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Cruise to the breezy islands of The Caribbean, or simply sit back and sail through the world's greatest shortcut on a Panama Canal cruise. Whatever you choose to do, we invite you to experience the wonders of getting there aboard Norwegian Pearl. Her 16 chic dining options, 15 bars and lounges, dazzling casino, tranquil spa, and spacious Garden Villas are just a few things that make this Jewel Class cruise ship a destination of her own.
We brought our 35 year old daughter and her husband who had never been out of the country or on a cruise. Overall we had a fabulous time! Our last cruise was 16 years ago (NCL Jewel Baltics) Our daughter has fond memories of sailing with us on NCL as a teenager (Med, Baltics, Caribbean, Hawaii) We like “Freestyle” cruising with NCL and we liked that the Pearl was an older and smaller ship: built 2006, refurbished 2017, 2600 passengers, over 1000 crew (60% Filipino.) And the ship will be heading to France in November 2025 for one month dry dock. I had done an upgrade bid a few weeks prior and it was never accepted since the ship was sold-out. We booked the cruise (cruise only - no air or hotels) with a longtime friend/travel agent. I have no idea if we got a “good deal” - it was very expensive in our opinion: $7299 per cabin (we had 2 obstructed view outside cabins). That per cabin cost included all the taxes, Travel Protection, More at Sea Beverage Package, More at Sea Specialty Dining (2 meals), Prepaid Service Charges, 150 mins Wi-Fi Package, 1 Excursion credit, 2x $37.50 On board credit per cabin. PREPAID SERVICE CHARGES Our invoice shows we paid $220 per person. I had read on a forum the suggestion to take a bunch of $5 and $1 bills which I did and we did give out a number of cash tips at the end. It was convenient to not worry about tips but then also weird to feel like we needed to tip more at the end. CABINS -We had 2 “obstructed view outside” cabins on deck 8 (8060 and 8066). They were well laid out and comfortable with sufficient storage. -https://www.ncl.com/cruise-ships/norwegian-pearl/deck-plans#filter=deck-8 -Good Youtube of our small cabins https://youtu.be/-y6A9weRYjo?si=KmxItSt9oXV97ENn -We did fine with the available outlets. There was one USB on both sides of the bed near the reading light and 2 US plug outlets and one European outlet on the dressing table. -hairdryer worked well -I asked Guest Services for a single cup coffee maker. Room steward kept the coffee packets supplied. FOOD Garden cafe (buffet)- great variety and the food was good Summer Palace (main dining room) - we liked the waiters and the “experience” - food was “okay” Tried the other main dining (Indigo) one time and it was too small and dark, and the service was very rushed and not good. Great Outdoors - we liked for breakfast and lunch O’Sheehans Pub - their chili was great for a snack, had dinner one night and it was horrible. But loved it for drinks! And loved their bartenders. SPECIALTY RESTAURANTS: -Teppanyaki: fun, loud, interactive and food was very good. -Moderno Churrascaria - interesting experience, salad bar was good, they give each guest a placard with green for more meat and red for no more meat - we could not do all of the meat! PORTS: -Hop On Hop Off buses were often available right when we got off the ship and worked well for us. -Uber worked great for our party of 4 Athens (Embarkation) We booked our own air and arrived the afternoon prior. We had two rooms at Athens Studios: 3 Veikou Street Makrigianni, Great location near the Plaka. The morning of the cruise we prebooked 8-9am time slot to see the Acropolis. Already very crowded at that early hour. Our boarding time was 1:30-2pm. We had stored our luggage at the hotel and took Uber from hotel to Piraeus, 30 minutes, E25 with E5 tip. Easy checkin and as suggested by others we checked into our Muster station first and then headed to the Sky High bar overlooking pool area for our first drinks and lunch. Santorini: Because of tendering and other logistics this was the only NCL shore excursion we took. “Charming village of Oia” 3 hours, 9am tender to Athinios where we met our tour guide Sophia and boarded bus to Oia. We had less than one hour in Oia which our tour guide agreed was too short of time. Then we were bused to Fira where we were on our own and enjoyed. The excursion included cable car tickets for us to take at our own desired time. And then tender back from the small port of Skala. Santorini is a volcanic island and terrain is like a moonscape. Mykonos: At the last minute we learned we would need to tender to the nice waterfront esplanade. A pleasant town to wander, enjoy the many cats, and windmills. Crete (biggest Greek island pop 600,000)Heraklion (over 100,000) Hop On Hop Off bus that went out to countryside to drop passengers at Knossos - we stayed on the bus and got off at the city center for lunch. Katakolon for Olympia Dias Car rental (office is right opposite the port gate.) manual reserved via email $60 cash, easy 30 minute drive to Olympia. On the way back we stopped at Agios Andreas beach, Vriniotis hotel bar overlooking the sea. Corfu: We loved Corfu and did it on our own. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site with narrow alleys, pastel Venetian buildings, shops, and cafes. We walked about 2 miles from the cruise port to Faliraki where there were several cafes and swimming spots in the Ionian Sea. Dubrovnik -To Pile gate take Uber: E11 with tip (ship shuttle $20pp rt, taxi E20) -Game of Thrones Walking tour booked through Trip Advisor - highly recommended -Walking all the way around the wall, expensive but beautiful E40pp Kotor Montenegro (beautiful bay and lovely old walled town, 40 minute tenders) - There were 3 ships in port and one ship got to dock right in the old town, another ship a bit out in the bay, and our ship was the furthest out, hence 40 minute tender ride. -We were mad and frustrated because NCL did not give us the tender info until the morning of, when we could check our freestyle daily on our app. At 5am I had to get up and advise our kids to get their tender tickets asap for their 9am independent cave tour. -Cave Tour - our kids loved it. -Hop On Hop Off bus out to old town of Perast (where Our Lady of the Rock island and church are). -Kotor is a beautiful old walled town and very nice to explore independently Split Hop On Hop Off bus included walking tour through the ruins of Diocletians palace (shops and apartments within) Koper, Slovenia: -The passenger terminal is located right near the downtown- there is an elevator that goes up to the old town. -We had no set plans when we wandered off the ship just before 9am and happened upon a booth for Istranka Tours HOHO panoramic tour to Piran- 3-1/2 hours with 2 hours in Piran. Really enjoyed Piran. -Enjoyed the old town of Koper when we returned from Piran. Trieste (Disembarkation) - to Venice for one night When we disembarked we did not easily see available taxis/Ubers so we decided to do the easy 15 min walk to the train station. I had the Trenitalia app and booked our train tickets once we got to the train station. Trieste Centrale to Venezia Santa Lucia, Dept 9:16am arrive 11:21am and then a vaporetto to our Venice hotel. PRO: -Fantastic itinerary: 11 nights, only one day at sea -crew - mostly all wonderful -More at Sea Beverage package: Worked great for our family of 4 adults. We tried fun cocktails. It was awesome to not have to worry about cost and /or tipping. According to the drink menu Beer was $10 and cocktails $15. -We loved the crew at the entrances to the Garden Cafe who spritzed our hands with hand sanitizer and said: “washy washy happy happy.” On our day at sea they even had a crew member playing guitar and dancing at the entrance. -Favorite hangout: The Great Outdoors, in the back of ship - especially for breakfast and afternoon sail away -Favorite Bar: O’Sheehans Pub on deck 8 which was also where our cabins were. CON: -Athens Embarkation: NCL had not told us which terminal or boarding pier and there were 8 ships in port - fortunately our Uber driver figured it out. -Trieste Disembarkation - we secured earliest possible independent tags for 730am- they called us at 715 which seemed encouraging but then they kept calling groups after us and we were crammed on stairs from deck 7 to deck 4 for over 30 minutes. My husband suffers from claustrophobia and this was extremely uncomfortable for him and many around us. -PHONE and WIFI: -150 minute WiFi package - their WiFi was a joke - very slow, would use minutes just logging on and off, couldn’t download even an e-book. Fortunately our T-Mobile service worked great. The moment we came into port we got off airplane mode until we sailed away. Since we only had one sea day that helped. -Emergency contact Because the ship WiFi was so bad we asked at Guest Services about a phone number for the ship to give family at home in case of emergency. The first crew member we spoke with said there wasn’t one! We went back later and were told there is a number on the back of our key card. Duh! -NCL APP: They could do so much more with this. So many frustrating things about it. -can only access it when on the ship using their WiFi -they really should allow messaging between other passengers onboard but no they want to nickel and dime and charge $2.99pp per day to text w/ with fellow passengers -Freestyle daily is available but they didn’t tell us - we kept wondering why it wasn’t being delivered to our cabins the night before. -It’s great you can check your account balance but only the person whose credit card is on file (not the 2nd person in the cabin) - “Behind the scenes” ship tour is $99 per person (years ago these would be free - we didn’t do it obviously) -Bingo - no longer free - can’t play just for fun - sad -TV in cabin is mostly just trying to sell stuff (jewelry, art, spa) and it felt like it was still running info from the 90’s. The map was horrible, Bow cam horrible. It should have had better info about ports and tendering. -Too much paper promo selling stuff left in cabin every day - I tried to ask them to stop but they wouldn’t. -No more Towel Animals. At the “How to run a floating hotel” talk we heard if you want a towel animal you should try to request from your cabin steward -40 minute tenders for Kotor with no advance notice/communication for those on independent excursions, very stressful
The Haven
Located at the top of the ship, The Haven features the most luxurious, well-appointed accommodations on board. Enjoy 24-hour butler service, concierge service and private sundeck.
Suite
A true experience of luxury and privacy. Enjoy spacious suites accented by only the finest touches throughout. And enough room to make a lifetime of amazing memories.
Club Balcony Suite
Our spacious Club Balcony Suites feature a sitting room, giving you extra room to spread out. Sliding-glass doors open to your balcony, and amazing views. Includes luxury bath and shower.
Balcony
See the world like never before. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors open to your very own private balcony. Stylish and sophisticated appointments enhance these modern rooms.
Oceanview
Experience stylish decor in a comfortable oceanview stateroom. All come with nice, smart touches enhanced by a large picture window with clear views of the sea.
Inside
Cruise in cozy comfort and smart style. Modern inside staterooms are accented with appointments like a TV, sitting area and more.
Stateroom images, square footage, and configurations are representative only. Actual accommodation may vary.
COMPLIMENTARY DINING
Every cruise fare includes beautifully crafted menus in our two main dining rooms, a help-yourself buffet and a variety of casual cafés, grills and on-the-go choices. From fresh-baked breads, desserts and pastries to our chefs' original dishes made with the freshest ingredients, your dining can be as fine or fun as you want.
SPECIALITY DINING
Dining aboard Norwegian is about having choices. Enjoy delicious comfort foods as well as more exotic choices from our many complimentary dining options. Or widen your palette further and choose from our speciality restaurants for a cover charge or á la carte. Whether it's a cheeseburger you have a desire for, or Coq au Vin, your dinner is ready when you are. And if you book a Speciality Dining Package, you can savour an array of our speciality restaurants for one special price.
Check out the card room, walk around the art gallery, listen and learn in a lecture held by a guest speaker. Norwegian Cruise Line ships have much to offer to enhance your learning and senses.
You won’t believe your eyes or even your ears. Norgwegian Cruise Lines have brought Broadway to sea with blockbuster shows, music, dancing, cabaret, comedy and more. You can party all night, grab some great casino action and find your favourites among up to 22 bars and lounges, from electrifying nightspots to cosmopolitan bars and easy-going pubs. Every night is a night on the town.
A 20% gratuity and speciality service charge will be added at time of payment for entertainment dining.
Feel free to follow your spirit, whether that takes you to a superb fitness centre, a sun lounger by the pool or to the serenity of a luxurious spa. Get the adrenaline soaring by conquering the climbing wall or ropes course high above the ocean. Flex your muscles on the sports court or treat yourself to something special in the boutiques. Catch a fun, informal lecture. Take the plunge in the Aqua Park.
Families play better together on Norwegian. From dodgeball to cupcake decorating, there are lots of activities all over the ships. Plus, with complimentary youth programmes, kids can learn to juggle at Circus School in Splash Academy and teens have the coolest themed parties in Entourage. Add exclusive NickelodeonTM entertainment at sea for kids of all ages – even the grown up ones – and your family holiday gets awesome. While the kids are having fun, so can you, indulging in a spa treatment, enjoying a leisurely meal or just switching off. And when it comes to bedtime, family-friendly accommodation gives everyone the elbow room they need. Night, night.
