We had the pleasure of cruising with a Group of friends and had a wonderful time with them but also made new ones as we kept running into the same people. Thats the beauty of a smaller ship and Gem is a beauty. Post Pandemic has been notably difficult for NCL to recapture the same level of service, quality of food and entertainment they were so masterful at providing before 2020. Hopefully with the new CEO at the helm, they can improve upon what used to be taken for granted and reward those most loyal to them again. Bottom line, we didn't purchase Cruise Next Credit vouchers this time as we were disenchanted by them refusing to release a portion of our credits earned towards this cruise and frankly didn't trust them to hold any more of our money as they give the impression that they don't have the means to refund it but just opt to "provide credits" that may not be deemed applicable at their discretion.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
I would've given this 5 stars if there was more organization and direction once checked in. However, I appreciated that they had a spa rep taking reservations for Sea Days while we waited to board which saved me from having to rush to the spa first thing.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Now I am not a gourmet cook critic by any means but after being forced to learn the art of cooking my favorite restaurant dishes during the pandemic lockdown, I've no patience for improperly cooked cruise cuisine either. That being said aside from a few specialty dining experiences, namely: Le Bistro, Moderno and Teppanyaki which were 5 stars and Magenta (their complimentary restaurant) which was also very good, all of other complimentary restaurants were disappointing serving undercooked or cold food to table. So overall I would rate the food on board average when you take into account the non- specialty restaurants, and I would not recommend this cruise line for Foodies. For the first time ever on any cruise, I sent a dish back and it was in their specialty steak house, Cagney's. I guess seafood isn't their forte, because not only did they present my cedar plank trout with a slice of bacon on it (what the heck?) which my hubby was more than happy to eat said slice of fishy bacon off of so I would try to eat it anyway, but once I sliced into it found to be red raw and cold! I opted for the Filet Mignon instead which they did know how to cook and judging from its arrival just a couple of minutes later, It must have been another cruiser's order up...so sorry to whoever had to wait longer for their steak. If you go to Cagney's on the Gem, just play it safe and order the steak. Better yet, save a few dollars and order surf and turf from the complimentary restaurant Magenta with their finely prepared steak and Lobster bisque instead (pairs nicely with LeCrema Chardonnay)
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
I enjoyed the adult pool on port days which is more like a mini lap pool by the spa entrance and perfect PH levels (I know, I brought the test strips before going in) when it wasn't too crowded and the fitness center had the best panoramic views while working out. We also found the walking track of Deck Seven to be less crowded and even enjoyed a few rounds of shuffle board while out there. The DJ could use some workshops to hone his mixing skills, but other than that he compiled a cool mix of dance tunes on Eighties Night and for our White Party did an excellent job procuring the rights to modern Irish rowdy rock songs....very festive and fun for St. Patrick's*
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Blazing Boots was an awesome production but wasn't too impressed with the comedian who got was quick to laugh at his own "jokes" and was pretty gross during the PG show...more like rated R.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Our cabin steward was very nice, remembered our names & always had a smile on his face.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Refreshed and refurbished with ideal layout and beautiful aesthetics.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
I kept my expectations pretty low since it was an inside on an older ship but it had recently been totally renovated. Cozy but not cramped with ideal configuration between sleeping area and large, full shower bathroom. Plenty of storage; adequate enough for an 11 night cruise wardrobe!
Ship tip
Avoid the buffet crowds and keep heading toward the Aft of the ship for their al fresco buffet which has a full service bar too.
We loved staying at the RIU in Time Square that was within walking distance to our Broadway Show, "Bad Cinderella" & plenty of Irish Pubs to celebrate St. Patty's!
Captain decided not to risk approaching due to high winds so had an extra Sea Day instead. I should note that the original iteneray was comprised of Grand Turk and Antigua instead of Bermuda but those ports were exchanged for Bermuda as a concession to missing two ports on a lengthy cruise formerly deemed "The Best of the Caribbean". So with the removal of Bermuda we were left with only 5 ports of call on an 11 NIGHT cruise. Bottom line, Buyer Beware as NCL has been cancelling a ton of ports on their itineraries and they will not refund your port fees to your card charged but will instead try to rectify the situation by crediting a fraction of the taxes and fees paid for that port back to your ship board account. Ours was only 20 bucks; a slap in the face considering we pre-paid for 3 ports originally.
Don't waste your time trying to gain Wi-Fi access in Port if your American, you can just utilize it onboard since your technically within the US there. We opted to just walk about and visit the Fort which had stunning views.
We went in with a group of tourists on a van that took us around the entire island. While cost effective, I wouldn't opt for going rogue again and would just book an excursion through the cruise line instead.
We visited a quaint little marine park called Coral World. Loved viewing the sea turtles they rescued and walking around the dolphin sanctuary but the "Bonus" of adjacent Coki Beach, not so much. It was over crowded and not secure.
Since we have never been to the DR before, we decided to learn more about the port and take the History/Culture excursion that NCL recommended which started off at the Rum Factory for a tasting before heading to a jewelry maker's shop, hot chocolate cafe, historic village & a museum inspired by the amber utilized to create dinos in Jurassic Park. What made this port the most memorable was the company with our Group of Friends whom I got to celebrate my birthday with. Otherwise, I'd advise just hanging out in the newly developed port that the ship docks into so you can enjoy the complimentary pool with swim bars, lazy rivers to tube in, DJ provided music that stretches out on a secure, private, white sand beach overlooking your ship. That would be my choice for next time I have Puerto Plata as a stop because the country is still very third world and there was just too many neglected stray dogs (one was trapped on top of a roof) and poorly mistreated and malnourished horses having to pull tourist's buggies in sweltering heat. It's tough to witness that level of cruelty while feeling helpless to do anything about it. Whatever you do, do not support these buggy drivers as they are inhumane.
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