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Cruise to the breezy islands of The Caribbean, or simply sit back and sail through the world's greatest shortcut on a Panama Canal cruise. Whatever you choose to do, we invite you to experience the wonders of getting there aboard Norwegian Pearl. Her 16 chic dining options, 15 bars and lounges, dazzling casino, tranquil spa, and spacious Garden Villas are just a few things that make this Jewel Class cruise ship a destination of her own.
Ship first. The Pearl was refurbed in 2021. I found it to be too dark in color and lighting, in the public spaces. The grand foyer wasn’t grand at all. Our room was our first balcony room ever and we did love that. Our neighbors, who were coughing horribly the whole trip, ruined it at times but I recommend balcony rooms! Storage in our room was ok but definitely could have been better. The bathroom was very small. Sink was very large but had very little counter space. Two very small shelves on the wall and a shelf below the sink. Toilet area was awful. Very small. If you’re a tall man I’d say you would prob hit your knees on the wall while seated. Shower was ok but not huge. Bed area was fine.. Sofa was ok. Closet space was smaller than we’ve had before and had those wooden hangers that you fit the tab in the hole. Not enough hangers. I recommend you bring your own cheap skinny hangers and leave them behind when your trip is over. We enjoyed the buffet, the main dining room was wonderful, most of the lounges were fine but too noisy, but service was good. We did enjoy our Free at Sea beverage package. Pool and hot tub areas were very nice. Now a bit about excursions. Our trip weather was exceptional so our chosen excursions were never impacted by weather. A warning to anyone with a need for bathrooms. They are few and far between. Restaurants have them for customers. Considering a good percentage of cruisers are 60+, Norwegian could do a better job of making them available. So keep this in mind for European travel. 1: The caves in Postojna were amazing but be prepared to walk a lot! Up and downhill. I felt too rushed and this is in their slow season. The train part was really good but too fast to get very good photos. The baby dragons aren’t much to look at. If you don’t want to stand in line, skip the gift shop. 2: Split, Croatia River boat cruise. I had really looked forward to this and was disappointed. The river boat was a small boat with wooden benches. I thought it would be more elegant. Scenery was pretty. Local snack and wine was good. The tour dropped us a good ways from the ship so quite a walk to get back. 3: Easy Kotor and Perast. This was our only tender port. Tenders took way longer than expected. Apparently our ship had to anchor further away than they thought so tendering got behind. Our guide was not good. We were left on our own at each location to explore. Turned out that was ok. We decided to get in line to tender back pretty early. Thank goodness we did as some people waited in line 3 hours to get back to the ship! And bathrooms were not close to the line location! This was a fail on Norwegian’s part. 4: Olympia was very interesting and most of the walking was on fairly even ground. Bathrooms are available. 5: Before our excursion to Pompeii was a quick visit to a cameo factory. Beautiful and delicate works of art. A souvenir was a must. Pompeii is a must see to me. Lots of walking and sometimes on very uneven ground. The power and destruction of Mother Nature is amazing. Still can’t decide if excursions are worth the money. But you’re guaranteed to get back to the ship so that’s worth something. Overall this was a very good trip and we’ll never forget the places we visited.
Going to go into some detail on some parts: First the best parts: Ship and Cabin (balcony): 4 1/2 star. While not my decorating taste, the ship and cabin were spotless and meticulously cleaned. A few stains around here and there. In the cabin, a balcony door that wouldn't stay tightly latched/closed (even after a "repair" which took 2 requests over 2 days to receive). The problem was it worked its way ever so slightly open which resulted in a high pitched whistling sound all night in windy conditions, interfering with sleep. Also a somewhat annoying inside closet light next to the bed which automatically switched on with a motion detector for a short while, which was no problem unless the closet door or clothes inside moved with the motion of the ship kicking on the light in the middle of the night. (Hack: We put a bandaid over the button that served as the motion detector, which solved the problem). Crew: 5 star. Unfailingly smiling, positive and professional. Very helpful in assisting my partially disabled wife in a wheelchair up/down ramps, carrying breakfast items to our table, volunteering to bring a shower seat to our cabin that we didn't know was available, etc.) Cagny's: 4 3/4 star. Ate there 3 times. Steaks rate a 5 (Rib eye, Prime Rib, NY Strip - in order of quality). Lobster bisque: 3 - could not tell if it had any cream or sherry in it and precious little lobster, just a few tiny shreds lost in the broth. Fine crabcake and truffle fries. Tiny baked potato. Creamed spinach rather watery. Desserts: Cheesecake and raspberry creme brulee were best. Service: 5 Moderno: Not as great as Cagny's, but for what it is shooting for (Churrascaria food and experience), it was just fine with the filet mignon of unexpected quality. Le Bistro: Expected more. Beef better at Cagny's. Sole pretty good. The rest, not memorable. Next the acceptable parts: Garden cafe had wide variety for breakfast and while not everything was great, there was always something that was appetizing (e.g., made to order omelettes, fruit compote and carmelized bananas to add to pancakes/french toast; made to order fruit crepes at night; hand scooped ice cream with about 8-10 flavors, some of which rotated). Next the mediocre parts: O'Sheehan's. While the chicken salad sandwich and a couple of soups were surprisingly good, the rest was OK at best. The rueben was disgusting--one thin piece of grey, tasteless meat. (A day later, rueben sliders in Garden Cafe had perfectly acceptable corned beef, so it was somewhere on the ship, just not there). Main dining: Only ate there once for dinner and found it uninspired. We left thinking there was not a single special thing about it. It was food, tiding us over to the next day. Didn't return. Preferred Garden Cafe where the broad selection at least yielded some better items. Entertainment: The solo singers and guitar player were not worth anyone's time. However, the aerial act was terrific and the tribute show (first time performed, with Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and Stevie Wonder impersonators) with the house band/singers/dancers was enjoyable. Finally, the bad: The schedule had limited hours in Santorini (perhaps 8). The tender situation was abysmal, with many people taking up to 3 hours to get off the ship, only to face another line at the cable car and by the time folks got to the top, it was almost time to turn around in order to get back to the ship before last tender. Should have cut the prior/next port times down by an hour or two and otherwise scheduled to avoid ports with 3-5 other ships there at the same time. Public Service Information: I haven't seen this written about on other forums. NCL has 2 types of on board credit: refundable and non-refundable. It is clearly shown in your accounting on the app, updated daily, with charges first taken from the non-refundable and then from the refundable. The refundable OBC consists primarily of that provided by travel agents; the non-refundable OBC is from NCL itself as part of a booking promotion. The former is refunded in cash in US dollars before leaving the ship on the last day (even though I was told at Guest Services that if you have over $200 in refundable OBC, it would be refunded to your credit card on file within 3-7 days, when in fact I couldn't get off the ship without being directed to a nearby temporary desk and received it in cash, which of course, was fine, but did cause a short delay in disembarking); the latter is "use it or lose it". If you like good food, I suggest you visit the restaurant reservation desk on Day 1 or 2. They had a special going in which for $82 per couple (!), (less than the flyer price of $99), you could purchase an additional meal for 2, which was about 1/2 the price you would otherwise be charged at Cagny's for example ordering ala carte (think $165 including gratuity) or fixed price at Moderno's (think $144, including gratuity). There was some confusion about whether you were limited to 2 meals (1 night) or 4 meals (2 nights) or even more. But the $165 we spent for 2 additional nights was money well spent.
The Haven
Located at the top of the ship, The Haven features the most luxurious, well-appointed accommodations on board. Enjoy 24-hour butler service, concierge service and private sundeck.
Suite
A true experience of luxury and privacy. Enjoy spacious suites accented by only the finest touches throughout. And enough room to make a lifetime of amazing memories.
Club Balcony Suite
Our spacious Club Balcony Suites feature a sitting room, giving you extra room to spread out. Sliding-glass doors open to your balcony, and amazing views. Includes luxury bath and shower.
Balcony
See the world like never before. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors open to your very own private balcony. Stylish and sophisticated appointments enhance these modern rooms.
Oceanview
Experience stylish decor in a comfortable oceanview stateroom. All come with nice, smart touches enhanced by a large picture window with clear views of the sea.
Inside
Cruise in cozy comfort and smart style. Modern inside staterooms are accented with appointments like a TV, sitting area and more.
Stateroom images, square footage, and configurations are representative only. Actual accommodation may vary.
COMPLIMENTARY DINING
Every cruise fare includes beautifully crafted menus in our two main dining rooms, a help-yourself buffet and a variety of casual cafés, grills and on-the-go choices. From fresh-baked breads, desserts and pastries to our chefs' original dishes made with the freshest ingredients, your dining can be as fine or fun as you want.
SPECIALITY DINING
Dining aboard Norwegian is about having choices. Enjoy delicious comfort foods as well as more exotic choices from our many complimentary dining options. Or widen your palette further and choose from our speciality restaurants for a cover charge or á la carte. Whether it's a cheeseburger you have a desire for, or Coq au Vin, your dinner is ready when you are. And if you book a Speciality Dining Package, you can savour an array of our speciality restaurants for one special price.
Check out the card room, walk around the art gallery, listen and learn in a lecture held by a guest speaker. Norwegian Cruise Line ships have much to offer to enhance your learning and senses.
You won’t believe your eyes or even your ears. Norgwegian Cruise Lines have brought Broadway to sea with blockbuster shows, music, dancing, cabaret, comedy and more. You can party all night, grab some great casino action and find your favourites among up to 22 bars and lounges, from electrifying nightspots to cosmopolitan bars and easy-going pubs. Every night is a night on the town.
A 20% gratuity and speciality service charge will be added at time of payment for entertainment dining.
Feel free to follow your spirit, whether that takes you to a superb fitness centre, a sun lounger by the pool or to the serenity of a luxurious spa. Get the adrenaline soaring by conquering the climbing wall or ropes course high above the ocean. Flex your muscles on the sports court or treat yourself to something special in the boutiques. Catch a fun, informal lecture. Take the plunge in the Aqua Park.
Families play better together on Norwegian. From dodgeball to cupcake decorating, there are lots of activities all over the ships. Plus, with complimentary youth programmes, kids can learn to juggle at Circus School in Splash Academy and teens have the coolest themed parties in Entourage. Add exclusive NickelodeonTM entertainment at sea for kids of all ages – even the grown up ones – and your family holiday gets awesome. While the kids are having fun, so can you, indulging in a spa treatment, enjoying a leisurely meal or just switching off. And when it comes to bedtime, family-friendly accommodation gives everyone the elbow room they need. Night, night.
