Need information on Pearl

[stuckintexas]

Hello everyone! I am looking at cruising on the Pearl for spring break. I have traveled on Carnival and Royal Caribbean several times and am wanting to try something different and this cruise fits my budget and timeframe. Could anyone who has traveled on this ship give me some information, especially if you have traveled on other cruise lines? I am also interested in the spa, if you can purchase passes to use the facilities and/or any thoughts on it. Thanks in advance and any information will be greatly appreciated!!

[Tiggertastic]

On embarkation day we headed to the spa and purchased a pass for the cruise - they limit the numbers so it is first come first served. I t inclused the hot beads, sauna, solarium and thermal pool

 

The mens and womens changing areas have their won comfortable beds, drinks station and sauna and then the pool and hot beds are in a shared area

 

NCL sits between RCL and Carnival - what more do you want to know?

 

The entertainment was great, the service impeccable but we find the food in teh MDR not as good as RCCL but they have fantastic soecialty restaurants - 13 of them on the ship!

[Squidward Q Tentacles]

I have some videos of the ship on my Youtube channel.

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/GoofyGard

[garycarla]

removed

Edited January 14, 2014 by garycarla

[Artemis]

Hi, OP, I'm stuck in Texas, too! But not a bad place to be tonight, considering I'm sitting on my patio while I do this! We were on the Pearl Dec. 8, and I posted a review, the dailies and some other stuff here: https://sites.google.com/site/nclpearl/

 

Enjoy the anticipation!

[stuckintexas]

Thanks so much for the information! This info will be very helpful!! Did you use the internet? My son is in a masters program and may have to do some online work during the week we want to go. I am just wondering if the internet will be fast enough?

Hi, OP, I'm stuck in Texas, too! But not a bad place to be tonight, considering I'm sitting on my patio while I do this! We were on the Pearl Dec. 8, and I posted a review, the dailies and some other stuff here: https://sites.google.com/site/nclpearl/

 

Enjoy the anticipation!

[stuckintexas]

Great info, thanks!!

[Artemis]

stuckintexas, yup, the Internet speed was pretty good. He shouldn't count on big downloads/uploads, but other than that, okay. The package pricing and overall "how to" brochure was posted on my website--he can get an idea of what to expect. Lots of free/nominal charge Internet in every port, too, at restaurants, etc.

[stuckintexas]

stuckintexas, yup, the Internet speed was pretty good. He shouldn't count on big downloads/uploads, but other than that, okay. The package pricing and overall "how to" brochure was posted on my website--he can get an idea of what to expect. Lots of free/nominal charge Internet in every port, too, at restaurants, etc.

That is great to know, and the info on your website was very helpful. We would be going to Key West and Grand Cayman so hopefully if he has to do a class it will be in one of the ports. Hoping we can pull this off, I have been looking a lots of information on the Pearl and I am really wanting to go! I need to get out of Texas for awhile!

[rigs32]

Spring break 2014? Which dates? The Pearl is chartered for a good portion of March. Charters are a whole other animal.

[Manatee Mom]

Hi we just booked on the Pearl for March 16, How do we know if there is a charter on it? and who it is?

 

Also someone on another post said the waterslide has been taken down, anyone know if they are replacing it?

 

thanks

[dales wife]

Hi we just booked on the Pearl for March 16, How do we know if there is a charter on it? and who it is?

 

Also someone on another post said the waterslide has been taken down, anyone know if they are replacing it?

 

thanks

 

Concerning the water slide, no they are not. It was disassembled during our 1/5/14 cruise last week. We were told it is gone for good. The space was needed for stage & people on the Pearl's frequent music charters. Also the slide was not utilized on Pearl's Alaska cruises.

The info that the slide is not coming back was confirmed yesterday by a CC member who checked with her son who is part of NCL's crew (in particular he works with the music charters).

[rocketlegs]

I'm on the 3/11 cruise on Pearl. it will be my first NCL cruise.

[boobear1]

I'm dissappointed to hear the slide is gone, my kids were really looking forward to that! We are also traveling in March on the Pearl (the 11th), how do you find out if its "chartered"???

[rigs32]

If it was chartered, you wouldn't have a booking. Apparently the last charter for this cycle debates March 11.

[takdak8]

Ok, I know this sounds dumb and green, but does "chartered" mean in cruise language?

[rigs32]

It means a private group booked the ship to have their own cruise.

[sonntags]

Don't be disappointed the slide is gone :) it was verrrryyy slowwww hehe.

[quercus alba]

Don't be disappointed the slide is gone :) it was verrrryyy slowwww hehe.

 

Ditto--it was nothing special. My kids went once and then ignored it.

 

Here's my review of Spring Break with family on Pearl last March. I'd go again, despite my personal misadventures. I might NOT take the kids next time, though... :D

[elevario]

Stuckintexas I will see you on board that sailing too. The Pearl is a nice ship been on it three times. Bring your all white attire for the White Hot Party and dance with NCL's Angels. Also you need to take a tour of the spa/thermal suite and try out the heated lounge chairs, you will melt your stress away. They only allow in think 75 guests for the whole cruise. It is a nice place to get away from all the noise and a great place to see a sunset. Take in a game of bowling, quite time in a lounge. The shows are nice and Second City is a hoot! The staff is wonderful, never had a concern with them. You will also get to learn the "happy happy washy washy" song too.

[elevario]

The 11th is a Sixthman music charter and the 16th is a normal cruise

[elevario]

[rocketlegs]

The March 3rd and 7th are the last charters. March 11th has no group chartering it.

[Cruiser Bruiser]

Hi we just booked on the Pearl for March 16, How do we know if there is a charter on it? and who it is?

 

Also someone on another post said the waterslide has been taken down, anyone know if they are replacing it?

 

thanks

 

I'm booked on the sailing right before yours. Neither is a charter. The Pearl hosts a lot of music cruises, including one they openly market called Sixthman. Our two 5-day cruises are a function of the Sixthman 4-day cruise. 4+5+5=14. Typically a true charter doesn't show up on the Norwegian website because the whole ship is sold to a private marketer.

 

Don't be disappointed the slide is gone :) it was verrrryyy slowwww hehe.

 

I was just on the pearl December 15-22, and I can't believe the slide is gone!? :eek: I guess it was slow (kids in particular took forever to make their way down.) But I noticed the smart adults would go down on their back with their arms and legs hooked together above them. They got a lot of speed. I'm going to be anxious to see what the Tahitian pool looks like now. A lot more open, I guess.

[Demonyte]

The Pearl hosts a lot of music cruises, including one they openly market called Sixthman. Our two 5-day cruises are a function of the Sixthman 4-day cruise.

 

Sixthman is the name of NCL's fully owned subsidiary company that manages most of charter cruises on NCL ships.

 

Also Sixthman has many 5-day cruises, those two last ones just didn't sell to any festival organizer etc so they were sold normally through NCL's regular sales channels.