First Time NCL Alaska Solo Cruiser

Norwegian Encore Cruise Review to Alaska - Inside Passage

Cruises: 4-6 cruises
Reviews: 2
Helpful Votes: 25

Overall rating:

3.3 out of 5
Norwegian Encore

7 Night Alaska: Glacier Bay Skagway & Juneau (Seattle Roundtrip)

Sail date: October 22, 2023

Ship: Norwegian Encore

Cabin type: Inside

Cabin number: 12535

Traveled as: Singles/Friends

Reviewed: 1 year ago

Review summary

I enjoyed my first Alaska solo NCL cruise. Despite a few hiccups with my modified excursions and a full ship of passengers I will definitely Cruise Alaska again and also cruise on NCL

Embarkation

5 out of 5
My scheduled time thought was 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.. My NCL desk agent Thomas went out of his way to check me in. He allowed me to get on sooner rather have to endure a long wait to board.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5
I had the BEST Mexican food at Los Lobos. My 16 oz ribeye at Cagney's was so good. I also ate 2X at Savor, 3X at The Manhattan Room. I also sampled the pub food at The Local. I ate a few time as The Garden Buffet. I don't recall any food not tasting great.

The Manhattan Room - Main Dining Room

5 out of 5

I had great food here. I had the New York strip steak, I had some great Caesar salads. I had the best Tiramisu dessert. I ate here twice with some of my fellow solo Cruisers. I also had a dinner by myself. The staff was awesome and always attentive. I had a great orange with chocolate mousse. I also had a chocolate cake. I don't normally eat desserts but they were very good

Los Lobos

5 out of 5

I was invited to dinner by 4 of my felloe solo travellers. The Jalapeno margarita's we awesome. The tableside quac was wonderful. You could order it made mild or spicy. I had the best carne asada I think I've ever had. I had a great dessert also. The service was excellent. The food food was marvelous

The District Brew House

5 out of 5

My first time here was for a private event. A solo meet and greet for 200 of my fellow solo Cruisers. The second and third times were for the piano show. The musician was named Archie. He was very good played '70s, '80s and '90s music. He was very very popular. They have a full service bar also and food was available to order.

Cagney's Steakhouse

5 out of 5

I chose my one included specially dining meal for Cagney's specifically. I had a shrimp cocktail, lobster bisque and a 16 oz ribeye. The ribeye was cooked to perfection

Onboard Activities

1 out of 5
I enjoyed The Waterfront on Deck 8. It was a great alternative for picture taking as the Observation Lounge was overcrowded most of the time. I did use the Fitness Center. It was a well equipped gym.

Encore Casino

5 out of 5

I had a great time in the casino. I won $50 on a scratcher. I won $145 on a slot machine. Overall I won about $240. The staff were always happy and polite.

Tradewinds

3 out of 5

Tradewinds was your typical shopping area. They would have a sale every night. I did buy some 75% off Alaskan merchandise items. A solo Cruiser I met but an Invicta watch at 75% off they put out a lot of merchandise that they were trying to get rid of. I just bought a couple of items.

Pulse Fitness Center

4 out of 5

The fitness room was well stocked with the usual gym equipment. My friend made it to the gym almost daily. I didn't quite but I found enough machines available. It was well used by fellow Cruisers.

Entertainment

5 out of 5
The Choir of Man and The Beatles Tribitr shows were amazing. I also went to Karaoke at The Cavern Club. In The District Brewhouse was an amazing pianist named Archie. He played 60's, 70's and 80's music.

Encore Theater

5 out of 5

I attended the 10p.m. show The Choir of Man. Firdt come first served on the seating. I had no problem getting a seat pretty close to the stage with a great view. This show is awesome and not to be missed.

Children's Programs

I was a solo adult traveler.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
My room steward Michael Quita was the best. He was very friendly and attentive. If I needed anything, i.e. robe, extra blanket, my closet door fixed (sticky) he made sure it was handled ASAP. Jimina, our Solo Cruise Hostess was amazing. Very friendly and energetic.

Ship Quality

2 out of 5
I found it easy to navigate after the first day. Initially I had trouble finding my room until I realized I was on the starboard side and the fishies on the carpet pointing forward helped me find my room. The public bathrooms are always clean. I did not notice any lingering dinner trays coffee cups or glasses and any of the dining areas.

Cabin / Stateroom

1 out of 5
I occupied solo cabin 12535 on Deck 12. My room was 99 ft. Surprisingly for the size I was not claustrophobic and it was perfect for one passenger. There were two closets and enough outlets for electronic devices such as my phone. Both my carry-on and my check bag fit securely under my bed. My cabin was always clean. My cabin steward Michael Quita was on the ball everyday.

Ports of call

Cruise Inside Passage, Alaska

1 out of 5
There was awesome sites sailing the Inside passage. Again using The Waterfront on Deck 8. I was able to go outside and walk around the ship taking pictures from various sections. It's a great alternate to the overcrowded Observation Lounge I encountered at times during my cruise.

Disembarkation

5 out of 5
We docked at 6:00 a.m. in Seattle. I was able to grab coffee and a light breakfast. My tags were purple so that meant I was able to exit the ship at 8:15 a.m.. it was very easy to find my two suitcases. That is because all of the luggage pickups are designated by color. I boarded my bus to the airport that I booked through NCL. I got to the airport by 9:15. The only downside is my flight wasn't until 12:50 p.m..
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6 Comments

Cruisers4Lyfe     3 months ago

Thanks for sharing

Gwbigdog    1 year ago

Thanks for sharing your cruise

natelorip    1 year ago

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

javawoody    1 year ago

Thanks for the detailed review

picalo    1 year ago

what a great attitude . Those solo cabins seem very cozy. Great cruise and the Waterfront is great for pictures if you can take the cold.

cruising2004    1 year ago

Glad you had an enjoyable time on your Alaskan cruise. Thank you for the detailed review and pictures.

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