Norwegian Gem Review
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My wife and I are veterans of the NCL Cruise Experience, and the New England voyage from New York on the NCL Gem was our 9th adventure with Norwegian and 13th cruise overall. When evaluating a cruise experience, I consider itinerary to be the most important factor so one has to set realistic expectations. New England has a rich history and seasonal beauty but its attractions could be expected to match other excursions to Ancient Rome, the Great Wall of China or the Summer Palace at St. Petersburg found on our other voyages.
The NCL Gem is a well maintained "Jewel" class ship with a very friendly crew. It shares architecture with the the Pearl, Jewel, and Jade. The ship was very well maintained and had a nice décor mixing fun with elegance. Public areas including the casino, theatre, and bars were clean.
Dining, as with most ships, was hit or miss - highlights included a wonderful Rib Eye Steak (and Chilean Sea Bass for my wife) at Cagney's and a turkey dinner in the main dining rooms. Lowlights included pizza at the buffet and cheesecake anywhere. The buffet had fresh fruits, pasta stations, and some pretty tasty desserts. NCL, in my opinion, has upgraded its desserts in the buffet as well as other dining venues in the past few years. The buffet had custom stations for omelets, pasta and crepes. Hand scooped and soft service ice cream was also readily available in the buffet. Our cruise had about 2400 passengers (nearly full for double occupancy) - the buffet wasn't ever packed, but prime times in specialty restaurants filled up soon after departure so make reservations early. We had access to the concierge, so she was able to fit us in all of our specialty restaurants at our desired time the day of.
Cabin Review
Courtyard Villa with Balcony
Can't complain about the Haven! I have been in suites on other lines, and have never seen bathrooms as nice as the H4s. Balcony maybe a little small but with the Haven outside including its sun deck, there are plenty of options to enjoy the sea breeze.
Port Reviews
Portland (Maine)
Second most photographed lighthouse in America, the Portland Headlight.
Halifax
The public library is close to the dock and a great place to get a free Wi-Fi connection. The Public Gardens had beautiful grounds with flowers, ponds, and fountains. The Citadel is Canada's version of the Tower of London and was well worth visiting.
New York (Manhattan)
Before the cruise we visited the Met and the Cloisters, two excellent museums well worth seeing. After the cruise we visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum - sacred ground and a true must see for any American.