Norwegian Pearl Review

4.0 / 5.0
2,402 reviews

Nice ship, good entertainment, fun ports of call

Review for the Panama Canal & Central America Cruise on Norwegian Pearl
User Avatar
judyt57
2-5 Cruises • Age 60s

Rating by category

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

Additional details

Sail Date: Nov 2016
Cabin: Inside
Slave quarters from the 1800's on Bonaire.
Colorful historic buildings in Cartagena, Colombia
Colorful historic buildings in Cartagena, Colombia
Rainforest walk in the Veragua rainforest.
Butterfly in Costa Rica.
Wildlife viewing boat ride.
Norwegian Pearl going through the Panama Canal.
Cargo ship going through the Panama Canal as seen from the Gatun Locks.
Fresh crepes with choice of fillings every night in the Garden Cafe.
Pretty decoration in the main dining room.
We had to wait a bit for our waiter to bring dessert, so he brought us ever
View through one of the slave huts on Bonaire.
View through one of the slave huts on Bonaire.
Skyline of Cartagena, Columbia
Cityscape in Cartagena, Columbia
Cityscape in Cartagena, Columbia
Pre Columbian art from the Gold Museum in Cartagena, Columbia
Shoreline Fort in Columbia
Largest Spanish fort in North America.  Cartagena, Columbia
Fruit vendor,  Cartagena, Columbia
Parrot in a small zoo,  Cartagena, Columbia
Waterbirds in a small zoo,  Cartagena, Columbia
Parrots in a small zoo,  Cartagena, Columbia
Flower in Costa Rican rainforest, Veragua, Costa Rica
Flower in Costa Rican rainforest, Veragua, Costa Rica
Flower in Costa Rican rainforest, Veragua, Costa Rica
Butterfly and Flower in Costa Rican rainforest, Veragua, Costa Rica
Dead leaves in Costa Rican rainforest, Veragua, Costa Rica
Butterfly in Costa Rican rainforest, Veragua, Costa Rica
Pretty hotel in Panama
Going through the Panama Canal
Going through the Panama Canal
View from the observatory at Gatun Locks, Panama
View from the observatory at Gatun Locks, Panama
Embera native village handicrafts, Panama
Pretty decoration in dining room
Glass sculpture in atrium
The best butter in the world with fresh rolls
Pretty lamps on deck
View off the stern
Towel crab

We initially chose this cruise so that we could leave some of my mom's ashes in Costa Rica, as per her request. But the entire experience was so much fun! The ship is very clean and pretty. Our room was an interior cabin, and pretty small, but nicely appointed with lots of storage space. The hard wood wall paneling made it seem very plush. The entire staff of the ship was very friendly and helpful. We really enjoyed the Free Style dining where we could eat in the fancy dining rooms or not as the spirit moved us. We could request to be seated with other passengers for a meal, which mad for some good conversations! Most of the passengers were seniors. There were only 5 kids on board! The food was very good everywhere on board. I wouldn't say excellent, because some dishes were pretty bland. But everything was fresh and nicely presented. The shows were excellent. We didn't go to too many of the other activities, but they were there if someone was interested.

The best part was the excursions. On Bonaire, we rented a truck and drove ourselves around. I'd recommend this since you can spend the entire day touring this way. We did the Walking Tour of Old Cartagena and it was nice. They drove us to the large fort first and then took us to the gold museum and the emerald museum. It was very hot and humid, but there were frequent stops in places with air conditioning. The Grand Tour in Panama was wonderful. We saw the Gatun Locks from the observation post there which was fascinating. We also rode on a little boat through some canals and saw a sloth close up. Then we visited a local native tribe and saw a presentation on their culture. It wasn't as tacky and sad as I expected it to be. In Costa Rica we went to the Veragua Rainforest and it was an excellent visit with lectures, butterfly building, frog building, an aerial tram and a walk on a boardwalk into the rainforest. Very accessible for someone with bad knees.

Cabin Review

Inside

Cabin ID

Very clean and nice looking. Lots of storage.

Port Reviews

Miami

We spent 5 days in Miami on our own with a rental car. Had a great time. Highlights were the Bonnet Gardens, the Spice and Fruit Gardens, Sanibel Island and wandering around Little Havana.

Bonaire

We rented a truck. The trucks are all stick shift. Drove around and took in the sights on our own.

Cartagena (Colombia)

Got to see all the things I really wanted to see, especially the gold museum.

Puerto Limon

Highly recommend. Especially the rainforest experience!

2 Helpful Votes
previous reviewnext review

Find a Norwegian Pearl Cruise from $399

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.