Norwegian Gem Review

4.0 / 5.0
2,589 reviews

Treated like a Gem aboard the Gem

Review for the Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Norwegian Gem
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Kathy DelGaudio
10+ Cruises • Age 60s

Rating by category

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

Additional details

Sail Date: Jan 2017
Cabin: Mid-Ship Inside

We were treated royally by the staff of the Gem from the time we embarked until we disembarked on our 10 day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. NCL clearly aims to please all guests and created a relaxed friendly, fun atmosphere. Through the NCL website we were able to choose a time to check in. You can choose an early time, but keep in mind boarding will begin around 11:45 and your room will be ready at approx. 1 pm. You may have lunch on the 12th deck Garden Café Buffet or in the Grand Pacific dining room when you board the ship. The buffet may be crowded on the first day, so the dining room is a wise choice for those who do not do well with crowds. Check your Freestyle Daily as there are many activities aboard the ship on the first day aimed at getting you acquainted with the ship and the various services it has to offer. At around 3 pm you will be required to attend a safety meeting. I was impressed with the way this was handled as you did not have to go outside on a deck in NY's freezing cold weather, ours was conducted in the Irish Pub. After the seminar it is time to attend the sail away party and watch the ship pass by the Freedom Tower, Statue of Liberty and Verrazano bridge - next stop - the Caribbean. The days at sea were my favorite. I started the day with the fitness classes and especially enjoyed the "Fun Fitness Dance Class" where we were taught a number of new dances that we later used at the many late night themed parties. There were numerous seminars, games, tournaments and art auctions to attend during the day. Our energetic cruise director kept us well informed of the activities aboard the Gem. There are also TVs by the elevator banks that post activity times and dining room availability information. Food was plentiful with many choices served around the clock. Every morning in the Garden Café you will see a card by the place setting informing you of their themed buffet for the evening. One night was Seafood, another, Mediterranean, Asian, Italian, etc. You could also choose to have dinner at Grand Pacific, Magenta or Orchid Garden dining rooms for no additional charge as well as the specialty restaurants listed in the Free Style Daily in which a charge will apply. We had no problem obtaining a table, however, larger groups may want to make a reservation in advance. We chose to sample a different restaurant each day. I was especially impressed with the wine steward at the Grand Pacific dining room who remembered our choice of wine even though we did not dine there frequently. We were also impressed with the waiter remembering our anniversary without our mentioning it. We enjoyed the variety of evening entertainment in the beautiful Stardust theater. The shows were performed at 7 and 9 pm. I don't want to give away some of the surprises as the anticipation is part of the fun, highly recommend attending the shows. There is also varied entertainment in the many lounges throughout the ship. I enjoyed Leo the guitarist, and the Jazz and Reggae bands. After the shows there is the Late Night Party to attend or grab a bite to eat at the Grill or Irish pub. Our cabin was larger than I expected, attractively appointed. The cabin steward kept it very clean and surprised us with many creative towel animals and chocolates each evening. We had been to most of the ports on previous cruises. I suggest you attend the port seminars on board during the days at sea as you will received maps, discount coupons and great advice for shopping and excursions in the various ports. If you miss it, they will have the information on your stateroom TV. On our cruise the ship was cleared either on time or ahead of schedule and disembarkation was easy, no long lines. Remember to bring a photo ID as well as your NCL card when disembarking as the local authorities will need to check both.

We found St. Thomas to be the best port for shopping as the prices were less than the other ports on the items we wished to purchase. The Gem crew greeted us after a long day of shopping or sight seeing with a very welcomed cold drink and a cool towel on the pier and to the sounds of festive music playing in the background. The crew kept the Gem immaculate, an amazing feat given the more than 2500 passengers aboard. The fun did not end on the return trip, crew continued to keep our spirits high with wonderful entertainment and personal friendly greetings. We were treated to a performance by our Captain playing the bass one night - he sure is multitalented. Disembarkation was as easy as embarkation. In the lobby you could choose a luggage tag representing a time you would like to disembark. You could also choose an easy disembarkation if you are willing to take your own luggage off the ship and you will be the first passengers called to disembark. Breakfast is served on your final day in either the Garden Café or Grand Pacific dining room. The crew will also be serving coffee and pastries in the lobby on a rolling cart for passengers waiting to disembark. I highly recommend cruising aboard the Norwegian Gem.

Cabin Review

Mid-Ship Inside

Cabin IA

Exceeded our expectations. Excellent attentive steward.

Port Reviews

San Juan

Very clean, safe port. Old San Juan easily accessible by foot.

St. Thomas

Beautiful port with ample shopping - many of the same shops as in town similarly priced so no need to take the 3 mile walk if shopping is your goal.

St. Maarten

Took a taxi to the airline beach, Maho, so much fun.

Tortola

Short day so we just took a walk.

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