Trip report NCL Pearl, September 22 - 29, 2023 (Quebec City)

[RN_Prof]

To provide a little background, my wife and I are both in our 50s. I have a disability following an accident that injured my back. I normally use a cane for stability but use a rollator for walking long distances or when I anticipate being in lines for extended periods. My wife experiences knee and ankle pain when walking extended distances and recently started using a rollator herself. We frequently cruise with NCL; this was our fourth time on the Pearl. This cruise was the second time we sailed a Northeast Canada/New England cruise, but we experienced many new ports and the first time sailing in the fall. We had beautiful weather for the cruise but missed fall color. The locals estimated the fall color would peak in about two weeks.

 

We flew into Quebec City a day early, and getting through customs was quick and easy (I registered the night before). Our limo driver met us just outside the helpful terminal. Quebec City is beautiful, and we had nice weather. We stayed at Hotel Champlain Vieux Quebec in Old Town, which had an old-town feel but was very comfortable. We could walk along the Rue Sainte Anne and Cathedral Holy Trinty shops to the boardwalk by Saint-Louis Forts and Châteaux National Historic Site, which has beautiful waterway views, and of Fairmont Fe Chateau Frontenac. We had the best dinner of the trip, Café-Terrasse Le Nouvelle-France, and stopped to watch the fountain show in front of Quebec City Hall.

 

 I recommend Au Petit Coin Breton for breakfast; they have good crepes and traditional breakfast egg and omelet dishes. We tried walking up to the citadel in the morning, but it was too much for my wife. While Old Town Quebec City is easy to walk, it is not easy with a rollator because of the cobblestone sidewalks. Even the concrete sidewalks have uneven surfaces (due to weather). We ordered a handicap cab through the Coop Taxi app, but they sent a regular taxi instead. Luckily, he was able to flag us down a minivan. Another couple ordered an Uber, and we overheard the Uber driver arguing that the line at the cruise terminal was too long and he would only drop them off at the gate. We did not think the line at the terminal was long and we checked in quickly.

[AKR2011]

Thank you for posting!  I spent two weeks on The Pearl last month and had a fantastic time! I hope your cruise was great as well ❤️⚓️

[schmoopie17]

I'm hoping @RN_Prof returns to actually comment on the Pearl, since we will be on her in two months. Especially since Mrs. Schmoopie had a leg fracture in July and will probably still be having mobility issues...would like to know how easy it is to maneuver around the ship.

 

Edited October 1, 2023 by schmoopie17

[RN_Prof]

The Pearl

 

The Pearl is our favorite ship; it has the amenities we want (a thermal pool in the spa), but not too big. She would be the perfect ship if they could add a covered observation area like on the Encore. Nevertheless, like all of us, she is beginning to show her age with little blemishes here and there. Also, we did not find the crew as a whole to be the best of the best. However, as working people, we greatly appreciate any service we receive, and the crew is hard-working.

While the headline productions were well put together, they did not have many of them, only three for a seven-day cruise. The best was Legends featuring Tina Turner, Micheal Jackson, and Elvis. We spent most of our time listening to Louise, the piano player, who had fun sing-a-longs and tributes to Elton John and Billy Joel. Doug, the guitarist, also had good sets. The band Funky Roots was good, but it was not our style. We enjoyed the 80’s dance party even though our ailments prevented us from dancing. The entertainment staff always had activities going, like origami and arts and crafts. However, we spent most days ashore or reading in the spa.

 

The food is okay at NCL. Our best meal was at Teppanyaki, and we enjoyed the experience. We felt the food at Moderno Churrascaria was not any better than the main dining rooms for dinner. My wife likes O’Sheehans for breakfast, and we both like going there for lunch. I prefer the buffet for breakfast.

 

Getting around the ship is not difficult with walkers, but getting an elevator during embarkation and port days can be a challenge. I saw a few people quickly shut the elevator when they saw us with walkers. We did find that NCL took some elevators out of general service at busy times so that they could control them. However, I wish NCL had communicated which elevators they took out of service or had a staff member on each floor. We had a hard time to getting down to one deck just to be put on another elevator to get down to the disembarkment deck.

Edited October 1, 2023 by RN_Prof