This cruise was one we had looked forward to with great anticipation, and our expectations were largely satisfied. The Gem, which we had sailed aboard before, is beautiful and three of the four ports we visited were well worth the wait. I would recommend this itinerary, especially at this time of year when the fall foliage is on display.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation went very smoothly, except for a ridiculous form we had to fill out for Canadian customs.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
La Cucina, as always, had very good food and excellent service. The Garden Cafe had mostly good food, although the fruit cocktail was gross and a "vegetable panini" containing only cole slaw is misleading.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
I don't think I should be required to rate the onboard activities, as we did not participate in them!
Entertainment
5 out of 5
We saw all three stage shows - "Swing", "Blazing Boots", and "Get Down Tonight". All were excellent!
Children's Programs
No children.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our steward was wonderful, and the wait staff at La Cucina were very friendly, helpful, and attentive.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The Gem is beautiful and well-designed. Common areas were always clean.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The cabin was comfortable and clean. The main drawback is that the layout was somewhat awkward. For example, the closet was directly opposite the bathroom. If one person was at the closet and the other was in the bathroom - watch out for the door! The closet was also smaller than that in our previous cabin on the Gem.
Ship tip
Spend lots of time on the outdoor, non-pool, deck (Deck 7), weather permitting. It's rarely crowded and provides a peaceful, relaxing getaway simply by stepping through a door.
Halifax is an attractive city, and all of the principal sights are located within walking distance of the port area. Our excursion was a coach tour of the city, the highlights of which were a walk through a beautiful public park and a moving visit to a cemetery where more than 150 victims of the Titanic are buried.
St. John is attractive, with a few lovely (and very small) parks, but it has few interesting sights to see. Our excursion was a coach tour, the highlight of which was a visit to the Reversing Falls, where the St. John River flows upstream at high tide. It's quite interesting and extremely beautiful. Unfortunately, that's it.
Bar Harbor itself is not terribly interesting, but one goes to Bar Harbor to see Acadia National Park, which is gorgeous and amazingly diverse in terms of the flora and fauna. The view from Cadillac Mountain is breathtaking. Our excursion was a mini-bus tour of the park and it was a wonderful experience.
Portland is a beautiful little city, with many shops and restaurants located within a few blocks of the port area. Our excursion was a coach tour of the city, including visits to three of the many lighthouses in the area. The first two were not particularly exciting, but the third was the magnificent Portland Head Light, the first lighthouse commissioned by the United States in 1790. Portland also has many gorgeous homes of historic interest in a wide variety of architectural styles.
For some reason, the disembarkation process was halted at one point and no one was allowed to leave the ship for approximately one-half hour with no explanation given.
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