The 10 day cruise from NYC to the Caribbean aboard the gem was great! I had a 2 bedroom family suite on deck 11 which was perfect for a relaxing vacation. The butler, concierge and room steward were very accommodating, and helped every way they could. The priority embarkation and disembarkation reduced the stress normally associated with these times by totally eliminating lines. The specialty restaurants were very good with a quiet, peaceful atmosphere. It was a very nice vacation.

The entertainment was what one would typically expect on a cruise ship.

The only negative for me revolves around the smoke in the casino. It is extremely unpleasant and never seems to let up. It permeates your clothes and hair. consequently I avoided it which was a shame because everyone should be free to go to the casino. There really needs to be a small, well ventilated area for smokers who want to gamble and an area non smokers also can enjoy.