The New Celebrity Cruises Solstice
check out my photo review at http://www.cruisecenter.smugmug.com/
The most exciting, spacious, and innovative premium class ship has just been delivered to Celebrity Cruises. The Solstice is the first of five identical sisters being introduced by Celebrity Cruises over the next five years. After cruising on nearly 200 ships worldwide, it is rewarding to find a ship that raises the bar in the premium class (5-star) cruising market. The Celebrity Solstice is my NEW favorite ship for a variety of reasons. The following is my review by category and impression after a two-day introductory sailing for travel agents and travel writers November 12-14, 2008 from Fort Lauderdale.
The Ship:
At 122,000 tons, 1030 feet long, 121 feet wide, and traveling up to 24 knots, she is the most spacious ship I have even been on. Carrying 2850 passengers, one would think she would be quite crowded, but in fact Solstice is not crowded at all. This is because other ships of this size would carry 3500 passengers. Celebrity Cruises has mastered the use of open spaces incorporating large glass panels looking onto the sea, higher than usual ceilings in the public spaces, recessed foyer cabin entrances making the hallways open and easy to transverse, and wider walkways throughout the ship. From the outside, the Solstice hull looks more like a yacht with her raked and unique forward hull design. She is built with glass galore and her huge number of balcony staterooms make her exterior appearance grand and spacious. Solstice is indeed a large ship but Celebrity has wisely created dozens of intimate spaces for guests to enjoy what I expect to be the BEST premium to luxury cruise experience in the market.
The fact that this vessel has transcended the premium class experience and actually offers a luxury experience in many areas is demonstrated in the bold but elegant residential style décor, exquisite suites with butler service, numerous luxury boutiques, world-class art gallery, a permanent $20 million contemporary art collection, alternative gourmet (fee-based) restaurants, Aqua Spa cabins with successfully designed spa amenities and spa dining, and Celebrity 5-star service, taking premium class service to a level well above ANY of its competitors. This is an amazing feat during these economically challenging times. With Solstice, Celebrity has proven that a brand can successfully reinvent itself and transcend its image.
My impressions of this magnificent vessel:
Cabins:
Celebrity designed the cabin staterooms with a woman’s touch. This is unique as most maritime designers are male. The result is innovative design that will prevail on all 5 Solstice Class ships to be introduced over the next 4 years. Eighty-five percent of the staterooms have verandahs and offer 194 square feet of living space plus a spacious verandah with 54 additional square feet. These cabins are 30% larger than other Celebrity Cruises cabins and the bathrooms have been given 50% more space! The first departure from the ordinary is the recessed foyer entry shared by two cabins and the outward opening doors which allow more internal cabin space. Celebrity has created 121 adjoining family cabins by utilizing the recessed entry doors to create one single entrance for families traveling together, a huge advantage for families which maximizes cabin space.
The cabin entry is wide, revealing queen sized bed (or 2 twins) with elegant hotel bedding and plush pillows. The fabrics are rich shades of crème and burgundy or sunset tones. The bed is flanked by a large hotel style headboard with overhead storage. All corners, including the bed, are rounded for guest comfort. Other top quality features include granite counter tops, six full-sized drawers (yeah Celebrity), mood lighting options with dimmer switches, and a 32-inch flat panel TV with the most options of channel and music viewing I have ever seen on a ship. The televisions actually move out from the wall and rotate for ease of guest viewing. Lighting is excellent throughout. The closets offer excellent storage space with unique sliding wooden doors that close automatically. A full-size sofa located near the entry or verandah (my preference) completes the spacious Solstice living space. These are easily the BEST and most luxuriously designed cabins on any premium cruise line-period!
Cabin Bathrooms:
As mentioned earlier, cabin bathrooms are 50% larger than other Celebrity Cruises ships. These are the most spacious I’ve seen on any premium ship. They are well laid out with excellent lighting, storage space, and an attractive raised basin. All bathroom amenities are placed in an elegant burgundy colored tray. The spacious shower stalls have two sliding glass doors and a foot rest for ladies to use when shaving their legs. All Aqua-Class (spa cabins) have “luxury hotel” Hansgrohe shower heads and multi-spray jets.
The Celebrity Aqua-Spa and Solarium Pool:
Celebrity raises the bar with its exceptionally spacious spa located on two decks atop the Solstice. There is an enormous state-of-the-art gymnasium with top notch Life-Fitness equipment. Connected to the gym by spiral staircase are bow view spa treatment rooms, a fee- based co-ed Persian Garden Thermal Suite with Turkish saunas, and men’s and women’s dressing areas with a free dry sauna. There is an Elemis Spa products shop, a teeth whitening center, and acupuncture at sea center. One can have a massage, spa treatment, manicure, teeth whitening, and acupuncture all in one day-amazing!
The Aqua-Class cabins which are all adjacent to the AquaSpa have in- cabin spa amenities and aromatherapy, complimentary access to the Persian Garden Thermal Suite, a private Spa Concierge, and special “comfort plus” Hansgrohe showerhead. The exquisite Blu Restaurant featuring California style “health conscious” cuisine is reserved exclusively for Aqua-class guests. This cabin category is sold at a premium which is well justified by the Blu dining privileges alone!
The Solarium Pool located on the Resort Deck is one of the most elegant areas onboard with teak deck furnishings, a large swimming pool, floor to ceiling waterfall which has dancing water jets and changes colors at night, and the Aqua-Spa Café where healthy meals are served at breakfast and lunch. This entire area is covered by a massive glass canopy and is a wonder of maritime architecture.
The Lawn Club:
Covering some 14,000 square feet (nearly a third of an acre), this beautiful expanse of real grass will offer lawn bowling, miniature golf, and picnics on a lawn that incorporates incredible technology to deliver this unique park-like feature atop a modern cruise ship. My personal guess is that it will be an expensive proposition to keep the lawn alive and with high traffic, may wear out quickly. I’m uncertain that this will last long but Celebrity may prove me wrong…
The Lawn Club is anchored by The Hot Glass show featuring live glass blowing and the Corning Museum of Glass, a first-at-sea offering by Celebrity Cruises. The Museum’s glass exhibition is in keeping with the hundreds of gorgeous glass artwork items placed beautifully throughout the ship.
The Resort Deck Pool:
This stunning contemporary designed area boasts a large water feature complete with dancing fountains that guests can walk across, two swimming pools, and 4 hot tubs. Ringed by elegant deck furnishings, sofa beds, and large canopied shading areas executed in upscale style, the pool area appears to provide plenty of deck space and seating. There are a number of bars and lots of high-end residential style deck furniture to lounge on at various points throughout the ship which make Solstice seem more like a luxury resort rather than a cruise ship.
The Grand Epernay Dining Room:
The is the main dining venue onboard the Solstice, Grand Epernay, offers décor inspired by the future meeting art deco. This glorious dining room done in white, silver, and charcoal tones was designed by famed hotel and restaurant designer Adam Tihany who has created the most fashionable restaurants in America. In this stylish setting, guests enjoy a varied international menu at two sittings for dinner and open seating for breakfast and lunch. There are ample tables for 2-10 and the reinvented Celebrity menus will assuredly appeal to the most gourmet palette. This lovely dining room seats nearly 1400 guests at each seating but don’t forget there are nine additional venues to choose from should this not be your cup of tea. Each has imaginative menus designed by master Executive Chef Thomas Phennings and attentive, professional service delivered by Celebrity’s well trained 5-star multi-national staff. No Fee Required for this Main Dining Room.
Alternative Dining Venues:
Tuscan Grill – Steakhouse fare and Northern Italian gourmet cuisine are served in an atmosphere of subtle lighting, brown leather furnishings, and a contemporary barrel vault entrance. Reservations required.
Silk Harvest - An Asian fusion menu tempts guests to experiment with the unusual. Reservations required.
BLU - Aqua Class cabin guests are in for a treat! This stunning dining room serves California style “health conscious” cuisine for all three daily meals. Suite guests may also reserve a table on a space available basis on request through their Butler.
Murano – This intimate and exquisite restaurant presents a Continental/European style menu with French influence. As a bonus, some of Solstice’ most precious works of art grace this beautiful room. Reservations required.
Bistro on Five- This charming open café and creperie near the main ship’s lobby atrium features excellent casual French style fare all day and into the evening. No reservations required.
Café al Bacio & The Gelateria- At this very upscale coffee house and ice cream bar service can be to-go or seated. Pastries and tea sandwiches are also available. Fee: for coffees and ice cream. Pastries and sandwiches complimentary with beverage.
AquaSpa Café- Open to all guests, this is where you can take a delicious break from the more decadent offerings of the other ship’s restaurants. Healthy choice meals and light spa fare are served. No fee or reservation required for this venue.
Mast Grill & Bar- poolside burgers and comfort food. A popular lunch stop. No fee or reservation required for this venue.
Oceanview Café and Grill- This is the ship’s buffet but don’t expect your neighborhood cafeteria. Open for 3 daily meals, the café is comfortable and very well designed with high ceilings, a bounty of large floor-to-ceiling windows, and chic furnishings. The food offerings are to be celebrated—amazing variety and quality—and Celebrity has clearly taken buffet style service to a level that will appeal to the most sophisticated traveler. No fee for this venue. Reservations requested for dinner.
Room Service- Who doesn’t love room service, especially when it’s complimentary and available to all guests 24 hours daily? Aqua Class and Suite guests have additional room service menu items to enhance their experience. No Fee!
Solstice’s Incredible Onboard Art:
The Solstice’s public rooms shine with their display of her more than 5 million dollar art collection comprised of 855 pieces created by 98 artists. An additional 3875 pieces are in the staterooms alone! This museum quality collection of works by modern, contemporary, and old masters was acquired expressly for Celebrity by International Corporate Art (ICArt). Solstice can justly be termed a floating museum.
The Art Gallery:
In a departure from the mass market art commonly found on cruise ships, Celebrity has raised the bar to create a magnificent gallery selling original works of art and photographs by famed artists. Beautiful pieces ranging in price from $600 to $15,000 are displayed in a gallery near the higher end boutiques to create a carriage trade atmosphere.
Solstice’s Public Rooms:
Celebrity tapped top interior designers known for creating some of the world’s finest hotels, resorts, and restaurants to continue the stylish décor and well-designed layout found in her staterooms into the ship’s varied public spaces. The easy flow from each of these areas to the next is a pleasure for guests:
Crush - In a small alcove off the Martini Bar, Crush features a fascinating ice-filled table center where guests can also partake in caviar and vodka tastings.
Cellar Masters- This is the ship’s elegant wine bar where guests can consult with a sommelier and try various wines in varying price ranges from different wineries. A sophisticated wine dispenser allows guests to insert their onboard Sea Pass cards and pay by the ounce to taste specially selected wines. This unique wine-tasting experience is available at sea only on Solstice and offers opportunities to sample wines that cost up to $400 a bottle with the guest controlling the cost and their own consumption.
Ensemble Lounge- I love this gorgeous elliptical bar with superb residential furnishings. Live jazz music creates a special atmosphere here.
Passport Bar- Located near the Excursion desk with its yacht-like atmosphere and furnishings, this is one of the nicest meeting places onboard.
Galleria Tastings- This venue, found adjacent to the Art Gallery and high end jewelry store and gift shops, offers unique food and drink pairings in an atmosphere compatible with the luxury goods on display and for sale in this area.
Sky Observation Lounge- Located atop Solstice with ceiling heights of more than 20 feet, this ultra modern lounge with its high tech look and white leather furnishings offers a variety of live music options and a massive dance floor.
Celebrity Central- this multi functional 200-seat amphitheater set up delivers everything from Karaoke to late night adult theme comedy, cooking demonstrations, enrichment lectures, feature films, and more…
Quasar-This is the ship’s disco, late night dance club, and “happening” spot. This trendy club offers a South Beach atmosphere with space-age-style Plexiglas pod hanging chairs. The disc jockey sphere booth moves in and out of the club, making it a very engaging place to people-watch and dance the night away.
The Celebrity Theatre- Enjoy 3 unique full-scale production shows on a 7-day cruise in this large multi-level Roman Amphitheater-style theatre.
All in all, this is the best ship I’ve ever seen—I look forward to your blog comments
Friday, December 12, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Tuesday November 25, 2008
Mid Atlantic Onboard the Norwegian Gem
Today offered markedly different weather on our third full day crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The seas were incredibly calm once the Norwegian Gem passed the Azores at 5pm on Monday. Today offered clear skies and 79 degree temperatures. The seas were smooth and it seems that the entire passenger compliment was outdoors enjoying the sun, multiple dining options and live music. All of the sporting facilities were operating with the rock climbing wall, basketball court. It was just incredible. I started the day with a gorgeous brunch served by the patrons in the exclusive three bedroom 5400 square foot Garden Villa. It was wonderful to dine al fresco in the large open dining table in this massive enclave on Deck 14. The area Butler and concierge were in attendance to ensure the 20 or so invited guests had a wonderful meal and services provided to them. Afterwards, I took a stroll to the gym which was hopping with activity for some cardio looking to take off some calories from the delicious ricotta cheesecake eaten in the alternative La Cucina venue which charges $10pp the night prior. After the gym workout, I head to the elegant Thallasotherapy pool for a nice aqua massage. NCL has a huge area dedicated to this pool along with heated tile chairs, refreshments, and a large Jacuzzi tub. This spa area is flanked with male and female thermal suites and of course, the magnificent Ying and Yang Spa. After that it was time for bowling with my CruiseCenter clients and we all fared badly as there was some motion in the bowling lanes at the back of the ship which caused the bowling balls to stray off course rather humorously. It was great fun; however, the bowling attendant was unfriendly and did not have his act together whatsoever. He was rather apathetic to say the least. We all had great fun and our lovely bar waitress, Ursula, from the adjacent Bliss Ultra Lounge kept our cocktails refreshed and brought on great natural and tasty chips. Dinner was in the Japanese Tepanyaki venue which charges $25pp making it very pricey. We took some clients there for dinner. The food was exceptional and the BEST I have had in this venue compared to any other NCL ship. It was an incredible day all the way around with unseasonably good weather! This is still one of the best values in cruising and NCL has a terrific product to offer today’s casual resort minded customer!
Sunday November 23, 2008
At sea onboard the Norwegian Gem
As the Gem is starting her first full day across the Atlantic, I thought I would reflect on the first weeks cruise experience onboard the beautiful one-year old Norwegian Gem. Today is a balmy 66 degrees and we are off the Portuguese coast sailing at 20.1 knots in fairly rough seas and 30 knots. We are rolling pretty strongly this morning but the ship handles the seas well.
The Norwegian Gem
The Gem is a solid built 93,000 ton ship. She was built in Germany and the workmanship from the German yard is solid quality. This 4-star rated ship is one of the finest on the seven seas. The Gem offers NCL’s signature “Freestyle” cruise experience and is in line the today’s American travelers providing a quality, fun, and resort style cruise with more dining options than any other cruise line-period!
The ship is decorated in bright, vibrant colors with high quality furnishings, carpets, artwork, and appointments. The vibrancy of her décor is offset by dark warm faux wood paneling throughout the ship. She is spotlessly maintained and one of the cleanest ships one will find.
The ship is easy to transverse and has excellent flow with traffic areas only taking place near the main ship lobby where NCL sets up flea market sale of budget priced items and forces all guests to walk by the crowded area. It is annoying and the same issue takes place in the evening when the area is crowded by multiple ships photographers taking portraits. My impression is that there is a constant push to create onboard revenues by nickel and dime the guests. My biggest gripe is that NCL charges $10 per game for bowling. This has insulted guests hugely and they have boycotted the venue. The game was increased from $5 to $10 without notice especially since a cal to NCL Days prior to this cruise still verified the game cost was $5-shame on NCL here… This push for onboard revenues is no different for any cruise line today except for MSC which is relatively new and hasn’t figured out how to maximize onboard revenues. The spa has been totally underused and there are 20% off specials for all treatments every day. I’ve never seen this type of offer before. The elevators in the central bank are the most used and traffic is heavy here. There are never problems using the other stairwells or lifts both forward and aft. The ship has excellent outdoor space for sunning and sports. The pool area is filled with residential style furniture and one entire side of the ship is left for outdoor dining.
The Gem’s Cabins
NCL is in the process of a major overhaul of its product with its own designed Freestyle 2.0 upgrade initiative. The success of this is apparent in every aspect of the cruise. The bedding has been replaced or upgraded in every stateroom and the beds are the most comfortable I have seen onboard ANY ship. The Elemis spa amenities are found in every stateroom, however, the standard cabins receive those amenities in push button containers which appear cheesy to the guests. All mini-suites and above receive bottled Elemis products which are more attractive. Standard cabins are smaller than the industry average but the bathrooms are well planned and compartmentalized into the sections with a large sink in the middle, and the toilet and shower both having their own private areas with sliding frosted glass panels. I have toured every deck of this ship and would not recommend placing guests on deck 4 on this ship. Those cabins have portholes only and this deck is used for embarkation/debarkation which means there are always people moving en-masse past the cabins making for a noise environment.
Some guests are griping about the lack of storage space, however, this ship spends most of the year offering 5,7, and 10-day cruises to warmer climates where one might not need an abundance of clothes. This winter 13-day Europe/Transatlantic has had cool weather and requires much more clothing than a normal cruise-so take the storage issue with a grain of salt…
The Gem’s Suites
I highly recommend the traveler take a mini-suite or penthouse on this class of ship as these cabins come with even more storage space, upgraded amenities, and concierge service. The penthouse cabins offer butler service, suite in-room expanded dining menus, elegant and ultra-modern décor, luxurious bathrooms with glass paneled walls, and high end coffee/cappuccino makers-who need Starbucks? The balconies in all cabin grades are large, very clean, and have glass panels for excellent views to the seas. The forward cabins, however, offer balconies that are enclosed in steel for safety purposes.
The Gem’s Dining Experience
This ship has it all… The dining options are exceptional and the food quality is good to excellent. The biggest passenger gripe though is the Garden Café which is always packed and cannot seem to accommodate the huge number of guests who use it. I think this is due to the casual level of passenger not wanting a served meal. The food is excellent and variety unbelievable here. The guests in my group, however, have complained about lack of trays, assistance to tables, and having to go to their own drink stations for beverages. It appears that one needs a back up food ferrying system to avoid having your table cleared by overly ambitious cleaning staff who take plates away and reset tables once a guest gets up to go for a refill or another plate of food. I don’t know how NCL can correct this though having seen the huge demand by guests for this venue…
The Grand Pacific dining room appears to be the most popular with its no-jeans policy and gorgeous Pacific theme décor. The food is quite good and service seems to be the best here of the two main FREE dining options. The much smaller Magenta located a deck below is always packed with a waitlist. I don’t understand this behavior either since there are electronic boards throughout the ship showing the availability of all dining rooms, both FREE and paid alternative options. I would give the overall food quality, variety, and presentation an 8 out of 10. The guests though are complaining that the food is too fancy and the service too slow in the dining rooms. This comes from American’s express dining and fast food mentality.
All of the alternative fee based restaurants are quite excellent. The food is varied and cooked to order. The service is very good and ambiance is very good based on the theme of the venue. The fee based restaurants have been empty on this sailing and I am shocked. Having sailed on the sister ship, the Norwegian Pearl, in September, those alternative venues were full. This is not the case on the Gem where you can get in easily to every venue with no issues. I have encouraged our passengers to try these out for a special night but nobody seems to be partaking…
There is also an outdoor buffet are aft on the ship called the Great Outdoors which mirrors the indoor Garden Café and there is a buffet, grill, and huge BBQ area near the main pool offering incredible selections. This class of ship offers the most extensive dining options I have ever seen… NCL-kudos to you here!!!
I also think many of the avid cruisers who are older and experienced with traditional dining are having a hard time with the Freestyle concept. They are also overwhelming the two main dining rooms at 5pm each night lined up to get in when those venues open for dinner.
The Gem’s Service
The Gem’s service staff is mostly friendly but seem apprehensive in their service to the guests. While the staff is very good for the most part, there seems to be a fair number that are new and unfamiliar with the ship and its services. I’ve had no service issues whatsoever, however, many guests have expressed that they feel the service overall is apathetic. This is disappointing to me but I am very outgoing and talk to everybody so I always get smiles the front office staff are not empowered to make decisions and are basically clerks. The have no knowledge of group activities other than what is in the ships printed program. They also have difficulty communicating or responding well to guest’s questions or concerns. Where there is a legitimate issue, it requires going to the next level of management or higher for customer resolution. I also think because we had such a port intensive start to this itinerary, guests have not fully enjoyed the ship or its services.
NCL has placed comment cards on the beds of each guest every few days asking for feedback on improvements. The guests who have turned them in have been contacted by officers and improvements have already been made.
The Gem’s Entertainment
There is a wide variety of entertainment options; however, the quality of shows, comedians, and singers has not been the same quality as experienced on other NCL ships and cruises I have been on. The ships cast for the large revue shows is no longer the high quality Jean Ann Ryan singers and dancers which were New York-Broadway quality. This staff is weak and the new productions were flat. The Second City Troupe is also not funny. The comics are also a little weak. The live music seems lackluster too. Nonetheless, I will report back during this 5-day crossing to see how NCL handles the entertainment during these long (25-hour days) at sea…
The Gem’s Itinerary
Europe is best visited in the spring and fall when the lines of summer are not there and the weather is very mild. This is the best time to be here taking advantage of pre holiday sales. The Vatican and major tourist sites were not crowded and few to no lines. Florence was a dream with no lines at the Academia to see David and easy entrance into the Uffizi Gallery. The temperatures ranged in the high 50’s to 70”s every day. It does get cold at night but I absolutely advocate traveling to Europe this time of year.
The Gem’s Clientele
The crowd is mainly American and a middle class traveler. There is a large number of Spanish, German, Dutch, and British onboard too. It is not a sophisticated crowd and a very casually dressed crowd. Perfect for Freestyle Cruising! I am seeing a new trend of guests not purchasing onboard. All the onboard revenues seem to be down quite a bit over recent cruises I have been on just a few months ago. This is a first time cruise for many too which is shocking to me. A transatlantic Cruise is historically a coveted cruise of well traveled people. I think the VERY low prices offered on this sailing may have attracted a traveler who might not have gone to Europe but price pulled them into this itinerary and sailing.
Overall
NCL has a very good product and this “Jewel Class” of ship is among the best in today’s varied cruise industry. It is incumbent on the travel professional to explain the Freestyle concept in advance to ensure guests are not surprised by its unique cruise experience. This is a solid 4-star experience and offers an incredible value for the dollar. The Penthouses and higher offer a 5-star experience with amenities, services, and additional private dining options offered exclusively for those guests. The Courtyard area and its 12 VIP suites offer a totally luxurious oasis for the most privileged guests. NCL definitely has the best suites of ANY mass market company. Hooray to NCL here for creating a highly unique product and striving to improve its guest experience with constant attention and adjustments to its product on a daily basis.
Top 10 Likes Aboard the Norwegian Gem
· Freestyle Dining and variety of optional restaurants with top quality food
· Casual “Freestyle” Dress Code
· New Bliss Beds in the cabin are amazingly comfortable
· Overall Décor of the ship is fun and exciting
· Bliss Ultra Lounge with Bowling Alley
· Ship is incredibly clean with superb housekeeping
· Best Penthouses, villas, and suites of any contemporary ship
· Gym is open 24-hours a day
· Sony Wii games in the main lobby played on a massive wall screen
· Coffee makers in all cabins, high end coffee/espresso makers in suites, and availability of coffee throughout the ship using the Lavazza brand
Top 10 Dislikes Aboard the Norwegian Gem
· Nickel and Dime guests for bowling fees ($10 a game), Movies on TV as non are free other than TMC, Charging for Juice ($2 a glass) after meal times
· Cheap mall like atmosphere with flea market set up congesting the main ship lobby flow
· No trays for food in Garden Café. Guests who go to refill beverages or get additional food come back to find table cleaned and new guests sitting
· Entertainment has eroded and not the same quality as before. Bring back the Jean Ann Ryan singers and dancers!
· Penthouse furniture is highly uncomfortable and unusable although attractive
· Some staff are surly and unfriendly-the ship staff seem tired, worn out, or under trained
· Bar drinks are the most expensive of any contemporary line
· Front Office staff are ineffective and give wrong information
· Onboard gifts are not delivered with any consistency
· New towels are too large, stiff, and difficult to use
Mid Atlantic Onboard the Norwegian Gem
Today offered markedly different weather on our third full day crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The seas were incredibly calm once the Norwegian Gem passed the Azores at 5pm on Monday. Today offered clear skies and 79 degree temperatures. The seas were smooth and it seems that the entire passenger compliment was outdoors enjoying the sun, multiple dining options and live music. All of the sporting facilities were operating with the rock climbing wall, basketball court. It was just incredible. I started the day with a gorgeous brunch served by the patrons in the exclusive three bedroom 5400 square foot Garden Villa. It was wonderful to dine al fresco in the large open dining table in this massive enclave on Deck 14. The area Butler and concierge were in attendance to ensure the 20 or so invited guests had a wonderful meal and services provided to them. Afterwards, I took a stroll to the gym which was hopping with activity for some cardio looking to take off some calories from the delicious ricotta cheesecake eaten in the alternative La Cucina venue which charges $10pp the night prior. After the gym workout, I head to the elegant Thallasotherapy pool for a nice aqua massage. NCL has a huge area dedicated to this pool along with heated tile chairs, refreshments, and a large Jacuzzi tub. This spa area is flanked with male and female thermal suites and of course, the magnificent Ying and Yang Spa. After that it was time for bowling with my CruiseCenter clients and we all fared badly as there was some motion in the bowling lanes at the back of the ship which caused the bowling balls to stray off course rather humorously. It was great fun; however, the bowling attendant was unfriendly and did not have his act together whatsoever. He was rather apathetic to say the least. We all had great fun and our lovely bar waitress, Ursula, from the adjacent Bliss Ultra Lounge kept our cocktails refreshed and brought on great natural and tasty chips. Dinner was in the Japanese Tepanyaki venue which charges $25pp making it very pricey. We took some clients there for dinner. The food was exceptional and the BEST I have had in this venue compared to any other NCL ship. It was an incredible day all the way around with unseasonably good weather! This is still one of the best values in cruising and NCL has a terrific product to offer today’s casual resort minded customer!
Sunday November 23, 2008
At sea onboard the Norwegian Gem
As the Gem is starting her first full day across the Atlantic, I thought I would reflect on the first weeks cruise experience onboard the beautiful one-year old Norwegian Gem. Today is a balmy 66 degrees and we are off the Portuguese coast sailing at 20.1 knots in fairly rough seas and 30 knots. We are rolling pretty strongly this morning but the ship handles the seas well.
The Norwegian Gem
The Gem is a solid built 93,000 ton ship. She was built in Germany and the workmanship from the German yard is solid quality. This 4-star rated ship is one of the finest on the seven seas. The Gem offers NCL’s signature “Freestyle” cruise experience and is in line the today’s American travelers providing a quality, fun, and resort style cruise with more dining options than any other cruise line-period!
The ship is decorated in bright, vibrant colors with high quality furnishings, carpets, artwork, and appointments. The vibrancy of her décor is offset by dark warm faux wood paneling throughout the ship. She is spotlessly maintained and one of the cleanest ships one will find.
The ship is easy to transverse and has excellent flow with traffic areas only taking place near the main ship lobby where NCL sets up flea market sale of budget priced items and forces all guests to walk by the crowded area. It is annoying and the same issue takes place in the evening when the area is crowded by multiple ships photographers taking portraits. My impression is that there is a constant push to create onboard revenues by nickel and dime the guests. My biggest gripe is that NCL charges $10 per game for bowling. This has insulted guests hugely and they have boycotted the venue. The game was increased from $5 to $10 without notice especially since a cal to NCL Days prior to this cruise still verified the game cost was $5-shame on NCL here… This push for onboard revenues is no different for any cruise line today except for MSC which is relatively new and hasn’t figured out how to maximize onboard revenues. The spa has been totally underused and there are 20% off specials for all treatments every day. I’ve never seen this type of offer before. The elevators in the central bank are the most used and traffic is heavy here. There are never problems using the other stairwells or lifts both forward and aft. The ship has excellent outdoor space for sunning and sports. The pool area is filled with residential style furniture and one entire side of the ship is left for outdoor dining.
The Gem’s Cabins
NCL is in the process of a major overhaul of its product with its own designed Freestyle 2.0 upgrade initiative. The success of this is apparent in every aspect of the cruise. The bedding has been replaced or upgraded in every stateroom and the beds are the most comfortable I have seen onboard ANY ship. The Elemis spa amenities are found in every stateroom, however, the standard cabins receive those amenities in push button containers which appear cheesy to the guests. All mini-suites and above receive bottled Elemis products which are more attractive. Standard cabins are smaller than the industry average but the bathrooms are well planned and compartmentalized into the sections with a large sink in the middle, and the toilet and shower both having their own private areas with sliding frosted glass panels. I have toured every deck of this ship and would not recommend placing guests on deck 4 on this ship. Those cabins have portholes only and this deck is used for embarkation/debarkation which means there are always people moving en-masse past the cabins making for a noise environment.
Some guests are griping about the lack of storage space, however, this ship spends most of the year offering 5,7, and 10-day cruises to warmer climates where one might not need an abundance of clothes. This winter 13-day Europe/Transatlantic has had cool weather and requires much more clothing than a normal cruise-so take the storage issue with a grain of salt…
The Gem’s Suites
I highly recommend the traveler take a mini-suite or penthouse on this class of ship as these cabins come with even more storage space, upgraded amenities, and concierge service. The penthouse cabins offer butler service, suite in-room expanded dining menus, elegant and ultra-modern décor, luxurious bathrooms with glass paneled walls, and high end coffee/cappuccino makers-who need Starbucks? The balconies in all cabin grades are large, very clean, and have glass panels for excellent views to the seas. The forward cabins, however, offer balconies that are enclosed in steel for safety purposes.
The Gem’s Dining Experience
This ship has it all… The dining options are exceptional and the food quality is good to excellent. The biggest passenger gripe though is the Garden Café which is always packed and cannot seem to accommodate the huge number of guests who use it. I think this is due to the casual level of passenger not wanting a served meal. The food is excellent and variety unbelievable here. The guests in my group, however, have complained about lack of trays, assistance to tables, and having to go to their own drink stations for beverages. It appears that one needs a back up food ferrying system to avoid having your table cleared by overly ambitious cleaning staff who take plates away and reset tables once a guest gets up to go for a refill or another plate of food. I don’t know how NCL can correct this though having seen the huge demand by guests for this venue…
The Grand Pacific dining room appears to be the most popular with its no-jeans policy and gorgeous Pacific theme décor. The food is quite good and service seems to be the best here of the two main FREE dining options. The much smaller Magenta located a deck below is always packed with a waitlist. I don’t understand this behavior either since there are electronic boards throughout the ship showing the availability of all dining rooms, both FREE and paid alternative options. I would give the overall food quality, variety, and presentation an 8 out of 10. The guests though are complaining that the food is too fancy and the service too slow in the dining rooms. This comes from American’s express dining and fast food mentality.
All of the alternative fee based restaurants are quite excellent. The food is varied and cooked to order. The service is very good and ambiance is very good based on the theme of the venue. The fee based restaurants have been empty on this sailing and I am shocked. Having sailed on the sister ship, the Norwegian Pearl, in September, those alternative venues were full. This is not the case on the Gem where you can get in easily to every venue with no issues. I have encouraged our passengers to try these out for a special night but nobody seems to be partaking…
There is also an outdoor buffet are aft on the ship called the Great Outdoors which mirrors the indoor Garden Café and there is a buffet, grill, and huge BBQ area near the main pool offering incredible selections. This class of ship offers the most extensive dining options I have ever seen… NCL-kudos to you here!!!
I also think many of the avid cruisers who are older and experienced with traditional dining are having a hard time with the Freestyle concept. They are also overwhelming the two main dining rooms at 5pm each night lined up to get in when those venues open for dinner.
The Gem’s Service
The Gem’s service staff is mostly friendly but seem apprehensive in their service to the guests. While the staff is very good for the most part, there seems to be a fair number that are new and unfamiliar with the ship and its services. I’ve had no service issues whatsoever, however, many guests have expressed that they feel the service overall is apathetic. This is disappointing to me but I am very outgoing and talk to everybody so I always get smiles the front office staff are not empowered to make decisions and are basically clerks. The have no knowledge of group activities other than what is in the ships printed program. They also have difficulty communicating or responding well to guest’s questions or concerns. Where there is a legitimate issue, it requires going to the next level of management or higher for customer resolution. I also think because we had such a port intensive start to this itinerary, guests have not fully enjoyed the ship or its services.
NCL has placed comment cards on the beds of each guest every few days asking for feedback on improvements. The guests who have turned them in have been contacted by officers and improvements have already been made.
The Gem’s Entertainment
There is a wide variety of entertainment options; however, the quality of shows, comedians, and singers has not been the same quality as experienced on other NCL ships and cruises I have been on. The ships cast for the large revue shows is no longer the high quality Jean Ann Ryan singers and dancers which were New York-Broadway quality. This staff is weak and the new productions were flat. The Second City Troupe is also not funny. The comics are also a little weak. The live music seems lackluster too. Nonetheless, I will report back during this 5-day crossing to see how NCL handles the entertainment during these long (25-hour days) at sea…
The Gem’s Itinerary
Europe is best visited in the spring and fall when the lines of summer are not there and the weather is very mild. This is the best time to be here taking advantage of pre holiday sales. The Vatican and major tourist sites were not crowded and few to no lines. Florence was a dream with no lines at the Academia to see David and easy entrance into the Uffizi Gallery. The temperatures ranged in the high 50’s to 70”s every day. It does get cold at night but I absolutely advocate traveling to Europe this time of year.
The Gem’s Clientele
The crowd is mainly American and a middle class traveler. There is a large number of Spanish, German, Dutch, and British onboard too. It is not a sophisticated crowd and a very casually dressed crowd. Perfect for Freestyle Cruising! I am seeing a new trend of guests not purchasing onboard. All the onboard revenues seem to be down quite a bit over recent cruises I have been on just a few months ago. This is a first time cruise for many too which is shocking to me. A transatlantic Cruise is historically a coveted cruise of well traveled people. I think the VERY low prices offered on this sailing may have attracted a traveler who might not have gone to Europe but price pulled them into this itinerary and sailing.
Overall
NCL has a very good product and this “Jewel Class” of ship is among the best in today’s varied cruise industry. It is incumbent on the travel professional to explain the Freestyle concept in advance to ensure guests are not surprised by its unique cruise experience. This is a solid 4-star experience and offers an incredible value for the dollar. The Penthouses and higher offer a 5-star experience with amenities, services, and additional private dining options offered exclusively for those guests. The Courtyard area and its 12 VIP suites offer a totally luxurious oasis for the most privileged guests. NCL definitely has the best suites of ANY mass market company. Hooray to NCL here for creating a highly unique product and striving to improve its guest experience with constant attention and adjustments to its product on a daily basis.
Top 10 Likes Aboard the Norwegian Gem
· Freestyle Dining and variety of optional restaurants with top quality food
· Casual “Freestyle” Dress Code
· New Bliss Beds in the cabin are amazingly comfortable
· Overall Décor of the ship is fun and exciting
· Bliss Ultra Lounge with Bowling Alley
· Ship is incredibly clean with superb housekeeping
· Best Penthouses, villas, and suites of any contemporary ship
· Gym is open 24-hours a day
· Sony Wii games in the main lobby played on a massive wall screen
· Coffee makers in all cabins, high end coffee/espresso makers in suites, and availability of coffee throughout the ship using the Lavazza brand
Top 10 Dislikes Aboard the Norwegian Gem
· Nickel and Dime guests for bowling fees ($10 a game), Movies on TV as non are free other than TMC, Charging for Juice ($2 a glass) after meal times
· Cheap mall like atmosphere with flea market set up congesting the main ship lobby flow
· No trays for food in Garden Café. Guests who go to refill beverages or get additional food come back to find table cleaned and new guests sitting
· Entertainment has eroded and not the same quality as before. Bring back the Jean Ann Ryan singers and dancers!
· Penthouse furniture is highly uncomfortable and unusable although attractive
· Some staff are surly and unfriendly-the ship staff seem tired, worn out, or under trained
· Bar drinks are the most expensive of any contemporary line
· Front Office staff are ineffective and give wrong information
· Onboard gifts are not delivered with any consistency
· New towels are too large, stiff, and difficult to use
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