NCL Gem vs. Carnival Pride

Hi I amtaking a trip with 3 teenagers and 2 adults during February School Break. We are trying to decide between the Gem and The pride.

On Gem we will have a balcony cabin and a inside. On the pride we will have 2 extended balconies.

The Gem is $500 more expensive. We live on long island.

We have sailed on the gem in a suite and if we were booking a suite there would be no question. But unfortunately no suite this time.

So is the gem worth $500 extra?????

Sailed on the Gem in Med. Beautiful ship as you know.

We really enjoy NCL so it would be worth $500 for me. IMO food is better both in MDR and Lido.

After we have completed two booked cruises on CCL we are returning to NCL and HAL. Have grown weary of CCL

I would do the Gem over the Pride every time, especially if it is only $500 more for the four of you.

Although we haven't done the Gem, we have done the Jewel out of NYC and the Pride. I would do the Jewel again over the Pride (even though we are doing the Pride in a few weeks..just couldn't beat the price that we got!)

Only way we sail on NCL is in a suite, otherwise it's misrable! The Pride is an awesome ship, would sail it again in a minute. At least on Carnival there is no class distinction between suites and non-suites, you will be treated equally.

IMO I would choose carnival. My family sailed the Gem last Feb school vacation and will not do it again. There were lots of pluses and a few negatives but we still prefer carnival. Which ever you choose, have a great time.