Travel · United States

Cruising on the Norwegian Pearl – the idea of a perfect holiday

Cruising on the Norwegian Pearl on a 14 day round trip on the Panama Canal to and from Tampa is a wonderful way to discover the Caribbean ports of call.

Norwegian Pearl cruise ship
Norwegian Pearl cruise ship

A massive ship with a Gross Register Tonnage of 93530 and a Guest Capacity 2394 on double occupancy, the 965 feet tall and 125 feet long ship was built in 2006 and was refurbished in 2017. The ship has a 1072 strong crew to take care of guests aboard. The ship has a chic bowling alley, 16 delicious dining options, 15 bars and lounges, dazzling casino, tranquil spa and spacious garden villas to ensure you have an elevated cruising experience. The best part is this ship has many exciting itineraries as it sails through the world’s greatest shortcut on the Panama Canal cruise.

Aboard the Norwegian Pearl
Aboard the Norwegian Pearl

Stay in Style

There are several categories of rooms aboard the Norwegian Pearl. At the top end ate the Haven suites that come with 24-hour butler service, concierge service and private sundeck. The Haven 3-Bedroom Garden Villa, The Haven Deluxe Owner’s Suite with Large Balcony, The Haven 2-Bedroom Family Villa with Balcony, The Haven Courtyard Penthouse with Balcony and The Haven Courtyard Penthouse with Balcony are some of the most premium rooms. There are other choices including Penthouse with Large Balcony, Mini-Suite, Family Balcony, Family Oceanview Picture Window, Oceanview Picture Window, Obstructed Oceanview and Mid-Ship Inside that can accommodate from 2-4 guests based on the category ensure that you have a lot of staying options.

Aboard the Norwegian Pearl
Aboard the Norwegian Pearl

Gastronomy Beckons

One of the most important things on a holiday is good food and aboard the Norwegian Peal has several options that will keep you satiated. The complimentary dining options include Garden Café/Kids Café that serves a buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner in an expansive outlet that has large floor to ceiling windows that allow you to soak in the sea views. The buffet stations include a larger variety of cuisine including a salad bar, an Asian station, meat-carving, made-to-order pastas, ice cream as well as a small Indian counter too. If you prefer something more personal there are two main dining rooms – Indigo and Lotus Garden that serve fresh-baked breads, fine continental fare as well as desserts and pastries all of which can be paired with recommended wine (only the wine needs to be paid for).

Aboard the Norwegian Pearl
Aboard the Norwegian Pearl

O’Sheehan’s a reinvented Irish pub, Lotus Garden, for Asian Fusion food and The Great Outdoors, Topsiders Bar & Grill are other restaurants that are complimentary. Room Service is available but that is usually at an extra convenience charge. Other dining options include Moderno, an authentic Brazilian steakhouse, Sushi Bar and Teppanyaki for Japanese delicacies, La Cucina, an Italian ristorante and Cagney’s a steakhouse have some exclusive fine dining options at an additional charge. This apart, you can enjoy a fine selection of drinks at Bliss Ultra Lounge & Night Club, Corona Cigar Club, Great Outdoors Bar, Magnum’s Champagne & Wine Bar, Maltings Beer & Whiskey Bar, Moderno Bar, Pearl Club Casino Bar and Sake Bar.

Aboard the Norwegian Pearl
Aboard the Norwegian Pearl

Activities Galore

The best part of cruising on the Norwegian Pearl is that it is all about freestyle cruising where you are at liberty to do what you want to, when and where. So each day you have a calendar of all the activities including the specials of the day in a Freestyle Daily calendar that you will have on your bed during the turn down service so you can plan the day ahead. Of course shore excursions are on top of the activity list but even if you do not want to go, there is enough happening on the ship to keep you entertained.

Aboard the Norwegian Pearl
Aboard the Norwegian Pearl

For the health conscious the Body Waves Fitness Center with a range of state-of-the-art machines and views of the sea is a great place. There are aerobics, spinning and exercise classes as well as regular fitness talks that will ensure your health is always a priority even when on vacation. If you are sporty, there is a four-lane bowling alley, a Card Room where you can indulge in board games, checkers, and Scrabble®, a swimming pool and outdoor hot tubs, a Jogging/Walking Track, a Kid’s Pool as well as gaming areas like basketball and more. If you want to indulge in some me time head to the Mandara Spa & Salon that offers a while range of spa and salon treatments to rejuvenate your body and soul.

Entertainment aboard the Norwegian Pearl
Entertainment aboard the Norwegian Pearl

The Thermal Suite here is a great way to enjoy a heated water experience. There are entertainment shows as well as movie screenings that happen every day as well. Shoppers aboard have access to a whole range of tax and duty-free shopping with options like Colombian Emeralds International, The Shopping Galleria, Tides that offers the best deals as well as Trade Routes Boutiques.

So, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags for Tampa port today!

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