Norwegian Pearl may be one of the older ships in Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet, but after spending seven nights onboard, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the experience.
Before sailing, I wasn’t sure what to expect. In general, I’ve been impressed with Norwegian’s older vessels, including Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Dawn, and Norwegian Star. However, that doesn’t mean every Norwegian cruise will be a good experience.
Norwegian Pearl first launched in 2006, and compared to NCL’s newest ships, she’s definitely smaller and more traditional. However, that ended up being one of the things I liked most!
The ship was comfortable, easy to navigate, and well maintained. Although Norwegian Pearl doesn’t have the newest attractions or the endless entertainment options found on larger vessels, the ship offers a relaxed atmosphere, plenty of dining choices, and enough amenities to keep most guests happy.
Here’s what my honest experience was like aboard Norwegian Pearl, and whether I would book another cruise on this Jewel class ship.
Norwegian Pearl is an older ship, but didn’t feel like it
Norwegian Pearl is part of NCL’s Jewel Class and carries approximately 2,394 guests at double occupancy. The ship was refurbished in 2021 and has continued receiving updates, including the addition of the adults-only Vibe Beach Club in late 2025.
Considering the ship’s age, I was honestly impressed by how Norwegian Pearl looked. The ship felt clean and well maintained throughout our sailing. It also looked more up to date than I expected, and I noticed very little visible wear and tear.
Of course, some parts of the ship do look more dated than what you would find on a brand-new NCL vessel. This is expected when cruising aboard a 20-year-old ship. Norwegian Pearl does not have huge waterslides, elaborate activity areas, or the newest high-tech features. But, the ship doesn’t feel neglected or outdated, and instead feels comfortable and classic.
Norwegian Pearl is the perfect size for a port-heavy cruise
Our itinerary was very port intensive, so we only had one full sea day. Because of that, we used Norwegian Pearl primarily as a home base between destinations. This made the ship’s size especially appealing!
After spending the day exploring, it was nice to come back to a ship that felt familiar and easy to navigate. We never had to walk extremely long distances to get from one venue to another, and we rarely encountered significant lines.
Norwegian Pearl felt large enough to offer plenty of restaurants, bars, lounges, entertainment, and outdoor spaces. At the same time, it never felt so large that we were constantly checking the deck plans or trying to figure out where we were. We never dealt with crowding or long lines, and there was never an issue getting a lounger at the pool deck.
For guests who enjoy the idea of cruising but don’t want the overwhelming scale of a mega-ship, Norwegian Pearl could be a great option.
You can read an in-depth review of my Mediterranean cruise experience on Norwegian Pearl here!
Our Club Balcony Suite was impressively spacious and modern
For this cruise, we stayed in a Club Balcony Suite. Although Norwegian Pearl is an older ship, the cabin felt more modern than we expected. The decor was neutral and contemporary, and the room had comfortable furniture, USB ports, a vanity area, and plenty of useful storage.
Our Club Balcony Suite included a couch and sitting area, a large closet, and multiple drawers and shelves. The extra seating made a bigger difference than expected, especially after long days in port. It was nice to have somewhere to relax besides the bed.
The bathroom was another highlight, and one of the main perks of booking a Club Balcony Suite. These cabins offer more space than standard balcony staterooms, including a larger walk-in shower, marble-style finishes, a generously sized sink, and a separate toilet area. The bathroom storage was somewhat limited for two people, but the overall layout felt comfortable and well designed.
We also enjoyed having a private balcony. It gave us a quiet place to watch the sailaways, take in the scenery, and enjoy some fresh air without leaving the room.
Overall, I was really impressed with our stateroom on Norwegian Pearl, especially considering the ship’s age. Compared with cabins on other ships from the same era, it was one of the nicest I’ve stayed in. While the staterooms may not feature the newest designs in NCL’s fleet, ours felt comfortable, modern, and well maintained.
We enjoyed both specialty and complimentary dining on Norwegian Pearl
Norwegian Pearl offers two main dining rooms, Indigo and Summer Palace, along with the Garden Café buffet, O’Sheehan’s, The Great Outdoors, Topsiders Bar & Grill, and several specialty restaurants.
During our sailing, we had numerous specialty dining credits to use from our Free at Sea package and Platinum loyalty benefits. For this cruise, we made reservations at Cagney’s Steakhouse, La Cucina, Le Bistro, Moderno Churrascaria, and Teppanyaki.
First, make sure you book your specialty dining reservation beforehand, or immediately after boarding. Many of the best time slots were already taken when we boarded, so we dropped the ball on this and ended up with late dining slots.
Overall, Cagney’s was our favorite. The restaurant offered a classic steakhouse experience, with attentive service, an upscale atmosphere, and delicious food. The food at Le Bistro was also excellent, but service was a little slow for us.
We were also pleasantly surprised by La Cucina. During a previous Norwegian cruise, La Cucina left us slightly disappointed, so we were not sure what to expect. However, our meal was very good and the food was lovely. We dined here the night before arriving in Venice for disembarkation, so this was the perfect way to end our cruise!
Moderno was another fun dining experience. The Brazilian steakhouse offers a massive salad bar and tableside service, with servers bringing different cuts of meat directly to the table. It was a lively meal and a nice change from the main dining room.
Finally, while Teppanyaki was entertaining, it was not our best meal. We enjoyed the interactive experience and meeting other cruisers at our table, but the food tasted heavier and greasier than we preferred. Seeing all the mounds of butter used for cooking the meal might have been a turnoff! Some of the meat was also tougher than expected.
In terms of complimentary dining, we also ate in both Indigo and Summer Palace and had good experiences overall. Norwegian’s main dining room menus offered a nice variety of dishes, which we appreciated.
The food quality was consistent, and the service was very attentive. We also appreciated that we generally did not have to wait long for a table!
We had great drinks and friendly service around the ship
We had the Free at Sea beverage package and loved using it throughout the cruise. We ordered drinks at the poolside bars, Sugarcane Mojito Bar, Atrium Bar, and several of the ship’s lounges. Maltings Beer & Whiskey Bar and Spinnaker Lounge were also popular spots for guests to use their Free at Sea package.
The bar service on Norwegian Pearl was very good during our cruise. We found that drinks were prepared quickly, and we rarely had to wait in long lines to order. Norwegian’s drink menus include a variety of cocktails, wines, beers, and other drinks with most being included in our Free at Sea package!
Everything we drank was fresh and well prepared, especially the fruity cocktails. We liked having drinks during the day, whether that was a glass of wine with dinner or a cocktail while relaxing in one of the lounges.
The beverage package added a lot of value for us because we didn’t have to think about the cost of every drink. This made our cruise feel more inclusive and gave us the freedom to indulge with a cocktail whenever we wanted one.
Entertainment was good enough for our cruise, but not amazing
Because our itinerary included so many port days, entertainment really wasn’t our main focus. Most evenings, we were pretty tired from exploring new ports of call and didn’t want to attend every show.
The ship offered theater productions with singing and dancing, comedians, scheduled activities, and evening parties. Activities also included trivia, line dancing, game shows, and movies onboard.
The entertainment was perfectly fine, although not every performance appealed to us. The theatre was also never packed during our cruise, so I wouldn’t be too concerned about getting to the shows early for seats.
One event we did enjoy Norwegian’s classic Glow Party in the Spinnaker Lounge. There was plenty of dancing, music, and energy, and it was fun to watch so many guests enjoying themselves.
However, if you’re looking for nonstop activities and huge entertainment venues, Norwegian Pearl might feel more limited than NCL’s newest ships. However, for a port-heavy itinerary, the entertainment lineup was more than enough.
Would I sail onboard Norwegian Pearl again?
I wouldn’t hesitate to book another cruise on Norwegian Pearl. In fact, I really loved my experience overall. Norwegian Pearl is a great choice for travelers who prefer a mid-sized ship with a relaxed atmosphere and an easy-to-understand layout.
It may not be the best match for someone searching for the newest technology, elaborate attractions, or a packed schedule of onboard activities. However, Norwegian Pearl does offer comfortable staterooms, a good variety of restaurants, friendly service, and plenty of places to relax.
I especially appreciated the ship’s size. Norwegian Pearl felt large enough to keep us busy, but the ship was small enough that we never felt lost or overwhelmed. It was a lovely place to return to after busy days in port, and our Club Balcony Suite made the experience even better.
Although I’ve sailed on NCL’s newer ships, I would happily cruise on Norwegian Pearl again if the itinerary and price were right.
