Just back from the Pearl 7/1-7/8

[akfishergirl]

Can't wait to read your review, in the meantime I have some questions and requests

 

Do you have a copy of the dailies you can post? YES I have them all but have not scanned them yet....

Do you have a copy of the MDR menu's? no sorry

Do you have a copy of all the specialty restaurant menu's? I have the teppenyaki menu

Was there any dinner specials like 2 4 1? If you dine in the specialties before 6pm you get a free bottle of wine....

Do kids eat free in the specialty restaurants? kids under 12 are 1/2 price

Who was the cruise director? Julie

Who was the captain?

What was the name of your butler? Wyvon was our Steward

How much is bingo? $29.90 (and my grandson who is 5 won $100!!!! he was RICH!!!)

What was the entertainment and what nights did they entertain? entertainment was free...

Did they have deal or no deal? YES and we won $550!!!!!!

If so what night? That was 2 days.....

 

 

JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you enjoyed your cruise.

 

Hope that helps!

[jdvmd]

Thanks for your comments!

[b7440]

Thank You for the info, does anyone know which airlines are part of the program?

[portland_cruiser]

Well, that was fast. Here's the review I posted.

 

 

Beautiful Alaska

 

I've just returned from a 7 day cruise to Alaska aboard the Norwegian Pearl. It was a fantastic experience in every way. My party consisted of my mother and I. It was our fourth cruise, but first to Alaska and the first time on the Pearl.

 

Embarkation was a breeze. We took a taxi from our hotel near Pioneer Square in Seattle and were at the port in minutes, we arrived about 11:00am. We quickly dropped our bags and proceeded to the check-in lines. Everything was well organized and we completed the entire process by 11:20 or so. We then found some seats and waited for boarding to begin. It seemed like just a short wait and we were boarding the ship.

 

 

Once aboard, we began exploring. Within a few minutes, we were told that the staterooms were available to drop off our carry-on bags, although they were not ready for occupancy just yet. So, we dropped our bags and continued exploring. A short time later, the rooms were ready and we headed up. We were in a mini-suite towards the aft of the ship. The room was great. Plenty of room for the two of us and we loved the larger bathroom.

 

 

The ship was easy to navigate. The only thing we had to remember is that you could not get all the way from aft to forward on deck 6 because of the main dining room. Other than that, I don't think we got lost at all. :)

 

 

On Monday, we had the Cruise Critics meet and greet. The staff that joined us included the Hotel Director, the Executive Chef, the Food and Beverage Manager, the Bar Manager, the head of Group Services, and others I'm probably forgetting. It was fun to meet them all.

 

 

On Tuesday, we had the opportunity for a bridge tour arranged by the Group Services directer, Raquel Nunez. She was wonderful (she helped arrange the meet and greet for the CC members). Our tour was conducted by the 2nd Officer, Heriela Castillo. She was very friendly and informative and answered all of our questions. If anyone from NCL reads this, Raquel and Heriela deserve special kudos.

 

 

We did three excursions - whale watching in Juneau. We saw Humpback whales, sea lions, and eagles. Very enjoyable. In Skagway we did the White Pass train ride which provided incredible scenic views. And in Victoria, we also did whale watching but unfortunately did not see whales. The crew was great though and they really tried to make the trip worthwhile.

 

 

We ate at all of the specialty restaurants except Le Bistro. We also ate in the main dining room one night, the Summer Palace (smaller main dining room) for breakfast, the Blue Lagoon for one lunch, the sushi bar twice, and the Garden Cafe for miscellaneous meals. All of the food was very good. The highlight was Cagneys. The lowlight was probably the Blue Lagoon which was fine, but just average. We had no problems except for a bit of slow service one day in the sushi bar. It looked like they may have been understaffed that day.

 

 

Our room steward was very friendly and very efficient. The room was always made up and turned down promptly and we never had to wait to return to the room. All of the staff were very friendly. Everyone always had a smile to greet you and were very willing to assist with anything we needed.

 

 

We only saw one show - Encore! It is a mix of songs from different Broadway shows. This version had Moving Out, Swing, Wicked, Mama Mia, The Producers, and one I can't remember. The performers were very good and it was very enjoyable. We also played Bingo on day and while we didn't win, it was fun.

 

 

Saving the best for (almost) last. Glacier Bay is truly beyond words to describe. It's beautiful and breathtaking and awe-inspiring. We saw whales and seals/sea lions on the way in and then simply took in the beautiful sights. It was a bit cold on the balcony, but the views were well worth that small discomfort. Just be sure to pack lots of layers (and don't forget gloves, hats, earmuffs).

 

 

Disembarkation was truly painless. We carried our bags off and simply walked off the ship when we were ready. We had room service bring breakfast, had coffee on the deck, then took on last look around and headed out. We were off the ship in 5 minutes or less. Not that we wanted to be off the ship at all. As we left, several crew members serenaded the guests off the ship. That was a nice touch.

 

 

I had had reservations about an Alaska cruise before this trip. I was not thrilled about going to chilly weather and I wasn't sure how much there would be to do if you couldn't hang out by the pool. I'm very glad to see that I was wrong. The scenery is well worth any cool weather and, except for Glacier Bay, it was not as cold as I expected. We found more than enough things to keep us occupied, even if it was just hanging out in the room and watching the views of the Inside Passage. Our next trip is to the Caribbean, but I'll go back to Alaska on the Pearl if I get the chance.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=105652

 

Great review! How was the weather? A co-worked was on the Pearl to Alaska last week and he mentioned gloomy weather and rain, though he did enjoy the cruise.

 

I will be on the Jewel on 8/11 to Alaska.

[b7440]

Found the answer on NCL website

 

 

Home**>**The Freestyle Experience**>**BagsShare

Cruise Line BAGS Program

 

Luggage Checking & Airline Boarding

 

Haul luggage or sleep in? Decisions, decisions...

 

Vacation all the way to your home airport with our BAGS program.

Don't let hauling luggage make your last day in port a total drag. Take it easy while our BAGS program checks your luggage to your final destination. Wave as you sail past long airport lines - you're checked in for your flight, too.

 

We deliver your boarding pass to your stateroom the last night of your cruise. Just put our luggage tag on your bag before bed, place it in the hallway,and that's it. And for $19.95 per person, isn't it worth avoiding the hassle? We know it's hard to say good bye on debarkation day, so spend it having fun.

 

Participating Airlines

Air Tran Airways

Alaska Airways

American Airlines

Delta Airlines

United Airlines

Jet Blue Airways

Northwest Airlines

Continental Airlines

US Airways

*

 

Passenger Eligibility

Must be traveling on a flight within the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Hawaii not included – Please See “Easy Fly Program” for additional information.

Flights must depart the same day as debarkation.

Valid Photo ID is required (Passport or Driver's License).

*

 

Please note: This service is provided by the participating air carrier. Occasionally, difficulties in processing a guest's airline records may prevent us from printing boarding passes and luggage tags on board. Should this happen, it may be necessary for guests to check in at the airport. Depending on the port of debarkation, guests may be required to clear their luggage with U.S. Customs before BAGS can check them in with the airline. Participating air lines differ by port. Please visit the ship's front desk for more information.

 

Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line will start collecting any applicable checked bags fees on behalf of the air carrier. These fees will be conveniently assessed to the guest's onboard account. Airline checked baggage fees may be waived depending upon the guest's status with the air carrier. These fees are subject to change w/o prior notice.

 

By participating in this program, you agree to pay the applicable service per person fee that will be charged to your onboard account. The BAGS enrollment fee is $19.95. You further agree and stipulate that the aggregate value of all the baggage noted herein does not exceed U.S. $100.00 and any liability of Norwegian Cruise Line for any cause whatsoever with respect to said baggage shall not exceed such sum and shall be subject to the applicable limitations set forth in the Guest Ticket Contract. This service fee includes up to two (2) pieces of checked luggage per person. You understand that Norwegian Cruise Line cannot act on behalf of the airline, therefore special arrangements such as seating assignments, meals, and other assistance must be directed to the airline.

[esp13]

Great review! How was the weather? A co-worked was on the Pearl to Alaska last week and he mentioned gloomy weather and rain, though he did enjoy the cruise.

 

I will be on the Jewel on 8/11 to Alaska.

 

We actually had decent weather all things considered. It was cloudy most of the week, but we never really got rained on (just a tiny bit here and there). The temps were a bit chilly - mid to upper 50's but we were prepared for that. Glacier Bay was colder - quite a bit of fog and mist which made it feel even colder than it was. But the beauty was worth the cold.

 

We had sun in Ketchikan on Friday and it was about 70 degrees in Victoria on Saturday, so those days were great. Given the unpredictability of Alaska weather, I thought we made out rather well.

[xenagurl]

Thanks for the informative review. I've been to Alaska but have not cruised it and it's something I'm looking forward to one day. Thanks for sharing!

[KanCruise]

I just got home from a trip on the Pearl to Alaska. I've completed a full review which will hopefully be posted soon. I just realized I should have been smart and done a cut and paste, but I'm not that smart. So this will be a brief, brief version.

 

We were in a minisuite on deck 11 aft (11628). We loved the room, particularly the larger bathroom. It was well worth the extra money.

 

The entire cruise was great and the staff of the Pearl is outstanding from top to bottom. Special shout out to the Group Services coordinator (Raquel) and the 2nd Officer (Heriela) who arranged and conducted the CC members bridge tour.

 

Glacier Bay is beyond words. So beautiful and awe-inspiring. That day alone made the whole trip worth it and that doesn't include whale watching in Juneau, the White Pass railway in Skagway, or the beauty of Victoria.

 

I know food is a hot topic here and we found the food to be quite good. The only average meal was in the Blue Lagoon. It was fine, but just average.

 

That's all I've got at the moment - it's been a long day. If anyone has any specific questions, I'll be glad to answer them.

 

Oh . . . and here's a picture of the Marjorie glacier.

 

 

 

Being in an aft cabin did you feel much motion??

 

 

 

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[Barnkitty]

My family of 8 is taking this same trip, same dates, next year. Thanks for all the great information to get us psyched!

[JZenkow]

How quiet was your stateroom? I am looking to reserve this cruise, and it would appear looking at deck plans, that your Stateroom was under La Cucina Thanks

[Dcoy]

Thanks for the review. We board in 5 weeks:D

 

We're from Florida and actually looking forward to the cool weather. Did you have much rain?

 

Don

[Weetahbugdotcom]

I just noticed that this post is from someone who sailed 5 years ago so they might not answer you/might not remember as well.

 

 

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[Laurie7]

Thanks for the great review. One silly, simple question, Do they have any pizza restaurants on board where you can just stop by and pick-up a slice? I have read about all the different restaurants, but I don't seem to see a pizza place.

[sjl1222]

Being in an aft cabin did you feel much motion??

 

 

 

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This is a pretty old post, but I just got back from this cruise and stayed in 11618. We had fairly calm seas and I didn't feel much at all in the stateroom. I'm not sure if this was just in my head, but I seemed to feel significantly more motion in the front of the ship.

[sjl1222]

How quiet was your stateroom? I am looking to reserve this cruise, and it would appear looking at deck plans, that your Stateroom was under La Cucina Thanks

I stayed in 11618, and only one night there were a lot of scraping and banging noises above us. I didn't notice much the other nights.

[KanCruise]

Thank you. This does help to know!