Norwegian Gem Cruise Reviews - Reviews

Cabin and bathroom is too small. You feel like you are in a closet.   Too many straight days at sea before getting to the first port.  Instead of 3 and one half days going to Puerto Rico, should consider another port.

ten days was just perfect. The crew on the Gem were wonderfully attentive to our needs.  Only downside is that the Gem has no accessible rooms in the Haven, which we wanted to book for future travel.  The accessible aft balcony suite had plenty of room and easily accessible, but we would have preferred the Haven.

Loved doing a 10 day cruise. Took our 17 year old and she was bored. Not many under 18 on board. Great cruise for couples and older folks. Food as good but desserts not so great. Staff were friendly but have done cruise on another cruise line and staff were nicer on the other cruise line.

I cannot recommend the Norwegian Gem!  The ship is recently refurbished but HVAC brought on asthma/bronchitis.  Maybe mold circulating?  We expected an inclusive experience, instead we felt extra costs were at every turn. 

We had prepaid a dining package for the specialty restaurants but were horrified to find menus in the main included restaurants with choices that would cost $20 or more extra. Norwegian even charged for taking a tour of the ship. Included in main dining-room were cheaper choices like spaghetti.  Food must be a big draw though for we (as longtime cruisers) have never seen so many obese people on one ship. Buffet gave good choices but when husband got sick & I had to take 3 meals per day, I had to cram a plate with all choices for no trays available. Best specialty restaurant was Chinese.  Japanese very noisy with good show.  Italian had gristly veal.  Brazilian rushed food at us when we wanted to dine.

Nightlife and Daytime life?

1.       Ship has loud music throughout bars, lounges, restaurants. Socializing difficult.  Husband hard of hearing but hearing aids forced off to deal with high ambient noise.  We had to take tables of 2. We could not share larger tables for he was not able to talk & listen.  We were together 24/7 without meeting new companions.

2.       Entertainment in Stardust Theater was very good but theater so cool some days we needed sweater, jacket and winter coat, plus hats.

Best experiences?

1.       Wait staff everywhere.  Especially kind was a St Lucian waitress in the Brazilian Restaurant!

2.       Internet Café Manager Anna D’cunha gave kind and excellent advice & help with wi-fi on everyone’s equipment and listened politely and tirelessly to problems which were out of her control due to the nature of ship wi-fi!

3.       Excursion to Virgin Gorda Baths & Snorkel with boat ride, crawling under & over rocks & snorkeling sights.

very relaxing , everything was as expected.. the italian  restaraunt  was excellant service and food. we also liked the chinnese restaraunt. leo the guitar player was entertaining and talented, very enjoyable to listen to. we enjoyed TIM the comedian he was very friendly and he talked to you like he knew you.   The only complaint was on the last night of the cruise they had a lot good things to do late at night where as the could have had it more during the week where you did"nt have to get up early the next day. we would do this ittinery again  nice job

BECAUSE THIS WAS OUR FIRST USE (OUT OF 60) THAT  SCOOTER WAS

N ECESSARY WE REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT THE HELP OF THE STAFF

WAS.  THE GEM HAS BECOME OUR FAVORITE CRUISER AND THAT WAS 

CERTAINLY REINFORCED THIS CRUISE.   OUR GET-AWAY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER NOW.

We had a nice relaxing cruise.  The downside was the food.  It seems as though  everytime we go on a Norwegian Cruise the food gets a little worse.   I'm sure they want passengers to eat in the specialty restaurants, which are much better.  The entertainment staff was great.  The shows they put on were good.  The comedians that they had such as second city were terrible.  The staff that ran the activities such as trivia etc. were great.  The ports were very good. 

We were on the gem on July 7 for 7 days so we could compare. This trip was somewhat disappointing from the buffet and at the la couchia as well as the dining room. A bettter grade of beef is needed to start. At the buffet there were curry dishes that were disappointing. The only reason I would book the Gem again would be for the Tahitian pool because the stairs getting in is a must for me. The help was very hard to understand.  I would like info on last minute cruise. We would only need 2day notice. Only out of Bayonne or Nyc. Bar and restaurants are overpriced and could not get reservations, so I guess it saved us money. Is the daun coming to NYC ?

the cruise was great.  The staff was exceptional. Plenty of variety for the food.   My only comment for improvement is people need to have more respect for the entertainers.  Showtime starts at 7 and 9 if you are not in your seats by that time doors need to be closed.  Not fair to the guests and also dangerous in the dark with the steps.  All in all great trip

Favorite part was time in ports except tortola would needed more time, switch times of PR with tortola would have been perfect cruise love the gem and therte staff

The itinerary for this trip was good, but the food on the Gem was not up to the standards of other NCL cruise ships. I don't know if it is because it is a smaller, older ship, or if NCL might be going to less inviting menus in the main dining rooms to entice cruisers to pay extra for other dining venues. found the buffet to also be bland and boring. I was disappointed that the main (free) dining venues had exactly the same menus every day for both lunch and dinner for 10 days. I think they should at least vary the menus every other day or so.

I was also disappointed in my cabin assignment. Although I chose to be assigned a cabin,I am a Gold Latitudes member and was expecting a much better cabin. I had two very narrow windows which offered only a very small view of the sky from only one of the windows. Perhaps it was because I was a solo traveler and they did not expect to make more money on only one person.

Most crew members were pleasant, welcoming and helpful. I would recommend that the shops on board offer more clothing items for sale ... not just items with the NCL logo.

The shows on board were entertaining. Overall, I enjoyed my cruise, but I probably would not go on the Gem again.

The attention to detail that everybody has and the enthusiasm with the greet you anytime of the day. I loved the way all the employees work so hard to make your experience the best one you can have on your vacation.

I have been on 3 cruises prior and loved the food. First time on Norwegian, on my honeynoon, and it was disappointing to say the least. Buffet was equal to bad cafeteria food, scrambled eggs consistency of loose oatmeal, they put muenster cheese and tomato on top of raisin bread and signed it as tomato, mozzarella on a baguette. Steak order medium-rare came out well done and like leather. Cake were very dense. Their  "american bar" which is like Applebee's can't make artichoke dip, they used a cream sauce as the base; tasted like cream only. List goes on. Service was spotty, sometimes would be served promptly other times your waiting 10-15 min for water. Photo was the worst service, they disregard you and make excuses as to why they can't help when they can very easily once management is part of the equation.

My family and I had a wonderful time on this cruise!  The staff was very friendly, ship was kept very clean, and there was a ton of things to do!  Getting off and on the ship was a very fast and easy process.  The only downfall to this cruise was we had to many days at sea.  We would definitely cruise with Norwegian again, but never take another cruise with so many days at sea.

My cousin has been on 46 cruises, has been wanting me to go w/ her for years.  Went w/ her on the Breakaway last year & hated it.  Too big; too crowded; too loud; could never get seats for anything; not enough entertainment.  But DID like the Gem:  Much more "manageable"; great shows; easier to get around.  Zack, the cruise director, made the entire ten days so much fun:  great spirit; always friendly; showed up everywhere, even to MC lots of the games that other staff members could have done.  I prefer a very different type of travel (Have explored - just me & my boyfriend - Vietnam, Cambodia, Israel, Jordan, & many more.  Spending the month of March in New Zealand, just us in a car).  But I would go on another cruise if I knew Zack was the cruise director.

The entertainment shows were excelent. We loved the night time entertainment, especially the philoppino group.

The walk off was poorly organized and run. You need todo a better job organizing the large number of passengers walking off the ship.

The service was not quite we are used to with Norwegian.Around the pool deck glasses, cups, and paper napkins left. The comedian was great, Tim Kaminski, always interacting with the passengers.

 Every night in the theater shows is the best! Also by the poolside.the food has BBQ and seafood style so tasty plus music and danc. The restrictions not only buffer but also special restaurants so many good food to choose. We had very good experience in NCL Gem at this time!

I have to say the cruise was relaxing and a great getaway. 

The staff was extremely accommodating and friendly. 

The entertainment was good but got old by the end of the cruise!

I was really disappointed that we were in the Carribean and could not enjoy the pools because they were colder than cold! The jacuzzi's weren't much better temperature wise that is if you could ever find a spot in one. 

The food really went down hill!! I love soup and the selections were horrible. When I go on a vacation I love to eat seafood, it was very scarce on the menu and were often combined with other fish which I can not eat due to an allergy. 

I really enjoyed the unlimited drink package. I normally do not drink but when I do I an very picky! Other than some of the fruity drinks which all had pineapple, I was happy drinking when I wanted to!! I am a water drinker and the water sucked!! They need to have a Spring water alternative!!! I wouldn't give Aquafina to my pets!! I had a birthday on my cruise and it was a pretty disappointing day! I had to pay for my dinner and almost had anaphylactic relation to a soup that had S almond in it and was not supposed to, thus I coughed through my dinner and could not enjoy it!

Service was great. Food was excellent. Entertainment was great. Definitely would take the cruise again. Just have fun. Everything is there for you to have a great vacation.