Pearl Seas Cruises, Pearl Mist

[bob brown]

Any recent cruiser's on the Pearl Mist, since its refurbishment?

 

I had been booked on AQV's cruise for next year, but they canceled it, and after this season, are putting their former Victory Cruise Line Ocean Navigator and Ocean Voyager up for sale.  So now researching a replacement.  This one seems to come closest, but also will consider Viking.

[BaumD]

Just got off the Pearl Mist last week. They use the same interior designer as the American cruise line ships. The interiors are just like the new ACL ships. Cabins and public areas were all renovated. The way both lines operate is very similar. The biggest difference is the staff. The ACL staff is all young and inexperienced US citizens. A waiter on ACL with two months service is a veteran! On Pearl, many of the staff has been there since the ship launched in 2014. Most of the staff is from the Philippines and are real pros.

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, BaumD said:

Just got off the Pearl Mist last week. They use the same interior designer as the American cruise line ships. The interiors are just like the new ACL ships. Cabins and public areas were all renovated. The way both lines operate is very similar. The biggest difference is the staff. The ACL staff is all young and inexperienced US citizens. A waiter on ACL with two months service is a veteran! On Pearl, many of the staff has been there since the ship launched in 2014. Most of the staff is from the Philippines and are real pros.

That's what the PVSA has done to our cruise industry!

[Tom47]

We just finished a Pearl Seas cruise, Quebec City to Portland, Maine.  We were able to visit all scheduled ports.  Food and service were excellent, except for chef's recommendation of duck entree, which was terrible.  They brought me a lobster tail as a replacement and that was very good.  

Edited October 8, 2023 by Tom47
typo

[bob brown]

Has anyone cruised this line more recently?

[Tom47]

1 hour ago, bob brown said:

Has anyone cruised this line more recently?

They have merged loyalty programs with ACL, parent company, about 4 months ago.

[bob brown]

3 hours ago, Tom47 said:

They have merged loyalty programs with ACL, parent company, about 4 months ago.

That’s no help to me, as I haven’t sailed on either previously.  Now if they would “merge” their loyalty program with the former AQV, since they purchased some of their vessels, that would give me some “status”…😉

[Tom47]

33 minutes ago, bob brown said:

That’s no help to me, as I haven’t sailed on either previously.  Now if they would “merge” their loyalty program with the former AQV, since they purchased some of their vessels, that would give me some “status”…😉

It took them years to agree to merge PS with ACL, after requests from cruise pax.  We cruised PS 1st time in 2019 and it was an issue then.   I doubt AQV will happen, but you can live in hope.

[bob brown]

8 hours ago, Tom47 said:

It took them years to agree to merge PS with ACL, after requests from cruise pax.  We cruised PS 1st time in 2019 and it was an issue then.   I doubt AQV will happen, but you can live in hope.

If they want to keep most of AQV's customer's, it might be a good idea to make it happen.  Otherwise, some other player might enter the market, (besides Viking), and take some of them...

🤷‍♂️

[Tom47]

2 hours ago, bob brown said:

If they want to keep most of AQV's customer's, it might be a good idea to make it happen.  Otherwise, some other player might enter the market, (besides Viking), and take some of them...

🤷‍♂️

They also introduced a referral program-$500 discount

[Host Jazzbeau]

8 hours ago, bob brown said:

If they want to keep most of AQV's customer's, it might be a good idea to make it happen.  Otherwise, some other player might enter the market, (besides Viking), and take some of them...

🤷‍♂️

That’s why they bought the AQV ships — to prevent somebody else from entering the market. 

[bob brown]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

That’s why they bought the AQV ships — to prevent somebody else from entering the market. 

Viking can expand.  Other's can also bring newbuilds.  Maybe not for a while, but eventually.

[MOcruiserman]

Are there any free excursions on the Pearl Mist 7 night Great Lakes and Georgian Bay cruise?

[Tom47]

1 hour ago, MOcruiserman said:

Are there any free excursions on the Pearl Mist 7 night Great Lakes and Georgian Bay cruise?

Yes, basic excursions are included.

[bob brown]

Well after I booked this cruise, it now seems that my original ship may be doing the voyage after all, under the new Victory Cruise Lines...

I will probably stick with the Pearl Mist, though, as it is probably a sure thing, and besides, I have already booked another cruise and train travel to get me home to Florida (on HAL and VIA Rail).🤷‍♂️

[Host Jazzbeau]

32 minutes ago, bob brown said:

Well after I booked this cruise, it now seems that my original ship may be doing the voyage after all, under the new Victory Cruise Lines...

I will probably stick with the Pearl Mist, though, as it is probably a sure thing, and besides, I have already booked another cruise and train travel to get me home to Florida (on HAL and VIA Rail).🤷‍♂️

I wouldn't hold my breath, after reading @chengkp75's analysis of his prospects:

 

[bob brown]

They just emailed me a form to request 2025 brochures…

[bob brown]

Received an email yesterday, with an attached shore excursion brochure.  The prices of the “premium” ones were not listed, nor can you pre-book anything.  All have to be done on board.  I suppose the purpose of sending the brochure was to give you time now to choose which ones you want, to expedite the selection process when on board.

 

There were some listed as “featured”.  I called Pearl Seas reservations, and they transferred me to customer service.  They told me the “featured” was complimentary, the “premium” ones were at extra cost, ranging from $20 to $90 per person, depending on itinerary.

All of them looked interesting.  I also asked if there was a chance that popular ones could quickly sell out, but they assured me, they would have room on all.

 

It’s rather different from the AQV shorex model I am familiar with, with its own fleet of chartered buses performing a complimentary “hop-on, hop-off” circuit at each port, with one or two doing a premium tour.  The geography of a Great Lakes cruise probably precludes that from being possible.

 

[Tom47]

We were just on an ACL cruise this spring.   The 2 busses used to transport us were owned by ACL.  Drivers were ACL employees with ACL uniforms.   Premium excursions are free if you reach a certain level in Eagle Society. 

[bob brown]

On 9/12/2024 at 3:01 PM, Tom47 said:

We were just on an ACL cruise this spring.   The 2 busses used to transport us were owned by ACL.  Drivers were ACL employees with ACL uniforms.   Premium excursions are free if you reach a certain level in Eagle Society. 

I haven’t been on ACL, but have been on AQV  three times.  The buses chartered for their cruises were “wrapped” in an AQV riverboat design, and the drivers or “bus captain’s” wore AQV livery, and were treated like part of the boat crew.  But, as the “legals” showed, (the small lettering on the baggage doors), the buses were owned and operated by Easton Coach Co., of Easton, PA, and the drivers were actually employed  by the same, assigned to AQV for the “season”…

Edited September 15 by bob brown

[Tom47]

8 minutes ago, bob brown said:

I haven’t been on ACL, but have been on AQV  three times.  The buses chartered for their cruises were “wrapped” in an AQV riverboat design, and the drivers or “bus captain’s” wore AQV livery, and were treated like part of the boat crew.  But, as the “legals” showed, (the small lettering on the baggage doors), the buses were owned and operated by Easton Coach Co., of Easton, PA, and the drivers were actually employed  by the same, assigned to AQV for the “season”…

I have never been on AQV.  Didn't it recently go out of business?

[bob brown]

1 minute ago, Tom47 said:

I have never been on AQV.  Didn't it recently go out of business?

Yes.  However, its original founder, John Waggoner, purchased its two former Victory coastal ships, and resurrected them as Victory Cruise Line.  Operations commence next Spring…

[Host Jazzbeau]

Here's a comparison between the Pearl Mist, Victory and Viking ships on the Great Lakes:

 

Ship            Built      Tonnage       Pax     Space Ratio      Crew / Ratio

 

Pearl Mist    2014       5,600          206           27.2            60           3.4

 

Victory I       2001        4,954          202           24.5           84           2.4

Victory II      2004        4,954          202           24.5           84           2.4

Viking             *          30,500          374           81.6          260          1.4

  * Octantis 2021

  * Polaris   2022

 

As you can see, Viking is newer, bigger and better staffed – the prices reflect that.  Between Pearl and Victory, Pearl has slightly more space per passenger but Victory has a considerably better crew/pax ratio.  There was also an issue between Pearl and the shipyard which resulted in a 4-year delay in their accepting the ship – presumably its sailing history and the recent refurbishment have put those issues to rest.

 

[Caveat:  I haven't done a Great Lakes cruise on any line yet – I am researching for a future cruise.  At the moment I'm drawn to Pearl Mist for its Great Lakes Explorer itinerary, but Viking's Great Lakes Collection itinerary is similar and worth keeping in the consideration.  I would not book Victory – or any cruise line that hasn't sailed for at least a year – until they have a track record.  Its ships are older and need major refurbishment before they should sail again.]

[bob brown]

I might have booked Viking, but they don’t have a cruise (or PVSA compliant combination), that would let you navigate the Great Lakes, and full St. Lawrence Seaway, together.  You can do that on the other two.

 

I tried working around that with their sales department, but they weren’t flexible about selling me a short segment on one of their cruises, at a prorated fare to make it possible.

 

i might try them on a different itinerary in the future.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Viking has many good qualities, but flexibility is not one of them!

 

We have already done the seaway on a Fall Foliage cruise, so I'm only interested in hitting all five Great Lakes on one cruise.  Viking and Pearl both offer that, and when I compare Pearl cat K to Viking the rates are actually comparable.