NCL Pearl 4/1/12 Review - Take 2!

[teacher_md]

Norwegian Pearl Take Two!

 

Three years ago my boyfriend (now husband) and I sailed on the Norwegian Pearl for our Spring Break vacation. It was our first cruise on Norwegian and we loved it! We sailed with Norwegian again last October, for our honeymoon on the Epic in the Mediterranean, and just last week for our 2012 Spring Break. This is a review of our experience last week on the ship and the ports of call. I will be taking opportunities to compare the Pearl with Epic, since both experiences are fresh in our minds.

 

A little bit about us: We are a gay early to mid 30’s couple from Washington, DC. I am a teacher and my husband is an architect. I have been on 10+ cruises and my husband has been on 5+, so we definitely enjoy the cruise experience and keep coming back for more. I am the cruise addict though, and my husband tags along willingly. I have been on all of the major ship companies, with the exception of Holland America. We are not food snobs, but we can appreciate a good meal.

 

Embarkation

We flew directly to Miami from DC on 4/1, the day our cruise set sail. Normally, we arrive a day before to make sure there are no possibilities of missing the cruise due to flight problems, but since we found a direct flight, and we’re not the biggest fans of Miami, we decided to fly down the day of. Cab fare from the airport was somewhere around $25. When we arrived at the port at 12:30pm, we found several huge lines. Didn’t seem like the Lattitudes (frequent cruisers club) line was any better than the others. So we waited… and waited… it was stuffy… and after an hour we got up to the counter. Check in was easy and we boarded the Pearl! This was the longest I’ve ever waited to get on a ship, but it didn’t bother us too much. We knew the wait would be worth it!

 

Our Cabin

The last time we stayed in a balcony cabin and we enjoyed being able to have our private outdoor area to sit and enjoy the oceanviews. This time, the balcony wasn’t in the budget, so we just booked an oceanview cabin with a picture window. There are two types of oceanview cabins: the porthole that has the smaller round window, and the oceanview picture window with the larger rectangular window. The cabin was kind of tight, as most NCL cabins seem to be, but also like most NCL cabins they seem to design them so there is ample room for storage. We had no problem putting our clothes and belongings away and actually had tons of extra space. Unlike the balcony room, we didn’t have a couch to sit on. The room was in excellent condition… no wear and tear. The bed was very comfortable. Our steward, Randy, came in twice a day for cleaning and turn-down service. He did an excellent job throughout the week! We had a few towel animals left for us which is always a fun surprise. We had cabin 5024, which is located at the front of the ship near, but not next to, the front staircase. It was very convenient for us to get to the Stardust Theater (one floor up) and also the South Pacific Spa (a short elevator ride). There was some noise from above us, which is the casino, I believe. We just heard the vacuuming mostly. We did hear the random hallway and adjacent cabin noise as well, which was what you would expect on a cruise ship.

 

General Ship Commentary

The Pearl is laid out in a way that is very easy to navigate. Passenger flow is great with few crowds. There are three sets of elevators and stairs. Floor 6 has lots of restaurants and bars. Floor 7 has the first floor of the atrium, the photo gallery, the internet area. Passenger flow is one area where I prefer the Pearl to the Epic. You rarely have to fight crowds to get an elevator. On the Epic, with the 2 banks of elevators and stairs, passenger flow was tricky. Back to the Pearl - The pool deck on the Pearl was crowded and there were very few loungers in the shade. However, if you just want to sit, but not lounge in the shade, there are plenty of tables and chairs to use. The kids slide takes up a lot of deck space. If you were OK with not being around the pool then you would have no problem finding a lounge chair – it might be in Timbuktu though! We really enjoyed the pool band… they were great. The activities by the pool were fun as well. We didn’t eat too often in the buffet, but the food seemed good and when I was there, there weren’t too many crowds. I like the fact that they have the hand-scooped hard ice cream. The Washy Washy brigade is there at the front of the buffet ready to belt out tunes with a guitar and dole out the hand sanitizer. Very FUN touch! The atrium is too small and underwhelming for a great ship like the Pearl. I am just one of those old-school cruisers who enjoys the soaring atriums with sea views. Bliss, the nightclub, is a fun place to hang out. We didn’t dance as much as we did last time, but that has nothing to do with the space. Bliss has a modern, hip vibe with good music. Spinnaker Lounge is another venue where they hold events. Get there early to have good sightlines for the show or presentation. Overall, the Pearl is designed well. Yes, it has loud colors, but it’s not over-the-top loud and headache or vomit inducing. It’s loud but loud done well.

 

Entertainment

This is one area that NCL really excels. The main acts that NCL offers in their theater are really top notch – from the production shows to the variety acts. On our cruise, we attended 2 production shows with good singers, dancers and music. The Broadway show was better than the other, but both were good. They also had an act called “Oh What a Night” which was a singing group that specialized in the hits of Frankie Valli. They were excellent! The best performer of the entire cruise was a juggler, Charles Peachock, who had a successful run on America’s Got Talent. This guy knew how to entertain the crowd and consistently left to standing ovations. I know you are probably saying to yourself – “A juggler, really?” Well, the answer is YES. He had terrific stage presence and was funny. His juggling really wowed the crowd. The bands on board, piano players were all good to great. There was one weak spot, however, for the entertainment – the comedian was really not funny. He starred on Last Comic Standing on NBC and I actually remembered him from the show. It was uncomfortably bad. But overall, once again, NCL is the tops when it comes to entertainment. Let’s be clear here though… the NCL Epic blows away the Pearl when it comes to the shows offered (Blue Man Group, Howl at the Moon, Cirque, Legends… need I go on?). So if the Epic gets a “A”, then the Pearl gets a solid “B”.

 

Deck Parties / Dance Parties / Etc.

The sail away party on the first night of the cruise was ROCKING and people were having a great time on the pool deck. Great way to kick off the cruise! The White Hot Party was a mixed bag. We have really enjoyed the White Hot Parties in the past, but this time the party was over-run by teenagers and people in their low 20’s. They youngsters kind of took over and monopolized the event. It seemed like NCL tried to include others, but it wasn’t really possible. Kind of felt like romper room. I know I sound like a crotchety old man, but that’s the way I felt. The cruise was during Spring Break and the teenagers and early 20’s folk were behaving fine and just having a good time, so I don’t blame them at all! It kind of felt this way for many nights at Bliss as well which has a rule that kids under 18 aren’t allowed after 10pm. NCL did make an effort to keep the under 18’ers out of the club, as they continually tried to sneak in. Again – I don’t blame them! They had a chocolate buffet on one night of the cruise but it was the same night as we ate at Le Bistro and we were stuffed. The spread really looked great including a chocolate fountain that you could bring to an attendant, and they would dip your desserts in. We also attended the Lattitudes Party for people who previously had sailed with NCL. They pushed the free drinks and the Cruise Consultant, Jorge, presented the different ships and itineraries available on Norwegian. It was a great time! Free drinks will do that.

 

Food

So we ate at Le Bistro, Lotus Garden, Cagney’s, Moderno’s, the buffet and most nights in the Indigo main dining room. We enjoy the freestyle dining offered by Norwegian where you can choose to eat when you want, with whom you want and where you want every night. It doesn’t bother us that there is an upcharge at certain restaurants where you will receive better food and service. I will briefly review each food venue:

Le Bistro: The food was good, but not amazing. My husband had the duck and I had lamb shanks. When comparing our experience at Le Bistro to our experience on the Epic, the Pearl pales in comparison. The food at Le Bistro on the Epic was the single best meal we have had at sea. We also had French onion soup, escargot (YUMMY) and for dessert we had an assortment of crème brulees and some chocolate cake. B

Lotus Garden: When we were on the Epic some friends we met took us out to dinner at the Chinese restaurant and the food was really impressive. I particularly remember the fried rice being as good as some of the best fried rice I’ve had in New York City (which tends to have excellent Chinese food!). Anyway, the food was really hit or miss this time on the Pearl. Besides the ribs which were delicious, the rest of it was underwhelming. C+

Moderno’s: This was the surprise of the cruise for me. It’s basically a Brazilian-styled restaurant that serves grilled meats and offers a salad bar. Well the salad bar was amazing… fresh mozzarella/ceviche, along with lots of other goodies. The meats were delicious! The servers parade around the restaurant with skewers of meat and slice it off for you table side. They keep coming around with different meats until you say mercy! Well, this was the meal of the cruise in my opinion. I just didn’t expect a cruise ship to really pull off a restaurant with grilled meats like this, but they really did! A

Cagney’s: Delicious with excellent service! Good steaks and tasty seafood. The service, in particular, was especially good. A

Buffet: The food was good as far as buffets go. I thought the selection was great and the food was fresh. B

Indigo: We ate at Indigo more than any other venue. We prefer more intimate atmosphere of Indigo over the Summer Palace. We thought the food, overall, was average to good at Indigo throughout the week. Some dishes really impressed and others were OK. The service was the same – very good to average. Gotta say that the food in the main dining rooms on Epic, Manhattan Room & Taste, had the Pearl’s restaurants easily beat. B

 

Mojito Tasting

We attended the mojito tasting for $15 per person and had a great time! They offered us 4 different mojitos, and then, since we were such a fun bunch, the bar manager offered us an additional one for free. All I can say is that it was money well spent and tons of fun. Who can have a bad time after drinking all of those mojitos? They explained the origins of the mojito and showed us step by step how to prepare them. A+

 

Service

The service on the Pearl was top notch across the board, with exception to some of the servers in the restaurants who were average to good. The bar staff was friendly and attentive without being pushy. We already spoke about our excellent room steward, Randy, who kept our room spotless and stocked while checking on us all week. The cruise director, Julie, was funny and charming and really made an effort to be present throughout the sailing. The cruise consultant, Jorge, was informative and lots of fun. We went on to purchase a future cruise certificate (you pay $250 for it, but then get a $100 credit off of your on-board account and the money goes towards a future cruise deposit). Steve, the bar manager from Maltings, was friendly and generous during the mojito tasting. Tony Winkler, the hotel manager, went above and beyond to make sure that we had only the best service throughout the week. Knowing that we were Cruise Critic members, he gave us his card several times to make sure we received great treatment. Brizen, one of the bar staff from Topsiders bar was particularly helpful! One thing we didn’t like was how the servers in the main dining room wanted us to order the appetizer, entrée and dessert all at once. I understand that they do this to try to streamline the process, but who really knows what they want for dessert before they even had their main course? Dessert really depends on how hungry you are. We didn’t experience any rude waiters, but throughout the week there were instances where the food took a long time to come out or the wait staff seemed swamped.

 

Spa

We purchased spa passes for the week so we would be able to escape the masses on the pool deck if we wanted to. The passes cost $240 for the both of us, which seems a little steep. We enjoyed the different Jacuzzis, pools, heated tile loungers, comfy lounge chairs, and peaceful atmosphere. The spa is located at the front of the ship and you have a great view of the ocean. We’re not sure if we would pay the $240 in the future, but I guess it will depend on the ship and the itinerary. Sorry to sound like a broken record, but the spa doesn’t measure up to Epic’s! B (would be an A, but too pricey)

 

Overall

We really enjoyed ourselves on the cruise. It wasn’t our favorite cruise of all time, but it was very relaxing and a lot of fun. We really think NCL does a great job and offers a FUN atmosphere. It’s not stuffy and boring and also not wild and trashy. I think NCL strikes a good balance! The passengers tend to be friendly and fun to meet and hang out with. The Pearl is a great cruise ship that offers a variety of dining and entertainment options with solid service! We will be sailing with NCL within the next four years as we already put down our deposit for our next cruise.

 

Ports of Call

Great Stirrup Cay – We enjoyed a nice beach day. They have made many improvements on the island over the past 4 years. Unfortunately with the addition of the shopping and services, they definitely seemed to have cut down trees. There was not adequate shaded areas or an opportunity to rent umbrellas. People who didn’t get out there early and who were sensitive to the sun were pretty much out of luck. We were resourceful and managed to find a place for the day. The water was warm and the buffet spread was great. We had a wonderful time!

Ocho Rios, Jamaica - We booked a tour with Phil Lafayette who was recommended to us by a friend (google his name with Jamaica and he will come up). We started the day going river tubing and had a blast! The water was chilly, but refreshing. We felt very safe the entire time and the guys who ran the excursion were friendly. Then we went over to the Dunn’s River Falls where we hiked up the waterfall. The waterfalls are beautiful and the experience of hiking up with a group of people is unforgettable! Unfortunately, the waterfalls were BEYOND crowded… think swarms of people. Our guides didn’t even take us to the bottom of the waterfalls where there is a beach. I think they wanted to expedite the process so they decided to only bring us down part of the way. It was so packed (I think there were 5 to 6 ships in Jamaica that day and everyone seems to go to Dunn’s) that to me it was hard to enjoy it completely. After you finish climbing the falls, they send you through a marketplace en route to the parking lot. The salespeople can be pushy and insistent (bordering on harassing), so my suggestion is that you try not to engage with people and just make your way quickly to the parking lot. Phil, our driver for the day, took us to a Jamaican restaurant for lunch where for a great price we enjoyed a delicious lunch of jerk chicken and pork. We booked the excursion online before-hand and somehow we were paired with a large family with a wide age range of people. It was kind of strange for a party of 2 to be stuck with this giant family but I guess that was the luck of the draw. We would have preferred to be with other small groups of people instead of tagalongs with a giant family. Phil was professional and friendly.

Grand Cayman – We booked a tour of Stingray City, Snorkeling and Rum Point with Nativeway. We had a great day! The snorkeling was excellent and getting to interact with the stingrays was really a one of a kind experience. The tour guides, Andrew and Andrew, were informative and made sure we were safe the entire time. The last stop of the day was for lunch and some beach time at Rum Point. Unfortunately, there weren’t any lounge chairs available when we arrived there so we had to pop the towels down on the sand and relax. Highly recommended!

Cozumel – I read good reviews about an all-inclusive resort called Nachi Cocum on Cruise Critic, so we went ahead and reserved 2 entries there for the day. It costs $15 each way by cab. If you can split the cab fare with another couple, that would be ideal. We had a fabulous day at the resort with the unlimited drinks and the DELICIOUS food (each person gets an entrée, appetizer and dessert – which we were too full to tackle). They have a great pool with a swim up bar. We definitely indulged with the alcohol and food and had an amazing time! The service and amenities were excellent and it was well worth the price. We would go back to Nachi Cocum in a heartbeat!

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at konlande@yahoo.com. Thanks for reading :)

[canuckgal33]

Very nice review....especially of the ports! We are looking at that same cruise this winter!!

[JayinAZ]

Thanks for the informative review. My family was on the Pearl to Alaska last year and we're going again in July. We started looking at cruises for March next year and the Pearl is a possibility. The ports you had looked really good. We enjoyed RCCL Allure twice but it is a lot more money. Pearl may be a good option.

[david_sobe]

Welcome home

Thanks for the great review

 

I understand, once you go Epic, lots of other ships are not the same ;)

[teacher_md]

Michelle - Ocho Rios, Cozumel and Cayman are great ports of call. Dunn's Falls and the stingray excursion are really pretty incredible. Swim-up bars in Cozumel aren't too bad either! It's been a while since I've been over to the Eastern/Southern Caribbean, so I am looking for cruises in that direction - particularly some of the less traveled islands like St. Kitts. Thanks for reading!

 

Jay - I am looking at going to Alaska next summer but I want to do a cruise that has a land-tour in Alaska. So I'll probably go with a Princess cruise that does a one-way trip up there and do the cruise tour afterwards. I am dying to get on either the Allure or Oasis. How did you like Allure? It makes Epic look mini! Glad you found my review informative.

 

David - Yeah, if you take all of the best parts of the Pearl, and then supersize them, you get the Epic. The only knock on the Epic is the fact that it's hard to get around. You can either wait a really long time for the elevator OR work off some of that great food by hiking up and down the stairs... and it's quite a lot of stairs. I am glad Breakaway seems to have more of a connection to the ocean with more sea views. Epic feels a little bit inward focused instead of outward focused. But even with that, we will be back on Epic again! Isee you are booked in a year. What did you love about the ship? Glad you liked the review.

 

-aj

[coffeecat]

Welcome back! Congratulations on your wedding as well. Glad to hear that the Pearl is still terrific! If you were picking between the Pearl (or similar) and the Epic for a future cruise which one would you pick?

 

Coffeecat

[teacher_md]

Coffeecat - I would probably prefer going on the Epic again. The Pearl is much more manageable though. Depends on whether you'd be overwhelmed with the size and the difficulty in getting around. Also, Epic is less personal because of the many more passengers. It just felt like the Epic was the flagship cruise ship for the company and lots of things, including the food, were better. The Spice H20 area in the back on Epic is a great place to hang out at night as well. One thing I love about the Pearl is the Great Outdoors in the back where you can have a coffee, read a book and enjoy the views of the water. Epic doesn't have that. Wow - I am going back and forth, right? Well.... Epic is the choice, but I think the Pearl is great too.

[david_sobe]

Michelle - Ocho Rios, Cozumel and Cayman are great ports of call. Dunn's Falls and the stingray excursion are really pretty incredible. Swim-up bars in Cozumel aren't too bad either! It's been a while since I've been over to the Eastern/Southern Caribbean, so I am looking for cruises in that direction - particularly some of the less traveled islands like St. Kitts. Thanks for reading!

 

Jay - I am looking at going to Alaska next summer but I want to do a cruise that has a land-tour in Alaska. So I'll probably go with a Princess cruise that does a one-way trip up there and do the cruise tour afterwards. I am dying to get on either the Allure or Oasis. How did you like Allure? It makes Epic look mini! Glad you found my review informative.

 

David - Yeah, if you take all of the best parts of the Pearl, and then supersize them, you get the Epic. The only knock on the Epic is the fact that it's hard to get around. You can either wait a really long time for the elevator OR work off some of that great food by hiking up and down the stairs... and it's quite a lot of stairs. I am glad Breakaway seems to have more of a connection to the ocean with more sea views. Epic feels a little bit inward focused instead of outward focused. But even with that, we will be back on Epic again! Isee you are booked in a year. What did you love about the ship? Glad you liked the review.

 

-aj

I dont want to take away from your review but I will answer your question what I liked about Epic. It was the variety of things to do. On a "typical" ship you have the pools on sea days or stumble into trivia or art shows. On Epic, we could not keep up with the variety of things to do. We never ate at Taste or Manhattan room because we were trying the specialty restaurants. We never got to see many things we wanted to because 7 days is not enough time on Epic. Epic has tiny cabins and that is the only flaw. But 21 restaurants, 20 bars, and the top notch entertainment plus the biggest spa and gym at sea make Epic a win for me ;)

[vivavegas]

Welcome Back! Thanks for your detailed review! I'd really like to sail the Epic sometime this year.:)

[Journey11]

Great review. Glad you had a good time. I too have read very good things about Nachi Cocum. May have to try it next time.

[mitsugirly]

Great review. We just got off the Pearl a few weeks ago (also cruised during the Spring Break period).

 

We found the lines in Miami port to be extremely long for the Pearl compared to any of our other cruises (both in Miami and NOLA). But like you said, worth the wait. :D

 

We did find a mixed bag during the White Hot party during our Spring Break cruise. We seen some older couples (and when I say older I mean probably in their 80's) that were definitely "getting down" and having fun...to the "younger" crowd. The only thing I noticed this time is things really calmed down around midnight (I guess the party goes inside, but yet does continue outside as well and I didn't know this) and there wasn't very many people left outside. I don't think this White Hot party was as fun as previous cruises. :(

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for posting your review, glad you had a good cruise.

[JayinAZ]

Jay - I am looking at going to Alaska next summer but I want to do a cruise that has a land-tour in Alaska. So I'll probably go with a Princess cruise that does a one-way trip up there and do the cruise tour afterwards. I am dying to get on either the Allure or Oasis. How did you like Allure? It makes Epic look mini! Glad you found my review informative.

 

-aj

 

Allure was awesome. We like the bigger ships cause there's so much to do. Allure has it all. We are kind of considering the Epic but what concerns me the most is the size of the pools. My daughter loves to swim and from what I've read and seen, the Epic pools are pretty small. The water rides look great though. Epic reviews are very mixed so I'm just not sure about it.

Take care,

Jay

[teacher_md]

Journey - Nachi Cocum was really great. I read a lot of mixed reviews about the all inclusive, but we loved it. If you think the drinks are weak, give the waiter a couple of single dollar bills and ask him to make them stronger. Also, leave him a decent tip at the end. Our waiter, Carlos, WORKED.

 

Mitsugirly - Yeah, disappointed that the White Hot Party wasn't quite as fun this time. Can't put my finger on exactly WHY it wasn't as fun. Since it was outside on the pool deck this time on the Pearl I guess they didn't have the photography, and the effects. I think the crowd had something to do with it too.

[auntierobin]

Starting in 2013 NCL will be offering an Alaska cruise with a land tour on the Sun, which would be the perfect way to keep that Cruise Reward from getting stale.

 

We have sailed the Pearl, the Star, the Jewel, and the Sun. The Sun is one of our favorite ships. She is a little smaller, but that didn't seem to make any difference, there were no amenities that were lacking, the food was very good in all venues, she has the grand atrium, and IMHO one of the best crews at sea. In fact we have tenatively booked our 4th trip to Alaska on her in 2013. She is a great ship and I would highly recommend her.

[teacher_md]

auntierobin - Have you ever done a land tour in Alaska? If so, what cruise line was it with? The Sun looks to be a pretty nice ship with the traditional lobby.

 

Thanks, AJ

[auntierobin]

Haven't done a land tour, there is still so much to see on the Inside Passage Route, doing Inside this summer again, then next one in 2014 will probably do the land tour on the Sun.

 

The Sun was great, we usually stay in a mini-suite or suite, and I have to say the bathrooms in the Sun's minis were the best ever seen so far.

Full size tub and toilet in one large room, then you have the dressing room I call it with a vanity and chair and the sink in the next section (door between the bath part and sink section), then you go into the walk-in closet. Actually I described that backwards from the cabin you go into the closet, then dressing room, then the bathroom. A really great ship, you can't go wrong with her. Did not see any of the other rooms If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

[teacher_md]

Antierobin - Thanks for the description of the Sun! We probably couldn't afford a minisuite in Alaska... we'll be lucky to get an oceanview.

[auntierobin]

We met some people at the Meet & Greet who were in an oceanview, and they said that they were huge compared to other ships, with big picture windows.

 

But if you can swing it you should at least try for a balcony for Alaska, to sit out there in the morning with your coffee and breathe in the clean crisp air and watch the sun come up over the pristine wilderness with eagles flying overhead or sitting at sunset with a glass of wine is indescribable.

[teacher_md]

Jay - The Epic pools are on the small side, especially for the amount of people on board. Did Allure seem crowded? Did you see the Chicago show on board? What is Central Park like? What were some of your favorite parts of the ship?

 

Auntierobin - We are going to try to save for a balcony when we go to Alaska! Everyone says that a balcony is the only way to go when it comes to Alaska... that's probably why they are so expensive :)

[deladypilot]

AJ - Thank you for the wonderful review. It was very informative and helpful.

 

We were considering the Pearl for our next Alaskan Cruise, but decided to wait one more year and take the Sun from Vancouver to Whitter. Cant wait. They are now offering the land tour to go with that cruise and the prices finally showed up. So now we are looking at that as well. Just have to look at the budget a little more.

 

So wait one more year, do the Sun and come join in the fun.

[musicorn]

Antierobin - Thanks for the description of the Sun! We probably couldn't afford a minisuite in Alaska... we'll be lucky to get an oceanview.

 

If you have time to wait to book you could wait until NCL have a free upgrade sail ie pay for an oceanview but get a balcony.

 

I cruised on the Pearl to Alaska last June in an AFT Mini Suite and plan to do the same cruise in the same cabin in September 2013. Being able to sit outside with that scenery is just to die for....it must be I am flying from Australia to do it again. :D

[blendedmemory]

Thank you very much for all of the comparisons to the Epic. Having just sailed on her a few weeks ago, I was looking at the Pearl and Jewel as potential next cruises..... but I really loved Epic's spa and worry that the other ships won't measure up in that area. It sounds like this is the case with Pearl.

 

Thank you!

[teacher_md]

Deladypilot - I am also looking at the Sun for next summer. I am over soliciting advice on the Alaska boards at the moment to figure out the best Alaska trip. I am considering going Princess for the Alaska cruise as they have a very good reputation. We might even try to do the cruise tour portion on our own by renting a car. Let me know how your research goes.

 

Musicorn - A minisuite on the Pearl for Alaska would be amazing. Must be great taking in the scenery of Glacier Bay! I will look for the upgrade deal before I book. Thanks for the heads up :)

 

Blendedmemory - Thanks for the compliment on the review. Some people like the spa on the Pearl better as they have larger male only and female only areas than the Epic. Epic's spa seemed to be a little more crowded than the Pearl's. In my opinion though, I preferred Epic's spa.

[Stormhawk]

Great review, we're going to be on the Pearl this June as she sails Alaska so this is a great data point (and from a fellow MD FOD). I hope to be able to share some details from Alaska to help with your planning.