Our family of 4 traveled with another family of 4 on the Pearl to Alaska. And let me start by saying we all had an incredible time. I had planned this trip for 10 months, constantly reading everything I could get my hands on.

1. The Ship: We chose NCL because of the laid back dress code, not wanting to pack sport coats, etc. since we had to fly across country, and also for all the specialty dining with no set times for anything. We have cruised 4 times before this on another line. The ship was very clean and we always felt safe. And those are the 2 most important things for sure. But I was not prepared for how tacky, dated and worn some of the areas on the ship were. Shabby furniture in Spinnaker, varnish peeling off railings are a few things that come to mind. But the absolute worst was the "crystal" atrium. Wow what a mess! Acrylic everything and a huge pixelated video wall screen mixed with gaudy carpets and upholstery to create an unpleasant atmosphere when combined with the flea market jewelry booths and the bar with the obnoxiously large Budweiser banners hanging everywhere.

2. Our cabin was nice. We were in a suite and had an incredible bathroom with great views. But if you are sensitive to noise or are a light sleeper please do not stay in 11530. I chose this room because it was not in the gym or under the pool deck. It is in the area right between the two and, unbeknownst to me, directly under a couple of ping pong tables. We heard noise from that starting early in the morning until 9ish at night. Lots of noise. I never would have believed ping pong could make such a racket. Now my husband and me are accustomed to noise like that having teenage sons and an upstairs game room at home. So we just made the best of it. But stay away if you want it quiet!! Read more