RedE2Go64

Yikes! Thanks for the tip on the firewall!

Thank you! That was exactly the info I needed! Although I wish it was more open between the balconies, at least my expectations will be realistic now. Great tip about the bungee cord!

We want to get a room on Caribe deck next to brother in law, and open up the balconies between each other. Is it just a small door way on the balcony that is open, or does it really open up between the two balconies? The only pic I could find just made it look like just a small slat was removed, allowing us to walk between the two balconies, but not really be able to feel like we can all sit out on the same balcony.

The Star Princess is scheduled to be in Juneau from 6:30 - 4:00p and will be using a water shuttle. Do they shuttle very many people at a time? We are trying to schedule a helicopter to the glacier/dog sled and I don't know how much time to allow to get off of the ship. 

I assume if I book the excursion directly through Princess, there wouldn't be any problem with the time, but I was hoping to get a bit less expensive if I booked independently. Thank you for any help.

After abandoning the idea of RT from Seattle, Ive refocused my attention on one ways using Vancouver as a port.  Main reason is because I like the idea of being inside passage the whole time, instead of out on the ocean. Also like the idea of going further up into Alaska. Hopefully this will mean we have more scenery too.

What are the positives/negatives in traveling either northbound or southbound? This is for July 31, 2021. 

Star Princess...Anchorage 8:30   (SOUTHBOUND)

                           Hubbard Glacier   3 - 8pm

                           Glacier Bay     9:15 - 7:30p

                           Skagway         7:00 - 8:30p

                           Juneau (tendering) 6:30 - 4:00p

                           Ketchikan                  10:00 - 6:00p

                           At sea        (I believe this would be traveling on the inside of the passage, not actually our at sea?)

                           Vancouver        7:30 am

Royal Princess...Vancouver 4:30p   (NORTHBOUND)

                             At sea   (I believe it goes on the West side of Vancouver ?)

                             Ketchikan    6:30 - 3:00p

                             Juneau         8:00 - 9:00p

                             Skagway      7:00 - 8:30p

                             Glacier Bay  6:00 - 3:00p

                             College Fjord   6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

                             Anchorage  12:30 am

I appreciate any insight and help I can get. I've never been to Alaska but you all have been so helpful to even get me to THIS point, and I thank you!

6 hours ago, dmdiver said:

We are scheduled to do a whale-watching excursion there, so I guess there's plenty of time to see things in spite of the late arrival.

 

I'm glad to know that. That was one of our concerns, so I'm glad to know that is an option if we do the Encore.

5 hours ago, martincath said:

Princess bring husky puppies onboard, do an axe-throwing contest, and have speakers who are professional lumberjacks or Iditarod racers.

5 hours ago, martincath said:

But Princess most definitely offer a more Alaska-focused experience on board - and the bells & whistles of a big new ship will only get used on sea days if you're doing Alaska right (i.e. getting off the ship and exploring). Plus, one less ship per day will make a noticeable difference in how crowded some of the ports

5 hours ago, martincath said:

Plus a smaller ship = more efficient getting on and off, which is another nice little perk f

5 hours ago, martincath said:

Inside Passage time (including the most scenic parts of the entire coast) is definitely a big perk compared to 2 whole days of seeing diddly-squat except waves and other ships...

Wow....those are all excellent points. Thank you for sharing this with me. I wasn't gung-ho on a smaller ship, but I see now hat it has some advantages. Also, didn't realize that Princess would take priority over NCL in case they have to tender. Bringing  people (and puppies) on board s like a big plus for Princess. The lumberjack sounds cool! I'll look again, but I think the Vancouver rt didn't work out, but that's a great point about the inside passage. I'm not looking forward to that first day out on the open water on Encore.

3 hours ago, Jnsplace1 said:

I have cruised NCL several times before, I like them for their dinning service.  However, last NCL cruise (3500 people), I wasn't overly impressed due to the amount of people on the ship.  It felt less service and more frustration to me. 

Sounds like a smaller ship is the way to go. 

Thank you all for your help! I feel like I have a better idea of why I keep reading about Princess. Either way, we will have a good time and experience things we've never done before. Alright, back to digging into my Alaska cruise research......

I realize there are other cruise lines that do a great cruise in Alaska, but Princess is one that keeps popping up as one of THE preferred lines if your are doing Alaska. But I can't seem to find any examples of what is meant by that. What does Princess do on Alaska cruises that I wont find on NCL? Because of vacation time and financial l constraints, we have narrowed down to 2 options that work for us. Both are 7 day round trip from Seattle and visit Glacier Bay. We have never sailed on either line....always did Royal Caribbean and Carnival in the past.

1) Emerald Princess...older ship. In Juneau from 11:00 - 10:00pm

2) NCL Encore....newer ship. In Juneau from 2:30 - 11:00pm (is this enough time do do any major excursions? Concerned since we don't get there until 2:30.)

The itineraries are very similar, EXCEPT for time spend in Juneau and number of ships in ports. The days that Emerald is in each port, there is one less ship there (4 ships in Juneau vs 5 when Encore is there).

NCL Encore appeals to me because of the newness of the ship.  But if this is my only trip to Alaska, I want to do it right, as much as possible. 

So WHAT IS PRINCESS DOING THAT NCL doesn't do? Thank you for any guidance you can give to this first-timer. 

Rats! 

Thank you for your quick replies.

Where can I find promo codes for Falstaff parking? I called directly and was told that they don't do promo codes, but on their website, there is a place to put the code. 

Thank you all for your help!

I've never done specialty dining and am considering buying the 3 night package for $79 pp.

1) The the restrictions state that at "a la carte" restaurants, there is a $35 allowance, and anything beyond that...I would pay extra for. Are Chops, Giovannis or Sabor considered "a la carte" restaurants? I was hoping to be able to have our family just order whatever they wanted unless it was one of the items that specifically states there is an upcharge, like the seafood tower or whatever.

2) If we have the Deluxe Beverage package, are the drinks at specialty restaurants included, even the amazing Margaritas I hear about at Sabor? 

3) If I have My Time Dining reservation, I believe I have to cancel my first night reservation to book Chops online. But will I have to cancel the rest of my reservations, or does that happen once I get on Liberty and book my other two dining options?

4) Is $79 a decent price for these 3 restaurants on the Liberty? I assume that its $79 plus tax.

Thanks you for all help, thoughts and recommendations

Thank you for this review. Our group sounds similar to yours. The sloths/monkeys sound interesting to us but really the snorkeling is what we are after. We don't have a lot of experience snorkeling but we hear that Roatan is great for it, so we want to take advantage of it. Were you snorkeling by the reef that I read so much about? Did you consider the stop at the sloths to be worth it, in terms of time lost snorkeling and extra price? Then again....how often do you get to hold a sloth, right?? lol

Thank you all for your help!

Our cruise itinerary for June shows that will will be in ports from 8:00 - 6:00  (Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan). If we have the early dinner seating, do they keep it at 5:30 or do they push it back at all on port days? I realize that I could always do Windjammer or MTD, but I was thinking about changing from 6:45 MTD to the 5:30 main seating, until I realized how rushed I might be on 3 of the 7 nights. 

One of the reasons I like the scheduled dining times is that it feels special with the same waiters knowing our preferences. Ive never done MTD and am a little concerned that it will just feel like a regular restaurant, and I'm afraid 8:00 time might be too late for us.

Any thoughts or help on this?

Regardless of what you choose to do, I applaud you for the compassion you have for your MIL feelings in this issue. I am sure you are a great role model for your child. Have a great trip...whenever it is. :)