NCL Pearl 11/10/13 - Balcony Differences?

[Angelo_R]

Hello. First post here. I've been on 2 cruises - Royal Caribbean 4-day to Bahamas, and just recently my honeymoon on NCL Dawn in November to Western Caribbean. My wife and I had a really great time. We got the cruise for $349pp + taxes (about $908 total) and $75 OBC for an inside room (got deck 8 forward room 8006). We bought the week-long spa package to use the "private" pool, spa, hydrotherapy spa, sauna, and locker rooms for $119pp which I HIGHLY recommend to anyone looking for some relaxing peace and quiet. I also did the $250 FCC on-board and am looking to make plans for our 1st anniversary in November 2013. We'd love to cruise every year for our anniversary.

 

I'm all for finding deals, and I'm looking at a possible good deal on the NCL Pearl 7-day Cruising the Western Caribbean on 11/10/2013. I saw a deal on TravelZoo through CruCon Cruise Outlet that was giving $150 OBC with the $599 Balcony. On NCL.com, I can get a balcony for $599 (+$138 taxes) pp. The code is BX on Deck 8 (and assuming the CruCon is a BX code). For $20 more I can get a BC room with a free upgrade to BA room on Deck 10 that is showing a price of $769 (but would pay $619). I'm not sure what type of OBC I'd get, but I would get the extra Latitude points for 9-months in advance (7 points) and it has a code that it's a Latitude Inside Offer (7 points) so I'd get 21 Latitude points for the cruise pp.

 

A few questions...

 

1) Does anyone know if the BA Balcony rooms mid-ship deck 10 are any better than the BX deck 8?

 

2) Does this look like a good deal? If so, should I book with CruCon or directly with NCL?

 

3) We would love to try any balcony room, but would we be better off saving $200 pp and go with an Inside room for $399 pp and spend the $400 on excursions/spa package?

 

Thanks for any help/suggestions,

Angelo

[Lady Anna & Sir Troy]

I would highly recommend going with the Deck 10 balcony and NOT doing the BX on "deck 8". I think BX is a guarantee so I don't know if it would be deck 8 for sure, but if it is - you do NOT want to be there. Almost all of the Deck 8 balcony rooms are over the night lounge or the theater. We were in a Deck 8 balcony once on the Pearl slightly over from the theater (not directly above) and it was quite noisy. Our friends in their cabin two down had trouble sleeping. IMHO, deck 8 balcony and insides over those two areas are the worst on the ship.

 

On the other hand we went on with a deck 10 balcony near the forward elevators this year and I LOVED it! I especially liked how close it was to the SPA. I did the weekly Spa Pass on the Pearl this time instead of just two days and it was heaven. The Pearl has one of the best spas at Sea.

 

Funny you should ask, this is one of the only cruise ships I've been on twice and in both places you are considering...

 

L.A.S.T.

[roger001]

The Pearl is a fine ship....actually our favorite....although we love them all. A deck 9 or 10 balcony is the best choice. With a BX, as another mentioned, you don't know what you will get. Chose your own on 9 or 10. For us, a balcony is a must. My opinion.

[jdvmd]

BX is usually a guarantee cabin or a category that NCL is promoting.

 

Sorry but it is against Cruise Critic rules to discuss any specific travel agency so we cannot comment.

 

Congratulations on your wedding and hope you have many more years of wedded bliss. My husband and I bought a Aruba timeshare on our honeymoon. Thought we would go back every year. Went once. Children started coming along and with their school schedule just hasn't happened. This year is our 25th.