Loved Alaska! Would love to go back and add a land portion as the time in port was just too tight. Knowing what I know now, I would have looked for a cruise with more time in each port, but it was a lovely, memorable cruise just the same.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Quick and easy embarkation!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
I cannot blame NCL since I'm pretty sure there were supply chain issues, but the food was definitely not up to what we would expect from an NCL cruise. The food was just off - for instance, the French Onion Soup was not flavorful and the consistency was off. Not a huge deal, but it was noticeable.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Trivia, game shows, etc were all out together nicely and the entertainment staff were all fabulous! Because it was cooler outside, everything inside was very crowded and finding a seat was sometimes difficult (but that was to be expected). We had a fabulous time during sea days and when not on land.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Didn't make it to any of the big theater shows, but the musicians around the ship were great! There was a duo playing in the atrium a lot that sounded great.
Children's Programs
5 out of 5
My kids loved Splash Academy! We were there early in line when they wanted to go - the line to check in snaked down the hall very quickly.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
For whatever reason, we never found a favorite employee, but they were all very hard working and friendly!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Absolutely beautiful ship!
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Balcony cabin was beautiful. Would definitely make sure and get a balcony when Cruising to Alaska - it was worth it to be able to step out on the balcony and see glaciers and wildlife.
We had enough time to do 2 excursions in Skagway. In the morning, the kids and I did the Goldrush and Sled Dogs excursion through NCL. We boarded a bus and headed to Dredgetown with our guide Goldie Yawn (she was an absolute hoot), learned all about the Alaskan Goldrush, learned about the Iditarod and met working Sled Dogs (and future Sled dog puppies!) and then mined for gold. This was a really great excursion with a lot of interesting info and hands on activities. We even got to keep our gold loot!
In the afternoon, we went on the White Pass Railroad and took a trip up to the end of the line and back. The scenery was AMAZING! Totally worth it - my daughter is still asking if we can go again.
Stunning, beautiful, once in a lifetime and every other way you've heard it described! National Park Rangers boarded the ship and spent the day telling us about the different glaciers and Alaskan animals/facts. NCL opened the forward part of the ship so people could go out and view glaciers. I found we were better off seeing it from our balcony, but it was cool to go to that part of the ship regardless. If you have a National Park Passport, make sure you bring it along and get a stamp!
We did a private Whale Watching excursion with Harv & Marv's - worth EVERY single penny! Our guide Grant was fantastic, the boat was fabulous AND we saw so many whales and seals. In fact, one of the baby whales actually came over to our boat and played around going under and around our boat, splashing us, coming up to the side - it was UNFORGETTABLE!
I wish we had a few more hours in this port. We had just enough time for one quick excursion and a quick shopping stop in the Ward Cove Port shopping building. We did the Lumberjack Show which was an absolute riot - entertaining and funny. My kids loved it.
If NCL is going to dock so far away from town, they should make sure there is ample time in port - next time I'll know better. Definitely make sure you take a cruise with MORE time in port!
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