NORWEGIAN PEARL SPRING BREAK CRUISE - MARCH 02nd, 2007, 9 nights

[sneakerstud]

Welcome...you will love NCL! It is a great product, if you know, how the whole thing runs! You have to be a bit more pro at the beginning to get everything setteled, but then it is the best cruise experience.

 

Would love to meet you guys!

[sneakerstud]

I hate to be on the 2nd side...LOL!!!:D

[pog27]

Hey everyone I'll be on this cruise with my mother. I'm 23 and in law school in DC. This is the first cruise where I've actually found gay roll call on cruise critic, pretty exciting. This will be my first cruise on NCL. I saw the Pearl in Tortola on Christmas Day and it really looked like a nice ship. The cruise should be a blast.

[travelcruiser]

Hi, Everyone,

 

I'm also booked on this cruise. I'm a single man, retired very happily, and I live in Miami.

 

I've never been on NCL before, just Carnival, but this year I'll be trying NCL, and later RCl (Freedom of the Seas and Brilliance transatlantic in December).

 

Looking forward to meeting all of you!

[sneakerstud]

Hello and welcome to the threat! I have sailed on NCL so many times, that I can put YEARS on board on it. Yes I had also problems, but overall NCL is a great product and the Pearl is the most wonderful ship.

NCL is also very "Family" oriented and very open minded and super friendly.

 

If you have questions...don't hesitate...!

 

King Marcus

[travelcruiser]

Hello and welcome to the threat! I have sailed on NCL so many times, that I can put YEARS on board on it. Yes I had also problems, but overall NCL is a great product and the Pearl is the most wonderful ship.

NCL is also very "Family" oriented and very open minded and super friendly.

 

If you have questions...don't hesitate...!

 

King Marcus

Hi, King Marcus, and thanks for the warm welcome! I don't really have any questions, just a lot of excitement waiting for our wonderful cruise. From everything I've read about NCL and the Pearl, I think it's going to be a blast!

 

I've done 5 cruises on Carnival, and have enjoyed each one of them a lot, but this year I'll be trying NCL and RCL to give me some perspective, not to mention cruising on the Freedom of the Seas and a nice transatlantic in December on the Brilliance of the Seas. It's going to be a great year!

 

About NCL, I really like their "freestyle" approach, because I'm not inclined to "dress up" more than jeans and a T-shirt. I know I'll have to do somewhat better, but "casual" is preferable to "formal" as far as I'm concerned.

 

Regards!

[sneakerstud]

You will love NCL...it is defenitely a couple steps up to Carnival! The good thing...you can wear Jeans on the ship...even for dinner in the dining rooms. I have done it the 1st time in December on her and it felt great.

 

We all will have a blast!

 

Can't wait to meet everybody!!!

 

The King

[sneakerstud]

Paul...are we going to be neighbors??? I'm as well up on Deck14!!! That screams of parties...LOL!!!

[sneakerstud]

You are also invited to join our official Roll Call for this cruise...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=352412

[pog27]

Paul...are we going to be neighbors??? I'm as well up on Deck14!!! That screams of parties...LOL!!!

 

You are in a Courtyard Villa too? Sweet! We will have to have a party out by the pool. :D I've been meaning to post on the regular roll call and say hi...my mom already did though so I'm on the list. I added you to my yahoo messenger list, we'll have to chat sometime.

[sneakerstud]

Hey Paul,

Was nice chatting with you last night Mr. Neighbor!

 

King Marcus

[pog27]

Hey King Marcus, was good talking to you too. Where did everyone else go? A lot of people have signed up on this roll call but it's so quiet in here now. Let's get this party started!

[sneakerstud]

The other once, just do not know, what they will miss...:D

 

King Marcus

[travelcruiser]

Well, I have a question... I tried to book an excursion in Barbados through Boyce's Tours (toursbarbados.com). I'm not a beach person, so I was looking for a land excursion only, and they offer one such alternative (Bimshire Supreme).

 

In any case, after initial contact, I've been unable to get them to respond to my emails, so I still don't know if I'm booked or not.

 

Does anyone have any experience with them? Does anyone have any Barbados excursion booked that doesn't involve beaches?

 

 

Sergio

[sneakerstud]

Hey Sergio...to be honest I have been maybe 30 times or more in Barbados, but always just take a cab to the beach. This is one of the reasons, I do not really book excursions outside of the cruise line offers...you never know, what happenes and if it is for sure or safe...

 

King Marcus

[travelcruiser]

Hey Sergio...to be honest I have been maybe 30 times or more in Barbados, but always just take a cab to the beach. This is one of the reasons, I do not really book excursions outside of the cruise line offers...you never know, what happenes and if it is for sure or safe...

 

King Marcus

 

THIRTY TIMES????? :eek: :eek: :eek: My, oh, my, you sure live a nice life!!! :D

 

Like I said, I don't like the beach, so I was hoping to get a tour of whatever there is to see in the island, find some nice places to take pictures (my hobby), etc.

 

Thanks for the advice, and I think I'll do what you suggest...

 

 

Sergio

[BrianTom]

Is this turning into an Atlantis cruise? My partner and I are booked on this too. Looks like alot of fun. As you can see we have done lots of cruising on the last 11 years. Some Atlantis and some not. Both are great. It's good to see that there is good amount of family and friends of family going.

 

We were on the ship for one night with Rosie O and it was great. I am glad we did see the ship because I was able to check out the room we booked and it was very dissapointing. We have switched rooms and I am feeling better about the cruise.

 

I have to admit, I have not done NCL in while and I was a little hesitant after docking next to the sister ship the Jewel in Athens a few months ago. The ship is great and the Itinerary is great too...

[sneakerstud]

Welcome Aboard Brian & Tom! We defenitely will do the best to enjoy our time on the Pearl. I must have went on the Pearl, when you left. What kind of cabin are you in??? We actually did start out with the Deluxe Owners Suite, but after being in it, we decited it is too small for us for the price tag.

 

Can't wait anymore...

 

King Marcus

[BrianTom]

Hey King Marcus,

 

Yeah, I can not wait either. We live in Ft. Lauderdale so cruising is soooo easy. It is great to drive to the port with steamer trunks full of clothes. My BF gets the Tina Louise Award every trip for over packing.

 

We are booked in a Penthouse Suite on the stern of the ship deck 8. Originally they booked us in a Penthouse Suite that was a disabled room. When we went on the ship for the one night cruise during disembarkation we decided to wait until the rooms were empty and take a look at the cabin we booked. What a difference between the disabled room and the regular room. We almost did not go but eventually they found us a regular Penthouse Suite.

 

We have booked two (hopefully great) excursions already. We are doing an ATV trip and a Zip-line canopy trip and we still can not decide on what others to do. Hopefully we will have made up our minds for the other stuff.

 

This looks like it will be a fun ship. Running out of Martini glasses is not acceptable.

 

If you were on it too for one night, what did you think of the ship?

 

Tom

 

Tom

[sneakerstud]

Dear Tom, actually I was invited for thr Christening 2 night cruise and went the 1st time in my live Camping on Deck 5...LOL!!! I continued (booked and payed) then in the Garden Villa. I love the Pearl she is a great ship, but had some issues, which will be sorted out. Basically I slept on her already for a week! The Hotel director is a deer friend of mine as well as some more of the crew. You will love our "Family Concierge" Carlos, he will really take good care of us:D ...he's a GREAT guy!!

I'm not a "Shore Ex" guy...I hate it to be with a hundred complaining guests of the ship on a tour. I always do my own thing...except in Tortola I do the Jost Van Dyke Catamaran Tour...which is the nicest beach I have ever been in the Caribbean...and can not wait to have a Pain Killer for Breakfast at the Suggi Dollar Bar!:eek:

 

Packing...LOL...I'm happy that we fly...otherwise our whole house would be packed up! We still take too much with us...BUT THIS TME it will be different...LOL!

 

Actually my partner is form the NC Mountains and I'm from the Bavarian Alps! So get me drunk and I start to Yodel...he he he....

 

King Marcus

[BrianTom]

We were camping on Deck 5 too for the Rosie trip on the Pearl. It was our third time with an inside cabin but thankfully the last time was 11 years ago. The first two ships we ever did were inside staterooms. We bought the theory of "who cares if it is an inside cabin because you are never there" until on our third cruise we were upgraded to a balcony. Now we care.

 

I will say that our inside cabin #5550 on the Pearl was the best bathroom set up I have seen on a ship for a standard room. The shower was awesome and the whole bathroom did not seem like a phone booth. Very Roomy. The room was tight and am not sure I could have a cabin that small for 9 days. But for a shorter trip I suppose it wouldnt be so bad, but luckily we are doing a PH suite on the stern of the ship.

 

On a previous ship we had a room on the back of a ship and we did not enjoy it due to privacy issues from the main deck above (Though it did create some entertainment value.) It was like the t.v. show the Hollywood Squares. This ship is designed differently so I know it will be o.k.

 

It is Good to know about Carlos the concierge, but will he handle our room too? Arent you in the Garden Villas? Or is their only one concierge for the ship?

 

I love Jost Van Dyke. I went there last year on the Sea Dream II. (Sea Dream is an awesome ship. Has about 50 cabins. It is like being on a private yacht.) Anyway, we will be going to Jost Van Dyke too. It will be our last stop so I think we will be at the Bar too.

 

As for the Shore Ex stuff I love doing them. Part of vacation for me is not having to fiqure things out. I like to book them, show up, have fun and leave. I find it easier that way.

 

Where are you flying from and what are you King of?

 

Lastly, it appears from this thread, that there are at least 20 of "us" on board. I designate you , from your admitted connections to the cruise ship, to make sure the cruise director schedules a FOD meeting the first night so we can all meet.

 

Cheers

 

tom

[BrianTom]

I found this thread yesterday and have read the whole thing.

 

In regard to Drogan we too were a bit nervous not having cruised NCL in a while. We heard many grumblings about the product from others who have cruised NCL, but keep in mind we were on the competitors lines when we heard them.

 

The day after the Rosie O cruise we were required to pay all our NON REFUNDABLE money for the cruise. Our plan was that if we did not like the ship on our 1 day cruise to no where, we would back out and choose another ship.

 

I am happy to report that I thought the ship was awesome (there are some hideous decor items, but the saying goes "one man's trash is another's treasure," like the main lobby and garish pool area).But the Freestyle concept is awesome. And the way they have it set up on the Pearl is great too. I am happy to be traveling on it.

 

Lastly, Sneakerstud, in one post you described NCL as being a step above RCCL and a notch below Celebrity. I would say that is a fair analysis, but my partner and I think Celebrity has boring ships. Celebrity tries to position itself as upscale, but they are doing a good job at being bland and boring at the same time. RCCL and NCL seem more livelier.

 

Tom

[Cruiser-Forever]

Hello again everyone. Just wanted to see how everyone is dong. My BF and I are starting to get excited for the trip. We are here in Chicago where things have become very very cold as of late. I guess it makes us apprecieate these trips even more.

 

We have been on about 20 cruises, but not on NCL for a long time. It was a bad first experience which has kept us away. However, are anxious to try the new ships and expect a great time.

 

Anyhow, we are in a std. balcony cabin and from the sounds of it, some of you are in the high society real estate. Don't forget your poorer family members when the party gets started.....

 

Anyhow, hope all is well and look forward to meeting you on the ship.

 

Regards,

Andy

[BrianTom]

Hi Cruiser-forever or Andy,

 

My partner and I have not been on a NCL ship for a while, if you read above you can see that our fears were relieved by going on the ship for one night and checking it out.

 

We are 1 month, 1 week and 6 days away from departure and we or at least I am pretty excited.

 

Anything with a balcony and above I consider to be the high rent district. Inside rooms make me crazy, like I am missing something.

 

Enjoy the cold in Chicago. It is 79.2 degrees in Fort Lauderdale, perfect cruise weather.

 

om

[BrianTom]

King Marcus,

 

Since you have been to Barbados so many times you might be able to help me with this question. Does Barbados have any gay resorts or bars? My BF thinks he heard something about it being a gay destination. What are your thoughts?

 

Tom