We chose this cruise because of the embarkation city, length of cruise, value of cruise and we wanted to go through the canal. The crew on the Pearl were excellent! They were very attentive to our needs and had very positive attitudes. We observed that as they interacted with each other, they were happy and had fun performing their jobs. We believe that these positive attitudes translated over to the guests enjoying themselves, as well. Kudos to Cary and Tony, the hotel director and food and beverage director for selecting a team that performed splendidly on a three week expedition!! Our only “negative” experience was in La Cucina. The quality of the food was sub-par to us. This was our second NCL cruise and also the second time we felt like this after dining there. However, Le Bistro, Carney’s and Moderno made up for the disappointment in La Cucina. The bar staff at the Martini bar were the BEST! Ricardo and “Elly” along with their team were quick to serve and please the guests. Enrique in the Bistro, Grama in Indigo and Milos in the Summer Palace were awesome! Overall, we had a grand experience!