Gem Renovations

[13seth]

We have 3 kids and booked our cruise on a ship with a water slide this year because that is where the kids have the most fun. Earlier this year we cruised on a ship without water slides and it was a huge impact, especially considering the pools are usually over packed. I read an article on Yahoo today on cruising with kids and it suggested letting the kids do there part in researching and deciding what ship to choose, makes it a lot easier for the parents to enjoy if the kids are having fun.

There is a good reason why so many of the good ships have water slides!

[13seth]

Have you ever gone to an amusement park like Disneyworld and had an attraction or two closed for maintenance?

 

That's a poor comparison because Disney would still have plenty of attractions and activities for a family to do together.. It would be like going to Disney to be told that 1/4 of the attractions are closed and the families could pack into a small overcrowded pool with no available chairs around.

[1smudslide]

Have you ever gone to an amusement park like Disneyworld and had an attraction or two closed for maintenance?

 

I've been to Disney many times and would still be upset if Haunted Mansion or Pirates of the Caribbean were closed! Hey, I would be upset if Toy Story Mania or Buzz Lightyear were closed. Just a kid at heart!

[perditax]

I've been to Disney many times and would still be upset if Haunted Mansion or Pirates of the Caribbean were closed! Hey, I would be upset if Toy Story Mania or Buzz Lightyear were closed. Just a kid at heart!

 

 

POTC was due for a multiple month "refurb" last time I was reading up for a trip. Full shut down.

[1smudslide]

Have you ever gone to an amusement park like Disneyworld and had an attraction or two closed for maintenance?

I've been lucky where they've been shut down a day or two during the trip, but was always up and running before the end of it. I do understand looking forward to something and it not being available. It wouldn't kill my vacation, but would be disappointed.

[IrieBajan54]

Unless the kids are old enough for hanging out, they may end up bored without the slide.

[Jezo]

POTC was due for a multiple month "refurb" last time I was reading up for a trip. Full shut down.

 

Total side topic from cruising, but it was closed for several months this summer and opened back up the last weekend in September.

[Crusin6]

Total side topic from cruising, but it was closed for several months this summer and opened back up the last weekend in September.

 

 

Yes it was closed when we were there in June but of course we had numerous other rides and attractions to choose from

 

We couldn't even get on the great movie ride at the studios due to early closing for the fireworks. However we again had loads of other choices

 

 

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[Crusin6]

Unless the kids are old enough for hanging out, they may end up bored without the slide.

 

 

And will then hog the pool and hang out to the great irritation of certain types of cruisers....to them I say....call ncl and demand they rush to open that slide. Lol

 

 

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[boopsahoy]

They now have the interactive tv system. However, if you are in a suite the DVD player is not sset up-BUTthe PPV movies were free for suite customers-Sweet!

[jmcookiemonster25]

I just checked it in the iTunes App Store. It sure has some awful reviews!

 

Anyone have real life experience with it?

 

We bought it on the Breakaway and it was quite frankly a piece of crap. Calling one another didn't work, which is kind of the whole reason we bought it. We complained to guest services and they refunded us one of them (we bought 2).

 

However, I was able to get notifications on my phone from the outside world. I couldn't log in and actually view stuff, but I'd get PayPal payment received notifications (we sell digitally-sendable goods so that was extremely helpful, we didn't have to log in beforehand to check if we'd received a payment, my phone would tell me and then we'd log in), or I'd get Facebook notifications that someone liked my picture but I couldn't actually go onto the app and view it. This was May 2014. I have no idea if that glitch is still occurring though.

[Whitnee1]

There was a post on the Norweigen board about the slide still out of service waiting for a pump. Probably several weeks yet.

[Turtles06]

One of our favorites spots on the Gem is forward on Deck 14, where they have those big round double sofa-like loungers. Are these still there post dry-dock?

 

 

(photo by turtles06)

[msg12188]

We cruised on the Breakaway last year and had the iConcierge app. It didn't work more often than it did. We will not be using it this cruise in February.

[ilsh75]

The days when the slide was closed due to waves were harsh on our last cruise. And it was on the Gem. Not much more to do. He did not wanted to go to the kids so it was tough to keep him

entertained . Just think if the one thing you were planning to do all day at see is closed. Like the spa or casino or the bars.

[Hogwarts fan]

They need to update their website to advise the bowling is no longer there. A bit disappointed in that as we were looking forward to a family competition, don't get many opportunities for bowling together.

Here's hoping the climbing wall is still in operation for our cruise. With it not looking like the slide will be operational, that's 2 things we were looking forward to, when we booked, not available. It will be what it will be and we will have a good time regardless I'm sure.

What is Gems daily activity schedule like for sea days ? Hope there's a few things on to keep me busy :)

[dshefter]

Hogwarts Fan: If you had been following the Gem Renovations thread, people were mentioning that the bowling alleys were going to be eliminated during its dry dock in November.

 

I'm disappointed as well that the bowling alleys have been removed. Just one less activity available. But I guess NCL felt the bowling alleys weren't being used enough to make it worthwhile for the ship to keep it.

 

The slide issue is a whole other matter. They replaced the slide during dry dock and now it is inoperable due to installing the wrong pump.

 

Yet ZERO word from NCL regarding the matter.

[dongordon]

They need to update their website to advise the bowling is no longer there. A bit disappointed in that as we were looking forward to a family competition, don't get many opportunities for bowling together.

Here's hoping the climbing wall is still in operation for our cruise. With it not looking like the slide will be operational, that's 2 things we were looking forward to, when we booked, not available. It will be what it will be and we will have a good time regardless I'm sure.

What is Gems daily activity schedule like for sea days ? Hope there's a few things on to keep me busy :)

 

Does the climbing wall have any height or age requirements?

Hoping that this might be a replacement for the water slide.

 

Don

[Carol++]

Does the climbing wall have any height or age requirements?

 

Don

 

Not for age or height, but must wear socks.

[Hogwarts fan]

Hogwarts Fan: If you had been following the Gem Renovations thread, people were mentioning that the bowling alleys were going to be eliminated during its dry dock in November.

 

I'm disappointed as well that the bowling alleys have been removed. Just one less activity available. But I guess NCL felt the bowling alleys weren't being used enough to make it worthwhile for the ship to keep it.

 

The slide issue is a whole other matter. They replaced the slide during dry dock and now it is inoperable due to installing the wrong pump.

 

Yet ZERO word from NCL regarding the matter.

 

We booked back in July and hadn't read anywhere, at that time, re the bowling being taken away. Have only recently registered on here to post. That makes their website even worse though, if it's been known for months and hasn't been updated :)

[Hogwarts fan]

Does the climbing wall have any height or age requirements?

Hoping that this might be a replacement for the water slide.

 

Don

 

Interesting that you mention that ! I was checking their website for that information and couldn't see anything on it, but I know I have seen pictures and read about it somewhere. On the deck plan it shows for deck 14 climbing wall and states underneath 'the climbing wall is currently unavailable until further notice ' ! No idea what's what :confused:

[49erfan007]

Interesting that you mention that ! I was checking their website for that information and couldn't see anything on it, but I know I have seen pictures and read about it somewhere. On the deck plan it shows for deck 14 climbing wall and states underneath 'the climbing wall is currently unavailable until further notice ' ! No idea what's what :confused:

I just talked to people who were on the Christmas sailing, they said the rock-climbing wall was opened twice a day on their cruise, so I'm sure it is operational

[Turtles06]

Interesting that you mention that ! I was checking their website for that information and couldn't see anything on it, but I know I have seen pictures and read about it somewhere. On the deck plan it shows for deck 14 climbing wall and states underneath 'the climbing wall is currently unavailable until further notice ' ! No idea what's what :confused:

 

The rock climbing wall was closed during part of 2015 because of some work needed on nearby areas of the ship; I was pretty sure it had reopened, and I see from the post above mine that it has. I'm willing to bet the web site is out of date. (Nothing new there. :rolleyes:)

[Hogwarts fan]

I just talked to people who were on the Christmas sailing, they said the rock-climbing wall was opened twice a day on their cruise, so I'm sure it is operational

 

Good to know thanks. Info here much more reliable than from NCL website :)

[Hogwarts fan]

(Nothing new there. :rolleyes:)

 

I'm beginning to find that out ;)