This was my mom’s first cruise. Took her as a birthday present and splurged on the Haven. Very much enjoyed the experience. It’s truly like you are on a different ship. Feels super exclusive as there are so few Haven cabins on this particular ship. This itinerary was just so-so for me. Great Stirrup Cay was the best port, and IDK if it should even count as a real port of call since it’s NCL’s island!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Smooth with Haven treatment
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We dined mostly in the specialty restaurants or designated Haven restaurant, but the food was good overall. The Haven breakfast was always a treat. Very comfortable and relaxing. We had a great booth by the window.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
Entertainment
4 out of 5
The shows etc. were fine but not memorable IMO.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Liked the layout of this ship. The decor is a little hectic for my taste, but that’s just an opinion. It was a little dated as well, which is to be expected as it’s an older ship.
The Haven area on this class of ship is fantastic. The number of cabins is quite small, so it truly is a Haven. The Haven sun deck was almost like our own private deck most of the time.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This was a two-bedroom family villa in the Haven.
When we sailed, the Gem was due for a refurb. The upholstery and some of the furnishings were slightly worn. Nonetheless, everything was clean and functional.
The idea of this cabin is great. My husband and I traveled with my mom, so the separate bedrooms and bathrooms were wonderful for us. Everyone had their own space. The only thing I’d say is I’d prefer if there was a door between the master bathroom and the bedroom area. It would make the suite much more functional for people who are traveling as a group of friends or who aren’t a couple.
Really appreciated the nice cappuccino machine in the room.
I didn’t expect to enjoy my day here as much as I did as I’m not a huge beach person, but it was quite a lovely day.
Did the wildlife cruise excursion and thought it was great. The local guide and crew were fun and knowledgeable. The critters they dove for and brought aboard were cool to see up close.
The island itself was clean and pretty. Enjoyed the various beaches and areas.
The only negative was the lunch buffet was very chaotic. The buffet facility is relatively small and there was a lot of congestion and crowding. NCL needs to diversify the lunch options a bit so everyone doesn’t have to cram into the same place.
Our visit was a few years ago at this point, but we thought Nassau was fine. We took a cab to Atlantis to visit the aquarium since it was a rainy day. Afterward, we walked around Nassau a little. Had some conch fritters, looked at shops. Yes, people tried to approach us, but most weren’t overly aggressive. IDK if I’d care to return here again though. Once seemed like enough.
We didn’t do any excursions here. We rented a car to visit family in Orlando.
There is nothing to do at the port itself. Waiting for a rental car shuttle was a little chaotic. There weren’t really any designated pickup spots.
The area around the port is pretty industrial and not at all scenic.
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