tips for future Pearl guests

[montlee]

Maybe the following notes will answer some of your questions. If you have others, let me know; I'll try to answer them.

 

ROOM

We were in 8596, handicap with obstructed view. It was listed as 100% obstructed - we could see out the top half of the window. Really great room. Had a pull down bed and a trundle to sleep 4, would have been quite crowded - especially with the W/C.

 

15 shelves

3 drawers

20 hangers - 5 were for pants

approx. 3x3 table - 1 stool and 1 chair - built-in desk

hair dryer hung on the wall to the left of the desk; quite powerful

4 cup coffee pot - lots of supplies

had to ask for a door stop for the W/C

TV had quite a few channels - movies were older (Finding Nemo/Click)

no space in the bathroom to lay things, no shelf under sink; probably to

accomodate W/C

lots of hooks on bathroom door and in room

 

RESTAURANTS

Blue Lagoon - hours are confusing:

open 24/7, but breakfast is 7:30 - 10:30 AM

lunch is 11 - 4

it becomes overflow for Mambos from 5:30 - 11 PM

lunch menu again midnight - 4 AM

 

we ate breakfast there almost everyday; not crowded, quiet, fast service

not as large a menu as main DR, but still lots of choices

 

potato skins, fish n chips and nachos to die for

 

Summer Palace

We made reservation for 6 @ 6 every night as soon as we got on ship

never had a problem; entered the lower door, gave them my room and

they seated us, if only 2 or 4 came, they seated us accordingly.

Other members of our party ate at the alternate restaurants - some good,

some not.

 

Mambos

Never full because of the overflow at Blue Lagoon. Tapas were appetizers

served - I thought it was a separate restaurant by previous posts

 

Teppenyaka

Everytime I walked by - full. Only held 24.

Never saw anyone sitting at the sushi bar; maybe they just made them

there, but why were there stools?

Inside the Lotus Garden there were regular tables and others referred

to as Shabu-Shabu. They were a Mongolian Pot. Walked in

when they were closed; still couldn't figure it out. According to

the guide on the wall, it was always full.

 

Buffet Upstairs

Stations made it easy, no lines, but you had to make a lot of trips as

there were no trays. There was a lot of crossing back and forth. We

ate there twice for dinner. It wasn't crowded then, but our

partners ate for breakfast and lunch and said it was a zoo.

Great Outdoors was nice - pizza, hamburgers etc.

 

MISC

*Lots of prizes for atitudes parties - two of them

*H/C need a special key to use the elevator to take them to main restaurant

*Not very much to do during the day if you don't drink, gamble or play Bingo

*Our daughter took a 24 case of Pepsi with a NCL luggage tag and it made it to their room before their luggage

*Mystery Theatre did not include dinner - was free and limited to 60 people

*They will do all your dirty laundry at the end of the cruise for $20.00

*Don't count on getting a deck lounge for two or the huge sectional. The people that got them kept them all day. You saw the same people sleeping at 9 AM and 5 PM

*We tendered into Dominica, even though I asked and they said we would dock. I had been told by Reyno Tours. Seems they know more than NCL.

*Second City group was a riot

*Matt Baker needs a tailor for his suits and some new jokes.

*Hallways really narrow

* I liked the large TV - watched gorgeous aerial views of the US on it from the Blue Lagoon while sipping coffee early AM

* It came in handy for the football playoffs. Huge crowds, banners hanging everywhere; NCL served popcorn (usually served in the bowling alley)

 

That's all the notes I made as the cruise went along. As for the ship, I'd give it a 10.

[redshoe]

Did you happen to notice the types of doors on the balconies? Are they open in doors or sliding doors? I don't know if you had friends that stayed in balcony rooms but thought I would ask.

 

Do you have any excursion or island tips to pass along?

 

How about the shampoo/conditioner in the cabins--do they provide conditioner?

 

Any comments on the kids club?

[skap826]

How many closets were in the cabin?

 

Thanks

[Jana]

Did you happen to notice the types of doors on the balconies? Are they open in doors or sliding doors? I don't know if you had friends that stayed in balcony rooms but thought I would ask.

 

Do you have any excursion or island tips to pass along?

 

How about the shampoo/conditioner in the cabins--do they provide conditioner?

 

Any comments on the kids club?

 

Balcony doors are sliders; no bungee necessary!

 

When NCL first switched to shampoo pumps from the little bottles (for ecological reasons, we were told, to eliminate that much more waste) I was determined to bring my own. I forgot and ended up having to use the pump shampoo. Let me say that I was surprised at how good it is! I think it's a generic verrsion of Herbal Essences. It's a combo shampoo/conditioner, smells great, lathers nicely, and my hair was shiny and conditioned. Leave the bottles at home!

 

The kid's club on Pearl is located on Deck 12 near the Riviera Pool complex. Part of it is glassed-in so you can see the kids playing. It looks great.

 

Jana

[calmac]

Did you happen to notice the types of doors on the balconies? Are they open in doors or sliding doors? I don't know if you had friends that stayed in balcony rooms but thought I would ask.

 

Do you have any excursion or island tips to pass along?

 

How about the shampoo/conditioner in the cabins--do they provide conditioner?

 

Any comments on the kids club?

 

Sliding doors to the balconies.

 

Fairly sure it was conditioning shampoo that was provided.

[montlee]

Our 6 year old grandson LOVED "school". They had less hours than RCCL, but he liked the teachers and programs so much more. They will babysit after 10 PM for $5. per hour if pparents want to go to a show.

 

There is only one closet; not very big. There are 4 shelves along the side.

 

We did an excursion in Dominica with Reyno Tours. He was right there waiting for us. We had a great time, even though I wasn't crazy about the island. He took us to an area where they let us taste all kinds of fruits and nuts. We even ate roasted chocolate beans!

 

We took the High Tea at the Sugar Plantation in Barbados. It was great and we got to see the entire island as we drove to and from the area.

[hotspur]

Mambos

Never full because of the overflow at Blue Lagoon. Tapas were appetizers

served - I thought it was a separate restaurant by previous posts

You also can walk up to the tapas bar, ask them to make a plate of those choices that appeal to you, and take the plate back to your room--or enjoy them sitting on your balcony. Very few passengers took advantage of this on our Jewel trans-Atlantic. As we carried the plates through the halls, some asked "what are those, and where do you get them?" Unfortunately, NCL doesn't do a very good job of making people aware of their tapas offerings.

[Rusty Trombone]

*Not very much to do during the day if you don't drink, gamble or play Bingo

 

Uh-oh, that doesn't sound good. I don't drink or gamble and am not really into Bingo.

 

What do you do then? I gotta let my wife rest for a few hours a day.

[watchdiva]

You can do what my husband does, he looks for a pick-up game at the basketball court or just shoots hoops himself. You can watch movies in your cabin, you can go to a seminar on martinis, margueritas, etc.

 

You can find a quiet spot in a lounge and read a good book. There is SO much to do (or not do) onboard. We don't drink per se, I only spend $20/night in the casino on the slot machines and we never play bingo, yet we have NEVER been bored.

[Jana]

*Not very much to do during the day if you don't drink, gamble or play Bingo

 

This actually made me laugh out loud when I read it.

 

You can go bowling ($5 a game, remember to bring socks, they won't let you rent the shoes without them). You can go rock-climbing. You can play ping-pong or chess with giant pieces. You can take an arts-and-craft class and learn to make paper boxes or beaded geckos. You can learn line-dancing, ballroom and salsa. You can attend the art auctions, port shopping talks and spa seminars, all of which are designed to get you to spend money but don't cost a thing to attend. You can get a massage or just use the free equopment in the fitness center. You can lay out in the sun or swim in the pool or read in the quiet library. You can sit in a hot tub with a virgin colada until you're properly cooked and listen to the Caribbean band. You can shoot hoops or practice your golf swing. You can watch movies in your cabin or sit in the lobby and see what's on the huge screen there. You can watch ice-carving demos, sushi-making demos, fruit-carving demos. You can sit at the top of the world in Spinnakers and dream. And remember, there are 10 restaurants on board!

 

After you've done all of this nothing, you'll find that the cruise is over and you'll wish you were back onboard doing nothing some more. :)

 

Jana

[sandancer]

Thought I'd just throw in the info that you can get lattes and cappuchinos from the machine in the buffet. Beans are ground there and then and you get a great fresh coffee every time. There are 2 stations next to each other right at the back near the Great Outdoors. You can also get cappuchinos or expresso in the restaurants free of charge. This was a first for us as we have always had to pay for them with other cruise lines. We were on the Transatlantic in December and loved the ship, not fussed on the trad dining rooms but LOVED the speciality restaurants, especially Cagneys and Le Bistro. They had happy hour at 5.30 and 6pm seatings with 50% discount on the supplement. Hope everyone sailing on the Pearl likes it as much as we did.

[Travel Lover]

I cannot wait to get free lattes !!!!!!!!!!!! That is a nice perk.

[montlee]

There was no half price at the specialty restaurants during our cruise.