GEM 10 Cruise - Eastern Caribbean - Observations

[nyc511]

Hello. This should in all rights go in the "Reviews" section, but I am curious as to my fellow members' thoughts, which is not an option in that area.

 

Took the 10 day cruise in the beginning of February,lost count on how many NCL trips, but probably my 7th Gem cruise, 6 of them this same voyage. Skipped it last year and did the Florida/Bahamas instead (mistake - but I digress!). Can't say that I enjoyed this one as much as I have in the past, but perhaps I'm getting "NCL'ed out."

 

Had no problem with the cabin itself; we were (and always have been) on Deck 11, but next time I will go one deck lower. They may be a little smaller, but the noise from Deck 12 has always been troubling: the music at night from the parties, the power washing of the deck, the storing and subsequent replacement of the lounge chairs, the Garden Cafe/ kitchen noise, etc. Also, deck 11 has bathtubs, whereas those below have stall showers. Perhaps some like the bathtubs, but I found them difficult, and frankly, dangerous to get in and out of.

 

Food was fine. Mostly pretty good in fact - except Cagney's which we tried for the first time. I have to say I was disappointed. Were it not part of the freebie dining package we were offered I doubt that I would go back. Service was rushed and not attentive. The waiter insisted on taking our dinner orders at the same time as our cocktail order, so we didn't have time to "enjoy the moment" over a drink. Apps came moments after the drinks. The steak itself was nothing special and to be candid, it was only marginally better than the steak that they offered in the complimentary dinning rooms. After all the rushing, when it came time to get another drink or a glass of water, staff was nowhere to be found.

 

The other restaurants were enjoyable, particularly Le Bistro. I was also impressed with Cucina, which I was hesitant about. My thoughts were that this was just going to be ordinary Italian food that I can get anywhere, anytime, and which is usually an underwhelming assortment of pasta and chicken. I'm glad that I was wrong: I thought that everything was put together well with a variety of quality selections. I had no problems with the regular restaurants though, and the staff were very helpful. I witnessed staff in the Garden Cafe accommodate more than one special request that I wouldn't have dared to make myself! The two hostesses at Magneta saved our you-know-whats when we messed up our reservation (we were part of a large group that was dining together that particular evening). As is often the case, the desserts always looked better than they tasted. In fact, I don't think they tasted much like anything at all. I think the "bakery" department may be one area that is lacking. Coffee sucked 8 years ago, and it still is lousy. Worst ever. Period. Vending machine coffee in bus stations is better than this stuff. You know there is a problem when you see dozens of your fellow passengers get off the ship and make a bee-line for a cup of coffee from someplace onshore.

 

The entertainment that they had was pleasant; it was the entertainment that they didn't have that was troubling. For the first several nights there was no "late" night entertainment except for a movie in the Spinnaker lounge. The movies themselves were dated, and for the most part considered "B rate" back when they were new (Hot Pursuit? Really? That's the best NCL could spring for?). In the past they had more "adult appropriate" entertainment in the Spinnaker lounge beginning around 11pm. The comedian would put on a show with a more adult theme, the newlywed game show was a little "racier", etc. They did do a few things admittedly; Quest, for example, but it was on the last night of the cruise, resulting in poor attendance. It was difficult to even find enough people to participate. On previous voyages these late night adult shows were more frequent and were very well attended, so I doubt if they've been abridged for a lack of interest.

 

I am perplexed by the 3 full sea days down to San Juan. I've gone through my past itineraries and on the 10 day trips it was always just 2 full days at sea, 5 stops, and 2 full days back (plus that half or 1/4 day out of port) . This year it was 3 full down, 4 stops, and 2 full back. My understanding of the economics of cruise ships is that they make a lot of money from the shore excursions, so I would think they would want that extra stop. If, however, I am wrong and the cost of docking is prohibitive, I am fine with an extra sea day, but give me an extra sea day when we are in the warm, sunny Caribbean and sailing between islands - don't give it to me in the North Atlantic in February! There just isn't enough to do on board during cold inclement weather for three straight days, and unlike HAL or Cunard, whatever "lectures" they had were really just sales pitches.

 

The drink package was also thrown into the mix as part of a promo. I have noticed, and I think this has been commented on in other threads, that they have shuffled the pricing and deleted many items that used to be available. There were no single malt scotches, for example, whereas Glenfiddich had always been an option (and in the past they would allow a substitute if it weren't too far beyond the price range.)

 

I don't want to cast this cruise or NCl in a bad light. I still think that there is real value, and if someone is thinking about taking this trip for the first time, please don't allow me to put you off. In fact, I will probably take NCL, and this cruise, again. That said, I am curious if any others have had similar thoughts. And, by the way, hats off to those who organized the Roll Call - well down as always!!

[boopsahoy]

Hello. This should in all rights go in the "Reviews" section, but I am curious as to my fellow members' thoughts, which is not an option in that area.

 

Took the 10 day cruise in the beginning of February,lost count on how many NCL trips, but probably my 7th Gem cruise, 6 of them this same voyage. Skipped it last year and did the Florida/Bahamas instead (mistake - but I digress!). Can't say that I enjoyed this one as much as I have in the past, but perhaps I'm getting "NCL'ed out."

 

Had no problem with the cabin itself; we were (and always have been) on Deck 11, but next time I will go one deck lower. They may be a little smaller, but the noise from Deck 12 has always been troubling: the music at night from the parties, the power washing of the deck, the storing and subsequent replacement of the lounge chairs, the Garden Cafe/ kitchen noise, etc. Also, deck 11 has bathtubs, whereas those below have stall showers. Perhaps some like the bathtubs, but I found them difficult, and frankly, dangerous to get in and out of.

 

Food was fine. Mostly pretty good in fact - except Cagney's which we tried for the first time. I have to say I was disappointed. Were it not part of the freebie dining package we were offered I doubt that I would go back. Service was rushed and not attentive. The waiter insisted on taking our dinner orders at the same time as our cocktail order, so we didn't have time to "enjoy the moment" over a drink. Apps came moments after the drinks. The steak itself was nothing special and to be candid, it was only marginally better than the steak that they offered in the complimentary dinning rooms. After all the rushing, when it came time to get another drink or a glass of water, staff was nowhere to be found.

 

The other restaurants were enjoyable, particularly Le Bistro. I was also impressed with Cucina, which I was hesitant about. My thoughts were that this was just going to be ordinary Italian food that I can get anywhere, anytime, and which is usually an underwhelming assortment of pasta and chicken. I'm glad that I was wrong: I thought that everything was put together well with a variety of quality selections. I had no problems with the regular restaurants though, and the staff were very helpful. I witnessed staff in the Garden Cafe accommodate more than one special request that I wouldn't have dared to make myself! The two hostesses at Magneta saved our you-know-whats when we messed up our reservation (we were part of a large group that was dining together that particular evening). As is often the case, the desserts always looked better than they tasted. In fact, I don't think they tasted much like anything at all. I think the "bakery" department may be one area that is lacking. Coffee sucked 8 years ago, and it still is lousy. Worst ever. Period. Vending machine coffee in bus stations is better than this stuff. You know there is a problem when you see dozens of your fellow passengers get off the ship and make a bee-line for a cup of coffee from someplace onshore.

 

The entertainment that they had was pleasant; it was the entertainment that they didn't have that was troubling. For the first several nights there was no "late" night entertainment except for a movie in the Spinnaker lounge. The movies themselves were dated, and for the most part considered "B rate" back when they were new (Hot Pursuit? Really? That's the best NCL could spring for?). In the past they had more "adult appropriate" entertainment in the Spinnaker lounge beginning around 11pm. The comedian would put on a show with a more adult theme, the newlywed game show was a little "racier", etc. They did do a few things admittedly; Quest, for example, but it was on the last night of the cruise, resulting in poor attendance. It was difficult to even find enough people to participate. On previous voyages these late night adult shows were more frequent and were very well attended, so I doubt if they've been abridged for a lack of interest.

 

I am perplexed by the 3 full sea days down to San Juan. I've gone through my past itineraries and on the 10 day trips it was always just 2 full days at sea, 5 stops, and 2 full days back (plus that half or 1/4 day out of port) . This year it was 3 full down, 4 stops, and 2 full back. My understanding of the economics of cruise ships is that they make a lot of money from the shore excursions, so I would think they would want that extra stop. If, however, I am wrong and the cost of docking is prohibitive, I am fine with an extra sea day, but give me an extra sea day when we are in the warm, sunny Caribbean and sailing between islands - don't give it to me in the North Atlantic in February! There just isn't enough to do on board during cold inclement weather for three straight days, and unlike HAL or Cunard, whatever "lectures" they had were really just sales pitches.

 

The drink package was also thrown into the mix as part of a promo. I have noticed, and I think this has been commented on in other threads, that they have shuffled the pricing and deleted many items that used to be available. There were no single malt scotches, for example, whereas Glenfiddich had always been an option (and in the past they would allow a substitute if it weren't too far beyond the price range.)

 

I don't want to cast this cruise or NCl in a bad light. I still think that there is real value, and if someone is thinking about taking this trip for the first time, please don't allow me to put you off. In fact, I will probably take NCL, and this cruise, again. That said, I am curious if any others have had similar thoughts. And, by the way, hats off to those who organized the Roll Call - well down as always!!

 

 

We also noticed the extra sea day going. We don't mind as we like the csino those days. What happened to san juan, Barbados, Antigua, St Thomas, St marten...am I dreaming that those were once the stops?

[nyc511]

We also noticed the extra sea day going. We don't mind as we like the csino those days. What happened to san juan, Barbados, Antigua, St Thomas, St marten...am I dreaming that those were once the stops?

 

 

I don't recall Barbados, but you could be correct. Certainly Antigua, and one year there was an island in the Dominican Republic.

[easyboy]

Thank you for sharing your experience.

[abfranklin]

Following

 

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[DinaS]

I don't recall Barbados, but you could be correct. Certainly Antigua, and one year there was an island in the Dominican Republic.

 

I LOVED that one. We did the excursion to a great beach and had a wonderful, relaxing day in the sun - it was Cayo Levantado!

 

They now changed it to a half day at Tortola - not really enough time to explore someplace new, but we'll try :)

[vince_g]

When I did the 10 day on the Gem in 2015, there were 3 full days at sea going down. Even the Captain was joking about the "slow boat to China". I did 14 days on Breakaway this past December and January, and they had 2 full sea days, but arrived in San Juan at 4 (was supposed to be 3). Some passengers didn't like this at all, because there were no beach/rainforest excursions, and they canceled the Bacardi excursion because of our late arrival.

 

My next cruise is an 11 night on the Gem, and it has the 3 sea days going down. Although it is painfully long, I plan on going to El Yunque this time.

[mking8288]

OP, thank you for sharing your thoughts. Very interesting, we are sailing less than 60 days out doing the GEM on the good old milky 7 days Florida/GSC/Nassau run, one of our nephew just came back doing 10 days before you (January)

 

He did the Breakaway last year. Found the MDR meals to be fine, nothing spectacular ... food opinions are always subjective, whatever. We will do our Platinum meals again but otherwise, never felt the strong urge to pay "extra" for more upscale dining ... one of our local steakhouse has a price fixed $20 3-course lunch special, enough said.

 

When we did the BA last year, we're cruising mostly 12 to 13 knots so it was SLOW. In the old Dawn days, the Florida/GSC/Nassau run used to have a 4th stop - Miami, FL (10 years ago) as old-timers probably remembered - ships have the speed to do it, but running it slower is fuel saved and the ideas being pax staying onboard will spend more money.

 

Airfares are dirt cheap now going abroad (Asia) and if we didn't locked ourselves into Spring sailing NCL, we would've book it & fly instead and do a land-based trip instead.