February 3, 2008
If flying in to Fort Lauderdale, we found it easier to rent a car rather than taking a shuttle. We rented with Avis for around $50/day and no one-way fee. We used $5 of gas and a taxi from the downtown Avis branch to the port was around $8, plus we were able to do a little touring & last minute shopping. It was around the same price for two people, but so much more convenient than the shuttle option.
Prior to departure, I dropped the luggage and my mom off at the port. The luggage guys took the luggage right out of the car and onto their carts for loading – way easier than hauling it to the car rental office and into a taxi. There was an area for her to wait inside out of the heat and I was back in about 15 minutes. So easy.
Bring bottled water. We stopped and picked up a case of water, which was a great decision. I brought an extra bag to put it in as you can check more bags on the ship than you can on the plane. There was filtered water available at all of the dining establishments on our ship, but with all the health scares, you cannot reuse a cup or put a water bottle on the water dispensers (which is good sense). The ship sold large water bottles but with quite a mark-up, and they permit you to bring bottles on board, so why not? If you wish to reuse your bottles, a funnel would be helpful. (This is also worth considering for soda drinkers).
Don’t forget any toiletries. I didn’t see toiletries in the onboard shops (including sunscreen), so if they were there, the selection was extremely limited.
Prior to departure, I dropped the luggage and my mom off at the port. The luggage guys took the luggage right out of the car and onto their carts for loading – way easier than hauling it to the car rental office and into a taxi. There was an area for her to wait inside out of the heat and I was back in about 15 minutes. So easy.
Bring bottled water. We stopped and picked up a case of water, which was a great decision. I brought an extra bag to put it in as you can check more bags on the ship than you can on the plane. There was filtered water available at all of the dining establishments on our ship, but with all the health scares, you cannot reuse a cup or put a water bottle on the water dispensers (which is good sense). The ship sold large water bottles but with quite a mark-up, and they permit you to bring bottles on board, so why not? If you wish to reuse your bottles, a funnel would be helpful. (This is also worth considering for soda drinkers).
Don’t forget any toiletries. I didn’t see toiletries in the onboard shops (including sunscreen), so if they were there, the selection was extremely limited.
February 3, 2008
The Norwegian Pearl is spectacular. It was everything I expected and more.
Food: All I heard before going on a cruise was to bring two sizes of clothes because you will gain weight from eating so much. I know that sounds fun to some people, but for me, it was a major turn-off. We boarded around lunchtime and the only option was the buffet, and I was pleasantly surprised to find an abundance of healthy options such as a nice salad bar, veggie sushi and fresh sliced tropical fruit. We tried several of the specialty restaurants and, with the exception of the Italian restaurant (although maybe not fair to say since I was in Rome just a couple weeks before), they were all excellent and offered a selection of lighter fare.
Entertainment: There was nothing disappointing on the entertainment front, but the Second City shows were beyond fabulous. They had one scripted and two improv shows and all three were amazing. There were also some cheesy events that were filmed (whether the participants were aware or not, I’m not sure)…my favorite was the 50s sock hop which was on the cruise tv channel the next morning…I wonder if the German couple who kicked of the twist contest expected to wake up to that?
Gym: This is the nicest gym I’ve ever been to, entirely because of the view! It turns out, I can double my workout just by staring at the ocean while I’m doing it. They also have a refrigerator filled with towels, which I adore.
Layout: The ship is very easy to navigate. There are three banks of elevators so it was never a long walk or a long wait. On the stateroom floors, the carpeting has fish which are swimming to the front of the ship to help with orientation. These small things make the ship seem less intimidating. If you do lose your way, maps are posted throughout the ship and pocket maps were passed out during boarding, and you are never more than a few steps away from a crew member who will be happy to see you and happy to help.
A cruise is far from an adventure on the high seas, but it does seem like a great vacation option for families, those with limited mobility, or those who simply want to be spoiled for a while.
Food: All I heard before going on a cruise was to bring two sizes of clothes because you will gain weight from eating so much. I know that sounds fun to some people, but for me, it was a major turn-off. We boarded around lunchtime and the only option was the buffet, and I was pleasantly surprised to find an abundance of healthy options such as a nice salad bar, veggie sushi and fresh sliced tropical fruit. We tried several of the specialty restaurants and, with the exception of the Italian restaurant (although maybe not fair to say since I was in Rome just a couple weeks before), they were all excellent and offered a selection of lighter fare.
Entertainment: There was nothing disappointing on the entertainment front, but the Second City shows were beyond fabulous. They had one scripted and two improv shows and all three were amazing. There were also some cheesy events that were filmed (whether the participants were aware or not, I’m not sure)…my favorite was the 50s sock hop which was on the cruise tv channel the next morning…I wonder if the German couple who kicked of the twist contest expected to wake up to that?
Gym: This is the nicest gym I’ve ever been to, entirely because of the view! It turns out, I can double my workout just by staring at the ocean while I’m doing it. They also have a refrigerator filled with towels, which I adore.
Layout: The ship is very easy to navigate. There are three banks of elevators so it was never a long walk or a long wait. On the stateroom floors, the carpeting has fish which are swimming to the front of the ship to help with orientation. These small things make the ship seem less intimidating. If you do lose your way, maps are posted throughout the ship and pocket maps were passed out during boarding, and you are never more than a few steps away from a crew member who will be happy to see you and happy to help.
A cruise is far from an adventure on the high seas, but it does seem like a great vacation option for families, those with limited mobility, or those who simply want to be spoiled for a while.
