Some people become enthralled with the Alaskan Cruises. Based on this one, I have no desire to go back. Lots of pretty snow capped peaks, but not enough time in the ports.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Pier 66, Seattle - We selected a boarding time of 11:30. When we got into the staging area it was standing room only. We were given a boarding number of 13; they were still in the low single digits. It was probably an hour to an hour and a half before we began moving. However, I will say the baggage drop off was easy. This time they mailed us luggage tags instead of our having to print them out. We stayed the night before at the Marriott literally right across the street. We took our luggage over first thing in the morning, then had a leisurely wait in our hotel room until boarding time. The worst part was waiting for the rooms to be opened. It was mid to late afternoon before we were allowed in. I blame this on NCL’s decision to drop from two room stewards to one.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Garden Café
3 out of 5
This was our fourth NCL cruise, and normally we really enjoy the buffet. This time, something seemed off. It seemed it was open less time. And while the food was OK, it just seemed “off”. Best thing I had was the French Toast with the banana caramel sauce.
The Manhattan Room - Main Dining Room
2 out of 5
This was our least favorite place we ate. The service was slow, and staff didn’t seem attentive.
La Cucina
2 out of 5
We were disappointed in the food selection they offered.
Ocean Blue
5 out of 5
This one was worth the title of Signature. While I didn’t care much for the entree I had, it was because I was trying something new, and just didn’t care for it.
The Local Bar & Grill
5 out of 5
Always a saving grace when you wanted a quick, or late night, bite. Good food, good service!
Coco's
5 out of 5
One of my favorite places! Good deserts, and prices were not bad!
Taste Restaurant - Main Dining Room
4 out of 5
Much the same as Savor, the food and service were both good.
Savor Restaurant - Main Dining Room
4 out of 5
Since the buffet didn’t seem too appetizing, we ate several times here. The food was always good, as was the service.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We usually enjoy playing bingo on the ships, but this time it was just too expensive to play more than once. It was about $160 for the two of us - for three games and a a few pull tabs. We enjoyed watching some of the games and singers provided. We went to see the Beatles Tribute Band and they were very good.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Bliss Theater
4 out of 5
We saw “Six” and ended up leaving early - didn’t care fir it at all. However, one of the best parts of the cruise was “Jersey Boys”! I have been a Four Seasons fan since my teenage days and this was one of the best shows I’ve seen on a cruise.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
I have no idea who our room steward was, but the room was kept up well.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a balcony and it was nice. We brought too much luggage, but there was plenty of storage space. Everything worked fine. My wife said the bed was way too hard and she had a hard time sleeping and was sore in the mornings. For me it was OK. Not like home, but OK.
Ship tip
This was an Alaskan cruise and the worst part were the port calls. This is why I say we should have looked closer. We had very little time in the ports so if you did an excursion you had no time to look around the towns. This was our fault as the in-port times were clearly shown. We should not have wasted time on Wildlife Viewing excursions as we saw very little.
We did the Sea Otter and wildlife viewing excursion. Was pretty much a bust. We saw the backs of a few whales (certainly not the leaping pictures they show you), and the otters were so far away that even with binos they were just black specs. We were in port such a short time there wasn’t much else to fo.
Another forest tour. At least we had a good guide! The Raptor Center had three, count them, three birds - a Red Tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle, and an Owl. Best part was the expansive gift area at the port.
We've cruised from Seattle 3 times. Never had any issues with boarding. Some port times are shorter, but we do excursions or just walk around. Never disappointed
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