Departed NYC on Mon. Nov 23rd and boarding was smooth and easy. This was our third time on the Gem and our 11th NCL cruise. The renovations to the ship were immediately noticeable and they definitely made a big difference in appearance. The atriums make over is delightful, the new beautiful lighting in the atrium is sharp but does block the big screen if your sitting at certain locations in O Sheehan's which is a deck above the atrium. Overall we had a fabulous time despite a few service issues. The bar staff was either short staffed or overwhelmed and I don't think they were overwhelmed because the ship was not full contrary to the sign at guest services. I was on this cruise with 6 other people and everyone had experienced the lag in the bar staff. We did have a few great bartenders but they as well seemed over worked with no help or not enough help.

The Photo Shop is beautiful and well lighted and bright. The internet Manager Stanley was awesome. Our bartenders at O Sheehan's, Shane and J J were awesome BUT AGAIN OVER WORKED. They were working solo shifts and were trying to serve drinks, take and serve food orders at the bar, make popcorn and serve the long lines of guests waiting for popcorn! REALLY!!!!!! Ramona who was an Atrium Bartender was excellent as well but again short handed and overworked.

On one morning while waiting for a mimosa ,Ramona was trying to serve guests , do paperwork while being hounded by a ship officer for 13 specialty coffees. The officer ordered the coffees and left, Ramona was trying to serve everyone and make these coffees. Shortly thereafter she gets a phone call by who I assumed was the officer looking for his coffees. She responded by saying "This is not a Denny's" and hung up. Several minutes later the officer returned and started to stand behind her and watch her make these coffees while guests are waiting to be served. Finally after 3 minutes or so of standing there and not helping her another bartender showed up (guests still waiting) and finally assisted her. I spoke to the Hotel Director about what I had witnessed and that every venue we had encountered was operating in the same fashion and exactly that way as I was speaking to him at the Atrium bar. He then got on his phone and called for more help. My wife also spoke to him about this on a different day and he said they were not understaffed. I have been on 10 other cruises and whenever I have seen the bar staff working to capacity and overwhelmed there have been bar managers even waiting on guests, this only happened once that I seen throughout the cruise. I met other guests on board became friendly with them over the ten day cruise and they all had the same experiences through out the cruise. Read more