About to take a big step...need info on the Pearl 4-13-07

[joker0227]

OK, so we took a deep breath and I think we're ready to take the plunge! Our first non-CCL cruise....EVER (GULP!). We have cruised several Carnival cruise ships over the past 10 years, but we couldn't find an itinerary on CCL that matched our mega-vacation plans upcoming in April.

Our mega vacation is going to start off in Vegas with a complimentary 5 night stay in Harrahs and the Rio (I'm in a Poker Tourny - YEE HAH!!) and we're looking to then take a cruise after Vegas. The 9 day Southern Caribbean cruise on the Pearl on 4/13/07 fits our plans perfectly, plus we absolutely love the Southern Caribbean itinerary.

So, I think this is it....I think we're going to do it, so here are my questions to all those that have sailed the Pearl in the past......

• How does it compare to CCL ships like the Glory, Legend, Paradise, Jubilee and Sensation (if you've been on Carnival before; if not, no biggie, just tell me what you thought of the Pearl in the following categories)....
  • ship size?
    
  • passenger capacity?
    
  • is it an overcrowded ship or is there room to move around?
    
  • embarkation / debarkation process?
    
  • are the camera personnel all over you like they are on CCL?
    
  • how are they towards first time Norwegian cruisers?
    
  • service (bar, casino, room, dinning room, etc...)?
    
  • food (dinning room, buffets, 24-hour?, etc....)?
    
  • entertainment (we really enjoy the side entertainment like the smaller bars, jazz/blues/piano bars....we're not so much into the main shows, but detail those for me to if you can too)?

I'm not familiar with Norwegian at all, so this will be a first and I figured CC was the best place to start. Any recommendations that you might have for my wife and I would be greatly appreciated. We are young adults with no children and I enjoy cigars, but don't need to smoke to enjoy the cruise (in case there are any recommendations on well ventilated cigar bars, etc...). We enjoy snorkeling and beaches when it comes to our island stops. We're also casual drinkers and I also do enjoy the casino at times :D

Thank you so much in advance for any advice you all can provide to me on this ship and this itinerary. We're looking forward to our trip of a lifetime and I'm looking forward to spending the 20K that I plan on winning in the poker tourny. :)

[Don Haynes]

Sorry. I hit the wrong key on my keyboard and posted before I wished to.

[Don Haynes]

Why not read a Pearl review, many have been posted since she is practially brand new. You will receive most of your answers from different views and opinions.

 

The ship is similar in size. The Pearl will be Panamax sized. Up to 3000 with triple and quad occupancy. Lots of room, well planned ship. Express disembarkation and then they call the colors, with NCL you can stay in your cabin until the color is called. Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but there are photographers aboard. I didn't notice any difference in service for anyone, but of course there are perks with the lattitudes program. Service is as good as any other mass market line. Food is subjective, considering the number of passengers aboard the food is good in my opinion. Entertainment is entertainment, every cruise ship I have sailed have had at least a piano player or two, sometimes a guitar player, a showroom, and a disco. Don't expect big name acts.

 

The main difference is the number of restaurants aboard NCL ships, from the main dining rooms to the buffet to the speciality restaurants and simple fast food. There are no set tables or dining times with NCL, you choose when, where, and with whom you wish to dine. Much alike restaurants at home with open sitting, during a rush you may encounter a short line durinig the peak times of 7-8 o'clock.

[joker0227]

Great, thanks for your input. I figured I could look up a review or two, but I guess I was looking for a "personal touch" on my quesitons as I really don't consider what my wife and I look for in a cruise to be standard (we don't like the shows really and it's the little things that either delight us or bug us....like the piano guy in a corner bar on the good side and the photographers that just wouldn 't let us alone on the CCL ships that we absolutely couldn't stand in the past). Thanks again for responding, the info about the dining is definitely good news. It's something I really hoped CCL would do with their newer ships as we really don't enjoy the organized dining thing that much and really wished to have more variety.

 

Thanks again,

 

Jim

[dwrist]

Great, thanks for your input. I figured I could look up a review or two, but I guess I was looking for a "personal touch" on my quesitons as I really don't consider what my wife and I look for in a cruise to be standard (we don't like the shows really and it's the little things that either delight us or bug us....like the piano guy in a corner bar on the good side and the photographers that just wouldn 't let us alone on the CCL ships that we absolutely couldn't stand in the past). Thanks again for responding, the info about the dining is definitely good news. It's something I really hoped CCL would do with their newer ships as we really don't enjoy the organized dining thing that much and really wished to have more variety.

 

Thanks again,

 

 

 

Jim

 

I know Pamala Stanley will be on the Pearl 4/13 and 4/22. She has her own web site. Check it out. :)

 

http://www.pamalastanley.com/

[drewdie]

We too are taking a leap of faith and going on NCL. We have cruised 8 times with RCCL and on Disney twice- and have always had a great experience. I have read these boards extensively, and am very excited about our cruise on NCL> Yes, some things will be different, but hopefully in a good way. We are a family of four, and are looking forward to having many dining choices, a bowling alley, and great excursions. Some of the things we are used to- sport court, climbing wall and a good spa, we will also have. So, we think it will be a win-win situation. While we will not have the perks of being a high ranking Latitudes member- something we are on RCCL, we hope that we will still receive good service. We are new to Cruise Critics, but have found the information here incredible- wish we had found them sooner.

[cruisingbooboo]

We were on the Jewel last year which is very similer to the Pearl which we will be on 4-13-07. Anyway the Jewel had nice little bars with music, there is a cigar bar on the Pearl and the photographers were not pushy on the Jewel, so I assume it is pretty much the same on the Pearl. Maybe we'll see you there :

[LateCruiser]

The Photogs weren't pushy at all. They did occasionally ask to take our picture. We were happy to oblige. We always get a few to have with our cruise memories.

 

There is a bar with a piano player every evening near LeBistro. We didn't go there, but heard good comments from other cruisers in our group.

 

The Pearl is a great ship, with a great staff. If you run into a bar waiter named Clarence, from Honduras, tell him Gus and Debra from Virginia said hello.:)

[TypeAGal]

Hey Joker...

 

Sounds like we are very similar. We had also cruised primarily with Carnival and loved the itinierary for the Pearl. I put an extensive review up under the formal ship reviews that may be of help.

 

However, I thought I would give you some insight into the Carnival vs. NCL that we experienced. First - we loved them both...just differently.

 

Carnival definitely had larger staterooms, but NCLs seemed more user-friendly. And the beds/linens on NCL were awesome, as was the shower!

 

We much preferred the food on Carnival, but thought the service on the Pearl was better than any we had ever had before. In fact, we are kinda anti-photo people and they really did leave us alone. This was great on 2 fronts...1. I didn't have to plot to avoid the staff or be forced to pose on a night I felt tired or fat (I was 6 mos. preg). #2. Because the photos were more "freestyle" like the dining, you didn't find long lines blocking halls or dining rooms as people were forced to take pictures before entering certain places.

 

I think someone mentioned, but there was a cigar bar and the crowd was actually younger there than I would have thought, so you'll probably have some compadres! ;o)

 

The ship feels much smaller and intimate than the Carnival Triumph we last went on (when it was fairly new). We liked the grandness and theme of the Carnival...the Pearl is beautiful, but not "Grand" per se. Having said that, we loved the pool area and sports options - we hit some golf balls and watched some b-ball games.

 

There are so many more options for food on the Pearl and the itinerary was awesome. I thnk those two things alone just made the trip. As I mentioned in one of my reviews...my husband never work anything fancier than crisp khakis and he was so happy.

 

I really think you will love it...but it will be different. I felt more entertained on the Carnival ship, but there were so many other features on the Pearl that more than made up for the few shortcomings.

 

Have a blast!!

 

Leslie

 

PS _ The itinerary is so good...check the Ports of Call boards to check out the best tours like Cosol (St. Lucia) and Thriller (Barbados).