questions about the pearl

[bbcruiser67]

We are a group of 6 traveling on the Pearl in February. We have cruised before with Royal Caribbean and Carnival but this is our first time with NCL. I have a couple questions about the Pearl.

 

1. Do they have mini-golf? It is not on any NCL literature I have seen, but on a review on this site, I thought I saw it mentioned. That is one of my son's favorite activities for sea days.

 

2. How are the crowds for the bowling and the large wii screen?

 

3. My mother-in-law loved the buffet with RC but hated it on Carnival. How does this one compare?

 

4. What's up with Xcaret? My cousin, who used to be a cruise specialty travel agent, recommended Xcaret while at Cozumel. It was on the list of excursions I printed off NCL's website, but when I went to book it, it was not there. I called them, and they said it had been cancelled.

 

5. Since Xcaret is cancelled, we are considering the Ultimate Adventure? Has anyone done that, and how is it? I am far from being in shape, but working on it. Will I be able to handle it?

 

6. Any other tips are welcome!

 

Thanks for any help.

[OldBaldGuy]

Only thing I can comment on is the buffet. Fantastic!!!

[Planer's Edge]

No mini golf

 

Bowling seems to be less crowded since they increased the price.

 

Wii will be very active.

 

There is a great variety of foods on the buffet.

 

No nothing about Xcaret.

 

PE

[garycarla]

Never saw a line for bowling.

I think the buffet on Pearl is great. We ate most meals there.

Saw lots of people watching WII. No idea what line was like to be a player.

Nope on mini-golf.

 

Since you are new to NCL, check out link below for more good info.

[punkmuse]

we have not sailed with NCL yet but we have been to the area of Mexico where Xcaret is. if you are comfortable doing this i would suggest booking an excursion on your own to go there. ie not through the cruiseline. from your post i assume that the cruiseline's excursion was canceled. i wonder if it was due to poor booking?

 

another option is a smaller but similar place called Xel-Ha also on "mainland" Mexico. we did Xel-Ha and the ruins of Tulum during a landbased vacation in Mexico several years ago. great fun. fun snorkeling, you can also rent floaties and float around their lagoon. they had the dolphin encounter as well though we did not pay for it.

 

happy cruising :)

[punkmuse]

here is Xcaret's website. i do not see anything that would make me think they canceled it (ie construction or smething)

 

http://www.xcaret.com/

 

you can book online but it looks like everything is in pesos (?) not sure what the exchange rate is.

 

note: ive never been to xcaret or used their website to book anything i was just googling them looking for info! :)

[neptune18]

I disagree on the buffet. Just off Pearl last week. Didn't do dinner at buffet, but breakfast and lunch items same every day. It got pretty monotonous by day 3 or 4.

[terrymtex01]

2. How are the crowds for the bowling and the large wii screen?

 

Agree with what the others have said about the wii. There was a small crowd sitting and watching, but no clue how many were actually in the line to play it. I do have to say on a totally unrelated note that the sound of the tennis game got SO on my nerves when we were having a snack in Blue Lagoon (the sound when the little wii person hit the tennis ball).. but I guess there isn't much that can be done about that. The kid playing was so cute when he was playing I tried to just ignore the sound and watch him have a good time.

 

3. My mother-in-law loved the buffet with RC but hated it on Carnival. How does this one compare?

 

Without hesitation I can tell you the buffet on the Pearl is the best we have had on any cruiseline. The layout is great and the food is great. We actually picked the buffet over the main dining room one or two nights and for me to agree to that is really saying something.

 

5. Since Xcaret is cancelled, we are considering the Ultimate Adventure? Has anyone done that, and how is it? I am far from being in shape, but working on it. Will I be able to handle it?

 

I agree 100% with what Punk said about Xel-Ha and Tulum being a fantastic place to go to. We took that same excursion when we were on a land based vacation in Cancun. I will say that I disagree completely with Punk on taking it as a private tour. I admit I am very skiddish about taking any private tour, but there is no way I would ever take a private tour over to the maiinland from Cozumel and risk missing the boat by being late returning. I would only take this tour if it was offered by NCL.

 

6. Any other tips are welcome!

 

Bowling is fun and when we were on the Pearl this past Oct, we never waited when we wanted to play and my memory is that we played three times. It was a lot of fun and I didn't think $7.50 PP per game was that expensive. They offer it at half price if you play while in port.

The hotwings in Blue Lagoon are not to be missed as well as the PB&J you can order from room service. If you go to a specialty restaurant, I recommend Lotus Garden very highly. Every thing we ate there was amazing, expecially their Barbequed Steamed Ribs appetizer. That dish is truely amazing. Cagney's is good as well, but truthfully, being from Texas, we are surrounded by good steak houses and so we can get good steak anytime. We eat in Cagney's a lot while onboard, just saying for something different I like Lotus Garden. Your kids will probably get a kick out of Teppanyaki if they have never eaten at that kind of restaurant before.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

we have not sailed with NCL yet but we have been to the area of Mexico where Xcaret is. if you are comfortable doing this i would suggest booking an excursion on your own to go there. ie not through the cruiseline. from your post i assume that the cruiseline's excursion was canceled. i wonder if it was due to poor booking?

 

another option is a smaller but similar place called Xel-Ha also on "mainland" Mexico. we did Xel-Ha and the ruins of Tulum during a landbased vacation in Mexico several years ago. great fun. fun snorkeling, you can also rent floaties and float around their lagoon. they had the dolphin encounter as well though we did not pay for it.

 

happy cruising :)

 

I do have to say, Punk, that Xel-Ha and Tulum are on of the best excursions we have ever taken. Tulum alone was amazing. To stand at the palace and see the beautiful beach and lagoon below was breath taking. I would be terrified to take a private excursion while on a cruise to this one or any mainland event. Thats just me though.