I would like to start with the fact that I have been a fan of NCL since 2000 when I took my first cruise with them on the Sky. I always recommend NCL to my friends who, like me, do not like structured vacations.
However, while overall I was pleased with my vacation, I cannot say I was entirely pleased with the staff on the Gem. Every day brought a new battle or hurdle and by the last day I was exhausted. I am not a complainer, nor have I ever been considered to be a "high-maintenance" guest, but I do have an expectation of value for my hard-earned money.
The check-in process was a little confusing at the beginning due to an un-informed employee telling me there was no VIP embarkation for suites. After we cleared up that little problem we enjoyed a nice quiet embarkation. Until they lost my mother's luggage. I trekked up and down our deck locating it as it had been delivered to the wrong staterooms. Plural. I had to do this myself as the reception desk told me there was nothing they could do to locate her luggage as the luggage hold area was empty. To relieve my stress I scheduled a massage for the next. Cristina was my massage therapist. She proceeded to give me the most unenjoyable massage I have ever had. She didn't turn on any music, didn't turn down the lights, didn't cover my eyes to protect them from the bright overhead lights, and talked the entire time giving me a sales pitch for all the Elemis products. I finally told her to shut up, stop and let me get dressed. Needless to say, I didn't pay for that massage. Later in the cruise I did make another massage with Lucy, a charming girl from England who gave me the best massage I've ever had! It was so good I scheduled another for our last sea day. She was fantastic and I made sure management knew it.