Table Of Content
The evening shows that we attended weren't overly busy so we never worried about getting a seat. If we had had our kids with us, I would have mountain climbed over people to get out. This definitely wasn't part of act when we saw it on the Gem and is unnecessary. If you weren't up at the crack of dawn to get a lounger, you were out of luck.
Cabin Overview
One menu was used for lunch on sea days (again, in Grand Pacific). Entrées at lunch included an excellent chicken Milanese accompanied by arugula salad. The airy 450-seat Grand Pacific is indeed grander, with a statue of King Kamehameha, and paintings recalling the lush artwork of the Matson Line (the first cruise line to serve Hawaii).
Grayslake restaurant temporarily closed after fire
“We are committed to providing exceptional vacation experiences, both aboard our ships and by taking our guests to some of the most sought-out destinations around the world. While we try to maintain original itineraries as much as possible, at times modifications are made to optimize the itinerary, enhance the guest experience or accommodate certain circumstances,” a spokesperson said. A group of passengers left stranded on a small African island after missing a boarding deadline finally managed to rejoin their cruise ship on Tuesday after chasing it for almost a week. Between Splash Academy and Entourage is the ship's arcade, which charges keycards for each play.
Fellow Passengers
On that note, I didn't like the coffee bar being in the middle of the atrium and missed using that space to get a pre/post dinner cocktail and listen to live music like we did most nights when we sailed on the Gem. The atrium wasn't very busy on the evenings when we were passing through -- nothing to draw you in! The atrium used to be the heartbeat of the ship (on these size and smaller ships in particular) but the Jade atrium was pretty much deserted a lot of the time. The ship’s standard bar selection was available on the aft deck at the Great Outdoors.
Norwegian Gem Cruise: Expert Review (2023) - Cruise Critic
Norwegian Gem Cruise: Expert Review ( .
Posted: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 14:54:12 GMT [source]
Caribbean itineraries draw a younger, more American passenger base, including families. Although Norwegian has a reputation for nickel-and-diming its customers, we found the number and cost of for-fee offerings comparable to those of other lines. There were also plenty of free options, the quality and variety of which were above average. To boot, service was some of the best we've had at sea, with crew seeming to genuinely enjoy their jobs. What first greets you at embarkation is the vessel's revamped atrium area on Deck 7.
There was also small containers of peanuts and Gummy Bears for $2.50 each. A 15 percent “restocking” fee was applied to all minibar purchases.We did not stay in the rest of these cabins, but we have summaries here provided by Norwegian Cruise Line. Note that any photos on this page may be provided directly by the cruise line and not our reviewer. In short, travelers expecting a fully inclusive cruise should be prepared to be handed a pager and wait for a table at the main dining rooms (except early or late in the dinner hour).
We chose the potatoes au gratin and asparagus, which were fine if unexceptional. We came for lunch one afternoon and dived into a bowl of char siu, barbecue pork noodle soup. We felt the stock could have used a bit more kick, but it was comfy dish for a cool day. This was followed with a tasty rainbow roll topped with tuna, yellowtale, shrimp and avocado.
The Great Outdoors was another relief valve, with buffet counters open at peak hours and staying open later while Garden Café was set up for the next meal. When we didn’t dine in the surcharge restaurants, we faced crowding issues at the main dining rooms. There were TV monitors set up in the main corridors that indicated how busy each venue was, and when tables were available through the evening, shown with green, yellow and red lights. But we found it was still worth checking with the hostess directly, as the red lights seemed to fill up for certain venues when, in fact, they still had tables.
Internet Café and Art Gallery
Gaming lessons were conducted the first couple days and tournaments for Texas Hold ‘Em, Blackjack, Roulette and slot play were announced in the ship’s newsletter. These Owner's Suites are a truly luxurious way for you to get away. Includes a separate bedroom with a king-size bed and luxury bath with separate shower, in addition to the living room, dining room and large private balconies with incredible views. Sleeps up to four and guests receive access to the private courtyard area. But contrary to Norwegian's stated policy ("most public areas are smoke-free"), smoking was prevalent in most outdoor areas of the ship.
This screen acts as an electronic hostess and lets guests know how long the wait is for a table for four, for example, and where parties are being accepted. It occupied the starboard side of Deck 12 aft, and during breakfast and lunch hours it was often quite crowded. Smartly, Norwegian installed a kids buffet section near the entrance, minimizing the number of little tykes we had to dodge around the buffet counters.
There was a satisfying salade Niçoise one evening; although the tuna tasted canned, the ingredients—lettuce, potatoes, green beans, olives, quarters of hard-boiled egg—were lightly dressed. Likewise, and to our surprise, the risotto primavera was served al dente with vegetables that hadn’t lost their texture. For dessert one night we tried the cheese plate with brie, blue and a ball of goat cheese—it was okay.
There's no conversing with the crew, and for much of the time little appears to be happening, but it's a beehive of activity during docking activities. This was also Jade’s de facto disco, and a DJ spun starting at 9 or 10 p.m. While a few cocktail prices were priced a fairly reasonable $5.75, most were much higher. Signature cocktails were sprinkled between each of the theme restaurants. Imported beers ranged from Corona to Heineken and Newcastle Brown Ale, at $4.95 each. Amstel Light and Stella Artois was available on tap at Tankards.
Gamers will find air hockey, racing games, first-person shooters and claw games where they can try to literally pick up prizes. Parents can limit their children's onboard spending by visiting the guest services desk. Over 2250 new artworks were installed throughout the ship (including in all cabins). From casual buffets to exquisite specialty restaurants, learn everything there is to know about dining on board.
The 2 to 5 year olds had such activities as Lego building, Nickelodeon adventures, and a fairytale parade. The 6 to 9 year olds played King's Camps games, had a Survivor night, a treasure hunt, and craft making such as leis. In addition to daily "personal prayer" from 8 to 9 a.m., Friends of Bill W met here each afternoon at 5 p.m. Located on Deck 12 next to the spa, these three adjacent rooms were intermittently used through the day and evening.
Turtles might enjoy finger painting, board games and giant puzzles, while Seals might do themed arts and crafts or play video games. The ship's medical facility is on Deck 4, and three conference rooms can be found on Deck 6. Each holds 20 people, but two of them can be combined to form a larger meeting space. A small chapel is located on Deck 13 forward, just outside of the port side entrance to Spinnaker Lounge. It's used for onboard weddings, but most often it hosts passenger-led prayer services and Friends of Bill W.
There’s a small stage at the front, and behind the seats was a pool table, dartboard and automated roulette and black jack games. The latter had live-size dealers on a video screen that play endless loops beckoning us to play—“feeling lucky? The menu is not extensive, starting with courses of edamame, miso soup, seaweed salad, garlic fried rice, followed by a choice of nine entrees, from filet mignon to sea scallops and shrimps, served with vegetables.
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