Pearl Freestyle Sundeck info

[OldBaldGuy]

We just (0035 this morning) returned from 19 great days onboard the NCL Pearl (Seattle-Miami repo). I have no doubt that others will give a blow by blow account of everything re the cruise (like boarding; we stepped out of the cab on the dock at 1130, sat down to lunch in the Summer Palace at 1205. Food; the buffet in the Garden Café was so good that we ate there the majority of the time. Crew; happy, hard working, smiling all the time) that I am gonna skip that, and go right to the important stuff, the “Freestyle Sundeck.”

How to find it: Take the forward elevator to deck 13, exit and turn right, go out the portside door (the one with the porthole in it, right at the entrance to the Spinnaker Lounge), turn left, walk about 10 paces, go up the stairs to deck 14, make a u-turn to your left, walk ‘bout 14 paces to the next stairs and go up to deck 15).

Size: It is small, only 18 lounge chairs. A “privacy” screen about waste high keeps others from peeking in, although from time to time fully clothed folks come up for the view.

Who uses it: A pretty even mix of male-female, young to old, “large” to skinny. The majority of the males are nude, but not all. The majority of the females are topless, but some nude, some fully clothed. This is the neatest place on the ship. Friendly folks all, no staring, no laughing (which made this old guy happy). My wife was not sure about the whole idea, but five minutes after she arrived her top was off. As she describes it, total comfort, no stress or embarrassment at all. Near the start of the cruise most of the time there were only four-five folks there max, but as time went by and the word spread, from time to time there would be 15 or more people there.

Side note: There is nothing other than the sign proclaiming it to be the “Freestyle Sundeck,” nothing indicated that clothing is optional. So on occasion someone, usually an elderly couple, would wander up by mistake. Most often the little old lady would be heard to proclaim “oh my,” and beat a hasty retreat, dragging hubby along while he was trying to get a good look.

We highly recommend it! But take lots of sunblock!!!

[CanadianTwosome]

Thanks!! Perhaps you could answer a couple of questions that didn't get answered in past threads...

The two that come to mind are 'Is there smoking allowed, and if so does the open air nature keep it from bothering the nonsmokers?' and 'Is there bar service?'

Thanks!!

[slowhand]

Thanks for the info on the Pearl. We're considering this same cruise next year and the Freestyle Sundeck is an important part of that decision... my spouse really hated wearing her top on the Star two weeks ago after enjoying the no-tanlines sunbathing on the Jewel last year lol!

[slowhand]

Originally Posted by CanadianTwosome

Thanks!! Perhaps you could answer a couple of questions that didn't get answered in past threads...

The two that come to mind are 'Is there smoking allowed, and if so does the open air nature keep it from bothering the nonsmokers?' and 'Is there bar service?'

Thanks!!

I can answer for the Jewel last year. Smoking was allowed and the bar staff made occasional visits to help whet our whistles.

[sarahvch]

I had no idea about this deck! I guess that is because we were on the Pearl to Alaska and it might have been a tiny bit cold to lay out but it is nice to know about for the future!

[CanadianTwosome]

Thanks, Slowhand! I'm sure the same applies to the Pearl.

Sarahvch, I'm sure you're right about it being a bit cold for 'clothing optional' sunbathing - or any sunbathing for that matter - on your cruise to Alaska!! I read on another thread that people were using it for a good vantage point to just watch the scenery, though. From what I can gather, it's the highest public access point on the ship - which makes sense because if it weren't, it wouldn't be completely private.

[sarahvch]

Wait a minute! I could see this deck perfectly from the garden villa if it is forward. We watched people run from side to side looking for whales. If people were doing nude sunbathing there I could have watched them from the garden villa living room or the private sun deck for the villa.

[*Wink*]

Originally Posted by sarahvch

Wait a minute! I could see this deck perfectly from the garden villa if it is forward. We watched people run from side to side looking for whales. If people were doing nude sunbathing there I could have watched them from the garden villa living room or the private sun deck for the villa.

That's one of the perks of the GV.

[CanadianTwosome]

According to the deck plans, the GV is on the 14th deck and the private deck is on the 15th, where the freestyle deck is. Oldbaldguy describes the privacy screen as 'waist high', so I imagine people standing up going back and forth would be visible enough, but anyone lying down on the sunbeds would probably be safely obscured. Of course, I'll be damned sure to check it out for myself before I remove anything!!

[OldBaldGuy]

"...'Is there smoking allowed...'Is there bar service?'..."

I saw no ashtrays, and no one, at least when I was there, smoked. The red shirted bar guys would make a pass up there from time to time. One bar guy told my wife that "he" was not allowed to go up there unless he was delivering drinks that someone had come down and ordered. Go figure...

[nudistcruzer]

On Norwegian Jewel, Jade, Pearl, and Gem the Freestyle Sundeck is Clothing optional, i.e. full nudity is allowed. I confirmed this by calling their main toll free number: 866-234-7350; the agent herself thought it was only topless. She asked her supervisor and the supervisor confirmed it was clothing optional. This call was on November 13, 2008.

[delco]

Thanks OldBaldGuy. I'm sure it will be easier to find with those directions. I look forward to being up on deck 15.

[cheshiremackat]

Originally Posted by CanadianTwosome

Thanks!! Perhaps you could answer a couple of questions that didn't get answered in past threads...

The two that come to mind are 'Is there smoking allowed, and if so does the open air nature keep it from bothering the nonsmokers?' and 'Is there bar service?'

Thanks!!

-Smoking... "allowed" I am unsure, but please don't, it's not a big space, and the non-smokers have nowhere else to go... On both the Jade and Pearl, I never saw anyone smoking, as the space is really small (and windy at sea), so I don't see how you could not effect others...

- Bar service, yes there was... as for frequency, I found there was better service the greater # of women up there... go figure

One small thing to note, that most people never seem to mention is that the deck is directly under the antenna mast... this is important, as that is also where the ships loud-ass horn is! So, @ 4:30, or 5:00, whenever when the ship is leaving port, you get a helluva loud blast from the horn up there.... it woke more than a few people up lemme tell ya!

[Beachbum1944]

Last January we were on the Pearl, and we used the Freestyle Sundeck. We did have bar service up there. We also had a waiter come around and spray us with a bottled water sprayer. I doubt very much if anybody in the GV could see us if we were sitting or laying down.

[CanadianTwosome]

Originally Posted by cheshiremackat

-Smoking... "allowed" I am unsure, but please don't, it's not a big space, and the non-smokers have nowhere else to go... On both the Jade and Pearl, I never saw anyone smoking, as the space is really small (and windy at sea), so I don't see how you could not effect others...

- Bar service, yes there was... as for frequency, I found there was better service the greater # of women up there... go figure

One small thing to note, that most people never seem to mention is that the deck is directly under the antenna mast... this is important, as that is also where the ships loud-ass horn is! So, @ 4:30, or 5:00, whenever when the ship is leaving port, you get a helluva loud blast from the horn up there.... it woke more than a few people up lemme tell ya!

Ha ha ha ha ha That's quite an image!

I just wanted to assure you that I asked about the smoking on behalf of some friends of ours who are travelling with us. They're the kind of people who actually care when they ask, 'Do you mind if I smoke?' I'm sure if it's allowed, they will ask anyone else up there if they mind, and if the answer is 'yes', they'll refrain.

[kontraxed]

I'm not shy and I do like the concept but I burn easy. I really worry about things burning to a crisp that might never have seen the sun before!

I guess I'll need about SPF 100!

[VoyageVirgin]

Originally Posted by cheshiremackat

-Smoking... "allowed" I am unsure, but please don't,

So... it's ok to get skin cancer it's just the lung cancer you're worried about? The question was - is it allowed - not "do you approve"

[nudistcruzer]

Originally Posted by nudistcruzer

On Norwegian Jewel, Jade, Pearl, and Gem the Freestyle Sundeck is Clothing optional, i.e. full nudity is allowed. I confirmed this by calling their main toll free number: 866-234-7350; the agent herself thought it was only topless. She asked her supervisor and the supervisor confirmed it was clothing optional. This call was on November 13, 2008.

Today is February 2, 2010. I was just on the Pearl.

The following e-mail was in response to an email questioning the "Clothing Optional" Status of the "Freestyle Sun deck":

Good morning,

The Group Services Coordinator has done her research and the feedback
that I received is that the deck you are referring to is a sunbathing
area onboard. And the name "Freestyle Deck" is simply the name of the
deck. There is no sign anywhere on this deck that suggests that
"clothing are optional". Maybe in the past it was, but that is no longer
the case.

Thank you,

Maybelin Gutierrez| Group Event Coord. Norwegian Pearl
groupeventpearl@ncl.com
1-800-327-9020 (Ext-7767) | Fax# 305-436-4147

One more thing, this sentence was added to the end of the email:

Please do not copy or use it for any purpose nor disclose its contents to any other person.

Last week I saw one man with his white buttocks exposed. Although everyone else on the deck were fully attired in swimwear.
I am Booked on the Jewel as well in February. There was no response from the Jewel or Epic coordinators, but they were cc'd and have not yet disputed the information provided by the Pearl Coordinator.

[philatiger]

Originally Posted by CanadianTwosome

According to the deck plans, the GV is on the 14th deck and the private deck is on the 15th, where the freestyle deck is. Oldbaldguy describes the privacy screen as 'waist high', so I imagine people standing up going back and forth would be visible enough, but anyone lying down on the sunbeds would probably be safely obscured. Of course, I'll be damned sure to check it out for myself before I remove anything!!

On the Pearl the Deluxe Owners Suites are also on deck 15, can't see much from there at least from the waist down.

Guys, you are safe, women, I would put your top on first before standing up.

I spent the week up there on the Pearl in November and really enjoyed the peace and quiet. I never had a problem getting a chair. I was disappointed that all the chairs were tied up the day we were at GSC.

And there is a camera up there ........

[dutboy]

Having just booked to sail on the pearl in March 2012 I have been advised that the freestyle sun deck (15) is clothing optional.