Norwegian Pearl Review

4.0 / 5.0
2,401 reviews

Sailing Through the Panama Canal: Bucket List Item, Check!

Review for the Panama Canal & Central America Cruise on Norwegian Pearl
User Avatar
atomax
6-10 Cruises • Age 40s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Apr 2016

We wanted to check out the Panama Canal since it's one of the manmade Wonders of World. We did not realize that this was a repositioning cruise until we were on it (the Pearl is headed up to Alaska for the spring/summer). The itinerary was very good, and since we booked about 8 days before embarkation, the price was extremely attractive. We flew into FLL and rented a car (because we wanted to see a specific beach in Miami). Since there are no drop-off fees in Miami (YMMV, depending on the rental company), it was actually cheaper for us to rent an economy car than it would have been to use a shuttle service.

We were in cabin 8087, which was mid-ship starboard, about 3 cabins forward of O'Sheehans restaurant. The location of the cabin was perfect, close to the elevator banks, but easy to reach the stairs to the atrium to go down to 7, where most of the restaurants are. The cabin was near the linen storage closet, but we never heard anything from the crew, atrium, elevators. It wasn't until our last morning, when they lowered the tender ships (at o'dark thirty in the morning), that we finally heard any extraneous noise. The cabin is cozy, although beginning to show its age. There were some cosmetic cracks/scratches in the sink. There was no separate water closet, and the wall opposite the toilet is at an angle, so we had to sit sideways so as not to jam our knees into the wall (and I am only 5'2"). Closet space was decent for two people, and there was no fold-up bed, so we didn't have to worry about bumping into it at night. Per the senior staff, the Pearl will be undergoing a major overhaul (28 days) in February 2017. The plan is to re-do all the cabins and customer facing areas. New TVs, bathroom changes, etc. Cannot wait to see it.

Our dining experience varied. We ate in the Summer Palace 80% of the time, and the maitre d', hostess, and serving staff were phenomenal (shout outs to Maricar, Jeannette, Anthony, Douglass, Lovely, Bozidhar, and Earl). Unlike the Jade, which we sailed last year, the maitre d's circulated around the tables and checked in with everyone (there was one slacker maitre d, but I just asked the hostess not to seat us in his section) to make sure everything was satisfactory. The SP can appear stuffy to some, but it's run like a well oiled machine. Tip: You can order "small" portions of the entrees, because the regular size entrees are ridiculously large! Overall food quality was very good, and the food was usually hot. Soups and desserts were a highlight.

Cabin Review

11 Helpful Votes
previous reviewnext review

Find a Norwegian Pearl Cruise from $419

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.