Norwegian Gem Cruise Reviews - Reviews

Once again, we had a wonderful cruise on the Gem. Everyone on the ship goes out of their way to be friendly. Our last day at sea, we sailed through a big storm. There were waves over 11 ft high and the ship never swayed. If you didn't look out the window you would not know how rough the seas were. Love NCL and the Gem.

just finished an 11 day on the Gem on 4/29 out of NY. second year in a row and our second cruise ever. must say the staff was outstanding at every level. we had a suite and it was kept impeccable by our cabin steward. our butler was a daily show with treats for my 13 year old and mid afternoon snacks. I felt we barely saw him and never seemed to really need his services so it may be a bit over kill on suites. we LOVED our concierge Elvina, who was incredibly visible during the entire trip around the ship. she was always very accommodating with requests, and followed up on everyone. the staff in specialty restaurants were especially attentive, always remembered our names and generally made every breakfast, lunch and dinner a special occasion. bartenders were outstanding, especially the back pool deck and aft deck bars. having a drink package is only way to go. the captain was outstanding and very friendly as he made sure the trip was as smooth as possible, went a bit out of his way to avoid rough seas (confirmed by many staff) and was always seen around the ship making his rounds checking on things. after two long trips on this ship, my ONLY complaints are the "holding" of deck chairs by the pool as the norm as it always seemed to be full, but we made do in the upper areas with plenty of seating. I would agree with a previous post of skipping the peak buffet times as it gets kind of free for all-ish. I'm not a smoker (sorry to those who smoke) so my favorite "theme" bar was full of smokers and frankly had to be avoided at all costs, along with the casino as they both reek from the stench of stale cigarettes. highly recommended this ship as its the perfect size for a relaxing vacation. there is everything you need on this ship. freestyle cruising is fabulous.

My husband & I went with my 9 yr old!! Layout of the ship is awful!!! Not enough bathrooms near pool. Main atrium felt like hotel lobby - nothing exciting about it! Service of most staff needs to be improved!! Food was mediocre. Kids care was great!!!!! Hibachi was wonderful!!! Loved the outdoor dining at the back of the ship! Biggest issue was the the kids club & shows both started at 7pm. Which meant that one of us was always a 1/2 hour late to the show (as we dropped off our son at the club) & the other watched half the show alone! So disappointing!! But the shows were all wonderful!!!

We just got back from this amazing cruise. The staff of the Gem was beyond amazing, to name a few Enver always made you laugh and was so much fun. Tim Kaminski the comedian put on the comedy shows I have seen in a very long time. All of the bartenders, waiters, and restaurant staff went above and beyond. The shows were fantastic. Can't wait to cruise again on Norwegian Gem.

The Gem is an awesome ship, not too big not too small. We’ve been on the Gem a couple times and loved it each time. Once to Fl and Bahamas and another 10 day Eastern Caribbean.

Our Norwegian Cruise to the Eastern Caribbean was wonderful. Although we had very little in the way of sunshine and a lot of rain it was still a great cruise. This was our first cruise with Norwegian and we were very happy with them. One of the reasons we choose Norwegian was for the Freestyle dining and it did not disappoint. The food was top notch although we had 3 dinners in the upgraded restaurants and we felt they were not worth the extra money. The Grand Pacific and Magenta dining rooms had delicious food with different menus nightly and you could choose more than one selection on each course. The Garden Cafe was the main dining area for breakfast and lunch buffet style and the food was excellent although it did not stay warm as you searched for seating each time.  The entertainment was terrific every night with one exception...the "Second City" show was a horrendous attempt at humor and we left halfway through. Terrible. The comedian, Tim Kaminsky, was the funniest we have ever seen!! Don't miss him! Also do not miss Leo, a solo act guitarist/vocalist who was an excellent singer and entertainer. We saw all of his performances in various areas and he was terrific! The on board activities were excellent and there was plenty to do which was important since there was very little pool weather. The staff and cruise director were very personable and did a good job entertaining. The housekeeping staff (our steward was Derek...the best) kept the rooms clean and tidy with both make up and turn down service and were very attentive to needs and requests.The photography staff did a great job with several photo opportunities and were very professional.

There were a few minor things that were negatives but the major complaint we had was the smoking on the ship. It was allowed on balconies (tolerable somewhat) but smoking was also allowed in the casino and the stench was horrendous even in the hallways leading to it. Inside the casino was intolerable and several other passengers expressed the same complaint to us in our conversations. Unless Norwegian goes smoke free we may have to choose another smoke free cruise line. This problem brought our rating down to a 4.

We had a great trip. We booked the owner's suite 9004. It was very large with a front and side balcony. We were a little concerned about the loud decor, but after a while it wasn't so bad. Highly recommend travelling in the Haven. It was a nice place to rest away from the hustle of the ship. Food was good and the staff could not have been nicer or more attentive. Travelling out of NYC early in the year can be quite the bumpy ride, and it was a few times. It took a while to get used to the banging of the waves on the front of the ship. The smaller ship, comparatively, was easy to navigate and we'll laid out. We do however miss the grand atrium that many ships have.

Other than physically significantly impaired people causing major problems upon others during two excursions and ship Easy Walk Off disembarkation it was not too bad. If people would just abide by cruise line rules and not choose to ignore them the problems would not have occurred. As in all other situations with life there are those who are selfish and choose not to follow the rules, don't caring that they cause others stress and discontent. The Orient Beach and Abi Beach excursions are always a highlight of the Eastern Caribbean Cruise. This is the second cruise to the same area so may have to travel down to FL to cruise to a new area. Can't say enough about the top-notch ship crew and food. If you have not cruised on the Gem out of NYC then you should. It is an excellent price and the warm weather is priceless in cold March.      

The ship was full - we even tried to bring one more person but they wouldn't let us. Even so the ship didn't seem busy and there were hardly any children on-board - lots of room to be by yourself on deck 7 if you wanted.  Outdoor barbeques every sea day that included seafood pasta, chicken, pork and either cherries jubilee or bananas foster for desert.  For the most part the staff were awesome less one grumpy bartender in the Spinakker Lounge.  The cruise director Mark was a little cheesy but he knew it and played it up - it was entertaining. Comedian Tim Kaminski was on board performing - very funny and personable - we went to all his shows.  Magician Greg Gleason performed some amazing card tricks and then followed that up with a boring infomercial on improving your memory - wish i could forget it happened.  An awesome juggler Barry Johns also performed.  Overall we had a great time!        

Just got back from the 10 day cruise. Fourth time cruIsing Norwegian, second time on the Gem. This was the best cruise yet! We had a balcony room and got the beverage package and dining package. Recommend you to get both, especially if you are a drinker or a foodie. Also, if you've never joined Latitudes, join now. We jumped the line to get on the ship because we were members. That was huge, as the line was long. Food: we dined at 4 specialty restaurants: Cagney, Teppanyaki, Moderno, La Cucina. All were great with Cagney being the top. Dining rooms are good, having one bad meal at Grand Pacific (don't order the lasagna). Loved everything at the Garden Cafe buffet, especially the bread puddings with Carmel sauce and the soft serve! As long as I didn't have to cook! Cabin: we stayed in a mid ship balcony room. The rooms were a fine size. Typical for a ship room. TV sucked if you just wanted to hang in your room. Loved sitting on our balcony with a glass of wine and crossword puzzles. Staff: EXCELLENT EVERYWHERE! Polite, helpful, fun. Special shout out to our cabin steward Sokkaia, Athena from the Philippines in Moderno, and Ash, who hosted lots of great games all over the ship. The Captain was also entertaining, playing guitar and singing. Jake, shopping consultant and Mark, cruise director were nice also. Bartenders were quick with drinks. Not long waiting. Entertainment: top notch singing and dancing broadway group, great comic...other acts, eh, didn't impress. Casino is the same. Takes lots to give a little. Great piano singer. Ports: all were great, with Tortola being the worst. Want to spend more time in Puerto Rico. Don't buy into the ships shopping suggestions and look for your own excursions. The stores the ship wants you to visit up their prices to cover the kickback costs they pay the ships. Look for other stores for better derails. We walked in PR and met many US Coast Guard along the way. Was great talking to them. We met Tim of Tim's Tours in St. Thomas in town just by chance. Was the best tour we've ever taken and cheaper. He was so personable and knowledgeable! Be adventurous! You could save lots of money. Suggestions: bring your own water bottles to stay hydrated. We got Brita filtered water bottles. We also brought along travel coffee/tea mugs for our first morning jolts. There is a coffee pot in the cabin, but we went up to the cafe to get coffee/tea. Don't forget sunscreen AFTER you swim. Sun poison is not fun! This was the first cruise we didn't want to end. Can't wait to get back again soon! A vacation is what you make of it, so make it good.

This was our first time on Norwegian and it was fantastic! The crew was so friendly and always went above and beyond to make our vacation wonderful. The food was fantastic as well as the service. The entertainment was outstanding, especially Leo! We will definitely be sailing with Norwegian again!

The ship handled like a champion of the sea. It was clean and easy to get around. We enjoyed almost every show and enjoy sitting by the pool. The ports were great and had plenty of time to spend on the Islands except for Tortola, visit was short. We had a mid ship 9th floor balcony which to us was perfect. I would take this same cruise again. My only suggestion is to try to get the guest service people to smile. On a scale of 1-10 it's close to 10.

My better half and I have sailed on the Gem 14 times, on anywhere from a one night cruise to nowhere and a 12-day transatlantic cruise(TA). After the TA, we stayed on the ship for the first 7-day cruise to the Bahamas--19 days at sea and it wasn't enough! Everything was fabulous. From the food to the service, the crew to the shows, the Gem is a perfect ship to throw all you cares away and enjoy the perfect vacation! All of the premium restaurants are amazing. They cater to your every whim! Tepanyaki, the hibachi restaurant cooks your food perfectly right in front of you! Cagney's steakhouse cooks your beef to a turn--perfect! People that write these reviews need to remember that there are 2500 other people on board… Sometimes things get missed, sometimes waiting on line is necessary... If you set out to have a bad cruise, you will get your wish… Relax. Enjoy. And know that every member of the crew from the guy that swabs the deck, to the wait staff, to the bartenders, all the way up to the captain want you to have the vacation of a lifetime! We will come back to the Gem again and again because she consistently provides the most amazing vacations for which one could ask!

The staff was amazing. The people on board were the best. The teens were very special! We made some lifelong friends.                                                                

We are active cruises usually 1 to two cruises per year. This was our 2nd time on the gem and we were hoping for better, it did not deliver, actually was worse. Left NYC on a Tuesday morning and from the start we were greeted with luse warm reception. There is definitely something going on with this ship, the entire crew is miserable with the exception of a few. I noticed most if not all the crew members seemed far too over worked, we would see them in the morning and then again working late into the evening. I know crews work long hard days but this seemed to the extreme. 

Starting with our cabin 11590, balcony suite, the most uncomfortable bed I have ever slept on. We has the Stewart but two pads and an extra comforter on it and it still was unbearable. We ended up asking for extra pillows and put them under the mattress. The food at most of the speciality restaurants was just ok, cagneys was very good and the Italian was awful. Entertainment was terrible, shows were very hokey and have not changed in years. Second city needs to retire from the ship. Buffet food which we never usually eat was horrible when we did try a couple times. 

Casino staff is the worst we have ever seen, we were on this ship with a casino cabin and usually gamble a considerably large amount. Not one staff member asked our names or ever introduced themselves.  When we attained Golden status we actually had to approach the desk and ask for new cards and to explain step up program. They had no idea who we were and it was day 7 or a 10 day trip,Every ship we have been on (15) have gone out of their way to find their top gamblers, the casino is small and very low key so it would have been very easy to find us. Not one dinner, bottle of wine or any other compensation was offered. The casino manager rarely comes out

from behind the desk and assistant manager is same way. Drink staff

on casino floor looks like the walking dead. The up side is the two

bartenders Kendrick and his female partner were amazing. The pool area was awfultimately service as well. If you wanted a drink or food you had to wait a very long time to find a waiter or just go to bar yourself, the entire line up of entertainment is hokey and very sub par at best. I would tell anyone looking to book to steer away from this ship!

let me start with the staff "everyone" was amazing. I would never do another cruise with so much sea time. I found their was not enough free activities to keep occupied with. I found their was to many games being charged for. Also i find alot of the evening partying started way to late. I would of loved to have gone to the white party but started way to late. I just was not impressed with the timing of the activities. As for the food, it was good as well but became very boring by the end of the cruise. This was my second cruise the first being with the allure of the seas and amazing ship and so much to do didnt have time for everything. I will have to certainly think twice before sailing with Norwegian again. To have an unlimited drink package then to be charge 460 for 2 regular coffees i find ridiculous. Thanks 

This was our first cruise. We usually do high end all inclusives or condos in Hawaii every winter. We found this cruise lacked sophistication. It was noisy and crowded. The pool area was horrible, we wouldn't sit there at all. Kids everywhere , people eating and terrible. The gym was fair. They need to replace their rowing concept 2 machines as they are a wreck. I didn't find the gym busy at all which was nice. The prices at the spa were a joke. I have been to world class spas with better pricing and services. There was very little shopping available on the ship. Both my husband and I were terribly ill on two separate days with stomach ailments. Not sure how we contracted that and whether it was from the ship. We will consider cruising again but it will have to be a better cruiseline. We should have done better research prior to booking. I would recommend this trip to larger families with children. I like to dress up for dinner and there was little opportunity for that. They did not uphold the dress restrictions in the dining rooms so very casual. This is why we give it 2 stars. We will look at Oceania or Celebrity next time and likely the Mediterranean. We enjoy small amounts of excellent food, this ship seemed to cater to large portions of fair food. Just not the right fit for us. 

So I cruised for the first time the end of January into February 2017 on the Norwegian Gem. For a first timer, I can say it was awesome. I've read so many mixed reviews as it got closer to embarkation day and I must say I was a bit nervous. Being that it was my first time, I didn't have any outrageous expectations. I enjoyed every minute of it and did not have any complaints. The ship was beautiful and there was always something to do ALL THE TIME. Living in NYC and being able to leave from NYC was a major plus.

First time on the Gem. Had a good time. Food was disappointing and frankly not the best. Tim Kaminiski was hysterical! Also loved Jeff the juggler. Don't know if I would do this cruise again.

This was our 5th time on the Gem.  Norwegian is in the process of changing / tweaking their experience.  Note the scraping off of the words " Freestyle Cruising " from the hulls.  We were invited to dine at the Captains Table, which was an  honour. Food was a bit salty at times, but overall very good to excellent.