NCL Pearl

[pete_coach]

Just got off the Pearl and as a first time NCLer, it was a great cruise. We have been on others but really like what the Pearl had to offer.

Lots of eateries, great entertainment all over the ship, at all hours and the service, especially by our cabin attendant was excellent. We had a very good time on the cruise.

Our singular complaint was the smoking area. It is far and away the largest of all the ships we have been on. The entire starboard length of the pool deck (deck 12), under the walkway for deck 13 was for smokers. Basically half the pool deck. Even the loungers in that half were not immune to the smoke.

Also, the casino seemed to be a smoking area. To get to the theater on deck 6, you needed to walk through the casino and it smelled like an ashtray...all the time, even when the casino was closed.

There were more smoking areas on this ship than on any ship we have been on. Are all NCL ships this generous with smoking areas?

[FranknBeans]

Just got off the Pearl and as a first time NCLer, it was a great cruise. We have been on others but really like what the Pearl had to offer.

Lots of eateries, great entertainment all over the ship, at all hours and the service, especially by our cabin attendant was excellent. We had a very good time on the cruise.

Our singular complaint was the smoking area. It is far and away the largest of all the ships we have been on. The entire starboard length of the pool deck (deck 12), under the walkway for deck 13 was for smokers. Basically half the pool deck. Even the loungers in that half were not immune to the smoke.

Also, the casino seemed to be a smoking area. To get to the theater on deck 6, you needed to walk through the casino and it smelled like an ashtray...all the time, even when the casino was closed.

There were more smoking areas on this ship than on any ship we have been on. Are all NCL ships this generous with smoking areas?

 

Maybe if you quit smoking you wouldn't find the walk so far.

[cruisecraze96]

Maybe if you quit smoking you wouldn't find the walk so far.

 

I think the question was not around how far they were but more of a question regarding are All NCL ships like this with the amount of smoking areas available.? If you actually read the question, which from your post you did not, you would see they were complaining about the smoking areas not the distance to get them.

 

To OP, sadly one of the reasons we chose the Pearl was because of the smoking areas available. I personally do not smoke but both my mom and sister do so I try to find ships that allow smoking in the Casino at both game tables and slots as well as an outdoor area.

[pete_coach]

Maybe if you quit smoking you wouldn't find the walk so far.

Where did you get the impression that I smoked? I was quite certain I said it was a complaint and that it smelled.

[pete_coach]

I think the question was not around how far they were but more of a question regarding are All NCL ships like this with the amount of smoking areas available.? If you actually read the question, which from your post you did not, you would see they were complaining about the smoking areas not the distance to get them.

 

To OP, sadly one of the reasons we chose the Pearl was because of the smoking areas available. I personally do not smoke but both my mom and sister do so I try to find ships that allow smoking in the Casino at both game tables and slots as well as an outdoor area.

I kinda guessed that NCL attracts more smokers than other cruise lines due to their liberal smoking policy.

I do think, as much as well liked the cruise, ship and service, that it may lessen our choice of NCL when choosing our next cruise.

 

Oh and, I am a former smoker, I am not evangelistic about smoking but do enjoy a smoke free atmosphere nowadays.

And I agree that FranknBeans did not read or comprehend the original post. :)

[Chris2018]

I just got off the Norwegian Breakaway. It smelled like an ashtray over many different decks INSIDE of the ship due to the casino being connected to an atrium area. As mentioned, you have to walk through the casino also to conveniently get to a theatre and main dining room.

 

I will not sail with Norwegian again because of the smokers. Why should we get lung cancer during my vacation due to second hand smoke? Smokers and NCL should be ashamed of themselves for promoting cancer.

[Paul Bogle]

I think it has less to do with the Pearl and more to do with the home port. Every cruise we have taken departing from the Gulf coast regardless of line had noticeably more smokers than ships leaving from the east or west coast.

[cruisecraze96]

I just got off the Norwegian Breakaway. It smelled like an ashtray over many different decks INSIDE of the ship due to the casino being connected to an atrium area. As mentioned, you have to walk through the casino also to conveniently get to a theatre and main dining room.

 

I will not sail with Norwegian again because of the smokers. Why should we get lung cancer during my vacation due to second hand smoke? Smokers and NCL should be ashamed of themselves for promoting cancer.

 

Sorry have not been on yet, but looking at the deck plans could you not just go up to deck 7 and then across and down again? I bet it is still bad, since it is the same on CCL but I have found that there is a way either above or below the casino to get most anywhere? Again, have not been on the Pearl and will be in July and will then find out first hand. I am just looking at deck plans and that was my course of action since I don't normally bring the kids through the casino.

[emcelh]

I just got off the Norwegian Breakaway. It smelled like an ashtray over many different decks INSIDE of the ship due to the casino being connected to an atrium area. As mentioned, you have to walk through the casino also to conveniently get to a theatre and main dining room.

 

I will not sail with Norwegian again because of the smokers. Why should we get lung cancer during my vacation due to second hand smoke? Smokers and NCL should be ashamed of themselves for promoting cancer.

Which lines don't permit smoking inside? I would be interested. I've heard Celebrity is smoke free inside but have no first-hand experience.

[kevmoley]

Where did you get the impression that I smoked? I was quite certain I said it was a complaint and that it smelled.

 

Sadly, I think some people like to respond before actually reading the full reviews.

 

I have been on the Star (Mexican Riviera) and the Epic (Europe) and didn't notice the smoke to be that bad. I might have simply been lucky.

 

I am glad you enjoyed your trip. My wife and I booked the Jewel for Alaska in 2019.

[Cruisercl]

Maybe if you quit smoking you wouldn't find the walk so far.

 

What??

[RD29P5]

That did not reflect my experience on the Pearl last Sept. Yes there were smoker's on the pool deck, but to say that the entire starboard side was a smoking area is a bit over stated. Since the kids pool is on that side, it's more like 1/3 of the pool deck is open to smoker's. Yeah the casino can be smoke filled, but I think that really depends on the number of passenger's smoking. That's the reality of pretty much any casino on land, or at sea. Getting to the theater is quite easy since there is an entrance to the theater on deck 7, and stairs and elevator's right outside the theater if you want to be in the lower section of the theater.

[fastpitchdad]

That did not reflect my experience on the Pearl last Sept. Yes there were smoker's on the pool deck, but to say that the entire starboard side was a smoking area is a bit over stated. Since the kids pool is on that side, it's more like 1/3 of the pool deck is open to smoker's. Yeah the casino can be smoke filled, but I think that really depends on the number of passenger's smoking. That's the reality of pretty much any casino on land, or at sea. Getting to the theater is quite easy since there is an entrance to the theater on deck 7, and stairs and elevator's right outside the theater if you want to be in the lower section of the theater.

 

Was that an Alaska cruise out of Seattle? If so maybe there is something to be said number of smokers from a departure port.

[RD29P5]

Was that an Alaska cruise out of Seattle? If so maybe there is something to be said number of smokers from a departure port.

 

Yes, I think that's a big part of the amount of smoke on ships.

[pete_coach]

That did not reflect my experience on the Pearl last Sept. Yes there were smoker's on the pool deck, but to say that the entire starboard side was a smoking area is a bit over stated. Since the kids pool is on that side, it's more like 1/3 of the pool deck is open to smoker's. Yeah the casino can be smoke filled, but I think that really depends on the number of passenger's smoking. That's the reality of pretty much any casino on land, or at sea. Getting to the theater is quite easy since there is an entrance to the theater on deck 7, and stairs and elevator's right outside the theater if you want to be in the lower section of the theater.

I disagree. I was just on it. I said the entire starboard (right) side was smoking. The kids pool is on the port (left) side. The smoking area was from the showers (aft) to the front of the 2nd pool (fwd).

 

As for walking through the casino to get to the theater, yes, you can get to the theater walking on deck 7 but the point was that the casino stunk like an ashtray because of the smoke and if you are in one of the 3 bars, Indigo dining room or Le Bistro, you are on deck 6 and that is way to the theater from there.

We have been to many casinos, including Las Vegas where yes, they have a smoking section but they are small and getting smaller.

 

Again, I have been on several cruise lines and NCL Pearl had the largest and most generous smoking sections of any I have been on. I do not know if this is individual ship or entire cruise line policy.

 

Lastly, as I said in the beginning, it was a great cruise and my only complaint was the size and amount of smoking allowed.

[fastpitchdad]

I disagree. I was just on it. I said the entire starboard (right) side was smoking. The kids pool is on the port (left) side. The smoking area was from the showers (aft) to the front of the 2nd pool (fwd).

 

As for walking through the casino to get to the theater, yes, you can get to the theater walking on deck 7 but the point was that the casino stunk like an ashtray because of the smoke and if you are in one of the 3 bars, Indigo dining room or Le Bistro, you are on deck 6 and that is way to the theater from there.

We have been to many casinos, including Las Vegas where yes, they have a smoking section but they are small and getting smaller.

 

Again, I have been on several cruise lines and NCL Pearl had the largest and most generous smoking sections of any I have been on. I do not know if this is individual ship or entire cruise line policy.

 

Lastly, as I said in the beginning, it was a great cruise and my only complaint was the size and amount of smoking allowed.

 

As mentioned above, cruises out of Seattle likely have fewer smokers.

[pete_coach]

Which lines don't permit smoking inside? I would be interested. I've heard Celebrity is smoke free inside but have no first-hand experience.

From the Celebrity website " Celebrity Cruises' Smoking Policy permits cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking in designated outdoor areas of the ship. Smoking is not permitted in any dining venue, casino, theater, lounge, hallway, elevator, or corridor."

The smoking section was outdoors on the aft top deck. Any second hand smoke was blown overboard and back. We like Celebrity for many things not just the smoking policy.

[pete_coach]

As mentioned above, cruises out of Seattle likely have fewer smokers.

Why? Are the demographics of those on the Alaska cruises different?

[fastpitchdad]

Why? Are the demographics of those on the Alaska cruises different?

 

People in the southeast smoke a lot more than they do in northwest (tobacco anyway ;) ). A quick google sanity shows a about 50% more people smoke in the southeast although I am not sure how the pax demographic for each destination skews this one way or the other...my gut tells me it would be even higher than 50%.

[pete_coach]

People in the southeast smoke a lot more than they do in northwest (tobacco anyway ;) ). A quick google sanity shows a about 50% more people smoke in the southeast although I am not sure how the pax demographic for each destination skews this one way or the other...my gut tells me it would be even higher than 50%.

I guess you are right about that but, does that apply to cruising? Don't people come from all over cruise? They come form the Southeast as much as they come from Europe (Europeans seem to smoke more too).

[newmexicoNita]

Just got off the Pearl and as a first time NCLer, it was a great cruise. We have been on others but really like what the Pearl had to offer.

Lots of eateries, great entertainment all over the ship, at all hours and the service, especially by our cabin attendant was excellent. We had a very good time on the cruise.

Our singular complaint was the smoking area. It is far and away the largest of all the ships we have been on. The entire starboard length of the pool deck (deck 12), under the walkway for deck 13 was for smokers. Basically half the pool deck. Even the loungers in that half were not immune to the smoke.

Also, the casino seemed to be a smoking area. To get to the theater on deck 6, you needed to walk through the casino and it smelled like an ashtray...all the time, even when the casino was closed.

There were more smoking areas on this ship than on any ship we have been on. Are all NCL ships this generous with smoking areas?

gee, I have never noticed it being that bad. Yes, when we first go in and do a little slot playing we can smell it, but not when we just walk through and it is closed. other than the mega NCL ships I have never thought the ships were much different than other lines. Other than the casino about the only smoking areas are one side of the pool deck and the cigar bar.

[fastpitchdad]

I guess you are right about that but, does that apply to cruising? Don't people come from all over cruise? They come form the Southeast as much as they come from Europe (Europeans seem to smoke more too).

 

I think the demographics have a regional bias and an outdoorsy port intensive cruise like Alaska might attract fewer smokers as well.

Edited March 7, 2018 by fastpitchdad