Good and Bad on pearl?

[Scubadoc]

What do you like and not like on the Pearl?  We are on the Pearl in a suite for 10 days out of Trieste in September. Been on Getaway and Encore about 7 years ago. A little nervous cuz we are spending  a lot on this trip. 
 

So far I like what I see about the Thermal suite and the itinerary. Not so sure about other things like entertainment and dining or what seems to be the lack of a good sundeck with shade. (We are in an Aft Penthouse but not Haven).

 

Nothing seems to stand out as “Can’t miss” or really great on this ship. Thoughts?

[FLAHAM]

Pearl is a fine ship, unless you’re looking for water slides and kart racing.  The aft suites have an enjoyable view.  In my opinion, the specialty restaurants range from good to very good.  The MDRs are hit or miss, but there’s usually a good choice or two.  The theater is nicer than many Broadway theaters.  The bars are pleasant and often have live music.  I have enjoyed hanging out in the Atrium.  I have nearly always found something I liked in the buffet. I never felt overcrowded, even when the ship was full.  Its size allows docking in ports too small for the giant ships.  Enjoy your cruise.

[dam64]

We booked the Pearl too for next year for a caribbean cruise, the ports cant be beat! We booked a forward penthouse because of the perks and large balcony. We have been on the Jewel and Gem and they are similar to the Pearl which we haven't been on yet. We have cruised mostly larger builds last few years so I'm curious to see how we will like going back to older ships. I've read lots of great things about the Pearl mostly positive and some people seem to love this ship the most out of all the Jewel class ships.

[schmoopie17]

We were on the Jade (Pearl's sister ship) for 14 days two months ago. Pretty much everything was great to outstanding. We liked it so much, we booked the Pearl for a 14 day TA next September. If the Pearl is anything like the Jade (and it should be), it should be a great trip.

[kattybiz]

Currently on the Pearl for the transatlantic.    Staff have all been wonderful, haven't attended the main shows in the theater, but there's been plenty of music to listen to every night.  Food has been some of the best we've had on NCL.  The Great Outdoors Cafe on deck 12 aft has plenty of tables in both sun and shade to sit on.

 

Buffet and atrium can both get a bit crowded, but if you go at off times it's not as bad.

 

This class of ships is probably our favorite....hope you enjoy!

[Scubadoc]

Very encouraging. We have booked an Aft suite. For those of you who have sailed in a forward suite what has been your experience with the wind? I love the size of the forward suite balconies , but I’m a little afraid of how usable it will be with the possibility of wind?

[ljrfrm]

19 minutes ago, Scubadoc said:

Very encouraging. We have booked an Aft suite. For those of you who have sailed in a forward suite what has been your experience with the wind? I love the size of the forward suite balconies , but I’m a little afraid of how usable it will be with the possibility of wind?

We sailed this past Jan in a forward suite (10500) and love it. The wind wasn't a problem at all.  When moving/standing it was windy at the railing but I loved the large balcony and loungers and could easily lay out in the sun and read while moving without it being windy at all. I always love leaving the balcony door open at night and we couldn't do that at night but the large balcony easily made up for that. 

[RN_Prof]

The Pearl is our favorite ship in the NCL fleet. It has the right mix of amenities and smaller crowds. She is big enough to have a nice thermal suite and Broadway theater but small enough to house a card room and library. We do not need rock walls, go-cart tracks, and water parks. We think the only amenities she lacks are the indoor viewing lounges and maybe the waterfront, such as the Encour and Bliss. 

[schmoopie17]

On 5/7/2024 at 11:53 AM, kattybiz said:

Currently on the Pearl for the transatlantic.   

We were on the Escape for a TA and there were extended periods of rocking and rolling...even when the waves and weather weren't bad. With the Pearl being a smaller ship than the Escape, it may be more vulnerable to being tossed about like a cork in the Atlantic. Any issues? (I know weather can impact these things and YMMV, but just curious, since we booked the Pearl for a TA next April.)

[kattybiz]

@schmoopie17  We got very lucky with the weather and there was only one day of even moderate waves.   Almost no rocking or rolling of the ship during the day.   I did feel a bit of swaying one night while in bed - figured the captain was going faster while we were all asleep.

[www3traveler]

3 hours ago, RN_Prof said:

The Pearl is our favorite ship in the NCL fleet. It has the right mix of amenities and smaller crowds. She is big enough to have a nice thermal suite and Broadway theater but small enough to house a card room and library. We do not need rock walls, go-cart tracks, and water parks. We think the only amenities she lacks are the indoor viewing lounges and maybe the waterfront, such as the Encour and Bliss. 

On Deck 13 all the way forward is the Spinnaker Lounge.  Large lounge with lots of floor to ceiling windows to watch the world go by. 

[rigs32]

Don't sleep on O'Sheehans for breakfast.  Their OJ just tastes better, too.  The Great Outdoors is a great spot to sit with cup of your preferred beverage and read or watch the world go by.  It's also a lovely bar set up.  If you do book the Thermal Spa, know that the standard hot tub (not the thalassotherapy pool) has a challenging entry - no way to step in; you have to sit and spin around to get in.

[ChiefMateJRK]

On 5/8/2024 at 3:40 PM, Scubadoc said:

For those of you who have sailed in a forward suite what has been your experience with the wind? I love the size of the forward suite balconies , but I’m a little afraid of how usable it will be with the possibility of wind?

I sailed the Pearl in December in an inside.  Had no problem with wind. 🤣

[ChiefMateJRK]

16 hours ago, RN_Prof said:

We think the only amenities she lacks are the indoor viewing lounges and maybe the waterfront, such as the Encour and Bliss. 

But the Pearl does have an OL.  Didn't you find it?

[malibu226]

We will be sailing on the Pearl in a couple weeks. I am trying to find information on using the app for tender tickets and theater reservation. Is that a thing and if so when are you able to access those?  I’m most interested in tender tickets.  Reserving times on the app seems so much easier than finding the ticket table at 6am. Any one have any experience with this??

[Asawi]

26 minutes ago, malibu226 said:

 Reserving times on the app seems so much easier than finding the ticket table at 6am. Any one have any experience with this??

Nope! Haven't sailed Pearl yet  (planning to do 2025 though) but I don't think any  NCL uses the app for tender tickets. 

I kind of like the early morning distribution though. That way only those that REALLY want/need tender tickets bother and you don't have lots of people booking them just because it's easy. But I wouldn't be upset if it moved to the app instead. I like convenience too. 😁