Onboard Norwegian Gem

After we received our keycards, we finally headed closer to our ultimate destination: Norwegian Gem. My past experience boarding the Celebrity Apex where many crew formed a reception line, had raised my expectations as to what the experience of boarding Norwegian Gem would be like. There were no welcome lines, but still a few...

NCL Gem at Terminal B

Getting to Norwegian Gem

  Not following my usual advice of arriving at a port city a day prior to a cruise, I got up early and headed to the airport. Knowing that I would be going to Florida, I first put on an N95 mask and then added a more stylish Vera Bradley mask. I...

Cruise Cliffhanger

Cruisers wish daily for good news about the restart of cruising, but sometimes emotions override reality. Misinformation and disinformation about the cruise industry creates difficulties for the cruise lines. Anxious passengers start blaming anybody in the way without thinking of the consequences of the resumption of cruising before entirely ready. Blame gets...

Na Pali Coast

Pride of America Pointers

A Perfect Ship for Cruising the Hawaiian Islands I have sailed twice on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America(POA) visiting the largest four Hawaiian islands. I can’t think of a better way to explore the major islands of Hawaii than sailing on Norwegian’s Pride of America. Why? Because cruising eliminates the need...

Discovering Rigolet

Another port with trees! With a population of just around 300, Rigolet has two interesting claims to fame: It is the southernmost Inuit community in the world. It has one of the longest boardwalks in North America. I would get to experience both of these, while discovering Rigolet. The locals came out...

Flora at Makkovic

Makkovik and Trees

How different this port appeared as I viewed it from the ship! Small hills with trees on their tops made me aware that we had entered another zone. Having viewed the obviously barren landscape of Greenland, the first thing that I noticed on seeing the port of Makkavik from the ship, was...