Just back from the Pearl 7/1-7/8

[esp13]

I just got home from a trip on the Pearl to Alaska. I've completed a full review which will hopefully be posted soon. I just realized I should have been smart and done a cut and paste, but I'm not that smart. So this will be a brief, brief version.

 

We were in a minisuite on deck 11 aft (11628). We loved the room, particularly the larger bathroom. It was well worth the extra money.

 

The entire cruise was great and the staff of the Pearl is outstanding from top to bottom. Special shout out to the Group Services coordinator (Raquel) and the 2nd Officer (Heriela) who arranged and conducted the CC members bridge tour.

 

Glacier Bay is beyond words. So beautiful and awe-inspiring. That day alone made the whole trip worth it and that doesn't include whale watching in Juneau, the White Pass railway in Skagway, or the beauty of Victoria.

 

I know food is a hot topic here and we found the food to be quite good. The only average meal was in the Blue Lagoon. It was fine, but just average.

 

That's all I've got at the moment - it's been a long day. If anyone has any specific questions, I'll be glad to answer them.

 

Oh . . . and here's a picture of the Marjorie glacier.

[Hopes4]

Nice pic. Can't wait for the full review. :)

[PathfinderEss]

Wating for a ful review later. Welcome home, glad you had a good cruise.

[kayrob]

I'll be on the same trip in September and am thrilled to hear your positive comments on the Pearl. Looking forward to your review. Don't spare any details!!

[DMH15]

Thank you for posting here and a review so soon.

 

Sadly I will not be on the Pearl with 50 or so of my CA relatives on 8/5. The timing just didn't work for me.

 

Looking forward to your review. Sounds like you had fun!

[vivavegas]

Looking forward to reading your review!! Glad you had a good cruise!:)

[esp13]

Thanks everybody. :)

 

I'll post the full review when it's up at the main site (so I can copy and paste, or link). It really was a wonderful time and makes me even more anxious for my December cruise on the Pearl. In fact, it was so good, we bought a deposit for a future cruise and signed up for the NCL credit card. :)

[Hikini]

Glad you had a good time. We have been on the Pearl once and have done that itinerary 3 times. We look forward to being on the Jewel for the first time, which is a sister ship to the Pearl. We love NCL!

 

I look forward to reading your full review.

 

(And you're right - Glacier Bay alone makes that trip worth it!)

[esp13]

Well, that was fast. Here's the review I posted.

 

 

Beautiful Alaska

 

I've just returned from a 7 day cruise to Alaska aboard the Norwegian Pearl. It was a fantastic experience in every way. My party consisted of my mother and I. It was our fourth cruise, but first to Alaska and the first time on the Pearl.

 

Embarkation was a breeze. We took a taxi from our hotel near Pioneer Square in Seattle and were at the port in minutes, we arrived about 11:00am. We quickly dropped our bags and proceeded to the check-in lines. Everything was well organized and we completed the entire process by 11:20 or so. We then found some seats and waited for boarding to begin. It seemed like just a short wait and we were boarding the ship.

 

 

Once aboard, we began exploring. Within a few minutes, we were told that the staterooms were available to drop off our carry-on bags, although they were not ready for occupancy just yet. So, we dropped our bags and continued exploring. A short time later, the rooms were ready and we headed up. We were in a mini-suite towards the aft of the ship. The room was great. Plenty of room for the two of us and we loved the larger bathroom.

 

 

The ship was easy to navigate. The only thing we had to remember is that you could not get all the way from aft to forward on deck 6 because of the main dining room. Other than that, I don't think we got lost at all. :)

 

 

On Monday, we had the Cruise Critics meet and greet. The staff that joined us included the Hotel Director, the Executive Chef, the Food and Beverage Manager, the Bar Manager, the head of Group Services, and others I'm probably forgetting. It was fun to meet them all.

 

 

On Tuesday, we had the opportunity for a bridge tour arranged by the Group Services directer, Raquel Nunez. She was wonderful (she helped arrange the meet and greet for the CC members). Our tour was conducted by the 2nd Officer, Heriela Castillo. She was very friendly and informative and answered all of our questions. If anyone from NCL reads this, Raquel and Heriela deserve special kudos.

 

 

We did three excursions - whale watching in Juneau. We saw Humpback whales, sea lions, and eagles. Very enjoyable. In Skagway we did the White Pass train ride which provided incredible scenic views. And in Victoria, we also did whale watching but unfortunately did not see whales. The crew was great though and they really tried to make the trip worthwhile.

 

 

We ate at all of the specialty restaurants except Le Bistro. We also ate in the main dining room one night, the Summer Palace (smaller main dining room) for breakfast, the Blue Lagoon for one lunch, the sushi bar twice, and the Garden Cafe for miscellaneous meals. All of the food was very good. The highlight was Cagneys. The lowlight was probably the Blue Lagoon which was fine, but just average. We had no problems except for a bit of slow service one day in the sushi bar. It looked like they may have been understaffed that day.

 

 

Our room steward was very friendly and very efficient. The room was always made up and turned down promptly and we never had to wait to return to the room. All of the staff were very friendly. Everyone always had a smile to greet you and were very willing to assist with anything we needed.

 

 

We only saw one show - Encore! It is a mix of songs from different Broadway shows. This version had Moving Out, Swing, Wicked, Mama Mia, The Producers, and one I can't remember. The performers were very good and it was very enjoyable. We also played Bingo on day and while we didn't win, it was fun.

 

 

Saving the best for (almost) last. Glacier Bay is truly beyond words to describe. It's beautiful and breathtaking and awe-inspiring. We saw whales and seals/sea lions on the way in and then simply took in the beautiful sights. It was a bit cold on the balcony, but the views were well worth that small discomfort. Just be sure to pack lots of layers (and don't forget gloves, hats, earmuffs).

 

 

Disembarkation was truly painless. We carried our bags off and simply walked off the ship when we were ready. We had room service bring breakfast, had coffee on the deck, then took on last look around and headed out. We were off the ship in 5 minutes or less. Not that we wanted to be off the ship at all. As we left, several crew members serenaded the guests off the ship. That was a nice touch.

 

 

I had had reservations about an Alaska cruise before this trip. I was not thrilled about going to chilly weather and I wasn't sure how much there would be to do if you couldn't hang out by the pool. I'm very glad to see that I was wrong. The scenery is well worth any cool weather and, except for Glacier Bay, it was not as cold as I expected. We found more than enough things to keep us occupied, even if it was just hanging out in the room and watching the views of the Inside Passage. Our next trip is to the Caribbean, but I'll go back to Alaska on the Pearl if I get the chance.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=105652

[bonvoyagie]

Nice review - matches my experience the prior week - including the CC bridge tour.

[raylene5]

Hey there! We were on that cruise too but didn't make it to the meet and greet. DH got food poisoning and was sick all day :( Glad you enjoyed it! I will post a review too...it was also our first Alaskan. Thanks!

[Novastar]

.

Special shout out to the Group Services coordinator (Raquel) and the 2nd Officer (Heriela) who arranged and conducted the CC members bridge tour.

 

How did you get the bridge tour? Did you request it at the M&G or was it offered by the staff?

 

Thanks!

[esp13]

How did you get the bridge tour? Did you request it at the M&G or was it offered by the staff?

 

Thanks!

 

It was offered at the M&G. Raquel took the names of those interested and then sent out formal invites with the time and meeting place that night. We had a group of about 25, I think. She indicated that if the group got too big, she'd do two tours. If you get the chance, you should definitely do it.

[esp13]

Hey there! We were on that cruise too but didn't make it to the meet and greet. DH got food poisoning and was sick all day :( Glad you enjoyed it! I will post a review too...it was also our first Alaskan. Thanks!

 

Oh no!! That's too bad. I hope he recovered quickly and I hope you enjoyed the cruise despite that bit of bad luck.

[Carolina Daisy]

It was offered at the M&G. Raquel took the names of those interested and then sent out formal invites with the time and meeting place that night. We had a group of about 25, I think. She indicated that if the group got too big, she'd do two tours. If you get the chance, you should definitely do it.

 

Does it cost anything?

[Novastar]

It was offered at the M&G. Raquel took the names of those interested and then sent out formal invites with the time and meeting place that night. We had a group of about 25, I think. She indicated that if the group got too big, she'd do two tours. If you get the chance, you should definitely do it.

 

Thanks so much for the really speedy reply. It has never been offered at my previous M&Gs so we will definitely ask for it.

[palmyrafan]

I just got home from a trip on the Pearl to Alaska. I've completed a full review which will hopefully be posted soon. I just realized I should have been smart and done a cut and paste, but I'm not that smart. So this will be a brief, brief version.

 

We were in a minisuite on deck 11 aft (11628). We loved the room, particularly the larger bathroom. It was well worth the extra money.

 

The entire cruise was great and the staff of the Pearl is outstanding from top to bottom. Special shout out to the Group Services coordinator (Raquel) and the 2nd Officer (Heriela) who arranged and conducted the CC members bridge tour.

 

Glacier Bay is beyond words. So beautiful and awe-inspiring. That day alone made the whole trip worth it and that doesn't include whale watching in Juneau, the White Pass railway in Skagway, or the beauty of Victoria.

 

I know food is a hot topic here and we found the food to be quite good. The only average meal was in the Blue Lagoon. It was fine, but just average.

 

That's all I've got at the moment - it's been a long day. If anyone has any specific questions, I'll be glad to answer them.

 

Oh . . . and here's a picture of the Marjorie glacier.

 

Thank you for your post about Alaska, the Pearl and your experience.

 

DH and I cruised on the Pearl 3 years ago to Glacier Bay and it took our breath away. We agree that it was the highlight of the trip and are looking forward to when we can go back.

 

Looking forward to reading your review.

[Pokeraddict]

Can't wait to read your review, in the meantime I have some questions and requests

 

Do you have a copy of the dailies you can post?

Do you have a copy of the MDR menu's?

Do you have a copy of all the specialty restaurant menu's?

Was there any dinner specials like 2 4 1?

Do kids eat free in the specialty restaurants?

Who was the cruise director?

Who was the captain?

What was the name of your butler?

How much is bingo?

What was the entertainment and what nights did they entertain?

Did they have deal or no deal?

If so what night?

 

 

JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you enjoyed your cruise.

[bonvoyagie]

Bridge tours are at the total discretion of the captian and are also based on group, group size, and the current security alert level. Our M&G was just offered it by the staff - we did not ask - and IMHO would not even think of asking for it.

[jimswims]

Glad you enjoyed the Pearl and Alaska. We took this cruise in August 2010. It is still one of my all-time favorite cruises. Planning on going again soon.

[esp13]

Does it cost anything?

 

Sorry, I missed this question earlier. The bridge tour does not cost anything.

[esp13]

Can't wait to read your review, in the meantime I have some questions and requests

 

Do you have a copy of the dailies you can post?

Do you have a copy of the MDR menu's?

Do you have a copy of all the specialty restaurant menu's?

Was there any dinner specials like 2 4 1?

Do kids eat free in the specialty restaurants?

Who was the cruise director?

Who was the captain?

What was the name of your butler?

How much is bingo?

What was the entertainment and what nights did they entertain?

Did they have deal or no deal?

If so what night?

 

 

JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you enjoyed your cruise.

 

LOL!! I was about to try and answer all those questions before I saw the "Just kidding" at the end. :) The problem was that aside from the name of the cruise director and captain, I didn't know most of the answers.

[Pokeraddict]

LOL!! I was about to try and answer all those questions before I saw the "Just kidding" at the end. :) The problem was that aside from the name of the cruise director and captain, I didn't know most of the answers.

 

I couldn't resist, it's been one of those days.

[b7440]

Thank you so much for your review, I wIl be onthe Peral the end of the month.Did NCL offer any service to take your bages directly to the Airport

[bonvoyagie]

Yes, they offer the BAGS program. As long as you are flying on certain airlines they will give you special colored tags, arrange for your bording pass and your bags will be waiting for you at your dest airport. The cost is 19.95 pp plus whatever the luggage surcharge is for your airline. My MIL used it and loved it. BTW the walk offs and BAGs program people are the first allowed off the ship as soon as the luggage clears customs.