Breakfast options on the Pearl

[jp047]

Thank you all for great info on the Pearl. However, I have never seen anything said about breakfast being served anywhere but the cafe area. Do the main no charge restaurants serve breakfast? We find it is more enjoyable to be served breakfast. Also if it is served in the dining room does anyone remember what the hours are. We will not be in one of the suites that give the perks of having breakfast in the dining rooms with fees. Thanks for the help

[Richard & Mary]

Here's the options for breakfast options on the NCL Pearl......

Early Risers:
Deck 12 Mid...Garden Cafe 5:30 AM

Garden Cafe Deck 12 Mid 7:00 am to 11:00 AM
Extensive Buffet style.....and is very good
omelets/eggs cooked to order

Summer Palace...Main Dining Room...No charge
8:00 Am to 9:30 AM

Great Outdoors (Weather Permitting)
Breakfast Buffet-style
8:00AM to Noon

Fruehschoppen
Grill Topsiders Deck 12 Mid
Austrian-Bavarian Brunch

Cagney's Steakhouse
Deck 13 Mid
VIP Invitation ONLY
8:00 AM to 9:30 AM
Gourmet Service and menu

That's it. Enjoy Bon Apetite

Richard & Mary

Back on the NCL Pearl for third cruise this year...

Sept 24th, 2007 repo cruise

[jp047]

Hello Richard & Mary, thank you for your answer. You must really enjoy this ship. We have been on 16 cruises, HAL, Princess, Celebrity and Carnival. We have never been on NCL because we have never heard anything good so we decided it's time to find out for ourselves. This was the same for Carnival always a bad rap and we were on the Spirit and it was one of the best cruises we were ever on. Much better than Celebrity which after 3 tries we will never do again. I have no idea how old you guys are, we are in our 60's. We usually take an inside cabin but on the Pearl the rooms are really, really small. Have you seen them? I do like to be comfortable but I can adjust but 145 sq.ft. seems ridiculous. We are trying to save on the room because we do several trips, cruises and land a year. I just don't want to get into something I will hate because we are tripping over each other. We will be doing a back to back Caribbean for 14 days in October. I'm also concerned about the ports because I said I would never do the Caribbean. We have been all over the world so I hope this is not a let down.
Another question that I would like cleared up is the issue of making dinner reservations. I have read so many times that in order to get a reservation you need to be lined up by 7:30AM to get any reservations and calling does no good because you can't get through. I know your concierge did this for you but since we won't have one do you know the scoop on this. I won't get up at that time unless we have a tour planned. Also I have read the same goes for the pool area, put a towel out by 7:00AM or you will never get a seat by the pool. What is your experience? Anyway, I am looking forward to this ship. I think it will be fun to experience the different restaurants. I'm getting full just thinking about it. I want to thank you for quick response regarding breakfast. Have a wonderful time on your Sept. cruise. If this works out good we are looking at the Egypt and Greek island cruise. We have been to Egypt but not to Alexandria so it looks interesting. What other NCL ships have you been on?

[Berick1234]

Great questions....

We are going on the Pearl for a 9 dayer in Jan. and taking an inside room because of the price...$849 with air and all transfers....we've been on the Jewel, so the Pearl will be in the same class..just a little newer...You covered many of the areas I would have asked questions of...Have a Grand Cruise...
We are in our 60's too and take 2 to 3 cruises a year...

Bob E

[Richard & Mary]

jp047:

I am 55, Mary is 56. We were on the NCL Pearl for the 9 Day Southern Caribbean on Feb 2nd, 2007 Penthouse #9500. It was great trip and you can see my photoshow of the trip at:

www.photoshow.com/members/dziak2

Then we went back on the NCL Pearl to Alaska May 20th, 2007 balcony room #9020.

We are NCL Platinum members, their highest awards honor. We have always been treated royally and all the bad things I read about NCL here on this website and others, I just can't justify. Yes, you can have a bad time on a cruise. Pre cruise expectations usually run very high due the anticiption and excitement. It is only natural. You need to be opened minded. We have found both the food and service to be outstanding on all NCL ships that we have sailed. The Pearl is the newest with the Gem ready to hit the seas soon. So your cruising on one of the best on the seas. We will cruise again Sept 24th for a repositoning as the ship heads to LA and back to Miami. We will have my 83 year old father, it's a 4 nighter, so this time, it's an inside cabin. As Platinum members we will be treated royally again. So we know the ship well, know several of the executive staff and wait staff and that really helps.

As for reservations, NCL Pearl has chnaged the way they handle reservations. Try to plan your restuarants ahead of time. There is always the Garden Cafe Buffet which is really good if you miss a specialty restaurant or free restuarant.

You will only need a reservation if you eat at premium times like 6:00 to 7:30 PM. It is suggested that you make one. Before 6:00 there are special bargains for speciality resturants. After 8:00 PM there is no problem just walking to the hostess to get a table. If your selecting Le Bistro, call ahead one day in advance as well as any other specialty restuarant. I suggest the following free restaurants for dinner......Indigo ( Main Dining ), Summer Palace ( Main Dining ), Mamba's ( Tex-Mex ), La Cucina ( Italian ) and of course the Garden Cafe Buffet ( Deck 12 )....you will find many of the items served in the free dining areas on the buffet. You get what you want, when you want, and the Garden Cafe has several food stations were the food is freshly prepared. Many passenger under estimate the garden Cafe. Open 5:30 to 9:30 PM

Specialty restaurant suggestions....Le Bistro ( Cover charge ($15 per person) for fine dining atmosphere, and service. Desert...Chocolate Fondue...it's not on the menu, you have to ask for it.

Lotus Garden Deck 6 for Asian Food cover charge ( $10 per person ) great selection of oriental foods.

In Lotus Garden if you really want something different try the Shabu-Shabu...it's a table dinner. You get a steaming hot cooking pot with fresh oriental foods and your the cook. Cost $10 per person).

Teppanyaki...($20), just like Benihania, but this one I feel is OVERPRICED for the quanity of food given. You are paying for the show.

Cagney's Steakhouse Deck 13, for premium beef steaks and seafood. ($20 per person).Excellent atmosphere, selection and service.

For the premium restuarants you will need the reservation. Call the reservation desk from your room the night before. Planning is the key to fighting the crowd.

Breakfast after 8:00 AM in Garden Buffet can become a human zoo. You may have to share a table with others if you don't mind. Signs on tables politely ask that when you are done, to leave the table so another passenger can sit.

Lunch....Blue Lagoon Cafe Deck 8 for comfort foods. Great Outdoors for lunch and Topsiders Bar for Outside Grill.

Plenty of room for lounging by the pools, lots of towel racks, and NCL does not the idea of hogging lounges. They have pool staff always picking up towels. Bring a book and swim bag and keep on your chair or lounge.

Inside cabin for two will be OK. Just no natural light. More than two, I won't do it myself.

Hope this helps. Anymore q's...just ask.

Richard & Mary
Las Cruces, New Mexico USA

[jp047]

Hi again Richard and thank you for all of the great info. Your pictures are really fantastic. Is that a program you used to create your photoshow? Is it complicated?
Thanks for sharing your ages too. I don't think I would get the same opinions from some 20 or 30 somethings. So how many journeys have you done with NCL to become Platinum members? It is very nice that you get so many perks. I don't think the other cruise lines do that. I know on HAL they just give you a pin and announce your name at a gathering for past cruisers. Oh, by the way, we are practically neighbors, we live in the Phoenix area. I'll be in touch if I have some more questions and if you think of something that I should know let me know. Of course this helps others too. I seem to be living for one cruise to another. Just 7 short years ago I couldn't get my husband on a cruise and now this is his preferred method of travel. Thanks again. Jill

[Richard & Mary]

jpo47:

Jill:

I used the program at www.photoshow.com which costs about $50 and it does a great job. Photoshow5

As for the Platinum Latitudes program:

I am a single man who meet Mary about 3 years ago, and she had never cruised before. I had been on about 12 cruises before meeting Mary. Mary's first cruise was a Eastern Caribbean cruise and she immediately took to cruising and just loved it. The first cruise was on the Diamond Princess, which I had sailed before. After that cruise, Mary who is retired started researching cruises and booked a repositioning cruise on the NCL Star from LA to Vancouver with stops at Catalina Island, San Fransciso, Seattle, Victoria BC and Vancouver. She loved that cruise. Then we booked the NCL Jewel just three months after her inagural sailing. On that cruise NCL offered a future cruise booking program, and immediately upgraded any Latitudes members to Platinum. The cost was $3200 for the both us and we used the credit towards many NCL cruises, using $500 or so towards one cruise and balances on others. Everytime we applied the original package we were granted Platinum perks. After six cruises within 2 years, NCL made us permanent Platinum members. So its been great, and I have learned tips in using the Platinum status to our advantage. We have become very loyal NCL customers, as we have NEVER had a bad experience. We love the cruise line. The treatment has been outstanding and since hindsight is 20/20 the pre cruise package that we bought was on our best decisions ever.
Cruising is my number one choice for vacation travel, and we have run across one of the best ladies in the travel industry, who really works for us on booking cruises. We used to book NCL direct, now we have a personal travel agent who lives in Florida, and uses the internet for communication, and she does an outstanding job. She is very dedicated to her occupation.

We have not sailed HAL yet. I been on Carnival, NCL, RCL with NCL being the best for food selection and restaurant selection and we love the "freestyle cruising" concept.

Nice to know your from the southwest. I will be in Phoenix next month to meet with my race car builder, as I am having a new Formula race car built for me by Phoenix Race Works, off of Interstate 17. Then in the fall I will race at both Firebird Lake and Phoenix International Raceway. I love the sport. So cruising relaxs my nerves and its great relaxation. The Formula car racing gets pretty intense.

We have already planned our late 2007 cruise and also live for the cruises that we schedule. It's hard to find a better value where you get treated so well, excellent foods, and many ports of call for a nominal price. I think its the best way to take a vacation.

Enjoy.

Richard and Mary
Las Cruces, New Mexico USA

[jp047]

Hi Richard and Mary,
Thanks for sharing so much information with me. Richard, we would love to see you race when you are here. How can we communicate without the world getting all of our info?
It sounds like you made a great deal with NCL, do they do that anymore? You are correct that cruising is a great value. We have done Mexico 5 times because it is easy for us to drive to San Diego or LA, we leave our car at one of the hotels that will keep it for a week and I look at the ship as a floating hotel. Where can you get so much for so little? The Carnival Spirit that we were on last Nov. for 8 days was $350pp. A hotel room can cost that for one night.
You said you haven't been on HAL yet. My recommendation is to wait about 15 to 20 more years. It is a very nice classy cruise company but they attract a much older crowd. The last time we sailed with them there was a parade of walkers and electric scooters and chairs.
Well, have a great 4th, it is going to be very hot here so it looks like we will either stay home or go to a movie. Enjoy, Jill

[Richard & Mary]

jp047

Jill:

Yes we did make a great deal and it has turned out great. Just yesterday we received a package from NCL with a 2 cabin upgrade and a very nice NCL travel clock as Platinum members.

I have sent you our private email address....just double click on the name in the upper left hand corner and it will take you to profile then go the cruise-chat messaging page.

Hope you get it...keep in touch.

We are heading to the Mexican Riveria on the NCL Star in Oct 2008, and we have already booked that cruise.

Richard & Mary
Las Cruces, New Mexico USA

[Berick1234]

Richard and Mary,

Thanks for all the information....I'm so geared to go on the Pearl now..I just might have to book another cruise to take up some of the time before January.....We did do 3 cruises in 7 months, so my wife said to slow down for awhile...Cruising is the best Addiction....

Bob E