Garden cafe-help me visualize

[Kierste]

Okay, I booked our cruise for 2015 on the pearl... Yes, I am an over planner. With the balcony upgrade we got section MB... And needed adjoining rooms. I picked 11110 and 11112 mostly due to a lack of reviews... No reviews means no major complaints. The garden cafe is above us, but I am struggling with visualizing it. On the deck plans it looks like a forward section, then kind of a narrower section, then an aft section, our rooms are basically centered in the middle of the aft section. I assume this is an outside eating area? Are people allowed to smoke at those tables along the rail? I had read no smoking around food or kid areas, but I am not sure if this area counts as around food.

 

Anyone that has seen it for themselves and can describe what is above us would be great!

[doberlady]

What ship?

[Kierste]

What ship?

 

Sorry I edited my post... The pearl...

[lamchops]

Are people allowed to smoke at those tables along the rail? I had read no smoking around food or kid areas, but I am not sure if this area counts as around food.

 

Anyone that has seen it for themselves and can describe what is above us would be great!

 

No smoking allowed in the aft outdoor dining area when we were onboard for our 2011 canal crossing.

[punkincc]

Loved the Great Outdoors on the aft of the ship. It is canopied and lots of shade. We ate there every day rather than in the crowded buffet. It has it's own buffet set up on a little smaller scale, but you can still get omlets, etc.

 

Wish I could remember the Pearl Buffet area. It was either the Pearl or the Dawn that I really liked. It felt more like a restaurant than a cafeteria. Long row of very high backed curved booths facing the windows. You were secluded visually from the hubbub of the lines when you were sitting there.

 

Your cabins are under the Great Outdoors area. Might not bother you much unless you are late sleepers. You may hear chair dragging very early ams as the crew gets the area ready.

[Kierste]

I went back and looked at the deck plan... The garden cafe stretches along the side of the ship, and on the deck plan I am looking at there looks like a forward section, a narrow part, a middle section, and an aft section, (I missed the real aft sectio before!) and then the great outdoors area... We are in the middle of the middle section, just forward of a set of elevators... Sorry I am trying not to be so vague! :)

[hartsnvt]

You are under the seating area of the Garden Cafe. It is carpeted up there so you would not have any noise from the upholstered chairs being moved around. You are NOT under the great outdoors where cleaning and chair moving would be heard from below. I was on the Pearl in Dec and did not see anyone smoke in the great outdoors and I smoked on my aft balcony and in designated areas in the outdoors areas on the ship that allowed it. (Port side on pool deck etc, and casino).

 

As has been stated here on CC, when the ship is moving the smoke flows from forward to aft. So many smokers like myself try to get as aft cabin as possible so as not to offend non smokers. Having the Aft balcony (B1) was perfect for us as we did not bother anyone when we smoked and the views were awesome from the back of the ship and the wake.

 

You will love the Pearl! If you have any other questions please feel free to ask!:)

[Kierste]

You are under the seating area of the Garden Cafe. It is carpeted up there so you would not have any noise from the upholstered chairs being moved around. You are NOT under the great outdoors where cleaning and chair moving would be heard from below. I was on the Pearl in Dec and did not see anyone smoke in the great outdoors and I smoked on my aft balcony and in designated areas in the outdoors areas on the ship that allowed it. (Port side on pool deck etc, and casino).

 

As has been stated here on CC, when the ship is moving the smoke flows from forward to aft. So many smokers like myself try to get as aft cabin as possible so as not to offend non smokers. Having the Aft balcony (B1) was perfect for us as we did not bother anyone when we smoked and the views were awesome from the back of the ship and the wake.

 

You will love the Pearl! If you have any other questions please feel free to ask!:)

 

Thank you! My mom is coming with us and is a closet (sneaky) smoker... We're putting her in the adjoining cabin aft of us... For just the reason you mention. But like I said she is sneaky about it... So it'll only be a couple smokes a day. But I got worried that there would be people above us hanging over the edge blowing smoke down... Silly I know, but it was still a thought. We are all super excited... But had to plan far out because we have other trips in the works for 2013 and 2014 lol

[hartsnvt]

I actually brought my own black (Car) travel ashtray at walmart because it has a top that you just drop the ashes and spent cigarette in so the ashes don't blow around. I told our room steward that he could keep it for wherever the crew smokes after we left.

No you do not smell any smoke from above other than when they do a BBQ at the pool deck . You should try to look up pics of the buffet as the seating area is very nice like another poster said. You can see the ocean through the windows from every seat and it has nicely upholstered booths as well as tables with upholstered chairs and is like being in a nice restaurant.

We enjoyed the food here as we are not big foodies and we had a better selection of food there than in the MDRs.

[Kierste]

Thanks so much... My mom is concerned about cold and wind... So it'll be good that I can tell her that not all the buffet dining is outside. I don't really think it will be a big problem in the southern caribbean tho. I am not too worried about food... We do AI I. Mexico each year and always find something to eat. I don't like junk all the time, but am not a foodie either. We also plan on trying a couple of the uncharge places for dinner. Are any open for lunch? I am thinking the noodle bar place would make a yummy lunch.

 

So much planning to do... But I have lots of time. I love researching, and we've never been to the Caribbean islands... So I plan on learning about each port in depth!

[hartsnvt]

We did not do any upcharge restaurants as we had already spent enough on the cruise. We never went hungry and only ate at The free venues aboard. Your cruise is where they will be doing the 10/11 day southern itinerary? I saw that and could only wish to be able to afford that itin with aruba and curacao in it. Lucky you! Research the heck out of the islands and see reviews on CC and NCL.com for excursions as I really trust other people's opinions about shore excursions.

[Kierste]

We did not do any upcharge restaurants as we had already spent enough on the cruise. We never went hungry and only ate at The free venues aboard. Your cruise is where they will be doing the 10/11 day southern itinerary? I saw that and could only wish to be able to afford that itin with aruba and curacao in it. Lucky you! Research the heck out of the islands and see reviews on CC and NCL.com for excursions as I really trust other people's opinions about shore excursions.

 

I read your review! It sounded like you had a great time!! Yes... It's mid-February 11 day southern caribbean... Aruba, curacao, st Lucia, st kitts, and st Thomas. We've done land trips to Mexico (Cozumel, playa del Carmen, Tulum etc) a few times, so I wanted to avoid Mexico ports. Then I decided I loved the pearl, and wanted south caribe... So there you go February 2015! Lol

[hartsnvt]

Thanks for reading it! I started it on Jan 7th and finally finished it today! I did not know that it would take me so long and adding the pics was a trip! I brought a notebook along so I could write a review as I have always enjoyed reading the reviews of CC members! I should have taken more pics of the ship but I really wanted the family pics to be my priority.

I know you are going to have a blast and if I win Powerball tonight, we will join you in 2015! lol.