Pearl Tips and Secrets

[TheTruth79]

Love this thread! I'll be on the Pearl in December to Panama Canal. Thanks everyone!

[Lydia B.]

Go to your local dollar store and pick up some of the battery operated flameless candles. Each candle will run for 40 hours....we find they are a must for the bathroom.

Seems most cruise lines put the light for the bathroom on the outside of the bathroom...you turn it on and although try and get in quickly usually wake up everyone else with the bright light.

These little candles are enough to see by without turning on the big lights.

 

Also someone asked about putting things to dry on the balcony....that is a no no on ships.

We are doing the Pearl next spring and are enjoying every ones tips. Thanks! Lydia of Ohio

[mommyz]

Kid's Cafe - between the buffet and Great Outdoors. Nice place for the little ones to sit and eat at tables their size. Adult size chairs and tables also located there.

 

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Is there still the kid's café on the Pearl and if so what floor is it located on? We will be on in Dec with the kids and my youngest would love this.

[Xers]

You can bring cases of diet cokes (only Pepsi is served onboard) and waters. We picked up one of both in Seattle, taped a luggage tag on them, and they were delivered to our room like luggage. People asked me where I found coke instead of pepsi onboard. :)

 

If you like maps, bring a route map ( I ordered mine from Amazon with a book). It was fun keeping up with where we were. Everyday someone would stop me to ask if I bought it onboard.

 

Spinnaker lounge is a great place for glacier viewing. They also open the bow on glacier bay day. The bridge viewing is always open.

 

Sign up for your meet and greet. Your group can probably get a tour of the bridge, if you ask the captain at the meet and greet. This was my husband's favorite activity on the ship.

 

We loved eating in the great outdoors. If it was a little too cool, we took our food from the buffet into la Cucina for breakfast and lunch. We had a UDP, And we enjoyed everyone of the specialty dining restaurants.

 

Enjoy the Pearl and Alaska!

[Xers]

The children's cafe near the great outdoors is still there. I did not see any food served there, but the small furniture is there.

[CapCrunch]

Someone mentioned in another thread that on the Pearl (and maybe other Jewel class ships) there's a bar outside the Stardust Theater, over on the starboard side near where the restrooms are.

A little hart for me to picture, not having been there yet, but I'll be looking for it. Oh yes, I WILL be looking for it...

Edited November 4, 2015 by CapCrunch

[Kierste]

We used our sturdy boca clips to clip wet suits to the backs of our balcony chairs and kept them under the overhang to dry. That way they won't blow away or get soaked by surprise showers.

[nancydow]

No tennis on board that we could find!

[jemz1949]

Regarding the tennis question....We were on the Pearl in July 2014 cruising Alaska. At that time, there was an area that served as a single, multipurpose basketball, soccer and tennis court that was for the most part, set up to be one or the other based on what NCL led activity was scheduled.

[Heaven6566]

Regarding the tennis question....We were on the Pearl in July 2014 cruising Alaska. At that time, there was an area that served as a single, multipurpose basketball, soccer and tennis court that was for the most part, set up to be one or the other based on what NCL led activity was scheduled.

 

It's still there, you have to request to habe the net set up.

[nancydow]

We went up at the designated tennis time and couldn't find anyone to help us so we gave up. There were plenty of other things to do anyway!

[dolfinmusic]

Someone mentioned in another thread that on the Pearl (and maybe other Jewel class ships) there's a bar outside the Stardust Theater, over on the starboard side near where the restrooms are.

A little hart for me to picture, not having been there yet, but I'll be looking for it. Oh yes, I WILL be looking for it...

 

It's a makeshift bar they set up for shows and events in the theater

[Wendy61ennseael]

Thanks Deschoolie. I am on the Panama (Miami to LA) in April and had been wondering about the cost of the Spa Pass. How may days was your trip? Were there plenty of passes or did you need to purchase as soon as you were on board? What was included with the passes? Thanks heaps. Enjoying this thread, but I thought there would be way more info as this ship is so loved by so many.

Spa pass for a 7 day or longer cruise is about $199 per adult. You can prepurchse as early as 90 days before your sail date in your myNCL log I. Or call the NCL service line It will be $20 more pp on board. And remember, they limit the number of passes. Best to pre purchase.

[goldwing girl]

just bought my spa pass for our 10 panama cruise this march and I pre paid online it was $ 159 per person

[watchdiva]

Bought my Pearl spa pass for $159 online for 10 day Alaska cruise in May.

 

 

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[Lorey2007]

We'll be on a 11 day Panama Canal cruise next year. We are recently back from a Getaway cruise and were disappointed that many activities that are usually held in a lounge were done in the middle of the Atrium it was mostly a big loud mess. Where on the Pearl are the activities such as Not so Newlywed, trivia, bingo, etc held?

[jeffregpuck]

We'll be on a 11 day Panama Canal cruise next year. We are recently back from a Getaway cruise and were disappointed that many activities that are usually held in a lounge were done in the middle of the Atrium it was mostly a big loud mess. Where on the Pearl are the activities such as Not so Newlywed, trivia, bingo, etc held?

 

On our Pearl cruise this past July/August, all of these things were held in the Spinnaker lounge.

[Vanessa L]

I am doing a quick fam trip on this ship next week. I am unfamiliar with NCL but reading a few sites, I see that shorts are not permitted in the main dining rooms after 6PM? Is this strictly enforced? I have nice, dress shorts that I've worn on other lines and have been fine. Thank you in advance for your expertise :)

[drvalo]

I am doing a quick fam trip on this ship next week. I am unfamiliar with NCL but reading a few sites, I see that shorts are not permitted in the main dining rooms after 6PM? Is this strictly enforced? I have nice, dress shorts that I've worn on other lines and have been fine. Thank you in advance for your expertise :)

 

There are plenty of places to eat while wearing shorts. The MDR in the back of the ship is the more formal MDR and does not allow shorts for dinner. I have worn capris there many times, though, and had no problem, but have seen those in shorts turned away. The midship MDR, serving the same food, has no such dress code. Also Le Bistro does not allow shorts.

Edited February 18, 2016 by drvalo

[Vanessa L]

There are plenty of places to eat while wearing shorts. The MDR in the back of the ship is the more formal MDR and does not allow shorts for dinner. I have worn capris there many times, though, and had no problem, but have seen those in shorts turned away. The midship MDR, serving the same food, has no such dress code. Also Le Bistro does not allow shorts.

 

Awesome! Thank you so much for the information!

[alpshi]

Does anyone know what the charge is for laundry, (Not dry clean or anything special) Also when you order room service (like a pizza) Do you pay 7.95 fee or the fee plus the price of a pizza. Same with a hamburger, fee plus hamburger or just the fee. Thanks! This site is so helpful, I check it every evening! It will be fun to match names and faces!

Edited March 17, 2016 by alpshi

[Joyously Sailing Away]

Just found out chocolate buffet is on Fridays!!!!! Yahhhh

 

 

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[justinkas]

Nope...Chocolate buffets have been permanently nixed, cancelled forever.

[buddy1755]

I will be on this ship in march 17, keeping an eye on this, I also read that the Pearl will be going in for a upgrade in 2017, hope its before our cruise.....

[lmintzer]

Love all of these tips! I'm planning on printing them out or saving to my phone for sure!

 

A few questions: what is the rule on power strips? I thought I read somewhere that they are not allowed. But we will certainly need extra places to plug in items (we'll have 3 phones and a few camera chargers at minimum). What do you recommend?

 

Does an over-the-door shoe holder work on the bathroom door of a Pearl Mini-Suite? I'm wondering if that could be useful for stashing shoes plus extra small items. I will be sharing the mini-suite with my teen and tween boy, so we need all the storage tips we can get. It's going to be a bit tight for us (we are not super light packers).

 

Oh, and with "good" coffee machine, is there cream and sugar nearby? I will be coming on board with my coffee thermos, ready for a "fill up" each morning. : )

 

TIA!