Norwegian Pearl Review

LONG Review!

Review for Alaska Cruise on Norwegian Pearl
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HollyN25
2-5 Cruises • Age 50s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
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Entertainment
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Additional details

Sail Date: Jul 2017
Cabin: Balcony

We just got back from our Alaskan cruise on the Pearl (July 9-16, 2017), and had an awesome time! I’ll try to stay somewhat orderly here by going with categories.

CHECK-IN:

We had set up our check-in time for 11:30-12:00. We’d gotten this trip through a casino program, but nobody told us our check-in could be expedited. We were almost to the front of the line when an NCL rep went through the crowd calling for casino bookings, so then we were taken to another desk for “quicker” check-in. Unfortunately, the computers chose to go down right around then, plus the people in front of us had a time-consuming issue, so people behind us in the original line got done faster. Knowing from the start about the expedited option would have been awesome but it wasn’t a big deal; just something to remember for next time. Our luggage didn’t come until after the mandatory emergency drill (it started at 3:15), but we knew that was a possibility, and were prepared with what little we needed in our shoulder bags.

Cabin Review

Balcony

Cabin BD

We had a port-side balcony on Deck 8, number 8546, and LOVED the location! It was considered mid-ship, so we felt very little motion, but it was right by the front elevators and stairs, so we were really close to everything on the front or middle of the ship. The room itself was exactly what we expected based on photos, which wasn’t super large, but had quite a bit of useful shelf and drawer space. Our large suitcases fit underneath the bed without a problem. As far as the bathroom goes, we knew it would be small but didn’t really anticipate how restrictive it would be—the toilet area is really not adequate for somebody very large (there’s little room for basic movement in there). I’m not sure what another option would be, other than to pay a lot more for a suite, but now you have the info. We were pleasantly surprised to have USB ports on each of our bedside wall lamps, so we were each able to plug our phones in near us every night. We also brought a couple of power strips for other electricity needs, and had two outlets in the room to use with those.

Port Reviews

Victoria

We didn’t have a lot of time here, and it was all in the evening, so we decided to keep it low-key and not schedule anything. We took a cab downtown ($10 each way), and got some pics of the Empress Hotel and the Parliament Building, plus a lot of beautiful flowers and the water. We’d asked the cab driver for suggestions on local bars in which we might get some poutine (French fries with cheese curds & gravy), and he suggested a bar called “The Local,” down on the waterfront. It was just a couple of blocks from downtown, and totally served our needs; decent food, comfortable hangout, and friendly people.

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