Gem in February out of NYC?

[bbryan5]

So we originally planned on doing the Breakaway again (would be #3) to Bermuda this May. Was poking around NCL.com and saw an interesting cruise aboard the Gem. 10 day to San Juan, St Thomas, St Maarten, and Tortola. Problem is, it's in February. I've been on both the Breakaway and Gem more than once, so I know the differences. I also looked up the weather in those locations for February and it seems it will definitely be plenty warm.. I guess I'm just looking for opinions. What would you do? Breakaway 7 day to Bermuda in May, or Gem 10 day to Eastern Carib in Feb? Would be great to hear from anyone that has done both. Reason I'm leaning towards the 10 day is simply that it's a longer cruise. Any thoughts, opinions, criticisms, appreciated :D:D:D

[www3traveler]

I have done the 10 Day Eastern Caribbean and loved it even if it was over Super Bowl Sunday.

 

I would love to do it again.

[bbryan5]

^ Thanks for the info! How many days at sea did it take before it started warming up enough to lay out by the pool?

[www3traveler]

About one and a half.

[bbryan5]

Thanks so much!

[spirit rev]

We've done an Eastern Caribbean out of NYC in the winter several times and enjoyed it each time. So great to leave the cold and snow behind and just enjoy the sun and warmth.

 

How long it takes for it to be warm enough to be on the pool deck depends on the week and where you are from - the further north you live, the sooner you'll be on the pool deck.;) I've seen people in the hot tubs on sail away a few times. If the sun is out and able to be out of the breeze/wind, I've seen folks out by noon after leaving NYC.

 

One time we sailed over Superbowl weekend. It was great fun. They showed it all over the ship, except in your rooms. On this particular sailing, the ship ran out of chicken wings that night - before the game was over (said we set a fleet-wide record for pounds of chicken wings consumed that night) and there were still two sea days before we arrived home.:eek:

[Paddy41]

Haven't done that 10 day trip in February but did do it mid-March a couple of years ago and I have it booked for 2016 again. I did look it up in my journal and I wrote down that it started warming up by the second sea day. I live in Ontario so I'm used to this weather. We had an aft balcony and had our spring jackets on as we left New York. I'm sure on deck it felt pretty cool as the aft balconies don't get the breeze like on deck.

All of the ports we visited were warm. Of course coming back was similar in that by the day before disembarking we were feeling cool again.

Enjoyed it enough though to book again for next March.

[luvtheships]

We were pleasantly surprised on our 12 day ba last January. Left on a Sunday at 4 and lounging in warm sun by Monday at 2

 

 

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[Turtles06]

10 days are better than 7! :)

 

In fact, we are booked on the Gem's 10-day sailing that leaves on Feb. 1. So we will be aboard for the Super Bowl, our second time on NCL for that. The first time was years ago on the Majesty, and it was a great deal of fun. I hope NCL does an even better party now; those chicken wings sound good! :)

[navybankerteacher]

We are looking forward to our Feb. 21 sailing on Gem. This will be my fourth winter sailing from New York. The great thing is that by early afternoon of the first sea day you are in the Gulf Stream a couple of hundred miles off the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay - the water will be at or near 70, and the air temperature likely about the same. If it is a sunny day, it will be great on any open deck shielded from the wind. The next day could be a little cooler as you will then be to the east of the Gulf Stream, but enough further south to still be OK.

[dlynn0366]

We were on the Gem this past March & by lunch the first saw day I was out sun tanning and on the way back was laying out until at least 3 pm on the final sea day.

[QuickieGlenn]

I have gone out of NY 4 times in February and each time we have had at least one night of rough weather. Last February was the worst with rain and rough weather for the first 2 days on the way down and 1 day on the way back.. You have to remember that you are traveling in the Atlantic in winter so be prepared. My last trip was my last out of NY in winter.

[bbryan5]

All great info, I truly appreciate all of you that took the time to respond, THANKS!!:D:D:D

[tomk3212]

10 days in February to get away from the cold in the Northeast US sounds GREAT!! We've gone out of NYC in February so keep in mind that for 3 of the 10 days you're gonna be COLD!!!!

 

Depending on just how cold it is in the NY area on the first day out and for a good part of the second day it's going to be way too cold to spend time on deck curled up reading a good book or going in the pool (hot tubs will be HOT...). Once you reach the Carolinas you'll be amazed on how quickly it warms up. From then on it just gets warmer & warmer!

 

I'd opt for the 10 day on the Gem in February.

 

Tom

[bbryan5]

Great info all, thanks a bunch! Keep it coming!

[Ms.Eva]

In 2007, during a very, very cold winter in NY, my mother and I went to the Caribbean on a HAL ship. The day we left it was 12 degrees Fahrenheit. Our muster drill was held outside, yuk.

 

However in about 2 days the weather was warm and I forgot all about the cold, cold Northeast.

 

The only bad thing about going to the Caribbean during the winter is coming back and stepping off the ship and it's freezing outside. Other than that shock, it's all good. :)

[bbryan5]

The only bad thing about going to the Caribbean during the winter is coming back and stepping off the ship and it's freezing outside

 

Yea I thought about that too lol

[navybankerteacher]

In 2007, during a very, very cold winter in NY, my mother and I went to the Caribbean on a HAL ship. The day we left it was 12 degrees Fahrenheit. Our muster drill was held outside, yuk.

 

However in about 2 days the weather was warm and I forgot all about the cold, cold Northeast.

 

The only bad thing about going to the Caribbean during the winter is coming back and stepping off the ship and it's freezing outside. Other than that shock, it's all good. :)

 

Sounds like you are talking about HAL's Noordam - we sailed her south out of New York in January 2007 and again in 2008. I recall the 2007 muster drill on deck with the wind howling down the Hudson. And that first night we ran through heavy seas - there was green water outside my window that first morning as we plowed through 30+ foot seas. It made getting into the Gulf Stream that afternoon feel like magic.

 

Too bad HAL gave up that itinerary.

[Paddy41]

Bbryant5 you don't say where you live but here's a word of advice I wish I had followed. Get to NY a day early just in case. We booked our flight for the morning of the cruise and immediately after I started to stress out. February and even March are still winter weather! You can so easily hit a snowstorm. And sure enough, all my worrying and stressing came true. A snowstorm hit the east coast during the night and we arrived at the airport to see cancelled and delayed all down the board for the east coast. But OMG the storm missed New York and closed down everything south of it! And we were on our way.

Previously I said that it did not warm up for our cruise until the 2nd sea day. I've seen that some of you have said you were sunbathing the 1st sea day so you must keep in mind that it can go either way at this time of year but you will still have an amazing time.

Our first night and first sea day were spent trying to walk upright as the ship was rolling! Stabilizers and all, the barf bags were out. Because we had to sail through that snowstorm which was south of NY and it was now hitting the Atlantic. The captain apologized repeatedly but what could he do. As he said...he could only turn the ship towards the waves for just so long since the waves were rolling out east and we needed to go south. The crew was so busy that night cleaning up the messes caused when the ship rolled. I felt so sorry for the dining room crew as we listened to the dishes crashing to the floor. And so many cabins with glasses broken on the floor. We could not get help until morning. We picked up what glass we could safely pick up and got the clever idea of laying out our luggage 'blanket' over the rest of the glass plus using towels as padding. We were worried about getting up in the night and standing on glass. It was a very interesting couple of days. But still stands out in our mind as one of our best cruises. 10 days is just so much better than 7. Enjoy!

[OCruisers]

Our daughter's family frequently cruises out of the NY area for 10/11 days to the Caribbean on Christmas/New Years cruises.

They tell me it's about a day and a half for it to warm up.

 

Go for the 10 nighter! :D

[Arzeena]

So we originally planned on doing the Breakaway again (would be #3) to Bermuda this May. Was poking around NCL.com and saw an interesting cruise aboard the Gem. 10 day to San Juan, St Thomas, St Maarten, and Tortola. Problem is, it's in February. I've been on both the Breakaway and Gem more than once, so I know the differences. I also looked up the weather in those locations for February and it seems it will definitely be plenty warm.. I guess I'm just looking for opinions. What would you do? Breakaway 7 day to Bermuda in May, or Gem 10 day to Eastern Carib in Feb? Would be great to hear from anyone that has done both. Reason I'm leaning towards the 10 day is simply that it's a longer cruise. Any thoughts, opinions, criticisms, appreciated :D:D:D

 

We do this every year in February. Love it.

[2boyzmom]

We booked this cruise for February 11th. We cruise every winter but never out of NY in February. I love the longer cruise and actually like the idea of not feeling the rush to "get a chair by the pool" at 8am. We will be relaxing and exploring the ship day 1 and 2 which is fine with me. Plus no airfare x 4 is an added bonus :)

[spirit rev]

Our first night and first sea day were spent trying to walk upright as the ship was rolling! Stabilizers and all, the barf bags were out. Because we had to sail through that snowstorm which was south of NY and it was now hitting the Atlantic. The captain apologized repeatedly but what could he do. As he said...he could only turn the ship towards the waves for just so long since the waves were rolling out east and we needed to go south. The crew was so busy that night cleaning up the messes caused when the ship rolled. I felt so sorry for the dining room crew as we listened to the dishes crashing to the floor. And so many cabins with glasses broken on the floor. We could not get help until morning. We picked up what glass we could safely pick up and got the clever idea of laying out our luggage 'blanket' over the rest of the glass plus using towels as padding. We were worried about getting up in the night and standing on glass. It was a very interesting couple of days. But still stands out in our mind as one of our best cruises. 10 days is just so much better than 7. Enjoy!

Paddy 41

It sounds like you were on one of the cruises we were on, although I'm sure it is something that happens more than once. The good thing about having the rough seas on the way south that year was that we had very smooth sailing as we sailed north. Usually it is the other way around.

 

IMO, the weather adds to the stories we can tell when we get home.

[trish1c]

There are good things & bad things about 10+ day cruises out of NYC area in winter.

 

The good includes the convenience & the value.

 

The "bad" includes the fact that the 1st & last days are not vacation-y per se because it's too cold to go outside. Sometimes you will see a hearty soul or two in the hot tubs but generally you are stuck indoors just like at home. For us, it eases us into vacation; we enjoy sleeping in that 1st morning & it's not such a shock to go back to the cold because it's a bit more gradual then stepping on to a plane in the warm Florida sun then back to the cold.

 

If you are prone to sea sickness, avoid these itineraries. The Mid & North Atlantic can be rough in winter. On two separate voyages, it was barf city all the way . . . Everybody on board was feeling it. On others it was smooth like glass. It is a risk.

[navybankerteacher]

There are good things & bad things about 10+ day cruises out of NYC area in winter.

 

The good includes the convenience & the value.

 

The "bad" includes the fact that the 1st & last days are not vacation-y per se because it's too cold to go outside. Sometimes you will see a hearty soul or two in the hot tubs but generally you are stuck indoors just like at home. For us, it eases us into vacation; we enjoy sleeping in that 1st morning & it's not such a shock to go back to the cold because it's a bit more gradual then stepping on to a plane in the warm Florida sun then back to the cold.

 

If you are prone to sea sickness, avoid these itineraries. The Mid & North Atlantic can be rough in winter. On two separate voyages, it was barf city all the way . . . Everybody on board was feeling it. On others it was smooth like glass. It is a risk.

 

Of course, if it too cold to go outside on a ship heading south out of New York, it will surely be colder on land in the Northeast. Plus you will not have to shovel your driveway to go get something to eat.