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Just back from gem 2/14-2/21


peggy1

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We were disappointed in the lack of activities on the Gem, especially the last sea day. They even scheduled the trivia for 5:30 pm.on the last sea day. Coming back into N.Y. in Feb. definitely limits outside activities, as one would expect so you would think they would schedule some activities for inside.The children's hot tub was so stuffed with children that it was definitely unsafe, however no one said anything. Granted it was the responsibility of the parents to take their children out, the line is also responsible to take action. While I was in a hot tub one morning, the person walking around with coffee/tea, gave me a cup of tea while I was in the tub after I asked her to give it to my husband (right behind her), but she insisted that I take it. I asked her if she could take the tea bag, and she said "I don't have a trash". How about another cup. The pool service person came up to me some time later and said I shouldn't have the plastic cup by the tub, and I agreed with him and told him what had happened with his coffee server and he just shook his head when I told him. Service in the dining rooms was terrible to mildly satisfactory. We at times didn't even receive bread for 30 mins. We finally got smart and asked for a table close to the entrance to the dining room where there was more supervision and it became somewhat better. Our daughter in law requested that we receive an anniversary cake when she made reservations for us at Le Bistro. She told them when she made the reservation and came down once we were seated and was assured it was taken care of. Guess what, no cake. The next day same story, same request at the Magenta, and finally after two requests, no cake. We left as they had everyone's order's wrong from the beginning and we didn't want to hassle with it. We requested early service on our rooms since we were traveling with small children. At 8 pm we still had no service, I called and had the housekeeping supervisor come down and she said they were only doing turn down service on a request basis only??? We had two cabins and one of the cabins needed to have a trundle bed pulled out and made. I informed her we had been on the Jewel twice in the fall and never heard of such a thing. Later, she said they were only trying it to see if it worked. More likely to see how many people complained. From that point on the rooms were done earlier.

The food was better than on the Jewel, but I have never seen more people order ice cream rather than desserts as on NCL cruises. They need to get more entertaining lounge, bar acts and they need to have them start on time. This mini review is from someone who actually took the cruise, so before people get hysterical and have to try to disclaim the review( including looking up people's past postings, as I have recently seen on this site). Take a deep breath, this post is meant for people who want the information to make an informed decision as to whether they want to choose NCL for their next cruise. It never fails to amaze me about how some people attack posters who dare to make constructive comments regarding certain areas for improvements on the cruises they have taken. I think that is why the site here is called Cruise Critic.

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So, other than the issues you talked about, how was the rest of the cruise? What did you do in the ports? Did you go to any of the specialty restaurants? How were the activities for the rest of the cruise? Can you tell me what kind of entertainment they had in the bars/lounges? We were just on the Gem in January, so wondering if there is different entertainment.

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We were on the Gem last February and it is my least favorite NCL ship.

I sort of chalked it up to it being a new ship and perhaps they had to work out some kinks. Sounds like the kinks are getting worse.

And of course it wa school vacation week and sometimes I think the staff just sort of grits their teeth and tries to get through the onslaught of children and parents.

We went on NCL Pearl in January and loved it. It has the same layout as Gem but color scheme wasn't as frantic.

Food was much better and staff on Pearl was delightful.

Gem sort of had a crazed vibe going on that didn't work for me.

I have like the Dawn, Spirit, and Pearl a lot.

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Hard to believe this is the same cruise (ship and dates) Pixiedustdaw reviewed elsewhere on this page, saying: "The Gem is a beautiful ship with a caring crew. I believe they really love their jobs, or they fake it very well. You can just feel the love on this ship. It was also spotless."

 

On the other hand, of course, Pixiedustdaw wrote: "We were disappointed in some of the passengers’ conduct."

 

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Sorry this cruise was not up to your standards. I have sailed on NCL over 12 times including 2 sailings during Presidents week from NY. These holiday sailings have between 600-800 Children. Yet I always found the food and service to be excellant. You stated that a large number of guests were ordering icecream in lieu of other desserts: did you walk around the dining room and take a survey ? Seems to me like you are making statements that are false simply because you had a lousy time..Perhaps it is time you try a different line.

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I really feel the need to have to comment on this review (?) / rant. It is one thing to come on here and mention the areas that you had a problem in, but to not mention anything that was good during the cruise is just bothersome - this is what would make me consider this a rant. The OP knew about CC to come back and report, but should have been fair in her assessment and pointed out the good (there had to be something) as well. To make a comment about CC members questioning their review / rant. That was kind of rude and insulting to all of us who would be reading it.

 

Now this all brings me to another part of Cruise Critic. On this particular sailing, just like most other sailings there is a Meet and Greet of CC members. It is not a coffee clotch (sp?), but a place to meet fellow posters and gather information. Most times the ships officers attend the M & G, introduce themselves, explain their job function, and take questions from the CC members. If you ever attend a M & G and the officers come by, they will tell you that if there is a problem with any part of your cruise to be in touch with them. They don't want anyone to have a bad time and if there is a problem, they want the opportunity to make any wrongs right. So let me be an advocate of joining your Roll Call and actually participating. It really is important and can be very helpful.

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Sorry this cruise was not up to your standards. I have sailed on NCL over 12 times including 2 sailings during Presidents week from NY. These holiday sailings have between 600-800 Children. Yet I always found the food and service to be excellant. You stated that a large number of guests were ordering icecream in lieu of other desserts: did you walk around the dining room and take a survey ? Seems to me like you are making statements that are false simply because you had a lousy time..Perhaps it is time you try a different line.

 

I got off the Gem the week before and had an outstanding cruise. I however expect more of the same reviews for last week. Believe it or not 980 kids booked for this cruise and 3000 total passengers. Freestyle does in fact start to breakdown a bit when capacity far exceeds double occupancy. I did one Presidents week from NYC and never again.

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To the OP, if I were you, I would contact NCL and let them know that your experience was less than satisfactory. I had similar issues with dining room service on the gem (although a great trip overall) & I did contact customer relations when I came home. I was happy enough with their response that I did book another trip with NCL and look forward to sailing on the Dawn.

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I got off the Gem the week before and had an outstanding cruise. I however expect more of the same reviews for last week. Believe it or not 980 kids booked for this cruise and 3000 total passengers. Freestyle does in fact start to breakdown a bit when capacity far exceeds double occupancy. I did one Presidents week from NYC and never again.

 

Now that my daughter is away in college we no longer travel during Presidents week. However it has more to do with cost. I am sailing on the Gem 2/28 which is about $500.00 less PP. Sailing during a busy holiday requires a little extra patience. As does other modes of travel. Ever go to Disneyworld during the holdays? Talk about needing a vacation after your vacation. You are on vacation, RELAX!! If you have to wait a few extra minutes to be seated for dinner that should not ruin your vacation.

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Yes, I personally took a survery of everyone's dessert's order. NO. I have eyes! Of course, once again if you point out what you didn't like about a cruise you are ranting!! I expect good service, good food, good entertainment, if I didn't comment on them as issues they were fine, if I made comment; there was room for improvement. I am not paying good money to be a cheerleader for NCL, they have you for that. Of course, you weren't on our particular cruise though were you. And by the way, I called to talk to the Hotel Manger, (who as those of us who know, is the person to request). Of course they never want you to speak to him, so they sent up the Housekeeping Supervisor, who as I stated took care of the matter. We enjoyed our cruise with our family and didn't allow some negatives to ruin our trip. As far as the one poster who stated that she was disappointed in some of the passenger's behavior and the follow up poster who insinuated that maybe that was me???? Give me a break, again my post is to inform others who may think twice about going on the GEM or NCL unless they make some adjustments. Some of us can make complaints in a professional way and get things rectified without the drama that some love on this board. There must be a more worthy cause you could throw yourself behind than attacking honest reviews. Let's hope so.

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Yes, I personally took a survery of everyone's dessert's order. NO. I have eyes! Of course, once again if you point out what you didn't like about a cruise you are ranting!! I expect good service, good food, good entertainment, if I didn't comment on them as issues they were fine, if I made comment; there was room for improvement. I am not paying good money to be a cheerleader for NCL, they have you for that. Of course, you weren't on our particular cruise though were you. And by the way, I called to talk to the Hotel Manger, (who as those of us who know, is the person to request). Of course they never want you to speak to him, so they sent up the Housekeeping Supervisor, who as I stated took care of the matter. We enjoyed our cruise with our family and didn't allow some negatives to ruin our trip. As far as the one poster who stated that she was disappointed in some of the passenger's behavior and the follow up poster who insinuated that maybe that was me???? Give me a break, again my post is to inform others who may think twice about going on the GEM or NCL unless they make some adjustments. Some of us can make complaints in a professional way and get things rectified without the drama that some love on this board. There must be a more worthy cause you could throw yourself behind than attacking honest reviews. Let's hope so.

 

Good for you stating your opinion. I hate when others here try and make you feel as though you are wrong (there is no right or wrong when it is your OPINION). My NCL cruise was not up to my expectaions either but when I wrote about it I was flamed and made to feel wrong. All cruise lines have room for improvement and they only improve when we express our opinions. If we all kept our mouths shut do youthink anything would ever change? Not. I am open to another NCL cruise but the nastiness I see on this board are making me change my mind. If I complain while on the cruise will I be attacked (verbaly by the cheerleaders).

 

Sorry about the rant as I usually just read and soak in the boards but it has been really bothering me lately. We should all be able to express our opinions without being told we are wrong, we didn't provide enough explainations, our review was not balanced and so on. A review is an opinion and the last time I checked we were free to express it.

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Thank you for your review. I am sorry that you had some bad experiences and I hope that we will have a better time on the 2/28 sailing now that the kids are back in school.

 

I hate to break it to you, but I would expect a lot of kids on this cruise as well. Canadian kids are on Spring Break is this week.

 

Grace

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I must agree with Peggy1. I was also on this cruise with my family. The onboard inside activities were practically non-existent. this was my twenty-sixth cruise and my fifteenth with NCL so I consider myself a veteran cruiser. Compared to other NCL ships there was no Murder Mystery Dinner, Quest, Game shows (with the exception of Newlywed. As a platinum guest I received a bottle of wine and a tray of cookies (which could easily be found at the buffet). What happened to the special treats ... canapes and chocolate covered strawberries? The Latitudes lounge was not replenished frequently with supplies (coffee, hot water, cookies) and was overrun with children. The dining rooms were over crowded and service was uneven. As a non-meat eater many fish and pasta dishes were prepared with meat and it was an issue to have these meals altered. There was no "free" sauna and the non-paying steam room and showers were a mess .. floors always wet, towels gone, etc. I have never experienced this problem before. I felt that because a third of the ship was comprised of children, the staff didn't care. On a positive note a vacation is what you make of it. I had a wonderful time being with my family as we made our own fun. BTW ... Peggy1 was correct about the ice cream!!!

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We were disappointed in the lack of activities on the Gem, especially the last sea day. They even scheduled the trivia for 5:30 pm.on the last sea day. Coming back into N.Y. in Feb. definitely limits outside activities, as one would expect so you would think they would schedule some activities for inside.The children's hot tub was so stuffed with children that it was definitely unsafe, however no one said anything. Granted it was the responsibility of the parents to take their children out, the line is also responsible to take action. While I was in a hot tub one morning, the person walking around with coffee/tea, gave me a cup of tea while I was in the tub after I asked her to give it to my husband (right behind her), but she insisted that I take it. I asked her if she could take the tea bag, and she said "I don't have a trash". How about another cup. The pool service person came up to me some time later and said I shouldn't have the plastic cup by the tub, and I agreed with him and told him what had happened with his coffee server and he just shook his head when I told him. Service in the dining rooms was terrible to mildly satisfactory. We at times didn't even receive bread for 30 mins. We finally got smart and asked for a table close to the entrance to the dining room where there was more supervision and it became somewhat better. Our daughter in law requested that we receive an anniversary cake when she made reservations for us at Le Bistro. She told them when she made the reservation and came down once we were seated and was assured it was taken care of. Guess what, no cake. The next day same story, same request at the Magenta, and finally after two requests, no cake. We left as they had everyone's order's wrong from the beginning and we didn't want to hassle with it. We requested early service on our rooms since we were traveling with small children. At 8 pm we still had no service, I called and had the housekeeping supervisor come down and she said they were only doing turn down service on a request basis only??? We had two cabins and one of the cabins needed to have a trundle bed pulled out and made. I informed her we had been on the Jewel twice in the fall and never heard of such a thing. Later, she said they were only trying it to see if it worked. More likely to see how many people complained. From that point on the rooms were done earlier.

The food was better than on the Jewel, but I have never seen more people order ice cream rather than desserts as on NCL cruises. They need to get more entertaining lounge, bar acts and they need to have them start on time. This mini review is from someone who actually took the cruise, so before people get hysterical and have to try to disclaim the review( including looking up people's past postings, as I have recently seen on this site). Take a deep breath, this post is meant for people who want the information to make an informed decision as to whether they want to choose NCL for their next cruise. It never fails to amaze me about how some people attack posters who dare to make constructive comments regarding certain areas for improvements on the cruises they have taken. I think that is why the site here is called Cruise Critic.

 

Sounds like an absoLUTEly horrendous experience! What a nightmare it must have been. :rolleyes:

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Thank you for your kind words of support, and I agree completely that things will only change when brought to the attention of the public and cruise lines. We had chocolate covered strawberries delivered to our room as well as cookies (compliments of the line due to our cruise status), I waited for the next day to eat my strawberry. When I picked it up it separated from the chocolate and it was moldy and the inside layer of the chocolate was slimy. I didn't mention alot of the other little things that happened, as they were rather petty but taken as a whole make for a less than hoped for experience. The attitude of if you don't line NCL choose another cruise line, seems to be the cheerleaders favorite mantra. I think it is back to RCCL, Celebrity, Princess, HAL for us. Hopefully enough people will speak up and the cruiseline will take these issues seriously and make changes. One activity that was offered was the "Behind the Scenes Tour", offered for a "nominal fee". We spoke to several fellow passengers who told us the nominal fee was $55 for the shorter tour and $75 for the longer tour. This seems outrageous, and he said "If I want to see a kitchen and laundry, I'll wait til I get back to my own home". We did take advantage of the Bowling ($5pp/game), the rock climbing wall, water slide ,sports deck, etc. Our son (traveling with his children) said he wouldn't take NCL again due to the lack of activities. I have read this on these boards before, so just be warned that if you are looking for alot of onboard activities, this may not be the line for you. We did the Athol snorkeling excursion and it was very rough that day, but so many beautiful fish and reasonably priced. As I said earlier we took the Jewel twice during the fall, once to Canada and once to the Caribbean. Both times they had numerous cases of Noro virus and I understand the problem remains. You can check the CDC website and they list cruise ships with problems. I can almost hear the collective gasp from the cheerleaders. Go team go!

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Peggy is absolutely on the money in her review. Even if I didn't agree with her (and I do!), why are people up in arms whenever there is a negative comment posted? These forums are the best way to get NCL (and the other lines') attention. It also helps consumers make informed choices.

I won't go so far to say that I didn't have a great vacation - getting away to ANYWHERE with my family is always precious to me. However, the Gem didn't deliver for what was paid out. I only have one other cruise experience to compare it to: the Princess Caribbean. The PC cost me around $2000 less (half a year ago) and beat the Gem hands down in most areas.

We stayed in a mini-suite both times. The Gem has much better storage and I liked that the balconies were covered. PC had much bigger balconies with 4 (not 2) chairs and a bigger table to make balcony dining much more pleasant.

One thing the Gem had that was absolutely wonderful was the comfortable beds and pillows. Even the sleeper sofa for the kids was roomy and comfy. I also appreciated the pull curtain between the bed and kids' sleeping area.

PC has two TV's while the Gem has one. This is minor but the 2d TV comes in handy when the kids want to unwind with cartoons and the adults want to catch up with CNN.

The Freestyle dining concept was much more to our liking as well as the wide-variety of dining options. However, this was definitely at the expense of quality service. It’s a drag to have to keep a schedule on vacation, but I think it’s the best way to get superb service. The food in the dining room on PC was so outstanding that we only missed dinner once to do the ultimate balcony dining (which is the best dining experience we’ve had to date).

The food on the Gem was mostly good, but not on par with PC. We tried Bistro which was outstanding in every way. We actually did get an anniversary cake, but it was smushed. Not a big deal, considering the overall experience. They told us they’d wrap it up and send to our room so we could try the specialty desserts. The crème brulee was excellent and the fondue was fun. However, melons are not meant to be dipped in chocolate, no matter how tasty the chocolate is. One couple sitting near us complained at the skimpy portions that came with the fondue. Without a word more, a few servers brought out an array of desserts for them. Now that’s service!

We also tried Cagney’s. The appetizers made the meal, so that we were stuffed by the time the steaks came. Neither of us could finish, so we asked for the leftovers and our desserts be delivered to our room. Unfortunately, room service was always an unacceptable wait. Even if you send leftovers, the restaurant goes through room service which takes forever. It took three hours to get the cake from Le Bistro and 3 hours 45 minutes to get the food from Cagney’s. Since we were asleep when the Cagney’s food was delivered, it had to be thrown out the next morning. Which brings me to the problem with the refrigerator: On the Gem, the fridge is so small that it won’t hold a plate unless you get the small oval kind that was used during the chocolate buffet. The fridge is basically a way to make money from us with their mini bar and snacks. Now there is a price list for the alcohol but not for the snacks which consisted of small packs of peanuts and single-serve Pringles. The alcohol was around $4-5 for the small bottles, so I didn’t think anything of my kids getting nuts and chips a few times. However, when I got my bill (which by the way they give you next to no time to dispute should you wish to do so), I saw several $2 and $4 charges. I’m assuming those are the prices of the snacks which is outrageous. And no, I wasn’t about to stand in a two hour line to complain. I didn’t expect to get them for free (although it certainly wouldn’t break their bank considering how much they raked in at Bingo alone), but this is just not the way to treat people if you want them to come back.

Another specialty dining we tried was sushi. It was good enough quality, but my opinion is that it should have a cheaper cover charge than the other restaurants.

The final restaurant we tried was Tequilas which was the only one that still had seating available for the 2 for 1 special. We’re not overly fond of Mexican food, but this place pleasantly surprised us. The chips were fresh and warm. The dips were tasty. The Margaritas were customizable with different types of tequila. The lobster tacos were absolutely scrumptious!

The buffet was way too chaotic for me to navigate with two small kids in tow. Once (and only once) a server helped carry our plates on a tray. What was great about the buffet was the special kids’ section which had a mini buffet and cartoons playing. All the kids sat glued to the TV eating mindlessly and not causing any disturbances. Breakfast was best in the Pacific. Lunch was best in Magenta (faster, better service). Magenta was best for dinner while eating with kids, but the Pacific was better when we dined alone (to savor the food and each other’s company).

There were too many errors made on our orders in the Pacific, but we’re the type to just eat what’s brought to us and not make a fuss. Once I took a bite out of the fish that was supposed to be steak and the server came running over to jerk it away and say “that’s not yours! You ordered the steak!” I have a feeling they still gave that fish to someone, so I inspected my steak really well. Didn’t see any damage, so I dug in. Makes you wonder though!

In the Magenta one night my daughter only wanted a PB sandwich from the choices on the kids menu. They had no peanut butter and only wanted to bring her a jelly sandwich. I said no to that and proceeded to order her the pork loin off the adult menu to share with her sister. The server argued with me and then tried to manipulate my daughter to eat the jelly sandwich (or a grilled cheese). I had to say “no” insistently to get her to bring my request. Probably they were told to keep kids strictly to the kid’s menu. Not a good idea to argue with parents though about what’s right for their children to order to eat. My children cleaned their plate, so no food wasted!

As for the ice cream being ordered, the desserts were disappointing mostly. The ice cream and sherbets, on the other hand, were exceptional! The only desserts better than the ice cream were the Bavarian creme and the crème brulee.

One last thing that I have to say about dining in Gem’s favor was the availability of free cappuccinos, even in the buffet. I had to buy a coffee card on the PC, but the Gem’s free cappuccinos were much better.

It’s true that the Gem had sparse activities. PC always had things going on – so much so that it was a chore everyday to pick between them. We enjoyed the shows on the Gem, the string quartet, the guitarist in the Star Bar, the art auctions, but it got old after a while. We craved more variety.

We tried to go bowling twice but no one seemed to know where the person responsible for signing people in was. The giant screen Wii was a blast for my husband but it wasn’t available enough.

The children’s center was not nearly as good as PC. On the first day, my youngest (age 3) freaked out because we had to maneuver through a narrow hall crammed full of excited teen-agers in order to get to her station. There was only one counselor signing in kids at each station. You can imagine what chaos it was to get 990 kids in and out. This was the only time I made a complaint. I attended the Meet & Greet (thanks Dawn for setting it up!!!), and brought this to the attention of one of the officials who worked with us to get some crowd control and a better sign in and out procedure. I was pleased with his genuine concern, attention, and follow-up as well as seeing the problem actually resolved. One thing that the Gem does that beats PC is that the Gem doesn’t close the children’s center during lunch and dinner hours so that parents can come in at will to take the children to eat and have time for dining as a couple.

As for housekeeping, we always had to track down someone to replace pool towels, but other than that, the room was cleaned and the towel animals thrilled my kids. I missed getting the bathroom amenities in their own bottles because I like to take them home. Even with the dispenser, Elemis products are enjoyable.

The spa on the gem is not as nice as the PC. I took advantage of a special which included a 25 minute back massage, frangipani scalp treatment, and facial. The therapist had dark blue shadow caked on her eyes which ran all over her face. Pretty gross. Her work was OK, but the massage was only superficial effleurage and the facial was a spiel for the products. After the treatment she handed me a “prescription” of over $300 products. I know they’re required to sell, but it’s a turn-off.

I decided to get a much needed pedicure, despite the hard sell tactics. Unfortunately my therapist jammed her acrylic nail and was in pain. I tried to rebook the session, but she was frantic that the spa would dock her pay if I did so. The whole time she was fooling with her nail and complaining. So basically I got cheated out of my session because I can’t do anything to cause a single mother to jeopardize her job or income. I didn’t book any more appointments because of that.

Even though we enjoyed the art talks and auction, I was dismayed at the adhesion contract (especially the one-sided arbitration clause) that I signed when we bought a mystery piece. I saw a few people just come in and sign the paper without even glancing at the terms. I figured we’re only paying a hundred some-odd dollars, so the contract doesn’t really matter. I would think twice before plopping down a couple of grand, though. If any of you guys run into issues with your art purchases, contact me off-line for legal advice: julie.milner.law@gmail.com

The passengers themselves on the Gem were much nicer and down-to-earth than those on the PC. I remember how I sat with a large group of people for tea on the PC one afternoon and almost all of them were making racist and anti-immigrant comments. I walked out and basically just hang out with my family after that. We met so many nice people on the Gem and hope to continue the friendships. The only bad experience from other passengers occurred on the last day during breakfast. We went onto the Pacific and there was only one family ahead of us. The hostess asked how many were in our party and then requested that we stand to the side until the next seater came back. An older couple that came in after us for some reason accused us of jumping in line. I politely told them that we were asked to stand to the side by the hostess. They just went on and on (loudly) and then jumped in front of us when the seater came and demanded that the hostess make us go to the back of the line. The hostess chose to ignore them, but we insisted that they be seated before us to avoid any more unpleasantness. Another seater came at the same time and we went with him. Even though we were seated in the next session, we could still hear them going on and on to anyone within earshot. I’m just glad they didn’t come to our table to continue to berate us. I don’t know why people act like that. At least my children were better behaved.

I hope you will find my comments "balanced" enough. I'm just being honest. I didn't "hate" the Gem. My vacation wasn't "ruined." I just prefer Princess as the better value for my hard earned bucks. Oh, and thank you Peggy for your review!

Julie

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Thank you for your kind words of support, and I agree completely that things will only change when brought to the attention of the public and cruise lines. We had chocolate covered strawberries delivered to our room as well as cookies (compliments of the line due to our cruise status), I waited for the next day to eat my strawberry. When I picked it up it separated from the chocolate and it was moldy and the inside layer of the chocolate was slimy. I didn't mention alot of the other little things that happened, as they were rather petty but taken as a whole make for a less than hoped for experience. The attitude of if you don't line NCL choose another cruise line, seems to be the cheerleaders favorite mantra. I think it is back to RCCL, Celebrity, Princess, HAL for us. Hopefully enough people will speak up and the cruiseline will take these issues seriously and make changes. One activity that was offered was the "Behind the Scenes Tour", offered for a "nominal fee". We spoke to several fellow passengers who told us the nominal fee was $55 for the shorter tour and $75 for the longer tour. This seems outrageous, and he said "If I want to see a kitchen and laundry, I'll wait til I get back to my own home". We did take advantage of the Bowling ($5pp/game), the rock climbing wall, water slide ,sports deck, etc. Our son (traveling with his children) said he wouldn't take NCL again due to the lack of activities. I have read this on these boards before, so just be warned that if you are looking for alot of onboard activities, this may not be the line for you. We did the Athol snorkeling excursion and it was very rough that day, but so many beautiful fish and reasonably priced. As I said earlier we took the Jewel twice during the fall, once to Canada and once to the Caribbean. Both times they had numerous cases of Noro virus and I understand the problem remains. You can check the CDC website and they list cruise ships with problems. I can almost hear the collective gasp from the cheerleaders. Go team go!

 

Princess charges $150.00 per person for their ultimate ship tour..Yet there is a waitlist every voyage for the tour. I guess there is a market for these tours, and passangers who freely spend their money for the opporunity. If you read the reviews on Carnival, RCCL, and Celebrity you hear the same commom complaints.

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The attitude of if you don't line NCL choose another cruise line, seems to be the cheerleaders favorite mantra.

 

I can almost hear the collective gasp from the cheerleaders. Go team go!

 

These are the types of snippy comments that make me discount reviews.

 

I'm not a cheerleader (going on my first Norwegian cruise soon, actually), but I find these types of remarks to be just about as insulting as you can be without deciding to name names. Instead of saying you HATE that XYZ person disagrees vehemently with you, you state that anyone who disagrees with your "facts" (not to be confused with your opinions) is a cheerleader and beneath your respect.

 

Good luck with your future cruises.

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Yes, I personally took a survery of everyone's dessert's order. NO. I have eyes! Of course, once again if you point out what you didn't like about a cruise you are ranting!! I expect good service, good food, good entertainment, if I didn't comment on them as issues they were fine, if I made comment; there was room for improvement. I am not paying good money to be a cheerleader for NCL, they have you for that. Of course, you weren't on our particular cruise though were you. And by the way, I called to talk to the Hotel Manger, (who as those of us who know, is the person to request). Of course they never want you to speak to him, so they sent up the Housekeeping Supervisor, who as I stated took care of the matter. We enjoyed our cruise with our family and didn't allow some negatives to ruin our trip. As far as the one poster who stated that she was disappointed in some of the passenger's behavior and the follow up poster who insinuated that maybe that was me???? Give me a break, again my post is to inform others who may think twice about going on the GEM or NCL unless they make some adjustments. Some of us can make complaints in a professional way and get things rectified without the drama that some love on this board. There must be a more worthy cause you could throw yourself behind than attacking honest reviews. Let's hope so.

 

I can appreciate that you expected things to be fine, but it would be so much more helpful if you gave examples of the good things as well, especially if you say you are trying to help future cruisers make a decision. I am truly sorry you had these difficulties, and they certainly should be included in your review.

 

I can't resist saying that you remind me of a boss I used to have who never gave me a review. When I would ask for one, he would say he pays me to do everything fine so there is no need to give me any feedback unless and until he has something negative to say. I guess he's right, but I don't work for him anymore. ;)

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I'm sorry you didn't get your needy review that you were doing a fine job from your boss. I don't see how that is pertinent to this conversation. Look in the mirror and tell yourself you are good enough. And Lady Shiva, I think you need to go back and actually read my posts, because you don't make any sense. Why am I not surprised. I've had all I'm going to say about this topic, because now I feel like I am having to stoop to your level of ridiculous banter to reach you people. I am not going to feel like I have to tell you positives to satisfy your need for equal negative to positive ratio's. This again, was my experience, not yours, so stop personalizing. I have been on 42 cruises and if your upcoming first cruise experience is altered by the truth of my negative findings on MY cruise, then so be it. Enjoy YOUR cruise!

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