First time to Alaska. It is beautiful, with lots to do and see. We absolutely enjoyed it. We have sailed Carnival and Royal Caribbean in the past. This was our first Norwegian cruise. Each line has its plusses and negatives. It is up to the individual to decide which they prefer. I would definitely sail Norwegian again. A good tip to know though, Norwegian has the crappier ports in Alaska. You are rarely close to town and either have to walk or use free shuttle services to get to town. With that being said, we made the most of it, and had a great time!!!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Well organized and not bad at all.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
I personally enjoyed all of the food on the ship. Buffet, main dinning room and specialty restaurants were all very good with lots to choose from.
Teppanyaki
5 out of 5
Jayson was our cook. He was awesome. The food and entertainment were spectacular.
The Manhattan Room - Main Dining Room
5 out of 5
Great service and food.
The Local
5 out of 5
Had breakfast and lunch here several times. Very good food.
The District Brew House
5 out of 5
Our favorite hangout on the ship. Great service with great views. Oh yeah, and great cold beer!!
Sugarcane Mojito Bar
5 out of 5
One of our favorite hangouts on the ship. The bartenders worked their tails off. Great service and drinks.
Savor Restaurant - Main Dining Room
5 out of 5
Great service and food.
Q Texas Smokehouse
5 out of 5
Great food. The plate I got was huge and very delicious.
Garden Cafe
5 out of 5
Lots to choose from. Enjoyed it.
American Diner
5 out of 5
Great food. Had slow service one time, but still good.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We are in our 50's, but thoroughly enjoyed driving the race track for only an additional $15.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Choir of Man was excellent, as was the Beatles tribute band. All other live music was kind of sub par compared to other cruises.
Encore Speedway
5 out of 5
Super fun.
Children's Programs
Adult couples trip
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All of the staff was friendly and inviting. Some individuals went above and beyond, making it a great experience.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Very beautiful ship. It is designed nicely and kept up well. Workers are constantly cleaning.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
This is our first time sailing Norwegian. The room seemed a little smaller than that of Carnival and Royal, but it served its purpose. We are seldom in the room anyway!!
Ship tip
Make the most of every moment and don't sweat the small stuff.
There is lots to do in Seattle. We arrived 2 days prior to sailing. Keep in mind, there are a lot of homeless people around every corner. They did not bother us though. It really was sad at how bad it is.
We rented a car through Turo. Best decision ever. It was left in the parking lot at the dock. We got in and went straight to Mendenhall glacier and nugget falls. Came back into town and took the tram to the top of Mt.Roberts. Came down and ate snow crab at Tracy's King Crab Shack.
We did the 8.5 hr. excursion. Hopped on a motor coach and went 65 miles into the Yukon and Canada, with stops along the way. Had lunch and visited 2 small towns. We then got on the White Pass Rail and took a nearly 2 hour trip back into Skagway on the train. This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. We even had time to do a little shopping and stop at the Red Onion Saloon for a cold one, before getting back on the ship.
Limited time here, but we made the most of it. Ate breakfast at a small dive called The Pioneer, did some shopping and walking around. Took in the Lumberjack show, which was awesome. Small tip, you can purchase lumberjack tickets at the place for half the price of the cruise line. We then got a cab to go back to the port because the free bus to get back had a line a mile long.
Appreciate the detailed and honest review. Did Alaska on the Encore last year and had a similar experience. NCL does have the worst docks, but Glacier Bay makes up for it. Plus if you are on their excursions no wait for a shuttle.
Alright! Thanks for sharing that! We’re going on the Encore next year and so it’s lovely to know that the ship has positives. My dad told me he went on the Breakaway and that was one of his least favorite ships because there were just so many negatives. I was skeptical at first when he told me the Alaskan cruise was Norwegian but I will take your word for what you say about the encore!
Thank you for the review. We’ve had the dock farthest away in Alaska ports (and anywhere) plenty of times on different lines. I don’t know how they decide who gets the short straw but it’s not always NCL. You probably just had bad luck. The Lumberjack show is only about 500 feet from the cruise ship docks in Ketchikan. It’s a nice walk.
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