I am reading others reviews, and I honestly think they are way too harsh. The Gem had it's -, and alot of +.
Boarding: Boarding the ship was one of the negatives. It was long, hot and unorganized. It took us about 2 1/2 hours waiting in line, until we were able to get on the ship. Once we got on, we went upstairs for lunch to the buffet...CLOSED. There was a rope, and a woman telling us we could not enter for another 1/2 hour. Well, you don't tell this to a bunch of hungry New Yorkers who haven't ate in hours. So, we stepped over the rope, got our food, and spent about 10 min. looking for a place to sit, as our food got cold. I agree with others, it is hard to find seating, but if you went on the Feb. cruise, Presidents week, then you had to expect it to be crowded. I hope it is just not this crowded always. So, like someone else said, the tables were very dirty, bc I don;t think they anticipated so many guests.
Food: The food was not wonderful, if you like to eat gourmet food, but it certainly was nothing like college food. Anytime your getting food that is mass produced, you can't expect it to be the best. For the people complaining about the free style and having to make reservations...you knew what you were getting into! It wasn't a big deal, and if you made a reservation, you never waited. The French restaurant was delicious. Main dinning room was okay, but again, the food is mass produced. Some things better then others.