perks like butler service, concierge, Cagney's breakfast and lunch, priority embarkation and disembarkation, champagne, and a coffee/capicinno maker in the room.

 

Cons:

This suite is on the very front of the ship, so there isn't the normal sliding glass door. It's the weird, secure steel "ship" door that can be locked down to prevent leaking in rough seas. Also, going to Bermuda in Oct (9th), will the seas be super rough... and will there be too much movement on the front of the ship? We are also concerned that although we have a huge balcony, maybe it cannot be enjoyed as much as a smaller one due to the wind on the front of the ship during sailing.

 

We did make the upgrade, just wondering is overall it is not worth the $400 ($390 to be exact).

 

Thoughts??:confused:

 

 

We had an upgrade on our cruise from a suite to a penthouse and thought the money was well worth it! We loved the penthouse and all the perks. I think you did the right thing!:)