Table Of Content
In summary, this review is your compass if you want to navigate the complexities of planning an Alaska cruise. We’re committed to sharing our hard-earned knowledge to help you embark on the adventure you’ve been dreaming of. This review focuses on the itinerary, not the cruise line we chose. Thanks to this, you can select an Alaska cruise with any cruise line but with a similar itinerary because different lines have identical travel routes.
Shore Excursions (
But when you are out at sea, the cell towers act differently, and you will be charged for using your phone. So make sure you only use your phone when docked at ports, otherwise you might have a hefty phone bill for roaming out at sea. I ran into connection issues many times, especially when trying to log out of my wifi package. Therefore, many minutes were lost not even using the internet, just simply trying to log out. If you are someone who has to stay busy all day long, there is always something going on.
I tried the newest ships from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Norwegian. Here’s how they compare
Thus, we were up early and headed ashore by 8 AM to meet our tour in the main terminal building. This building is quite large but is basically just a gift shop and tour meeting area. Sipping the signature smoked peach margarita, we stayed for a bit before calling it a night. One of the nice things about Norwegian Encore, when compared to our recent Princess cruise, was the abundance of spaces to glacier view. Saving just a tiny bit of room for dessert, we finished off the meal with the butterscotch budino and tiramisu. After this nearly 2-hour feast, we waddled our way up to the Observation Lounge for some music by the Lemon Duo, one of the live music acts we had yet to see.
things I loved and hated about Norwegian Epic
The Norwegian Cruise App allows you to pre-book dining reservations, book shore excursions, see the schedule of entertainment on board, or to chat or call members on board. But with the wifi being poor, it was hard to use the app successfully aboard, so I found the app was basically useless. Some of my favorite days on the Norwegian Jewel Cruise Line were the scenic days at sea. We were able to explore Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier via the cruise ship. But first, I want to mention that there are many different cruise lines and enticing port stops on an Alaskan Cruise. Our journey kicked off in the vibrant city of Vancouver, British Columbia, weaving through the picturesque landscapes of Alaska’s port towns, Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway.
Or, travel the Alaska Railroad from Denali to Talkeetna, where you'll get one of the best vantage points of Mt. McKinley, and tour the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Alaska cruisetours extend your vacation and afford the opportunity to make even more memories in one of the country's most beautiful regions. Norwegian Jewel sails to numerous ports, including Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Seward, Icy Strait Point, and Sitka, Alaska, and Vancouver, British Columbia. It also includes scenic cruising of Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier, and add-on land based extensions in Seward, Denali, Fairbanks and Anchorage. This ship was designed for Alaskan cruises, with great observation points.
Because the cruise terminal is located so far from downtown Ketchikan (where most independent tours meet), many will be nervous about booking independent tours or venturing out on their own. Ketchikan is so easy to navigate and tour operators are now used to dealing with guests coming from Ward Cove. However, you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to get to and from Ward Cove/downtown Ketchikan.
Ports of Call
My personal favorite is the salt room, while Don enjoys the sauna. A quick lumberjack photo later, we immediately took the quick walk back to our bus which got us back to Ward Cove around 1 PM. This is one of the benefits of booking shore excursions with the cruise line. Even if your tour is delayed, the ship will not leave without you.
Find Norwegian Spirit Cruises to Alaska (with Prices) - Cruise Critic
Find Norwegian Spirit Cruises to Alaska (with Prices).
Posted: Tue, 24 Oct 2023 07:16:27 GMT [source]
In our Free At Sea cruise package, we were offered 100 minutes of complimentary wifi. In the boarding process, you will receive your room key, which also doubles as your credit card. You will be asked to attach a credit card or debit card before boarding the ship.
Welcome Aboard Norwegian Encore
Thus, we decided to grab a bigger lunch since we didn’t know how long we’d be out in Juneau or what our dinner plans would be. We think the Food Republic is a hidden gem, but for some reason the venue is never busy. With the specialty dining package, cruisers can order 4 plates off the menu. This makes it a great dining option with friends as you can share multiple plates.
Norwegian Bliss visits Endicott Arm Fjord and Dawes Glacier, whereas Norwegian Encore sails to Glacier Bay National Park. Norwegian Encore is quite similar to Norwegian Bliss, sailing out of Seattle with weekly sailings throughout the season. Seattle sailings provide one of the least expensive options for departing. One of the standout features was the freestyle disembarkation, allowing us to exit the ship at our leisure.
Enjoy a ride on an Alaskan railway, go sightseeing, enjoy some locally caught fish, or even have the opportunity to hug a husky puppy—something for everyone. Don’t forget to pack some swimwear, eveningwear, and loungewear. There is nothing better than a long soak in the hot tub or treat yourself to a hot stone massage at Norwegian’s Mandara Spa after a day of outdoor adventure.
With a busy Alaska itinerary, we needed to make good use of our time to ensure we still got to experience everything on the ship. Taking a break around 4 PM, we headed outside to scout out a spot for the sail away. Perched over the pool deck, we had a great vantage spot of the ship with the Space Needle on one side and Mount Rainier on the other side. After a bit, we also headed down to the pool deck to catch some of the sail away party. It was certainly more lively than our recent sail away on Princess Cruises.
And wrapped up with two scenic sailing days in Glacier Bay National Park and a captivating encounter with Hubbard Glacier. Along the way, there’s also opportunity to see the Lamplugh Glacier, Grand Pacific Glacier, Reid Glacier, and the John Hopkins Glacier. During this time of year, cruise ships are not allowed past Jaw Point, meaning the John Hopkins Glacier is about 6 miles away. After our balcony, we ended up spending the rest of our glacier viewing time between the Vibe Beach Club and the pool deck.
Travel nightmare for Va. family; cruise line denies refund - Roanoke Times
Travel nightmare for Va. family; cruise line denies refund.
Posted: Sun, 20 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
In the late evening, it was hard to snag a spot because they were often very full with other tourists. If you want to avoid the crowds, go at unique times, such as morning or lunch/early afternoon. You will also see two other hot tubs 2 decks above from the main pool deck, but you must be part of the Haven Club. For the people outside taking in the scenic views, it got very crowded on the pool deck and deck above along the railings. This was one of the major flaws of the Norwegian Cruise Line design because there was not really enough space for everyone to enjoy the views along the railings “peacefully”.
This tour offers abundant marine wildlife viewing opportunities during the day boat cruise across Prince William Sound. Therefore, overall, the views certainly impressed us, but the boat is not exactly designed for sightseeing in chilly temperatures. It was rare for many people to be “sunbathing” on the pool deck.
No comments:
Post a Comment