Choosing a Balcony cabin on Pearl - what to consider?

[OhPinchy]

We're leaning towards booking a 7-night Western Caribbean on the Norwegian Pearl in November. We want to go with a Balcony cabin but I've no idea what to go for in terms of location etc.

 

We're booking very late so I doubt we'll have a full choice, which makes it even more important to know how to distinguish the good from the bad in the leftovers.

 

Is going with a Guarantee generally worth the risk in this scenario (where the ship may well not get fully booked so they might not have an excess of Balcony customers so less chance of an upgrade)?

 

Looking at the route, my logic is it would be best to be on the left side of the ship to get the best view of the coasts.

 

My parents sailed on the Norwegian Gem recently which I believe is very similar to the Pearl. They had a Balcony on the Deck 8 and liked it - it was near the front though they don't recall the number.

 

Ideally we'd get a cabin with a good unobstructed view that's not too noisy (i.e. not near engines/machinery or near busy elevators). Is there a difference in stability between being near the front middle or rear (first-time cruisers!)?

 

We wouldn't be too concerned with being far away from the action if it meant we would have a decent cabin.

 

Thanks for any tips - the travel agents I have spoken to had little insight on cabins and were more interested in selling the cruise rather than getting the right cabin for us.

[NW Pacific]

WE had balcony 9016 on the Pearl in July, enjoyed it very much, if an AFT balcony is still available, 9674 or 9174 I would opt for one of those, or if not a balcony (aft) on deck 10, its closer walking to the buffets, cause you may want to bring food back to your cabin at breakfast and lunch times dues to lack of seating on sea days.

[tiggerfan616]

If you are prone to motion sickness more aft on the ship is better. You can check NCL's website for deck plans its a little easier to read then those brochures, even I needed a magnfying glass. There is also a website I use cruisedeckplans.com that is very helpful. To get into the members site there is a charge though, think its $9.95 but that is for life.

[Cuizer2]

Is going with a Guarantee generally worth the risk in this scenario (where the ship may well not get fully booked so they might not have an excess of Balcony customers so less chance of an upgrade)?

 

Looking at the route, my logic is it would be best to be on the left side of the ship to get the best view of the coasts.

 

My parents sailed on the Norwegian Gem recently which I believe is very similar to the Pearl. They had a Balcony on the Deck 8 and liked it - it was near the front though they don't recall the number.

 

Ideally we'd get a cabin with a good unobstructed view that's not too noisy (i.e. not near engines/machinery or near busy elevators). Is there a difference in stability between being near the front middle or rear (first-time cruisers!)?

 

We wouldn't be too concerned with being far away from the action if it meant we would have a decent cabin.

 

Thanks for any tips - the travel agents I have spoken to had little insight on cabins and were more interested in selling the cruise rather than getting the right cabin for us.

 

A guarantee means that for a reduced price the cruise line gets to pick the cabin for you. If you are upgraded, most likely it will be to a higher level balcony. All the balcony cabins (with a few exceptions) are the same, so all you are getting is a balcony that is in a better location if you get an upgrade. You could get upgraded to a mini or junior suite, but that is not very likely. However, you will not end up in an inside cabin or an ocean view cabin. However, you will get the cabin that no one else wanted. That could mean you are over the disco. No big deal if you intend to be the last one to leave the disco every morning. It is a big deal if you and the sun both go to sleep at the same time and wake up at the same time. Other noise makers include the casino, the show lounges and having the pool deck be your roof (since the deck hands tend to drag the deck chairs around very early in the morning).

 

If you are in a balcony, don't worry about the engines. They are about 100 feet below you. You will not hear the engines.

 

Location. Well, you will find people that like the front, the middle and the back. In general low and middle means less movement. The closer to the ends you get (bow or stern) the more you will feel the up and down movement (pitch) of the ship. The higher your are the more you will feel the left and right sway (roll) of the ship.

 

The Pearl does have forward facing balconies, but they are all attached to suites. I had one on the maiden voyage of the Jade, and I loved it. I had the same view the captain had, just from 20 feet closer to the water. Also, when you are at the end of the ship (bow or stern - it does not matter) the hallways are quieter because very few people make it that far down the hallway.

 

Most balconies are side facing. If you are in a side facing balcony near the middle of the ship you will feel less pitching of the ship. If you are close enough to the front, you will hear the ship cutting through the water. Side facing balconies are great for watching the world go by. However, don't expect to see a lot of land, unless it is the island you are going to dock at. The captains like to avoid hitting things, including small islands. So they tend to stay far enough out to sea so that you will not be able to see any land. Nonetheless, having been in front, side and rear facing balconies, the only good balcony for watching the world go by is a side facing balcony. In a front facing balcony the world is coming at you, and in a rear facing balcony the world is fading off into the distance. Only in a side facing balcony does the world go by. Also front facing balconies are windy (unless there is a tail wind). Rear facing balconies don't get much wind, and thus can get a little hot and stuffy. However, for the best views, a rear facing balcony cannot be beat ...

 

 

 

I don't believe that any of the balconies on the Pear have an obstructed view. I have not been on the Pearl, but I have been on two of its sister ships, the Star and the Jade.

 

The quietest location will be a cabin that has other cabins above and below. The further from the elevator you are the quieter it will be. However, the noise does not come from the elevator, but rather the people going to or coming from it. And you will occasionally hear the pitter patter of some child's feet as they run up or down the hallway. Kids do that, what can I say?

 

In general the higher the cabin, the more it costs. That is because people like to be near the action. However, as I noted, when your roof is the pool deck, things can get noisy at 5:00am. So you might not agree with NCL's view of which balcony cabin is best. Of course, if you intend to be on deck waiting for the sun to show itself, then you might not mind a 5:00am wake up call.

 

As to an agent, find one who is concerned about the cabin location. You want an agent that is more concerned about you than his or her commission. All the good agents know that if they take care of their clients, their clients will book again and again with them, and that will take care of their commissions.

[salty dingo]

We were in 11026, and found it to be a great location. You could look forward and see into the bridge!

 

We had an overhang above up which keeps any sun off you and rain as well. I don't think cabins on the sides of the ship would be good for getting sun, but that is what the upper decks are for.

 

There was only brief noise early in the evening from the pool deck above, never enough to complain about. Overall we liked the location a lot.

 

If you like to go out on deck, choose a deck within an easy walk to the stairs as high up as possible. You can always wait on an elevator, but I found myself in a hurry to go look at something several times, and wanted to get outside quickly. The balcony is nice but you can't even see half of the ocean from there.

[retired rascal]

i think it helps to pull up the 'getting around the decks' plans on the ncl site....look where you are....what's above and below you. i wouldn't want to be in a cabin above a theatre or a jazz lounge. i wouldn't want to be below a gym where there's likely to be people doing aerobics or dropping weights. look forward and aft of you. on the pearl i loved below FWD on deck 11 in a minisuite right behind the captains and officers' quarters and under the library and spa which are quiet. had easy access to decks...up one flight of easy stairs....or take the elevator. enjoy your cruise!!!!! :)