This is a lovely cruise to take to see different areas of eastern Canada. While Sydney was not our favorite port, the rest had enough activities for us (without paying for excursions) to make us happy. We saw many renting ebikes and bikes. We saw many taking self-guided walking tours like us. We saw many just sitting in local parks, enjoying the beautiful weather. Consider spending the night in Quebec City before going home so you can explore the old part of the city. The Montmorency Waterfall Park is also a highlight.
We fared just fine with only eating at the complimentary restaurants, especially with eating lunch in most of the ports (a seafood chowder tour of sorts!). We were also fine without purchasing a drink package. Most drinks are comparable to every day restaurants ($8 beer, $9 wine, $12 cocktail). If you only drink one or two per day, it's less expensive to purchase them one at a time.
If you have something you need for sleep that requires electricity, check ahead with the cruise line about outlets near the bed, or bring an extension cord. We had not outlets near our bed, and I couldn't use something I needed for sleeping.
The Gem is a beautiful ship with plenty to do when at sea. Casino, art gallery, fitness, pools, hot tubs, parties, entertainment, trivia and games, presentations...something for everyone.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
It was super easy. We printed our luggage tags at home, dropped off the suitcases when we arrived, and got in line. Things moved rather quickly, and we were on board 45 minutes later.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
We did not eat at any of the specialty restaurants. We did eat at many of the complimentary restaurants, including the buffet. The food was decent enough with many options. We decided against a beverage package and bought drinks when we wanted them. The prices were reasonable, and we spent no more than $200 over the week on board for alcoholic drinks.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
There was a pool, many hot tubs, a climbing wall, multi sport court (basketball, etc), pingpong, and fitness center. We did none of those. The trivia and gameshow events were quite fun.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
We were lucky to have a great team of singers in the main theater for a Broadway Cabaret show and a 70s extravaganza. The magician was okay. We really enjoyed the various live musicians throughout the ship at night.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Every person we encountered was very nice and personable.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Everything was always clean and sparkly. I found it easy to get around the ship, but I did notice a lot of people getting lost. My husband had trouble finding his way a few times.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
We loved the location of our cabin. The size was perfect for us. It was an obstructed view, but we didn't mind that at all. The layout worked well except for the lack of outlets near the bed (problem if you need to have something by your bed that requires electricity). We did have two issues. One was a drawer that kept opening while we were underway; it would not stay closed. The other was our toilet not flushing for 5 days. They would fix it, and then it would not work again. Fortunately, there was a public toilet just steps away from our room. Norwegian never acknowledged the issues we were having.
Ship tip
There's plenty to do onboard to keep you busy. If one of the ports is a tendering port and you have mobility issues, this might not be the cruise for you (Bar Harbor was one for us, but we were able to tender without issues). You will need the internet package and/or cruise package from your cellular provider if you need access to land at all times. It's possible to have a lovely cruise without specialty dining. Onboard credit is a nice thing to have. All the cities we stopped at were walkable with things to do without purchasing excursions.
Be wary of the unhoused population if you are walking about on your own. We did a self curated, self-guided walking tour and took an Uber to the Titantic burial ground. We were able to see everything we planned to see.
Be wary of the unhoused population. This port was not very welcoming, and there wasn't much to do on your own. We did a self curated, self-guided walking tour, but there wasn't a lot to see in the harbor area. It might be worth it to purchase an excursion for this port.
This was the most welcoming and most organized port of our trip. There are plenty of self-guided walking tours planned by the city to follow - just look for the colorful stripes on the sidewalks. There's a lovely boardwalk along the harbor, lots of rich history in town, and plenty to see.
While this port was welcoming, there wasn't much to do beyond one block from the boat. However, there is a fitness path that runs along the entire harbor (5 miles or so) that is easily walkable or bikeable. What makes this stop remarkable is the ride in through the fjord. It would be worth splurging on a seaplane or helicopter tour to see it (though it's not like fjords in Norway or Iceland).
If the cruise docks east of the city, it's more difficult to get to Old Quebec City. I highly recommend spending the night here so you can explore Old Quebec City. There are so many things to see, do, and eat. It's all very walkable once you get there.
We carried off our own luggage with no issues. It was super easy to get a taxi. If using a Taxi, ask if they take credit cards. Ours did not, which was a surprise at the end.
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