Peral 5/18 to 5/24

[bige34]

What a ship!!!!

 

My wife and I have been on 3 other cruises and always love the ship, the Pearl is no exception, in fact, it was beautiful. We couldn't get over how clean it was and how the crew was constantly performing upkeep in areas that didn't seem to need it. Hat's off to the men and women who make the Pearl a floating palace.

 

Service:

 

A few problems, but, the majority of the time the service was excellent. They did fail to provide my bar set up and clamed I never sent in my CC information. I did prove them wrong once I got home but this did no good as they were not able to provide the service once the ship left port. Oh well, I bought booze in every port and sneaked it on. Their loss, and not a big deal.

 

Another negative was the fact the bartender in the Crystal Atrium was very slow. He seemed unable to multi task which is what one would expect in such a busy area.

 

In all, the service was outstanding and these were just a few examples that would in no way take away from an awesome vacation aboard a great ship.

 

Food:

 

Very good. Went to all restaurants, including those with cover charge. Liked them all but felt Le Bistro and Oriental were not worth extra money as the non pay spots had great food that was similar if not superior to the cover charge. Cagney's was the exception, though, and well worth it. I did enjoy the sushi as well and they give you a lot.

 

Cabin:

 

#11588 - mini suite. Very nice and the steward did a nice job. Nothing special but very comfortable.

 

Alaska:

 

Probably the nicest spot I have ever been on this Earth, and I've been all over. I felt as if I was a guest of the wilderness. Spectacular!!!!!!!!!

 

Juneau:

 

did the mountain tram and had a good time in 10 feet of snow at the top. Remarkable and great photo ops. Don't miss the Red Dog Saloon, lot's of fun.

 

Skagway:

 

White Pass Railway to the Summit. 4 hr trip and well worth it. Great scenery. The town is historic and restored to the way it must have looked at the turn of the century. Be sure to read about and research Soapy Smith and go to the Red Onion Saloon.

 

Glacier Bay:

 

Just check out the ice and have lot's of space on your memory card for photo's. Have to see it to believe it!!!

 

Ketchikan:

 

Took a float plane to George Inlet Lodge and were fed crabs galore. Highly recommend it.

 

Shows:

 

comedian was very good but was a guest and a new one is coming on.

 

Shark Bait can't be missed, they are very funny.

 

Late night shows in Spinaker Lounge were very funny so long as you don't get offended.

 

production shows were OK.

 

Spa:

 

Do the spa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

My wife and I did the day pass twice and thoroughly enjoyed it. We would have done more if we had more time.

 

Bowling was fun, try it but don't take it serious, you're on a cruise!!!

 

Any questions????

[salty dingo]

Thanks for the review! I appreciate all the details. We are cruising the Pearl in August, so I have a few questions, if you do not mind:

 

What is the cost of the spa day pass? Is the the same every day or do they run specials?

 

With the missing bar setup - how did you order it? We are getting a TA to put in the order for a setup, so I am curious what sort of proof they needed but you did not have?

 

Thanks again!

[retiredonthesea]

Bige34---Welcome to the boards!:) Very nice review.The bowling on the Pearl is a hoot. LOL We are cruising to Alaska for the 2nd time in "09". It's always nice to hear differant things that people have done, the George Inlet Lodge sounds like it will be on our excursion list. Would you mind telling what the price was? :o It's always nice to do some planning ahead!

 

Again Welcome to CC,

Retiredonthesea

[greatdanemom]

Thanks for your review. Now we're even more excited!

 

When you did the White Pass Railway, did you find one side of the train was better to sit on over the other? It seems I read something about this several months ago and now I can't remember what it was.

 

Thanks again for taking the time to post so soon after your trip!

[retiredAF]

Thanks for the review bige34. Sounds like you had a good time. We leave on Sunday and can't wait. We still have not gotten our confirmation on our bar set up but after reading your comment, I will make sure we get on that.

Thanks again!

[Terrafreaky]

Thanks for your review. Now we're even more excited!

 

When you did the White Pass Railway, did you find one side of the train was better to sit on over the other? It seems I read something about this several months ago and now I can't remember what it was.

 

Thanks again for taking the time to post so soon after your trip!

 

 

Going up, I'd say sit on the left side of the train. Going down sit on the right side.

[bige34]

The spa pass is $20 per day or $75 for the week.

 

I ordered the bar set up via email, received price list, selected bottles, and then they requested my CC #. I sent this along and never heard from them, just assumed they handled it. My mistake for not following up, but they said I never sent the CC info. I checked my folders when I got home and confirmed it was sent. Now I have to make sure my card was not charged. Anyway, I bought booze in port and snuck it on in my jacket with no problem.

[bige34]

The George Inlet was 195p/p and included a float plane flight through the mountains for about 30 minutes and a landing on the ocean on the other side of the island. We were then brought into a very nice cabin style restaurant and fed dungeones crabs that were unbelievably delicious. If you didn't want crab, they gave you chicken. Also included was beer, a salad, and desert. We then boarded a bus back to the ship. The people who served us were great and shared their wealth of knowledge on the area.

[bige34]

AS for the White Pass RR, at the top they have you switch sides so that everyone has a chance to see both sides of the train.

[mdc1851]

The spa pass is $20 per day or $75 for the week.

 

What does the spa pass give you?

[bige34]

allows access to the steam room, sauna (nicest one I've ever been in), thermal loungers, hydrotherapy pool, indoor whirlpools, and relaxation in a quite and comfortable atmosphere. Well worth it.

[retiredonthesea]

The George Inlet was 195p/p and included a float plane flight through the mountains for about 30 minutes and a landing on the ocean on the other side of the island. We were then brought into a very nice cabin style restaurant and fed dungeones crabs that were unbelievably delicious. If you didn't want crab, they gave you chicken. Also included was beer, a salad, and desert. We then boarded a bus back to the ship. The people who served us were great and shared their wealth of knowledge on the area.

 

Thanks so much for info. I think this is going to be a must for our July "09" cruise to Alaska!:)

 

Retiredonthesea

[Cruz-On]

Glad you had a blast!! I am going to try the spa!! Thanks for sharing!

[redwhyne]

Great Review. I was on the same sailing and had a fantastic time. This was my first cruise with NCL and I truly enjoyed it. I was a bit worried before our departure based on some of the reviews, but I was very pleasantly surprised. We couldn't have asked for better weather.

 

The only thing that was a little on the quite side was the nightlife. I am in my 30's and there just wasn't much going on. Towards the end of the cruise they had some fun things (the Liar game) in the Spinnaker which were a lot of fun...just wished they had done some of this towards the beginning of the cruise as well.

 

I was very concerned about booking an inside cabin...afraid of the size and the noise factor (I was traveling with a friend and we both brought tons of shoes and clothes) I can honestly say we were unable to completely unpack and had plenty of room for everything. The cabin was very comfortable and completely silent at night.

 

I also used the spa and very much enjoyed it. On the last day of the cruise (The day we stopped in Victoria) they offered a special...three 20 minute services for $89 and then allowed us to use the spa free of charge. I had a body scrub, back massage and scalp massage. I HIGHLY recommend this. Wonderful.

 

In Juneau we booked with Capt Larry and Orca Expeditions to see the whales. Great choice. He got us as close as possible to a female and her calf who were very active.

 

Skagway - train up, went to see the huskies and brought a van back down. I would probably do the train both ways.

 

Ketchikan - Zip Line Adventure. FANTASTIC!!!!

 

Victoria - Visted the Sticky Wicket Pub. Great food. The pub is located at the Strathcona hotel. I had been previously with some of the locals while attending a conference in Victoria. I love this place...it is very large, with an outdoor deck on the top floor. Be sure to ask about Big Bad Johns and have a beer in this side pub...beware....this is a hole in the wall full of peanut shells on the floor and ladies garments on the ceiling, but the characters that work there are great fun.

 

I would absolutely repeat this trip...for those of you going in the near future...Bon Voyage and have a great time

[kyao888]

Service: 5 Stars

Inside Room: 4 Stars (cozy and clean)

Food: 3 Stars

Entertainment: 3 Stars

 

Overall both my wife and I love it. We stayed in the inside cabin to save money for the excursions. We did the helicopter ride and dog sleigh in Juneau which was the highlight of our trip. A bit expensive but it was worth it. We did the White Pass and Gold Mine Tour in Skagway. You should sit on the left of the train on the way up and down. We had Dolly Dawson as the tour guide and she was the most amicable and kind person. Also we went on the Deadliest Catch tour in Ketchikan (http://56degreesnorth.com). The crew was very friendly and their stories touched many hearts. Make sure you dress warm and stay in the lower deck to avoid high winds. You will see Eagles and live catches through the entire trip. A MUST!

 

When we were in Victoria we did the Butchart Gardens and city tour. I would recommend touring yourself by hopping on a taxi and go to the garden yourself and then go to the inner harbor for a nice dinner.

 

I think overall NCL did a very good job enforcing the sanitation through the entire cruise and I hope everyone should keep a good hygienic habits at all times. People have gotten sick because others are careless and do not wash their hands frequently.

 

Also I'd like to comment that NCL should bring the food quality to a notch. There are barely any good seafood on board and we were on a Alaska cruise =(. You really do not need to go to those specialty restaurant and pay extra cover charges. The entertainment was okay. Nothing special but I think because majority of the people who take this cruise are senior citizens. So if you are like us (30's) who like to party, you will not get too much out of it. The only good show was Sharkbait, those two guys are funny and talented.

 

The weather was really nice as well. Most of the time we had a long sleeve and a sweater but if you are on deck whale watching then definitely bring a wind proof jacket! Binocular are definitely needed! Get some good ones like Nikon Traveler V or something similar. We saw some killer whales, brown bear and otters. You will also see a lot of eagles in Ketchikan and Skagway.

 

I hope you will find this review helpful! Happy Cruising!!!!

[mdc1851]

I'm jotting down notes in preparation for our trip starting Sunday. Are the Chocolate Night and BBQ Nights still done? Are they normally scheduled on the same nights every cruise? Does anyone know which days those are? I currently have them noted as Chocolate being Friday night and the BBQ on Saturday night? Any guidance would be appreciated!

[redwhyne]

The chocolate night was on Friday. I wasn't aware of the bar b q night, but that doesn't mean much.

 

I tried to get photos of the chocolate but must not have set my camera properly. They did some really interesting sculptures.

[coffeebean]

Thanks for your review. Now we're even more excited!

 

When you did the White Pass Railway, did you find one side of the train was better to sit on over the other? It seems I read something about this several months ago and now I can't remember what it was.

 

Thanks again for taking the time to post so soon after your trip!

 

DH and I did the White Pass Railway a year ago. If I remember correctly, all passengers switched sides in their row at the end of the route. Everyone got to see the scenery on the other side on the way back down the mountain.

[coffeebean]

The spa pass is $20 per day or $75 for the week.

 

I ordered the bar set up via email, received price list, selected bottles, and then they requested my CC #. I sent this along and never heard from them, just assumed they handled it. My mistake for not following up, but they said I never sent the CC info. I checked my folders when I got home and confirmed it was sent. Now I have to make sure my card was not charged. Anyway, I bought booze in port and snuck it on in my jacket with no problem.

 

The spa also offers a pass that is $140. per couple for the week.

[bige34]

The BBQ was Saturday night out on the pool deck.

 

Other thoughts:

 

The fact the cerw had to serve at the buffet meant everyone was pulling extra duty. They still did this with a smile but it must have been taxing on them as they already work7 days a week with little time off.

 

The sanitizer's were everywhere and will hopefully remain once the noro virus is gone.

 

I do agree with a previous poster that there should have been more to do later at night towards the beginning of the cruise. The shows later in the week were fun and worth attending.

 

I saw the spa deal on the last day and wish I knew of it before I spent $$$ in the beginning of the week. This was well worth the price.

 

Watch out for the ice cream if you have a peanut alergy. The advertised chocolate ice cream in the garden cafe had nuts in it. This is a potential problem as it was not advertised as having them.

 

When on your balcony, please do not have telephone conversations as the acoustics are not conducive to privacy. I heard much more than I needed to from my neighbors, even thouse a few balconies away.

 

If things are going bad or someone is rude to you, stop and smile, at least YOU'LL feel better.

 

Bring gloves for outdoors as the windchill can make your hands cold. Port's were much warmer then I expected but on deck was chilly.

 

If you like bottled water but hate Evian (as I do) bring your own.