When I booked this cruise, I had all intentions of blogging EVERYTHING. I wanted to document it all. I had a plan.
Take lots of photos.
Jot down notes.
On the fly.
All the time.
Every. Step. Of. The. Way.
But something happened. Fun. A lot of it. And of course all that food.
You would think that I would of been prepared for the onslaught of gastric delights, endless nightlife, casino thrills and the lack of sleep. After all, this was not my first cruise, not even close. And to brag even more...not my first time on The Pearl either! That's right, The Pearl, not The Norwegian Pearl. Veteran NCL-ers drop the first name of all the Norwegian Cruise Line ships. The Star, The Sun, The Jade. It's obnoxious. "Gosh , I love The Star, but have you cruised The Pearl before?" I hear this and similar conversations while waiting to receive that "golden ticket" my door key card . The card, it's official and magical . Once I have it, I'm a passenger, a guest, a pampered princess.
Standing in line, sizing others up while listening for some first timer's chatter. Oh it's not cruise snobbery. I'm not better than the cruise virgin. I am envious. Resentful of those on the brink of their maiden voyage. I listen intently in hopes of recapturing that feeling. Giant butterflies that inhabited my stomach when I first walked across the gangway years ago. I want that giddy blush at the first "Welcome Aboard!" as the crisply dressed crew member takes my "golden ticket" and scans me into the system. I long for the innocent gawking at the immense size and beauty of the ship, the soreness in my cheeks from smiling too much as I "oooh" and "aaah" at every turn. Okay, I lie. I still do that. Gawk. A lot of gawking actually. And there are still a few butterflies, not those giant ones but just large enough to paste a grin that lasts for a weekend.
And that's why my diligent intentions to document this cruise was an utter failure. I successfully recaptured the raw, fresh reaction and was again mesmerized. Filled with food and satisfied that despite my age, I'm still the last one on the dance floor... I forgot about my quest.
Here, failure means that I need to go on another cruise. Only this time, I'm going to document everything. Hey, I have a plan!
Top left to right:
Deck 12 Pool, Sundeck Clock, Glass Sculpture Deck 7, Bliss Ultra Lounge, Lotus Garden Dessert, Stardust Theatre, Mambo Dessert,Summer Palace, Spinnaker Lounge, Bowling Lanes, Bliss Ultra Lounge, Sail Away BBQ.
Below Left to Right:
Moon Set, Forward Stairwell, Leaving Vancouver BC, Germ Buster, Stardust Theatre
photos courtesy of BC and myself
Below Left to Right:
Lotus Garden Dessert,Spinnaker, Pool Deck 12, Atrium Deck 7, View of Canada Place from Deck 12, Atrium Ceiling Deck 7, Summer Palace "Faberge Eggs".
White Hot Dancers featured during the party in The Spinnaker Lounge.
The 2nd Show during the same party in The Spinnaker Lounge.
Below Left to Right:
Deck 13 Stairs, View from the Balcony, Gym, Stardust Theatre, Atrium, Seattle at Dawn, The Wake, Under the Lion's Gate
Below Left to Right:
Bliss, Space Needle at Dawn, Lotus Garden, Bliss Bowling, Deck 11 Starboard
Bottom Left to Right:
Crew Only, Relections, Sailaway BBQ, Sun Deck, Pool Deck