Norwegian Encore Oct. 2023

Item: Norwegian Encore
Rating: 4.9
Author: CapFamily

Norwegian Encore Cruise Review

CapFamily

Contributor Level: Purser

163 Days Till Next Cruise

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 2

Helpful Votes: 17

Overall rating:

4.9 out of 5

7 Night Alaska Glacier Bay (Seattle Roundtrip)

Sail date: October 01, 2023

Ship: Norwegian Encore

Cabin type: Suite

Cabin number: 9234

Traveled as: Family (young children)

Reviewed: 8 months ago

Review summary

Oooh that ship was rocking. Rough seas to start the cruise and leaving Ketchikan. Had to break out the Dramamine for our daughter. But it all turned out good. This is our second year in a row that we visited Alaska traveling on Norwegian. We enjoyed our cruise on the Bliss last year, however, this year in the Encore was better. We knew what to expect. Enjoyed all of the ports and only got rained on in Ketchikan. I’ve read others reviews from last week about not stopping in Skagway. We did on this one. Saw right off the dock a massive mud slide and I believe that is why the 2 voyages before this one had Skagway canceled. Have done cruises on other lines and we find that we enjoy Norwegian better than the others. Will be back in 2024 for a European cruise.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Line was long but the folks kept it moving.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Food was amazing in the dining rooms.

Garden Cafe

5 out of 5

Yes it is busy during peak times and there isn’t enough seats. However, it wasn’t until Day 6 that we found it to be an issue. Bring your patience.

The Local

5 out of 5

Great for a late night snack. Wings are ridiculously good. My son loved the cheeseburger.

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

There was plenty to do even with the rain and rough seas.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Let me first say that the Choir of Man by far was the best stage show we have watched. The cast did an amazing job and it was sad to see them in tears after their last show together after a run of 8 months and 113 shows on the Encore. Anthony Salazar was a magician/illusionist performing on the ship. He was energetic, engaged with the audience, and was great. Would love to see him again.

Children's Programs

5 out of 5

Our 7 year old son loved going to the club everyday and came back with amazing stories about all of the activities that they did.

Splash Academy

5 out of 5

Our son loved going everyday.

Service and Staff

4 out of 5

The wait staff in the dining rooms were on point every night. Never knew who our room steward was until day 5. There was no introduction.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Love the extra room in the bathroom that the Club Balcony adds. Overall the room was comfortable for the 4 of us. Bed is uncomfortable and be sure to ask for extra pillows

Ship tip

Bring your patience with you. The elevators can take sometime with the amount of people onboard. Eat in the smaller dining rooms, Taste or Savor. They are more intimate. If you are going into Glacier Bay and have a balcony, stay in your room. The ship does at least 2 360 degree turns for glacier viewing.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Seattle, Washington

5 out of 5

Gorgeous city. The family had a great time downtown visiting the original Starbucks, riding the Great Wheel, and having a seafood dinner by the water.

Thumbs Up 0

Skagway, Alaska

5 out of 5

Ride the White Pass Yukon Railroad. It was a great experience. Beautiful sites while sitting in the train. Stood outside on the platform the entire ride. Amazing scenery.

Thumbs Up 0

Cruise Glacier Bay

5 out of 5

Because of all the rain there were waterfalls everywhere you looked. Last year we saw the Margerie Glacier and I was happy to find out that we would be viewing different ones.

Thumbs Up 0

Juneau, Alaska

5 out of 5