Just off the Pearl! ANy ????

[mrose1120]

Merrygreen, there was a "special casino" group onboard, they only had to pay for their airfare to and from Miami. They were able to drink for free in the casino in addition to being "rated" and compensated on their casino contributions....

 

###

 

i didn't know that, i booked w/ the CAS back when they gave the 17% discount and I thought that was what they were talkin about with special casino guests....free drinks was nice :)

[merrygreen]

Sorry if I offended you with my remark about her husband's work... That was totally inappropriate on my part.

And you are right, this thread is getting very boring....

[Suni99]

Lets all take a deep breath and relax......ahhh:)

[kenrod]

Regardless of what happened on that particular cruise, or the cruise before that where the girl fell off the ship, I am still looking forward to my cruise on the Pearl in a few weeks.

[Tideone]

Kenrod: The Pearl is a beautiful ship with a great crew, who go out of their way to make sure you have a fantastic vacation.

My wife and I had a great cruise and can't wait to go again...

[Traveller20074]

I'll be on it in March, and I admit it will be a weird feeling to be on the same boat that so much has happened on

Regardless of what happened on that particular cruise, or the cruise before that where the girl fell off the ship, I am still looking forward to my cruise on the Pearl in a few weeks.

[eagledog50]

We returned from our cruise on the Pearl on 12/21/08. It was our 3rd NCL cruise and first on the Pearl. Also first time in a Penthouse Suite so we have instantly become spoiled. We also like to choose newer ships in order to enjoy the latest in amenities.

 

My first comment on the Pearl is that the beds were probably THE most comfortable ones I have ever slept on and I travel a great deal.

 

Captain Lars was our captain and he was a relief from the normal stoic monotone captains from prior cruises. We were told he was an interem captain for the normal vacationing captain for 3-months.

 

Water is available at all food venues and the suggestion about buying bottled water at ports is a good one.

 

Each of the Pearls ports offer their own individual points of interest.

 

Roatan being the newest, is experiencing growth and development at the port facility itself and has an abundence of locals offering guide services. The island is an extremley scenic one with most all of the reort and dive areas being on the opposite side from the port and many being at the west end. The locals are very accomodating and will do whatever it takes to see that you are pleased with their services.

 

Belize has fishing and diving as its prime attractions but I feel the Altun-Ha ruins are more than worth the hour long rough drive to the site. Put it high on your list. The shopping area located at the dock where you will tender to offers a complete assortment of shopping from locals crafts to high end jewelry.

 

Cozumel is like the Atlanta airport, no matter where you cruise you are going to go through Cozumel. As far as I'm concerned the top features here are- the ferry to the mainland to tour the Tulum ruins, snorkeling, shopping, moped ride around the island, shopping, touring the port side bars and shopping. Did I mention the abundence of shops here. I am very fortunate in that my wife is a spa freak and takes advantage of the reduced prices offered on port days. The spa is also her first stop once we board the ship on day one.

 

The Private Island is where you have your last shot at getting that tan you told all your friends you were going to have when you came back from your cruise. It's also your last chance to snorkel, parasail, jet ski or just sit in the sand. It's OK but having the ship to yourself is nice too.

 

One of the highlites of this cruise was the private tour of the bridge offered to suite guests. It gives you a new respect for the work the crew does and a new insite into the mechanics and workings of the running and maintaining of a ship this size.

 

Overall we are very pleased with the Freestyle cruising system. You still have the opportunity to eat in the main dining rooms with groups or as a couple and the flexibility of dining on your schedule is one we prefer. Of the specilaty restraunts, Teppanaki followed closley by Cagneys were our 2 favorites but enjoyed the buffets on several occasions. The staff and crew honestly seemed to be enjoying theirselves and were always polite and cheerfull.

 

Suggestions for improvment- More seasoning in food preparation in the Main dining room and buffet. The specialty venues seemed to have better taste as served. More daytime poolside activities.

 

NCL will always be high on our list when choosing our next cruise.

[runnerandme]

Eagledog50, We sailed Pearl Dec.14-21. We also enjoyed the bridge tour. It was a wonderful experience. If anyone has the chance to do this tour don't miss it.

 

Connie

[ddakrt]

We found it refreshing and interesting for the captain to bemoan that his night was screwed up and instead of an anniversary dinner he was going to have "bangers and mash" and then go to bed.

 

Uh oh, I see part of the problem here.

 

WE just returned from the Pearl. It was a great cruise with a few exceptions-

I 'll get into detail tomorrow! WE did have the excitement of finding five "Cuban" refugees in a boat and picking them up. the Captain, however, behaved in a completely unprofessional fashion, bashing the USA and the Coast Guard, and then eventually announcing at 915 pm that he was going to bed with his wife to celebrate their anniversary...TMI!!!

 

Banger and mash means sausage and mashed potatoes... Not having sex with his wife!

 

;)

[neptune18]

That's right. Maybe he had sex after the bangers and mash. He's entitled to- it was his anniversary.

[mrose1120]

Uh oh, I see part of the problem here.

 

 

 

Banger and mash means sausage and mashed potatoes... Not having sex with his wife!

 

;)

 

 

hahahaha what a great point, I guess if you weren't listening closer the announcement could've sounded like "man, now I won't get to ...."

 

nevermind, you get where that could go.

[Traveller20074]

Eagledog50, We sailed Pearl Dec.14-21. We also enjoyed the bridge tour. It was a wonderful experience. If anyone has the chance to do this tour don't miss it.

 

Connie

 

I would LOVE to do this. I heard that only the people in Suites got to do this though? :( We're going to be in a balcony room....

[CDR_BILL]

While Captain Lars was amusing, he was dripping with didsain for AMerica, the Coast Guard and our immigration policies. his funny announcements abouts sunblock are okay, but he has no business making statements that are very offensive to those who have loved ones serving in our military, and the CG is the military. He needs to , as a foreign- national Captain of a ship that is stopping in American ports ( check Matritime law) refrain from such statements.

This is what offended us. A lot.

 

Th epit boss and cat pee- well, we used the kids bathroom instead !

 

Mike:

 

I hope you understand the captains' frustration better if you knew that there was a coast guard cutter less than 100 miles away that couldn't get their crew located from liberty. It is in fact their job to serve. As for his comments, I had dinner with Capt Lars and Staff Captain Michael last month and found him to be pleasant and able to freely speak his mind. We were in the Garden Villa 14500 and had a wonderful time. Lanie and Charlie were fantastic and I have written to NCL commending them for Lanie's dedication and fantastic service.

 

As one who actually has fought and served for over 30 years, I hope we never stiffle the opinions of others. It is arrogant at best and hypocritical at worst. It is these freedoms that we fight for.

 

The coast guard is not the military they are part of the department of transportation. If your are to quote maritime law you might just be careful to fully understand it (look up the Jones Act).

 

Sorry for the corrections but they needed to be pointed out for the others in the thread so that they would be better informed.:)

 

Proud to be an American,

 

Commander William Gast

United States Navy

[Tideone]

Thanks for your information about the Coast Guard. I must say I was ignorant of the fact they were part of the Department of Transportation and thought they were a part of the military.

I am glad you took the time to point this out to the other posters on this thread.

 

As for Captain Lars dinner of bangers and mash - I hope he was successful in getting his bangers because I was not. Bangers was one of the first things I asked for when I got on board the Pearl but was told they did not have any on this trip.

[Bonnie Voyager]

I believe the Coast Guard was transferred from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003 and do consider themselves to be part of the Military at this point. Here is a quote from the Coast Guard's website regarding their mission...

 

 

 

The United States Coast Guard is a military, multimission, maritime service within the Department of Homeland Security and one of the nation's five armed services. Its core roles are to protect the public, the environment, and U.S. economic and security interests in any maritime region in which those interests may be at risk, including international waters and America's coasts, ports, and inland waterways.

[ohioNCLcruiser]

When you did the bridge tour did they close the curtain to the bridge viewing room?

[Tideone]

No, they did not close the curtain to the viewing room when we were touring the bridge last week.

Actually, I walked over and looked to see if anyone was there - no one was...

If you can't arrange a trip to the bridge - the bridge viewing room on deck 11 is the next best thing....

[CDR_BILL]

I believe the Coast Guard was transferred from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003 and do consider themselves to be part of the Military at this point. Here is a quote from the Coast Guard's website regarding their mission...

 

Without a doubt the Coast Guard serves valiantly but because of strict Federal Law the Coast Guard is specifically a federal law enforcement agency. They cannot engage in military operations and likewise the Military does not have federal law enforcement authority (Posse Comitatus Act 18 USC 1385). In time of Declated war (By congress) parts of the Coast Guard can be subsumed within the Department of the Navy and those units would then lose their "Law Enforcement" Status and at that time could be considered Military. I have 15 years of drug interdiction operational experience in forgeign/ international waters and was briefed on what the Navy could do and what the Coast Guard could do at least weekly.

 

And yes the Coast Guard is now part of the Department of Homeland Security along with many other federal agencies when it was created in 2002. My mistake there.:o

 

Thanks for your interest in what we are doing to keep everone safe in an extreemly dangerous world.

 

Bill

[Bonnie Voyager]

Without a doubt the Coast Guard serves valiantly but because of strict Federal Law the Coast Guard is specifically a federal law enforcement agency. They cannot engage in military operations and likewise the Military does not have federal law enforcement authority (Posse Comitatus Act 18 USC 1385). In time of Declated war (By congress) parts of the Coast Guard can be subsumed within the Department of the Navy and those units would then lose their "Law Enforcement" Status and at that time could be considered Military. I have 15 years of drug interdiction operational experience in forgeign/ international waters and was briefed on what the Navy could do and what the Coast Guard could do at least weekly.

 

And yes the Coast Guard is now part of the Department of Homeland Security along with many other federal agencies when it was created in 2002. My mistake there.:o

 

Thanks for your interest in what we are doing to keep everone safe in an extreemly dangerous world.

 

Bill

 

Thank you for your further clarification, it was useful. :D I think it's fairly easy to see why the general public is confused about the Coast Guard! ;)

[ddakrt]

Without a doubt the Coast Guard serves valiantly but because of strict Federal Law the Coast Guard is specifically a federal law enforcement agency. They cannot engage in military operations and likewise the Military does not have federal law enforcement authority (Posse Comitatus Act 18 USC 1385). In time of Declated war (By congress) parts of the Coast Guard can be subsumed within the Department of the Navy and those units would then lose their "Law Enforcement" Status and at that time could be considered Military. I have 15 years of drug interdiction operational experience in forgeign/ international waters and was briefed on what the Navy could do and what the Coast Guard could do at least weekly.

 

And yes the Coast Guard is now part of the Department of Homeland Security along with many other federal agencies when it was created in 2002. My mistake there.:o

 

Thanks for your interest in what we are doing to keep everone safe in an extreemly dangerous world.

 

Bill

 

Sorry to side track things a little here...

 

Bill and Paula,

 

Just want to say thanks for hosting the CC party in your GV on the Pearl. It was extremely kind of you guys to open your room up to all of us to see and have a good time at.

 

It was so cool to have the chance to be in a GV and see what it was like, thanks again for your hospitality! :D

[runnerandme]

James, Just checked my photos. The curtains/blinds were open.

 

Connie