Orchid Garden on the Gem

We've just returned from a wonderful week aboard the Gem (the Florida to Bahamas route). Since NCL recently made the Orchid Garden a "complimentary" restaurant ("included" would be a better word), we decided to try it, never having felt the need on prior sailings to pay an upcharge to eat Chinese food on a cruise ship.

Live and learn -- it was a terrible dining experience (but fortunately the only bad dining experience of our cruise). The location, right above the piano bar at Magnum's, is awful -- noisy and frenetic. I think it affected the wait staff, who were pretty frenetic as well (even though the restaurant was mostly empty) and practically threw our food at us. And half the appetizers we'd ordered were served after the entrees.

The food itself (apart from the fried dumplings and spring rolls) was pretty mediocre, and I had to laugh at the "fried rice with vegetables," which was white rice with vegetables. The servings were tiny, and even though we had told our servers we would be sharing the dishes (c'mon folks, it's Chinese food), they did not give us a single serving spoon.

I can't believe anyone ever paid to eat here.

As I said, we had a great cruise, Orchid Garden was the aberration.

We paid for it when we sailed on the GEM last time and the food was very good! only problem was the waiter was bringing out the food to fast, but that was our fault since he knew we wanted to go to the next show. other then that i thought it was well worth the money:cool:

Turtles06 - thanks for the update on Orchid @GEM, it's great you had a great cruise overall. It seemed all the recent reports about the newest free Asian dining are similar. Being from NYC, we're never impressed even back in the Sea/Dawn/Crown days when the options & services were better, it's sad to read more of it - and, I always note whenever I do cruise reviews that food OPINIONS are such & highly subjective and personal.

Perhaps, the crews are still happy about the enhanced DSC & 18% gratuity so the "pot" or pool sharing isn't enough to make them "Happy Happy, Smiley Smiley" ;)

How was the MDR dining, menu choices and services in general - as we would dine in LeBistro otherwise for our comp'd dinner?

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Welcome home. Were you able to make advanced reservations for Orchid Garden once onboard ?

Turtles06 - thanks for the update on Orchid @GEM, it's great you had a great cruise overall. . . .

How was the MDR dining, menu choices and services in general - as we would dine in LeBistro otherwise for our comp'd dinner?

 

We really enjoyed the MDR and the service was fine. Plenty to choose from, and there are always the "standard items" on the left side of the menu. Even the food in the buffet was good. And we had an excellent dinner in Le Bistro. My new favorite dessert there: order the chocolate fondue and ask them to bring vanilla ice cream with it. (Forget about the fruit.) Spoon the chocolate onto the ice cream, where it will harden and create a Brown Bonnet. Yum. :)

Recognizing that food is subjective, we thought the food was substantially better than when we first sailed on the Gem in 2011, and thought the food was mediocre at best (except in the specialty venues).

Welcome home. Were you able to make advanced reservations for Orchid Garden once onboard ?

Not needed. The place was mostly empty whenever we walked by. The night we ate there, we just walked up and had no trouble getting a table for five.

Did you happen to get the names of the top staff..to post on our thread...?

Did you happen to get the names of the top staff..to post on our thread...?

Sorry, no, except that: the Captain is Staffan Bengtsson, the Hotel Director's first name is Sonja (sp.) and I can't recall her last name, the Chief Engineer's first name is Steffan (can't recall his last name either), and the Cruise Director is Gio.

We've just returned from a wonderful week aboard the Gem (the Florida to Bahamas route). Since NCL recently made the Orchid Garden a "complimentary" restaurant ("included" would be a better word), we decided to try it, never having felt the need on prior sailings to pay an upcharge to eat Chinese food on a cruise ship.

 

Live and learn -- it was a terrible dining experience (but fortunately the only bad dining experience of our cruise). The location, right above the piano bar at Magnum's, is awful -- noisy and frenetic. I think it affected the wait staff, who were pretty frenetic as well (even though the restaurant was mostly empty) and practically threw our food at us. And half the appetizers we'd ordered were served after the entrees.

 

The food itself (apart from the fried dumplings and spring rolls) was pretty mediocre, and I had to laugh at the "fried rice with vegetables," which was white rice with vegetables. The servings were tiny, and even though we had told our servers we would be sharing the dishes (c'mon folks, it's Chinese food), they did not give us a single serving spoon.

 

I can't believe anyone ever paid to eat here.

 

As I said, we had a great cruise, Orchid Garden was the aberration.

Completely agree. My husband and I each ordered an appetizer and what we thought was a main course. It turned out to be a snack and we wound up eating at O 'Sheehan's later. It was loud. We were in and out in a half hour. That was a once and done experience for us.

Thank you for sharing! We are going on this cruise on May 30th.

How were the seas?

Can you share the Dailies?

Thanks again -

We were spoiled by Jenny the HE and Dan Dan the cruise director last year. How are Sonya and Gio?

I will also be onboard on the 30th.

Bonni

Ooh and who were your favorite bartenders?

We were spoiled by Jenny the HE and Dan Dan the cruise director last year. How are Sonya and Gio?

I will also be onboard on the 30th.

 

Bonni

I recall Jenny from an earlier cruise and thought she was terrific. Had no interactions with Sonya or Gio, they were pretty much non-factors for us on this trip.

Ooh and who were your favorite bartenders?

My spouse found the best bar service at the Java Cafe.

My spouse found the best bar service at the Java Cafe.

Huh, never would have tried that. Thank you!!

Sorry, no, except that: the Captain is Staffan Bengtsson, the Hotel Director's first name is Sonja (sp.) and I can't recall her last name, the Chief Engineer's first name is Steffan (can't recall his last name either), and the Cruise Director is Gio.

HD Sonja is leaving the Gem on the 16th of May.

We were spoiled by Jenny the HE and Dan Dan the cruise director last year. How are Sonya and Gio?

I will also be onboard on the 30th.

 

Bonni

Hi Bonnie, I didn't hear good things about HD Sonja, but she will be of the Gem by the time we get on and DanDan is coming back on the 16th of May.

Marion