Gem slide still not operational

[sparks1093]

Don I will report back on Jan 12 if the slide was working for the Jan 2 cruise

 

Fwiw I'm just taking the college kids with me this time and they would only use it a few times anyway so it's not a deal breaker for me. The hs kid would definitely miss it though

 

I'm just unnerved by how Ncl has been operating since April 2015

 

Phony freebie deals

Raising fees arbitrarily

Etc etc

 

Someone posted a very nice long list of all the changes and I have to say it was a non pax friendly list of changes no matter how you look at it

 

Doesn't need to impact each and every pax either....the list was eye opening

 

Yes, it was quite a list but that doesn't mean that everything negative is being purposefully done to increase revenue. Now if they were charging $3.95 a day to use the slide that would be a different story;).

 

Reminds me of the farmer that bit into an apple during the Great Depression, found a worm and said "Damn Hoover!":D

 

I hope they do get it working in time for your cruise.

[chengkp75]

Another reason to not want it operational is that the liability insurance for having a slide is steep

 

I would think that by putting off use of the slide until say January Ncl saved on the premiums

 

Happy New Year!!!!

 

Trust me when I say that compared to the liability insurance (actually P&I) the ship carries for transporting 2000+ passengers on the ocean, the liability for injury/death for a water slide is not even a footnote.

[luvtheships]

Trust me when I say that compared to the liability insurance (actually P&I) the ship carries for transporting 2000+ passengers on the ocean, the liability for injury/death for a water slide is not even a footnote.

 

 

Probably true but when you have one of the bigwigs (Stuart) going on tv and saying that the profit on any particular cruise can be as low as a few hundred dollars...yeah right...what are people to think

 

Of course I know Andy was playing it coy and close to the vest but hey...if the coo says it publicly who am I to dispute it

 

He made it sound like its down to the dollar

 

I believed him [emoji41]....lol

 

If it wasnt true he shouldn't have said it

[jalamhols]

slide wasn't operational on the Christmas/new year sailing and the last we had heard was that the slide needs to be removed - don't know if it will be replaced or not.

[tourguide97]

What's the big deal about the slide?

 

Tourguide

[triptolemus]

What's the big deal about the slide?

 

Tourguide

 

Like anything else on the ship, it was included as an amenity at booking, and now is not available.

 

Because it's not important to you does not mean it's not important to others. Folks with kids, for example, might care about the slide.

Edited January 3, 2016 by triptolemus

[49erfan007]

wow what a disappointment! I don't care for me as I am traveling w/o my children for this next cruise, but I can imagine how hard this will be for the parents whose children were excited about going on the slide. I wonder wha the problem is :confused:

[Jezo]

When will they have time to remove and replace the slide? The ship has a zero day down time.. when's the next time the ship wont be with passengers?

[Carol++]

When will they have time to remove and replace the slide? The ship has a zero day down time.. when's the next time the ship wont be with passengers?

 

This scares me, too. Will they do it while pax are on a cruise? If so, will there be times that the pool deck is closed while workers are taking down the slide? Will work hamper foot traffic to the buffet? If they do it at night, will it disturb pax in cabins below?

 

I thought an inoperable slide was a problem... might be a bigger problem if they have to take it down during a voyage.

 

Like Jezo, I wonder if management can wait until the ship has a few days of layover.

[fshagan]

When will they have time to remove and replace the slide? The ship has a zero day down time.. when's the next time the ship wont be with passengers?

 

My understanding from this (or another thread) is that the pump to make the slide operational is defective. Because of maritime rules they have to procure another pump that meets the exact specs and has been approved for the specific use, and typically that can take 2 - 3 months.

 

No idea if that is true, but I do know that sea water pumps and commercial water park pumps are very specialized, and can have long lead times.

[Turtles06]

We're on the Gem's Feb. 1 sailing. I happened to be corresponding with NCL on something else, so I also asked about the slide. Here's the reply:

 

Please be advised the Water Slide will not be available during your cruise and at this time we do not have information of [sic] the water slide.

 

We don't have kids, but I do understand the importance of this to those who do. I am also not on the grassy knoll and don't believe NCL is doing anything deliberately to keep the slide out of service.

 

However, I do think that at this point, so long after the dry dock, it would be nice if NCL would just tell people what the problem is and when they expect to have the slide operational (recognizing that dates can slip because of shipping,etc.). Communication is so important in maintaining corporate good will and stopping the rumor mill and conspiracy theories; I don't understand why some businesses are so bad at this.

[Cruising Greek]

We're on the Gem's Feb. 1 sailing. I happened to be corresponding with NCL on something else, so I also asked about the slide. Here's the reply:

 

 

 

We don't have kids, but I do understand the importance of this to those who do. I am also not on the grassy knoll and don't believe NCL is doing anything deliberately to keep the slide out of service.

 

However, I do think that at this point, so long after the dry dock, it would be nice if NCL would just tell people what the problem is and when they expect to have the slide operational (recognizing that dates can slip because of shipping,etc.). Communication is so important in maintaining corporate good will and stopping the rumor mill and conspiracy theories; I don't understand why some businesses are so bad at this.

 

I agree. I called NCL myself yesterday and they didn't have any updates on the slide. It may not seem like a huge deal to most (even myself), however, I know that my kids were so looking forward to the slide. I haven't told them yet, as I am hoping it will be fixed by our sailing date (2/11/16). Of course, it would have been nice to know this prior to final payment. I really would have changes ships or cancelled.

 

Our cruise is during school vacation week. With that many disappointed kids onboard, I'll be parking myself by the pool bar. (maybe that's NCL's strategy, lol?)

[CruisinMaterial]

slide wasn't operational on the Christmas/new year sailing and the last we had heard was that the slide needs to be removed - don't know if it will be replaced or not.

 

Good! The slides are a waste of deck space and take up so much space by the pool. Everyone complains that there's never enough room by the pool and then they went and added these things to the pool deck cluttering them more. Wish they would take them out on the newer ships as well. :D

Edited January 7, 2016 by CruisinMaterial
duck? LOL... auto correct

[hypercafe]

Good! The slides are a waste of deck space and take up so much space by the pool. Everyone complains that there's never enough room by the pool and then they went and added these things to the pool duck cluttering them more. Wish they would take them out on the newer ships as well. :D

 

I agree, if you want a water park go to one

[Carol++]

We're on the Gem's Feb. 1 sailing. I happened to be corresponding with NCL on something else, so I also asked about the slide. Here's the reply: Please be advised the Water Slide will not be available during your cruise and at this time we do not have information of [sic] the water slide.

 

 

Thank you for posting. Now I can stop sweating about it.

[Cruising Greek]

Good! The slides are a waste of deck space and take up so much space by the pool. Everyone complains that there's never enough room by the pool and then they went and added these things to the pool deck cluttering them more. Wish they would take them out on the newer ships as well. :D

 

Not sure that they are a waste of space. This will be our first sailing on NCL, and on all of the other lines we've been on, kids have used them all day long. They seem to be pretty popular and NCL is competing with these lines, trying to match amenities for all age groups.

 

I agree that the deck space issue is a gripe on all lines...

[Jezo]

We're on the Gem's Feb. 1 sailing. I happened to be corresponding with NCL on something else, so I also asked about the slide. Here's the reply:

 

 

We don't have kids, but I do understand the importance of this to those who do. I am also not on the grassy knoll and don't believe NCL is doing anything deliberately to keep the slide out of service.

 

Huge bummer for us. We have a little one with us and last year the slide was a huge part of his pool days, he was on it constantly with us and was going to be a big source of entertainment again this February.

 

Ahh well, we'll just hang out in the hot tubs and pools instead and annoy all the older folks who want to sit in peace.

[geegee1]

Huge bummer for us. We have a little one with us and last year the slide was a huge part of his pool days, he was on it constantly with us and was going to be a big source of entertainment again this February.

 

Ahh well, we'll just hang out in the hot tubs and pools instead and annoy all the older folks who want to sit in peace.

 

I'm with you. We usually don't let our children go in the hot tubs, but oh well;):D

[dongordon]

Don I will report back on Jan 12 if the slide was working for the Jan 2 cruise

 

Fwiw I'm just taking the college kids with me this time and they would only use it a few times anyway so it's not a deal breaker for me. The hs kid would definitely miss it though

 

I'm just unnerved by how Ncl has been operating since April 2015

 

Phony freebie deals

Raising fees arbitrarily

Etc etc

 

Someone posted a very nice long list of all the changes and I have to say it was a non pax friendly list of changes no matter how you look at it

 

Doesn't need to impact each and every pax either....the list was eye opening

 

Thank you

I hope you are enjoying your cruise!!

 

Don

Edited January 7, 2016 by dongordon

[dongordon]

I'm with you. We usually don't let our children go in the hot tubs, but oh well;):D

 

Me too...my grandsons will be joining me in the hot tubs and hopefully appease them. :D.

Those people who are so uncaring about children on this thread will see that if the slide is gone, they will be competing for lounges and space around the pool area with kids who would normally be using the slide! :D :D

Looks like a lot of people will be unhappy without the slide (not just the kids!). :)

 

Don

[UnaPalomita]

Are they trying to gear NCL away from families with kids? I was going to get the Nickelodeon welcome package backpack thing for my son and now that's no longer an option. I can understand that a character specific license expired etc, but there were no alternative kid options half a year after the announcement was made over the summer.

 

And now no water slide after months delay!! Regardless of how difficult it is to acquire a pump and an inspection date leaves me really, really disappointed in NCL :( When I was 25 and cruising it was obviously not a big deal :( but jeeze.

 

Norwegians like to cruise with a functioning water slide aboard!

[Leavethekidswithmom]

Slidegate

[luvtheships]

Just off the gem today and slide wasn't working. If they don't install the part and get it inspected today I guess it won't be working again. Not one single word was said or announced anywhere as to why the slide wasn't operational. I didn't hear any loud complaints from pax though.

[dad son team]

I did see them working on it (looking at it) on one of our sea days so I guess the problem is legit.

[jennyct10]

Thank for the update. We are going in a couple of months, and although we have teens, they like a little fun. Thank goodness we have the Haven pool so as not to compete for chairs.