Norwegian Gem Reviews

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Overview Dining Cabins Entertainment Casino Fitness / Recreation Spa Kids Shopping Dress Code Gratuity / Tipping

Overview

The Norwegian Gem is a ship with unlimited entertainment and options for its guests. With even a bowling alley onboard, it seems like Norwegian Cruises has thought of everything, offering passengers 12 separate restaurants, 11 bars and lounges, fitness and spa facilities, a casino, engaging theater performances, tennis courts, and much more. Inter-connecting staterooms are excellent choices for families and groups, and the lavish Garden Villas that span over 5000 square feet offer even the most discerning guests amenities and space to make their cruise vacation onboard the Norwegian Gem a lifelong memory. The Norwegian Gem cruise ship has entertainment for everyone and offers the same laidback “Freestyle” attitude Norwegian ships are known for.

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Dining

Main Dining
Grand Pacific Main Dining Room
The Grand Pacific Main Dining Room is influenced by the dining room in the Matson Liner ships that used to sail from San Francisco all the way to Honolulu. To make the atmosphere even more interesting, artwork inspired by the menu covers from the Matson Line are placed around the room.

Magenta Main Dining Room
Contemporary artwork decorates the walls in this unique dining room that also has subtlety changing decorative walls and backlights to add to the ambiance.

Specialty Dining
Le Bistro French Restaurant
The beauty and tastes of the Pacific Islands are the inspiration behind this delicious French restaurant.

Orchard Garden Asian Restaurant
A Japanese / Thai / Chinese restaurant, which features teppanyaki and sushi.

Garden Café / Kid’s Café & Great Outdoors:
This fun buffet features omelets, waffles, fruit, soups, ethnic specialties, and pasta. It also has a “kid’s only” area complete with smaller tables and chairs.

Tequila Latin / Tapas Restaurant
Spicy Latin food and tapas are the highlight of this brightly colored restaurant.

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Cabins

Garden Villa
The Garden Villa has up to 5,000 square feet of space, including a living room, dining room, and 3 separate bedrooms each with a king or queen-size bed and private luxury bath. One bedroom also features a full bath with whirlpool tub and separate shower. Butler service and concierge are available for Garden Villa suites in addition to access to exclusive concierge lounge and private courtyard areas with a pool, hot tub, and sundeck. The Garden Villa sleeps 6 adults, plus has room for 2 rollaway beds and 3 cribs.

Owner’s Suite
With over 790 square feet, these suites include a living room, private balconies, dining room, separate bedroom with king-size bed, mini bar, and luxury bath with a separate shower. The Owner Suites provide access to the exclusive concierge lounge and private courtyard area with a pool, hot tub, and sundeck. Butler service and concierge are available.

Courtyard Villa
The Courtyard Villas offer guests a living area, private balcony, dining area, separate bedroom with queen-size bed, separate children’s bedroom, and one bedroom that features a luxury bath and separate shower. The Courtyard Villas provide access to the exclusive concierge lounge and private courtyard area with a pool, hot tub, and sundeck. Butler service and concierge are available.

Penthouse
The Penthouse Suite offers guests a living area, private balcony, dining area, bedroom with queen-size bed, and luxury bath and shower. Butler service and concierge are available.

Mini-Suite
The Mini-suite offers guests a sitting area, private balcony, two lower beds that convert to a queen-size bed, and luxury bath and shower.

Oceanview Cabin with Balcony
The Oceanview Cabins with Balconies includes two lower beds, sitting area, and a floor-to-ceiling glass door that opens to a private balcony.

Oceanview Cabin
The Oceanview Cabins offer two lower beds and a picture window to provide a relaxing ocean scene.

Inside Cabin
The Inside Cabins offer two lower beds in a cozy, relaxing environment.

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Entertainment

Bliss Ultra Lounge & Nightclub
The Bliss Ultra Lounge is inspired by all things spherical and out of space. Bubbles, the use of lighting, color, and ultraviolet artworks are throughout this room. It also features the industry’s first bowling alley and is equipped with plasma TVs.

Spinnaker Lounge
While sipping drinks at the Spinnaker lounge you can view the bridge through the lounge’s horizontal windows or hit the dance floor to boogie the night away.

Bali Hai Bar & Grill
The Bali Hai Bar & Grill has a hot air balloon theme where the bar itself is styled as a ballooning basket with sandbags, ropes, and a rattan front.

Great Outdoors Bar
Enjoy wine, beer, and a full selection of cocktails at this covered outdoor bar.

Stardust Theatre
Fabulous Broadway and Vegas-style performances are waiting for you at the Stardust. Sip a cocktail and enjoy the fun, lavish setting.

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Casino

The Gem Club Casino is a full casino featuring a circus theme of traditional traveling circuses at the turn of the century.

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Fitness / Recreation

There are numerous ways to stay in shape while onboard the Norwegian Gem. The Body Waves Fitness Center is open 24-hours with a full gym and aerobics / fitness classes daily. You can also take advantage of the jogging track or play a game of basketball, volleyball, or tennis.

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Spa

Relax and rejuvenate in the full service beauty salon and spa onboard the Norwegian Gem. You can choose how you want to be pampered from a wide range of spa treatments.

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Kids

Norwegian Cruise Line offers many entertaining activities for kids of all ages to participate in each day of the cruise. Whether your child wants to paint, have a pajama party, or put on a show there is always something fun to do that they will enjoy.

In addition, the Norwegian Gem offers the Tree Top Kid’s Club, which is just for toddlers, and has an indoor jungle gym / obstacle course, plus a wall of windows for viewing kids. For teens, the cool place to hang out on the Norwegian Gem is the Leopard Lounge.

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Shopping

Shop the day away at Trade Routes Boutiques, a large department store offering a wide selection of branded and choice items.

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Dress Code

Part of Norwegian Cruise Line’s “Freestyle Cruising” philosophy is to make sure you’re always comfortable so they offer a “resort casual” dress code, which means you’re pretty much welcome to wear whatever you want, whenever you want. By offering a wide range of places to dine and be entertained, Norwegian Cruise Line ensures there are venues all over the ship for your personal style.

During daytime, casual clothes such as shorts, jeans, tops, and sundresses are fitting to wear everywhere. Swimsuit attire is even welcome at the buffet or poolside grill.

In the evening, a variety of clothing attire is acceptable – it is up to you what you want to wear. No matter where you are on the ship, feel free to sport a nice jacket or get all decked out for a special occasion. Just wearing shorts or jeans is fine too, but is not permitted in all of the specialty restaurants.

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Gratuity / Tipping

Guests should not feel obliged to offer a gratuity for good service. However, the staff is encouraged to go the extra mile, and so they are permitted to accept cash gratuities entirely at the discretion of the ship’s guests who wish to acknowledge particular staff members for exceptional or outstanding service. In other words, there is genuinely no need to tip but you should feel free to do so if you have a desire to acknowledge particular individuals.

Also, certain staff positions provide service on an individual basis to only some guests. Norwegian Cruise Line encourages those guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities. For example, for guests purchasing bar drinks the recommended gratuity is 15%; for guests purchasing spa treatments the recommended gratuity is 18%. Similarly, for guests using concierge and butler services, it is recommended to consider offering a gratuity commensurate with services rendered.

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