Cruise Spotlight
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Norwegian Gem vs Disney Dream
The Norwegian Gem was built in 2007. It was renovated in 2015. It's 4 years older than the Dream, which was built in 2011 and renovated in 2024. Disney Dream's exterior has a old-school steam boat feel while the interior leans into the Art Deco styling. Outside the ship, you'll see Sorcerer Mickey painting the name on the stern.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Gem is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 965 feet long and 125 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 11-story building. Compared to the Disney Dream, the Gem is 28% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Norwegian Gem holds about the same number of passengers as the Dream based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Gem has less space per person compared to the Dream.
| Norwegian Gem | Disney Dream | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Jewel | Dream |
| Gross Tonnage | 93,530 | 130,000 |
| Length | 965 | 1,115 |
| Beam/Width | 125 | 121 |
| Passenger Decks | 11 | 14 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,394 | 2,500 |
| Crew | 1,070 | 1,458 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.2 | 1.7 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 39 | 52 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Gem has fourteen different dining options like Cagney's Steakhouse, Moderno Churrascaria, and O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill. Of those options, twelve are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other eight options have an additional fee.
The Dream has four fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Enchanted Garden, Palo, and Cabanas. six of these restaurants are complementary and the other four have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Gem might be a better choice. It has 40% more dining options than the Dream.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Dream might be a better choice then the Gem. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Norwegian Gem | Disney Dream | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 14 | 10 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 12 | 6 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 8 | 4 |
| % of Included Options | 43% | 60% |
| See the options | See the options |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. You can check out recent the bar menus for the Gem and the Dream below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Norwegian Gem has a total of 3 pools and 5 hot tubs. 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
The Disney Dream has the same number of pools as the Gem and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Dream. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools are adults only on Gem.| Norwegian Gem | Disney Dream | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - General Access | 1 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 5 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 1 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Gem. Only 64% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Dream, 77% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Norwegian Gem | Disney Dream | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✗ |
| Character experiences | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cigar Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| Movie Theater | ✗ | ✓ |
| Salon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - Broadway play | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Splash park | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✗ |
| Virtual Sports Simulator | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water Coaster | ✗ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Norwegian is considered a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Disney, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Norwegian Gem | Disney Dream | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.50 See drink menus | $6.50 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | 106 Learn more | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device | $12 - $36 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a More at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the More at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.
With Disney Cruises, soda is included for meals, but will have an extra cost at bars and throughout the day. While no drink packages are available, you can preorder bottles of wine or beer at a discount.
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