Just back from a 9 day cruise on the Pearl, not that impressed

[CrusinAgain]

I better stop reading these suite reviews for we have an oceanview booked so we can afford 2 cruises a year. These sound so heavenly and we can barely stand the wait.

 

Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews flowing in. Sounds like the beds are going to be comfy, something that Princess lacks.

[FormulaRacer]

PMCRR:

 

You sound like a very troubled man. Yes you are entitled to your opinion and cruise review. No passengers have time to watch each other as you state with microscopes or telescopes. Although the Pearl is a large ship, with some 2200+ passengers on board, there are many times that we would see other passengers that we had met on board. I have a great ability with memory, and am quite good with remembering faces, and names. I didn't need to spend time watching over you, nor does any passenger watch over each other. I can't even count how many times I saw CC members on board that I met after the initial meeting on Saturday morning at 10:30 in Le Bistro. I passed you many times, and it always seemed that you were enjoying the cruise. So what can I say. The total cruise experience is based on perception of expectations, and what you the cruiser makes of it. It's meeting people, being polite to the staff and no whinning when it's not necessary. You need to be honest with yourself, and your attitude towards others. It is hard to believe that Ruth Hagger would not listen to you or address any concerns that you had, when every OP who has posted on this board that Ruth was one of the best. As you stated earlier, that you were 6' 7" and 287 lbs........that in itself would make people move, but as I stated you need to be honest with yourself. I thought you were more like 5' 8" and 427 lbs. That in itself might make people shy away. The overall staff, as appearent by the OP here on CC, was given high remarks. There had to be something dramatically wrong with either your expectations of the cruise, or your communication skills with the staff and others. I really have nothing else to say, and will not address your posts in the future. I rest my case.

 

FormulaRacer

[mbisson]

As you stated earlier, that you were 6' 7" and 287 lbs........that in itself would make people move, but as I stated you need to be honest with yourself. I thought you were more like

 

Oh dear! I see a tragic wreck on the horizon!

 

-Monte

[above sea level cruiser]

The original comment is listed above, I have been in Forward Suites on NCL and Princess, they want the door and drapes to be closed, they have no problem with you opening then closing the door to access your balcony, just do not leave it open all the time. See comments by other posters in regards to this.

 

In regards to your comments, do you know the OP can open the door?, he never did on the entire trip, don't presume! You seem to speak for this person, maybe your the same. Please post a cruise line memo or rule, where it says no one is allowed on their forward cabins once the ship is underway, please.

 

Fist off we are not one in the same. I found myself compelled to assist him in fending off some peoples' smart aleck remarks. If people took as much time reading posts as they do replying to them they would know the following: Firstly, the OP never said they didn't go on their forward cabin (as you call it - never heard of a balcony referred to that way)the entire trip. Second, I never said that no one is allowed on their forward balcony once a ship is underway. I SAID that what I learned from CC is that they ask that bulkhead doors remain closed while underway. I learned this from a picture of a forward suite that someone had posted where the sticker on the steel door of their balcony it asked that the door remained closed while underway. I took this to mean - don't leave it open or prop it open, not, "you can't go out there while the ship is underway".

[mbisson]

. I took this to mean - don't leave it open or prop it open, not, "you can't go out there while the ship is underway".

 

Thanks above sea level cruiser (I might have to start abbreviating you to aslc ;) ) that's how I'd interpret that as well.

 

-Monte

[RSWBADGER]

I will wind this point down, one of the OP's major complaints was that he should have been told by NCL that the outside deck was "Non accessable while underway". He took this to mean he could not go out on the deck when the ship was sailing. Several posters on this thread attempted to advise him of this, and the OP in turn replied with anger in his comments. Everybody has the right to their opinion, the deck was a misunderstanding, not a problem.

 

We were in the penthouse in the front of the ship . our Balcony was non accessable while under way as the bulkhead door had to be closed. It would have been nice to know that before we booked,thanks for telling us ahead of time NCL.

[OceanDreaming2]

Not only we were on the balcony during our cruise, but housekeeping was out there cleaning the windows while we were underway. He had the balcony door open when we returned to the cabin and I can see how easily you could be injured with the suction created by having your cabin and balcony doors open at the same time! After that, we made sure our exterior door was closed when we answered the door.

[pmcrr]

PMCRR:

 

You sound like a very troubled man. Yes you are entitled to your opinion and cruise review. No passengers have time to watch each other as you state with microscopes or telescopes. Although the Pearl is a large ship, with some 2200+ passengers on board, there are many times that we would see other passengers that we had met on board. I have a great ability with memory, and am quite good with remembering faces, and names. I didn't need to spend time watching over you, nor does any passenger watch over each other. I can't even count how many times I saw CC members on board that I met after the initial meeting on Saturday morning at 10:30 in Le Bistro. I passed you many times, and it always seemed that you were enjoying the cruise. So what can I say. The total cruise experience is based on perception of expectations, and what you the cruiser makes of it. It's meeting people, being polite to the staff and no whinning when it's not necessary. You need to be honest with yourself, and your attitude towards others. It is hard to believe that Ruth Hagger would not listen to you or address any concerns that you had, when every OP who has posted on this board that Ruth was one of the best. As you stated earlier, that you were 6' 7" and 287 lbs........that in itself would make people move, but as I stated you need to be honest with yourself. I thought you were more like 5' 8" and 427 lbs. That in itself might make people shy away. The overall staff, as appearent by the OP here on CC, was given high remarks. There had to be something dramatically wrong with either your expectations of the cruise, or your communication skills with the staff and others. I really have nothing else to say, and will not address your posts in the future. I rest my case.

 

FormulaRacer

 

Richard, For god sakes man just read the first 3 lines of post 59. This person gets it. See you in Alaska, Same ship same room.

[above sea level cruiser]

Thanks above sea level cruiser (I might have to start abbreviating you to aslc ;) ) that's how I'd interpret that as well.

 

-Monte

 

 

Thanks Monte..... You always seem to maintain a level head. (even through my numerous not-so-nice-posts). Sometimes I can't help myself;) aslc

[driker2]

We were in the penthouse in the front of the ship . our Balcony was non accessable while under way as the bulkhead door had to be closed. It would have been nice to know that before we booked,thanks for telling us ahead of time NCL.

My wife and I sailed the Spirit in 2005 in Suite 10000, dead center, up front. The balcony door was never locked during our entire 14 day (B-to-B) Caribbean cruise, so let’s make some very specific front balcony points.

 

Accessibility: Open a windowless door in the suite to find a solid steel water-tight door with a wheel to be turned to open or seal the door. Think of a submarine hatch from the movies. There was a small ramp between the doors. My wife is in a wheel chair so she had to exit the chair and make her way – with difficulty – through the doorway while I lifted the chair over the ramp. A nuisance, but handleable. For anyone with normal ambulation – no problem.:)

 

Wind: 25 knots of wind will, indeed, get your attention. BUT, it was not exactly like standing on an open deck with the wind slashing right past you. The outer wall of the suite, in fact the front of the boat, pushed the wind upward and somewhat past you. The balcony was great in port, but still usable when underway under most circumstances. My complaint (remember this is the Spirit) was that it was a bit tight from front to back.:o

 

We have booked ourselves into the Owner’s Suite on the Pearl for the September-October Trans-Canal cruise. Another, much larger, front balcony plus, of course, the smaller side balcony.:)

 

Oh, yes, on the Spiirit, we were asked to keep the door closed and the front drapes drawn when underway at night. We were never told, however, that we could not open the door temporarily to pass through while underway at night. :cool:

 

We were told never to open the suite door when the balcony door was open. Good advice! The wind tunnel effect will blow all loose objects, small children, and pets out into the companionway and toward the stern of the ship. One door at a time, please.:eek:

 

[CrusinAgain]

My wife and I sailed the Spirit in 2005 in Suite 10000, dead center, up front. The balcony door was never locked during our entire 14 day (B-to-B) Caribbean cruise, so let’s make some very specific front balcony points.

 

Accessibility: Open a windowless door in the suite to find a solid steel water-tight door with a wheel to be turned to open or seal the door. Think of a submarine hatch from the movies. There was a small ramp between the doors. My wife is in a wheel chair so she had to exit the chair and make her way – with difficulty – through the doorway while I lifted the chair over the ramp. A nuisance, but handleable. For anyone with normal ambulation – no problem.:)

 

Wind: 25 knots of wind will, indeed, get your attention. BUT, it was not exactly like standing on an open deck with the wind slashing right past you. The outer wall of the suite, in fact the front of the boat, pushed the wind upward and somewhat past you. The balcony was great in port, but still usable when underway under most circumstances. My complaint (remember this is the Spirit) was that it was a bit tight from front to back.:o

 

We have booked ourselves into the Owner’s Suite on the Pearl for the September-October Trans-Canal cruise. Another, much larger, front balcony plus, of course, the smaller side balcony.:)

 

Oh, yes, on the Spiirit, we were asked to keep the door closed and the front drapes drawn when underway at night. We were never told, however, that we could not open the door temporarily to pass through while underway at night. :cool:

 

We were told never to open the suite door when the balcony door was open. Good advice! The wind tunnel effect will blow all loose objects, small children, and pets out into the companionway and toward the stern of the ship. One door at a time, please.:eek:

 

 

In looking at pics, can't the bridge just look right down at you on the balcony? And are there any of these cabins in the aft part of the ship so the balcony can be used more?

[OceanDreaming2]

The webcam picks up anyone standing by the rail in 9502. So I imagine the Bridge can look down on you too.

[TrinaLC]

"We were in the penthouse in the front of the ship . our Balcony was non accessable while under way as the bulkhead door had to be closed. It would have been nice to know that before we booked,thanks for telling us ahead of time NCL."

 

IF this is true I would be upset too. :eek: I have never had a balcony and would be upset if this was the case and was not warned first. Lots of money to spend to be shut out of it while at sea. Just my 2 cents! One of many things I have now learned on CC. If I ever get lucky and able to have a big cabin with a balcony, I am going to get it at the back of the boat out of the wind!

 

Fact is, the OP was wrong. The access is NOT blocked. The doors are simply closed by the steward turning down the room. You are entirely free to reopen them, as we did everynight.

[above sea level cruiser]

Fact is, the OP was wrong. The access is NOT blocked. The doors are simply closed by the steward turning down the room. You are entirely free to reopen them, as we did everynight.

 

 

I don't think the OP ever said that the access was BLOCKED.

[pmcrr]

Fact is, the OP was wrong. The access is NOT blocked. The doors are simply closed by the steward turning down the room. You are entirely free to reopen them, as we did everynight.

 

No you dont understand. Of course you could go out any time day or night sea or port all you had to do is open the door. In saying I couldnt use the balcony at sea days was because the wind noise howling thru our secondary door made it un bearable for my wife to sleep. read, or anything else. So when I say the bulkhead door had to be closed, it wasnt because I didnt know I could open it. It was just so noisey with it open. I dont mind the wind but it wasnt fair to wake my wife sleeping next to a howling freight train. So I just kept it closed on sea days, and enjoyed it immensely on port days and port sail aways. I am sure other cabins secondary doors closed with no wind noise but room 9200 has a door jam problem, that doesnt seat well. Perhaps I should have explained this in more detail at first.

[OceanDreaming2]

Yes, it would've helped if you would've said that in the first place!

[pmcrr]

Yes, it would've helped if you would've said that in the first place!

 

Well thanks for understanding now, better late than never.

[Cruise_More_Often]

Hi, Mary and Richard! We just got back from the Star and penthouse suite 9500, same floor, same location as yours, and we LOVED, LOVED, LOVED that suite. We were out on the balcony every day, even while the ship was underway, and so were the couples on both sides of us. We found that the side panels blocked most of the wind, making it the perfect place to sun, read, or just watch the ocean. And boy do the stars look clear from the balcony at night!

 

If money were no object, we'd upgrade from the aft minisuite we've booked on the Jewel for next year to another forward AC. We're also keeping our fingers crossed that we'll get another upsell. :)

[Cosmopolitan]

We have booked ourselves into the Owner’s Suite on the Pearl for the September-October Trans-Canal cruise. Another, much larger, front balcony plus, of course, the smaller side balcony.:)

 

 

I haven't been on the Pearl but the OS on the Dawn and Jewel have lovely front and side balconies. You will be surprised;)

 

Have a wonderful cruise:)