The NCL Pearl


So when we booked this cruise, I joked with friends and family that we were sailing on "The Pearl" (pirate accent, of course).  I figured we were okay to board when I saw that the cruise ship didn't have black sails. 

Fortunately, the NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line) Pearl has much nicer entertainment, dinning and lodging options then the Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean.  We boarded on August 6, 2017, destined for the inside passage of Alaska.

The NCL Pearl

After a poolside lunch, we made our way to our interior stateroom. Booking and interior was a first for Ben and I. There were several pros and cons. We loved the price of the interior stateroom.  We were on deck most of the day taking in the beautiful Alaskan scenery, so we didn't spend much time in our room. However, we did notice that the interior rooms are super dark. I would wake up in the middle of the night not knowing if it was 2 or 9 am. (Thank goodness for cell phones with flashlights and alarm clocks!) Interior staterooms are also very small.  Again, we really didn't "hang out" in our room so the size wasn't a huge issue

Our room was very nice with lots of storage and a decent size bathroom. Now, I say decent size bathroom, but as many of my fellow cruisers know bathrooms on a cruise ship are about the size of an outhouse, but this one was fairly good-sized.  The pearl had been refurbished a few months before our trip so everything was clean and in good working order.

Aboard the NCL Pearl

We enjoyed shows every night during our 7 day cruise. We watched performances by a very funny comedian who would pull members of the audience to act out ridiculous scenes, a man who could juggle literally anything and a pair of acrobats who would swing out over the audience. We also attended the "Legends in Concert" show. Guess who showed up to perform? Elvis, Michael Jackson, Neil Diamond and Tina Turner.  It was a good show until Miss Turner sang a horrible version of "Eleanor Rigby"- My ears are still bleeding!

The NCL Pearl had so many entertainment options. We loved being on deck, walking around the outdoor track or finding a quiet place to stand and watch the mountains as we sailed by. One morning we even saw humpback whales from our table at breakfast. There was so much to try (bowling, games, casino, etc) but we didn't have time to do it all.

Waiting to board, Sail away party
Cruising aboard the NCL Pearl was so much fun! The food was fantastic- I never knew rice pudding could be so good! The accommodations were great- Even for an interior stateroom. The entertainment was amusing- Except for that song. It was bad. So so bad.  Finally, the destination was breathtaking. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Everyone should visit Alaska in the lifetime. It's a pretty amazing place!


TRAVEL, SMILE, REPEAT

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