As a first time cruiser, the Cruise Critic reviews were very helpful to me. I'll try to touch on some of the areas I was concerned about prior to our Mediterranean vacation.

The Ship - We sailed out of Barcelona on 9/20/09 on Gem. This is a newer ship. The ship was very clean and everything seemed to be in very good condition. I was pleasantly surprised with our rooms. We had a balcony room on the 9th floor. The room was well layed out and had plenty of closet space for 2 people. The rooms were modern and clean and the beds were very comfortable. I would recommend that anyone cruising during periods of warm weather get a room with a balcony. During our trip the temperatures averaged in the high 70's and we were able to keep our sliding door open while sleeping. The sound of the waves with the cool breeze made for perfect sleeping weather. There were 2 outlets in the room. The room contained a good hairdryer and refridgerator. We had plenty of hot water for the shower and great water pressure. The rooms also had a flat screen tv (limited channels) and a coffee maker. Service - With the exception of housekeeping I found the service to be average. Our 2 housekeepers were extremely friendly and made-up our rooms 2x daily. Food - There are a few dining areas that do not charge an extra cover charge. The buffet offers the biggest selection. Breakfasts were good, with the exception of the coffee, which was extremely watered-down and I believe contained no caffeine. Stay away from the desserts. They look pretty but are flavorless with odd textures. Great selection of fresh fruit. Also the drinking water is fine, so there is no need to purchase bottled water. A warning about the buffet -- fellow cruisers were extremely rude at areas where there were usually delays (beverages and made-to-order stations). People would just get into the front of the lines and help themselves. My friend even had juice spilt on her and not even a sorry or excuse me from the other person. I was really surprised at how many cruisers had poor manners. On our last night we paid the extra $10 a person and ate at Tequillas. The food was plentiful and tasted wonderful. Great salsa and crab dip. We wish we ate there more often. We also ate at Le Bistro one evening. The entree was above average and the dessert was excellent. Amenities - the fitness center was beautiful, the pools were lively, but it was often difficult getting a chair. Entertainment - the casinos were fun but smokey. We saw 3 shows in the Stardust. The NCL performers were very talented. The shows were entertaining but a little cheesey. The magician/"illusionist" was pathetic, so we walked out of that one.