Norwegian Gem Review

4.0 / 5.0
2,589 reviews

Satisfying Cruise, with a Few Kinks

Review for the Bahamas Cruise on Norwegian Gem
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nr_clark
2-5 Cruises • Age 30s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Apr 2015
Cabin: Inside

First time on NCL for my partner and me, and I think the Gem was a good 1st choice on the cruise line. We've sailed on Holland America, RCCL, and Princess in the past. The ship overall created a very positive cruise experience and the ship is clean, well-maintained (with some rust here and there, it's 8 years old), and for the most part the staff is pleasant. They do try to create a nice cruise experience for everyone, however many are by no means eager to please. Check-in was congested yet organized, which took about an hour from the marina walk-in to on the ship; check-out was faster/smoother than all other cruise line check-out's we've been on--it took about 20min.

As stated above, the Gem is clean & well-maintained But the age is showing and the details will wear as expected. If coming on this ship for a honeymoon, anniversary or what not, this could affect it if it matters to you!

Also, staff working on board are hard-working and very pleasant. However some of them are not service-oriented, never smile, and are borderline unapproachable. This happened to us many times during our cruise.

Cabin Review

Inside

Cabin IX

Inside staterooms don't get much better than this, folks. This inside stateroom is slightly bigger than the rest, with a generous king-width bed. It's great for couples on a budget. Also, the bathroom was excellent in decor, size, and the shower was big enough to bend over and pick up the soap! Beat that, Princess Cruises.

Port Reviews

New York (Manhattan)

The cruise lines need to consider having chauffeurs or a shuttle going from Port Authority to the marina. It's everyone for themselves and it's a very stressful way to start a cruise by having to lug your own luggage around trying to get to the marina on time. Other than that, the process in the marina was pretty smooth albeit slow.

Port Canaveral (Orlando)

This port is pretty much useless unless you're Mr. Moneybags. You walk out of the ship and all there is is a large parking lot. Any of the excursions costed a whopping amount of cash per person. NASA's excursion was an utter ripoff due to the price per person. I heard from other passengers that it simply was not worth the price. Going to the Universal Studios, Sea World or Disneyworld would be very lackluster because you would only have so many hours to go through the entire theme parks, only to get on the shuttle to the marina in time. These parks require more than one day to get the most out of them! What a rip off.

Great Stirrup Cay

Beautiful island with nice things to explore throughout. The water and reefs were clean and well kept. The activities and chairs were plentiful. I'd recommend snorkeling, as there was much to see under the water.

Nassau

Not much to see nor do. If you've already seen Atlantis resort, there's really not much excitement in seeing it again. The locals will harass you to buy things until you have to run away from them or scream at them. Who wants to deal with that? Also, it was raining cats & dogs on the day we visited, but that's not why I rated the port as poor.

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