NCL GEM IS A REAL JEWEL!
Review of NCL Norwegian Gem by SLUFFM (04 Feb 08)
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Overall Rating
I was lucky enough to go on the Gem on one of her first cruises, to Amsterdam for 2 nights! As we approached Dover the ship appeared as we came over the hill and i wasn't dissapointed, it was absolutely vast! Having just travelled on a much smaller ship it took a little bit of getting used to. At first i was a little apprehensive about going with NCL as the brochure makes the ship look very bright and in your face! I need not have worried! Some how all the colours seem to work together, however loud or bright! I think it's to do with the dark wood everywhere, which gives it a touch of class! I was totally blown away by our lovely balcony cabin and was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Villas! If you have the money, my advice is do it! They are fantastically large and give you a sense of almost owning your own cruise ship! The Java cafe was a treat with the enormous video wall playng either pictures of art work or videos of exotic destinations. They even use this for tournaments on the Wii, which is great fun! Lots of adults found their childhood again, bouncing round playing tennis on a massive screen. We even got to watch the rugby - Marvellous! As a fan of traditional dining i was a littel concerned that i wouldn't enjoy the "Freestyle" experience but the dining options are amazing, my favourite has to be Cagneys the steakhouse. I had the most amazing fillet, so succulent, like butter, and the decor is also very nice, beautiful buttercup yellow leather chairs and dark woods! They also have plasma screens all over the ship telling you how full each of the cining venues is! The Tepinyaki Restaurant was always really busy as it's quite small, but if you get in early enough you can reserve a table in the morning! It's brilliant. You all sit around a large hotplate and the Chef cooks everything in front of you. It's a really great experience! I also took a fancy to Bliss the nightclub come bowling alley, yes bowling alley! I've never seen anything like it - 4 bowling lanes all mood lit and changing colours - Fantastic! The music was excellent and the four poster beds and large loungers made a welcome relief! Overall i was blown away by my experience on NCL and would definately look to book a longer cruise with them next time! It was great to use the mini cruise as a taster. Having not travelled with them before i didn't want to spend loads of money on a cruise that i may not have liked!
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