Norwegian Pearl Review
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We chose this cruise on the Norwegian Pearl because there were four stops and it was a 7-day cruise; the timing was perfect for us. There were many things we enjoyed about the ship and honestly exceeded our expectations. Entertainment was great. The Pearl Showband--a talented jazz band was excellent. Lace Walker, an easy-listening guitarist/flutist, was also excellent. Comedians, shows, were all better than we expected. Our room was lovely--the mini-suite was definitely worth the money. We enjoyed sitting on the balcony and watching the sun set over the ocean. Across the board, service was excellent. Our room steward was friendly and kept our room lovely. Service in the bars and restaurants was also excellent.
The restaurants that were included in the cruise were mediocre. Other than a ready supply of fresh fruit and excellent breads, the food on the buffet was hit or miss. The service and variety in the main dining rooms was good, but the food itself did not live up to the great menu descriptions. Alcohol, although expensive, was good quality. There was a wide variety of beers and mixed drinks were generous.
We enjoyed our excursions, despite uncooperative weather. In Cozumel, we went to CHANKANAAB BEACH PARK & SNORKEL park. Claudia, our tour guide was amazing. In addition to being knowledgeable, she was engaging and bent over backwards to make sure that we had everything we needed or wanted. Despite the chilly air, she took us out snorkeling and we saw loads of fish, an eagle ray, a barracuda, eels. The seal lion show was very cute (I enjoyed it much more than I expected), and she cooked for us. I was amazed at what a difference fresh ingredients made. Claudia truly was special and we had a grand time.
Cabin Review
Mini-Suite with Balcony
Our cabin was lovely. The mini-suite was so worth the extra money. We sat on our balcony and watched the views. There was plenty of storage and the bathroom included a bathtub-sized shower.
Port Reviews
Roatan
We were supposed to take a catamaran out and snorkel, but weather and the seas were rough. There was some shopping, but we really didn't go all this way just to shop. Question the value of the jewelry stores there. Fair warning.
Harvest Caye
We did not stay in Harvest Caye. It was a tourist trap if I ever saw one. Instead we took an excursion to Mayan ruins and a spice farm. What a great trip! It made Belize the highlight of our cruise. The tour guides David (I think it was his name) and Vergilio (Will) were knowledgeable--about the island and our destinations. We saw the real island of Belize and it was lovely.
Costa Maya
Although this was pretty touristy, it was pleasant just the same. It was a short port stop, but there was plenty to do there. There was a pool and lots of deck chairs and some of the higher quality shops that we saw. There really wasn't time to anyplace, but we enjoyed our visit on shore.