Norwegian Gem Review
Rating by category
Additional details
The last time I cruised was 30 years ago and things have certainly changed. The free style concept is great. I didn't want to be on a schedule. Getting on the ship was easy. Althou the lines snaked around and around, they moved quickly, and we got our key cards and boarded within an hour. The cabins were not ready (1:00ish) but we were able to drop off our carry on bags in the room and then set off to explore the ship and grab a bite to eat in the buffet.
The crew were the friendliest folks ever and I loved the 'washy washy' people that made sure your hands were sanitized before you entered any eatery.
The food in the buffet and dining rooms were good. Not great, but good. You certainly had a large selection of food to choose from and the food staff were eager to make what you wanted. The specialty restaurants were excellent. Very reasonably priced and the service was very attentive.
Cabin Review
Mini-Suite with Balcony
Oh I loved this cabin! Compact but so well laid out that we had plenty of room to store our clothes/items away. The bed was so comfy and my request for an additional pillow was met right away. The room had a hair dryer, coffee maker, mini fridge, desk area, small couch, tv. Two chairs and a small table on the balcony. There was a curtain you could close between the bed area and the couch/desk area to make 2 rooms.
The bathroom was small, but again, very well laid out. The only negative thing I could say about the bathroom was that the shower was in the tub, and you had to step up pretty high to get over the rim of the tub. But the water was always hot and water pressure strong. (LOL, another negative thing was the noise the toilet made when you flushed it, I thought if I stood too close, it would suck me down too!)
The cabin is located aft on the starboard side, right next to the after elevators. We could just walk up the stairs and we were right at the buffet. The Great Outdoors bar quickly became one of our favorite places to hang out (bar/eating area on the back of the ship). I think it took us a few days to realize that there was a front of the boat with things to do.
The cabin was quiet althou sometimes you could hear a chair scraping above you or high heels clicking on the floor.
I did buy a clear plastic shoe holder and hung it on the wall opposite the bathroom was magnetic hooks. I highly recommend doing this and using it to store your sun tan lotion, hair brushes, pain relievers, etc. It came in so handy.