Norwegian Pearl - December 16-23, 2012

[esp13]

Hi all. Just got home from a wonderful trip on the Pearl to the Western Carribbean. I've got some photos which I will try to get posted at some point.

 

Day 1 - embarkation.

 

I was traveling with my mother and this was going to be our first experience of the suite life on Norwegian. I'd read a lot about it thanks to the folks on this board and was a little afraid it would not live up to the hype. But, it most certainly did. We arrived in Miami on Saturday evening. We stayed at the Hotel Sofitel where we had stayed when we cruised on the Epic in 2010. On that trip we had done the NCL transfer and hotel package. While the transfer worked pretty well before, we chose not to do it this time.

 

The main reason we chose not to do the NCL transfer was the luggage issue. When we did it before, we had to put our bags outside our hotel room the night before and that meant taking our make-up bags, PJ's and other things in our carryons. While not a major issue, it's just a little inconvenient. And, the cab (both ways) was a little cheaper anyway.

 

So, after a nice nite at the hotel and a little snack for breakfast, we caught a cab and headed for the cruise terminal. We arrived within 15-20 minutes and a porter immediately took our bags. We then head to the terminal and went in through a fairly short security line. Once past security, we immediately spotted the VIP lounge and headed in. Within 5 minutes we had our keycards for our rooms and were seated on a couch with a little snack. Within another 5 minutes we were escorted with a small group onto the ship. There we were greeted by our concierge, Monica. She greeted us warmly and then had us escorted to Cagney's for lunch.

 

This was my 5th cruise and I have never had a problem with embarkation, usually making it through the lines within 45 minutes max. But THIS was amazing. I think we were seated at Cagneys for lunch about 20 minutes after arriving at the cruise port. If that had been the highlight of the suite life, I think I would have been satisfied, but it was just the beginning.

 

After a wonderful lunch where we met Giresh, a waiter who we would see often during the week, we headed off to find our stateroom. We were in 8630, a aft penthouse. We arrived and it appeared to be ready so we went on it. We loved the size of the room and were happy to see that the special requests we had made through the pre-cruise concierge had been done (fridge emptied, pillows chosen, etc.). We ran downstairs to the bar to get a couple of drinks and then returned to the room to enjoy the view from the balcony.

 

Not too long after, the butler arrived to introduce himself. His name was Juremar and he, like everyone else, was fantastic. We had requested a bucket of beer, a bottle of wine, and six-pack of diet Pepsi in our room. It was not there when we arrived but Juremar explained that he had waited because if he brought it after we left port, then there would be no taxes on the items. We were appreciative of that explanation and gladly waited a short time for our items to arrive.

 

Not long afterwards, our luggage arrived. We spent the time prior to our muster drill unpacking and getting settled in. By the time the drill started, we were unpacked. The drill was very quick, taking only about 10 minutes or so. This was very different from the drill on the Pearl in July (our Alaska trip) which seemed to take forever. Not sure what happened on that cruise, but this was quick and painless.

 

After the drill, we returned to the room to watch the sail away. I know the sail away party is fun, but we really enjoy just watching the trip from the balcony with a cocktail or two. I think it was sometime during this period where Juremar showed up with treats and Monica stopped by to tell us about the priority tendering for GSC the next day.

 

After the sail away, we enjoyed the sunset and sounds of the ship's wake until it was time for dinner. We had pre-booked Cagney's for dinner and were seated promptly and found out our waiter was again Giresh. He was very sweet and excellent at his job. I had the shrimp cocktail (always a favorite), the clam chowder, the prime rib, and au gratin potatoes. My mom had shrimp cocktail, lobster bisque, salmon oscar, and sauteed mushrooms. Bot means were outstanding in our opinions. I had the expresso brownie with macademia nut ice cream for dessert and it too was wonderful.

 

After dinner, we went down to the bar area where we listened to Don sing Elton John and Billy Joel tunes while I had my Melontini I had discovered on the trip to Alaska. We then made a trip to the casino where I promptly lost my money and my mom broke even on video poker. By this point, I was ready to call it a night (I'm such a lightweight) and we headed back to the room. We enjoyed the night air on the balcony and then headed for bed, planning on our breakfast at Cagney's in the morning before heading over to Great Stirrup Cay.

[signora]

Looking forward to the rest of your review! We are booked on the same cruise on 2/17/13 and are also suite life newbies, so I'm paying careful attention to all your details. One question: how do you contact the concierge prior to boarding? We too would like the fridge emptied. Thanks again for your review--great so far! --Amy

[jdvmd]

Thanks for sharing! Sounds like you had a great time!

[esp13]

Day 2 - Great Stirrup Cay

 

We awoke to a bright shiny morning as the Pearl approached Great Stirrup Cay. We had coffee and Bailey's on the balcony as the ship arrived and anchored. We did not have an excursion until 11:30, so we had plenty of time to get ready and head up to Cagney's for breakfast. After a wonderful breakfast (banana pancakes for me), we walked across the foyer to the Star Bar where Monica was ready to take us down for priority tendering. We quickly reached the tender and boarded and were shortly on our way to the island. I know it got hit pretty hard by Sandy, but they've clearly been working hard to fix things because it looked quite good.

 

We found beach chairs just a couple of rows from the water (it was about 10:15am) and settled in for some sun. It got hot quickly and I went to the water to cool off. After a swim and some more sun, we headed off to our kayaking excursion. Our guides were great and we had a short walk to the other side of the island where we got our live vests and kayaks. We kayaked along the shore for about a mile to a little beach on the very end of the island. There, we got out and talked to our guides. I asked about Sandy and our guide (I think it was Jeannie) said she wasn't there, but was trying to get back after a break. Apparently, they use the Sky to transport people back and forth and she ended up stuck on the Sky for two weeks because they didn't stop at GSC during that time.

 

While we were there, they found a starfish and a conch and we got upclose looks at both. The conch was very cool because they got it to come out of the shell a bit. I'm sure this has been mentioned previously, but apparently the stingray area at GSC got hammered by the hurricane and it's gone. The Hippo Slide is also still not operational. We found out that there are about 30 people that live on the island full time. All in all it was a very informative and entertaining break. After the break, we kayaked back to the starting point.

 

When the excursion was over, we headed back to the main part of the island and had lunch in the buffet that was set up. It was very good food and not crowded at all. After lunch, it was back to the ship for an afternoon beer on the balcony. When then got cleaned up and ready for dinner.

 

That night we ate at the Lotus Garden. I had Sushi which I found to be very good. My mom had Spring Rolls, fried rice, and lemon pepper shrimp which she enjoyed very much. After dinner it was back to Bar City for a melontini and more music from Don. Another trip through the casino and it was again time for bed.

 

Up next - a wonderful day at sea

[esp13]

Looking forward to the rest of your review! We are booked on the same cruise on 2/17/13 and are also suite life newbies, so I'm paying careful attention to all your details. One question: how do you contact the concierge prior to boarding? We too would like the fridge emptied. Thanks again for your review--great so far! --Amy

 

I don't have the number handy, but if you do a search of this forum for "Pre-cruise concierge" a big, long thread should come up. On the first page of that thread, there is the number. If you can't find it, let me know and I will track it down.

 

Every request we had made was honored. The only thing that was missing when we first arrived was the beer and diet pepsi. But it was clear our butler was aware of the request but was trying to save us money on the taxes. It really was nice to have the fridge cleared and the other things taken care of before we got there.

[signora]

Thanks! Still reading...

[esp13]

Day 3 --

 

Day 3 is a sea day as the Pearl goes from GSC to Jamaica. We had decided to have Juremar bring breakfast and had put the card out on the door the night before, requesting breakfast at 8:30. At about 8:20 we received a call from Juremar letting us know he was on the way up and just a few minutes later, breakfast arrived.

 

This is one of the great, suite perks. First, the menu is bigger, so we could have eggs, bacon (or other breakfast meats) and potatoes. We've also found with both suite and non-suite orders that if you request something not on the menu (for example, I like bagels) and write it on the card, they will usually fulfill the request. Plus, in the suite, the butler will set the table (linens, silverware, etc.). Then we sat at our table for a wonderful breakfast.

 

After breakfast, we lounged around for awhile. There is really nothing better than sitting on the balcony, watching the ship's wake, and enjoying the warm sunshine. But we finally figured we should get out so Arnel (our steward) could make up the room. We decided to roam around the ship a bit and eventually found a couple of loungers up on the top sundeck. We hung out there for a bit and then headed off to lunch. I'm a sushi fan and my mom loves the Spicy Udon Noodles at the noodle bar, so that's where we had lunch. Again, the food was great. I had the Dynamite combo (rainbow roll, california roll, Ebi sushi, and ahi sashimi).

 

After lunch, we again lounged on the balcony enjoying the warm weather and the view. We had received an invite to the VIP cocktail party that evening, so we went to the Blue Lagoon for a quick bite and then got ready. The cocktail party was very nice. The officers met us in a receiving line and then we grabbed a drink and sat down. As we sat, various staff came by. We talked to Julie, the cruise director, who was very sweet. We also met Cesar Hapa, the head of housekeeping who wanted to make sure all was well with our room and to make sure we contacted him about any problems.

 

Side note -- this is a recurring theme with the staff. We had heard the same thing at the M&G on our Alaska cruise. If you ever have a problem with anything that is not easily solved by your steward (or butler if you are in a suite), contact the appropriate staff supervisor. They want to fix problems so that we don't come on the boards here and complain out it without them having a chance to solve it. We've been lucky to never have any major issues, but I will still pass that bit along. If there is a problem, tell somebody and give them a chance to fix it.

 

Okay, back to the cocktail party. We also spoke to one of the cruise port shopping people. He had a really interesting story because he is a pilot for a major oil company two weeks a month. He travels all over the world flying corporate jets. Then the other two weeks, he sails on the Pearl with his fiancee who is the Port Shopping consultant and helps her out. He was very nice and fun to talk to.

 

After the party, we headed to the Stardust theatre for "Oh What A Night." This was a fun show. The music was great and the routine among the guys was pretty good (if a little schticky) too. After the show, it was back to Bar City for the nightly melontini (little did I know it would be my last one). After the Melontini, we headed back to the room and got ready for bed. We had an excursion on 8:20 the next morning so we knew it would be an early morning. I set the alarm on my phone for an unvaction-like 6:00am and drifted off to sleep.

[xenagurl]

Enjoying your review! You were on GSC the day before we were. :)

[azgkrudi]

Well, I'm glad to hear that Cagney's actually served someone correctly. We were in a penthouse suite on the December 2-9 sailing. Our embarkation lunch at Cagney's took almost 2 hours, we only had one menu between the four of us (we started with two, but they kept taking the other one away and giving it to other parties--REALLY???), we had to literally flag the staff down to take our drink order, then our food order. AND we were right next to the walkway where there servers come and go!!! It was terrible. We kept wondering how everyone on prior cruises raved about the place? So we chalked it up to, embarkation is a crazy day for them, and/or maybe this staff is new and just came on board and are "learning the ropes".

 

So we give them another chance, this time at dinner a few nights later. What an incredible waste of $100 for the four of us. Again, we had to flag the staff down for drinks, getting our food order, and then the follow-up. The food was good, but by the time you are "doing battle" just trying to get noticed, you kind of lose your appetite, you know?

 

Believe me, we are NOT complainers, either. I can't imagine how the impatient picky people of the world would have reacted.

 

We had 2 nights of incredible service at Summer Palace, so at least I know good service does exist somewhere on the Pearl. We didn't bother with any of the other upcharge restaurants because we were afraid we'd get the same lethargic (non-existent?) type of service as we did at Cagney's.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the review!

[esp13]

Well, I'm glad to hear that Cagney's actually served someone correctly. We were in a penthouse suite on the December 2-9 sailing. Our embarkation lunch at Cagney's took almost 2 hours, we only had one menu between the four of us (we started with two, but they kept taking the other one away and giving it to other parties--REALLY???), we had to literally flag the staff down to take our drink order, then our food order. AND we were right next to the walkway where there servers come and go!!! It was terrible. We kept wondering how everyone on prior cruises raved about the place? So we chalked it up to, embarkation is a crazy day for them, and/or maybe this staff is new and just came on board and are "learning the ropes".

 

So we give them another chance, this time at dinner a few nights later. What an incredible waste of $100 for the four of us. Again, we had to flag the staff down for drinks, getting our food order, and then the follow-up. The food was good, but by the time you are "doing battle" just trying to get noticed, you kind of lose your appetite, you know?

 

Believe me, we are NOT complainers, either. I can't imagine how the impatient picky people of the world would have reacted.

 

We had 2 nights of incredible service at Summer Palace, so at least I know good service does exist somewhere on the Pearl. We didn't bother with any of the other upcharge restaurants because we were afraid we'd get the same lethargic (non-existent?) type of service as we did at Cagney's.

 

Sorry to hear of your experiences. As I said above, we had nothing but excellent service at Cagney's - both for dinner and for breakfast and lunch. We also had wonderful service at the Lotus Garden and La Cucina, as well as Indigo.

[esp13]

Day 4 -- Ocho Rios, Jamaica

 

The alarm went off as scheduled at 6:00am and I immediately knew there was a problem. Namely that I couldn't breathe and my head was pounding. Yes, it was apparent I had kept my perfect record of getting sick while on vacation. Luckily, unlike the 2010 trip on the Epic where I basically slept for 48 hours (missing St. Thomas), this was just an ordinary sinus/cold thing. Luckily, our experience from the Epic (where we had brought zero medications) had come in handy and we had packed about ever over the counter remedy available. So, with a little Vicks and a steamy shower, I was feeling much improved by the time we headed to Cagney's for breakfast.

 

I sniffled my way through another excellent breakfast (french toast this time), took a couple of ibuprofen to finish off the headache, and we headed off the ship for our excursion. We found our group at the end of the pier and were quickly escorted to the buses and, after a short ride, we arrived at the place where we got on the catamaran.

 

The catamaran was called the Cool Jazz and we were introduced to the crew, including BeachMama (Vivian) and Lambchop. The staff was very friendly and fun, and we set sail for the Dunn River Falls. When we reached the falls, we disembarked and headed out. Those who had chosen to climb the falls (almost everyone but us) met with their guides and started the trek. My mother and I and another gentleman were escorted up the dry walk to various viewing points by Vivian and another crew member. It was really a beautiful area and it was fun to watch all the people (and there were A LOT of people) making their way up the falls. Eventually, the trek was over and we walked back down and got on the catamaran for the trip back.

 

Side Note: There are various "vendors" at the Dunn River Falls offering jet ski rides, souvernirs, and another, less legal, substance. They are very persistent and despite warnings from our excursion staff, I still kind of had to be rescued. So, I'll pass on their warning -- don't be afraid to be rude and don't be intimidated. Just say No firmly and keep walking and don't take anything from them. I want to be clear that this did not affect my enjoyment of the excursion at all. It is what it is. But I thought I would pass on my experience in the hope of helping others.

 

So, back to the boat, where the music started up and the rum punch was flowing. The staff got the dancing going and it was a reggae party all the way back. It was a lot of fun and we reached port all too soon. From there it was a quick trip back to the Pearl and we were back in time to have lunch at Cagneys. The meal was again fabulous.

 

After lunch, we returned to the room where I got some more Vicks, some more kleenex, and settled myself into a chair on the balcony. Sometime later, I awoke after a nice nap, feeling pretty good. We had decided to go to Indigo, the main dining room, that night, so we got ourselves around and headed down about 6:00pm, hoping to beat the crowds. And we did -- by about 5 minites it seemed since the place filled up quickly after we got there. We had excellent service, and good food. I had the pork tenderloins, while mom had the salmon fillet and we were both very impressed.

 

After dinner, I wasn't feeling up to my usual nightcap, so I headed back to the room while Mom headed for the casino. I think I was in bed and asleep by about 9:00pm (stupid nose). But we had another excursion in Grand Cayman the next day and I was not going to let my nose keep from enjoying it.

[OzCanuck]

Well, I'm glad to hear that Cagney's actually served someone correctly. We were in a penthouse suite on the December 2-9 sailing. Our embarkation lunch at Cagney's took almost 2 hours, we only had one menu between the four of us (we started with two, but they kept taking the other one away and giving it to other parties--REALLY???), we had to literally flag the staff down to take our drink order, then our food order. AND we were right next to the walkway where there servers come and go!!! It was terrible. We kept wondering how everyone on prior cruises raved about the place? So we chalked it up to, embarkation is a crazy day for them, and/or maybe this staff is new and just came on board and are "learning the ropes".

 

So we give them another chance, this time at dinner a few nights later. What an incredible waste of $100 for the four of us. Again, we had to flag the staff down for drinks, getting our food order, and then the follow-up. The food was good, but by the time you are "doing battle" just trying to get noticed, you kind of lose your appetite, you know?

 

Believe me, we are NOT complainers, either. I can't imagine how the impatient picky people of the world would have reacted.

 

We had 2 nights of incredible service at Summer Palace, so at least I know good service does exist somewhere on the Pearl. We didn't bother with any of the other upcharge restaurants because we were afraid we'd get the same lethargic (non-existent?) type of service as we did at Cagney's.

 

Wow, we were on the same cruise, in a 2-bdrm family suite. We had nothing but amazing service from the Cagney's staff - even during our embarkation lunch. They always went out of their way to make sure our 15 month old was entertained, and well fed.

[PathfinderEss]

Looking forward to the rest of your review, enjoying it so far.

[azgkrudi]

Wow, we were on the same cruise, in a 2-bdrm family suite. We had nothing but amazing service from the Cagney's staff - even during our embarkation lunch. They always went out of their way to make sure our 15 month old was entertained, and well fed.

 

I know, we were honestly shocked. But I guess the good thing is, it saved us money. Before sailing, we had it in our heads that we were going to dine at Cagney's at least 3 times during the week, and then once at the Italian restaurant and possibly the Bistro.

 

esp13, I am enjoying your review - thank you for posting!

[esp13]

Day 5 --

 

On the morning of Day 5 we awoke to beautiful sunshine as the Pearl approached Grand Cayman. Our excursion was not until 11:30am, so we had plenty of time for coffee on the balcony and another fabulous breakfast at Cagneys (Waffles this time). After breakfast we decided to go to the port earlier, so we used Monica's fabulous priority tendering service and headed off.

 

We had a short ride on the tender and then disembarked at the port. There were two other ships in port that day (both Carnival) and the tender port was a busy place. It was also HOT! We wondered around a bit both inside and outside the port before finding a place in the shade to wait for our excursion.

 

Once the time arrived, we were rapidly organized and escorted to buses. Our bus driver was great, giving us some background information on the Cayman Islands as he drove us to the catamaran place. Once we arrived, we quickly boarded the Catamaran and set sail for Stingray City. The sail across was just gorgeous. The water is so many different shades of blue and so clear.

 

After about 20-30 minutes, we approached Stingray City. There were a lot of boats there, but people seemed to understand how it worked. We moved into a spot and anchored and then were able to leave the boat. Once off the boat, the staff caught a stingray for feeding and pictures. Other stingrays were all around trying to get to the food as well. It was really an amazing thing to see them all swimming around amongst the people. Plus, it was fun to just get to play in the waves that were coming through the area. Despite the mass of people, I highly recommend a trip to Stingray City if you are going to the Cayman Islands.

 

After about 30 minutes of playing, we got back on the catamaran for the trip home. It was a quiet, relaxing trip and I really enjoyed it. Back on land, we reboarded the buses and returned to the tender port. There was quite a line as it was close to the last tender time, but it moved quickly and we were soon back on the ship. We went back to the room for an afternoon cocktail and then got ready for dinner.

 

Dinner was back at the Lotus Garden. I wanted to try the food this time since I had eaten sushi on our previous visit. I had the spring rolls, egg flower soup, fried rice, and sesame chicken. It was all wonderful. In fact, I think it was much improved from when we ate there on our Alaska trip on the Pearl.

 

After dinner, I headed back to the room so as not to irritate the rest of the ship with my sniffling and sneezing. Mom headed back to the casino. Before bed, we again set out the room service card. Our excursion in Cozumel was not until 1:30, so we figured we would have a lazy morning. We didn't know that it would turn out to be a very lazy day altogether.

[Cruiser Bruiser]

Loving your review. I just switched myself and my two nieces from the Epic/Eastern to this itinerary, and based on your review I think I made the right choice. (Plus I'm saving gobs of money and returning to GSC. I love GSC!!) This will be my third cruise on the Pearl. I guess she's my ship! :D

 

I'm especially glad to read that you enjoyed all the ports! Cheers.

[esp13]

Loving your review. I just switched myself and my two nieces from the Epic/Eastern to this itinerary, and based on your review I think I made the right choice. (Plus I'm saving gobs of money and returning to GSC. I love GSC!!) This will be my third cruise on the Pearl. I guess she's my ship! :D

 

I'm especially glad to read that you enjoyed all the ports! Cheers.

 

I'm glad you are enjoying the review. It's much longer than I usually manage so I wasn't sure if I was boring people. ;)

 

I can't disagree with your decision to switch. I was on the Epic in 2010 and while I liked the ship and the ports (except for the one I missed due to my inevitable vacation illness), I really do love the Pearl. I've been considering trying to book the Epic again to experience the Haven, but I think my aft penthouse on the Pearl is a much better value and the Western Caribbean was great. The only thing I really missed was the third sea day that the Eastern Caribbean itenary provides.

[esp13]

Day 6 - Cozumel

 

Day 6 arrived and we immediately noticed something different. Namely, the ship was rocking more than it had the entire trip. A step outside on the balcony confirmed the fact that the sea was definitely a bit irritated. Of course, that did not stop us from enjoying a morning coffee and awaiting our breakfast which was delivered promptly (and set up perfectly) by Juremar.

 

After breakfast we watched as the Pearl entered Cozumel and docked. We were surprised to see not one, but two, Norwegian ships already there. The Star was docked next to us and the Dawn was anchored a short way away. From our aft balcony we looked straight out to the aft balconies on the Dawn. The harbor was choppy and it looked like the Dawn had to keep the thrusters on to brace the ship against the wind for tendering. I have to say I was glad that we got the dock space.

 

Our excursion was set for 1:30pm, so we lazed around the room after breakfast before getting ready to go to lunch at Cagneys before leaving the ship. But, the phone rang just before we were about to leave. It was the Shore Excursion desk telling us that our excursion had been cancelled due to weather. We were a bit bummed, but not really surprised given how hard the wind was blowing and that our planned excursion was a sailing trip. We considered checking to see if there was something else still available, but decided to just go up to lunch and then hit the hot tubs on the ship instead.

 

Lunch was another winner. My mom had the swordfish burger and raved about it. I had the french dip and raved about that.

 

After lunch, we went down to the pool deck. As on most port days, it was mostly empty and we were able to enjoy a nice soak in the hot tub. I even took a dip in the pool, but found it chilly (probably because I'd been soaking in that hot tub).

 

After the soak, we headed back to the room. On some level, I think we probably had plans to head off the ship or something, but once the inertia set in, we never got moving again. Instead we lounged on the balcony in our robes, reading and napping. We ordered margaritas from the butler and just enjoyed a very lazy day. Eventually, the sun started to set and we watched as the Star and the Dawn left port (I have a picture of both ships heading out to sea which I will try and post at some point).

 

We were scheduled to leave Cozumel at 6pm, but that time came and went with no movement. We got ready and headed out to dinner at La Cucina and the boat had still not left at 7:00pm. We heard that there was an NCL excursion that was delayed and that was why we had not left yet (that was confirmed later by people on that excursion).

 

Dinner at La Cucina was probably the best meal I have had in that restaurant. I had heard they had revamped the menu and I can testify that it was wonderful. The bread is a loaf of artisan bread that was the best I had on the ship anywhere. It was served with 4 different oils to dip into and they were all very good (chili, garlic, rosemary, and pesto). I had the lobster fettucine which was divine. My mother had penne pasta with marinara and said it was fabulous as well. And the best was dessert. I had the macadamia nut icecream with expresso to pour on it. So, so, so good. It made me wish I had booked it earlier in the cruise so I could have gone more than once.

 

After dinner, we visited the casino and wandered a bit. The ship had finally gotten underway about 8:00pm, I think. The seas were pretty rough (the info said 7-12 feet). I can honestly say it never bothered me, but I did feel bad for those susceptible to motion sickness.

 

Then we met with Monica at 9:45 for early entrance into the Chocolaholic Buffet. I had somehow managed to miss this thing every other time I cruised, so I was glad to finally see it. It was gorgeous and while I didn't eat much, the things I tried were delicious.

 

Then it was back to the room where we could really feel the movement. We set out our breakfast card again and then stumbled around getting ready for bed. Once there it was easy to let the boat rock us to sleep.

[deschoolie]

We were on Deck 11 in a mini. Absolutely perfect cruise. Spa thermal suites were fantastic and I found the MDR food quiet enjoyable. Ate in Le Bistro once and that was fantastic. Only hiccup was mother nature at Cozumel (don't mess with her) so all water excursions (including our catamaran/snorkel) were canceled. GSC was in good shape. Now planning on booking the Pearl in Dec 2014 for a 11 day Southern Caribbean now that the 2014/2015 itineraries are out. Will also post some pictures later. Was tempted to eat one of the ginger bread houses on departure day (sign said for display only- do not eat)! I found this Second City cast to be quite good and enjoyed all shows.

[esp13]

We were on Deck 11 in a mini. Absolutely perfect cruise. Spa thermal suites were fantastic and I found the MDR food quiet enjoyable. Ate in Le Bistro once and that was fantastic. Only hiccup was mother nature at Cozumel (don't mess with her) so all water excursions (including our catamaran/snorkel) were canceled. GSC was in good shape. Now planning on booking the Pearl in Dec 2014 for a 11 day Southern Caribbean now that the 2014/2015 itineraries are out. Will also post some pictures later. Was tempted to eat one of the ginger bread houses on departure day (sign said for display only- do not eat)! I found this Second City cast to be quite good and enjoyed all shows.

 

Sounds like we were on the same excursion in Cozumel (or were supposed to be on the same one).

 

I agree it was the perfect cruise (except for my cold which, of course, is beyond NCL's control -- or anybody's control apparently). I'm glad to hear the Pearl is doing the 11 day Southern Caribbean route. I've wanted to do that itenerary and knowing I can sail the Pearl again is a definite plus.

[Anthaeus]

Thanks

 

Nice review, I will be on the Pearl on the same route in 03-24-2013.

 

Now, to have the perfect finish, you just need to post the photos :)

[esp13]

Day 7 - At Sea

 

Saturday dawned and I was a bit sad to realize it was the last day of the cruise. We again had breakfast delivered and enjoyed our last peaceful morning on the balcony. The seas were still a little rough, although nothing like the previous night.

 

After breakfast and the morning routine, we went up to Cagney's to say goodbye to our favorite waiter, Giresh. As it turned out, it was just the first goodbye but we didn't know that at the time. We gave him a tip to thank him for his exceptional service during the week and wished him a Happy New Year. Then we began our search for Monica to pass along her tip. Unfortunately, while we seemed to run into her repeatedly over the previous six days, we could never find her. To be clear, we never called her or asked somebody where she was. We just kind of wandered around, taking in the ship again and hoped we'd run into her. But we didn't.

 

During our wanderings, we played our first game of shuffleboard and quickly discovered that we pretty much suck at it. But it was fun and we laughed out our ineptitude.

 

Lunch was more sushi and spicy Udon noodles. If you love really spicy things, apparently the Udon noodles are the tops. I stuck to my sushi and savored another great meal.

 

The afternoon was spent on the balcony with the sun beaming down. That is until I found the BSU-Washington bowl game on TV. Getting to watch the Broncos in an exciting game while enjoying the last day of the cruise was a nice treat. As was the strawberry margarita provided by Juremar. He also received his tip on that trip and we thanked him for all he had done to make our trip so special.

 

Somewhere in this afternoon came the first downer (which had nothing to do with NCL) and a hint that our trip home was going to be an adventure. Using the slow, expensive NCL internet, I logged in to check-in for our flight the next day. Except that it no longer appeared to exist. After exhausting all internet options, we had no choice but to call Travelocity. At 1.99 per minute, it only cost $70.00 to get our flight fixed. But, at least we believed the problem was solved.

 

Dinner was in the Indigo main dining room. I had the salmon which was delicious while my mother had the seafood stew (that goes by another name I can't think of at the moment). It was yet another top-notch meal.

 

After dinner, I headed back to the room to catch the ATL/DET football game and we started packing up our clothes. That's always the saddest part of the trip. Luckily we were doing the easy walk-off so we didn't have to remember to leave out our clothes and personal items. Then it was time for bed with the alarm set and sadness set in knowing that the adventure would be over the following morning.

[boopsahoy]

Thanks for posting..looking forward to pictures:)

[esp13]

Day 8 - Disembarkation

 

According to the ship information, we were supposed to be in Miami at 8:00am. But, as expected, when we woke up about 6:00am, we were already docked. The pier was already bustling with activity as it was clear that they were wasting no time in starting the turnaround process. We went through the morning routine and then left for our last breakfast in Cagneys. On the way, we found Monica at the priority disembarkation meeting point and said our goodbyes and gave her a tip. Little did we know we'd see her again.

 

At Cagneys we were once again served by Giresh and exchanged yet another set of goodbyes. Then Juremar stopped by and we had more goodbyes.

 

It was also interesting to see them both preparing for new guests and saying goodbye to current ones. As we left, a gingerbread house appeared in the entryway, clearly meant for the next Christmas cruise.

 

After breakfast, we went back to the room and enjoyed a last sit on the balcony. The temperature was chilly for Miami (in the 50's), but since I was now dressed for winter in Idaho, it actually worked pretty well.

 

Shortly before 9, we gathered our things and headed out. Because we were on the 8th floor, catching an elevator down to 7 was tricky. We finally had to catch one going up and then ride it down.

 

Once on 7, we proceeded to disembarkation only to find a long line. Now, I've always done standard disembarkation and the line moves fairly quickly, but I knew we had another option this time. So, we quickly pulled out of line and made our way back inside. After a little maneuvering though some human roadblocks, we arrived at the Stardust theatre and our friend and savior, Monica. We exchanged goodbyes again and she promptly led us out the door and to the backside of the big line. Within a few seconds we were disembarked and headed through the terminal. I never thought I'd be somebody who cared about that priority stuff, but I loved everything about it. :)

 

After getting off the ship, the rest was smooth and quick. We went outside, caught a cab and were at the airport within 30 minutes of leaving the ship. Of course that started a whole other mountain of craziness, but none of that was NCL's fault. Suffice it to say that over the next 36 hours, I repeatedly wished that Monica was still around to help us to the front of the lines and take care of any issues we had. It sucked having to do that for myself again. :)