JohnCoMo

I posted this question a few days ago but nobody replied. Hoping someone with mini-suite experience on the Pearl or other Jewel class ship can help.

I am currently booked in a balcony cabin on deck 10. There are just 2 of us in the room. I am paid in full and leaving for Alaska in 3 weeks. Just noticed that the price for a mini=suite guarantee is about $200 less than what I paid. I'm not looking for a refund, but but was thinking about calling my TA to see if I could just change to a mini-suite guarantee.

Since it's a guarantee, my assumption is that they would put me in the least desirable mini-suite cabin. I see that some are under the fitness center so there could be some noise. Since it's an Alaska cruise, doubt anyone will be using the pool.

Any thoughts? Should I keep my balcony cabin on deck 10 or go for a mini-suite guarantee on deck 11?

Thanks!

How big is your group? I'm traveling in a group of 16 in a few weeks on the Pearl to Alaska. I called NCL to make reservations for all of us at the specialty restaurants but were told that you could only make reservations for parties of 8. So we just made our dinner reservation online for 2 tables of 8. Since it's just a regular reservation, I'm expecting to have the regular menu.

I am booked and fully paid on the Pearl to Alaska next month. I currently have a balcony (BB) cabin near the aft on deck 10. I just noticed that I can get a Mini Suite guarantee (MX) for about $300 less than what I paid. I'm not even sure if I can get a refund for the difference since I'm less than 30 days before sailing. Even if they won't give me a refund, maybe I can just get moved to the MX cabin.

My questions to those of you familiar with the Pearl:

1. Is a guarantee mini-suite better than a confirmed cabin balcony on deck 10?

2. Since it is a guarantee, are there any bad mini-suites? I have read a few comments that deck 11 is louder due to all the activity on deck 12.

3. I actually prefer showers over tubs so consider the mini-suite bathroom a downgrade from the balcony. So apart from tub/shower difference, is the extra space in a mini suite very noticeable? The extra space would be the only reason I would want to move to a mini-suite.

If it matters, there are only 2 of us in the room and we will probably be spending a decent amount of time in the room.

Is Cagney's as good as an upscale land-based steakhouse? Like Ruth's Chris? $30 is not much, but if you consider we already paid for part of the meal in our fare. So would you say it would be similar to a $70 per person meal on land?

I'm departing out of Seattle on the NCL Pearl in a few weeks. I've been on one cruise before from Galveston. I have seen some YouTube videos that make it seem like there are tons of lines and lots of waiting at the NCL pier in Seattle. Does anyone have tips on when to arrive to minimize wait time? How long will it take from when I arrive at the pier till I am on the ship? Like most other people, I'll be anxious to get on as soon as possible to start enjoying my vacation.

What am I missing? Today is May 1st so it seems like we should be able to book on ncl.com now but I can't find the South American trips.

Open for Sale

Norwegian Escape's itineraries will open for Travel Partners to book groups on March 19, for Latitudes Rewards Members on March 25 and to the general public on March 26, 2014. The remaining winter itineraries will be open for Travel Partners to book groups starting April 8, for Latitudes Rewards Members on April 15 and to the general public on April 16, 2014.

Thanks everyone for the great tips! I'll share this with my friend.

I am going with a group of friends on the NCL Pearl to Alaska in June. I know this is probably an unusual question, but one of my friends is extremely picky about iced tea. Specifically, she only liked brewed tea and drinks a lot of it. She does not like tea that comes from concentrate or from a soda fountain machine. Does anyone know if NCL serves brewed iced tea? If they don't, she will just bring her own brewer from home to make tea in her cabin. But would prefer not to pack that equipment if she knows for sure that the ship has brewed tea. Anyone know the answer to this unusual question? :)

As long as you are flexible then you should be fine booking onboard. With that number of people I would go to the reservations desk reasonably early on the cruise and speak to them about it though.

 

Whilst there are quite a few spaces available, a group that size could mean that your choices are a bit limited if you wait until the day you want to eat, for example.

Thanks! What about the main dining rooms? Is it hard to get a few tables close to each other in them for the nights where we may not want to reserve a specialty restaurant.

I am traveling with 15 people on the Pearl in June to Alaska. Have never been on NCL before. We will probably want to have a few dinners together. Because there are so many of us, should we make reservations prior to departure or do you think we'll be ok to do so once on the ship as long as we are flexible? I tried to make reservations online in advance but 8 people is the largest number you can select.