This is our third NCL cruise. We have sailed on the Dawn, Spirit and last week the Gem. This trip was a 7 day cruise to the Bahamas. Our travel group consisted of eight adults with some mobility issues. We hired a limo for easy connection to our cruise. We found the embarking went smooth. But a word to the wise. NCL is serious about no water,soda or juice rule. One member of our party had traveled five hours the day before and had forgotten about the two water bottles in her checked bag. Once we had boarded she was called down to security to retrieve her bag and was lectured about the forgotten water bottles. Simple mistake. And the staff did their job. One liter of water is 5.00 plus tax and gratuity. They state the water is safe to drink and it probably is, but it tasted funky. I bought a Britain water bottle with filter and that Worked for me.

Our cabin was aft mid ship balcony, deck 10. I was underwhelmed with the room decor. And the suite seemed smaller then I remembered. Previous cruises the room was bright and colorful. The bedding in this suite was white. The room was clean, but I travel with cleaning wipes. The couch was more like an oversized sofa chair and worn looking. We settled in unpacked and we were greeted by a very friendly and helpful cabin stewards.

The main areas were bright and the decor was elegant and you felt the vacation vibe. The ship was easy to maneuver and the restaurants and bars easy to find. Read more