Norwegian Pearl Cruise Ship: Overview and Things To Do

Launched in 2006, the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship isn’t that old in terms of cruise ship lifetimes, but she is getting up there. Thankfully, she was updated in 2017, bringing this millennial ship into the current age. So what can you expect if you plan on sailing this Jewel-class ship on one of its Mediterranean or Caribbean itineraries? 

We’ve compiled all the need-to-know facts for your perusal. Find out what kind of staterooms and suites you’ll have to choose from when you book, where you can expect to dine and drink during your cruise, and even what there is for kids and younger travelers in the crew to do, to keep themselves entertained during sea days. You’ll learn about all this and more, below. 

Norwegian Pearl Ship Stats

Norwegian Pearl is not exactly a mega-ship. It’s not even a big ship really. At 93,430 gross tonnage (the same size as sister ship Norwegian Gem), this is firmly a mid-size ship. For comparison, the largest ship in the world, Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, is more than 236,000 GT. Even the 50th-largest ship in the world, the MSC Splendida, is larger, at 137,936 GT. 

So, in other words, don’t expect a humongous, mammoth vessel. Instead, you can expect…

• Gross Tonnage: 93,500
• Passenger Capacity: 2,394 (Double Occupancy)
• Crew Capacity: 1,072
• Length: 965 feet

Construction and History

The third Jewel-class ship, Norwegian Pearl was ordered in 2004, laid down in 2005 and launched in 2006 by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. While the construction went by rather swiftly, the launch was not without its drama.

The very first passage attempt was marred by an electrical incident; the ship disturbed a power line on the German Ems River, which caused a large power outage that impacted much of Europe in late 2006. However, after traveling from Germany to England, and on to Miami, the ship was christened by Rosie O’Donnell and sent on its way.

Since its launch, Norwegian Pearl has hosted quite a few special themed cruises. It’s hosted quite a few music-themed cruises in particular, including cruises hosted by popular bands like Paramore and KISS. The ship was also used in television shows such as Cruise Inc: Big Money on the High Seas and Impractical Jokers.

Read Also: Things to Do on a Norwegian Encore Cruise

While frequent Norwegian Cruise Line cruisers will notice that Norwegian Pearl looks a little like a Dawn-class ship on its exterior, the interior is vastly different, as is that of all of the Jewel-class ships.  Other Jewel-class ships include Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Gem. 

Staterooms and Suites

When it comes to booking your perfect stateroom or suite, you want to book a room that’s going to fit your individual cruising style.

If you’re a cruiser who does indeed spend a good portion of time in your stateroom, enjoying some relaxation and maybe some in-room dining, you’ll want a space that’s going to be comfortable and maybe even luxurious.

If, though, you barely see your room at all during a cruise, because you’re having too much fun elsewhere, you might make do with a more affordable interior room. 

Whatever room you choose on the Norwegian Pearl, though, you’re sure to find something to love. Your options will include…

• Interior staterooms
• Oceanview staterooms
• Balcony staterooms
• Club Balcony suites
• Regular suites
• The Haven suites

So what can you expect with each?

Well, for starters, the interior staterooms are your most basic options (and also your smallest options). Pretty boring and bland, they’re best suited for those cruisers who, as mentioned, aren’t going to be spending that much time inside.

If you’d prefer to hit up the breakfast buffet at dawn, lie by the pool all day, then party all night, and only come back to your room for a few quick winks, you’ll find that the interior staterooms are good enough for you. Interior staterooms include amenities such as small sitting areas and televisions.

Oceanview rooms are, as you might expect, a little larger. You can anticipate more floor space and more room to stretch your legs. However, if you’ve never cruised with Norwegian Cruise Line before, or particularly on a Norwegian Jewel-class cruise ship, you may find that the windows in the oceanview rooms are pretty small compared to what you might find on other cruise ships.

Rather than large, circular windows that give you big views from bed, these oceanview room windows are more like small, little rectangles that you’ll need to really lean into in order to see much.

Compared to the first two options, the balcony rooms on Norwegian Pearl are much more luxurious — from the furnishings to the amenities. Think a room in a modern, new hotel. The stylish rooms feature ample seating space and patio furniture on your large balcony. The balcony is accessed via a floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door. Once on the balcony, you’ll see that you have even greater views, thanks to the balcony railing’s transparency.

Club Balcony Suites are even larger and more luxurious, with slightly upgraded furnishings. They also feature more luxurious bathrooms and showers, compared to the standard balcony rooms. Regular suites are even larger, with expanded balcony space and interior seating.

The Haven, however, is the VIP area of the ship, where you’ll find completely upgraded staterooms and suites that are almost in their own little neighborhood, away from all the other staterooms. You enjoy extra amenities here, too, such as concierge service.

Restaurants

But once you’re on your cruise, you’ve got to eat. So where can you go? 

Compared to some other, budget cruise lines, Norwegian is known for a higher standard of dining, and the same can be said when you’re on Norwegian Pearl. You can expect both complimentary dining and specialty dining that’s available for an additional fee. Complimentary restaurants include:

• O’Sheehan’s Bar & Grill, for 24-hour Irish pub classics and brews
• The Garden Cafe, for breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets
• Indigo, one of two main dining rooms
• Summer Palace, another main dining room, but with a slightly more upscale feel than what you’ll get at Indigo
• Lotus Garden, for authentic Asian dining
• The Great Outdoors, an outdoor buffet bar that’s super-casual
• Topsiders Bar & Grill, for burgers and hot dogs by the pool

You’ll also get complimentary room service, 24 hours per day. Continental breakfast room service is completely free until 10 a.m. and all room service is free for suite guests. Otherwise, a $10 service fee is added to all room service orders, even though it’s considered a “free” dining option. 

If, though, you want to try the specialty restaurants, you’ll find…

• Moderno Churrascaria, a Brazilian-style steakhouse with a huge salad bar
• Sushi, an aptly-named sushi bar
• La Cucina, an Italian family-style restaurant
• Cagney’s Steakhouse, for American-style steakhouse eats
• Le Bistro, for a French-style fine dining experience
• Teppanyaki, for Japanese grilling
• Starbucks, for your daily caffeine fix 

The price for dining at these specialty restaurants differs. For example, dining at Moderno Churrascaria is a flat fee of $49 per adult, as is dining at Teppanyaki, but all the other specialty dining options are a la carte.

Worth Reading: Reasons to Cruise on the Norwegian Breakaway Cruise Ship

Bars and Lounges 

In addition to all of the above options, both complimentary and specialty, you can find a great range of specialty bars and lounges across the ship as well. In fact, there are more watering holes than restaurants!

• Atrium Bar for all-day drinks in the middle of it all
• Bliss Ultra Lounge & Night Club, a flashy club for partying well into the night
• Corona Cigar Club, for when you want a smoke with your fine cognacs and whiskeys
• Great Outdoors Bar, for wine, beer and cocktails in the great outdoors
• Magnum’s Champagne & Wine Bar, for fine wines in an Art Deco setting
• Maltings Beer & Whiskey Bar, for a posh setting inspired by the Mandarin Oriental hotel in London
• Moderno Bar, for separate experiences inside the Moderno Churrascaria Brazilian steakhouse 
• Pearl Club Casino Bar, for easy drinks while you gamble
• Sake Bar, for a full lineup of sake inside the Lotus Garden Restaurant 
• Shakers Martini & Cocktails Bar, for an Art Deco atmosphere and all your favorite martinis
• Sky High Bar & Grill for ocean views in a hot air balloon-inspired setting
• Spinnaker Lounge, for late-night dancing
• Sugarcane Mojito Bar, for mojitos at all hours

You can also find drinks available at the above restaurants. You’re never thirsty when you’re aboard Norwegian Pearl! 

Entertainment

There are loads of ways to play on Norwegian Pearl. Here are just a few.

• Take in some live entertainment – You can find live music, theatrical performances, dancing and more via the variety shows and concerts held in the onboard theater. Do note that the best live entertainment aboard Norwegian Pearl is available during themed cruises only, though, not necessarily during just any cruise. 

• Get active (and maybe a little competitive) – Whatever your preferred way to work out, you can probably do so on Norwegian Pearl. There’s a full fitness center (with classes), a basketball court, volleyball court, tennis court and jogging and walking track, all at your disposal. 

• Take a dip – Whether you want to take a dip in the pool or the hot tub, you have options. There are six outdoor hot tubs on the ship’s deck 12. The main pool deck features only a single pool, but more than 140 sun beds and more than 300 deck chairs. It’s all situated near Topsider’s Bar and Grill, so you’re never too far from a drink or snack. 

• Relax a little – Go to the Mandara Spa and Salon for a wide range of treatments and a bit of rejuvenation during your vacay. 

• Enjoy a bit of gambling – If your idea of a fun time includes the slots or some card games, visit The Pearl Casino, where you can enjoy roulette, blackjack, craps and more, all set against a vintage circus theme. 

• Get in some retail therapy – For those who’d rather spend their hard-earned cash another way, Norwegian Pearl offers several shopping options. The Shopping Galleria sells a range of duty-free items. Shop for jewelry, clothing, souvenirs and more. You can also book future cruises and find special Norwegian Cruise Line offers (up to 70% off!) at The Tides on deck 7.

Children’s Programming

The kids will hardly be bored on this ship. For starters, the main pool area features a children’s splash pool for the youngest travelers in your group. Then, there’s Splash Academy, an all-kids area on deck 12 that offers games, arts and crafts and themed days for elementary-age kids to learn and play at the same time.

For the older kids, a trip to the video arcade might just be in order, but teens also have their own space, the Metro Center. 

Norwegian Pearl Itineraries

So, what are you waiting for? If you want to book a Norwegian Pearl cruise, now’s the time. Norwegian Cruise Line is booking for a range of cruises, with stops in destinations all across the world, for 2022 and into 2024.

Whether you dream of escaping from the East Coast to sunnier locales like Bermuda, the Bahamas or the Panama Canal, or you’d prefer a European escape to the Greek Isles, you can find all this and more.

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