Norwegian Pearl vs Norwegian Gem

The Norwegian Pearl was built in 2006. It was renovated in 2017. It's 1 year older than the Gem, which was built in 2007 and renovated in 2015.

Comparison Overview

• Ship Size
• Number of Passengers
• Food and Restaurants
• Bars and Drinks
• Pools and Hot Tubs
• Ship Features and Activities
• Cruise Costs
• Onboard Costs

Ship Size

The Pearl is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 965 feet long and 125 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2.4 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 11-story building. The Pearl and the Gem are in the same class, which means they're sister ships. For the most part, they're similar in terms of size and layout; although they may have different features and attractions on board.

Number of Passengers

Norwegian Pearl holds about the same number of passengers as the Gem based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or tons of ship compared to number of passengers, the Pearl has the same amount of space per person as the Gem.

Food and Restaurants

Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.

The Pearl has 20 different dining options like O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill, Topsiders Bar & Grill, and Moderno Churrascaria. Of those options, 11 are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other 8 options have an additional fee.

The Gem has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Le Bistro French, Moderno Churrascaria, and Teppanyaki. 12 of these restaurants are complementary and the other 8 have an additional fee.

The Norwegian Pearl has about the same number of dining options as the Norwegian Gem.

Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.

Restaurants on Norwegian Pearl & Gem

Bars and Drinks

The Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Gem both have 16 bars to choose from during your sailing.

In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.

You can check out recent the bar menus for the Pearl and the Gem below.

Pools and Hot Tubs

Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The problem is that with thousands of people on a ship, there's not always room. If you want to spend all day for 7 days in a pool, a cruise isn't for you. You would have a much better bet choosing a resort with a huge pool complex. That being said, a quick dip in the pool can be nice on a hot day.

The Norwegian Pearl has a total of 3 pools and 5 hot tubs. Tired of loud kids and splashing? 1 of the pools are adults only. 1 of the pools and 1 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.

The Norwegian Gem has the same number of pools as the Pearl and the same number of hot tubs.

Ship Features and Activities

Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Pearl. Only 58% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Gem, 64% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

Cruise Costs

Norwegian is a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.

Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit Norwegian's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.

Onboard Costs

Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.

Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.

The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a Norwegian ship.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a More at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the More at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.

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