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We recently returned from our first cruise and thoroughly enjoyed it. We chose NCL for the casual atmosphere and were glad we did. Our intention was to determine whether or not we enjoyed cruising with living on board and limited excursions.
Check-in at Miami went without a hitch and we dropped off our carry-ons at our rooms right away and proceeded to lunch.
Our mini-suite on the aft end was well-maintained and a good choice. Teo, our cabin steward was very efficient.
We found all meals were of high quality from the buffet through the main dining rooms to the two specialty restaurants we tried. We had to control ourselves with the desert selections and the ice cream bar, but found a great selection of fresh fruits and salads.
The entertainment was of high calibre and the Cruise Director, Pedro Serra good. We saw him frequently about the ship.
At the CC Meet & Greet, the majority of the Ship's Executive were present to answer any and all questions. The Captain made an appearance, shaking hands with all that were there. An added bonus was an invitation for a tour of the bridge which a number of us attended. Throughout the cruise, we frequently saw most of the Executive as they mingled with the passengers.
The ports in descending order of what we enjoyed are: Georgetown, Cozumel followed by Ocho Rios. Great Stirrup Cay was a great beach break especially in the cabanas. It has not been included in the port reviews due to yhe limitations of CC.
It has been many years since I was in Jamaica and, after reading current reviews about the aggressiveness of the people, figured that it hadn't changed. We weren't disappointed. None of the excursions really interested us so we simply walked up the street for a short distance. After being hassled many times, we returned to the ship.
The only downside to the ship was the casino which was heavy with smoke. We therefore avoided it as much as possible.
Would we cruise again? Without a doubt. Would we choose NCL. Yes. The Pearl? Again, yes. We're already looking at our next destination.
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