Jennifer is a physician and travel blogger who has been traveling the world for 20 years. Whether cruising turquoise waters or trekking jungles for gorilla sightings, travel is her fuel. Her blog, Jennifer’s Path (jenniferspath.org), is your one-stop shop for captivating stories and savvy travel tips, guaranteed to spark wanderlust and inspire your next adventure!

We found a great deal on an amazing itinerary on the Norwegian Pearl for a 9-night Greek Islands cruise from Venice, Italy to Athens, Greece for just over $3100 per person in a family balcony stateroom. This price included the “Free at Sea” program (More at Sea as of 2025), giving us a limited beverage package, 2 specialty dining meals per person, $50 shore excursion credit per day per stateroom, and 150 minutes of free wifi. 

We had never sailed with Norwegian Cruise Line and were excited to give them a try! They have fantastic itineraries and a decent reputation. We are Diamond level with Royal Caribbean and have cruised on several other lines, so we have a lot to compare NCL to… did they measure up? Read my Norwegian Pearl review to find out!

My Norwegian Pearl Review

After checking out of our hotel in Venice, we took a private water taxi to the St. Lucia train station. A direct train ride from Venice to Trieste took approximately two hours, offering scenic views along the way. Upon arrival in Trieste, crowds made it difficult to catch a cab or uber, so we walked the mile or so to the cruise terminal. From there, a shuttle bus transported us to our embarkation point for the Norwegian Pearl, at pier 57.

Unfortunately, our trip started off on the wrong foot. Embarkation was chaotic, with hundreds of passengers milling about outside the terminal. Despite paying for priority access, we experienced no noticeable benefits.

Nonetheless, we boarded the ship with an open mind. We were ready to experience NCL for the first time and all the amazing ports of call along the way.

The Norwegian Pearl is a mid-sized ship which can hold up to 2344 passengers and 1072 crew members. It was refurbished in 2021, but it did not feel particularly new or modern.

The ship’s Crystal Atrium, though beautiful, lacked the grandeur of larger cruise ships. Its open-air design and glass sculpture created a pleasant atmosphere. The Atrium Bar, Starbucks, and comfortable seating areas made it a central hub for socializing and entertainment. The Chihuly glass sculpture and convenient location of guest services added to its appeal.

Dining on Norwegian Pearl

When it comes to dining on Norwegian Pearl, there are a number of complimentary spots along with several specialty restaurants. We tried a mix of the two during our nine days onboard the ship. Some were wins and others were letdowns.

Complimentary Restaurants

Garden Cafe

Overall, I was disappointed with the food in this Norwegian Pearl buffet. On other cruises I’ve taken, the buffet is a gathering place full of a wide selection of international dishes. Typically, the food at the buffet is good but not great, but you can always find something you like. 

On Norwegian Pearl, there was a limited selection, and what they had was not visually appealing or flavorful. Though, I have to give credit where credit is due- the desserts not only looked beautiful, but they were delicious! We have not found this to be true on other cruise lines.

Further, the space itself was poorly designed and always felt crowded. The food was crammed into one elongate room, resulting in lines, hordes of hungry people, and an overall feeling of grumpiness. During peak meal times, I’d just swoop in and grab a slice of pizza so I could get out and avoid elbowing anyone. When I did dine in, I spent so much time prowling for a table that my food would be cold by the time I sat down.

O’Sheehan’s Bar and Grill

O’Sheehan’s was the only 24 hour dining option, and take away was generally not allowed. The menu consisted of bar food and, while the selection was limited, the quality was generally pretty good. The burgers, fries, and appetizers were solid, even if unhealthy choices. Breakfast was consistently good, and we enjoyed ours at the bar seating overlooking the Crystal Atrium.

The Lotus Garden

The Lotus Garden is a complimentary Asian fusion restaurant that also has sushi at an additional surcharge, and a sake bar. We are connoisseurs of Asian food (my husband’s family is from Vietnam), and this food missed the mark completely unfortunately.

Summer Palace

Summer Palace was one of the main dining rooms. This was your typical grand, cavernous cruise ship dining room. The decor was apparently based on a neoclassical Russian palace. It was opulent with paintings of stern women and proud czars donning the walls.

Indigo

Indigo was the second main dining room and, in my opinion, was superior to the Summer Palace. The vibe was more intimate, more like a fine dining restaurant and less like a cruise ship main dining room. The decor was elegant but more cozy, in tones of navy and lavender. The walls were adorned with art deco images of American landmarks and cities. 

Yet, the food and service could have been better.

Specialty Dining

Teppanyaki

Teppanyaki is always fun. The food tends to be similar across the board and is consistently good. We did not dine here during our cruise, but the chefs appeared to put on a great show, and the people we talked to were very pleased. 

Le Bistro

We were very excited to try Le Bistro after reading reviews and perusing the menu on the NCL website ahead of our cruise. Our appetizers and desserts were very good, but we were disappointed in the main courses. I had the sea bass, which I typically love, but it was dry and overcooked. Still, the decor and ambience were nice, and the service was good. 

Cagney’s Steakhouse

Cagney’s is Norwegian Pearl’s upscale steakhouse, and we did enjoy our meal here. I had the thick cut bacon as an appetizer and the filet mignon with chimichurri, and both were quite good.

Moderno Churrascaria

Moderno is Norwegian Pearl’s churrascaria, or Brazilian steakhouse. This was an overall excellent experience! Waiters circulate with meat on a stick, serving guests rodizio style. They had all the favorites, from picanha to pork belly, and the meats were cooked and seasoned to perfection. The “salad bar”, similar to other Brazilian steakhouses we had visited, was vast and contained cold cuts, cheeses, cooked vegetables, salad, and more.

Further, the service here was attentive, warm, and friendly. This was our best experience onboard Norwegian Pearl!

La Cucina

La Cucina, the Italian restaurant onboard, was another win! With a selection of Italian favorites and great service, I highly recommend dining here during your cruise. Their carbonara was a family favorite!

Norwegian Pearl Bars and Lounges

• Magnum’s Champagne and Wine Bar
• Shaker’s Martini and Cocktail Bar
• Malting’s Beer & Whiskey Bar
• The Corona Cigar Club
• Sugarcane Mojito Bar
• Sky High Bar and Grill
• Topsiders Bar and Grill
• The Bliss Ultra Lounge
• Spinnaker Lounge

While distinct, Magnum’s Champagne and Wine Bar, Shaker’s Martini and Cocktail Bar, and Malting’s Beer & Whiskey Bar shared a common space. Each focused on a specific type of drink, with the whiskey bar offering a notable selection. The whiskey bar had a separate seating area, while the other two bars featured a larger, open space with comfortable seating and a dance floor.

Located out of the way inside of Moderno, the Sugarcane Mojito Bar offered a selection of mojitos, caipirinhas, and other interesting cocktails to make use of your drink package.

The Bliss Ultra Lounge space was a standout for me! I loved the layout of the main night club onboard. The heart of the lounge was a large dance floor, with a stage at one end and lots of comfy seating at the other, with the main bar behind that. Flanking this main area were bowling lanes! More lateral to the bowling lanes were cozy conversation areas and partitioned off more private seating areas. I loved the vibe of this space, and we enjoyed several nights of terrible (and sometimes less terrible) karaoke here. The bartenders were attentive, prompt, and creative.

The Spinnaker Lounge was another venue with a dance floor, stage, seating, and bar. Shows were held here, and the space transformed into a dance club in the evenings. I loved the set up of this lounge too. There’s a central, round dance floor with a stage on one side and comfy seating around the rest.

Entertainment 

We enjoyed the entertainment onboard Norwegian Pearl as well. The Stardust Theater was nice and never felt crowded. The performers were skilled and well-trained, and the sound quality and lighting were top notch. We particularly enjoyed the magician, and caught both of his shows.

Onboard Activities

While not as extensive as some of the newer ships in the NCL fleet, Norwegian Pearl has lots of onboard activities for adults and kids alike. There are rock climbing walls, shuffleboard, a sports court (volleyball, basketball, tennis), a jogging/walking track, and more. More of an inside type? There’s a library, a card room (the “lifestyle room”) which is stocked with board and card games, an art gallery, a casino, an arcade, a chapel, and an internet cafe.

The Gym 

We try to keep it together and keep our fitness on track when cruising, and the Norwegian Pearl made this easy for us. The gym was pretty spacious and had a cable machine, dumbbells, a few weight machines, and numerous cardio machines lining the windows. A large fitness studio offered classes for an upcharge, including yoga, spin, and body sculpt. Personal trainers were available for private bookings as well.

The Spa

The spa staff was warm and friendly. They offered a broad selection of treatments which were priced around the industry standard for cruise ship spa services. The facilities were beautiful, serene, and elegant. As is typical of cruise ship spa staff, they upsell you hard, even while getting a massage.

Further, you can purchase passes to the thermal suite if you need an escape from the crowds, where you can relax in heated stone loungers, enjoy the hot tubs or thalassotherapy pool, and sweat it out in the sauna before chilling out in the icy plunge pool.

The Pools

The pools are located on deck 12. There are two, and one is designated as “adults only”. Each has two hot tubs, and there is a covered round stage by the adults’ pool. There is ample seating around the pools, and we never had trouble finding loungers which is often an issue on cruise ships. Along the covered sides, you’ll find daybeds and conversation groupings. Additionally, lots of dining tables are placed at the end of the pool closest to the bar and grill. 

I liked the set up for the pools. Although they were a bit small, they had shallow edges for seating, and you could find spots in the sun or shade. 

Kids’ Activities

There is something for kids of every age onboard!

• Deck 15 hosts an open play space called “Guppies”, where parents can play with their 6-month to 3-year old kiddos.
• Splash Academy is meant for kids age 3-12 years, and you are able to drop them off. 
• Entourage is for kids age 13-17 and has games, movies, sports, and parties at their dedicated dance club. 

Registration is necessary for all kids programs.

Norwegian Pearl Review – Staterooms

Norwegian offers a wide range of staterooms to suit your needs and budget. From cozy inside cabins to luxurious penthouse suites, there’s an option for everyone. If you’re traveling with a big family, you might want to check out the 3-bedroom family suite that can accommodate up to 8 people!

Want to experience the ultimate in luxury? The Haven is Norwegian’s exclusive area for suite guests, offering a private pool, hot tub, restaurant, lounge, and sun decks. Haven guests also enjoy dedicated concierge service and 24/7 butler service.

We opted for a family balcony stateroom during this trip. While it wasn’t as fancy as the Haven, it was still a comfortable space for our family. The room had two twin beds that could be pushed together, a sofa bed, and a pullman bed.

The room was a bit narrow, which made it feel a bit cramped. The bathroom was a decent size, with a large shower and a separate toilet. There was also a vanity area with a mirror and shelves.

The balcony was small, but provided a nice outdoor space for us to watch the world go by.

Overall, we were happy with our stateroom. It provided us with a comfortable place to relax and enjoy our cruise.

Norwegian Pearl Review – Ports of Call

Norwegian Cruise Line shines with its itineraries! During my 9-day cruise, we visited eight ports of call. This port intensive itinerary is what most appealed to my family.

Trieste, Italy

This cruise began in Trieste, which is close-ish to Venice. We stayed in Venice and took the 2 hour train ride to Trieste on embarkation day. Trieste is a lovely town, so you may consider spending a night or two here before the cruise. 

Ravenna, Italy

Ravenna is beautiful. Walk around the medieval village, take in the stunning mosaics, or head back to Venice, Murano, or Burano.

Rijeka, Croatia

Our original port was Koper, Slovenia. We were disappointed until we realized there were similar tour offerings from Rijeka. We booked a tour through Shore Excursions Group which took us to the Postojna Caves and Predjama Castle. It was a big bus coach tour, which is not ideal, but the tour was nice. The sites were unique and gorgeous, and the countryside very scenic.

Zadar, Croatia

Zadar is a pretty cool town, with a newer area and a walled old city. We booked the tuk tuk tour through the cruise line. While the novelty of riding in a tuk tuk was fun, we really didn’t learn or see a lot. I would suggest going further afield and seeing the landscape, possibly doing a hike at Krka National Park.

Kotor, Montenegro

We booked a bike tour through Shore Excursions Group, and they never showed up. So, we found a tout on our way out of the port who sold us a private boat ride to see the major sites- the blue cave, the submarine tunnel, and our Lady of the Rock. It was a rough ride, but lots of fun. It was nice to have our own boat. The town of Kotor was very cute, and worth exploring. 

Dubrovnik, Croatia

My family opted for the Game of Thrones tour through the cruise line. They enjoyed it, although it was a bit cheesy. The city itself was gorgeous. Get out and explore, whether you take a walking tour or get out of town for water sports or wine tasting.

Corfu, Greece

We booked the 4X4 tour of Corfu through the cruise line and had a blast! They were Suzuki Jimneys, and they were comfortable and fine to drive. Most of the driving was on paved roads, so the description was a little misleading. The scenery and small villages were stunning and idyllic, and the snacks we had along the way flavorful.

Santorini, Greece

We booked a private tour of Santorini through Shore Excursions Group and had a great time! Our guide was fantastic, and the tour itself was enjoyable. We visited a winery, museum, and some of the island’s main sights.

However, the island is overwhelmed by cruise ship crowds, and the cable car and traffic can be chaotic. If you ever visit Santorini, I’d suggest a land-based tour or a private catamaran trip to avoid the crowds.

Mykonos, Greece

This port was the highlight of our cruise. Neither the cruise line nor Shore Excursions Group had excursions that interested us, so we went with Mykonos Kayak. I cannot recommend these guys highly enough! They were punctual and took us for a lovely kayak tour, including snorkeling, snacks, and an education about the culture, flora, and fauna of Mykonos.

Disembarkation in Piraeus, Greece

We disembarked in Piraeus, just outside of Athens. I highly recommend arranging a tour or driver, rather than counting on a taxi or uber. There were hordes of people waiting for both, while our driver stood in the center of the arrival plaza with a sign bearing our name, and whisked us away for a coastline drive to the Temple of Poseidon.

Overall Impressions: Norwegian Pearl Review

In summary, our cruise on Norwegian Pearl was a mixed bag. The food was bland, uninventive, and often difficult to access. The service was lackluster, and the ship felt crowded in many places, particularly the buffet.

However, we did enjoy the Churrascaria, La Cucina, the onboard entertainment and activities, and the ports of call. 

We did pay for the “Priority Access Pass”, which supposedly gives you priority embarkation, spa credit, priority tender boarding, and priority disembarkation. However, you are limited on which spa services you can use the credit for. Priority embarkation and disembarkation were also useless- embarkation was a mess and who wants to get off extra-early?? Priority tender access was nice. Worth it? Nah.

Overall, I likely won’t travel with Norwegian again unless I find an irresistible itinerary or a screaming deal on a suite in the Haven!

However, it is important to note that Norwegian Pearl is an older ship, and the cruise line has many newer ships that may appeal to families with attractions like waterslides and go-karts. NCL also offers a more flexible “Freestyle” approach to cruising which some travelers may enjoy.

Comments

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