Heading out to Sea Freestyle with the Norwegian Pearl Cruise

For many people, going to a cruise means getting involved in a lavish and swanky vacation that is quite uptight and elitist. But such is not the case with Norwegian Pearl, which promises its passengers to have the time of their life at their own pace and time, freestyle. Norwegian Pearl hails as the 13th vessel to grace the fleet of the Norwegian Cruise Line. It has been designed to be the twin of its older sister the Norwegian Jewel, but being built a little bigger with several tweaks and fun features, it turned out to be an even cooler vessel that would not fail to amaze its passengers.

The staple features in Norwegian Cruise’s ships are of course included here such as Courtyard Villas and some of the many wonderful restaurants seen on other Norwegian ships. However, some new exciting features have been added. For once there is the bowling alley at sea, a first in the industry, sporting four lanes that have been engineered to compensate for the nautical movements that would have skewed the rolling of the balls. The lanes also have attractive flat-screen televisions that play sports games and music videos for people to watch as they wait for their turns.

Norwegian pearl may not be as gigantic as its gargantuan competitors but it is indeed big in its own right. It has fifteen decks and has a gross weight of 93,530 tons. It is 125 feet wide and 965 feet long. It comfortable houses 2,394 passengers, double occupancy, in its 1,197 cabins. There are 12 restaurants and a round-the-clock service that ensures guests are never left famished. It has 14 lounges and bars that join other features such as a chapel, the lifestyle room, a card room, a library, meeting rooms, an Internet lounge, an art gallery, retail boutiques, the kids’ club, video arcade, a teen center, a sports deck, swimming pools, a casino, a spa, a salon, the bowling alley, the climbing wall, the fitness center, the Atrium, a 1,042-seat theater, among many others.

Luscious Feasts

Freestyle dining is what Norwegian Pearl can be proud off, and no it is nothing chaotic such as morsels placed haphazardly anywhere – guests can choose among at least 10 restaurants according to their preference. What sets the dining experience in Norwegian Pearl apart from other cruise lines is its electronic reservations that allows guests to see which restaurants are open, where they are, and how full they are at that particular moment. If you failed to make reservations and chose to just line up for a dining place, the hostess will present you a beeper that informs you when your table is available. Talk about convenience!

For a traditional cruise dinner, you may want to go to the main dining areas, Summer Palace and Indigo. If you want to try other restaurants there is Le Bistro for the authentic French fare, Lotus Garden Asian Restaurant for sushi or teppanyaki, Cagney’s Steakhouse for a whole lobster or a premium gold Angus beef steak amidst a 1930’s backdrop, La Cucina for fabulous pasta and pizza, the 24-hour Blue Lagoon for Singaporean fried rice or burgers, Mambo’s for Tex-Mex and other Latin American dishes, Garden Café for indoor buffet, and Great Outdoors for outdoor smorgasbord.

New and Hi-Tech

The spa has been a long-time staple in most decent cruise lines, but Norwegian Pearl has added some few fun twists. The Spa Bar is a futuristic addition to the South Pacific Health Spa and Beauty Salon that lets guests sample their great line of invigorating products. What is interesting about is that each time you pick up an item, the bar signals the flat screen television to provide you with useful information about the item. There is also the new thalassotherapy pool that helps sooth sore joints and muscles prior to massage treatments. Among the usual spa treatments, there is the teeth whitening plus acupuncture done by an authentic Chinese medicine doctor.

Family Friendly

If your children are afraid of not finding enough kids their own age, they will be happily surprised.  Not only are there many children usually aboard, but there is a kids club that separates children into 4 groups based on their ages.  There are groups for 2-5 year olds, 6-8 year olds, 9-12 year olds, and for teens 13-17.  This way they will be able to have fun with kids their own age, and you can have some fun of your own!

The Norwegian Cruise Line does seem to want to embody a unique experience in their voyages. The Norwegian Pearl definitely fits this reputation. The Norwegian Pearl sails to popular destinations such as Alaska, Panama, South Caribbean, US Pacific Coast, and West Caribbean. So for your next vacation, why not book for the Norwegian Pearl to take part in such an exciting journey.