Pearl Seas Cruises, Pearl Mist

[bob brown]

Any recent cruiser's on the Pearl Mist, since its refurbishment?

 

I had been booked on AQV's cruise for next year, but they canceled it, and after this season, are putting their former Victory Cruise Line Ocean Navigator and Ocean Voyager up for sale.  So now researching a replacement.  This one seems to come closest, but also will consider Viking.

[BaumD]

Just got off the Pearl Mist last week. They use the same interior designer as the American cruise line ships. The interiors are just like the new ACL ships. Cabins and public areas were all renovated. The way both lines operate is very similar. The biggest difference is the staff. The ACL staff is all young and inexperienced US citizens. A waiter on ACL with two months service is a veteran! On Pearl, many of the staff has been there since the ship launched in 2014. Most of the staff is from the Philippines and are real pros.

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, BaumD said:

Just got off the Pearl Mist last week. They use the same interior designer as the American cruise line ships. The interiors are just like the new ACL ships. Cabins and public areas were all renovated. The way both lines operate is very similar. The biggest difference is the staff. The ACL staff is all young and inexperienced US citizens. A waiter on ACL with two months service is a veteran! On Pearl, many of the staff has been there since the ship launched in 2014. Most of the staff is from the Philippines and are real pros.

That's what the PVSA has done to our cruise industry!

[Tom47]

We just finished a Pearl Seas cruise, Quebec City to Portland, Maine.  We were able to visit all scheduled ports.  Food and service were excellent, except for chef's recommendation of duck entree, which was terrible.  They brought me a lobster tail as a replacement and that was very good.  

Edited October 8, 2023 by Tom47
typo

[bob brown]

Has anyone cruised this line more recently?

[Tom47]

1 hour ago, bob brown said:

Has anyone cruised this line more recently?

They have merged loyalty programs with ACL, parent company, about 4 months ago.

[bob brown]

3 hours ago, Tom47 said:

They have merged loyalty programs with ACL, parent company, about 4 months ago.

That’s no help to me, as I haven’t sailed on either previously.  Now if they would “merge” their loyalty program with the former AQV, since they purchased some of their vessels, that would give me some “status”…😉

[Tom47]

33 minutes ago, bob brown said:

That’s no help to me, as I haven’t sailed on either previously.  Now if they would “merge” their loyalty program with the former AQV, since they purchased some of their vessels, that would give me some “status”…😉

It took them years to agree to merge PS with ACL, after requests from cruise pax.  We cruised PS 1st time in 2019 and it was an issue then.   I doubt AQV will happen, but you can live in hope.

[bob brown]

8 hours ago, Tom47 said:

It took them years to agree to merge PS with ACL, after requests from cruise pax.  We cruised PS 1st time in 2019 and it was an issue then.   I doubt AQV will happen, but you can live in hope.

If they want to keep most of AQV's customer's, it might be a good idea to make it happen.  Otherwise, some other player might enter the market, (besides Viking), and take some of them...

🤷‍♂️

[Tom47]

2 hours ago, bob brown said:

If they want to keep most of AQV's customer's, it might be a good idea to make it happen.  Otherwise, some other player might enter the market, (besides Viking), and take some of them...

🤷‍♂️

They also introduced a referral program-$500 discount

[Host Jazzbeau]

8 hours ago, bob brown said:

If they want to keep most of AQV's customer's, it might be a good idea to make it happen.  Otherwise, some other player might enter the market, (besides Viking), and take some of them...

🤷‍♂️

That’s why they bought the AQV ships — to prevent somebody else from entering the market. 

[bob brown]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

That’s why they bought the AQV ships — to prevent somebody else from entering the market. 

Viking can expand.  Other's can also bring newbuilds.  Maybe not for a while, but eventually.