Gem question?

[Mooder]

Just curious, really. One of the lattitudes representatives told us that the Gem will not have any oceanview cabins. All outside cabins will have balconies. As someone who has never had a balcony, I wonder if this will affect the prices. Will I be able to get a balcony for what I would have paid for an oceanview?

[CRUZIN TOM]

I'AM AFRAID YOU WILL BE PAYING FOR BALCONY ROOMS. Someone has to pay for the new ship............:)

[electricron]

What you heard isn't true. The Gem will be a sister to the Star, Dawn, Jewel, Pride of Hawaii, and Pearl. It will have approximately the following number of cabins:

Total Inside Cabins 405

Total Outside Cabins 783

Cabins & Suites w/ verandas 540

Suites 178

Since all suites will have verandas, there will be 362 balcony cabins (math 540-178=362).

Since there are 783 outside cabins, there will be 243 oceanview cabins (math 783-362-178=243).

There will be a total of 1188 cabins and suites (math 405+783=1188).

 

But, in the recent cruise expo NCL did announce the next new build after the Gem will have balconies for every outside cabin. So the information you received is half true. They also announced it will be significantly larger than today's ships. Here's a drawing NCL released late in 2004 for a similiar ship, but approximately the same size as today's ships at 93,000 GRT. More than likely, NCL is now suggesting building an enlarged version of this design. But they haven't ordered one yet.

 

 

To be significantly larger, the most likely change to the design will be to make this ship wider. Instead of being 106 feet wide as the ships NCL has now, it could be made 10 feet wider, to 116 ft wide while keeping the same length of 965 ft. That single change would make this ship design at least 20,000 to 25,000 GRT larger, up to 113,000 to 118,000 GRT. Or it could be made 20 feet wider, to 126 ft wide while keeping the same length of 965 ft. That change would make this ship design 40,000 to 50,000 GRT larger, up to 133,000 to 143,000 GRT.

 

As a comparison for size:

Carnival Conquest is rated at 110,000 GRT, is 116 ft wide and 950 ft long.

Crown Princess is rated at 116,000 GRT, is 118 ft wide and 950 ft long.

Voyager of the Seas is rated at 142,000 GRT, is 158 ft wide and 1020 ft long.

Queen Mary 2 is rated at 150,000 GRT, is 131 ft wide and 1132 ft long.

Freedom of the Seas will be rated at 158,000 GRT, will be 184 ft wide and 1112 ft long.

 

At 10 feet wider, a two azipod design could acheive over 20 knots in speed.

Both the Crown Princess and Carnival Conquest can reach 22 knots.

At 20 feet wider, NCL may have to add a third azipod to maintain well over 20 knots in speed. At this width, two azipods should easily acheive 20 to 21 knots.

At 30 feet wider it must add the third azipod to maintain 20 knots in speed. At 30 feet wider, I think two azipods could only acheive approximately 19 to 20 knots in speed.

The Voyager of the Seas with three azipods can reach 23 knots, but it's 50 feet wider.

 

We're all very interested to see or hear what NCL plans when it orders its next ship. Isn't this exciting?

[Mooder]

Wow! Thanks for all that info. I had heard what I heard from a Latitudes representative at a Bonus Rewards presentation on the Dawn - but I am not surprised if he got his news mixed up. A sister to the Dawn sounds like excellent news to me :)