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Has anyone actually been on this cruise line and ship.
I have read so many reviews some good and some bad. I know it is a fairly new ship, everyone says it is clean but service and food stink. Help? Would really like to get someone's opinion. We are looking to go in March. It will be the first time cruising for my family.. Have two children 9 and 12.
Thanks for any help!
I cruised once on Norwegian many years ago, early 90's. Was not impressed. Have cruised with Celebrity ever since. Things may have changed though as competition has stepped up.
Has anyone actually been on this cruise line and ship.
I have read so many reviews some good and some bad. I know it is a fairly new ship, everyone says it is clean but service and food stink. Help? Would really like to get someone's opinion. We are looking to go in March. It will be the first time cruising for my family.. Have two children 9 and 12.
Thanks for any help!
I cruised on the NCL Gem in May 08 doing a European Cruise from Barcelona, Spain.
I enjoyed the food as did my Husband and 19 year old daughter. There are many alternative restauants. Mexican, no extra charge, A 24 hour diner, no extra charge, Italian, $10 surcharge, French $20 surcharge.
I found the Main dining room, very good. The buffet had a good Variety of food. They had a nice play area for the children.
My service was excellent and I was told so were others who did not have my Cabin catagory. Two days before my cruise I was upselled from a Mini Suite to a Penthouse Suite. The extra, much less than the going rate was worth it. Its no rhyme or reason who they call for an upsell. They sometimes choose people who are on their first cruise.
Here is my review-http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=785533
I know you will enjoy the Gem, its a Beautiful ship. The Gem was my 14th Cruise.
I have not been on the Gem - but have been on NCL. As an avid cruiser, NCL is my least favorite line - it was the least expensive up front, but ended up being one of the most expensive cruises we had ever been on given all of the specialty restaurants.
Our cruise line of choice these days is Carnival - we feel it is the best value for our money. We leave next month for another one - on the Carnival Triumph.
I highly recommend Cruise Critic for all things cruises.
I have not been on the Gem - but have been on NCL. As an avid cruiser, NCL is my least favorite line - it was the least expensive up front, but ended up being one of the most expensive cruises we had ever been on given all of the specialty restaurants.
Our cruise line of choice these days is Carnival - we feel it is the best value for our money. We leave next month for another one - on the Carnival Triumph.
I highly recommend Cruise Critic for all things cruises.
I don't find the New ships on NCL all that inexpensive. I do find carnival pretty cheap. I have a group going out of NY on a Carnival ship and for 8 nights its about $1100 in an outside, and that includes all the port and taxes.
The NCL cruise on the Pearl to Alaska isn't cheap.Also NCL has some very classy suites. Mine was a 2 Bedroom, 2 Baths. I did have 3 in the Cabin so both bedrooms were used. It also came with a Butler which Carnival does not have. Both Celebrity and Hal do for the Suites.
I have a customer who is a host on CC. I have posted for many years there. I have cruised all the Mid range cruise lines. Gem byw cruises from NYC in the Winter, and its a new ship.
My first cruise was from NYC on Celebrity. I won't cruise on an old NCL ship, and I don't feel the extra costs for some restaurants are that much. All the ships have them now. Its your choice if you choose to use them or not.
I like Holland America, Princess , and Celebrity alot. Holland and Princess is owned by Carnival Corp, but more upscale. Celebrity is owned by Rci, but also more upscale.
We were on the Miracle in May out of NY, and really liked it - we were on for a doowop cruise, though, so it was a bit different - basically, DH and I (along with my parents) were group leaders for over 300 people.
The cruise we're going on in a couple of weeks is out of miami - price per person for a balcony was like $800 including port charges and taxes.
We were on the NCL Sun last year - had a great time - because I've never had a -bad- time on a cruise. But our onboard charges at the end of the week were the highest they had ever been - almost $1600. Our average bill is usually around $1000, and the last cruise was more like $500. And we don't drink!
I haven't been on a lot of the upscale lines - I was on Celebrity - but we didn't enjoy it that much... but that was likely also because it was christmas week. When DH and I cruise, we are looking for the best vacation bang for our buck.
I'm MonaCK on cruise critic. I'm mostly around the carnival boards these days.
We were on the Miracle in May out of NY, and really liked it - we were on for a doowop cruise, though, so it was a bit different - basically, DH and I (along with my parents) were group leaders for over 300 people.
The cruise we're going on in a couple of weeks is out of miami - price per person for a balcony was like $800 including port charges and taxes.
We were on the NCL Sun last year - had a great time - because I've never had a -bad- time on a cruise. But our onboard charges at the end of the week were the highest they had ever been - almost $1600. Our average bill is usually around $1000, and the last cruise was more like $500. And we don't drink!
I haven't been on a lot of the upscale lines - I was on Celebrity - but we didn't enjoy it that much... but that was likely also because it was christmas week. When DH and I cruise, we are looking for the best vacation bang for our buck.
I'm MonaCK on cruise critic. I'm mostly around the carnival boards these days.
As you should know Cruises from NY cost more because of less choices. Also, most that take that cruise drive to it, so don't have that cost for air.
Also right now cruises are selling for prices I have not see since 9/11.
I work for agency in East Brunswick, No, NOT cruise Value Center that took off with customers money. My boss is a retired East Brunswick Policeman so knows everything about that case.
I have no idea how you could spend $1600 on Restaurants. The math doesn't connect. My highest cost in Europe was the tours, which are the same on all lines. You also don't need to use the extra price restaurants. Those are the only costs that are extra on NCL, and Carnival Charges $30 p/p for theirs now. They do add the Tips, but I've always paid more than what they add anyway. I know there are people that don't like that, because they simply don't tip. Those people make less than the minimum wage, and work very hard. They should be tipped.
I like Carnival, they are a major supplier, but I enjoy cruising on all different lines.
Diane G
It was $1600 on restaurants, on soda cards, on one shore excursion... corkage... even the soda cards are more money per week than on Carnival. I know that you don't -need- the extra restaurants, but when you're on vacation, you don't want to deny yourself, so you end up going. It just all adds up. I also, obviously, keep my tips on my shipboard account, and also generally tip above and beyond for service that goes above and beyond - for example, we always tip the cabin attendant extra at the beginning of the week. We also get soda cards and if we have the same person getting our soda for us all week in the dining room, we also give an extra tip to them. We are not cheapskates.
My mom owns an agency in freehold, and has been in the travel industry for around 30 years. My favorite cruise line is actually RCI - but since they stopped allowing agents to discount them, they are too pricey for me. I like to cruise where I can get the best value for my dollar, and these days, that's Carnival.
Thank you everyone for your input. All the answers are helpful.. My main concern was the crew and the food. Everyone said that it is a beautiful ship. Does anyone have ideas of things to do with the kids in Nassau and Port Canaveral? It seems that most of the extra expenses are the land excurisons. One other thing. I was told that we do not need a passport to go the Bahamas by ship. Yes or No?
Nancy
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