Norwegian Encore Oct. 2023

Item: Norwegian Encore
Rating: 4.9
Author: CapFamily

Norwegian Encore Cruise Review

CapFamily

Contributor Level: Third Mate

24 Days Till Next Cruise

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 2

Helpful Votes: 20

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: 1 year 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.

The Local

5 out of 5

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

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.

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.

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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.

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Juneau, Alaska

5 out of 5

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.

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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.

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Disembarkation

5 out of 5

Was very organized and easy to get through

Traveler Photos

Up on stage with pre-show with Choir of Man

11 Comments

nucfuel 1 year ago

@CapFamily. Thanks. We are going on Encore at the end of March and was hoping it would stay. We saw it last year and loved it!

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CapFamily 1 year ago

@nucfuel - No. they brought in a new cast for Choir of Man.

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Curlyredhead 1 year ago

Thanks for the details. We are headed out on Sunday!

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nucfuel 1 year ago

Is Choir of Man going away on Encore?

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Gwbigdog 1 year ago

Thanks for sharing

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PanamaDee 1 year ago

Great review! Thank you for taking the time to do it! Happy cruising! 🛳️😎🛳️

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cruising2004 1 year ago

Sounds like you had another amazing cruise to Alaska! Thank you for sharing.

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AuntPinkie 1 year ago

Appreciate your detailed feedback. Happy you have found a cruise line that fits your needs. Glad you enjoyed your Alaskan cruise.

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natelorip 1 year ago

Thanks for the detailed review. Glad you had a great time in Alaska!

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javawoody 1 year ago

Thanks for the detailed review

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TwisterSister86 1 year ago

Thanks for sharing your terrific review! I just cruised to Alaska for the first time, also with NCL, and things were awesome, for the most part! Happy continued cruising!

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