NORWEGIAN PEARL

How do I book?

Please Click Here for the details on how to book.

Can I go on the cruise if I am Pregnant?

Norwegian will make every effort to accommodate you, providing you have not entered the 24th week of pregnancy when the cruise ends. NCL will require a medical certificate establishing your due date prior to your cruise. You can view or print the Pregnancy Policy here.

How old does my child have to be to cruise on NCL?

Infants under six months of age are not eligible for travel on Norwegian ships.

What is the alcohol consumption policy?

Passengers must be 21 years of age or older to purchase or consume alcohol. Norwegian encourages the responsible use of alcohol and accordingly reserves the right to permanently or temporarily revoke the drinking privileges of any guest who violates Norwegian's Guest Code of Conduct or who is deemed a danger to himself, herself or others by vessel management. Continued abuse of alcohol while sailing and/or violation of Norwegian's alcohol policy may result in immediate disembarkation.

Can I bring alcohol on board the ship?

With the exception of Wine and Champagne, all guests are prohibited from bringing alcohol on board. If you purchase any alcohol at one of the ports-of-call or in the onboard shops, NCL will safely store your purchase(s) and either on the final night of the cruise or the morning of debarkation it will be available for pick up in a designated area. Wine & Champagne Policy Guests may bring bottles of wine and champagne on board. When bottles are brought on board and served or consumed in any restaurant, public room area or in their stateroom, a corkage fee will be charged according to bottle sizes noted below. 750 ml Bottle: $15.00 1,000 ml Bottle: $ 20.00 1,500 ml Magnum: $30.00 Box wines are not allowed on board.

Is the water on board safe to drink?

For the Pearl is using reverse osmosis desalinization for their tap water and is probably purer and more chemical free than any water that comes out of your tap at home.

Are there wheelchair accessible staterooms available?

Yes, the Pearl has wheelchair accessible rooms in most all stateroom types. These rooms are limited and based on their availability at the time of booking. If you are in need of a disabled room please note this on your booking form and we will do our best to accommodate you.

What is FreeStyle Dining?

Freestyle Dining is where Freestyle Cruising® begins. Sit down to a four-course meal and a fine wine. Or grab a burger hot off the grill. Dress up. Dress down. Sit with your friends or make new ones. You'll find more dining options than days of your cruise, and you're free to enjoy them all on your own schedule. Complimentary Dining - Every cruise fare includes beautifully crafted menus in the two main dining rooms, a help-yourself buffet and a variety of casual cafés, grills and on-the-go choices. From fresh-baked breads, desserts and pastries to the chefs' original dishes made with the freshest ingredients, your dining can be as fine or fun as you want. Speciality Dining- When you want an even more memorable experience, NCL ships' specialty restaurants provide refined choices for a cover charge ($10 to $30 per person). Experience a Brazilian Churrascaria, dine on expertly prepared sushi, or savor traditional French bistro, Italian trattoria or Chicago steakhouse fare — it's all on board. And it's all delicious.

What can I do in Astoria and San Francisco?

Can I use the internet on the ship?

There is a 24 hour Internet Café. Give your friends and family back home your personalized email address (printed on your cruise ticket) and stay in touch throughout your cruise. Wireless internet (WI-Fi) is also available.

Can I ask for a special diet?

Special meals are available including low-calorie, vegetarian, no MSG, low/no sodium and low/no cholesterol meals, as well as sugar-free and fat-free desserts. All of the restaurants are non-smoking. Most specialty restaurants require a per person cover charge or offer a` la carte pricing. If you have any food allergy or a dietary requirement that requires Kosher meals or gluten-free food product, please advise us at the time of booking. Obtaining the product for many of these requests requires 60-days notice prior to sailing, and NCL wants to ensure that they are able to fulfill your request

What activities are there for my children?

Kid's Crew" is the NCL onboard children's program and it's one of the most comprehensive at sea. The complimentary youth programs give the kids time to explore and meet new friends, while you relax, have fun, grab a bite, go shopping and more – it's all up to you. From the exclusive Nickelodeon™ program to kid's pools, water slides, bowling alleys, sports courts, 2-story Wii® screens and more – NCL has the fun for everyone.

Is there babysitting available?

Norwegian offers group sitting for ages 2-12 for a nominal fee with the Kid's Crew" counselors. In addition to the regular sitting hours of 10 pm - 1 am, group sitting is available in port from 9 am - 5 pm. Private babysitting is not available.

Is there a doctor on board?

A physician and nurse are on the ship to provide medical care and services at customary charges. Commonly used medications are kept on board and may be prescribed by the ship's doctor.

Do I have to make restaurant reservations?

Reservations are never required or taken for the Main Dining Rooms, Buffet, Blue Lagoon, Cadillac Diner or O'Sheehans; however reservations are recommended for the specialty restaurants. Reservations may be made by phone, in person at the designated Restaurant Reservations Desk, or at any specialty restaurant host desk during dinner service.

How can we celebrate a special occasion?

You may purchase wine, or bon voyage gifts, such as fruit baskets, champagne, birthday cakes, canapés, flowers or other gifts for your stateroom. Just ask TravelOnly for details. Please do this at least four weeks before sailing.

What about Tipping?

Guests should not feel obliged to offer a gratuity for good service. However, all of the staff is encouraged to "go the extra mile," and so they are permitted to accept cash gratuities entirely at the discretion of the guests who wish to acknowledge particular staff members for exceptional or outstanding service. In other words, there is genuinely no need to tip but you should feel free to do so if you have a desire to acknowledge particular individuals. Also, certain staff positions provide service on an individual basis to only some guests. We encourage those guests to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities. For example, for guests purchasing bar drinks the recommended gratuity is 15 percent. For guests purchasing spa treatments the recommended gratuity is 18 percent. Similarly, for guests using concierge and butler services, we recommend they consider offering a gratuity commensurate with services rendered.

What's the NCL Mandatory Gratuity?

The reason there's a fixed service charge is an important one: The Crew is encouraged to work together as a team. Staff members including restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff are compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programs that the service charge supports. The Onboard Service Charge is a $12 per person per day charge that has already been included in your cruise rate.

If there is a service issue can the service charges be adjusted on board?

Guest satisfaction is the highest priority at Norwegian Cruise Line. NCL has a structured guest satisfaction program designed to handle any concerns about service or on-board product quickly and efficiently. However, in the event a service issue should arise during your cruise please let the on-board guest services desk staff know right away, so that they can address it in a timely manner. Should your concerns not be met with satisfaction you can adjust the charges.

What is a Latitudes® Number?

Norwegian's Latitudes Program awards repeat guests with benefits and privileges. If you sailed with NCL prior to this cruise and do not have your Latitudes Number call Latitudes Customer Service at 1.866.234.0292 to be sure not to miss out on any benefits you may receive.

What is the Fuel Supplement?

Norwegian reserves the right to charge a fuel supplement without prior notice should the closing price of West Texas Intermediate Fuel increase above $65 per barrel on the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange Index). In the event a fuel supplement is charged, Norwegian will have sole discretion to apply the supplementary charge to both existing and new bookings, regardless of whether such bookings have been paid in full. Such supplementary charges are not included in the cruise fare. The fuel supplement charge will not exceed $10.00 per passenger per day.

How many suitcases can I bring?

Each person is allowed up to two pieces of personal luggage on board, with each piece weighing a maximum of 50 pounds. However, if you are traveling by air, you need to check with the airline for specific restrictions.

What Should I Pack?

When it comes to what to wear, you can go resort casual or get decked-out and look your best - it's your call. That's the freedom of Freestyle Cruising. NCL even has special "Dress-Up or Not Night." It's the perfect opportunity to get your portrait taken with your family, that special someone or even with the ship's Captain. Dress cruise casual anytime during the day, in the buffet and in most specialty restaurants. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men. Swimwear is acceptable at the buffet and outdoor restaurant, but a shirt or a cover-up and footwear are required. Cruise casual is also allowed day and night on embarkation day. Wear smart casual if you are eating dinner in the aft main dining room (our more formal dining room) and in Le Bistro on cruises longer than five days. For women, it includes slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts and tops. For men, it's jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes. We want you to be comfortable, but tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded, with holes or tears and worn below the hips are not permitted in main dining rooms or specialty restaurants. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear nice shorts in all our restaurants. You may want to pack a sweater too—air conditioning can be chilly. Since your suitcases are collected the night before you return home, don't forget an overnight bag for prescriptions and need-to-have items.

What time do I board the ship on embarkation day?

You will be notified in your ticket package what time to board the ship and where to meet your group. We don't want you to miss our first Giggle Dam event! You must, at minimum, follow these instructions: In order to facilitate the embarkation process and the processing of your eDocs, and to comply with new government regulations governing departure manifest, all guests are required to complete Online Check-In and must complete check-in at the cruise terminal and be onboard the ship no later than one hour prior to the departure time noted on their cruise documents or they will not be permitted to sail. Please note guests who have not filled out their Online Check-In must arrive at port two (2) hours prior to sailing. Any late arriving guest may join the ship at an approved port of call in the scheduled itinerary. Such guest will be responsible for all applicable fees and travel expenses to that subsequent port of call.

What time can I board in Ports of Call?

In all ports of call, it is also the guest's responsibility to be back onboard the ship no later than one (1) hour prior to the ship's scheduled departure time. Please be aware that shipboard time may differ from the port of call and it is the guest's responsibility to follow the shipboard time. In the event a guest misses the ship, it will be the guest's responsibility to pay all expenses incurred to rejoin the ship.

What can't I bring onboard?

Passengers are not allowed to bring on board the vessel any intoxicating liquors, or beverages, firearms, weapons of any kind, ammunition, explosive substances or any goods of a dangerous nature, nor animals of any kind, except service or guide animals, provided the passenger notifies Carrier prior to the cruise of his intention to bring such animal and agrees to take sole responsibility for any expense, damage, injuries or losses associated with or caused by such animal.

Is smoking allowed?

We want you to be comfortable on board, so public areas throughout the ship are smoke-free. If you smoke cigarettes, you can do so on your balcony, in the casino or in the Cigar Bar (where available). If you prefer pipes or cigars, you can smoke in the Cigar Bar or designated smoking lounge. Also, you can smoke cigarettes, pipes and cigars outside on open decks (just not around food venues, sports decks, kids' pool areas and other designated non smoking areas). Smoking inside your stateroom will result in a $250 cleaning charge added to your onboard account. You can view or print the full Smoking Policy effective January 2012 here.

How will I know where the Giggle Dam events are?

You will receive your DAM Important Passenger badge which will have the Giggle Dam event itinerary on it. Since you need to wear this badge to gain entry to any of the events you will always know what's happening and when!

How do I book my transportation home?

TravelOnly will provide you with travel options. Whether it is a quick exit to the airport and on the first plane back to Vancouver or a fun trip to Disney, a weekend in LA or maybe even Las Vegas, we can help you complete all of your travel plans. Please click here (link to LA & Beyond page) for more details.

How do I get from the ship to the airport?

TravelOnly will provide you with options to get from the cruise ship to the Airport or your hotel. Please click here (link to Rates & Rooms page) for more details.

Am I required to purchase Travel Insurance?

TravelOnly does not require, but STRONGLY RECOMMENDS that you purchase Travel Insurance. Because of the nature and uniqueness of "The DAM Cruise to LA, eh? ", there is a strict cancellation policy. You cruise deposit will be non-refundable September 1, 2012 and your final payment, once collected May 1, 2013 will also be non-refundable. TravelOnly will provide you with a quotation/waiver form that will require your signature prior to any portion of your payments becoming non refundable.

What documents do I need?

If you are a Canadian Citizen you will need to have with you a valid passport that does not expire within 6 months from your travel date.

When will I receive my tickets?

You will be notified by email where and when to pick up your tickets 21-30 days before sailing.

How will I pay for things on board?

While onboard all purchases including merchandise, alcoholic and carbonated beverages will be charged to your Onboard Expense Card. You will establish credit for an Onboard Expense Account upon check-in with your credit card (Visa, MasterCard and American Express) or you may put down a cash deposit.

If I am already sailing on the Pearl the week before, can I add this cruise as an extension to my holiday?

No, under the Passenger Vessel Services Act (Jones Act) this cruise is restricted. Please click here for details.