Very clean throughout the ship.

If you don't like seafood or fish then don't go. There is a heavy bias on all the menus. Not a very good selection for veggies. Breakfasts were good but steer clear of the crispy bacon ( or should I say bacon fat).

There sole raison d'etre is to screw you for money. In the restaurants don't go for the opening gambit of an offer of bottled water as there is iced tap water available free. And steer clear of the mini bar; very pricey.

Awful, the magician trod on and killed a dove!!! I complained to the Cruise Director who merely said he'd pass the matter on to HQ in Miami. On board cast very average.

Beware the BD balcony cabin. You will not find a true picture of this type of cabin on the NCL website or in travel brochures. It is steel encased as opposed to fully open. We managed to complain of mis-selling before the cruise and got $600 dollars onbaord credit. There were passengers who were complaining to the purser that they had not been given full details of the type of cabin. And guess what, even NCL (UK) had to check with Miami when I sent them a photo of the cabin.

Excursions very costly, do your own thing if you can oh and unlike other ships which keep a set time this ship puts the clock forward and backwards every coupl e of days on the Eastern Med cruise.

All in all, with the gratuities and daily service charge, this is not a budget cruise but it lacks the refineness to appear anything more than that. They want your money and are very unsubtle about how they go about getting it.

This was the second time on the Norwegian Gem taking in the Eastern Med from Venice to Dubrovnik, Athens, Izmir and Naptheon.

I really like this ship : it is big but does not feel so big, well run and immaculate. Although there seemed to be a larger number of Europeans on this cruise, it is still very much a US ship. It is a very relaxed environment and they really do try and live up to the freestyle ethos.

Cabins : the cabins are spacious and modern, with a good sized bathroom and proper power shower, TV, desk, mini bar etc - all you would expect in a good, modern 3 star hotel. They are kept well serviced (fully cleaned once and then a turn down/towel change service at night). Cleaning is done when you leave the cabin - there are no knocks on the door if you want to sleep in/while you are getting ready for dinner and as well as being discreet service is also excellent.


Dining - freestyle dining really works - there is a good choice of dining with no set times/no booking to dine and tables for two no problem if you want them. Food is good quality (not fancy) and is available 24 hours. There is the choice of buffet/help your self or waiter service dining (the food is usually the same) and, outside of mealtimes ice cream, burgers, hot dogs, afternoon tea etc - everything you would expect. Service in the restaurants was good (although some of the waiting staff not so experienced). There are also specialist restaurants (that you can book) that charge extra ($15 - 25/person) but we did not find them good value for money and often with little in the way of atmosphere. If the restaurant you want is full, you are given an alarm that alerts you when your table is free so you can go and get a drink.

Drink - the drinks are relatively expensive and there is an extra 15% service change added to everything (inc wine in the restaurant). Cocktails came in around $15, gin and tonic $9 and wine around $31/bottle for something from the cheap end of the menu. In the restaurants tap water is served, there is free tea and coffee and iced tea available all day. There are lots of bars to suit all tastes including some specialist ones.

Entertainment - the big shows are good but there are only 2 per week (and we had seen them both the year before - we thought this was very bad). The other shows in the main theatre were not so good - an Italian singer, a magician etc. In the bars there are also singers and musicians - these ranged from the very good to the almost laughably bad.

Facilities - there is a great gym, a bowling alley (not free), spa (not free) and outdoor golf, climbing, football, basketball (all free) etc etc plus a library, lots of outdoors seating and sunbeds, good swimming pool/resort area.

Excursions - very expensive and in most cases not good value. On one trip to Ephesus nr Izmir, we spent nearly as long in a carpet warehouse as we did at the site. There is no help for travellers who want to do their own thing so read up on Trip Advisor first and you can save 40 -70% on the NCL excusion prices/transfers and have a better time/cut out all the sales opportunities.

Service charge - the service charge is calulated daily per person and added to your room account at the end (all on board purchases are made like this also). We thought it was fair and paid in full but felt that the extra service charge for anything from a bar or wine in the restaurant was not good but recognised it fits the US service model.

Passengers - a mixture of mainly US but with a much larger proportion of Europeans than our last NCL cruise. Mainly middle aged with some families and pretty much balanced in terms of male/female. The good thing about this ship/the NCL approach is that you can socialise with fellow passengers as much or as little as you want which I think is perfect.

Other things - as you might expect, there is a constant push to get passengers to spend more money whether it is on extras like alchohol, on board shopping, excusions, speciality restaurants, bingo, photographs etc etc. In that sense it is very american and in your face but you can ignore it (which most of the europeans seemed to be doing) and still have an enjoyable time.

So overall - the ship is great, the passengers a good mix, the itinery good (but you need to be prepared to do your own thing when ashore unless you want to spend serious money on NCL excusions or not see anything), the idea of freestyle crusing really works but be preapared for being sold to at every opportunity and dont feel uncomfortable in rejecting anything you dont want. Overall - Recommended

The cruise was just about everything we had wanted and we enjoyed it from start to finish, the only thing we did not like were some of the Americans who kept on about how the food was better on other
ships or the entertainment was not as good as other ships ( Names of those ships were mentioned but not by me on here) then when we were due to either go ashore or return to ship in Cannes how they had to queue for the tenders, a wait of about ten minutes. Every where we went on board there was someone cleaning but always had time for a cheery word such as "Happy Happy" even when you went to get your breakfast it was the same happy greeting. When you go on board ask at the information desk to pay any tips yourself rather than through the card that you will be asked for because extra will be added to each purchase you make as a tip. We found that we had no reason to go to any of the fancy restaurants even though they looked superb and pay extra just to sit down when we had seven days of excellent meals and high class service in the Grand Pacific restaurant. As for things like trying to keep fit then there is a mutitude of things that should help you to eat well but still get the weight off such as the swimming, running or gym, as for sports then there is the rock wall or bowling and various other things. There is so much going on that we missed seeing a couple parts of the ship until the day before we had landed back in Barcelona. Now a word of warning is required here because a lot of them are given on the ship but they tend to go in one ear and out the other, that when going ashore beware of pick pockets who try all sorts of tricks to get your wallet or hand bag. Watch out for cyclists, people with maps and getting sprayed with something like bird mess when walking under trees because those people will soon approach you with offers of help should you get knocked over or to remove the bird mess with tissues and water keeping you fully occupied while taking your wallet or purse, with the map it is held in one hand while the other is opening your pocket or purse, you will be warned but take care. We had the bird mess thing but they did not get anything because OUR hands were still holding the purse and wallet. We can only say that we would definitely sail on the Gem again given the chance because we were made welcome in every part of the ship. Ships are like all forms of transport, there is always someone who moans that this is good but the other is better. Enjoy your cruise but if you are going to complain about it do it in your bed then I will not hear you.

This was our firist time to Cruise on the Norwagan Jade cruise, we stayed 21 nights on board the cruise which is very nice. We visited Egypt and Jordan with Albaraa Travel Group Egypt, we booked and paid online before we board the cruise, Albaraa Travel Egypt Tour consultant was emailing us is realy briliant and answered all our questions very quickly. we visited Luxor from safaga port, we also visited Cairo from Alexandria Port for two days. we had a pleasant time with our private guide from Albaraa Travel Group Egypt. we booked via http://www.albaraagroup.com/Travels/ShoreExcursion.aspx?Reg=1
we had a wonderful experience with Albaraa Travel Egypt. Really a lifetime experience in a lifetime trip. Thanks a million to the Albaraa Travel Egypt and all the Staff drivers, guides etc..
Albert
Canada

Having criused with Ncl 7 times, previously on the Sky, Dawn,Jewel and the Gem. After having a very smooth boarding in Barcelona we arrived on deck with a welcome glass of Cava (hmm just what I wanted)! Soon as you are onboard there are many smiling faces and words of welcome. The ship's decor ia bright but tasteful. We were able to go strainght into our cabin. the time was only 12.30pm so we were impressed. The BD cabin that my husband and I stayed in was lovely with wonderful bed toppers and beautiful crispy sheets. My husband found the toilet space a little cramped! Nice to have a door in the WC as well as the shower.We went to meet our friends who were also in a balcony cabin but the BA category. the only difference was the design was of the TV cabinet was on the other end of the cabin. My husband thought this was in a beter place, it made no difference for me. We didn't eat in the main restaurants as we booked on our arrival day for Cagneys steakhouse,The Bistro (French) Teppanyaki and TexMex. These restaurants had a $15 -$25 surcharge but were well worth it.Bottles of wine are still over priced to us as we live in Spain and find Paying $25 for a bottle that we would normaly pay 3 Euros for very grating.We didn't actually sit around the swimming pools as a little noisy at times and quite busy, on the upper deck there is a quiet zone with the most amazing sunloungers for 2 persons. All the deck furniture is beautiful and all new. On this ship Bingo is more of a low key when it came to the announcements which I was delighted about. We went once at the end of the cruise and were lucky to win $204.We went Bowling which was never busy which some what surprised me it cost $5 a game. We had great fun. The disco is something else! I have never seen on a cruise ship before a disco which has 4 poster beds and wonderful relaxing furniture. The DJ played all the lates pop music (unless it was a 70s or 80s night)Shadow dancers perform behind the canvas on the stage and there are flat screen TV's dotted about with music videos. Although we are in our late fifty's we spent most evenings in the Blitz (Disco). Entertainment in the Stardust Theatre, show cased dancers and singers of Ok standard. Enjoyable evening but if you are looking for amazing dancers then you won't see them here. We had one comedian and magician who were good. I for one I do not understand the humour from "2nd city" so we all went and all left after about 10 min's just not funny? The Spa is my heaven and for $75 a week to use the facilities at anytime I think is well worth it.The view in the relaxing room is wonderful and also in the sauna. It has all glass surround so you can lay there and look out at the sea.The lunge hydropherapy pool with a swim against the current. Can't realy swim in it but it's great fun trying. Relax on the warm tiled loungers they are shaped to your body. (If you have travelled on the Jewel it is the same principle.I should say that it was our friends 1st ever cruise and they were so dissapointed when the week was up. I know they will want to cruise with NCL again. We are going on the Gem again from Barcelona in November to New York and then staying on her for Bahamas.I know I have probably missed lots of things off that you might like to know so if I have and have some questions fire away, glad to help if I can. Sharon

Stay and cruise,with 3 days in New York followed by 10 days cruising the Caribbean,visited several islands St.Thomas,kitts,Antigua,Barbados,Tortola,quite a decent itinary 4/5 hours on each island,we did a tour of Barbados with a visit to a sugar cane plantation,very interesting to see the owners residence.
Embarkation time was extended due to a computer check in fault approx 1.5 hours overall,for 2,500 passengers!A real Gem of a ship,could not fault our basic cabin, deck 5,KK.one pull down bed suited a child.Food excellent in all restaurants,with limited waiting time 15 mins.Afternoon entertainment reggae served up with a drink in the jacussi,evening shows were of a high quality.
Not much to do for the teenagers
due to lack of numbers,but they did enjoy the general good feeling onboard generated by the staff cheerfulness.
Freestyle cruising suited our party,smart casual dress,with relaxed eating times,as the Gem is a new ship we will be on board in the near future.

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