First Time Cruiser- Norwegian Pearl

Hello- we are preparing to ship in 29 days to Alaska! I am beyond excited! We booked a Family Balcony on deck 10 (aft). I am starting to do more in depth research and would love input on the following:

1- We have the opportunity to upgrade to a mini suite- is it worth it? (passengers: 2 adults and 2 kids under 6)

2- My understanding is that there is a coffee brewer on the balcony rooms- what kind of brewer is it? I drink a LOT of coffee :o

3- Is room service complimentary for balcony rooms or do we have to pay a fee?

4- With our kids in mind- do the rooms have a dvd player or should i bring my portable dvd?

Thank you much!

We sailed the Pearl to Alaska in a mid ship family balcony in August. There were 4 of us, our boys were 9 and 11 and were fine. I don't remember about the coffee maker but no DVD player. Only coffee tea and continental breakfast are free from room service. Otherwise it's a $7.95 flat fee each time you order I think. We had an awesome time. Alaska is amazing! Have fun!

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There was a small coffeepot in our balcony room which made about three regular cups of coffee. You can ask your steward for additional packs.

If you are on the 5/21 sailing, we are cruisemates! We will be practically right above you. ;)

The minisuites have a little more room but no extra benefits. If your kinds tend to bounce around (and most kids do) and it doesn't cost too much, you might want to upgrade. If you don't expect to spend a lot of time in the room, or if money is tight, you will probably be fine in your current cabin. I paid the extra to book an HC minisuite from the get-go, but our kids are adults so we really need the extra room.

I don't remember much about the coffeemaker but look for the Pearl post-dry-dock threads - coffeemakers are a common topic of discussion. So is the new flat screen TV, maybe there will be some indication as to whether it will play DVDs or not.

Coffee, tea, and some other hot drinks are complimentary through room service, as well as some other items. I saw the room service menu from another NCL ship here: http://eatsleepcruise.com/2016/03/norwegian-escape-menus/ It states very clearly what is complimentary and what incurs the $7.95/order fee.

If you can upgrade to a mini suite, do. It is larger than a family balcony cabin.

Coffee.....don't bother with the coffee maker in the cabin, order room service coffee, or go up to the buffet. There is a coffee maker in the buffet (two of them) that is superior to the standard coffee dispenser. Look for the beans above the dispenser! ;)

I had #11002 on the Pearl last year going to Alaska. I can't say much about a balcony room because I've only been in a mini-suite. The one thing you might find helpful with kids under 6 is that the mini-suite bathroom has a tub/shower instead of only a shower. It's pretty much the same size as a standard tub in a house but maybe a little deeper. Here is a link to the thread where I gave a fairly detailed description with a floorplan of our Pearl mini suite. There might be some info there you'll find helpful. Pearl Mini Suite #11002

I think the mini-suite is worth it--slightly bigger/nicer bathroom with tub plus a little more space in the room. At least before the Pearl was in drydock, there was a curtain separating the main bed area from the couch. This was great for us last July, as my younger son went to bed earlier than my older son and I did; he slept on the couch, and we were able to draw the curtain to give him a somewhat dark, more private sleeping area.

Coffee in the room pot won't be great, but depending on where your mini-suite is, you may be a quick walk from the buffet. If you walk through the buffet toward the Great Outdoors (aft), you will see a good coffee machine with beans on top. Definitely the best free coffee on the ship.

Enjoy your time on the Pearl! I loved my very first cruise on her last July!