First Cruise NCL Pearl any advice??

I am going on my first cruise April 12th on the NCL Pearl to the Western Caribbean. Can anyone give me any pointers and/or things you would not think to pack?? Also can anyone give me some pointers of things to know about the ship?? Thanks so much!! Jan :)

You will have a great time.

Here is a link to a great CC post just for 'newbies'

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=852599

Here is a link to my review of the same cruise in Jan 2009:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=51175

I will post the restuarant information in the next post

I really loved the Great Outdoors eating area and limited buffet and bar -- aft on Deck 12 behind the Garden Cafe buffet. I ate most all of my breakfasts there and had a mini breakfast and coffee while my DW slept in.

If it is your kind of thing, don't miss finding the Espresso/Capuccino machine between the Garden Cafe and the Great Outdoors .... just forward of the kids buffet / dining area.

Have a great cruise.

This was compiled by another CC member, but I saved it in case:

Summer Palace Main Dining Room – Deck 7, aft (Seats 558) Larger of the two main restaurants offering a traditional dining experience. Its ornate decor was inspired by the grandeur of the palaces of St. Petersburg, Russia. It has high ceilings and large windows across the rear.

Indigo Main Dining Room - Deck 6, mid (Seats 304) Smaller of the two main restaurants. Indigo is a modern dining room featuring a lighter, more contemporary menu and is decorated in bright blue, purple, and orange and looks much like a boutique hotel restaurant. As this restaurant is connected directly to the main galley, prompt and smooth serving of the food is ensured.

Garden Café – Deck 12, mid (Seats 390) The traditional buffet restaurant has been replaced with an "action-station" concept, where guests can watch the food being prepared. It has a special "kid's only" section, with lower counters and smaller tables and chairs seating 52.

Great Outdoors – Deck 12, aft (Seats 259) (weather permitting) Connects with the Garden Cafe. Breakfast & lunch buffet

Blue Lagoon Restaurant – Deck 8, mid (Seats 94) Located over the atrium, a 24-hour food court-style eatery featuring burgers, fish and chips, chili and other fast foods.

The Grill - Deck 12, mid (weather permitting) Casual poolside dining

Cagney's Steakhouse Restaurant – Deck 13, mid (Seats 176) Reservations required, $20 pp Upscale traditional steakhouse of the 1930’s serving steak, lobster, lamb, veal, and other grilled foods.

Le Bistro French Restaurant - Deck 6, mid (Seats 129) Reservations required, $15 pp French restaurant offering a menu of modern and classic gourmet fare

La Cucina Italian Restaurant – Deck 12, aft portside (Seats 96) Reservations required, $10 pp Casual Italian restaurant with a farmhouse-style atmosphere serving pasta, pizza and other traditional fare. .

Mambo's Latin/Tapas Restaurant – Deck 8, mid (Seats 96) Reservations required, $10 pp Serves modern Mexican, Tex-Mex and tapas. .

Lotus Garden Asian Restaurant – Deck 7, mid (Seats 162) Reservations required Lotus Garden serves Japanese, Chinese, and Thai cuisine. $15 pp cover charge. Sushi Bar serves sushi, sashimi. $15 pp cover charge. Shabu-Shabu serves Mongolian hot pot. $15 pp cover charge. Teppanyaki is a traditional Japanese grill where the chefs are entertaining and the food is grilled on an iron plate. $25 pp cover charge

Room Service .. menu in your cabin -- hidden in the information folder

Casino Snacks --

Thank you so much for the information. May i ask another question of you? What type of room did you have? We booked a balcony and i have heard mixed reviews on them. Also when you leave the ship how did you carry your valuables with you? thanks again Jan

I am going on my first cruise April 12th on the NCL Pearl to the Western Caribbean. Can anyone give me any pointers and/or things you would not think to pack?? Also can anyone give me some pointers of things to know about the ship?? Thanks so much!! Jan :)

We have always had great luck with making dinner reservations outside of Le Bistro in the morning. Never had a problem getting a reservation for the restaurant that we wanted at the time we wanted.

Also, sign up for the Anniversary Package--even if its not your anniversary. We have found this a great deal. (you need to request the package at least two weeks before sailing) The package includes a dinner at Le Bistro with a bottle of wine. It also includes a bottle of sparkeling wine and strawberries at sail-away.

I agree with the other posters, enjoy breakfast outside in the Great Outdoors.

Have fun. We love the Pearl.

My biggest tip to a first time cruiser is don't sweat the small stuff. If you do go off and leave something at home you meant to take, either buy a replacement or just make it through without it. You are on vacation so just relax and let NCL take great care of you.

I am not for sure what mixed reviews you have read about the balcony.. like what concerns you have, but I can tell you that a huge precentage of the people who sail in a balcony stateroom never can sail again without having that balcony. You will love it and I know you made the right decision in booking one.

My best tips about the Pearl herself would be to try a couple of games of bowling while at sea. That is a lot of fun with the rocking of the ship. Also, while docked in port, they do usually offer buy one get one free games of bowling. Also, if you eat in Lotus Garden, you have GOT to try their steamed barbequed ribs. I am not a beef person nor do I care for ribs, but I tried them at the recommendation of someone on CC and they are to die for. Also I have to say that the Pearls buffet is the best we have ever had on any ship, NCL or others.

Do not feel you have to eat in any of the surcharge restaurants. The food that is included in your fare is very good. We just eat in the speciality restaurants if we want a change of pace for that specific night.

If you want or need something, ask the staff. It has been our experience that they will do whatever they can do in order to give you the best vacation possible. Yes, you might run into a staff member here and there who is having a bad day, but don't let that ruin your hard earned vacation. That could happen anywhere or on any cruiseline. If you have an issue while onboard, address it while onboard. That is what the front desk and hotel director are there for.

Being in a balcony stateroom, the Daily Service Charge will include all of the tips necessary, with the exception of the Spa, any beverages purchased from a bar or cafe or the kids club. I am not for sure about the Spa or Kids Club as we never have used those facilities, but any bar purchases, sodas, alcoholic beverages, coffee, do come with a 15% tip on the actual check. Coffee, tea and water are served at no charge in the restaurants and juice is available at no charge for breakfast in the restaurants.

I may add more later, but really the most important thing is to go at your cruise with an open mind and with the attitude that it is your vacation and no one can take that away from you. Crew or fellow pax. If you do that, you will have the time of your life.

When packing, lay out all the clothes you think you'll need for seven days at sea. Next, pack half of them and return the rest to their drawer, closet, etc...;)

I am going on my first cruise April 12th on the NCL Pearl to the Western Caribbean. Can anyone give me any pointers and/or things you would not think to pack?? Also can anyone give me some pointers of things to know about the ship?? Thanks so much!! Jan :)

I loved the Pearl and the W. Caribbean! Best tip I picked up for my first cruise was to bring a highlighter. Each night, the Freestyle Daily will be delivered to your cabin, listing everything that is going on on board the next day. We love to review it before going to sleep and highlighting the things that interest us. Keep that in your pocket and you'll always know what's going on, where and when. Enjoy!!!

Thank you everyone that has responded so far!! I don't know if anyone used the laundry service on board the ship?? I was told they took out the self laundry services but that one day they will offer fill a bag for 10.00 anyone know of this?

I just got off the ship Sunday. If you decide the do a beach break in Roatan make sure you bring bug spray. We did the shrimp fest and I have about 30 bug bites at least. I could not find a place at the beach to buy any.

$15 per person is a cheap price for the great food in bistro. Tappanyaki is half price for kids if they eat off menu.

I just got off the ship Sunday. If you decide the do a beach break in Roatan make sure you bring bug spray. We did the shrimp fest and I have about 30 bug bites at least. I could not find a place at the beach to buy any.

 

$15 per person is a cheap price for the great food in bistro. Tappanyaki is half price for kids if they eat off menu.

We went to Fins and Flippers in Roatan and had a great time for only $20 each with a pre-reservation. But do bring that bug spray and lots of sun lotion. I got lots of bites too.

Thank you everyone that has responded so far!! I don't know if anyone used the laundry service on board the ship?? I was told they took out the self laundry services but that one day they will offer fill a bag for 10.00 anyone know of this?

You are mostly correct - they will likely offer a "fill-the-bag" special, but the amount will be $20, (at least it was for me on a different NCL ship).

I do not use this laundry deal for 7-day cruises, but it might be nice if you want to return home with clean clothes. The clean laundry generally is not returned to you until maybe a day or so before disembarkation. On longer cruises, the laundry special is much more useful (to me) because I can pack fewer clothes. On my last 13-day cruise, they offered laundry specials each week. I did not miss not having an onboard self-service laundromat. For $20 a bag, why bother doing laundry on your vacation :)

walk all the decks....outside and walk all the stairwells and look at the giant murals. they are quite amazing. watch at least one sunrise and one sunset from your balcony. join the spa for the whole cruise [couples special on embarkation day] and enjoy the stone loungers and the big cushy lounge chairs...some for 2. just kick back and enjoy and know you can do it again so you don't have to do or see everything this trip. :):):)

When packing, lay out all the clothes you think you'll need for seven days at sea. Next, pack half of them and return the rest to their drawer, closet, etc...;)

AMEN TO THAT!!!:D:D On our first cruise, I brought 6 suitcases...it was ridiculous...My sweet hubby lugged all that around for me...he laughed for a week, cause I only wore 1/4 of what I brought ;) nothing like your first cruise!! Enjoy every minute...

I am going on my first cruise April 12th on the NCL Pearl to the Western Caribbean. Can anyone give me any pointers and/or things you would not think to pack?? Also can anyone give me some pointers of things to know about the ship?? Thanks so much!! Jan :)

Ck this out...this will get ya fired up!!:)

http://www.shipparade.com/cruise%20reviews/NCL%20Norwegian%20Cruise%20Line/Norwegian%20Pearl/Norwegian%20Pearl.htm

AMEN TO THAT!!!:D:D On our first cruise, I brought 6 suitcases...it was ridiculous...My sweet hubby lugged all that around for me...he laughed for a week, cause I only wore 1/4 of what I brought ;) nothing like your first cruise!! Enjoy every minute...

I used to be like that also.. LOL.. now I try to pack every thing in one large suitcase each and one carry on. I thought it would be hard for me to do that when we went to Alaska last year so I ended up taking two large suitcases for me, and ended up wearing 1/4 of the bulk stuff I took. Oh well.. lesson learned.. right?

I did think of a tip after I posted my above comments but came back too late to edit to add it. One thing I have heard that some people do is take older clothes with them that they are basically done with wearing when at home. Ie. old shirts, old jeans, old socks, old underwear, etc etc. And after they are done with them on the cruise, they simply throw them away and then they have room in their luggage to bring back items purchased while on the trip.

In my opinion the single greatest experience that can be had from a balcony cabin is to take the free room service breakfast and consume it on the balcony as you sail into port. I did this regularly on the S Carribean Pearl itinerary last year and it cannot be beaten.

we just got off the Pearl on Sunday and the laundry bag thing was $24.95 and i believe they offered it on tuesday and thursday

we went to fins n flippers in Roatan as well and it was AWESOME. we were supposed to snorkel but it got canceled because it was too windy and they said that was extremely rare it is usually very mild (in terms of wind) there. just relaxing on the beach was greatthough. i totally second the bug spray though. we were there over a week ago and i am still itching like crazy and my bites seem to be getting worse or spreading. not sure if they were sand fleas or small black flies but i am covered! :eek: my husband however was fine the very next day and has not itched since.

the spa is great. i am not a spa person but seriously considere the $99 pp spa package. i did use the acupuncturist as i was in some pain and she is WONDERFUL. (its expensive though $150 per treatment)

i thought the buffet was good. i was not impressed with much else because as a vegetarian there was not a huge amount of choice. if you eat meat you will probably be fine. Mambos and Le Bistro were good. sushi was ok but we waited til like the 2nd to last day so im sure the fish had been frozen for a week. our own fault there :rolleyes:

we did the Lamanaii ruins excursion with NCL in Belize and it was very well run. it is a long day though.

in Cozumel we booked a snorkel tour with Eagle Ray Divers and the SNORKELING WAS AMAZING. it was like swimming in an aquarium. our guide seemed like a stoner dude at first but he aws incredibly knowledgably about the sea life.

they have a photo package on board. $80 ($90??) where you get every single picture they take of you. i seriously saw someone with a stack like an inch and a half thick on the last day. i would have done it if i didnt hate all the pictures (not because of them but how i personally looked)

im working on a pretty long review of our cruise right now. i think i will be posted before you go so just keep your eyes pealed.

have a great trip!

 

in Cozumel we booked a snorkel tour with Eagle Ray Divers and the SNORKELING WAS AMAZING. it was like swimming in an aquarium. our guide seemed like a stoner dude at first but he aws incredibly knowledgably about the sea life.

 

they have a photo package on board. $80 ($90??) where you get every single picture they take of you. i seriously saw someone with a stack like an inch and a half thick on the last day. i would have done it if i didnt hate all the pictures (not because of them but how i personally looked)

 

im working on a pretty long review of our cruise right now. i think i will be posted before you go so just keep your eyes pealed.

 

have a great trip!

Can't wait to read your review. Cozumel does have great snorkeling although we have never taken the excursion you mentioned. And that really isn't a bad deal for the photos if they took a lot of pics of you and compared to normal prices per pic. I kind of had to laugh when I read what you said about not liking the pics of you they took because I NEVER think they get a good pic of me but they always get cute ones of Doug. LOL.. Wow.. LOL. just as I typed that I wondered if it is that I really look like the pics they take.. LOL

has anyone done the dolphin adventure and if so how was it?

In my opinion the single greatest experience that can be had from a balcony cabin is to take the free room service breakfast and consume it on the balcony as you sail into port. I did this regularly on the S Carribean Pearl itinerary last year and it cannot be beaten.

Tell me more about this. PLEASE

This is only my second cruise with a balcony and didn't know there was anything special.

Thanks

This was compiled by another CC member, but I saved it in case:

 

NORWEGIAN PEARL RESTAURANTS

 

 

Summer Palace Main Dining Room – Deck 7, aft (Seats 558) Larger of the two main restaurants offering a traditional dining experience. Its ornate decor was inspired by the grandeur of the palaces of St. Petersburg, Russia. It has high ceilings and large windows across the rear.

Indigo Main Dining Room - Deck 6, mid (Seats 304) Smaller of the two main restaurants. Indigo is a modern dining room featuring a lighter, more contemporary menu and is decorated in bright blue, purple, and orange and looks much like a boutique hotel restaurant. As this restaurant is connected directly to the main galley, prompt and smooth serving of the food is ensured.

Garden Café – Deck 12, mid (Seats 390) The traditional buffet restaurant has been replaced with an "action-station" concept, where guests can watch the food being prepared. It has a special "kid's only" section, with lower counters and smaller tables and chairs seating 52.

Great Outdoors – Deck 12, aft (Seats 259) (weather permitting) Connects with the Garden Cafe. Breakfast & lunch buffet

Blue Lagoon Restaurant – Deck 8, mid (Seats 94) Located over the atrium, a 24-hour food court-style eatery featuring burgers, fish and chips, chili and other fast foods.

The Grill - Deck 12, mid (weather permitting) Casual poolside dining

Cagney's Steakhouse Restaurant – Deck 13, mid (Seats 176) Reservations required, $20 pp Upscale traditional steakhouse of the 1930’s serving steak, lobster, lamb, veal, and other grilled foods.

Le Bistro French Restaurant - Deck 6, mid (Seats 129) Reservations required, $15 pp French restaurant offering a menu of modern and classic gourmet fare

La Cucina Italian Restaurant – Deck 12, aft portside (Seats 96) Reservations required, $10 pp Casual Italian restaurant with a farmhouse-style atmosphere serving pasta, pizza and other traditional fare. .

Mambo's Latin/Tapas Restaurant – Deck 8, mid (Seats 96) Reservations required, $10 pp Serves modern Mexican, Tex-Mex and tapas. .

Lotus Garden Asian Restaurant – Deck 7, mid (Seats 162) Reservations required Lotus Garden serves Japanese, Chinese, and Thai cuisine. $15 pp cover charge. Sushi Bar serves sushi, sashimi. $15 pp cover charge. Shabu-Shabu serves Mongolian hot pot. $15 pp cover charge. Teppanyaki is a traditional Japanese grill where the chefs are entertaining and the food is grilled on an iron plate. $25 pp cover charge

Room Service .. menu in your cabin -- hidden in the information folder

Casino Snacks --

Great info thanks for sharing.

I have one question.

We're on an Alaskan cruise what happens with the weather permitting places?

i am trying to find out about roatan and belize city excursions can anyone fill me in if they have done one a thanks

I also believe one of the most important things is a highlighter. There are so many activites in the freestyle daily that it makes for easy reference. A small pad of sticky notes to let someone know where you went, a power strip as there are too few outlets and I throw in a small digital alarm clock as there are no clocks in the room. Enjoy the chilled fruit soups, a must by many threads and my mom ( whose first cruise was in Dec. plus you can sample them in the buffet) The art auction is worth going to once. Don't miss the newlywed not so newlywed game. (Funny on all 4 previous cruises) When packing, Shorts and T's don't take up much room and are your primary attire. Bon voyage