fenny7cats

We recently did an 11 night cruise and had 4 speciality restaurants as part of our FAS package booked nearly 2 years ago.  We loved Cagneys - fantastic steaks, sauces and service (we went twice, both the best meals of the cruise), We also went to Le Bistro which was good.  The worst one was The Brazillian Chussacaria place - awful dry meats, no sauces, timing was not co-ordinated with sides coming out and most of the meats were cooked rare which I hate pink meat, so I ended up eating very little and having to go to the buffet afterwards.  Would I pay for them myself?  No - as lots of people have said, you already paid 1000's of pounds or dollars for the cruise so I would not be prepared to pay any extra, even for the fabulous Cagneys Steak.

Just got off the Pearl (jan2nd-13th Panama Canal)  We had the video to watch when when we did the onlince checkin, then on boarding day we had to go to our muster stations at a set time (I think it was 3pm) where everyone was accounted for.  Took about half an hour.  No lifejackets needed.

I just got back from Panama Canal cruise that left Miami on Jan 2nd - We had Club Balcony Suite, no free bottles of water were delivered to our cabin they were still trying to sell it to you.  As I dont drink water, It did not bother me not to get the free bottles as they would not have been used anyway.

I plan to decorate my door next month for my birthday and hope that they do not remove it.

nmuller328, I booked a Club Balcony on the Pearl for Jan 2023 nearly 2 years ago because I love baths, then last year they notified me that the cabins were all being refurbed to shower only - I was not happy as I now have to endure a shower for 11 nights!!  (Gonna be hard for me as I love my nightly soaks)

I had the same thing happen and twice requested to stop all marketing - in the end I filled out a complaint form and they have now marked  'no email/marketing' on my account.  Good Luck.

We are doing an 11 night cruise and NCL say you need to do a $450 pp hold on a credit card upon check in.  As we have prepaid our service charges, excursions, and have a drinks package, we don’t anticipate having a large bill at the end of our cruise (we don’t do spas, or photos etc) and we intend to pay cash.  Can we refuse to give them a credit card for this hold?  Has anyone done this?  Would appreciate any feedback. 

I have today received the email asking me if I want to bid for an upgrade, it offers me Haven cabins even though on NCL Website for the last 3 weeks they have been 'Sold out'.    I assume this is in case they get last minute cancellations?  I declined as I am happy to stick with my club balcony cabin.

Loving the daily recap Denise - I am on the Pearl in January so am interested to hear all about your experiences. Thanks.

I will miss my nightly long soak in a bathtub reading a good book and drinking a glass of wine - Not looking forward to enduring 11 nights of showers in Jan since they remodelled the club balcony cabin bathroom on the Pearl after I booked it and they ripped out the bathtub!!

Still showing as a stop on our Pearl cruise 2nd Jan

 I have the standard FAS drinks package, so understand no corkage fee is now due, do I still have to declare any  Champagne/wine in my luggage at the boarding gate? (and show them proof of my beverage package) or can I safely pack these into my suitcase?    Has anyone been on a cruise lately and can explain the proceedure?   Thanks for any advice.

Hi Dam64

I had the same dilemma deciding on what to do for my upcoming 60th birthday in Jan 2023.  Having travelled to lots of AI resorts and done 3 cruises I  knew I wanted something a little more special and memorable for my big birthday. After checking cruise schedules I found an 11 night NCL Pearl cruise with my 60th on the Panama Canal day, so I went for it, and now have a Miami/Cruise/Miami trip booked with the bonus of flying home business class (which I have never done before) and being pampered.  Hopefully this will be more memorable than a week spent at a nice beach resort.  Hope you make the right choice for you.

We booked this cruise last year sometime (Spring or Summer) a long time ago - thanks for the explanation shof515.

Hi there

My Cruise departs 2nd Jan 2023 yet my 'final payment due' date is October 24th 2022.  You just got me worried that I had to double check the date due on my booking!!  Do different cruises have different due dates?

cruiserbear55 - luckily I am only 4ft 10, and fairly slim so fit easily into most bathtubs!!  

Enjoy the upgrade - especially the bathtub - I booked a club balcony suite on the Pearl over 12 months ago to get the bathtub as I love baths, then they advised me they were renovating these cabins so now I am stuck with a shower for 11 nights - I was not happy to lose my bath.

I dont like that you cant dance to all the good stuff from the 70'/80' etc until the nightclub opens at say 11.30 pm - but that's way too late - why cant I dance at 8.30 pm?  (and I dont want to dance to a mediocre lounge act)

I love decorating my cabin door/inside/balcony with balloons and birthday banners, confetti etc - but hate when the cabin cleaner removes it.  I want to celebrate my special occasion for more than one day.

170 days until NCL Pearl

What also annoys me from the email is this comment    - 'continuously elevate the guest experience'  By depriving me of my relaxing pre dinner soak in the tub, this in no way elevates my experience - it totally detracts, as a 5 minute shower cannot compare to a relaxing half hour reading a good book, enjoying a quiet drink wallowing in my hot, germ ridden bubble bath tub (I dont mind germs, I am British, I have lived with them for 59 years and they have not harmed me).

I just got the email today, and am very upset, I love a hot soak every night before dinner, so having to endure a shower for 11 nights for my cruise will be hell for me. NOT Happy.  We booked this cabin specifically for the Bathtub and as it will be my 60th Birthday onboard.  Am awaiting the response as I am not prepared to pay the upgrade cost for a cabin with a bathtub, and only have a shower, I will downgrade.