Long, Detailed Review - Pearl Alaska 5/7/15

[marelind]

I will post this long review in a few different posts. I will also post a shorter version in the Reviews section of CC.

 

We ae an early 60’s couple. This was our 12th NCL cruise, and we cruise exclusively in suites. We booked the cruise about 3 weeks before embarkation (5/7/15), so we had a very fast prep time for this cruise. *DH has COPD so I will include some information about cruising with oxygen and/or disability. DH uses oxygen to sleep, upon exertion and to fly.

 

Pre-cruise - We flew to Vancouver the day before embarkation and stayed at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, a very nice hotel on Canada Place, within walking distance of the cruise terminal (only with very light luggage). Embarkation morning I walked two blocks west to Bute and W. Cordova to a small store/restaurant to purchase some last minute items. I then walked back to the corner of Burrard and W. Cordova to an ATM where I could get some Canadian cash. The hotel provided us with a ride to the cruise terminal gratis.

 

Embarkation - Embarkation was the easiest we have had at Canada Place/Vancouver. Previously we had to stand in long lines for about an hour before getting through security. This time security was moving quickly, but that may have been because the Pearl was the only ship in port that day. A new procedure since the last time we were in Vancouver was that after security we were shown to a seating area to wait to be called to the registration desks. At the point we were called to the desks, we then were able to identify ourselves as Platinum Latitudes/suites passengers, and we were taken to the suites registration desk. Once checked in there, we were shown to the VIP lounge and met Elvina, our concierge. * We requested a wheelchair at the seating area which, if you’re able to get that far on your own, the ship’s crew can be called and will take you through registration in the wheelchair and then onto the ship.

 

The Owner’s Suite – We were in cabin 9004, which includes living room with half bath and master bedroom with full bath and dressing room/closet. There is a deck overlooking the front of the ship and a side balcony also. The owner’s suite (OS) has an older Lavazza coffee/espresso machine and a refrigerator stocked with bottled water, Pepsi products and whatever mixers you want with your 3 bottles of alcohol that come with the suite (there is a list to choose from in your cabin at embarkation). There is a heavy curtain between the living room and bedroom and another between bedroom and bathroom. *This was the first time we arranged for an oxygen concentrator with Special Needs at Sea, the sole Norwegian approved contractor for full-size oxygen concentrators. We contacted them ahead of time, and they had the concentrator in the cabin at embarkation including canula, tubing and humidifier bottle. We left it in the cabin at disembarkation, and they picked it up from there. DH brought his own portable oxygen concentrator (POC), but did not want to rely on it solely for O2 as we had a couple of scary moments on previous cruises when we thought it wasn’t work (turns out the breaker on that section of the cabin flipped). Having the room concentrator gave us peace of mind and was very easy and quiet. FYI, a cruise that begins and ends in different ports has a $100 surcharge on top of the rental cost.

 

Butler Walter was great. It took us a day or two to warm up to him, but he definitely won us over with his tenacious search for a memory foam pillow for me and for learning our routine so well that on the last full day, the phones were down and he automatically brought DH’s usual breakfast at the usual time. Elvina, the concierge, was friendly and efficient. She helped us resolve a confusion over the promos that were included on our reservation, but not registered on board the ship, as well as booking an excursion for me.

 

Next up: Dining

[marelind]

Although we had the dining package, we still like to eat at the main dining rooms (MDR) about half the time. One night we went to Indigo, and they said they had a 30-40 minute wait, but Summer Palace had space so we went there. The MDR food was always good to very good and the service was very good as well. *There is an entrance to Summer Palace on deck 6 that allows you to avoid the stairs into the dining room from deck 7. Go to the aft elevators to access the deck 6 entrance (not all of the elevators in that bank of elevators will go down to 6 so check before you get in). Le Bistro was excellent as always; the service was a little slow due to the full restaurant. Teppanyaki was the best we have had in the last few cruises; the chef was entertaining, but not over the top, and the food was cooked perfectly without being too salty which is a problem we’ve had in the past. La Cucina was great and willing to combine ingredients from 3 of their pizzas to satisfy DH’s taste (artichoke hearts, sausage & mushrooms) and cook my salmon to order. Cagney’s was superb! FYI, Le Bistro and Cagney’s hve different types of beef (Cagney’s is Angus) so I ordered my steak medium at Cagney’s but medium rare at Le Bistro’s.

Due to the Ultimate Dining Package (UDP) promotions, the specialty restaurants are difficult to get into without pre-booking reservations prior to embarkation. Previously, the concierge would have table reserved for last minute reservations. That is no longer the case and a bit of a disappointment.

[marelind]

We had amazingly good weather – cool, in the 50’s during the days, with a little rain on a couple of days – for the most part we had blue or partly cloudy skies. *DH stays on the ship while I go off the ship on my own or on excursions.

 

The Inside Passage is beautiful! You can't help but be awed by the scenery.

 

We docked in Juneau around 1 pm. There is a free shuttle from the dock to the Mt. Roberts Tram parking lot. The independent tour vendors set up there in a row of kiosks. I think they all sell the same tickets, but I’m not sure. I bought a ticket there for the shuttle to Mendenhall Glacier for $21 US round trip. Once at the glacier I walked around outside, and then took the elevator up to the Visitor’s Center. For a $3 fee you can go into the observation area, hear the ranger talk about glacier formation, use their telescopes, and watch the short film about Alaska history and glaciers. Once back in town I shopped at Fairweather Gallery because it is owned and run by Juneau residents and sells Alaskan made goods.

 

In Skagway I booked the ship’s Grizzly Falls Zip Lining excursion. Another CCer recommended it highly. I had been wanting to try a zip line, but had concerns about age, weight and how strenuous it might be. This was the perfect intro to zip lining! 1) Curt and Dylan, our guides, were very careful about safety, very supportive and encouraging, and just nice people! 2) You do not have to brake yourself, which simplifies the process. They have a block that slows you down and then the guide helps you land. 3) There were 11 zip lines of different lengths and angles of incline; the variety made it interesting while you didn’t feel you were on the neverending zip line.

 

In Sitka I booked the Bear Sanctuary, Eagle Rescue & Native Trails tour through the ship. Jolene, a native Tlingit, was our guide. She shared a lot about her culture and life in Sitka. We first went to the Sitka National Historical Park. Jolene talked a little about the plants the Tlingit use for medicinal purposes. We had time to go into the Visitor’s Center. We saw a short film about Sitka’s history. In one room of the Center there was a Tlingit man carving wood. He stopped to talk to us about wood carving and the Tlingit culture. He was fascinating! We then went on to the bear sanctuary where they rescue orphaned bear cubs. We then went on to the Eagle Rescue Center, the only raptor rescue in the U.S. The tour was a good, low key way to spend an afternoon learning about local culture.

 

Icy Strait Point - ISP is the place where the ship docks, but the local town is called Hoonah. A fellow CCer did the research to find Glacier Wind Charters, which we booked for a whale watching tour independently from the ship. Shawn and Teresa own and run the business. I contacted them by email, and Teresa called the next morning to set it up. She was very friendly and helpful. The great things about Glacier Wind are: 1) Shawn grew up in Hoonah, and they live there year round so they know the area well; 2) they only take up to 7 passengers which means there is plenty of room on all sides of the boat – I never felt like I was fighting to get a front row seat or was in someone else’s way; 3) Shawn made no promises that we would see whales, but Shawn knew where to look and worked with other locals to find the whales; 4) Shawn’s concern for our safety and respect for the whale’s well-being; 5) Teresa’s yummy salmon dip! We saw 4 groups of whales even though it was very early in the season – one group surprised us and surfaced about 25 yards away from the boat, a real treat! Overall, well worth the cost of the tour. I highly recommend them!!

 

Glacier Bay - Spectacular!!! We entered Glacier Bay around 6 am to pick up the park rangers. They set up an information table in the Spinnaker Lounge, and by 7 am gave an informal introduction then answered questions. At 8 am the ranger began a periodic narration which lasted until noon; this was broadcast over the PA system throughout the ship and on the TV’s in the cabins. We arrived at Marjerie and Grand Pacific glaciers around 9:15 am and spent 45 minutes to an hour just watching Marjerie glacier. We could hear the crack of the ice and see the ice cascade into the bay. We then headed to a nearby arm and saw two more tidal glaciers – Lamplugh and Johns Hopkins. It was a beautiful day! The captain opened up the bow of the ship to passengers. The best place to be is outside, and honestly, the owner’s suites and the penthouses at the front of the ship are prime glacier viewing spots! Between the front deck and side balcony of the OS gave us a 270 degree view of the glaciers as the ship slowly turned.

 

In Ketchikan I booked the Bering Sea Crab Fisherman’s tor through the ship. David Lethin, the owner of the Aleutian Ballad, a crab fishing boat, had a season or two on the Deadliest Catch TV show. He and his wife outfitted the boat with stadium seating. They have two crab fishermen who tell stories of their time on the Bering Sea, as well as stories about the history of the Aleutian Ballad. They are great storytellers! They bring up 3 or 4 types of pots with crabs and prawns you can handle. They showed how the equipment works. Another bonus highlight of the tour was when they threw bait fish in the water and about 20 bald eagles were diving and picking up the fish. It was spectacular! This was a great tour for anyone familiar with the Deadliest Catch.

 

The cruise terminal in Victoria, BC has a free shuttle to the downtown shopping area. It lets you off two blocks from the Empress Hotel. From the Empress you can catch a Hop On, Hop Off (HOHO) bus that tours the area, and I think goes to Buchart Garden. There are lots of shops to get souvenirs where the shuttle drops you off. My favorites are the Irish Linen shop, Rogers Chocolates and the gelato shop. Four years ago we made reservations for tea at the Empress Hotel. It is a sumptuous feast, and it is well worth doing in Victoria.

[marelind]

Disembarkation in Seattle was very quick and easy, especially with the assistance of the concierge. *We requested wheelchair assistance from the concierge and they arrived at the cabin at 9 am, a suite perk; otherwise you have to go to one of the lounges to pick up the wheelchair.

 

Prior to the cruise there were reports of a norovirus outbreak on the Pearl thanks to Cruise Critic, but we asked and were told it was under control prior to embarkation. Once on board we checked with the crew and they assured us that there had been no new cases reported on the last cruise. Our steward had dark circles under her eyes and as the cruise went on I figured out she was probably exhausted from the amount of extra work she and all the crew had to do to combat the outbreak. About 4-5 days into the cruise I noticed that Dingo Dave, the cruise director, was including in his announcements a strong and specific direction to sanitize or wash one's hands before and after eating and before and after using the bathroom. That was my first clue that Noro had raised it's ugly head again. Then our steward said something about having to "sanitize". The announcements continued for the next couple of days and crew members with spray bottles appeared outside all the entrances to main dining rooms and Garden Cafe. By the time the Captain acknowledged there was an outbreak of norovirus on the ship and passengers must wash their hands and be aware, they had "silver service" (crew members serve everything at buffets, no salt/pepper/butter/bread on tables, etc.) instituted.

 

We are grateful that we were able to avoid the plague - I'm sure it is due, in part, to our paranoia from the start. We wash hands frequently, avoid touching elevator buttons and handrails and take lots and lots of wipes. I am so sorry for those who caught this nasty bug and lost out on part of their cruise. In spite of the situation, I felt the crew worked to keep service as normal as possible and try curb the outbreak through communication and cleaning. Of course, my perspective is based on my experience.

[graveytrain]

Thanks for taking time to post your review!

[April7901]

Lovely! It was so good to meet you, and I'm still tickled that you enjoyed Glacier Wind so much!

 

I'm hoping to get to my review (and pics) this weekend!

[Manbo]

We were on the Pearl with you and while we did different excursions, our experience was like yours. We had a wonderful cruise!

Great review. I posted one as well.

[marelind]

Lovely! It was so good to meet you, and I'm still tickled that you enjoyed Glacier Wind so much!

 

I'm hoping to get to my review (and pics) this weekend!

 

April, it was a great day! I'm so glad I got a chance to meet you and to talk once again (no, we're not in the line ;) )

[cruiseclues]

Thank you for your fairly comprehensive Norwegian Pearl Alaska Review. :):):):)

[marelind]

Thank you for your fairly comprehensive Norwegian Pearl Alaska Review. :):):):)

 

You're welcome! It felt a little narcissistic, yet if I were doing the research for a cruise, those are the things I might find interesting. I hope it helps anyone who is planning an Alaskan cruise on Norwegian or the Pearl. :)