We have been on approximately ten cruises and I can honestly say that the embarkation onto the Pearl was the fastest and nicest of any I have experienced. We got to the Port of Miami around 11:30 a.m. and went directly onto the ship with very little delay. It may have helped that we had booked two mini suites and therefore used a designated line and my Mother was in a wheelchair. As we got on deck we were greeted by all the staff and given a glass of champagne. It was the nicest welcome we have yet to experience. We then went to the Garden Cafe for lunch and by 1:45 we were in our rooms with our bags. The Mini Suites are lovely and large and very nicely decorated. Their balconies are larger than the regular balcony rooms. The only down-side was that smoking is allowed on the balconies and our neighbors up wind were smokers and when we constantly had to smell their smoke and the ashes from their cigarettes that came onto the balcony. We had joined a roll call through Cruise Critic before the trip which was fantastic because one of the women organized a Meet and Greet for the first day when we were at sea . (Thanks Karen) We met 24 other cruisers and about 6 of the Ship's Officers came out to speak with us about their duties and background. We got to talk to them directly and as a result when you passed them throughout the cruise you felt like you were friends.It was also nice to meet the other cruisers that day as we kept meeting and talking to them throughout the cruise. Karen also arranged for school supplies to be delivered to a school in Belize.Each of us had agreed to bring books and supplies on board and had given them to Karen to take care of. What a great way to start a trip. The Ports of Call (Roatan, Belize, Cozumel and Great Stirrup Cay) were great. We like to go to the Beach and snorkel so we had a great time. In Belize we went Zip Lining and Cave Tubing which was awesome and well worth the money. The Grandmother stayed back on the ship at the Ports and found that she could get to the Blue Lagoon and have a sit down lunch on her own. Navigating the buffet for an elderly person using a cane is difficult. I found that some of the info given in the Cruise Critic major review is now out of date. You can't get a deal at Cagney's Steakhouse at any time and the Surf and Turf is now $30.00. Mambos and La Cucina you also pay a surcharge. We found Indigo the nicest of the main dining rooms as the Summer Palace is large and extremely noisy. Overall the food was very good but not for the gourmet. I did find that they only offered iced tea and water throughout the day to drink and I missed the lemonade I could get on other cruise ships. Not everyone drinks soda or tea.I did like the Specialty coffee machine and started each day with a cafe au lait. Great feature (but there is only one at the aft port side of the ship). The rental of equipment on their Private Island Great Stirrup Cay was too expensive and they made it mandatory to wear a snorkeling vest which cost $6.99 if you had your own equipment.A float was $12.99 to rent. Please! The entertainment was excellent. The staff were all very nice and friendly. They really seemed to love their jobs. High marks to them. The disembarkation was a breeze and it was nice not to be herded into a public area to wait the announcement. We took our time, had breakfast , wandered the ship and left very quickly at 10:00. Again the fastest and nicest exit we have ever experienced. It was our first time on NCL and we were very impressed and intend to cruise with them again soon. The Pearl was a lovely ship and great value for money.