Sharon Sparlin: NORWEGIAN PEAL and SHIP ACTIVITIES

I do not recommend a 21-day Panama Canal cruise for a “first time cruiser” but as a seasoned traveler, I LOVE the sea days. This is the time to meet new people, reunite with old friends, nurture friendships, learn new things, try new foods, play games and a host of other things.

Norwegian Pearl

I have been on cruises and overheard people make statements like “I’m so bored.” or “There’s just nothing to do.” If you are bored on a cruise ship it’s because you want to be and not for lack of activities.

The check-in process in New Orleans for the Pearl was quick and efficient. We arrived as a group of 4, via LYFT, just before 10:30am. Our LYFT driver dropped us directly in front of the baggage check-in area. Within minutes our luggage was whisked away.

L to R: Sharon Sparlin, Anne Kirkby, Marci Inman, Eric Kirkby

The doors to the cruise terminal were already open. As we entered the building we were presented with a Public Health Questionnaire.

We were also instructed to complete a form for Nicaragua.

Not really sure why they had us do this form as we were all required to do it again onboard. Nevertheless, we completed and turned it in when we checked in.

Once finished with the forms, we walked straight to a check-in station. Taking somewhere between 5-8 minutes for check-in, we received a GROUP 6 boarding card.

A few minutes before noon the boarding process began. It progressed very quickly, was organized and efficient, calling GROUP 6 shortly after noon.

Cabins are not accessible until 1pm so we proceeded to O’Sheehans Irish Pub, Deck 8, aft for lunch. It was here that we met friends Steve and Judy Rohrer from Texas.

Rueben Sandwich Photo: Cruise Critic

An announcement was made at 1:30pm that cabins were ready for occupancy. Our cabin was 4500, a category OG, inside, port, forward. Our luggage had not been delivered

and wouldn’t appear until 9pm.

On the negative side - our cabin steward had not filled our ice bucket, a light was burned out over the vanity area and the refrigerator was locked. After locating him in the hall I shared our expectations for the remainder of the cruise. I did find him to be somewhat unpleasant at first but about 5 days into the cruise a conversation with him about his family seemed to make him much more cordial.

On the positive side - a bottle of champagne along with chocolate covered cherries were waiting for us when we returned after the evening show.

A mandatory fire drill was held at 3:30pm followed at 4pm by a Cruise Critic Sail Away party in the Great Outdoors, Deck 12, Aft. Our dinner seating was 5:30pm in the Summer Palace Dining Room, Deck 6, Aft.

We sat at a table for 4 and enjoyed the company of friends Eric and Anne Kirkby from Perth, Australia. My choices for the evening were clam chowder, crab cakes, New Zealand hake and white chocolate cheesecake. We had set the tempo for the next 21 days.

So what can one do on sea days you ask. . . .

Here is a short list of some activities I enjoyed.

Using the Hot tub

Using the Sauna

Using the Steam Room

Walking the ship’s exercise track

Attending a solo traveler gathering

Constellation Viewing

Acupuncture Lectures

Art Auctions

Emerald Lectures

Sail Away Party

Meet & Greet Party

Champagne Parties

Couples Games

Gift Exchange

Enjoying Lounge Music

Cabin Crawl

Slot Tournaments

Poker Run Tournaments

Hypnosis seminar

Left-Center-Right games

Nightly entertainment in the theater

Cruise Passenger Talent Show

Daily movies

Shore excursions

Team Trivia

The list simply could go on and on. Some cruisers want to relax and do nothing more than read and take naps. This is what makes cruising so attractive. You can be as active or as inactive as want.

In my earlier days of cruising, back in the 80’s and 90’s, my husband and I would bring along a set of walkie-talkies to stay in touch with each other. With current technology and apps like Whatsapp, a simple text message on my smartphone allows us to quickly reunite.

My latest adventure was a 21-day Panama Canal cruise on the Norwegian Pearl, starting in New Orleans and ending in Seattle. With over 200 Cruise Critics on board there were lots of scheduled events and activities, in addition to what the ship offered. One of my very favorite sea day activities is the LCR game. Called Left-Center-Right, I was not familiar with the game until 4 years ago but have played it on every cruise since. After playing this game once you will be hooked.

LCR or Left-Center-Right is a fast-paced dice game for three or more players, published by George & Company LLC in 1992. It is entirely a game of chance with no skill or thought required. Maybe this is why I like it so much. Players make no decisions of any kind, even as to wagering. The outcome is left entirely to the three dice that come in the game. It can be purchased at any Walmart, Fred Meyer, Target or even online at Amazon. The game uses three specially imprinted dice and three betting medium of your choice: chips, pennies, M and M's, unshelled peanuts, cookies, etc. We use dollars. I suppose one could use three $5 bills or three $10 bills, but for the cruises we use three $1 bills.

Players then take turns rolling the six-sided dice, each of which is marked with “L”, “C”, “R” on one side, and a single dot on the three remaining sides. For each "L" or "R" thrown, the player must pass one betting medium - remember we used $1 bills - to the player to his left or right, respectively. A "C" indicates $1 to the center or pot. A dot has no impact, you simply retain your dollars and pass the dice to the next player.

If a player has fewer than $3, including zero, you are still in the game but how many dollars you have remaining is the number of dice you roll on you turn, rather than rolling all three. For example - If you only have $2 left you can only roll 2 dice. If I have no dollars remaining you simply pass the dice without rolling and hope that your neighbors to your right and left will roll L's and R's and pass you dollars back. The winner is the last player with $1 remaining. That person does not roll the dice and wins the center pot.

Our first sea day on the Pearl brought out 62 people for the LCR game making the pot worth $186.

Not bad for a $3 investment. With an average attendance of 60 we divided the group into two rooms. One room held 24 and the second room carried the balance. A game will normally take between 60-90 minutes to complete with 40-45 people.

Unfortunately I didn't win at LCR during this cruise but I did win a couple of bottles of wine at one of the Slot Tournaments.

Here are some of our happy LCR winners:

Rick Oldham

Vicki Mitchell

Mike Hull

One of my favorite meals onboard was the specialty restaurant Le Bistro, Deck 8, mid ship. This is Norwegian’s signature French restaurant featuring Mediterranean, nouveau and classic French cuisine. Seating was at 5:30pm and our waiter was Gautam Kabiraj.

L to R: Sharon Sparlin, Gautam Kabiraj

First we were presented with smoked salmon pate and lightly toasted French bread compliments of the Chef. Next was escargot followed by four mushroom soup. My entrée was a seafood pastry that included shrimp and scallops. It was masterfully presented incorporating asparagus as crab legs. This scrumptious meal was accompanied by a hand picked Reisling by our waiter Gautum. Dessert was a fabulous vanilla crème brulee.

My second most favorite meal was another specialty restaurant Cagney’s Steakhouse, deck 13, mid ship. Seating was 5:15pm and we enjoyed the company of our Australian friends Eric and Anne Kirkby. Appetizer was a shrimp cocktail followed by split pea soup. The entrée was a petite filet mignon accompanied by grauton potatoes and roasted mushrooms. Our waiter Musa was from Gambia West Africa and he was a true delight. He radiated a beautiful smile and was attentive to our every need. Dessert this night would be a decadent Oreo Cheesecake.

I had mixed feelings on the nightly entertainment. My favorite was a vocal trio calling themselves “Uptown”. These three young men out of New York displayed amazing choreography and showmanship as well as smooth vocal harmonies. I would categorize them as similar to the Temptations but with moves like the Jackson 5 and energy of a Bruno Mars.

Another great show was the fingers of piano showman Steven Kane. He was simply fantastic and he absolutely pushes the keys to their limits. He includes jazz, ragtime and classical, and does hits from Billy Joel, Elton John & Jerry Lee Lewis.

Nicola Ward was another favorite. Hailing from the U.K., she presented “Unscripted Journey” with her powerhouse vocal performance. Her journey included timeless songs, iconic artists and feel good anthems across the decades. She included pop, soul, rhythm and blues, classical and musical theatre.

Duo Quintessence was another outstanding show. They effortlessly combine elements of strength, flexibility, grace, power, precision and passion. Their mesmerizing aerial performance was an astounding display of acrobatic artistry.

Although I am Plantinum status with Norwegian Cruise Lines, one of the things I dislike about the company is the “nickel an dime” approach they used. The drink package runs $89 a day plus a 20% mandatory gratuity, daily service charges run $14.50 per person, wifi $30 a day, bingo $40, a 5x7 photo $25, and so on and so on.

Four days before our schedule disembarkation we received information outlining the “Port Valet” service being offered by the Port of Seattle. This service is free of charge and allows you to check in your luggage, obtain your boarding passes and disembark the ship without every touching your luggage again until you reach your destination. For me this was Medford, Oregon.

Disembarkation in Seattle was as quick and easy as boarding in New Orleans. Because we had taken advantage of the “Port Valet” service four days earlier, we were able to take the “self assist” disembarkation option. In order to use this option you must be able to carry all of your bags ashore on your own and you can disembark anytime between 7:45am-8:30am.

Why do I continue to cruise you ask? It’s the people and lifetime relationships formed. Meet some of my new friends.