Alaska was good enough for us to do it a second time, and we met some passengers who had done it multiple times.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Embarkation day is always hectic, but once past all the lines, check in went quickly. We stayed at the Marriott across the street from the dock. It's pricey, but can't beat the location, just walk across the street and you're there. We were on the ship by 11:00 am.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
As usual, the dining was wonderful. The main dining rooms had a good selection, service was top notch, and the food was great. The menu has some dishes that are the same every night, and some that change nightly. We ate at The Local for breakfast twice, maybe we hit it at the wrong time, but the service was not up to the usual NCL standard, which is why I knocked one star off.
We used the Free at Sea offer to go to Cagney's and Los Lobos. Cagney's was its usual wonderful steakhouse, not much to add to all the adulation it receives. I'd never been to Los Lobos, and loved it. I'm from Southern California, and the stereotype of Californians being Mexican food snobs is true. Los Lobos did not disappoint.
We had a couple breakfasts in the buffet. Good selection and good food. When entering the buffet, don't go to the first station you see, go to the back of the room and it's less crowded. There was a long line at the omelet station, but the one in the back of the room was deserted.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
I did the go cart track once and had a good time. It does cost extra. I donated more than I should have to the upkeep of the casino. The variety of table games was good, along with the usual tight slots.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The two production shows were Six and Jersey Boys. The production value was just as good as any live theater, if you've bought tickets to live plays you know what a value it is to get these shows included in the price of the cruise.
We saw the Beatles cover band twice, they put on a good show. As usual, there's always some live music, comedy or magic shows. We didn't go to any other shows only because there was so much going on we couldn't do it all.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Other than the previously mentioned service at The Local, the service was up to NCL's usual high standards.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship is kept spotlessly clean. Most of the attractions are on decks 6, 7 and 8, so it's easy to get around. The activities are on the upper decks.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had an aft facing balcony. This was our second Alaska cruise, and we paid the extra for aft facing to get the best views, since the views are a big attraction in Alaska. Our room steward kept the room spotless for us and had a cheery demeanor.
Ship tip
NCL has a laundry special in the middle of the cruise, anything you can stuff into the good size laundry bag will be cleaned, pressed and returned to your cabin for $29. Always bring binoculars in Alaska, there is a lot of wildlife to see. It will be worth it to book a balcony cabin.
We stayed in Seattle the night before the cruise, and our flight home wasn't until 4:30 pm so we had some time after the cruise. There is a lot to do on the waterfront area. Shopping and dining are in walking distance. We took a harbor cruise. Taxis to and from the airport are a flat rate of $45.
We did the salmon bake in Juneau and enjoyed it. NCL's Alaska cruises go to the end of October, ours was the second to last of the season. Since other cruise lines end their Alaska season in the middle of September, many of the shops at all our ports were closed for the season.
On our last Alaska cruise, we did the White Pass-Yukon Railroad. We loved it enough to do it again on this cruise. It's a do not miss in our book. Before you go, read Call of the Wild to get a sense of its history. Jack London was part of the Yukon gold rush that the railroad was originally built for and based the book on his experiences.
Amazing views and was saw otters and whales from our balcony (again, don't forget to bring binoculars!) Naturalists from the National Park Service come on board to narrate what you're seeing. They're in the observation lounge, and their narration is broadcast over the PA system and on the TV in your cabin. The Bliss, and the observation lounge in particular, was designed for Alaska. Get to the observation lounge early if you want to be there for Glacier Bay. There is a buffet in the lounge.
We went to the Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan. It was entertaining, and they involve the audience to make it more fun. Ketchikan is about a 20-minute shuttle bus ride from Ward Cove, which is why I knocked one star off. If you go to the lumberjack show, take the shuttle into Ketchikan and the show is right there in town in walking distance. Otherwise, you'll have to take the shuttle from the port into town, then back to the port to catch the shore excursion shuttle.
We did the Horse Drawn Carriage ride in Victoria. We liked it. The schedule for this cruise was in Victoria from 8:00 pm to midnight, I guess it's just the obligatory foreign port.
Seattle has a Port Valet service. It's a free service that will take your luggage to the airport and check it in and will print your boarding passes. In return, you have to be off the ship by 8:00 am. It's a free service sponsored by the city.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
