Review NCL Pearl Pacific Coastal May 1 - 8, 2011 with pictures

[Bruce CountyJay]

Was on this cruise solo. Flew from Toronto to LAX, no problem, took transfer bus to port, good, then had to wait a long time to get through lines and on ship. mostly ate in buffet and Great Outdoors. Really enjoyed the entertainment of Tino, and meeting Lucy. Thanks for the thread, Lucy, I enjoyed hearing about your views. Really enjoyed the ship, although I have been on the Jewel many times. Can't decide what to do next, although it will likely be better pool and hot tub weather. Joyce

[pineapple_mommy]

Thank you for the generous compliments. :) The price difference going from the deck 11 two bedroom suite and the deck 14 two bedroom suite was $1000. There were 5 of us. Both suites had butler and concierge and access to all the suite benefits (Cagney's, priority embarkation, etc.) I chose the deck 14 room because I was traveling with 2 small kids and I wanted the extra space for them to be active, run around, etc. and have me feel a bit more secure having an extra level of security because of the required card key access. While on the cruise, the additional benefits included always having the butler and room steward around. You couldn't walk out of your stateroom without seeing them versus on deck 11, those staff members aren't hanging around the halls doing stuff. In the courtyard area you can order food from any specialty restaurant for dinner and Cagney's for breakfast and lunch. It was convenient to have that right outside your door. In the courtyard area there was always coffee, juice, ice water, snacks available. The courtyard area was always a pleasant temperature and dry! (We had cold weather and rain a lot.)

 

We're booking the cruise in the same room for 2012. For us, we think it's worth it.

 

Cecilia

 

Cecilia,

 

We are booked in the CY Villa, 14008, for the April 29, 2012. Are people allowed to smoke in the courtyard? Also, how many people can fit on the balcony? I am traveling with my Mom, Aunt and Cousin. We are so excited about the trip, thanks for the reviews.

[Admin]

Cecilia,

 

We are booked in the CY Villa, 14008, for the April 29, 2012. Are people allowed to smoke in the courtyard? Also, how many people can fit on the balcony? I am traveling with my Mom, Aunt and Cousin. We are so excited about the trip, thanks for the reviews.

We will see you there! We booked that cruise today. We loved it so much, we want to do it again! We booked 14508 again as well. We'll be neighbors. It'll be the 5 of us again.

 

There is no smoking in the courtyard area. There are ashtrays on the top sundeck and for use on your balcony. The balcony has two chairs and a table. That's about all that fits comfortably. You could maybe fit another smaller chair.

[ghulett]

Cecilia--

 

We were on this cruise with you. Enjoyed the M&G and bowling. Had an all around great time. Thank you for the review. Interesting reading what others did on the same cruise!

 

We're doing the southbound NCL Star cruise in September; needed those two extra nights!

 

In your review, you mentioned staying at the Delta Vancouver Suites Hotel. I just got what I think is a fairly good price for it on a bidding website for two nights pre-cruise for September. I know this isn't exactly cruise related, but I have one question. What did you think of the place?

 

--Janette

[Admin]

Cecilia--

 

We were on this cruise with you. Enjoyed the M&G and bowling. Had an all around great time. Thank you for the review. Interesting reading what others did on the same cruise!

 

We're doing the southbound NCL Star cruise in September; needed those two extra nights!

 

In your review, you mentioned staying at the Delta Vancouver Suites Hotel. I just got what I think is a fairly good price for it on a bidding website for two nights pre-cruise for September. I know this isn't exactly cruise related, but I have one question. What did you think of the place?

 

--Janette

We're doing the southbound on the Pearl again. If I had 7 days to give to it, we'd have done that one. Have a great time! I really like the Star.

 

We've stayed at the Delta Vancouver Suites twice and loved it both times. Super location, nice size rooms, good food in the restaurant...we'll probably stay there anytime we're in Vancouver. If you're departing from Canada Place, it's a quick 3 block walk to the pier. One block over is a place called Sushi Zero One, little hole in the wall place, that we've eaten at twice now. Yum! One block in another direction is a drug store where you can get things you may have forgotten. You're a block away from where the Sea Bus departs from to North Vancouver. Both times we had a one bedroom suite with separate living area. We had a fridge, coffee maker, safe. And when you check in they give you some warm chocolate chip cookies. :) I hope you like it as much as we did.

 

Cecilia

[ghulett]

We're doing the southbound on the Pearl again. If I had 7 days to give to it, we'd have done that one. Have a great time! I really like the Star.

 

We've stayed at the Delta Vancouver Suites twice and loved it both times. Super location, nice size rooms, good food in the restaurant...we'll probably stay there anytime we're in Vancouver. If you're departing from Canada Place, it's a quick 3 block walk to the pier. One block over is a place called Sushi Zero One, little hole in the wall place, that we've eaten at twice now. Yum! One block in another direction is a drug store where you can get things you may have forgotten. You're a block away from where the Sea Bus departs from to North Vancouver. Both times we had a one bedroom suite with separate living area. We had a fridge, coffee maker, safe. And when you check in they give you some warm chocolate chip cookies. :) I hope you like it as much as we did.

 

Cecilia

We decided to do the Star cruise just because I didn't know if five nights was going to be long enough! Besides, I figured if we missed something on the way up, we could hit it on the way back down the coast doing the exact same itinerary.

 

Thank you for your input on the Delta Vancouver Suites. Sounds like it will work out just fine. I'd like to try Sushi Zero One.

 

After the May 1 Pearl cruise, we stayed at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre for two nights on another bidding website reservation. Thought we'd try something different this next trip. With your insight, I'm looking forward to our September stay at the Delta!

 

Thanks again!

 

--Janette

[Admin]

Thank you for your input on the Delta Vancouver Suites. Sounds like it will work out just fine. I'd like to try Sushi Zero One.

Here's the web site for http://www.sushizeroone.com/. It's probably the smallest restaurant I've ever been to! It's a closet! But the rolls are very good. The rice bowls are yummy. And they will deliver, if you need it. The shrimp and crab California roll was a fave of ours.

 

We're not doing a pre cruise stay in Vancouver this time. We did last year and also last week we stayed over a day. In September we're doing a one day Princess cruise from Seattle to Vancouver. It solves a bunch of problems for us. Less expensive airfare to Seattle, a room for the night, food for the day and night and next morning and the Golden Princess is docking at Ballantyne Pier so getting to the Pearl will be a matter of walking from one side of the pier to the other.

 

Why does it have to be 4 months away..... :)

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the review.

 

 

Kirk

[kcfoxy]

Great review with lots of details. The Foodie in me especially adored the added part on the meals... Agree that Cagney's for breakfast and lunch is a wonderful perk. Too bad the fatoush with grilled salmon was no longer available on our May 1st Spirit sailing, would have loved that. Next time will have to try the grouper (but not so much the lobster bisque, more like tomato bisque IMHO), and those amazing fries!

[ghulett]

Here's the web site for http://www.sushizeroone.com/. It's probably the smallest restaurant I've ever been to! It's a closet! But the rolls are very good. The rice bowls are yummy. And they will deliver, if you need it. The shrimp and crab California roll was a fave of ours.

Thanks! The menu looks very interesting. We'll certainly go there in September.

[Admin]

Great review with lots of details. The Foodie in me especially adored the added part on the meals... Agree that Cagney's for breakfast and lunch is a wonderful perk. Too bad the fatoush with grilled salmon was no longer available on our May 1st Spirit sailing, would have loved that. Next time will have to try the grouper (but not so much the lobster bisque, more like tomato bisque IMHO), and those amazing fries!

There was a salmon appetizer on the Cagney's lunch menu but I don't think it was grilled. The lobster bisque I had wasn't ideal, I hate to admit. It had the lobster in a cake of sorts in the center of the bowl with the soup part poured around it. I had to break up the lobster but it was a bit chewy and didn't feel like part of the bisque.

[JemMonster]

Great review, Cecilia! Mine is posted in the members' review section: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=83149. It's ridiculously gushy and probably TMI, but we were a couple without kids on a celebratory trip. Why not live a little (or a lot)?!

 

I was only sorry that we didn't get to meet more folks from the Roll Call. We had a CC magnet on our door, but it mysteriously disappeared on day 3. Darn meddling kids and their dog named Scooby Doo! :D But honestly I don't think we could have asked for a better vacation. Sadly we won't be cruising again until 2013, when we can have both boys with us for an extended family trip. And we need to replenish the vacation fund. We kinda shot the wad with this one.

 

Hope everyone is doing well and stays in touch!

Jemi