NCL Cruise Reviews - Norwegian Pearl by Joseph

Norwegian Pearl Reviews

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Cruise Review Summary

Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
Cruise Ship: Norwegian Pearl
Reviewer's Name: Joseph
Location: Indiana
Does the reviewer recommend this ship? Yes
Sailing Date: April 2007
Cruise Length: N/A
Destination: Southern Caribbean
Room Type: Balcony

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Reviewer's Comments

We (my wife and I) love to cruise. Because of this we always try to cruise on the newest, more innovative ships possible. When we heard about the Norwegian Pearl, and all of the features she has, we knew that we just had to get onboard to see for ourselves.

There were so many things to do onboard the Pearl. Among them were the first ever bowling alley on a cruise ship. It's a four-lane alley, which you have to pay to use. It was really cool looking and was really fun. There's also a very nice nightclub onboard, open into the wee hours. The Pearl Club Casino is where a lot of action is going on, mostly at night (during the day it's less packed). We spent some time there as well. There are a ton of bars and lounges onboard, enough to keep you busy for the duration of the cruise. The ship has a rock-climbing wall, which we didn't use...but lots of people were saying how fun it was...maybe next time!

The staff was very courteous, especially in the bar areas! They always were around to take an empty glass, and always were there should you need anything else. In the buffet area they were quick to clean off the tables, and in the dining rooms they were very good as well. They'd be circulating out on deck, always smiling and asking if you needed anything.

The food in the main dining rooms was good. Not quite as good as some of the more premium cruise lines we've been on (such as Celebrity and Holland), but still good. The specialty restaurants are amazing though. We're a big fan of the specialty restaurant concept. We especially loved the sushi bar. The all-you-can-eat option is nice, but we prefer to order the a la carte items. They were very fresh and very tasty. Le Bistro is the French specialty restaurant. I had the filet minon, which was excellent. The standard cover charge was $15 per person (it varies based on the specialty restaurant), and in my opinion, was well worth it. A big tip for the specialty restaurants is that you should make your reservations as soon as you get onboard the ship. There are certain dining times that will be booked up quickly if you don't do so, and then you may end up dining at a time you find inconvenient...or maybe you wont' go at all.

We really like the Freestyle Cruising concept that NCL has created. We're not into the idea of having assigned dining times, so this was perfect for us. It's nice to develop a relationship with your server, but it's even nicer to be able to eat whenever you want, wherever you want.

The itinerary was fabulous. We've cruised a lot, but we've never done the Southern Caribbean before. The ports of call on our cruise included Samana (Dominican Republic), Road Town (Tortola, BVI), St. Johns (Antigua), Bridgetown (Barbados), and Castries (St. Lucia). Our favorite port was St. Lucia; it was so green and lush, we can't wait to go back there. The cruise was round trip from Miami, so we also spent a day in South Beach after the cruise, which was fun.

We went to the spa twice while onboard. It was nice. We each had a massage. We also used the fitness center quite often. The machines were all state-of-the-art, and there were a nice amount, so we never had to wait to use one.

We stayed in a standard balcony room. It was very nice, and the furnishings were in perfect condition. There was a standard bathroom, with shower and vanity. The 24-hour room service was really nice too. We didn't use it often, but it's nice to have as an option, especially for a late night or early morning snack.

We don't have kids, so I couldn't say for sure how good the children's facilities were. However, from what other friends told us while on the cruise (with us), they are top-notch and their kids loved them.

In summary, I highly recommend the Norwegian Pearl to all cruisers. I believe that you'd find something for everyone onboard the Peal. Whether you're looking for a relaxing or exciting vacation it shouldn't matter, since there's a ton of places to go and things to do onboard the Pearl.

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