My husband and I just came back from a week on the Norwegian Gem. We were looking to get away for a week and the cost for the week was well worth it.We had traveled on the EPIC prior to this cruise and were very disappointed with the ship. The ship was poorly designed, the food was mediocre, the cruise director wasn't so good and the rooms on the EPIC were poorly designed. The only good thing about the EPIC was the entertainment. That was superior.So, needless to say, we had our reservations about the Gem. Well...all I can say is we were not disappointed at all. The ship is absolutely beautiful. The food was delicious and our cruise director, Sinan was exceptional. Leaving from NY was a breeze. No lines, no problems and the same for the return home. We knew that it would be cold leaving in March and we were prepared to be inside the first day at sea. Unfortunately, due to storms in the south east our first port (Orlando) was a wash out but we left the ship anyway and took a cab to the village of Coco Beach and walked around. The Bahama's were beautiful and the weather was perfect. The entertainment was good (not as good as the EPIC's)and we enjoyed the shows every night. Sinan hosted most of the games in the various lounges on the ship and they were excellent (The Quest, Newlywed Game and a 70's Disco show). We enjoyed the trip so much that we put a deposit down for another cruise while on board the Gem.