NCL Pearl pool area

CruiseSavvy toured Norwegian Pearl today, the ship that best embodies NCL's "Freestyle 2.0" concept of broad choice in restaurants, activities and entertainment.

I'll be honest: I went in biased. Just yesterday I had travel agents telling me "if Carnival is the Wal-Mart of the seas, NCL is the Dollar Store" and "I would not go back on NCL if they paid me." NCL is the only major cruise line I've ever advised people against.

You know what, I was impressed.

The public rooms were stunning. The food was tasty and beautifully presented. Housekeeping was sharp. Officers and crew were friendly. (As of tonight we still have pictures to add, but you can see the work in progress in the Norwegian Pearl review.)

I don't know how the older ships compare. I don't know whether their margins are sustainable. I don't know what the nightlife or social experience are like.

With those disclaimers, I have to say: if what I saw is representative of their product, I'd choose this over Princess' larger ships any day.