Norwegian GEM Back to Back - Venice August/September 2010

This was our 6th NCL cruise, the last one being Alaska on Pearl in 2007. MY GOODNESS - how has NCL gone so downmarket?! Bingo, bingo, bingo - UUUGHHHHHH ! Money grabbing all over the place. Cruise Director overly patronising on first week - so he spoke 7 languages - bully for him - EVERY damn announcment was over the intercom in all 7 tongues! Second week had different Cruise Director who spoke only 3 languages, so only had to endure 3 sets of the same announcments. Food not as good on previous cruises - first night ate in the Magenta - had soup - SO salty, could not eat it. Wait for tables in main restaurants could take up to 45 minutes wait, then service very slow. Had to allow 2 hours for dinner in main dining rooms so ended up spending extra money to eat in speciality restaurants.

We enjoyed nearly all of the destinations, but the ship itself was tacky in places - silk flowers arrangements in gawdy colours with half the blooms missing. Our stateroom (a mini suite) was very mini - no different to a regular stateroom if you ask me! No bath robes supplied any more . . . . cost cutting evident in Garden Cafe too - only saw mushrooms on offer once in two whole weeks - ditto with grilled tomatoes. "Always available" items on main restaurants were NOT always available . . . . . . . Read more