Overall a fantastic first cruise! Loved the scenery and the peaceful times on our balcony. NCL needs to increase port times and not always dock outside of town requiring taking a bus to town...felt a bit rushed in most ports. The Dawes glacier excursion on the small-boat is a must-do! I'll cruise again and will return to Alaska. Might try a different cruise line to compare...
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Fast and easy!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Buffet is excellent. Don't miss MDR for dinner...loved the views and service in the Manhattan room. Teppanyaki was fun! Ocean Blue a little disappointing in quality of the seafood.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
So much upsells and gambling (not my thing). We did enjoy the sail-away party and just soaking in a hot tub watching the scenery go by!
Entertainment
5 out of 5
SIX and Jersey Boys are not to be missed! Didn't do much else for entertainment, we were more focused on relaxing and enjoying the scenery.
Children's Programs
No kids.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Timing of room cleaning could be a bit awkward, but worked it out. All the staff wanted to help wherever we went. A couple bartenders seemed overworked.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Not much room between the beds when split (but that was expected.) Plenty of room for us and the balcony made all the difference. Bathroom is plenty roomy and the shower worked well, even for this big guy. Don't forget to ask for your in-room coffee service.
Ship tip
Get a balcony for Alaska! Order a boxed water package (we did the 24 box which was about perfect for the 2 of us on a 7-day). Balcony and above rooms come with an in-room coffee/tea maker and supplies, but you have to ask for it.
Sort bus ride into port which reduces port time. Really enjoyed a flight at the Alaskan Brewing Company Public Meeting Room (opens at 11am). WOW, a LOT of jewelry stores! Wait for the tram up the mountain was WAY too long (2 hours!)
Have to take a bus, pedi-cap, ricksha, or walk into town. Port time very short. Beautiful area (but locals talk about lots of homelessness and crime.) Would love to arrive MUCH earlier to really enjoy this city.
We were an early group but the called so many groups so quickly. A long wait in line to board the airport shuttle (booked through NCL)...had it taken any longer, we would have missed our flight (also booked through NCL). So, they need to work on that timing! Also, I think I walked farther through the terminal than I did in any port...do they purposefully pick the longest path? lol
Never thought about the water 💦💧 box. N34t! As for port times: the cruise line can't control that; that is at the discretion of the Port Authority, 🤷🏿♂️.
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