Just off pearl

[neptune18]

Sailed with wife (we are both 44) two sons (15 and 12)

Went down day early and stayed at Hyatt downtown Hotel was fine for one night but Intercontinental looked much nicer and right on water. We have sailed Princess last four cruises, last two on the Crown.

 

Got to port about 10:45. Waited outside for about half hour until they let us in building. Check-in and embarkation very smooth, on ship by about 12:00.

 

Stayed in mini suite on deck 11 ( really just a little larger balcony cabin)

Cabin was nice. Crown mini was little roomier but Pearl mini bathroom blew Crown away with real shower, tub and sliding shower door. Room stewards did good job all cruise.

 

Ship is beautiful and kept spotless. Crown is more elegant and understated while Pearl is more glitzy. Which is preferable depends on taste. Did not love ship layout as it felt very crowded at times. Crown has more pax but never felt crowded. Sea days were mobbed on Pearl pool deck with only one poolarea and one pool for kids. also, my kids did not like salt water in pool.

 

Pearl Atrium is unimpressive doesn't really seem warm or inviting.

 

Food was better than expected, based on prior reviews. Ate at the following specialties: Cagney's (twice) - outstanding

Lotus Garden - outstanding

La Cucina - bad

Le Bistro- outstanding

Mambo's - average, but don't get the lobster taco.

(sounds great but it isn't.)

Also ate dinner at Summer Palace. Both food and service was good.

Ate most breakfasts at Summer Palace which were good ( the place was always empty). Also had one lunch at Blue Lagoon. Fish and chips were very good.

 

Roatan- went to Fins and Flippers and literally had place to ourselves. Got eaten by sand fleas even at the pool. Very good snorkeling here.

 

Belize- book an excursion or stay on the ship. Town outside of port area is rough. We did barrier reef snorkel which was great. They then take you to beach on Bannister Island which is beautiful.

 

Cozumel- did Paradise beach which is great.

 

Great Stirrup Cay- the beach and water are beautiful but NCL has a lot of nerve dumping all those people on such a small beach. I read reviews so I knew to get here early. We were on first tender so got prime spot- until the people kept coming and coming and coming. By 12:00 it really was unbearable with people on top of each other, people plopping chairs down inches in front of us and people actually arguing over rafts they had rented. Did lunch which was not good-cold burgers. Oh, and if you're lucgy enough to get an umbrella they don't really work as they are so thin the sun shines right through. On other lines the private island has been one of the best days but NCL need to re-think their's.

 

If you are a serious blackjack player the casino is more like a "real" casino than any ship I've been on. It's still hard to win on a ship but the gambling experience was much better than Princess.

 

Overall it was a great cruise. We would sail NCL again but would give the edge to Princess. Service is a little better and more polished and we prefer the new Princess ships to the Pearl.

[Name Of The Game]

Did you notice in the Freestyle Daily that if you wanted to stay on the ship at GSC there were enough activities onboard?

[Coco421]

Sailed with wife (we are both 44) two sons (15 and 12)

Went down day early and stayed at Hyatt downtown Hotel was fine for one night but Intercontinental looked much nicer and right on water. We have sailed Princess last four cruises, last two on the Crown.

 

Got to port about 10:45. Waited outside for about half hour until they let us in building. Check-in and embarkation very smooth, on ship by about 12:00.

 

Stayed in mini suite on deck 11 ( really just a little larger balcony cabin)

Cabin was nice. Crown mini was little roomier but Pearl mini bathroom blew Crown away with real shower, tub and sliding shower door. Room stewards did good job all cruise.

 

Ship is beautiful and kept spotless. Crown is more elegant and understated while Pearl is more glitzy. Which is preferable depends on taste. Did not love ship layout as it felt very crowded at times. Crown has more pax but never felt crowded. Sea days were mobbed on Pearl pool deck with only one poolarea and one pool for kids. also, my kids did not like salt water in pool.

 

Pearl Atrium is unimpressive doesn't really seem warm or inviting.

 

Food was better than expected, based on prior reviews. Ate at the following specialties: Cagney's (twice) - outstanding

Lotus Garden - outstanding

La Cucina - bad

Le Bistro- outstanding

Mambo's - average, but don't get the lobster taco.

(sounds great but it isn't.)

Also ate dinner at Summer Palace. Both food and service was good.

Ate most breakfasts at Summer Palace which were good ( the place was always empty). Also had one lunch at Blue Lagoon. Fish and chips were very good.

 

Roatan- went to Fins and Flippers and literally had place to ourselves. Got eaten by sand fleas even at the pool. Very good snorkeling here.

 

Belize- book an excursion or stay on the ship. Town outside of port area is rough. We did barrier reef snorkel which was great. They then take you to beach on Bannister Island which is beautiful.

 

Cozumel- did Paradise beach which is great.

 

Great Stirrup Cay- the beach and water are beautiful but NCL has a lot of nerve dumping all those people on such a small beach. I read reviews so I knew to get here early. We were on first tender so got prime spot- until the people kept coming and coming and coming. By 12:00 it really was unbearable with people on top of each other, people plopping chairs down inches in front of us and people actually arguing over rafts they had rented. Did lunch which was not good-cold burgers. Oh, and if you're lucgy enough to get an umbrella they don't really work as they are so thin the sun shines right through. On other lines the private island has been one of the best days but NCL need to re-think their's.

 

If you are a serious blackjack player the casino is more like a "real" casino than any ship I've been on. It's still hard to win on a ship but the gambling experience was much better than Princess.

 

Overall it was a great cruise. We would sail NCL again but would give the edge to Princess. Service is a little better and more polished and we prefer the new Princess ships to the Pearl.

Glad you had a great cruise. Did you notice any picture pkgs offered? Or did you just have to purchase them individually?

[mrose1120]

Glad you had a great cruise. Did you notice any picture pkgs offered? Or did you just have to purchase them individually?

 

only package i noticed was a buy one get one on certain night pictures, sail away party, new years eve, white hot..etc

[neptune18]

There were always activities but after a day at sea we were looking to get off the ship.

[cruiseat50]

We are planning to go to the beach at GSC but if we decide it gets too crowded or just feel like going back to the empty ship - do they have a tender to take you back every hour or so? Oh, and to they have flippers to rent... we will have own mask and snorkel.

[CruisnGram]

How was the water temp at GSC? I'm doing a short cruise on the Sky at in a couple weeks so GSC may be the only place where I can snorkle. And, I HATE cold water! :D

 

Thanks!

 

CG

[ottawagarden]

Hi there. We are on the Pearl in March and plan to do the same excursions as you with our 4 children-ages 8, 10, 12 and 14. Would you make any recommendations or changes for Fins and Flippers, the snorkel tour in Belize or Paradise Beach, and what did your kids think

thanks,

[terrymtex01]

How was the water temp at GSC? I'm doing a short cruise on the Sky at in a couple weeks so GSC may be the only place where I can snorkle. And, I HATE cold water! :D

 

Thanks!

 

CG

 

CG.. when we were there in late October it was cold to me and I am not a cold natured person. I HATE to say it cause you KNOW I want you to have a great time, but I can't see the water being much warmer this time of year than it was when we were there.

[Dei3Nascar8]

How was the water temp at GSC? I'm doing a short cruise on the Sky at in a couple weeks so GSC may be the only place where I can snorkle. And, I HATE cold water! :D

 

CG

 

I was at GSC in both December and March last year and I found the water to be swimable. Might have been cool and definatly you can tell a differece when you dive down but neither time did I find it not swimable. I am leaving this Sunday on the Pearl and hope the water is a clear as I remember it.

[neptune18]

The kids loved everything, especially Paradise Beach where they have all the water toys.

[CruisnGram]

CG.. when we were there in late October it was cold to me and I am not a cold natured person. I HATE to say it cause you KNOW I want you to have a great time, but I can't see the water being much warmer this time of year than it was when we were there.

 

I figured as much. I may just have to tough it out as many have said that the snorkling is good at GSC and I need a dose of snorkling before I come back home to cold, windy Maryland. :D

 

CG

[CastawayCruiser]

I figured as much. I may just have to tough it out as many have said that the snorkling is good at GSC and I need a dose of snorkling before I come back home to cold, windy Maryland. CG

 

We were at GSC a few weeks ago and I spent the whole day in the water. I heard a lot of people complaining that the water was too cold as they waded in (many turned back). I was baffled because being from Canada I would give a limb to have water that temperature any time of year!! I saw some great fish and a stingray while snorkeling. Enjoy your beach day!

[Coco421]

only package i noticed was a buy one get one on certain night pictures, sail away party, new years eve, white hot..etc

TY. Hopefully by the time we cruise they will have generated some kind of picture package.

[newmexicoNita]

thanks for a very honest review. I am glad you liked the cruise line even though you are still partial to Princess, We feel the opposite, this is just what one becomes accustom to I beleive. We will be doing Princess this year but will return to NCL soon after.

 

Again, thanks for a very objective review.

 

Nita

[terrymtex01]

I figured as much. I may just have to tough it out as many have said that the snorkling is good at GSC and I need a dose of snorkling before I come back home to cold, windy Maryland. :D

 

CG

 

CG.. after reading what others have said.. I want to make sure my posting wasn't misleading. It was ok to swim in, but it was not warm and inviting like we have experienced in the Caribbean before. It was like where we had to ease ourselves down into it.. but once in it and out of the breeze we were ok. To us, it was cold, but not COLD... if that makes sense.