Aft cabins - cat. AF - on the Pearl

Hi Everyone:

We've just booked the Pearl for next year. We wanted a cat. AF and when our PCC saw that one of the aft cabins on deck 11 was available, she got very excited and suggested that we grab it.

We've talked about trying an aft cabin for quite awhile. We are a bit concerned about the noise from the wake, but many have said that it's not a big deal. The cabin we've booked is # 11150.

Has anyone here been in either that specific cabin or one of those beside

it? First (and most important!) question:

The Great Outdoors restaurant is right above on deck 12. Can people look down into those aft cabins on deck 11?

How about any other good or bad issues to know about?

What about the noise from the wake ... good or very loud?

Thanks for any info that you may have.

Robkat

We will be in 11156 on our Jan cruise.

We had an aft 9170 on the Jewel and we loved it, the sound of the wake is one of the things I like about being aft on the ship.

I have read where people say here chairs sometimes in the morning but there are covers on the legs to help with the scraping noise.

And no they cannot look into your balcony

What sailing are you on?

OH MY GOSH.. lol. when I read your posting I was like.. WHAT?? There are usually two reasons that most of us that book Aft cabins exclusively book them. The panoramic views and the noise from the wake. It is so soothing when you lay down to sleep. It's not loud at all.. but just enough to hear the sound of it. I'm not speaking for every one, mind you.. but just from the majority of the postings I have read and from my personal experience. Probably the reason your PCC jumped on putting you into that cabin is the Aft cabins are usually the first ones to go.

I think on the Pearl the balconies Aft are more private than they are on other ships. We have been on the Sun Aft and there was an outdoor cafe directly above us. We heard very little noise, but people could come right to the railing at the cafe and look directly down on us. On the Star, the balconies above you could look down on you, in fact, we could see right up into the balcony above ours as well. On the Pearl, the photo's show that the back of the Pearl is more straight down that slanted like the Sun and the Star. I will be able to give you more detail on how private the balcony is in a couple of weeks. I do not believe you can actually see into the staterooms from anywhere on the Aft, public area or otherwise.

I think you made a great decision to take that cabin and will probably be addicted to them after your cruise, like the majority of us who have sailed in them are.

Okay, Pearl Aft fans, here's a treat for you:

OH MY GOSH.. lol. when I read your posting I was like.. WHAT?? There are usually two reasons that most of us that book Aft cabins exclusively book them. The panoramic views and the noise from the wake. It is so soothing when you lay down to sleep. It's not loud at all.. but just enough to hear the sound of it. I'm not speaking for every one, mind you.. but just from the majority of the postings I have read and from my personal experience. Probably the reason your PCC jumped on putting you into that cabin is the Aft cabins are usually the first ones to go.

I've not had an aft on an NCL, yet: I will - Gem next April. Like your TA, I got excited when I saw it was available. I've had that type twice on RCCL. The wake sounds were low, and very nice. The only downside was sometimes I could smell the food bring cooked above, and would run upstairs to get some & being it back to the balcony.:) Once or twice a paper napkin would make its way onto the balcony. Some people have asked about smoke from the ship's smoke stack. Never noticed any. To have a change, the ship would have to be sailing in a straight line (OK that does happen often) with no sea breeze at all (That does not happen too often.)

Rich

Okay, Pearl Aft fans, here's a treat for you:

 

 

Thank you for posting these. It really was a treat. If you look at your AFT pic, deck nine, far right cabin, that is where we will be in 9 days.. OMG it seems like it will never get here.. LOL

I switched from a BA aft to an AF aft # 11154 yesterday myself. We sail the Pearl on 11-28-09 and am looking forward to it. :)

Thank you for posting these. It really was a treat. If you look at your AFT pic, deck nine, far right cabin, that is where we will be in 9 days.. OMG it seems like it will never get here.. LOL

Have a blast on your cruise!!! Are you packed yet?

We'll be on the Jewel (a sister ship to the Pearl) in January. Our cabin is on deck 8 - the one where the topless :eek: guy is leaning over the railing.

Paula

Thanks everyone for the great responses! It'll really help with our decision to either keep or change our current aft cabin.

Golden Egg: Thank you so much for posting those fantastic shots of the Pearl! The one of the Pearl's "back end" definitely answered the "can they look down from above question"! We think it would be a pain if people could look down into your balcony from up top :eek: (NOT that anything "untoward" would ever be going on!); and that's the main reason that we'd never book a mini-suite on Princess, although lots of people don't seem to mind the lack of privacy.

Tiggerfan616: OMG ... you're going to be right in the neighbourhood! Would love to hear your thoughts about the cabin and its location when you come back from your January cruise. We're sailing in Nov. '09. We've got one coming up this November and one next May before then, but our NCL future cruise certificate needed to get used!

Terrymtex01: Have a yummy time on your cruise! Would also love to hear your thoughts when you get back. You're obviously great fans of the aft cabins, so it helps to hear why people love them. Enjoy that great suite!

When I spoke to DH last night, I was surprised to hear that he was more concerned about the noise and vibrations from the propeller than he was about the wake. We also love the wave sounds from the ocean, but I thought that it could be a little deafening back there. When you walk about the back on the Promenade deck, it is quite loud; but I guess being up a little higher helps with that. However, we have heard that the prop can be quite "vibrate-y"? Anyone had any problems with that?

And, of course, we're still a titch concerned about noise from the restaurant above. We normally choose cabins that are either under and above other cabins; or quiet places like card rooms, libraries, and even treatment rooms for the spa ... so this would be a first for us, being under a busy public area.

Thanks again for all your replies. It helps to have input when trying to make a decision.

Robkat

Rich40245: Just saw that you also are leaving very soon on a cruise on the Spirit ... only a week away! How exciting! Have a fantastic cruise ... then it won't be long until your Gem cruise in April! :)

Robkath

When I spoke to DH last night, I was surprised to hear that he was more concerned about the noise and vibrations from the propeller than he was about the wake.

The Pearl does not have propellers, in the traditional sense. They have the Azipod propulsion system. With this the propellers are mounted outside of the hull, near the stern of the ship. There is no propeller shaft running through the bottom of the boat. It is this shaft that, often, causes the noise and vibration that people notice.

More information at:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCP/is_6_23/ai_86040172

Rich

Have a blast on your cruise!!! Are you packed yet?

 

Haven't actually packed a thing yet, however we will pull out the suit cases this weekend and will start doing a little here and there over the weekend. We do have "piles" of things going already. Like sunscreens, insect repellent, some school supplies we are taking to donate to local schools, bathing suites, etc. We usually don't do the big packing until the night before we leave. If our cat sees us packing she figures out we are leaving and gets very sad and of course that breaks my heart.

 

We'll be on the Jewel (a sister ship to the Pearl) in January. Our cabin is on deck 8 - the one where the topless :eek: guy is leaning over the railing.

 

Paula

 

Terrymtex01: Have a yummy time on your cruise! Would also love to hear your thoughts when you get back. You're obviously great fans of the aft cabins, so it helps to hear why people love them. Enjoy that great suite!

 

Thank you.. we are really looking forward to it. I did want to mention that as far as vibrations, we have never felt any on any aft cabin we have been in, except last May on the Star for like 10 seconds we felt some strange vibration. Never knew for sure what it was.. I literally thought the ship had run aground or hit something in the water, etc. That actually wasn't even in our cabin, but we were seated aft in the main dining room for lunch at the back windows. If you are on the deck that is directly under the outdoor cafe, you might on occasion hear a chair being moved, etc, but at night we never heard anything when we were under the outdoor cafe on the Sun. As another poster mentioned, there was an occasional napkin blown down to our balcony due to the outdoor cafe being right above us (and once a banana peel), but no big deal really.. the cabin stewards always kept our balcony very clean as soon as we would leave the room.

 

When I spoke to DH last night, I was surprised to hear that he was more concerned about the noise and vibrations from the propeller than he was about the wake. We also love the wave sounds from the ocean, but I thought that it could be a little deafening back there. When you walk about the back on the Promenade deck, it is quite loud; but I guess being up a little higher helps with that. However, we have heard that the prop can be quite "vibrate-y"? Anyone had any problems with that?

And, of course, we're still a titch concerned about noise from the restaurant above. We normally choose cabins that are either under and above other cabins; or quiet places like card rooms, libraries, and even treatment rooms for the spa ... so this would be a first for us, being under a busy public area.

 

Thanks again for all your replies. It helps to have input when trying to make a decision.

Robkat

Again.. I really think you will enjoy which ever one you pick..

golden egg...THANKS so much for posting that great pic of the Pearl aft. I'll be in the middle of Deck 9 aft...next door to our cruise friends in just a couple of weeks!!! I can almost hear the wake now....ahhhh. We've booked aft on several ships...best location of all (shhhh ....our little secret!):D

Hi Robkat,

Had that cabin on our Alaska cruise in September. It is set up in reverse of the other mini suites, with the bed closer to the door than the couch which is no big deal. Plenty of storage, good amount of space to lounge in. No noise from above and no, they can't look over into your balcony (which isn't the biggest, but it is fine). Aft cabins are my favorite, you made a great choice! You are going to love the views and the sound of the wake lulling you to sleep.

Enjoy your cruise!!!!!

Cyndi

Kinda funny, I was in that room on the Jewel and it was great! When I booked my Dec 7 trip they put me in the same room(11150). I thought the room was great and the noise was limited in my opinion.

Here is a picture of a azipod of a modern cruise ship, see how it can pivot at it's base, it can turn almost 360 degrees to help steer the ship in any direction.

This is one of the reasons a modern cruise ship is quieter then the type that has a shaft running through the ship.

I switched from a BA aft to an AF aft # 11154 yesterday myself. We sail the Pearl on 11-28-09 and am looking forward to it. :)

Hi Cruiser!

We'll be just about below you on that same sailing, in 10168 (aft BA). We're looking forward to it already!!

Following a succesful and fun filled Alaska cruise on the Pearl, our group of three couples decided to go way out and book aft balconies for Jan. 2010 on the Dawn's 9 day trip. I have yet to see a negative aft experience. It is so far away but we did what I have always said you should do- find your trip- find your price- book your cruise. We even got $300 OBC from NCL's newest promotion. Can't wait.

Hehehe, well mine might be the first! I will be in one during February 09 so I will write about it when I get back. I always avoided booking them because I thought the noise would keep me awake...until I figured out even the little air vent running in every cabin keeps me awake. I love cruising yet the only time I can really sleep well is when the ship is not moving and the little air vent is not making that suction noise. Should be interesting to hear!

coka

Hehehe, well mine might be the first! I will be in one during February 09 so I will write about it when I get back. I always avoided booking them because I thought the noise would keep me awake...until I figured out even the little air vent running in every cabin keeps me awake. I love cruising yet the only time I can really sleep well is when the ship is not moving and the little air vent is not making that suction noise. Should be interesting to hear!

 

coka

Oh, coka, I'm so sorry to hear you don't sleep well on a cruise. :( That's probably one of my favorite parts, I sleep like a baby. Now if I could just figure out how to get someone to rock my bed at home...........:rolleyes:

Robkat,

We have booked the same cabin for 9 January 2010. When I tried to book that cabin online just to see if it was available, it kept telling me that it was a different category. When my PCC called me on Saturday, she said it was available.

Having sailed on the Sky the beginning of October in the Penthouse Suite-Aft, I can tell you it was one of the most relaxing areas for my hubby and I to enjoy. The only noise I would be inclined to worry about would be the dining room above. When they were cleaning the deck furniture in the early morning, we would hear them doing that...it was a little earlier than I would have cared to hear noise, but we were able to get back to sleep. You will be so happy with yourself for booking that cabin, not to mention that the front of the ship you encounter the wind, which I can tell you from experience is *not* enjoyable! But hey, after reading your profile, you may already know that!:p

Hi Everyone:

 

We've just booked the Pearl for next year. We wanted a cat. AF and when our PCC saw that one of the aft cabins on deck 11 was available, she got very excited and suggested that we grab it.

 

We've talked about trying an aft cabin for quite awhile. We are a bit concerned about the noise from the wake, but many have said that it's not a big deal. The cabin we've booked is # 11150.

 

Has anyone here been in either that specific cabin or one of those beside

it? First (and most important!) question:

The Great Outdoors restaurant is right above on deck 12. Can people look down into those aft cabins on deck 11?

How about any other good or bad issues to know about?

What about the noise from the wake ... good or very loud?

 

Thanks for any info that you may have.

Robkat

I switched from a BA aft to an AF aft # 11154 yesterday myself. We sail the Pearl on 11-28-09 and am looking forward to it. :)

Cool-I'm in that cabin the sailing before you...maybe I'll leave you a little something behind :D (at least I hope I am, I'm waiting to get my confirmation and hope someone didn't snag it before my PCC could get me booked TODAY)

Oh, coka, I'm so sorry to hear you don't sleep well on a cruise. :( That's probably one of my favorite parts, I sleep like a baby.

Me too! Of course to me that means I wake up crying every 2 hours and need to be changed ;). I wonder how long I can go without telling the wife that I booked an AFT mini instead of a midship Balcony (like she though we were getting)

Whats wrong marty that PCC of yours not working fast enough. Tell him if he stopped talking to me via email all day he might get some work done, LOL. Thanks for the help with that PCC issue it worked out great by the way

Whats wrong marty that PCC of yours not working fast enough. Tell him if he stopped talking to me via email all day he might get some work done, LOL. Thanks for the help with that PCC issue it worked out great by the way

GOT IT! I think I sent so many emails in the last 24 hours I kept her from helping anyone but me. (got an inside directly across the hall for my sister also)

Glad the issues worked out

-Monte (who also answers to Marty or even 'hey, you') ;)