NCL Jewel or Pearl for Alaska

[PixieLegal]

Looking to cruise Alaska next year, Do people like the Jewel or the Pearl better? May have to go with which itinerary is better too, I heard Glacier Bay is the way to go. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[GrabMyWrist]

I can't speak as to which ship, as I've only sailed on the Jewel. That said, the Sawyer Glacier itinerary was awesome.

[PixieLegal]

Alaska is going to take me some time! Between the ships and sailings, decisions decisions. I heard Glacier Bay has more ice & wildlife to see....don't know how true that is....but I am very curious which ship is nicer. Or when you go to Alaska is the itinerary is more important?

[cruizinator]

Looking to cruise Alaska next year, Do people like the Jewel or the Pearl better? May have to go with which itinerary is better too, I heard Glacier Bay is the way to go. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

I'm going on my first NCL cruise next month..a 10 day on the Pearl to Glacier Bay. So..can't answer your question of which ship is better. But...this will be my 3rd cruise to Glacier Bay and I'm as excited as I was the 1st time.

 

The scenery is amazing! For a 1st or only cruise to Alaska....I would definitely recommend Glacier Bay!!

 

Whatever ship you choose.....I hope you have a wonderful cruise!

[sdmike]

The ships are basically the same. They are both Jewel class. The Pearl has bowling, but I think that's about the only difference.

 

We took the Jewel and loved it. Other say that Glacier Bay is stunning and not to be missed. The Jewel itinerary is a little cheaper, but you'll spend (or should) the $200 you save on an excursion on a small boat to Sawyer.

 

If you do a search on this topic (something like ... Jewel or Pearl) you'll get a bunch of answers to this question with pictures, etc. that will be very helpful.

 

I also have lots of pictures in my Jewel review in my signature area.

 

Edit: Running to a meeting, but grabbed a couple:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1966040

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1954749

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1987046

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1978925

Edited April 15, 2014 by sdmike

[PixieLegal]

I have had good experiences working with NCL but have not sailed them. Is it worth is to consider RCCL or any other comparable lines?

[sillymonkey23]

Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong when selecting an Alaskan cruise. There are many cruise lines and variations on itineraries, however MOST of the time the ships visit the three main Alaskan ports of Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan.

 

Husband and I love the Pearl, having sailed on her twice. However, the layout of the Jewel and Pearl is nearly identical with only very few differences.The main difference between the Pearl and the Jewel is Glacier Bay versus Tracy Arm. I understand that Tracy Arm is beautiful also, but my husband and I did the Glacier Bay itinerary in August of last year and it was amazing!

 

Here are some photos to help me explain:

 

 

The water in Glacier Bay has a silky, lagoon-like quality to it. It made the experience feel magical and gave off a story-book like vibe.

 

 

I would recommend booking a balcony cabin. We were able to purchase hot (alcoholic or nonalcoholic) beverages the morning of Glacier Bay and they were delivered straight to our room. Nothing like sipping a hot cup of deliciousness on the balcony with your spouse while taking in the sights of Glacier Bay!

 

 

 

We loved Alaska so much we are planning to return in 2015 to bring my parents. We are seriously considering the Jewel this time so that we can check out Tracy Arm, even though we loved Glacier Bay so much.

 

Happy planning!

[roger001]

We've done the Alaska cruise on both ships. As mentioned, either ship is just fine, both very similar. For first trip, seeing Glacier Bay seems to be the favorite which wold be the Pearl. Look at port stop times for both and see what interests you more. Also, I believe the cruise price on the Jewel is usually a bit cheaper than the Pearl. You won't go wrong which ever you pick.

[sdmike]

I have had good experiences working with NCL but have not sailed them. Is it worth is to consider RCCL or any other comparable lines?

 

I priced Princess, RCI and NCL to Alaska and they were similarly priced. I think when we went, Princess was the least expensive by a couple hundred dollars, but we love NCL's freestyle and didn't want to switch just to save a few bills. HAL also sails a lot in AK.

 

Princess and HAL tend to have a more mature crowd and more traditional cruising, like with formal nights, etc. RCI has their own version of "anytime dining", but still has formal nights. NCL is casual and the entire ship is "anytime dining" just like land restaurants...and they do it well.

 

So decide on where you want to go, see who goes there, and then decide based on some of the above criteria. If you like dressing up, sitting with the same people each night at a shared table at a set dining time, then HAL or Princess is more for you (or RCI). If you like less structure, NCL is your better choice.

[sdmike]

Nice pictures, sillymonkey. One difference is the drama of Tracy Arm fjord that you don't get in Glacier Bay. Having tall granite mountains on each side as you navigate a 30mi passage is kinda cool in itself. Having said that, since I've done TA/Sawyer, my next AK trip will be to Glacier Bay.

 

Folks are right...the OP really can't go wrong with either ship/itinerary

 

Here's a few from Tracy Arm and Sawyer

 

 

 

 

[VideoTech]

Choose the itinerary first - and when you do, make sure you're choosing Glacier Bay. If' you're only going to do Alaska by cruise ship the one time, then Glacier Bay is a must.

 

As mentioned, the Jewel and the Pearl are the same class of ship and very similar. But the Pearl is our favorite NCL ship. Not sure why, but we always seem to find the nicest crew, and the best service on the Pearl.

[Love my butler]

Been on both to Alaska several times. Strongly prefer the Pearl.

[barnacle_boy]

Pearl has two Deluxe Owner's Suites on Deck 15, a rock climbing wall, and bowling. Jewel has private karaoke rooms. They also have very different spa and casino layouts, and the position of the lounge and the duty-free shops is reversed. I personally prefer the spa layout of Pearl with the saunas located directly over the bridge wings. Jewel's hydrotherapy pool is much smaller, and the hot tile loungers on Jewel face forward while on Pearl they face starboard.

 

I agree with most here, I really like Pearl more than Jewel. Definitely a better bunch of crew onboard Pearl who really go out of their way to make sure you have a great time.

[PixieLegal]

I priced Princess, RCI and NCL to Alaska and they were similarly priced. I think when we went, Princess was the least expensive by a couple hundred dollars, but we love NCL's freestyle and didn't want to switch just to save a few bills. HAL also sails a lot in AK.

 

Princess and HAL tend to have a more mature crowd and more traditional cruising, like with formal nights, etc. RCI has their own version of "anytime dining", but still has formal nights. NCL is casual and the entire ship is "anytime dining" just like land restaurants...and they do it well.

 

So decide on where you want to go, see who goes there, and then decide based on some of the above criteria. If you like dressing up, sitting with the same people each night at a shared table at a set dining time, then HAL or Princess is more for you (or RCI). If you like less structure, NCL is your better choice.

 

Yes for our vacation we want a lot of Freedom to decide how our vacation will flow. How is the entertainment on board? Again I am afraid Princess and HAL will be dull. The allure of sailing Princess is it will be more regal and elegant. The Pearl seems fun but is it any less fancy? Although many on here seem to love it :) Also if we are going to cruise more often though I could see us sailing NCL more than Princess. I think it is important to build loyalty with a brand and then you tend to get better deals and such. Do you find this true?Or is better just to sail them (brands/ships) all randomly as it suits the vacation?

[TexasBorderAussie]

Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong when selecting an Alaskan cruise. There are many cruise lines and variations on itineraries, however MOST of the time the ships visit the three main Alaskan ports of Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan.

 

Husband and I love the Pearl, having sailed on her twice. However, the layout of the Jewel and Pearl is nearly identical with only very few differences.The main difference between the Pearl and the Jewel is Glacier Bay versus Tracy Arm. I understand that Tracy Arm is beautiful also, but my husband and I did the Glacier Bay itinerary in August of last year and it was amazing!

 

Here are some photos to help me explain:

 

 

The water in Glacier Bay has a silky, lagoon-like quality to it. It made the experience feel magical and gave off a story-book like vibe.

 

 

I would recommend booking a balcony cabin. We were able to purchase hot (alcoholic or nonalcoholic) beverages the morning of Glacier Bay and they were delivered straight to our room. Nothing like sipping a hot cup of deliciousness on the balcony with your spouse while taking in the sights of Glacier Bay!

 

 

 

We loved Alaska so much we are planning to return in 2015 to bring my parents. We are seriously considering the Jewel this time so that we can check out Tracy Arm, even though we loved Glacier Bay so much.

 

Happy planning!

 

Thank you for the pictures. Helping to get me more excited for our trip next month.

[fishin' musician]

I've done Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay and to me they are both spectacular, but I have a slight preference for the drama of Tracy Arm.

 

FWIW, Princess and HAL have naturalists/narrators on board that provide commentary when cruising these and other interesting locations and will point out the critters and interesting features.

 

RCI does not go to Glacier Bay.