Norwegian Gem Transatlantic December 2007
A long time ago, I used to go with my parents to Africa on passenger liners, first stop was Madeira then 10 days at sea to Cape Town. The difference on a passenger ship was they sailed with a purpose, rather than pleasure and carried mail and cargo (passenger households goods and cars etc) and for this purpose they even had their own onboard cranes.
So to compare ships of years ago with this brand new Norwegian Gem is rather akin to comparing a 1950s car with something in the car showroom for 2008 delivery. Certainly with no doubt the ship is superb, no longer do we have teak decks but deck cushioned matting, lifts, a/c everywhere, a huge video wall, the care and detailed planning that has gone into this new ship is excellent, for example each cabin has its number also in braille, the carpet in the corridors are laid out so that the dolphin design means that if you get lost the dolphins head is always facing to the bow. There is a laundry on board on three of the decks with three washers and three driers and two irons......we did form a mutineers cmtee but like everywhere else on board there are cameras everywhere (rumors of a 1000 plus ) - so don't pick your nose!