Pearl - 5/9/10 - Review

[Pearlieq]

Just back from the 7 day Alaska sailing on 5/9. This is our experience and opinions and also a comparison of our cruise with the previous experiences we’ve had with DCL, just as a reference for those who might be interested. I’m not an apologist or a “hater” and have no agenda to push. I just want a nice vacation!

 

I booked and sailed on NCL with a bit of trepidation. The things I had read on the boards and in the reviews scared the pants off me! By the time we got on the ship, I was ready for the cruise to be like a trip through the dock at Nassau—a bare-bones ride through a gauntlet of people trying to agressively shake me down for cash.

 

Much to my relief, this was decidedly not the case! On the whole we had a very good time on the Pearl. I didn’t do the Cruise Rewards, but I wouldn’t rule out sailing with NCL again some other time.

******

Public Spaces/Ship: The Pearl was a nice ship and very clean. I noticed a few maintenance issues that weren’t addressed (things like a cracked plastic fixture, a monitor that didn’t work, etc.) but nothing major that substantially detracted from our enjoyment. I really appreciated the nice big elevators—at least 8-10 people could smush in, making traffic flow much easier.

 

I am still a bit mystified at parts of the ship’s layout. There were many cases of “you can’t get there from here” and I’m still wondering why they stuck the Summer Palace down half a flight of stairs. It didn’t make for a very grand entrance. We learned and adapted, but it was strange.

 

As for the décor of the ship, most of it wasn’t to my taste. I liked the Crystal Atrium, Bliss, and the pool deck. But, on the whole, the Vegas-style color scheme might have been peppy, but it wasn’t elegant. The casino was a straight-out eyesore—a bizzaro yellow carnival funhouse, like the ugliest Chuck E. Cheese on the planet.

 

Advantage: DCL – I prefer the classic wood and marble look, though I appreciated the extra space and venues on the Pearl.

 

 

Cabins: Hoo boy was our cabin tiny! We had a balcony (gty assigned to a BA) and we were a little shocked at the size. The bed, loveseat (and that’s being generous), and coffee table just barely fit and we had to shinny along the wall to get around.

 

That being said, it worked out. While I would have loved extra space, we were able to make do without constantly feeling cramped. There was plenty of storage space and we did fine.

 

The bed was very comfortable and the linens were buttery soft. I enjoyed those a lot! We were only given 2 bath towels, which I thought was a little chintzy. Like a lot of women, I use one for my hair and one for me. I would have preferred not to have had to share with DH.

 

I liked the bathroom design in concept, but really could have used a few more inches. The lav compartment was just like being on an airplane! The shower was quite roomy and I loved not having to fight with a curtain. The soap dispensers were convenient and I didn’t miss bottles at all. It would have been nice to have conditioner along with the shampoo, though. I would have had a bad hair cruise if I hadn’t known beforehand to bring my own!

 

Advantage: DCL. I’ll get into value later, but for simple balcony vs. balcony, DCLs cabins are noticeably larger and their bathroom design felt roomier to me.

 

 

Food/Drinks: This was probably the weakest point of the cruise for us. The food was nothing special, and it really lacked variety. Perhaps the best illustration I can offer is this: I am a good eater and I tend to go a little overboard when faced with unlimited food. I came home a pound LIGHTER than when I left.

 

We planned to eat primarily at the restaurants that didn’t have a surcharge. I’m not a fan of a la carte pricing on a cruise and upcharges rankle me. I expect to be provided with good food for the fare I paid.

 

Unfortunately, the “washy washy” failed with DH, and he wound up sick for the last half of the cruise. I never did get to try any of the specialty restaurants and ate most of my meals the last two days at the buffet. Which means I had essentially the same meal at least 10 times on this cruise.

There were minor variations on some of the themed stations (will it be chicken curry or beef curry? broccoli soup or corn chowder?) but it was mostly like Groundhog Day. Would it have been that hard to make up some different sandwiches every day? Maybe have themed nights with many dishes instead of themed stations with 2-3 rotating dishes?

 

The meals we had in the MDRs were better, but still not impressive. It was 50/50 whether any bread we got would be soft and fresh. Many entrees and sauced erred on the side of bland. I’m the last person you’d call a “foodie”. I don’t have a sophisticated palate and I’m not averse to the deep-fried or the institutional, but the quality of the food we had on the ship I would liken to a range of Denny’s to Applebee’s. I would have preferred it to be more like Applebee’s to Maggiano’s. I will grudgingly accept a surcharge for Morton’s quality.

 

I really missed having quick service options like on DCL. More than once I wished I could just walk up to the pool deck and grab some chicken fingers or a wrap. We did go to the Blue Lagoon once. The chicken tenders were amazing, but the entire process took at least 45 minutes, when all we wanted was a quick snack.

 

On the positive side, the pretzel rolls were as great as everyone said. The poolside barbecue was very tasty (but essentially the same the 3 times I went). The carved meats were usually tender and enjoyable. The iced tea was good and we found their soda and bar drink prices to be quite reasonable.

 

Advantage: DCL, comfortably.

 

 

Entertainment/Activities: This is where NCL really hit it out of the park! We had a ball with all of the activities offered. I’m not sure if it was just for Alaska, but there was always several things I wanted to do.

 

Throughout the week we went to a relaxation seminar, did crafts, saw local performers, heard lectures and workshops, attended game shows, played in trivia challenges, watched movies, and enjoyed mainstage and lounge shows.

 

One of my chief complaints with DCL had always been that there wasn’t much to do—especially for adults. Aside from booze tastings, there are a couple of half-hearted cooking demos and a noon showing of The Shaggy Dog remake. And that’s it.

 

NCL was the total opposite. We were never bored and had a great time at everything we attended. They really put a lot of effort into keeping their passengers entertained and there simply wasn’t time to try everything!

 

Advantage: NCL, by a mile, a free throw, and a two-point conversion.

 

 

Logistics: Embarkation was a mixed bag. There were lines to be sure—lines to haul your luggage in to the x-ray, lines to enter the port building, lines to clear security, lines to get your keycard—but most of that is standard no matter where you go. I much prefer the DCL experience of just handing your luggage off to a porter at the curb, but I don’t know how much control NCL had over how the Port of Seattle works.

 

Once we got it, we moved pretty well. I liked that they took our ID pictures at the same time they checked us in. That’s a separate station with DCL. After checking us in, we only waited for a short time before we were allowed on board. I think they started boarding a little before noon, so they really had things going early that day.

 

Unfortunately, the actual embarkation was a nightmare. Instead of a nice neat queue, they just slide open an 8’ section of the door and start calling numbers. A mad crush of people start swarming around the door and it’s every man for himself. A simple stanchioned line area would make that process so much more pleasant, orderly, and safe.

 

Once underway, I was underwhelmed by how they managed shore excursions. On DCL, if you book an excursion through the cruise line, you are given a meeting place on board the ship—usually a lounge or a theater. You wait there until your group is assembled and ready to go, then you are led off by your guide to your transportation. It’s all nice and organized.

 

Unfortunately, the NCL method was to have you meet your tour group on the dock. So you have to get off of the ship and mill around outside while looking for your group. They don’t have big signs and they yell to announce the various tours. Standing around the in sleet in Skagway hoping to find someone who knew where our bus was didn’t make for a relaxing start to our tour.

 

Debarkation was quite simple. We elected to carry off our own luggage and aside from lines, had a smooth trip off the ship.

 

Advantage: DCL

 

 

Service: We had heard a lot of negative reviews, frankly, but we were pleasantly surprised at the service on the ship. Like anywhere, it was a mixed bag. There were plenty of servers and workers who were indifferent and didn’t make any effort to be friendly, but they were all still polite and did their jobs. There were also quite a few workers who were very friendly and went out of their way to engage you in conversation or do a little extra for you.

 

As long as everyone’s doing their job and is polite, I’m satisfied. I don’t need the guy getting me a soda to be my new best friend. A smile would be nice, but a quickly served soda is nicer.

 

I had been worried about complaints of aggressive bar servers. While they were definitley present and came by frequently, it didn’t really bother me. They just walked by saying “bar service” and if you waved them off a few times they left you alone. They stayed fairly unobtrusive while shows and presentations were going on.

 

Advantage: DCL, but not by as much as one would expect.

 

 

Overall Value: Value, of course, is a tricky question. To me—and this is only my opinion—NCL felt a little cheap. It wasn’t hard to see all kinds of little economies and surcharges that made it feel like the cruise line was trying to cut corners while simultaneously extracting every possible dollar.

 

Things like no mints on the pillows, only leaving 2 towels, advertising 14 restaurants but making you pay extra for most of them (and then charging you more on top of the cover), not having a drink station by the pool, having the library open 2 hours per day, charging for the backstage tour (really?!?), and having the same breakfast and lunch menu every day seemed tacky and/or desperate.

 

I don’t want to have money constantly thrown in my face on a cruise. I would prefer to pay enough that the cruise line feels like they can feed and entertain me generously on my fare. I realize others prefer a lower upfront cost and the chance to pick and choose their extras. That’s why there’s more than one cruise line!

 

With that being said, they were also fairly inexpensive. We feel like we got a pretty good deal for our money. We were housed modestly but comfortably. We were taken on a great Alaskan itinerary. We were served adequately and we didn’t starve. Was it the most induglent trip I’ve ever taken? No, but then again it sure wasn’t the most expensive either.

 

To make sure I was looking at the issue fairly, I compared prices between DCL and NCL for Alaska next summer. For 2 adults next May, DCL would want $3,945.12 for a category 6A balcony cabin (268sf, including balcony). By contrast, NCL wants $3599.22 for a category MB mini suite, which is closest in comparison to a standard DCL balcony stateroom. They want $3,199.22 for a standard NCL balcony, which is about 40sf smaller than DCL.

 

Would I put up with the lackluster food, pink & orange carpet, and “cheap” factor on NCL to save $350/$700? Would I pay $350/$750 extra for the DCL experience even though it’s a smaller ship with a lame activity program? That’s a really, really tough one. I could see myself going either way, to be honest.

 

Advantage: Too Close to Call

 

******

If I could offer one takeaway from our experience, it is that the enjoyment you get from your vacation is largely of your own making. You can go anywhere looking to see what’s wrong, and I guarantee you’ll have a miserable time. You can also go anywhere with a sense of gratitude and a determination to have fun and even though there might be some things that are less than ideal, you’re still going to be happy.

So don’t let reviews and reputations scare you or get you down. Be sensible, do your research, pick the best option for you, and then decide to have a good time. You will!

[Sauer-kraut]

Thanks for taking the time to compare the two lines. Your comments were fair and great to have a side by side review.

 

I have never done DCL and never an Alaska cruise. I have wondered if the 'extra' expense to sial with Disney would be worth it, as I wouldn't be travelling with children. I do like the fact they offer free soda and since I'm not a drinker that would be my thing. I hesitate to buy an NCL soda package as I don't really think I'd drink 3 cokes a day.

[Kaboochi]

Thanks for the review. What line is DCL?

[CruisinfromRI]

Thanks for your review, I really appreciate a fair and honest assessment.

 

What did you do at each port?

How was Glacier Bay, any good parts to see the sights?

 

Glad you had a great trip, I can't wait for mine

[brunolvr]

Thanks for taking the time to post your review.

Regarding the towel issue -- All you have to do is ask your room stewards for additional towels and they will bring them. If you don't happen to see your room stewards, just leave them a note. It has always worked for us!:)

[CruisinfromRI]

Thanks for your review, I really appreciate a fair and honest assessment.

 

What did you do at each port?

How was Glacier Bay, any good parts to see the sights?

 

Glad you had a great trip, I can't wait for mine

 

Whoops- meant to say any good parts on the ship specifically to see the glaciers etc?

[Terrafreaky]

Very informative & interesting review, thank you.

[NEcruisers????]

DCL = Disney Cruise Line.:)

[roger001]

Wow. What a difference 11 months have made with that ship, the crew, and the even processing on board. On that same cruise in June, we declared the entire event, all of it, to be wonderful, even the lively and cheerful decor (and the fish that always swim to the front of the boat). We are booked on her for the Panama canal next April. Hope NCL can use your thoughts to improve the noted weaknesses before then. I am happy to report our last two cruises since then (Star and Spirit) have been as wonderful as we considered the Pearl cruise to have been back then. Thanks for the review.

[flashdog_1]

Thank you for your review. You seem to have done your homework and knew what you probably would get.

 

It's very fair that you phrased things the way you did as far as value goes! These are hard decisions sometimes when we want both to be pampered and to get a good deal. In Alaska, with the very high cost for excursions, I think many people would save on their cabin in order to do a once in a lifetime excursion. Please tell us what your excursions were. Thanks again.

[DMH15]

Pearlieq-

 

I really enjoyed your review and comparison. I wonder how your comparison dollar for dollar would be if you sailed in a NCL suite. It seems you are used to what you pay for on DCL. You spent less obviously on NCL and it fell short, albeit not as much as you'd expected.

 

You see, NCL is really an equal-opportunity cruise line. A lot of people who cannot afford DCL can afford NCL. And those that can affortd DCL can afford to "step it up" on NCL.

[Pearlieq]

I do like the fact they offer free soda and since I'm not a drinker that would be my thing. I hesitate to buy an NCL soda package as I don't really think I'd drink 3 cokes a day.

 

As it turned out, I really didn't miss that free soda anywhere near as much as I thought I would. There was juice at breakfast and water and iced tea with the rest of the meals.

 

I thought the tea was quite good, and it really was better for me to drink water instead of all that soda. Much less heartburn!

 

The bar prices really weren't bad--DH and I could get 2 sodas served to us from any bar server, including tip, for under $5. I think our total bar bill for the trip came in around $75, and I had a few cocktails and a few virgin daquiris. I was happy with it.

[Pearlieq]

What did you do at each port?

How was Glacier Bay, any good parts to see the sights?

 

Thanks. We did have a nice time and I hope you do too!

 

Here's what we did in the ports:

 

Juneau: I had wanted to do the Mt. Roberts Tramway and glacier shuttle combo ticket ($40ea) but the Tramway ticket agent said their compay wasn't running glacier shuttles since there were only 2 ships in port at the time. I wasn't willing to pay $27 for tramway by itself, so we took an independent shuttle to Mendenhall Glacier ($14ea).

 

Our shuttle company was called Juneau Express. It was a beat up old white school bus that I actually found kind of charming, in a nostalgic way. We rode in the very back because, of course, the cool kids always rode in the back. :D

 

The shuttle driver provided a thorough and entertaining tour on the 20 minute ride to the glacier. We were let off right near the Visitor's Center. We hiked around the glacier area and took lots of photos. We chose not to pay to go in to the Visitor's center ($3ea) but were able to use the restrooms and check out the gift shop for free.

 

The shuttle driver on the return was willing to drop guests anywhere in the port area, so we got off near the Red Dog Saloon. We poked our heads in there for a peek, then did a bit of other shopping before walking back to the ship.

 

Skagway: This was my favorite port. We had a tour booked for the afternoon, but got off early to do a bit of shopping. After I checked out the stores, we went over to the Klondike Gold Rush Visitors Center.

 

I had timed our visit to arrive just before 10am, so we could see the ranger presentation and then the movie immediately following at 11am (both free, donations accepted). The ranger presentation was AWESOME! It was a fascinating account of a Klondike gold-seeker as told by his letters home to his friends. The ranger did a great job weaving together the letters, a history of the gold rush, and pictures of the event into a spellbinding story.

 

After her presentation, we watched the movie, which turned out to be a general and condensed version of what we had learned in the ranger talk. So, if you don't have the time for the full presentation or you have young kids who might get antsy, the video sums it all up pretty well. I do really encourage any visitor to at least see the video. Understanding what went on in Skagway puts all of your adventures into an amazing context.

 

After all that, we returned to the dock for our excursion. We were doing the White Pass Railroad and Liarsville Gold Rush Camp. The scene at the dock was pretty chaotic and we got to enjoy the fine freezing rain for a good half hour before we were loaded on to our bus.

 

For some reason, our tour didn't have dockside train service. We were shuttled over to the depot and loaded on to a different train. Our group had our own car and it was quite comfortable. The train ride was just amazing...and terrifying! I was doing OK until about 3/4 of the way up. After that I needed to shut my eyes in some parts. DH, however, had no problems standing on the little platform between the cars and taking pictures almost the whole way up. So clearly I'm a wuss. ;)

 

Even with my nerves, it was an amazing trip and just a mind-boggling feat of engineering. I'm definitely glad I did it.

 

Our shuttle driver collected us in Fraser, BC and we got back on to the bus to drive back down to town. The trip that took nearly two hours on the train only took about 45 in the bus, and that included 3 photo stops and crossing the US Border.

 

Once back in town, we went to Liarsville. It was a cute little tourist trap. Seriously. I knew it was a tourist trap. They knew it was a tourist trap. But they still gave us big smiles and lots of energy and it wound up being kind of endearing. The did a campy little show for us, and we panned for our gold and checked out the gift shop. By then it was time to go. The tour description said there would be continuous shuttles back to town, but that really wasn't the case. There was just our bus, and it was leaving.

 

This driver also offered to let people off in town for shopping, but since I had already done mine, we just headed back to the ship.

 

I have no regrets, but Liarsville definitley isn't a must see. I would have been just as happy to walk myself to the train depot and pay $110 for a round trip train ticket vs. the $169 we paid for the tour.

 

Glacier Bay: Yay for our port side balcony! While we did go up on deck a bit early in the morning, we spent the majority of our time planted on our balcony watching the glaciers and listening to the ranger through the ship's TV. It was really an ideal view. We were right up next to the glaciers and got to watch them calve several times. Amazing.

 

Unfortunately, I don't really have any viewing tips, because an incredible view was just handed to us. The only advice I do have is to attend the ranger presentation in the afternoon and go early to get seats. It was packed and it was good.

 

Ketchikan: We had meant to walk up to the Lumberjack show and see the early one ($35 ea) before walking along Creek Street and taking the funicular up to the lodge. However, at that point, DH was really sick. So he stayed in bed and I went shopping.

 

I covered most of the port area and had a nice time. I didn't stop, but I saw a busy fish & chip shop on the docks that smelled amazing and seemed very popular. I also found a little drugstore right across the street from the ship's dock that sold soda and snacks for reasonableish prices. I paid $7.25 for a 12-pack of 7-Up, which was both outrageous and a great deal.

 

Victoria: DH being ill, we didn't get off here either. However, we did sit out on the balcony and amuse ourself by checking out the Oosterdam in the next berth, people watching, and seeing how the ships unload their recycling for processing in port. Sounds silly, I know, but it actually was an entertaining couple of hours.

[Pearlieq]

Regarding the towel issue -- All you have to do is ask your room stewards for additional towels and they will bring them. If you don't happen to see your room stewards, just leave them a note. It has always worked for us!:)

 

I figured that would be the case, but never seemed to remember until I was dripping wet and not dressed for company!

 

If we go again, I definitley would arrange for more. Our stateroom host was wonderful, I'm sure it woudn't have been a problem.

[Pearlieq]

(and the fish that always swim to the front of the boat).

 

I did have a soft spot for the fish. :D They helped me out an awful lot!

 

I also got a kick of all the cheeky signs around the ship. "What time is it? Who cares!"

[Pearlieq]

In Alaska, with the very high cost for excursions, I think many people would save on their cabin in order to do a once in a lifetime excursion.

 

I think you're absolutely right. Alaska is one of those "must see in my lifetime" type of places, so it is great that there are reasonable options for cabins so people can make the trip and see everything they want.

[Pearlieq]

I wonder how your comparison dollar for dollar would be if you sailed in a NCL suite.

 

I wonder too. And if we sail NCL again, I definitley intend to find out! It seems like NCL has one of the best suite programs at sea and I would love to try it. It might be the perfect solution to keep everything I loved about NCL and help with some of the things that didn't quite work for me.

[pmd98052]

Agree with your comments about the MDR food - It wasn't as varied or as interesting as the same cruise on NCL last year.

[Vyhanek]

I agree with you on most of your opinions. Especially the food. Although I think you are being very generous to compare even the Specialty Resteraunt quality to Applebee's. It's much closer to Denny's, even with the upcharge.

 

One thing you failed to consider is that Disney is over-run with kids. There isn't a diverse mix of passangers at all. So many kids that even those of us cruising with our own kids feel over-whelmed with kids. Even during the big school vacation weeks on NCL, it doesn't compare with the feeling of being in a daycare center near naptime like on Disney. That factor alone needs to be weighted even more heavily than the quality of the food! So much so that it would push NCL far above Disney IMHO.

[bsblindab]

Can you tell me what time they docked and started letting you off the ship at Alaska?

Did you carry off your own bags? If so, how did that work?

[Pearlieq]

One thing you failed to consider is that Disney is over-run with kids.

 

That is definitely worth considering! DH and I are actually a childfree couple, but the kids don't bother us too much on DCL. They enforce their adult only areas very well, so we've never had to worry about munchkins in the pool, spa, specialty restaurant, or adults-only beach.

 

There are more adult-only parties that you would expect on DCL, but they still make up about 20% of the crowd at best. The ship is DEAD at 10pm and, of course, there is no casino.

 

You're absolutely right about it being waaaaay more kids than someone who had done another cruise line might be expecting. We're pretty frequent Disney vacationers, so I'm just sort of used to being surrounded by kids when I'm on a trip. I don't think about it too much, but I could see it being a shock to other travelers.

 

That being said, a lot of it has to do with the inidividual people on your ship. On this NCL cruise we took we had someone who insisted on bringing their 2 year old to all of the evening shows at Spinnaker and sitting right in the front row with him so he could run on stage and "help". :confused:

 

You never know what you're going to get until you're underway.

[Pearlieq]

Can you tell me what time they docked and started letting you off the ship at Alaska?

Did you carry off your own bags? If so, how did that work?

 

If memory serves, here are the times:

 

Juneau: 2pm - 10pm

Skagway: 7am - 8pm

Ketchikan: 6am - 1:30pm

Victoria: 6pm - 11:59pm

 

For Juneau we decided to wait about 15-20 minutes to avoid the crush of people leaving. That didnt' work--we still had about a 20 minute wait in line to get off the ship. It was a madhouse--the elevators, stairwells, and gangway area were completely packed with people.

 

We didn't have similar issues in Skagway or Ketchikan because they had docked so early. It seemed to help spread the crowds out so there was only a few minutes to wait when we decided to get off.

 

We did carry our own bags off for debarkation. It seemed like a lot of people did. Since we were doing that, we didn't have an assigned time to depart. We were allowed to leave at any time after they cleared the ship. We just rolled our bags with us down the gangway, through customs, and out the door of the port building.

 

There was a line, of course, but all we had to do was have our keycard swiped one final time to check us off the ship and then hand over our form to the US Customs officer and show our passports. They could have chosen to ask us questions or inspect our luggage, but they just waved us through. I think that's what happens to most people, but you still have to allow enough time in case you're one of the "lucky" ones selected for extra screening.

[CruisinfromRI]

thanks you rock! great info!

[bsblindab]

If memory serves, here are the times:

 

Juneau: 2pm - 10pm

Skagway: 7am - 8pm

Ketchikan: 6am - 1:30pm

Victoria: 6pm - 11:59pm

 

For Juneau we decided to wait about 15-20 minutes to avoid the crush of people leaving. That didnt' work--we still had about a 20 minute wait in line to get off the ship. It was a madhouse--the elevators, stairwells, and gangway area were completely packed with people.

 

We didn't have similar issues in Skagway or Ketchikan because they had docked so early. It seemed to help spread the crowds out so there was only a few minutes to wait when we decided to get off.

 

We did carry our own bags off for debarkation. It seemed like a lot of people did. Since we were doing that, we didn't have an assigned time to depart. We were allowed to leave at any time after they cleared the ship. We just rolled our bags with us down the gangway, through customs, and out the door of the port building.

 

There was a line, of course, but all we had to do was have our keycard swiped one final time to check us off the ship and then hand over our form to the US Customs officer and show our passports. They could have chosen to ask us questions or inspect our luggage, but they just waved us through. I think that's what happens to most people, but you still have to allow enough time in case you're one of the "lucky" ones selected for extra screening.

What time did they start letting you off the ship when you docked at Seattle?

[Pearlieq]

What time did they start letting you off the ship when you docked at Seattle?

 

7:45am was the posted time, but I'm not sure if they actually opened the gangway then since I was still fast asleep!

 

We walked off around 8:45am with no hassle and light-moderate crowds.