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Norwegian Gem

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Traveler Reviews

A ship’s traveler rating is provided under license by Cruiseline.com , which manages one of the largest databases of cruise reviews and ratings by travelers. A total of 2433 guests have reviewed Norwegian Gem , giving it a rating of 3.8 on a scale of 1-5.

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Reviews by traveler type, most recent reviews.

4th time on this cruise

Apr 23rd, 2024

Bermuda never disappoints! Cruising there is fun and docking there for a few days is amazing!!!

Traveler Type

Family (older children)

Wonderful Bermuda Cruise

There were certain aspects of the cruise that made me upset but I did have a wonderful vacation with my family and we had a great time!

Large Group

Relaxing Trip to a Beautiful Island

Fun and Beautiful cruise! While we had some concerns over the food and the quality (or non-exsistance) of the Wifi over all it was a great trip! I do wish we could have had more time on the island, but the activites on the ship were fun and kept us busy, with lots of space to chill and relax as well.

Singles/Friends

2-3 cruises

7 night Bermuda

Apr 21st, 2024

Everything was great we enjoyed our cruise.

Not a bad cruise. Some lessons learned.

Apr 17th, 2024

It was a cold and rough sailing to and from Bermuda. It was also Easter and spring break for many states. So children that would have been occupied on the pool deck were forced to have cabin fever inside the ship. We wouldn’t do another early season cruise to Bermuda again. Lesson learned. Still a great cruise otherwise and Bonine allows me to enjoy the rough seas!

Fair cruise

Apr 16th, 2024

It was 12th cruise with NCL 2nd on Gem. We never had any problems or complaints. This time our room was changed from a picture window to obstructed window. When I asked if rates went down. Our room smelled like sewer they came back after 2 days fixed it then the smell came back. Took 2 days to fix a draw that was broken. Disembarkment was chaotic.

Disappointing?

Apr 15th, 2024

Overall it was disappointing. We've cruised Royal Caribbean several times, and we'll return to that line.

4-6 cruises

Boston to Bermuda on NCL

Apr 12th, 2024

Many things could be improved but overall it is a very nice cruise.

Fabulous trip

Apr 10th, 2024

Great vacation already booked another one for next april

great cruise until it was time to leave

Apr 5th, 2024

The cruise was great itself, but disembarkation lacked communication and organization. Will not cruise on the Gem again as a result

Disclaimers about ship ratings: A ship’s Health Rating is based on vessel inspection scores published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If a ship did not receive a CDC score within 22 months prior to the calculation of its Overall Rating, its Health Rating appears as N/A; in such a case, the ship’s Overall Rating is calculated using the average Health Rating of all CDC-rated ships within the cruise line. All ship Traveler Ratings are based on ratings provided under license by Cruiseline.com.

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• Norwegian Cruise Line

NCL Gem Review - Detailed!

By ussenterprise , April 3, 2011 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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ussenterprise

Hello! Just returned from the March 26 - April 2nd Gem cruise to Florida/Bahamas and a wonderful time was had by all. Below is my review and I have tried to be as detailed as I can be in an effort to dispel some of the rumors I've encountered here. Please feel free to ask questions and I will answer them to the best of my knowledge.

DW and I are 35 and 41 respectively (insert cradle robber joke here.) This was our 5th cruise, first on NCL. Accompanying us were the DMIL and DFIL who are in their mid 50's and seasoned cruisers but also new to NCL. We picked this cruise for several reasons, but mainly because it represented the best deal, not only on the cruise, but also on airfare. I will break the review into segments for easier reading.

Pre-cruise:

Following our typical M.O., we flew out the day before the cruise leaving behind clear but cold Chicago for equally clear but cold NYC. This was the first time in NYC for all of us and we had a night flight. Seeing the city all lit up at night from a couple thousand feet up was a great experience. We grabbed our luggage and got in line for what we hoped would be the Cash Cab, but had to settle for a Ford Escape. We were whisked, and I use the term loosely, to our hotel, the Holiday Inn Midtown on 57th. We had a king non-smoking for $167 which we booked on Holiday Inn's website. The hotel was nice, clean and comfortable. The staff were all very nice and accommodating, even directing us to a little eatery called Flame on 9th Ave. where we grabbed sandwiches before turning in.

Embarkation:

We left the hotel at about 10:45 the next morning and arrived at the pier only a few minutes later. The skies were clear, but the temperature was low 30's and a stiff breeze was coming off the Hudson. We dropped our luggage (including two cases of water with luggage tags firmly affixed) with a porter and headed into the building. There were virtually no lines and we checked right in, received our cards and a boarding number. Now, this is where we deviate from what most of you will do. DFIL has always wanted to see the Intrepid Museum, which is right next to the Gems berth. We exited the cruise terminal and headed to Intrepid to take in the sights and sounds. If you want to see it, it's $24 per adult, which includes admission to the U.S.S. Growler submarine.

We hung around a couple hours before the wind and cold finally drove us back to the Gems terminal. The lines by this time (1:30-ish) were quite long, but we bypassed them by flashing our cards, went up the escalator and walked onto the Gem on deck 7. After swiping our cards and having our first washy-washy encounter, we headed to the quiet, uncrowded Grand Pacific MDR for lunch. Nobody tried to stop us or steer us towards the buffet as some people have mentioned here on CC. About 2:45, Sinan, the CD announced all staterooms were ready. We finished our lunch and headed up to check out our temporary new homes.

Speaking of which....

We had cabin 9620, which is an aft category BB balcony. MIL/FIL had 9618, right next door. The cabin was a bit smaller than what I am used to with Carnival. To give you some idea, if DW was standing by the closet, I could not get into the bathroom or out of the cabin. The bathroom by the way was quite unique. When you enter, the sink/mirror/shelves for your crap are right in front of you. To the left, in its own little compartment complete with its own door was the toilet. To the right was the shower with sliding glass door instead of the "too short" curtain Carnival seems to favor. The balcony had two chairs and a really small table. It also had a sliding glass door and a floor to ceiling window which made for great views and a lot of natural light. The table next to my side of the bed was just big enough to accommodate the telephone and my iPod. Bed is a king sized and FIRM! There's also a small couch, table and chair and small t.v. on a shelf. There's an outlet under the t.v. shelf which is handy for a laptop or recharging your electronics. Ladies, there's a hair dryer and makeup mirror with stool and DW informs me the hair dryer is the best "at sea" hair dryer shes used to date.

Luggage and water arrived around 4 and we unpacked and met our steward, Panfilo. I inquired about opening the balcony divider between us and MIL/FIL and he said they would not open it until we reached Port Canaveral (whereupon he did in fact open it) because the seas were due to be rough on the way down and they did not want the door banging around. So, the answer to the question of "will they open the divider" is (at least on this ship) yes, weather permitting. We hardly ever saw Panfilo after the initial meeting, but he did an excellent job. The cabin was always clean and turned down with requisite towel animal at night.

By this time, we were feeling a bit hungry and opted for dinner in The Blue Lagoon, which was quite literally under our cabins. I had the chicken wings and a panini which were o.k. and NY cheesecake with blueberries which I highly recommend. FYI, the BL is open 24 hrs, but the menu never changes. After dinner, we just kind of checked out the ship and tried to get a feel for her. We discovered she is a beautiful boat, not too outlandish with the decor. We turned in after a couple drinks and got ready for our first full day at sea!

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Hello! Just returned from the March 26 - April 2nd Gem cruise to Florida/Bahamas and a wonderful time was had by all. Below is my review and I have tried to be as detailed as I can be in an effort to dispel some of the rumors I've encountered here. Please feel free to ask questions and I will answer them to the best of my knowledge.   Bio: DW and I are 35 and 41 respectively (insert cradle robber joke here.) This was our 5th cruise, first on NCL. Accompanying us were the DMIL and DFIL who are in their mid 50's and seasoned cruisers but also new to NCL. We picked this cruise for several reasons, but mainly because it represented the best deal, not only on the cruise, but also on airfare. I will break the review into segments for easier reading.   Pre-cruise: Following our typical M.O., we flew out the day before the cruise leaving behind clear but cold Chicago for equally clear but cold NYC. This was the first time in NYC for all of us and we had a night flight. Seeing the city all lit up at night from a couple thousand feet up was a great experience. We grabbed our luggage and got in line for what we hoped would be the Cash Cab, but had to settle for a Ford Escape. We were whisked, and I use the term loosely, to our hotel, the Holiday Inn Midtown on 57th. We had a king non-smoking for $167 which we booked on Holiday Inn's website. The hotel was nice, clean and comfortable. The staff were all very nice and accommodating, even directing us to a little eatery called Flame on 9th Ave. where we grabbed sandwiches before turning in.   Embarkation: We left the hotel at about 10:45 the next morning and arrived at the pier only a few minutes later. The skies were clear, but the temperature was low 30's and a stiff breeze was coming off the Hudson. We dropped our luggage (including two cases of water with luggage tags firmly affixed) with a porter and headed into the building. There were virtually no lines and we checked right in, received our cards and a boarding number. Now, this is where we deviate from what most of you will do. DFIL has always wanted to see the Intrepid Museum, which is right next to the Gems berth. We exited the cruise terminal and headed to Intrepid to take in the sights and sounds. If you want to see it, it's $24 per adult, which includes admission to the U.S.S. Growler submarine.   We hung around a couple hours before the wind and cold finally drove us back to the Gems terminal. The lines by this time (1:30-ish) were quite long, but we bypassed them by flashing our cards, went up the escalator and walked onto the Gem on deck 7. After swiping our cards and having our first washy-washy encounter, we headed to the quiet, uncrowded Grand Pacific MDR for lunch. Nobody tried to stop us or steer us towards the buffet as some people have mentioned here on CC. About 2:45, Sinan, the CD announced all staterooms were ready. We finished our lunch and headed up to check out our temporary new homes.   Speaking of which....   Cabin: We had cabin 9620, which is an aft category BB balcony. MIL/FIL had 9618, right next door. The cabin was a bit smaller than what I am used to with Carnival. To give you some idea, if DW was standing by the closet, I could not get into the bathroom or out of the cabin. The bathroom by the way was quite unique. When you enter, the sink/mirror/shelves for your crap are right in front of you. To the left, in its own little compartment complete with its own door was the toilet. To the right was the shower with sliding glass door instead of the "too short" curtain Carnival seems to favor. The balcony had two chairs and a really small table. It also had a sliding glass door and a floor to ceiling window which made for great views and a lot of natural light. The table next to my side of the bed was just big enough to accommodate the telephone and my iPod. Bed is a king sized and FIRM! There's also a small couch, table and chair and small t.v. on a shelf. There's an outlet under the t.v. shelf which is handy for a laptop or recharging your electronics. Ladies, there's a hair dryer and makeup mirror with stool and DW informs me the hair dryer is the best "at sea" hair dryer shes used to date.   Luggage and water arrived around 4 and we unpacked and met our steward, Panfilo. I inquired about opening the balcony divider between us and MIL/FIL and he said they would not open it until we reached Port Canaveral (whereupon he did in fact open it) because the seas were due to be rough on the way down and they did not want the door banging around. So, the answer to the question of "will they open the divider" is (at least on this ship) yes, weather permitting. We hardly ever saw Panfilo after the initial meeting, but he did an excellent job. The cabin was always clean and turned down with requisite towel animal at night.   By this time, we were feeling a bit hungry and opted for dinner in The Blue Lagoon, which was quite literally under our cabins. I had the chicken wings and a panini which were o.k. and NY cheesecake with blueberries which I highly recommend. FYI, the BL is open 24 hrs, but the menu never changes. After dinner, we just kind of checked out the ship and tried to get a feel for her. We discovered she is a beautiful boat, not too outlandish with the decor. We turned in after a couple drinks and got ready for our first full day at sea!

We also just got off the Gem yesterday..I will post my review as well. We had a pretty good time all in all, but there were a few setbacks I will address in my review. We also were in Grand Pacific after boarding around 11:45, eating our first lunch, and no one tried to stop us either..

Looking forward to reading the rest of it. Thanks for posting.

Leaving next Sat....Really enjoying the in depth review....Thanks

thank you for your review-looking forward to hearing more

glad you had a nice time as well-looking forward to your review as well

BahamaMama247

Great review! Glad to hear the ins and outs of the first day, as we are not taking the same itinerary as you (Bermuda in June) :)

Thanks for taking the time to write your very informative review. Glad you enjoyed your cruise.

Thanks, everyone. @ odessy - The MDR for lunch on embarkation day was great. When we got in, there were maybe 50 people there.

BTW, here's a parting shot of NYC - http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1555.jpg

cruisingiwish

I am looking forward to the rest of your review. We'll be on the GEM five weeks from today headed to Bermuda. Did you fly in and out of Laguardia? If so, how much was taxi fare from the airport to the hotel and then from the hotel to the port? Were all four of you able to take one taxi? Four suitcases and carry-ons?

A long standing tradition on our cruises is what we've come to call "pre-breakfast" which consists of room service bringing such staples as coffee and dainsh. Right on time at 7:30 a.m., we received a call from Colin in room service alerting us that our food was on the way. I opened the curtains to check out the weather and was dismayed at what I saw. Clouds and dense fog along with 8 foot waves (according to the "heckawee" channel on the t.v.) and temps only in the 40's. No balcony breakfast today. I awoke DW, a task that should get me combat pay, and we ate breakfast in bed. After quick showers and a call to MIL/FIL, we headed to the buffet for a real breakfast.

Buffet: There are actually two buffets serving breakfast, one is the Garden Cafe, and the other is the Great Outdoors. The Garden Cafe has the bigger selection including "action stations" for omelette's and a carvery. The Great Outdoors is just as it sounds - outdoors and has no action stations. Both areas are located on deck 12 aft.

When we entered the cafe, all we could do was stop and stare. It was an absolute madhouse. The Great Outdoors was open, but since the outdoors were not so great, no one was using it. Now admittedly, we probably hit the place at peak time, but you'd think people had never seen food before. I managed a plate full off scrambled eggs, some sausage, potatoes and a glass of milk. Now begins the search for a table. After several laps around the cafe looking for a spot, we ended up sitting at a kids table in the Kids Cafe. Must have been a sight to see me, a guy the size of an NFL offensive lineman, sitting at a table made for a toddler. We learned later that there is overflow seating in La Cucina, right next to the cafe.

We returned to our cabins just in time to hear an announcement that an aircraft carrier, which turned out to be a U.S.M.C. LST, was off our port side. Since we were on the port side, this made for a great photo op. I braved the elements on the balcony and snapped some shots while DW fired up her Kindle and settled in till lunch.

We headed to the Grand Pacific for lunch, which was much less hectic than the Garden Cafe. I got a Philly Cheese Steak and fries which were pretty good. I then ordered blueberry cheesecake again, expecting the same thing I got at Blue Lagoon, but was disappointed to receive something that looked like a blueberry ho-ho. Given the taste of it, I would have rather had a ho-ho. On the way out, we spotted the maitre d of the dining room and asked if we could make reservations for dinner. We asked for a table for four at 6:30 and he said it would not be necessary, just come on down.

After lunch, the girls decided it was time to hit the shops, while DFIL and I followed aimlessly. A couple rounds of blackjack and a few drinks later, it was time to get dressed for dinner. DFIL and I wore khakis and polos, and the girls wore some nice dresses and sandals. We arrived at deck 6 to see the line for Grand Pacific stretching around the corner. When we asked the hostess for a table, she said there would be a 30 minute wait. When we told her what the maitre d said, she apologized and said it's always a good idea to make a reservation, which we did for the remainder of the cruise. Words to the wise.

They gave us a pager and we headed to the Bliss Lounge. The pager was good for a 20% discount on drinks, so we ordered a round and waited for our table. The Bliss Lounge is an interesting place. Plush furniture, long velvet drapes and giant beds. I kept waiting for Huggy Bear to come walking around the corner. This is also where karaoke and the bowling alley are located.

The pager announced our table was ready and we squeezed our way through the crowd to the hostess desk and were shown our table. The server brought menus and poured water, never introducing himself. I ordered the lobster and red snapper which were both good, not overdone or rubbery. All at the table agreed their food was good, but the service was poor.

After dinner, we decided to check out The Newlywed/Not So Newlywed game in the Spinnaker Lounge, deck 13 fwd. The couples were entertaining and a good time was had by all. We then departed Spinnaker in favor of the Stardust Theater - decks 6-7 fwd. to check out the production show "Get Down Tonight" which consisted of hits from the 70's including some of the more infamous t.v. theme songs. I don't want to spoil it for those who want to see it, but it was fun to watch considering none of the performers was even alive in the 70's.

After the show, we slowly made our way to our cabins to get some shut-eye. We were going to hit Port Canaveral the next day and I was excited for our excursion.

Some pics from day 1 -

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1576.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1578.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1588.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1592.jpg

I am looking forward to the rest of your review. We'll be on the GEM five weeks from today headed to Bermuda. Did you fly in and out of Laguardia? If so, how much was taxi fare from the airport to the hotel and then from the hotel to the port? Were all four of you able to take one taxi? Four suitcases and carry-ons?   Thanks.

Yes, we flew into LAG. We were able to pack into a Ford Escape with four cases and carry-ons. Taxi fare from LAG to Holiday Inn Midtown was about $35 with tip, from Holiday Inn to port was less than $10 with tip. The port is just down the street from the hotel. Have a great time, we are considering Bermuda for next time.

Really good review with a balanced report.

Please keep it coming. My traveling freak show is on the Gem in 3 weeks for our first NCL cruise.

I board the Gem next Saturday. Thanks for taking the time to post - can't wait to read more.

Thanks for posting your review.

Pooh&OurHunny

Enjoying your review. Thank you for sharing.

Stop #1 - Port Canaveral

Excursion - Kennedy Space Center Up Close

The phone rang right at 7:30 with Colin announcing he was on his way with our breakfast appetizer. I opened the curtains and stepped out onto the balcony to discover that the temperature was suitable for eating with our buddy Al Fresco. I tuned the t.v. to the heckawee channel to get the days forecast and it didn't look good. Undeterred, we took the food outside and enjoyed our first warmth since like September 2010, though what we call warm, Floridians call brrrrr!

Quick showers and a run to Grand Pacific for breakfast which consisted of grits and eggs benedict. Grits were good, eggs were just ok.

I had never been to KSC and had always wanted to see a shuttle. I had learned a couple days earlier that Endeavor was on the pad and had I had been like a little kid on December 24th ever since. The ship arrives at PC about 12, so we wanted to get back to the cabin to get some shots while pulling into port. I stepped out to the balcony camera in hand and the ominous looking clouds I had seen earlier decided to try and ruin my day. I didn't care, it was warm(ish) and I was going to see a shuttle!

I snapped a few shots, including some dolphins that escorted us into port as Panfilo, our room steward, showed up at the in-laws cabin and opened up the balcony divider for us. We then headed down to the Stardust Theater to wait for our excursion to be called. As we waited, a crew member kept us updated on the ships status and entertained us with stories of his childhood growing up on St. Lucia. This was a nice departure from Carnival, where you sit in the theater wondering whats up. Soon enough, our excursion was called and we headed through the now pouring rain to the PC cruise terminal and were directed to our bus. We made our way to Merritt Island while our tour guide filled us in on all kinds of little factoids about NASA and the shuttle.

We arrived at the visitors center and made another mad dash through the rain to get to the entrance. Security is like any other government installation, you remove your metal objects, place them in the dog dish and step through a metal detector. There is no x-ray for bags however, so they have to be searched by hand. Unlike an airport, there is no body scanner and they don't touch your junk. The lines for security moved at a snails pace and people began to get cranky. The haggard looking guard who searched my camera bag said they were down four people that day. It was going to be a long day for them. T.B.S.S. - I was going to see a shuttle!

We boarded yet another bus and and headed to the cool stuff. Our tour guide, Mike, was quite knowledgeable and happily answered all our questions. We learned that Merritt Island is a protected nature preserve with some 6000 alligators and the most Bald Eagles outside of Alaska - and we saw numerous examples of both, causing several choruses of "oooh's" and "ahhh's." Mike then announced that there was a "level 2 lightning advisory" and that we could not get off the bus for photo ops. Apparently, we were in the lightning capitol of the country and since it is so flat, they don't want people getting welded. I understand the safety concerns, but what a buzzkill!

We wound our way through various installation such as the Vehicle Assembly Building where the shuttles are mounted to their boosters, the astronauts residences and the directors office building. We then followed the same path that the astronauts use when being taken to the shuttle. We drove past the press bleachers and finally, there she was! Endeavor! On pad 39A! How could it get any better? Well, just as we pulled to a stop, God decided to smile upon me and Mike announced the lightning advisory had been canceled, so we could get off the bus and take pics "if we didn't mind getting wet." Mind? Let me just say, sorry if I trampled anyone reading this. I was, after all, going to see a shuttle.

After several minutes of photographing, we re-boarded the bus and were taken to the runway to see where shuttles land, then back to the vehicle assembly building so we could again get off the bus and take more pics. We were then carted to the Saturn 5 building where we watched a video of the moon program and got to see the original control room where they used to run the flight ops before they were moved to Houston, TX thanks to LBJ. After the control room, we headed out to see a Saturn 5 rocket - the largest rocket ever built. This building has a cafe and as we were feeling a bit peckish, decided to partake of cheeseburgers and fries.

After strolling through several more exhibits, we boarded the bus to go back to the visitors center and then another bus back to PC's terminal. You have to go through customs here, so be prepared. We cleared customs, made a mad dash through the rain back to the ship and up to our cabins for dry clothes. Despite the constant rain, I really enjoyed this excursion and felt it was well worth the $119/person we paid.

I have been blessed with a fantastic MIL and she had the foresight to make reservations for dinner, this time at the Magenta MDR. We headed down and got a table right away. Our server introduced himself and his assistant who were both fantastic. We never had empty water glasses and the food came quickly. I had tomato/mozzarella salad, ceasar salad, pecan crusted snapper, mocha cheesecake and german chocolate cake. All were quite good and the service was much better here than Grand Pacific.

After dinner, we decided to check out the Second City group for some comedy - which is more up my alley than production shows. The group had never worked together before and they were quite entertaining. We left the Stardust Theater with aching sides. It was after this that we discovered one of the best piano players we've ever heard on a cruise - Randy Heidema. I am telling you all now, do yourselves a favor and catch him at least once. He is usually down by Magnums Champaign Bar at around 9:30. He takes requests and gets the crowd singing along. Once he is discovered, the place fills up fast, so starting about Wednesday, you need to get there early. If you see him, please tell him Steve and Becky from Chicago say hi! He also as a CD of his own stuff. If you like him, drop a few bucks and pick one up.

After a few rounds, we closed Magnums at about 12:30 and headed to bed, Great Stirrup Cay just a few hours away.

Pics from PC and KSC -

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1610.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1647.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1658.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1661.jpg

Great reviews and pictures. How exciting this was for you. Keep the reviews and pictures coming...

Keep it coming, we are doing this cruise later this year in a penthouse. I am looking forward to taking my kids to KSC as well.

It was after this that we discovered one of the best piano players we've ever heard on a cruise - Randy Heidema. I am telling you all now, do yourselves a favor and catch him at least once. He is usually down by Magnums Champaign Bar at around 9:30. He takes requests and gets the crowd singing along. Once he is discovered, the place fills up fast, so starting about Wednesday, you need to get there early. If you see him, please tell him Steve and Becky from Chicago say hi! He also as a CD of his own stuff. If you like him, drop a few bucks and pick one up.

We were on the Gem 3/12-3/19, Randy's first week w/NCL. Needless to say, we were at the Champagne bar (or Atrium) every night to see him! By the end of the week, you normally needed to be there by 9PM or so to get a seat. If I recall, he's only going to be on the Gem for a 2 month stretch at the moment, so anyone booked through May needs to make sure they see him before he leaves!

Mike announced the lightning advisory had been canceled, so we could get off the bus and take pics "if we didn't mind getting wet." Mind? Let me just say, sorry if I trampled anyone reading this. I was, after all, going to see a shuttle.  

Im really enjoying your review, thanks! love your enthusiasm. :D

Is there any chance you can scan the Dailes for us? Pretty please?

Hi John - less and a month to go finally!!

OK, sorry folks. I know I've been slacking, but it's been a busy post cruise week catching up. Anyway...

Great Stirrup Cay

Excursion - none

The day began like the previous ones - Colin waking us up with his cheerful "breakfast is on the way" phone call. This reminds me; to any noob's reading this, if you're going to order room service for breakfast, have your tip cash and a robe sitting out where you can find them. You have about 60 seconds between phone call and knock on the door.

Rumor is the captain of the Gem is a fan of NASCAR and thus we made record time, arriving at GSC about 2 hours ahead of schedule. DW headed up to the pool deck to get tender tickets and towels. She was able to get tickets for the DIL's, but not towels. She was told they would have to come up and get them. Seems kind of ridiculous to me, but I'm sure they have their reasons. At any rate, we had tender #11, so we headed to the Grand Pacific for breakfast. The tender lines moved quickly and before we knew it, we were headed down to deck 5 midships to make our way to the island. The tenders used to beach themselves and open a ramp for unloading, but now they have a dock. This was disappointing as I was looking forward to re-enacting the D-Day landings, but a relief to DW as she was not looking forward to seeing that.

The main beach area was already packed with sun worshipers when we got there, so we decided to take a stroll and see what there was to see. We walked past the volleyball area, down a little hill and there in front of us was another beach area that was virtually deserted. We found chairs in the shade and made good use of them. DW and her mom fired up their Kindles, DFIL took a nap and I strolled the beach area taking photos. FYI, this area is a bit rocky, so you may want to have beach footwear of some kind.

After some photos and a quick dip in the wonderful water, DW and I headed to the BBQ. This is one area NCL can improve on IMHO. The lines were ridiculous as we expected them to be, but they could easily re-direct them so they flow better. You had lines converging in one spot near the dessert area and thus, people fighting over the last piece of cake. Relax folks, there's plenty. I also saw people standing in the food line just to get water. The water coolers could have easily been set up in another location. After about 20 minutes, DW and I had loaded up a few plates to take back to our chairs. The food - burgers, hot dogs, various salads, pizza, chicken, ribs was all good and we enjoyed our food as our white Chicago bodies, deprived of sun for months, soaked up the rays.

After a couple more hours on the island and a quick run through the straw market, we boarded a tender and headed back to the ship for showers and naps. DMIL once again had the forethought to make reservations for dinner and as we liked the service in Magenta, we returned there. Service was once again outstanding and the food was good.

After dinner, we decided to check out the hypnotist act in the Stardust. It features Nadeen, a drop dead gorgeous young woman who brings 20 volunteers up to the stage, hypnotizes them and makes them so some pretty funny stuff. The theater was packed and everyone seemed to have a good laugh. After Nadeen, it was time to visit our buddy, Randy the panio player who by now was recognizing the regulars. We sent him a glass of Merlot, and got a couple rounds for ourselves. Eventually, the food, alcohol, sun and fresh air took their toll and it was time to head up to bed. Nassau was on the way, and I wanted to be up with the sun for photos.

Some GSC photos:

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_3118.jpg

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http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1692.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1672.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1697.jpg

Old Faithful was the nickname we had given Colin because we got our wake up call from him right on time every morning, alerting us that it was time for pre-breakfast. By this time, he was becoming such a familiar face, we wanted to ask him in for coffee, which we could have done as there is a coffee maker in the cabin. The room service coffee is tasty, but DW is a coffee snob and made a mentioned that next time, she would bring her beloved Dunkin Donuts coffee with her. As I am a husband and therefore have selective hearing, all I heard was "next time!" Can we book now, hon??

There's something special about having breakfast on the balcony while pulling in to port, especially when doing so at sunrise. I had coffee in one hand and camera in the other as we said "hello" to Nassau. We did not have an excursion planned, so we were free to enjoy the beautiful weather and relaxed pace. After photos and showers, we decided to give The Garden Cafe another try, figuring a lot of people would be leaving the ship for excursions. Our gamble paid off and the lines were much better. DFIL and I waited for omelets and met the girls at a table out on the deck by Great Outdoors.

After breakfast, we packed up and headed out to see Nassau. After going through the customs building, there are many shops right there to explore along with many private tour companies offering sight seeing. We declined in favor of taking a walk through town. DFIL is quite the watch connoisseur, so there were stops at Omega, Rolex and Breitling and for the girls, Diamonds International, Emerald City and for me, Harley Davidson. What can I say? Jewelry isn't my thing.

Strolling and photo shooting can work up a powerful thirst after a few hours, so we decided to stop at a local eatery called The Iguana. Drinks were a bit cheaper than on the ship and just as tasty. We also sampled crab cakes and conch fritters, a delicacy I got a taste for on Key West. After lunch, I decided I'd had all the shopping I could handle and DW and I headed back to the ship, while DIL's did more sight seeing. I snapped more photos on the way back and after a brief hold up at customs, got back on Gem for what I hopped would be an entertaining afternoon watching drunk college kids stagger back to the ship as she pulled out of port. Video camera in hand, we watched from the balcony as several groups came close, but all got aboard.

After naps, it was dinner in the Magenta and a run through the casino before settling in to hear Randy entertain a growing fan club. We closed out Magnums and headed upstairs to retire. Tomorrow was a full day at sea.

Pics from Nassau:

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1716.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1719.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1728.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1738.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_1758.jpg

http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac216/slgaunky/Cruise%2011/IMG_3129.jpg

DisneyCruiseFansMc

I am enjoying your GEM review very much, we were on March 5-12 sailing, as well with a TON of college kids. We had our 2 teenagers in tow but on the cusp of that great college age!! I'm enjoyng hearing another persons' experiences & views & how different activities change a whole cruise. We packed our shore excursions up, but "next time" (yes my DH used THAT phrase as well), we'll take it easy & enjoy the empty ship a bit more as well as explore on our own!! Looking forward to hearing the rest.

We were on the Gem Apr 2-9 as well. We'd been on the Pearl about 2 years ago. Since we live in NYC, this was a good chance for a convenient trip.

Overall it was as expected, though way too many kids on board for my tastes. Don't kids ever go to school anymore?

Boarding was quick and easy.

Nothing better than sailing south and feeling the warm weather building by the day.

Excitement of watching the Coast Guard helicopter in to medi-vac a passenger we were told had way too much to drink and they could not stabilize on board.

Food at the specialty restaurants was generally quite good, and room service breakfast on the balcony is wonderful!

Rooms are well-designed and cleverly full of storage in a small space.

Cabin steward was very good and friendly.

Spa was a welcome respite of calm and peace.

Nassau Paradise Island- lovely day-trip to Atlantis to see the amazing marine exhibits.

Crowded!!!!

Buffet crowds- competitive eating as one pushes through the throngs to get a waffle is a bit too much for a relaxation vacation.

Gym was often very crowded- every treadmill taken for example. And the machines are a bit dated- time for a refresh!

Internet- VERY slow and of course expensive. Never got wi-fi to work.

TV- too limited... Celebrity was like 20 channels... come on NCL get with it!

Too many people especially kids. Chairs by pool always hogged by 8am. Service was somewhat spotty- an icewater jug in the spa that never got refilled, a simple request for a drink at a bar that was nearly empty taking 2 or 3 tries, 3 reminders before my ginger ale got delivered... you get the picture. Seemed like some of the staff were just not very sharp or attentive, and one was downright hostile.

The GSC day-stop was a waste of time. Tenders rocking in the rough sea and then no lounge chairs available.

Smoking stench was awful in the casino. I used to smoke but this was absurd. Celebrity has done away with most indoor smoking- what is NCL waiting for? And with the ship in cool weather for part of the time, all the smokers were puffing away inside.

Entertainment- the salute to the 70s dance show was so tacky it was kitch, but since it wasn't meant to be kitch it was just bad. And the piano player in the lobby was awful as well and you had to hear him torture the ivories from 3 different restaurants nearby.

I know NCL is appealing to a mass-market, and I'm not expecting to be treated like royalty for $1500 for two people for a week, but it seems like this ship can comfortably handle the 2,400 it's built for, not 3,000. Once it becomes this crowded, everyone gets tense and that is not good for a vacation. And while the GEM is not very old, it is in need of at least partial refurb to keep up with the newer vessels out there.

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• Norwegian Cruise Line

Ncl gem - any recent cruiser reviews?

By UandMe4Ever , October 31, 2013 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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UandMe4Ever

We are thinking about a cruise next Oct. (2014) on the Gem.. Eastern Carib from NYC. We've been on the Jewel 2x and the Dawn 1x. We prefer the Jewel...

We would greatly appreciate any and all input, pro's and/or cons with regard to this Ship/Itinerary, including food, entertainment, balcony cabins, etc.

One cruise is for 9 Nights and the other, 11 Nights.

Thank you all in advance! I know I can count on CC'ers to come through and be fair (and honest).

Safe sails always and many thanks again:)

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The Gem is our favorite ship. Going on this same cruise November 25th. Been on the Dawn, Star and Jewel Twice. This will be our 4th time on the Gem, very similar to the Jewel. The great outdoors is our preffered spot to eat our breakfast weather permitting of course.

We got off the Gem two weeks ago and had a great time. The ship was in great shape and the staff was amazing. We have also been on the Sun, Spirit, Star, Jewel and Epic. I say go for it.

I did that itinerary in April - review is in my signature :)

Thanks for a great review! I had been reading a bunch of negatives about the Gem and wanted some more info. You and all answered lots of questions.

Thanks to all.

Safe sails always.

Thank you so much for your great review. We are taking this same cruise for Spring Break and I haven't sailed with NCL since 1992, so I look forward to sailing on the Gem. It sounded like you had a fabulous time and we're looking forward to this great itinerary!!

We were on the Gem at the end of June and thoroughly enjoyed the ship. Our room steward was fabulous. We were in the Haven and loved our cabin and the Haven area. I'm not sure about the other balconies on this ship.

Waiters were somewhat "hit or miss", but a couple were outstanding. Food? It's subjective, but we could always find something that we liked. I especially liked the salads available at the buffet and eating outside. Our dinners varied in quality.

The departure point (NYC) was convenient and the timing worked well for us and our extended family.

Our Bahamas itinerary, with the exception of GSC which we like very much, was not our favorite; however, we knew that before booking. We booked for the ship, departure point, and timing. Just my personal opinion, but I think you're looking at more interesting itineraries.

Would I recommend the ship? Yes. I think you would enyoy either itinerary. If you decide to go, have a great time!

I have recently been on the GEM 3x so am obviously biased. 2 were 7 days

but the 9-day was even better. I sailed that one in winter & enjoyed

the 2 days down & back as the staff has plenty to entertain you.

I find the staff to be very friendly & helpful. As stated, food is a personal

choice but always found something to my liking except for the coffee so

I always bring my own.

The cruise director's staff are jovial leading their games & the entertainment

is aplenty w/their own singers & dancers and game shows, etc after the

main evening entertainment.

If you do sail her, join the RollCall to ask questions & hopefully have a

Meet & Greet aboard. Oh, after boarding hit the Pacific dining room rather

than topside as it is more serene.

Hi. We will be sailing on the Gem in an S4 Haven in August. Can you give me any information on what you requested for you cabin in the Haven, if you felt crowded in the Haven and do you have pictures? Did you experience any rain and did they keep the Haven ceiling closed off so you can still enjoy it?

Currently in The Haven as we speak…type

Weather is rainy. Roof closed, when they catch it in time.

Only three unruly kiddos. (Not mine :D)

Specialty restaurants are amazing, Cagneys and Orchid Garden so far

Blue lagoon rocks

Lobster in the Grand Pacific first night was amazing

Magenta one night so far was yummy. Portions seemed a bit small in both DR's

Entertainment

Seen second city for the fourth time, same skits but a few new ones

Leo on guitar is amazing as always

Cipriano as our butler. AWESOME!!!

Carlos as concierge comes by the cabin asks if we need anything and is always at his desk when needed.

GiGi is our steward. She is just as awesome as last year!

Only thing really missing is the enthusiasm and presence of Sinan.

Julie is the CD currently.

I think we were just spoiled the last two trips with having Sinan.

Even the energy of the kids club, my DD doesn't want to go.

But then again, I could be wrong about the energy…

being in the Haven, you never want to leave.

we just did a 9 day on Oct 19.

if you enjoyed the Jewel you will enjoy the Gem. We were on deck 10 midship in a balcony cabin.

We had breakfast every morning in Grand Pacific and dinners at Magenta. Lunches varied from Blue Lagoon to buffet to Mom and I having sushi together while the DH had to fend for himself. Service in both dining rooms was great and exceptional in Magenta as the assistant maitre 'd held a table for the 5 of us every night.

Shows were great. Julie, the cruise director always stopped to chat with us when she walked by.

Service one afternoon at Blue Lagoon was on the terrible side as our server took our order, did not give us everything we ordered, it was cold, and he simply disappeared. The only misstep in the cruise.

I have all the freestyle dailies if anyone needs info from them

Thanks to all of you who wrote about the Gem....It's reassuring to see so many positives....Nice to know....We've been on the Dawn and 2x on the Jewel and were pretty much pleased, especially on the Jewel for a 17 Night -- NY to LA through the Panama Canal and on to the Mexican Riveria....Nothing bad at all in all those 17 nights.

I did notice that the base price for the 9 night Gem in Oct. went from $1,109 to $1,249 cheapest balcony p/p...We'll see. The 11 night is $1,279...$30 more 2 extra nights. We'll be monitoring prices.

If we book through NCL, are there any cancellation fees or charge for booking? We might consider that and then switch to a TA (Our T/A charges $35 p/p cancel fee, but they include free insurance and sometimes a perk of OBC and/or wine....We see.

Thanks again and if anyone remembers anything we should know, please share here. I check frequently.

Safe travels always.

Hi. We will be sailing on the Gem in an S4 Haven in August. Can you give me any information on what you requested for you cabin in the Haven, if you felt crowded in the Haven and do you have pictures? Did you experience any rain and did they keep the Haven ceiling closed off so you can still enjoy it? Thank you.

Requests? Typically we request a fruit plate or chocolate covered strawberries for afternoon snack, rather than canapes, etc. (Our butler forgot this request and just brought us standard fare this cruise.) Through the pre-concierge, we asked that our refrigerator be emptied and that was done before we arrived. Our butler was almost never around (very different than any other suite experience on NCL) and didn't ask if we needed anything until the last day, so we didn't really ask for much. In fairness, it may have been that there were some very labor-intensive guests in other cabins that kept him busy; I really don't know. In contrast, the concierge, Ryan, and was always available to see how things were going. Gigi was our fabulous steward - one of the best ever! You can have breakfast, lunch, and or dinner delivered to your suite, whatever you wish. Also, your butler can bring you movies if you wish. Basically, your butler can help with any request inside your cabin and the concierge can help with requests outside the cabin (e.g., dinner reservations).

Haven crowds? Not on our sailing. I had read some stories about the sailings out of NYC and was a bit concerned, but ours was fine. There was one mom (not her kids:p) who was very loud, but otherwise everyone was well behaved and the Haven functioned as a haven! There were children, including mine, but all were well behaved. It never felt too crowded. You could also go up to the Haven sundeck any time. That was lovely and never crowded, often empty.

Opening the roof? It was opened and closed, depending upon the weather. Sometimes it would get too hot when it was closed and the sun came out, but overall it was very nice.

You'll love it!!! Have a fabulous cruise!!!

RYMOMA - Have fun in the Haven! Wish I was there, too!

Hi all,   Thanks to all of you who wrote about the Gem....It's reassuring to see so many positives....Nice to know....We've been on the Dawn and 2x on the Jewel and were pretty much pleased, especially on the Jewel for a 17 Night -- NY to LA through the Panama Canal and on to the Mexican Riveria....Nothing bad at all in all those 17 nights.   I did notice that the base price for the 9 night Gem in Oct. went from $1,109 to $1,249 cheapest balcony p/p...We'll see. The 11 night is $1,279...$30 more 2 extra nights. We'll be monitoring prices.   If we book through NCL, are there any cancellation fees or charge for booking? We might consider that and then switch to a TA (Our T/A charges $35 p/p cancel fee, but they include free insurance and sometimes a perk of OBC and/or wine....We see.   Thanks again and if anyone remembers anything we should know, please share here. I check frequently.   Safe travels always.

We did the 9-day on the Gem October 19 sailing too and really enjoyed it. We'd do it again in a heartbeat. It was our second time on the Gem and I like the ship as much as the Jewel.

There are no booking fees if you book direct. Cancellation fees apply only if you're cancelling within the specified timeframe. If you plan on transferring your reservation to a TA I think you only have a certain amount of time after booking to do it.

Just off the 9 day. Overall, a very good cruise. Good food and entertainment. Very few misteps.

• 3 weeks later...

Glad to see the positive reviews.

We were just on the Sun to Alaska this summer and while the service,entertainment and cabin were excellent,the food had ranged from mediocre to unedible(had a ribeye steak that you will never convince me was steak).But I have been told by others that other NCL ships have had better food so next year we will give the Gem a try on a southern itinerary that we would like to go on. Much more convenient from NY(we live in Jersey) than flying to Florida or San Juan.

Love the Gem. Sailed her many times, and going back in January. Very very similar to the Jewel

Upon boarding go to main dining room for lunch,back for first night lobster tails (order many), and do breakfast at the Outdoor Grill.Check for aft balcony (they the best)

Safe sailing

YankeeFan4Ever

Feel free to have a look at my photo review from our 9 day Gem Hurricane Sandy cruise. The link is in my signature. :)

• 1 month later...

shaharis1701

I am thinking of going on the Gem and was wondering if you could send me the freestyle dailies. How did you find leaving NY, how long did it take to get warmer?

Currently in The Haven as we speak…type   Weather is rainy. Roof closed, when they catch it in time. Only three unruly kiddos. (Not mine :D) Specialty restaurants are amazing, Cagneys and Orchid Garden so far Blue lagoon rocks Lobster in the Grand Pacific first night was amazing Magenta one night so far was yummy. Portions seemed a bit small in both DR's   Entertainment Seen second city for the fourth time, same skits but a few new ones Leo on guitar is amazing as always   Cipriano as our butler. AWESOME!!! Carlos as concierge comes by the cabin asks if we need anything and is always at his desk when needed. GiGi is our steward. She is just as awesome as last year!   Only thing really missing is the enthusiasm and presence of Sinan. Julie is the CD currently. I think we were just spoiled the last two trips with having Sinan.   Even the energy of the kids club, my DD doesn't want to go.   But then again, I could be wrong about the energy… being in the Haven, you never want to leave.   Have fun!!

Im leaving tomorrow on the Gem. Im so happy that Leo is there, loved him last year! Where is he playing? I think last year he was in the area by Le Bistro right before the casino.

The weather usually takes at least a day at sea and sometimes more. Honestly the wind is worse than the air temperature. The wind makes it hard to read so I usually spend the first 2 days on the balcony and in the casino:eek:

We sailed the Gem in November had an awesome time! My review is linked in my signature (and you can find the dailies and Splash Academy info there, too). Loved the 9-day & hope to do it again some day.

Depends on the weather. One year our daughter was in hot tub on first sea day, as well as many others, some even in the pool, but we did hit very, very nice weather. We were even able to swim at beach in Florida, and made the out island.

Just got off the Gem

Was sick for most of the trip with bad cold and cough but still loved it

Seas down south were very rough and one day coming north hit a bad storm but other than that a great cruise

Only thing missing would have been a win in the casino

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