Honest Review of the Norwegian Pearl: The Itinerary Shines, but the Ship Falls Short

When I booked the Norwegian Pearl, it wasn’t for the ship itself, it was for the amazing 11-night itinerary through Greece, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy. Built in 2006 and refurbished in 2021, the Pearl carries just over 2,300 passengers, which makes it feel more intimate compared to today’s mega ships. That said, while the itinerary delivered everything I hoped for, the ship itself was disappointing in many ways.

Dining: Pay for Quality

The Pearl offers 15 dining options. The included restaurants, Summer Palace, Indigo, O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill, and the Garden Café buffet, were underwhelming. By the end of the cruise, the food quality was so poor it felt like reheated buffet leftovers, and replenishing supplies while in port seemed inconsistent.

On the other hand, the specialty restaurants were excellent. I tried Cagney’s Steakhouse and Lotus Garden with my “More at Sea” package, and both were standouts. Without a dining plan, specialty meals cost $40–$60 per person. This is a flat, all-you-can-eat fee. In short, if you want a good meal onboard, be prepared to pay extra.

Bacon at Cagney's Steakhouse

Shrimp at Cagney's Steakhouse

Prime rib at Cagney's Steakhouse

Steak at Cagney's Steakhouse

Caesar salad at Cagney's Steakhouse

Filet mignon at Cagney's Steakhouse

Dessert at Cagney's Steakhouse

Creme brûlée at Cagney's Steakhouse

Dessert at Cagney's Steakhouse

Chocolate cake at Cagney's Steakhouse

Shrimp over rice at Summer Palace

Potato soup at Summer Palace

Penne at Summer Palace

Salad at Summer Palace

Ribs at Summer Palace

Rice at Summer Palace

BBQ platter at Summer Palace

Linguine at Summer Palace

Banana Foster at Summer Palace

Egg rolls at Lotus Garden

chicken lettuce wraps at Lotus Garden

Ribs at Lotus Garden

Dumplings at Lotus Garden

Sushi at Lotus Garden

Fish entree at Lotus Garden

Sushi rolls at Lotus Garden

Shrimp at Lotus Garden

Sushi rolls with tuna at Lotus Garden

Dessert at Lotus Garden

Entrees at at Lotus Garden

Entree dish at Lotus Garden

Rice at Lotus Garden

Meat entree at Lotus Garden

Steak at Lotus Garden

Drinks

Pretzel bites at O'Sheehan's

Soup from Garden Cafe

Bars & Drinks

With 17 themed bars, there’s no shortage of places to grab a drink. My favorite was the Sugarcane Mojito Bar, where every cocktail was spot-on. Thanks to the “More at Sea” package, I could order two drinks at once, which made poolside lounging a breeze.

Drink at Cagney's Steakhouse

Mojito at Sugarcane

Martinis at Bar

Pina coladas on bar

Mimosa and bellini

Mojitos and nuts on bar

Spa: A Hard Pass

The Mandara Spa offers massages, facials, and salon services, but my personal experience was awful. A simple polish change for my daughter and me turned into a two-hour ordeal to fix a botched job; all at an inflated price. Based on this, I wouldn’t recommend visiting the spa at all.

Pools & Deck Space

The ship has two pools, one adults-only and one all-ages, plus several hot tubs. The pools close in the evenings, but the hot tubs stay open. Deck space was generous, with plenty of chairs for the number of guests. I appreciated the bar staff at the pools for keeping things organized, creating lines for service, and even offering chair service.

Entertainment: Forgettable

The so-called Broadway-style shows, live music, comedy, and themed parties lacked energy and quality. Most shows were half-empty, and the only event that drew a crowd was the glow party on the pool deck. Entertainment is definitely not a strong point of this ship.

Family & Teen Activities

On paper, the Pearl offers a lot for families: a kids’ club, teen lounge, basketball court, rock climbing wall, bowling alley, and arcade. In reality, most of these were closed more often than open.

• The basketball court closed at 5pm, even though we were in port until later.

• The rock climbing wall rarely opened, always “due to wind.”

• Bowling and arcade had limited hours and extra fees.

  
  

With a 1:30am curfew for teens, many ended up wandering the ship or hanging in the hot tubs with little else to do.

Other Features

• Casino: Small but adequate.

• Fitness center: Compact but functional, with extra-fee classes.

• Lounges: Plenty of spaces to relax if you don’t want the pool scene.

Deck Guide

Basketball court

Rock climbing wall

View from deck

Behind the scenes tour

Bowling lanes

View from ship

Giant chess game

View of port

Lounge on Norwegian Pearl

Deck on Norwegian Pearl

Lotus Garden restaurant on Norwegian Pearl

Pool on Norwegian Pearl

Deck at night on Norwegian Pearl

View from Norwegian Pearl at port

Staff: Mixed at Best

While a few crew members were outstanding, most staff came across as indifferent or, at times, downright rude. After chatting with one bartender, I sensed that homesickness might play a role, but overall service was inconsistent.

The Itinerary: The True Highlight

Where the Norwegian Pearl truly shines is its itinerary. Waking up in a new country almost every day was an incredible experience. Highlights included:

• Santorini & Kotor (tender ports, but well organized)

• Mykonos, Crete, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Split, and Koper

• Trieste, Italy as the final port

Being able to unpack once, explore all day, and relax at night was ideal for my family. We absolutely loved the destinations, which made the trip worthwhile.

Final Thoughts

Would I recommend the Norwegian Pearl? Honestly, no. While the itinerary was everything we hoped for and more, the ship’s dining, entertainment, staff, and family amenities left much to be desired. If you can find this route on a different ship, take it. The destinations are worth every moment but the Pearl itself just doesn’t live up to the journey.