1st time cruiser Gem4/08 NY to Barcelona??

[tigerbait]

My husband and I are trying to decide whether to take transatlantic or just the Westerm Med 5/08...mostly same ports of call. Any suggestions? I've read that to figure out the actual cost of a cruise you should figure on quadrupling the per person cost. Is that true? Any help you can give a first timer whose considering going on the Gem transatlantic NY to Barcelona would be greatly aprreciated. Have been to Florence and Rome is there anything to do in port??? It seems hardly worth going for such a short visit for 3 hour round trip to the city... any suggestions. Can you bring bottle water and soda aboard the Gem ..reading boards. I get really confused as to what's allowed or not. We're trying to budget because we will be traveling for 2 week after the cruise. Any ideas or suggestions about everything from transatlantic or shorter cruise to ports of call activities and in general just cruising would be greatly appreciated.

[bubbachief]

We've started a roll call for the 4/19/Gem TA. Visit it and maybe some of your questions will be addressed. I don't know why the actual cost of a cruise would be four times the booking price unless you booked all your shore trips through the cruise line and spent your cruise in the bar. Even then, it's hard to understand.

[cruizinwithkids]

Is this the first NCL cruise or first EVER cruise. I get the impression first ever cruise. Does anyone else have any concerns about a first ever cruise being a transatlantic? I've never done a TA, but I personally don't think it's a good idea for a first cruise.

[tigerbait]

What is roll call and by that ? you know we are 1st ever cruisers...thanks for the concern but its only 4 days at see and April shouldn't be bad I hope..we just thought it would be an experience and fun!!

[cruizinwithkids]

There is a section of the cruise critic website that is for roll calls. People from the boards talk on line and frequently meet up on the ship and sometimes for excursions. Find the roll call section. With in that there is a section for NCL and then a section for each ship.

 

Have fun.

[reachout7000]

my husband and i went on the norwegian gem in october of 07. everything in barcelona is closed on sundays. the ship was good the only problem we had was my laptop and mini camcorder was stolen. ncl said nothing like this had ever happened before and acted like they would give us a loss report but all they gave us was a business card in side a sealed envelope we have tried to contact ncl several times to no avail. i am very upset with them and think everyone should beware of their procedures.