Reluctant cruiser

[GSLMOM]

So, I am being strong-armed into going on the Gem in July to Nassau. I have never been on a cruise and generally do not like being on boats. I tend to get some form of seasickness if I am below deck, so I am not thrilled. I have done plenty of research and this still does not seem like something that is up my alley at all. I have had an open mind to this whole scenario, but here are my concerns and any input or feedback would be appreciated.

 

 

 

2-ALCOHOL: I have become a total beer snob and cannot physically drink crap beers like Bud or Lite anymore. My body rejects them. It appears that the beer menus are completely dreadful with Sam Adams being the only drinkable beer on it. Does anyone know if the Gem still currently serve Sam Adams? Also, bottom shelf liquor doesn't agree with me. Does anybody know how much drink prices increase by if you go from a house liquor to a call or premium brand? For instance, I see that a Cuba Libre is $5.75 (I assume it's made with house liquor..Castillo rum?). Any idea on the bump if I wanted Appleton instead?

 

 

 

KoL

 

 

On the gem last week, I ordered Bloody Mary's. Depending on the server or bartender my drink had one of three vodkas in it (since I would forget to ask for the premium). House vodka - $5.25. Absolut - $6.25. Grey Goose - $6.75. The house vodka is Smirnoff.

[jackson bernard]

Do us all a favor and stay home so we do not have to here your review of how terrible the trip was OR go with an open mind and try to enjoy some thing different there realy is something for every one on board you will definitely find something you like

 

 

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:D. Just stay home. Obviously you are better than the rest of us and this type of trip will not meet your high faluting standards

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Forums mobile app

[bonniboo1]

O just got off of the Gem for the second time and am in the process of booking again.

I can honestly tell you that you will hate every second. Therefore I am willing to take your place to spare you the hardship:)

[bonniboo1]

On the gem last week, I ordered Bloody Mary's. Depending on the server or bartender my drink had one of three vodkas in it (since I would forget to ask for the premium). House vodka - $5.25. Absolut - $6.25. Grey Goose - $6.75. The house vodka is Smirnoff.

 

Ah ha Vicky, now I know why you were always smiling 😊.

 

Bonni

[getupgo]

I think everyone has been very kind to this guy and I hope he will get back to us and say he had s great time. On the other hand I keep wondering why anyone would want him around bad enough to strong arm him to do anything. I think he should count himself very lucky to be so loved.

 

Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk

[GSLMOM]

O just got off of the Gem for the second time and am in the process of booking again.

I can honestly tell you that you will hate every second. Therefore I am willing to take your place to spare you the hardship:)

 

You are too funny, Bonni!

[LrgPizza]

I think everyone has been very kind to this guy and I hope he will get back to us and say he had s great time. On the other hand I keep wondering why anyone would want him around bad enough to strong arm him to do anything. I think he should count himself very lucky to be so loved.

What? Why?

[GSLMOM]

Ah ha Vicky, now I know why you were always smiling ���.

 

Bonni

 

My secret is out!!

Edited June 14, 2014 by GSLMOM
Emojis not posting!

[silvercrikhix]

Just got to be a joke......

 

Okay...if the OP is legit....

 

Book a suite...period.......the bigger, the better.

Well worth the space and SERVICES.

Get the UDP and eat in the Specialty Restaurants.

Order the liquor you require beforehand for the suite.

Hire a private tour guide for your ports to take you to see what YOU want, to eat what you want, etc.....

 

That should take care of most of your concerns.

[Ilovesailing]

So, I am being strong-armed into going on the Gem in July to Nassau. I have never been on a cruise and generally do not like being on boats. I tend to get some form of seasickness if I am below deck, so I am not thrilled. I have done plenty of research and this still does not seem like something that is up my alley at all. I have had an open mind to this whole scenario, but here are my concerns and any input or feedback would be appreciated.

 

1-FOOD: It seems to me that most of the food is reminiscent of a Golden Corral buffet or a Quaker Steak and Lube. I don't eat out often but when I do I prefer restaurants that have favorable ratings from sites such as NY Times, Time Out NY or Zagat. I feel like, in general, that I will not be thrilled with the dining. I do love dessert and everything that I have read indicates that is the strong point of the NCL's food offerings. Do you think I'm being realistic or am I maybe setting the expectations too low?

 

2-ALCOHOL: I have become a total beer snob and cannot physically drink crap beers like Bud or Lite anymore. My body rejects them. It appears that the beer menus are completely dreadful with Sam Adams being the only drinkable beer on it. Does anyone know if the Gem still currently serve Sam Adams? Also, bottom shelf liquor doesn't agree with me. Does anybody know how much drink prices increase by if you go from a house liquor to a call or premium brand? For instance, I see that a Cuba Libre is $5.75 (I assume it's made with house liquor..Castillo rum?). Any idea on the bump if I wanted Appleton instead?

 

3-CROWDS: Everything I have read about the Gem indicates that it is very crowded. I would really like to just find a relatively quiet, cool and shady place to sit and read books on my Kindle. Does an area like this exist on the Gem? If I am being forced to be on a 'vacation' I would like to avoid the noise and crowds since they drive me nuts here in NY.

 

4-CULTURE: When I go on a trip I like to go to places that have museums, architecture, local restaurants and bars, along with other places to experience local culture. I guess Cocoa Beach will involve some local seafood joint for lunch and Great Stirrup Cay seems to be a pointless destination based on my interests. Any food and drink recommendations for Cocoa Beach? Nassau appears to have very few sights and museums. Is there enough in Nassau to occupy somebody for a good eight hours? Also, does anybody know of any local restaurants and bars in Nassau that would not be tourist joints while also being safe to visit? I am open to trying any of the local cuisine and want to give some Switcha a try.

 

5-ENTERTAINMENT: So, I pretty much loathe shows and plays. I'm not interested in magicians or dancers prancing around. This pretty much leaves The Second City and World Beat. Would I need reservations for either one of these before the vacation starts or can it be a spur of the moment decision? Does anybody have any info on who the actual entertainers will be on the 7/12 trip?

 

6-SEASICK: Do any of you have a preference for avoiding seasickness...bracelet vs. meds? Can you take the meds and have a bunch of drinks or does it make you drowsy?

 

 

Well, I guess this post has gotten a bit long, so that's all for now. I appreciate any feedback and help with this whole thing. Thanks in advance for your help everybody!

 

Thanks,

KoL

 

I find your post a little strange in the fact that you just joined CC 6/13

3 posts all here yet your handle says king of leisure and the fact that you seem to be somewhat familiar with the cruise experience.

 

Maybe you should change your handle to "Hand Cuffed"

[janpo]

I think everyone has been very kind to this guy and I hope he will get back to us and say he had s great time. On the other hand I keep wondering why anyone would want him around bad enough to strong arm him to do anything. I think he should count himself very lucky to be so loved.

 

Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk

 

Ditto, ditto, ditto!!!

[HeyYouKidsGetOffMyLawn]

Port Canaveral + Beer Snob: You may want to visit the local nanobrewery, about 7 miles away from the port. http://www.cocoabeachbrewingcompany.com/index.htm

[emcelh]

Entertainment-from what I have read, making reservations in advance for comedy shows is advisable. For the ships I have sailed, there is no penalty if you don't show up to your reservation, so there is no downside. Perhaps you can sign up for a few and make what you can. Mi found the jazz entertainers on other ships very talented.

 

 

There are no advance reservations for the entertainment on the Gem.

[kcwingwalker]

Just go and be prepared to get hooked on cruising:)

 

Get the Ultimate Dining Plan and enjoy a new dining experience every night. Do get at least a balcony room to enjoy some blissful quiet time and a good drink. Every ship had a team dedicated to providing best entertainment possible to it's passengers so head on down to see the Cruise Director or one of the staff members and see what's available to you. Many enjoy touring the ship and seeing how things work behind the scene. Do you like cards, you'll find there is a card room on every ship.

 

And there is always people watching! All of us who have cruised at least once have seen some sights that are unforgettable......................some good and some we would like to forget!

 

A good place to pick up a few tips is one of the smaller bars. Passengers usually enjoy comparing notes and love to help out newcomers.

 

And remember it's "Freestyle" and that means doing what you want and when you want to!

[luddite]

Port Canaveral + Beer Snob: You may want to visit the local nanobrewery, about 7 miles away from the port. http://www.cocoabeachbrewingcompany.com/index.htm

 

Not beer snob.

Beer geek.

[HeyYouKidsGetOffMyLawn]

Not beer snob.

Beer geek.

 

I would certainly hate to throw a wrench into your carefully handcrafted objection, Mr Luddite.

 

I was simply echoing the original poster's chosen term for his preferences. I consider your self-chosen term to be equally valid, and applaud your efforts to correct me.

 

If you need me, I'll be in the corner sipping a warm shot of Old Grand Dad from a dirty glass.

 

Mr. Lawn

[Valen9]

So, my research and planning continues! I almost always read online reviews with some trepidation, so asking these specific questions and posting these specific concerns has gotten me some great feedback. I definitely appreciate all of the quick responses. I totally have an open mind toward going on this trip; I just like to be prepared when going away and try to avoid any surprises. So, again, thanks for all of your help...I look forward to putting a lot of this advice into motion!!

 

Glad to hear that! If you think of it more as "uninterrupted time to spend with people who are clearly so important to me that I'm willing to try a cruise because they want me along" rather than time to pursue your usual activities and interests, you might find yourself actually having a great time!

 

One reason I like cruising is that it's a really good excuse to tell everyone you're going to be out of touch and to get by without you for a while. On the theory of "how can we miss you if you never go away" theme... :)

[Juvesgirl]

There are no advance reservations for the entertainment on the Gem.

 

Good to know, thanks. I shouldn't have assumed all ships are the same!! Sorry about that.

Edited June 15, 2014 by Juvesgirl
typo

[King of Leisure]

That's what I'm talking about HeyYouKids! This place looks very solid...thanks for the recommendation.

Edited June 15, 2014 by King of Leisure

[King of Leisure]

Ilovesailing...it seems that all of the research that I have done has paid off. I'll take your post as a compliment. As I said, I have done a lot of research on this trip and maybe I'm overthinking it, maybe not. Nonetheless, I don't like to go away without knowing what to expect of a trip. I prefer not to return home from a vacation and realize that I missed doing or seeing something because I didn't do my homework. As I said earlier, I appreciate the tips and feedback from everybody here.

[King of Leisure]

On the gem last week, I ordered Bloody Mary's. Depending on the server or bartender my drink had one of three vodkas in it (since I would forget to ask for the premium). House vodka - $5.25. Absolut - $6.25. Grey Goose - $6.75. The house vodka is Smirnoff.

 

Thanks GSLMOM...this is definitely helpful in planning the booze budget.

[King of Leisure]

I agree with this comment.

Also I wonder if you are also going to be strong-armed into doing things during the cruise that you don't want to do. All the good advice you are getting might go to waste ! :confused:

 

Jertom, I totally get where you're coming from on this. However, I have realized that sometimes you need to bite the bullet in a marriage , even if it puts me in an uncomfortable position (i.e. being on the open waters for many days). However, once we split from NY I will be using all of this info to ensure that I get the most of the week away from home.

[King of Leisure]

Just go and be prepared to get hooked on cruising:)

 

And there is always people watching! All of us who have cruised at least once have seen some sights that are unforgettable......................some good and some we would like to forget!

 

KC, please tell me that the forgetful sights don't involve Speedos! :eek:

[luddite]

I would certainly hate to throw a wrench into your carefully handcrafted objection, Mr Luddite.

 

I was simply echoing the original poster's chosen term for his preferences. I consider your self-chosen term to be equally valid, and applaud your efforts to correct me.

 

If you need me, I'll be in the corner sipping a warm shot of Old Grand Dad from a dirty glass.

 

Mr. Lawn

 

Beer geek.

[luddite]

Jertom, I totally get where you're coming from on this. However, I have realized that sometimes you need to bite the bullet in a marriage , even if it puts me in an uncomfortable position (i.e. being on the open waters for many days). However, once we split from NY I will be using all of this info to ensure that I get the most of the week away from home.

 

Life is what happens while you're making plans.