Sun or Pearl?

[4lifeinnh]

Hello, my dh and i want to go on our first cruise together for our 25th anniversary this fall.

we are presently booked on epic but i'm not sure the big crowds, fast paced, fun fun fun, 20 drinking bars, and huge casino atmosphere we are reading in the reviews is for us! lol

relaxing romance is more what we're after!

we want to cruise the eastern carib but are looking more at the ship than the itinerary. we want a balcony or mini suite.

which do you prefer and why, the SUN or the PEARL?

thanks for your thoughts!

[Sauer-kraut]

Wheee! I'm booked on the SUN in October, I have heard she's a smaller ship, friendly crew. As to balcony or mini-suite the mini is just a bigger balcony room and has no perks associated with it. Will you said Fall cruise, if it falls within a university holiday time it might have more students having a fun fun fun fling. Can't say anything about the Pearl.... ;)

[STARFISH*4]

booked on the Sun for b2b E/W Caribbean on the Sun for December

want to sail on the Pearl someday...its newer...

but the SUN price was to hard to pass up!!

[signora]

Went on the Pearl last Dec. She was gorgeous and if she's still going to Santiago we can recommend a fantastic tour guide, well known on these boards. My only problem with the ship is the gigantic Wii screen in the main area where the purser's desk, coffee bar is, etc. This seems standard equipment on all the new NCL ships. Yuukkk! Not exactly intimate and/or romantic when you're sipping your latte watching the folks go by. Still, a quibble: overall we had a great cruise. The food was excellent and we mostly stuck to the main dining rooms and the buffet and only paid extra for Teppanyaki which frankly is about the show and not the food.

 

(The tour guide by the way is Terry Lee Bandini, expat married to a DR woman, loves his new country, VERY nice and attentive--we did the horseback ride to a gigantic waterfall and it was a one-of-a-kind experience.)

 

Overall I highly recommend the ship.

[AerynSun_JohnCrighton]

Can't comment on Sun, but we did Pearl Thanksgiving of 08 (not quite 2 yrs ago) She was pretty, and we didn't feel it was too crowded. (Mom doesn't like the BIG ships either..we did Marnier of the Seas a few yrs ago and it was a little too much for her) We did Italian, Tex Mex and Le Bistro. (My parents also did Cagney's) We liked them all... we did not do the Japanese steak house as we have several where we live, and it was the most expensive. They are a few places w/ nice music in the evenings, Piano bars and such we enjoyed. Me and dad also did the Murder Mystery thing in one of the MDR and it was fun. I think you'd like her. I'm sure I wrote a review if you want to go to the reviews section and look it up.

 

Meg

[roger001]

We were on the Pearl about a year ago and have been on 2 other NCL ships. We have the Sun scheduled in Nov. so can't speak of it yet. All of the ships have had their unique differences but have all been excellent in their different ways. However, I guess we like the Pearl best because of the Great Outdoor eating area and grill and the best buffet. As someone said, unless the mini suite is a super good price, it doesn't offer much more than the regular balcony rooms, especially for just two persons. It does have a tub and a curtain room divider I believe that the regular balcony doesn't.

[mtwingcpa]

I've been on the Pearl, but not the Sun. The Pearl is one of their newer ships, while the Sun is one of the older. I believe the Sun was the first ship built with the multiple restaurant Freestyle format in mind, while the Pearl reflects a more recent refinement of the concept, including a much improved buffet.

 

But I'm not sure any of that helps with your choice. :-)

[mpk218]

Have sailed both and if you are looking for the more intimate smaller ship with fewer passangers then the Sun is for you . I like both ships but really enjoy the Sun when its just the two of us sailing ( kids stay home;)).

If you can swing a suite , go for the AC on the stern .

Theres nothing like that balcony and a glass of wine at sunset. Really ;)

[jdvmd]

Sailed on both ships last year and we are booked on the Epic this October. Loved both the Sun and the Pearl. On the Sun, we had a mini suite on the Pool Deck and really loved the room especially the bath/closet/sink arrangement. We had three people in that cabin for 14 nights (South American itinerary) and it was extremely comfortable.

On the Pearl, we upselled two days before the cruise to an AB suite from a balcony. We loved that cabin.

I would choose the intinerary that you are most interested in and go from there. We loved both ships and found lots of quiet spots on both.

And congratulations on your anniversary!

[Clay Clayton]

Like others I can only give advice on Sun (trying to get on the Pearl for the Fall) and tell you that DDP and I really loved both our cruises on her. Do be aware that she is scheduled for a dry dock in January so she certainly isn't as new and sparkly as I presume Pearl is.

 

Regarding the mini-suite, if you can snag one of the aft facing mini's grab it. Unlike other mini-suites I have experienced, these feel more like the Penthouse or Romance suites though they don't come with the perks of the suite...or the cost I presume. We were next door to one and got to know our neighbors on our SAmerican cruise. They had gotten an upgrade to it from a balcony...lucky folks!

[TexasPAProf]

Have sailed both and if you are looking for the more intimate smaller ship with fewer passangers then the Sun is for you . I like both ships but really enjoy the Sun when its just the two of us sailing ( kids stay home;)).

If you can swing a suite , go for the AC on the stern .

Theres nothing like that balcony and a glass of wine at sunset. Really ;)

 

I must concur with the comments regarding the AC Suite on the stern of NCL Sun. I enjoyed this suite on a cruise to Alaska and absolutely loved the HUGE wrap-around balcony. The room is very well designed with a separated bedroom, and the cost for the AC suite on NCL Sun was less than some balconies on many other ships. I don't believe that you would be disappointed with this suite, and on the NCL Sun I never felt crowded.

 

Hope this is useful. Good luck in finding the cruise of your dreams.

[DMH15]

Hello, my dh and i want to go on our first cruise together for our 25th anniversary this fall.

we are presently booked on epic but i'm not sure the big crowds, fast paced, fun fun fun, 20 drinking bars, and huge casino atmosphere we are reading in the reviews is for us! lol

relaxing romance is more what we're after!

we want to cruise the eastern carib but are looking more at the ship than the itinerary. we want a balcony or mini suite.

which do you prefer and why, the SUN or the PEARL?

thanks for your thoughts!

 

For such a special occasion, I would suggest the WONDERFUL AC aft penthouse on the Sun. You would be in your own special wonderful world. I splurged on it last year and NO REGRETS! I would eat pb&j all year just to cruise again in this suite. Did I love it? YES!!! YES!!! YES!!!!!!

[DMH15]

Have sailed both and if you are looking for the more intimate smaller ship with fewer passangers then the Sun is for you . I like both ships but really enjoy the Sun when its just the two of us sailing ( kids stay home;)).

If you can swing a suite , go for the AC on the stern .

Theres nothing like that balcony and a glass of wine at sunset. Really ;)

 

I posted and then read the rest of the replies...

 

we think alike. Love that AC 9076 :)

[DMH15]

I must concur with the comments regarding the AC Suite on the stern of NCL Sun. I enjoyed this suite on a cruise to Alaska and absolutely loved the HUGE wrap-around balcony. The room is very well designed with a separated bedroom, and the cost for the AC suite on NCL Sun was less than some balconies on many other ships. I don't believe that you would be disappointed with this suite, and on the NCL Sun I never felt crowded.

 

Hope this is useful. Good luck in finding the cruise of your dreams.

 

And from another Texan, agree with you 100%.

 

At one time I saw some really good prices and then they seemed to skyrocket. Regardless, I don't think I could cruise on the Sun again without being in an AC.

[Hikini]

I've not been on the Sun but have been on the Sky which is a sister ship to the Sun. I've also been on the Pearl. The Pearl is newer and therefore more glitzy. I agree with an earlier poster that said they didn't like the giant Wii screen in the atrium area. I think it's a completely silly idea.

 

But the Pearl is a beautiful ship and I'm sure with both ships you will find plenty of places to be alone or secluded and share romantic time with your spouse. We did.:)

 

The Sky (assuming it is a lot like the Sun here) has many wonderful places both for busy-ness and for quietness.

 

I think you'll be happy with either one, so pick the itinerary that sounds best to you. And have a happy anniversary!!!

 

Hikini:D

[LBS1]

And I will be the third Texan to recommend the AC suite on the Sun! Had it two years ago, and for the price it is the BEST room on any NCL ship. Huge balcony, quiet hallway, and because the Sun is a smaller ship not to far from anything.

 

I have also sailed in ab AB on the Pearl. While the room was more nicely appointed, richer wood finish, coffee maker, flat screen TV's everywhere and a separate kids room, I missed the large balcony of the Sun's AC, with its expansive views.

 

I have photos of both rooms in my address link.

[4lifeinnh]

thank you all for your very helpful replies. i think we are leaning more toward the itinerary of the pearl. if you could, would you spring for a mini suite or is the balcony "good enough"?

[mpk218]

I posted and then read the rest of the replies...

 

we think alike. Love that AC 9076 :)

 

I'LL be back in that suite come December :D

[AerynSun_JohnCrighton]

thank you all for your very helpful replies. i think we are leaning more toward the itinerary of the pearl. if you could, would you spring for a mini suite or is the balcony "good enough"?

 

Other than the tub there's not much of a difference. I don't think we would've paid extra for it... we only got mini-suite because we booked BAL guarantee and then prices dropped twice and we called our TA and they got up first moved up to higher BAL cat and then 2nd time Mini-suite...

[kardon]

We loved the Sun until we were on the Pearl. We thought the food was much better on the Pearl, but that's subjective so I'm sure others will disagree.

 

We had a mini suite on the Pearl and loved it, just a bit bigger than a reg. balcony cabin and my dh is an early riser and he could draw the curtain between the bed area and sitting area and not bother me. Only complaint was that the sofa on the Pearl was hard as a rock, they really need to do something about those.