Just off the NCL Pearl 9/28/2007.....

This was our 3rd cruise on the NCL Pearl in 8 months. Past cruises were:
Feb 2nd, 2007 9 day Southern Carribean Cruise...
May 20th Alaska.......
Sept 24th, 2007 repo cruise. Vancouver, B.C. to L.A.

The ship is beautiful and expertly maintained. Same Captain as Alaska...great fellow, very personable. Runs a tight ship...great crew...great staff. Very well respected by crew.

Food Excellent....noticed some changes to menu's....

No more unlimited juices in Garden Cafe after 11:00 AM....

No more Chocolate Fondue in Le Bistro....

We were VIP's on this cruise once again...so once again Cagney's for Breakfast and Lunch...great menu's....breakfast the same daily...rotating menu for lunch. Impeccable 5 star service.

Cagney's VIP service EXCELLENT...
Cagney's VIP Breakfast/Lunch food quality EXCELLENT


Dining...

Monday...Lotus Garden (Asian Fusion) ...$10.00 cover charge...Excellent food & service...ordered several items from entree side of menu.

Tuesday...Indigo....Excellent food & service...very relaxing dinner, great atmosphere.


Wednesday- Mambo's (Latin/Mexican flair)Excellent food & service...ordered several entree items....

Thursday....Le Bistro (French) $15.00 cover charge...Excellent food & service...as always.....top quality...the best on the ship for us. This was a coverage charge restaurant, but our dinner and two bottles of wine was a complimentary dinner on NCL. Very nice...thanks NCL. Saved $66.00

Great cruise value for repo cruise...Outside stateroom, Deck 8 Cabin 8122.....for $169.00 person + port charge + tax = $249.00 person.

Got onboard ship credit of $25.00 each.

Extra bill at end of cruise was $68.53 after buying 3 ties on board in gift shop...( silk ties ) at $10.00 each..great value.

Had complimentary bottle of wine and fruit basket waiting in room upon arrival. Hor dourves sent to room each night compliments excutive staff.

Had conceirge service which was TERRIBLE. New conceirge on board this time. Karin Goedecke, she was very disorganized, and if I were the Captain would have her reassigned. Had requested several restaurant reservations from Karin the Conceirge and upon arrival at restaurant, reservations were never made. Had to wait a short time for table. As Platinum Latitudes members she made NO contact with us. Did not return phone calls. Very bad for VIP customers. If VIP, Garden Villa, Owners Suite passengers, I would not sail on a ship that this woman is on. Terrible Concierge and certainly bad image for NCL VIP Passengers. Karin was no comparison to Ruth Hagier and Alexander Forbes past Concierge's on NCL Pearl.


Otherwise great entertainment for 4 day repo cruise. Simon Murray the best Cruise Director we have run across. He remembered us from past cruises and spent 20 minutes conversing with us at VIP Cocktail Party. Great guy and asset to NCL.

Overall, exception of Conceirge, another quality cruise from NCL. We remain loyal and avid customers of NCL. Love the "Freestyle Cruising" concept. Every passenger we talked too loved the cruise and NCL. Did not hear ANY negative comments. Staff willing to go out of there way to assit and please. All staff very friendly, very cordial. Great cabin stewards, room was immaculate. Got anything we asked for. Suggest mattress topper on bed for additonal comfort. It was great.


Our rating....9 out of possible 10. Only problem, Concierge service and would have liked to have stayed on the ship another week or two.


Richard & Mary
Las Cruces, New Mexico USA
cruise-chat.com member
cruisecritic.com member ( formularacer )

Next cruise:

Diamond Princess 14 day Hawaii Dec 3rd, 2007
NCL Sun Oct 2008

Looking @ NCL Greek Isles, ... Norway ... or Baltics on the NCL Jade.



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Mary, I am hoping to sail on the Pearl in May to Alaska for hubbys birthday. How was that cruise? Do they have an indoor pool for the cold days? We used to be neighbors. Lived in Alamogordo for 14 years. Moved to Fort Worth in 2005.


Free Cruise Tickers

Hope we don't run into Karin while I'm cruising in Jan. Thanks for a great rundown of the Pearl...I'm sure we will love it..

Happy Cruising

Bob E

Sandee:

No inside pool on Pearl during Alaska trip.
Great trip however without pool....see our other posts for review on that trip.

Berick 1234:

I agree, I won't take another NCL Cruise if Karin Goedecke is the conceirge. She was terrible and thought she was very disorganized. She was the only dissapointment factor on this cruise. She was NO comparison to past NCL Pearl Concierge's. Both Ruth and Alexander Forbes were extremely professional, always available and always around and seen several times during the cruise. Karin was no where to be found, and was never at her Concierge office desk when we looked for her. Did not answer her extension 7530 telephone.

I did send my review to the Captain's and Hotel Director's private e-mail address. I did receive confirmation that they read the review today.

Richard & Mary
Las Cruces, New Mexico USA